"the way" of Christian life, emphasizing that God has one path for believers. It draws parallels to Saul's conversion in Acts 9, where he persecuted "this way," and highlights the importance of repentance and faith in Jesus Christ for salvation, contrasting this with superficial beliefs. The message also addresses the dangers of division within the church, the proper role of women in assemblies, and the need for believers to live by faith, trusting God's provision rather than seeking guaranteed salaries or compromising biblical principles. The core lesson is to remain steadfast on God's single path, discerning His presence and living in unity, as exemplified by Jesus' prayer for his followers in John 17.
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I want to mention the new address of Christian Mission Press. As many of you know, it has moved a number of times. It is presently located at nine seven six. For those who want to jot it down, nine seven six South Pine Street. That's Spartanburg, South Carolina. nine seven six south pine street spartanburg south carolina two nine three zero two the pamphlets that i've written that are presently in print some are outer print at this time the ones that i've written that are presently in print they carry there walter kirk publishers carry some and others other publishers carry others But the six that you can find there, Salvation or Baptism, which comes first, Mr.
McCartney asked to change that title. Formerly, it had been the one printed in Colorado years ago that used to go around to all the state fairs and was also published in Canada by a Canadian publisher. It was entitled Salvation, before or after water baptism, which, and it takes the passage in Acts ten and eleven to show, pardon me, to show that Cornelius was saved, sealed, and sanctified before he got in the water. The last debate that I've had with the Campbellites, so over the years I've had several debates with them, the last one was a four-hour debate in San Antonio two years ago with the TV cameras and all the big lights and the large auditorium they had there, and it's on video as well as just verbal tape, but we used the same information that I had printed up in this little pamphlet years ago.
Ten or twelve irrefutable truths concerning Cornelius and his relationship to the Lord, to the Holy Spirit. Then we have one headship and head covering. Now you say, Camelites, what do you mean? Well, for those younger ones of you, that's a group called the Church of Christ or sometimes called the Christian Church. Now that divided years ago. They were the Disciples of Christ movement. And that was started years and years ago by Alexander and Thomas Campbell. And that had a big riff and split over several things. One was the musical instrument. And to some of us, that's a familiar story. But the anti-orgon wing, that is those who were against any musical instrument, was later called the Church of Christ.
And the organ wing, or those who were not opposed to it, was called the Christian Church. But both teach the same thing that you have to be baptized to be saved. Incidentally, the both teach that you'd be lost after you're saved. But they're not the only ones, not only the so-called Church of Christ and the so-called Christian Church, but the Roman Catholic Church, the Lutheran Church, you'll find also the Jehovah's False Witnesses, Watchtower Society, you'll find the Mormon Teach That, you'll find the United Pentecostal Church teaches that, that's the United Pentecostal Church of America, and then of course the Church of God of Prophecy, and there may be others as well that teach that same teaching. Now, I'm not speaking derogatorily of them, I'm just saying that's their doctrine. And they're very proud of it.
They put it in print. You can read it for yourself. But I'm convinced it's an error. And so this little track will help to deal with that. Then, of course, headship head covering. Three different Greek words in the passage of First Corinthians eleven to show what the Lord is teaching there concerning head covering. Three different Greek words. Three different objects of the covering and three different... reasons for the covering I stated in the pamphlet a little bit of section there on women being silent in December now remember women are never inferior to men ever any more than the Lord Jesus is inferior to God it's a matter of sex role distinction that God has made and we appreciate that so maybe this will be a little help along that line without any further discussion just simply stating that I believe that marriage on earth is permanent till death, and a little pamphlet to hope and courage in that direction.
To what or to whom are you gathered, a little Greek exposition study of Matthew, eighteen, twenty, but in simple everyday English, hoping that will be a blessing up in the front. I didn't before, when I first wrote it, I had no testimonial, and I didn't intend to write a testimonial, but before Bill McCartney was printed at Christian Mission's Press, he demanded me put a testimonial in the front, hoping it's no offense to anyone, but that's what happened in my life. Baptism in the Spirit by who and for what purpose. So often I still hear some of our local brethren speak about the baptism of the Spirit. Well, of is the Zetix in English, and the Holy Spirit is not the one who baptizes. It is the Lord Jesus, undisputedly. Four times it's made clear that he is the baptizer.
That would be Matthew chapter three and verse eleven. Mark one eight, Luke three sixteen, and John one thirty three. All four show that the Lord Jesus himself is the one who baptizes in the Spirit, not all, but in the Spirit. We're immersed in the Holy Spirit. For what purpose will First Corinthians twelve, thirteen tell you, with a view to forming one spiritual body? And we're on the winning side. We're in this thing together in our Lord, aren't we? Baptism in the Spirit. And then last but certainly not least, hopefully, on the subject of tongues from the New Testament, It went out years ago by a publisher in Iowa when I lived there, but all those were used up and then no more published there.Waltric publishers took it up and produced the first ten thousand, sold them all, and I went into that further.
And when I had asked them to do the addendum in the back that I wanted to add to it, they felt that they shouldn't do it. And so I let Bill McCartney have it also, both publishers, have it. And he was willing to put the addendum in the back and he said it wouldn't cost any more, whereas Waltric anticipated upping the cost of the pamphlet. Mr. McCartney said, no, it won't at all. He said, I can do it, but it won't up the cost. And so there's a fifteen-point comparative analysis in the back of this one put out by Christian Missions Press that shows the distinctions there that are there between the tongues of action, the tongues of Corinthians. First Corinthians fourteen does not take up the doctrine of tongues as a gift, but it compares a language. It compares a language. that's unknown to the assembly with somebody that stands up and prophetically tells something a message from the Lord and the benefit derived thereof.
If I should say to you, if I should say to you, if I should say to you, if you didn't understand Spanish, you wouldn't know that I said, I know how to read Spanish, but I do not speak it very well. It's difficult to speak it. So if you understood that, then there's no problem. You get the message. But if I have said that and you didn't understand it, or I didn't translate it, then it would be confusion and obviously somebody standing up and giving a message from God in a language that people understand would be far superior than me saying anything in any language that you didn't understand. That's what that's talking about in chapter fourteen. And so I just, there's two sets of each. We'll put them up here on the table. We are freebies here at Christian Missions Crest.
They cost a little. And hopefully that will be a help. Christian Missions Crest. nine seven six South Pine Street, Spartanburg, South Carolina, two nine three zero two. I would like to take just a moment also to ask you to pray with me about my schedule. I'm just on such a tight schedule. It just happened that way people have been asking for a number of years to come. I was burdened about Jamaica. I've been asked for a number of years to go to Jamaica. I never did go, never did go. And finally I was just pressed into going. It seemed, and I went right after Hurricane Gilbert hit over two years or about two years ago. This time of the year, I think, two years ago, Hurricane Gilbert moved in across that island and devastated so much of it.
And I had already been scheduled for meetings there, and I figured, well, that will end that, and I won't be needing to go to Jamaica. But finally, when communications were restored, and that was a little while, when they were restored, I got a call. They said, are you still coming? I said, well, I didn't think you want me to come after that devastating hurricane but they said all the more we need you to come you must come if you cannot so i went and took another brother with me and was down there for a while i'll tell you the poverty just breaks my heart when i go you sometimes just choke up at the poverty of those dear people and when that hurricane hit it's so escalated uh the price of things the uh things just went up commodities went up sky high you know the It pleased me the word, what do you call it?
Inflation, I think, is the word I'm looking for. Inflation went up so desperately that when I went out and bought a little can, a little aerosol can of mosquito spray, because mosquitoes all over that place, no air conditioning, and it's hot, and I don't, many of you who know me know I have a sleep disorder I've had over twenty years, and I don't sleep very well, and down there I hardly sleep at all. So I went out to buy a sermon, and I paid five dollars, and some I've sent American money for a little can like that, to tell you, I don't see how they even bought food. It just breaks your heart. And if you have any money in your pocket when you start to leave, your conscience is bad. You want to dump everything. And they send no money for your affair. You save up to go. And then you go and try to help. Now, all I'm trying to say is they've been asking me to go back.
There's a team out of Toronto wants to go in and do some leg work and some previous work or some preparatory work and singing and everything. And they want me to preach. And so I'm going to unite with them. And we're going down right away. I'll be leaving here, going home. And then we've got to go down to the Texas coast. for a short few days down there that we've made a commitment and then back and then right into Jamaica and then back and on into Sioux St. Marie at the Gospel Hall on the Canadian Sioux side to have Gospel meetings there and then home for just a short time and then into Kansas for Gospel meetings and from there straight into Iowa for Gospel meeting getting back before Christmas time and so I'd appreciate prayer about my schedule.
I know that many of you do pray for me and I appreciate that and to pray for one another and we were hearing about that earlier. So thank you very much for that. Why don't we stand and sing amazing grace, how sweet this sounds. Chapter eight, Ezra was a scribe instructed under the law of God and he had a tremendous moving in his heart or we sometimes call exercise to go and help in Jerusalem. And you remember that in chapter seven, Ezra had... prepared his heart to seek the law of the Lord, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments, not only to learn it, but to do it, and then teach it. I think that's the divine order, isn't it? You learn it, you do it, and then you teach it.
And you remember he was gathering up those who were needed. He had priests, but he needed some Levites. He had to sort of turn back some of his plans and his pages of time and opportunity and was able to round up some of those men, began to deposit to them certain things they should carry. And they were having a meeting at Ahava, at the river, and there had been a prayer meeting. And now let's pick up our narrative at verse thirty-one of Ezra eight. Then we departed from the river of Ahava on the twelfth day of the first month to go unto Jerusalem, and the hand of our God was upon us. Now before we read to him, Father, keep in mind that he had said to the king, the hand of our God is going to take care of us.
And then when the time came to leave, he knew there would be enemies. And he was ashamed to go and ask the king for some soldiers to help him out. Why? Because he had voted. He had faith that justified ones shall live by his faith. And so he had faith in God, but I'll tell you, when you get right down to the brink of the river, sometimes what happens? Our knees begin to smite one against another. Oh, boy, boy, boy, but it's faith that can carry us on through if we have our eyes upon him, our Lord. So he said we departed from the river of Heva on the twelfth and the first month to go into Jerusalem, and hand of our God was upon us, and he delivered us from the hand of the enemy.
Now, if it says he delivered them, the enemy must have been there. Otherwise, it's just a phantom. It's a statement. It's a non-relevant statement. And God really doesn't do that in his word, does he? And he says, the hand of our God was upon us, and he, our God, delivered us from the hand of the enemy, and of such as lay and wait by the way. This morning, I want to speak on the way. Through the days of our RV camp time, I was trying to do expositional study from First Timothy. We got through five chapters in some former fashion, and I had a wonderful time. It seemed some of them did. I hope all of them did. We enjoyed expositional study, and that's what I love the best.
But this morning I had a desire to get on the subject of the way, and I want to talk about my own personal life and testimony. Sometimes that may be boring to some, but it's kind of on my heart, so bear with me. This expression, the way. Why don't you turn with me, if you will, to Acts chapter nine. Acts chapter nine. Stephen has been stoned to death, you remember? Philip has gone out and preached in Samaria. Chapter nine opens with these words in Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord.
went unto the high priest and desired of him letters to Damascus, to the synagogue, that if he found any of this way, now notice he was not after the folks in the synagogue that were carrying out temple worship, as far as the instruction to the Jews in temple worship and sacrifices. I have no record that Saul of Tarsus is out there trying to hurt Jews in the synagogue that were practicing Judaism. But he said, if he found any of this way, what do you suppose that refers to? Well, in my mind, it's clear. It's talking about our path with God as Christians. I believe, brothers and sisters, God only has one path.
Now, that may sound a bit narrow-minded in our broad scope today, but I'll always believe God only has one path. When I started out preaching in My life had been a disaster. And I'm not going to go into that. That doesn't honor and glorify God. But I'll tell you one thing. I met a wonderful forgiver. And he forgave me and he cleansed me. Oh, the change that was in my life. I'm not what I ought to be. But thank God I'm not what I was. I'll never be that by the grace of God. And what a turnaround from all that fighting and struggling that was going on and all the things that were involved in the tale of my life, the jail and all of that.
God turned me around, and the first place that I preached any message about God's forgiveness was on the streets of Fort Worth. There's where I'd been in trouble and fights and all of that, and I thought that's the best place to start. And it wasn't long till Johnny Ferguson, the pastor of the Baptist Church there, said, Donald, they have jail ministry going on on Sunday afternoon. Would you like to get involved? Oh, can you preach there? Yeah. Well, I wasn't a preacher. I just down there giving my testimony. See, I wasn't really preaching in the streets. In my mind, in my mind, I was just telling how God had forgiven me. But that's what they called preaching. And I, you know, I just, that didn't dawn on me like that. And it wasn't long until I started dreaming of preaching. But anyway, I'd find a few people on the street and they'd be standing there and I'd just walk up and I'd start speaking to them about the Lord, you see.
Well, it wouldn't be long until they begin to drift off. But everywhere I'd catch a few people, I'd give them the message. And once in a while, they'd just stand around. So I just keep pouring it, and I knew hardly anything. I could hardly have quoted a few verses. But I knew I was forgiven. And, oh, what a load is lifted. When you know your sins are gone, you've just got to tell somebody. What about the woman in John four? Hey, everybody. Come see a man told me all things. Every idea is not just the Messiah, the one that can put my sins away. Because you see, in his confrontation with her, he pulled a cover. She didn't. He did to point out her sins. That's a wonderful soul winning chapter, you know. The Lord Jesus initiated the conversation.
If we're going to be effective in our soul winning, we ought to initiate the conversation. He said, give me the drink. Secondly, he not only initiated the conversation, he opened it on the right subject, living water. And thirdly, He began to express her need of it. All that time she was hiding behind the smokescreen of her religious thoughts. And then finally when she was totally missing the message, he said, go call your husband. I don't have any. Oh, he said in that, said it's out of the truth. You told the truth. You don't have one. You've had five, and the one you're living with now is not your husband.
And, you know, we've got to get to the sin question if we're going to deal with this thing of salvation. It's a salvation from sin. God saves us from our sins. His name shall be called Jesus, for He shall save its people from their sins. And so often and so many, we don't get to that issue. That, you know, Jesus is a wonderful Savior. He's a wonderful person. He went about doing good. He died and he rose again. And wouldn't you like to be in heaven? Yes, I would. Well, do you believe he's a wonderful person and that he's the Son of God? Yes, I do. Well, you're saved. No. Oh, dear. What a sham. I mean, to me, it's wicked. Until a person has come to grips with the fact that they're a lost sinner, and God says we're to tell them to repent.
That's the message of Paul. He says, God has commanded all men, everywhere, to repent. And until repentance takes place, I don't care how much believing goes on, you'll not be saved. So as a new doctor, no, it isn't. Our blessed Lord could say in Mark one fifteen, the time is fulfilled, the kingdom of God is in hand. Repent ye and believe the gospel. That beloved servant of his Paul could say in Acts twenty twenty one, repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. Our master could say in Luke twenty four, that repentance and remission of sins is to be preached in his name among all nations beginning at Jerusalem. And your martyrs are witnesses of these things. The apostle Peter could say on the day of Pentecost when they cried out and said, Men and brethren, what should we do? He could have said, Invite Jesus in your heart.
He said, No, he said, Repent and be baptized. Ever wonder through the name of Jesus Christ for their mission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. In the very next chapter, Acts chapter three, verse nineteen, he says, Repent you, therefore, and be converted that your sins may be blotted out when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. Oh, we have got to tell people to repent. Now the rich will don't. In Acts sixteen, they didn't tell that man to repent. Obviously not. Why? The man's already repented. He's running over with it, but he's changed his mind. He's absurd. What must I do to be saved? I'm not going to go through some theological discourse on repentance. I'm going to point the man to the Jesus that saved, the only one.
See, there are other Jesuses, like the Bible talks about, the Jesus that saved. He's the Lord of all. So you can see the way. Look, if you will, in Acts chapter nine. Look at verse nineteen. And when he had received meat, he was strengthened. Then was Saul, certain days of the disciples which were at Damascus. And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues that he is the Son of God. Now I want you to look at another For here he is doing what the Lord wants him to do, and it's going to be about the way.
Look at chapter nineteen, Acts chapter nineteen. Now read verse nine. This is, you remember, Paul at Ephesus. You had a dozen in the dark. Now they're saved. Now they're baptized in right order. They'd already been baptized, but didn't have salvation. That's a lot of people in our day. I mean, tons and tons of people in this country have been baptized. Some have been sprinkled, that's not baptism. Some have had it poured on them, that's not baptism. Sprinkling is rontizo, pouring is echo, but immersing is baptism. So some have got baptism, some sprinkling, some pouring, but they're still lost in their sins. These twelve, I call them a dozen in the dark, had a profession of faith and they had baptism, but they didn't have the Spirit.
They didn't have life. And Paul discerns this, and he tells them who they should believe on. When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord. Paul laid his hands on them and they prophesied and spoke with tongues. and he was disputing and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God. Verse nine, but when divers were hardened and believed not, but spoke evil of that way before the multitude, he departed from them and separated the disciples, disputing daily in the school of one tyrannus. Look at verse twenty-three. Same chapter. And the same time there was, there rose no small stir. You know another way of saying that? A great big commotion. No small stir about that way.
Brothers and sisters, there is a certain way we're to walk. Acts twenty four. Paul is on trial testifying. Look what he says. Before that big crowd that day he says in verses thirteen and fourteen, neither can they, that is the Jews, prove the things whereof they accuse me, but this I confess. They can't prove what they're charging me with, but here's what I will confess. Just that I confess unto thee that after the way which they call heresy, so I worship the God of my fathers. The way which they, the way. And then you'll note that in Second Peter chapter two. Second Peter chapter two. Just introducing the subject, the way is what we want to talk about.
I think about this morning. Second Peter chapter two. Verse one and two, those two together, but there were false prophets also among the people, even if there should be false teachers among you, who proudly shall bring in destructive sects, even denying the Lord that brought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction, and many shall follow their pernicious ways, by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. I have been talking to people that I believe, I personally believe, are Christians. and listen to them speak evil of the way. I've had them to say ugly things about us gathering in the Lord's name alone.
I've had them deride me because I was not elected to a position and had no stipulated salary. And therefore we're just freelancers And I've had them to call me sheep stealers. And my answer is simply this. No, I'm not stealing any sheep. I'm just pointing them to the shepherd. Just pointing them to the shepherd. This morning, the first thing that if we go back to our text that we read in Ezra chapter eight in verse thirty one, the hand of their God was upon them. Two things he points out in that very illustrative portion.
They had enemies and that's brought out. It says there, then we departed from the river Ahiva on the twelfth day of the first month to go under Jerusalem, and the hand of our God was upon us, and he delivered us from the hand of the enemy. So in the way that we walk, we're going to have enemies. And sometimes they're going to be Christians. They're going to be Christians. Now, I'm not trying to say rise up in arms against Christians. No, let's just love Christians. Regardless what they do to us, let's just love them. the Lord does not want us fighting with our brethren. Then he says, and of such as lay in wait. Not only did he name enemies, but he says, and such.
That's a cordon conjunction, tying two co-equals together. And notice now, of such as lie in wait. So here are some enemies, and I would take it that they were rather demonstrative and public and overt. And God delivered them from them. But then there were those that were far more subtle. They were lying in wait. It's like a couching animal. One time we used to live in a place in the same area that we live now, but many years ago. And then we moved away to Waco and Iowa and then back. And we're now living within a quarter mile of where we used to live. But across the street from us, one of the neighbors had...
a Manchester dog. That's a little small dog. It looked like his legs are just a little bit longer than the altruists. Whereas the Doctrines, or sometimes the Dishhounds are called, look like their legs got cheated and they're a little bit too short. It looked like if Manchester got them a little too long. It's almost like he's on the field. He's a little small dog and he goes in like this. And we had an old Tomcat. And that dog would come across the street to play a little bit and he'd be in the yard And if he'd start out to go back toward his house, which was not directly across, but just kind of diagonal, sometimes that old tomcat would crawl down in that part where the curving is and down lower, and I've seen that cat lie down steps like that when that dog come on. The boy he'd jump out and get that little dog and boy they'd chase and play.
But though that's play, this was not play in Ezra's day. It was for their very life. And so I'm saying, beloved Christian friends, I believe when the Lord said upon this rock, I will build my assembly, my called out ones, if you like it, literal. He meant that we would be united together in one spiritual body to one spiritual head and no division in that body. That's what he intended. And the devil has come along, the enemy. And such is lie in wait and sought to deter us from the right path. I came to see some of these things.
There was no assembly that gathered in the Lord's name in my hometown where I live when I separated from an organizational group. And I say this kindly, I love the group to this day. I love all the Christians among any group. So I'm not against any Christians. I'm not for the systems that many are involved in, but I'm certainly for the Christians, whoever and whatever. But the Lord helped me to see that I was occupying a place. And one of the first things he brought to my mind was the name of the Lord Jesus. And that's become precious to me. That's why I wrote that little pamphlet. To what or to whom are you gathered. I want you to look, please, with me to Matthew chapter eighteen, please. Matthew eighteen. I'll be brief in some of these points and I'll quickly four or twelve o'clock.
So rest assured that we'll not be running over time. Matthew eighteen verses fifteen through twenty are the context. In verses fifteen, sixteen and seventeen, we have discipline in verse eighteen, judgment in verse nineteen, prayer in verse twenty, the power of it all. You see, discipline is almost a thing of the past today. We had to, in the assembly where we are, to exercise a measure of discipline on a young man, a pilot that flies for one of the big airlines. And rather than to take the discipline as an act of love, He goes off to some of the church groups.
The father lays the rods of the child like Proverbs says and the mother coddles, or vice versa. Sometimes it's that way. The mother lays the rods of the child and the father coddles. And where is the benefit of the discipline? Well, the child is bewildered and the value of the discipline is somewhat lost. And so discipline is to be an act of love. It has three key words. Love is the motive. Correction is the purpose and restoration is the goal. And it's always those three, and if it ever lacks any one of them, it's not biblical discipline. And so there's so much to distract. And when you think about it, the enemies that count, that are out there apparently, and then the enemies that count for the way.
So we're living in a time of unprecedented division among the Lord's people. So that if I don't like it here, I'd just pick up my bag and go right over here and not even resolve a problem. But you know what, I do believe, now you may not agree with me, that I believe, though, when we get to the judgment seat, it will have to be faced. You say, well, Donald, I remember at Des Moines, one time at a conference there, they had a national workers' conference there, was it? No, no, it wasn't actually. It was a regular conference, and Gerald Ruther, Peter Pell was there, and Walter Lyefield from Chicago, and some others were there. And Brother Joe Boston was there.
He lived in that area. And I'd been way up off somewhere in the northeast part of the country and came back. I was on my way back home, driving, and I stopped in. I knew they had a conference going on, so I just stopped in. And Lou Clarkson wouldn't keep his mouth closed until they got me on the platform. They were having the question and answer time, you know, and I didn't want to go up. I was tired and wore out, and I just wanted to take in some of the brethren were preaching. You know, when you've been out preaching a lot, you want to hear some preaching and teaching, and I just wanted to sort of take some of it in. But he wouldn't, he said, well, we just wait for you, so if it's going to slow up the conference, hey, I'll just walk with the platform. But they were having an argument about the judgment of Jesus Christ. Some were saying, sin won't appear there because after all, doesn't the Bible say in Hebrews nine, he put away sin by the sacrifice of himself? Doesn't it say in First Peter chapter two, he bore our sins in his own body and the tree?
That's right. You know those verses. You can quote them as well as I can. Some of them may be better. But I want you to know if you love it. The judgment seat of Christ. It says we're going to receive the things we've done in the body according to that we have done, whether it be good or, and the next word, bad in our King James, all other places. That same Greek word is translated as E-V-I-L. Now, whether you call it bad or evil, tell me, is that righteousness or unrighteousness? What I'm going to get is exactly what I've done. Put it simple. And I'm convinced that when I, and the Romans passage, it talks about us there. It won't hurt to look at that a moment, if you will, because this is what helped me take the step I took, the judgment seat of Christ.
Romans chapter fourteen. Don't you notice something there. Make a note in your margin, if you will. This is from the Greek New Testament. He says at the latter part of that verse, verse ten of chapter fourteen, Romans fourteen ten. For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ, before translates the word P-A-R-A in English letters, pariah in Greek, simply saying, we shall all stand alongside the Bima, the steps of Christ. If you'll look up momentarily, I'm not dramatic, but just to try to dramatize, let's say here's the Lord right here, and the Lord says, Donald, we're going to all stand alongside. Now this is my personal conviction about that. that we are going to be able to see just how we ran our race.
I'm going to see the steps that I took, and when I deviated from the right path, I'm going to see that as well. Now, any deviation from the right is obviously sin in my mind. In yours it may not be, but in mine it is. Thank God I'm forgiven. I don't have to wait over there to be forgiven. I'm already forgiven. But I'll be able to see where I was wrong. I'm not surprised that would bring some tears. that he's going to wipe away. Because I'm going to be in perfect agreement with my master at that time. Though right now maybe I have some difference, not that I'm Noah, but I might have. But I'll tell you at that time I'll have a changed mind as well as a changed body. And I'll be able to think like I should think.
And you'll be able to display to me what I've done as a Christian, good or bad. Then of course you notice the one in Second Corinthians chapter five, a very similar statement, but a different preposition now. Let me remind us the preposition is absolutely different. Second Corinthians chapter five, if you want to turn to it, verse ten. Second Corinthians chapter five and verse ten. There we are, we're going to be manifest before. And so let's look at that verse. For we must all appear or be manifest before the bemo or judgment seat of Christ.
Now our preposition here is one that means in face of. So once more if you don't mind looking up, whereas in Romans we're alongside and see the race that we've run in total agreement. It's such an empty inside. It's done before him and we're repeating something. Whereas in Romans, it says nothing about receiving anything. It says in Second Corinthians, we're going to receive the things that we've done. And to me, that's very somber. It's the sober thing. I'm not to suddenly start trembling because my Lord is just and good and holy and wonderful and kind above my understanding.
But he wants me to run a right race. And so as we think about... As we think about the Lord and we're looking about that passage in Matthew chapter eighteen, discipline is a thing that seems to be almost getting beyond us because the effectivity is hindered by people taking off from where they were disciplined and just joining up some of the place and not getting the full benefit. But it will be dealt with then. And so he tells us how to carry that out. And then in verse eighteen he said, "'Wherefore if you shall bind on earth?' This is Matthew eighteen, eighteen. shall be bound in heaven, whatsoever you shall loose in the earth, shall be loose in heaven. And this is the perfect tense of the verb, indicating whatever you have bound on earth shall have already been completely and presently is bound in heaven.
In other words, I never bind anything on earth unless heaven's already bound it. I'm just simply a mouthpiece at best. And thank God for the privilege of that. And whatsoever you shall loose on earth. I say, sir, your sins are loose. They're forgiven. It's only because heaven has said it. You see, I have no authoritarian power or might to do that, like some religious groups think that they do. And then, of course, in prayer, too, you shall agree on anything that they shall add. It should be done to them in my Father who is in heaven. But then, verse twenty four, where two or three are gathered together unto my name. Notice that the verb is passive in voice, meaning the subject does not act. The subject is acted upon. What's the subject?
Two or three. When we've allowed the name of our Lord, brothers and sisters, to act upon us and draw us, then the Lord has promised to be in the midst. It's not only active in voice, it's a perfect participle, indicating a past time, reaching a high point of culmination, standing as a present result, and the participle aspect gives us a verbal or IMG ending. so that where two or three having been and are being. Now some don't look at it that way, but I'll tell you I'm convinced that's exactly what it says. Where two or three having been and are being gathered together unto my name, there am I in the midst of them. Mr. Vine took exception to that, but I take the exception of Mr.
Vine in a couple of places, but I'm not trying to, he was such a brilliant man. If I could write a book, you know, one tenth as big as his and make no more than a couple of mistakes, I think I'd almost a genius. So his book entitled Vine's Exposure Dictionary of New Testament Words is excellent. But it does have to be two obvious mistakes in it. Here you can see the Lord is showing that the name of our master works on us and so moving us draws us together. And he himself has promised to be in the midst. Just because we meet without a denominational name, my brothers and sisters, doesn't mean the Lord's in the midst. I'm convinced. I'm convinced of that. There may be somebody out there in a denominational group, a denominational assembly, but some of those in there who've allowed the Lord's name to exercise and bring them together, he's still promised.
Some don't like that, but I'm convinced that's what that says. What are the requirements? For where two or three do not have a denominational name, there are not. No, he didn't say that. But he does say where two or three... are gathered together unto my name. It's not in my name. That's E-I-I-I-N-U. It's E-I. Unto. It's a verb, a preposition of action. Unto with a view to. With a view to its name. And that name does together. You can be sure that we're going to sense his personal presence if we have any perceptivity at all. The reason that on the road to Emmaus, two of those disciples of his were sad, and he was in their midst. Was he not in their midst? And he's the one who said you're sad. It's not me saying it.
It's not just Luke saying it. Luke's recording that Jesus said it. And are sad. And are sad. Those three words are spoken by our master. Why would it be said in his presence? I can hardly understand. And then in John chapter twenty one. You remember? John chapter twenty, sorry. In John chapter twenty in the upper room. Then were the disciples glad when they saw the Lord. In both places the Lord is in the midst. On the one occasion they're sad, on the other occasion they're glad. What's the difference? Discerning His presence. And brethren, until we get back to discerning the presence of our master, our meetings are not going to count like they are to. If we get occupied with some human, we're sunk.
Seize from man whose breath is in his nostrils. Vain is the help of man is another verse. Oh, let's get back. Let's don't let any enemy deter us from the fact we need to be gathered around our Lord and discerning His holy presence. for he is the one who gives character to every meeting. Notice the first word he said each time he appeared with the disciples in the upper room. According to Luke and according to John, what was it? P-E-A-C-A-S. P-A-C-E, can you spell? Peace. With him there is peace. He is not only the person, he is the peace and he is the power. You'll notice that in First Corinthians chapter one, And the Lord helped me to see these things.
And brothers and sisters, this is my personal testimony. I was serving as a Baptist pastor. And I have, once more, I have no qualms with our dear Baptist brothers. I love them. They have great fellowship wherever we can. But for my personal life, verse ten, chapter one, now I beseech you brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. There's that name again. By the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing. and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. For it has been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by those who are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you. Now this I say that every one of you says, I am of Paul, and I of Apollos, and I of Deppos, and I of Christ is Christ-divided.
Now to get God's commentary on what that really means, in chapter three he says in verse... Three, for you are yet carnal, for where is there among you envying and strife and divisions? Are you not carnal and walk as men? For while one says, I am of Paul, and another, I am of Apollos, are you not carnal? It's carnal to take any other name. Colossians three, seventeen, please. Colossians three seventeen. Here we have the active voice side of that subject, that doctrine of being gathered around our Lord. Whereas in Matthew, eighteen, twenty we have the patsy voice. We didn't, as the subject didn't do the acting. In the passage in Colossians three, seventeen we are active in voice there.
For he says, whatsoever you do, in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus. Who's the subject there? You. Because the acting you. For you see in the Matthew eighteen, twenty and four, where two or three, having been and are being gathered together under my name. The name does the gathering. Someone said the Holy Spirit, but I'm going to let the Bible read just like it reads. I'm not about to change it. It says the name. Now, I understand the Holy Spirit is involved and it's trying to do away with the Holy Spirit. He obviously is the one that works in us to point us to our Lord. But the verse says, where two or three are gathered together unto my name. You have a subject, a verb, and a direct object. My name is that object, and there's power in that name.
Peter said, in the name of Jesus Christ, rise up and walk. And let me tell you, that guy got up. They baptize in His name. They went forth in His name. There's power in that name. And so, and that's not we like, and oh, I hope I don't offend in saying this, but I find myself in that as well. So I say we. So often we'll be petitioning the Lord, supplicating, praying, and then we'll say in the name of the Lord Jesus. Well, I'm always glad to use that name. But just tagging that name on the end of what we've prayed doesn't necessarily mean that that's going to happen. It's almost like some have used it as some sort of a magic wand.
If I just sprinkle that on there, then everything's okay. Everything's kosher. No. In my name doesn't mean that you just say it. It's in his person and his authority. And so here we can consider... Sorry, I just went totally blank, which happened so frequently. I was going... I had you to turn to another passage, and I didn't even get turned there myself. I was on Colossians three seventeen wasn't it that's right I never got there up here just quoting in Colossians three seventeen it's the you that does the acting so the Lord is saying I'm gonna put you on both sides of the issue I'm gonna allow that name together you and then I'm gonna hold you responsible together in that name so if he says it in the active voice you know what I don't have any other option and when I was taking another name and I was never really comfortable with that I want to assure you that when I started out preaching I just want I just knew myself as a Christian and forgiven.
But people said, well, what denomination? Well, I don't practice. And then I'd meet dear, godly Christians from other groups. And first thing, you know, we're kind of divided. And I didn't like that. And I was one to go door to door for many, many years, just constantly going door to door. And I'd meet lovely Christians from the Assembly of God and from the Presbyterians occasionally and some dear old Methodists who'd been born again. And just various other groups, you see. And yet we were not the same nationality. in the religious denominational sense. And it broke the vision. And I was disturbed about it. So now back, if you will, back, if you will, to First Corinthians chapter one, where we were, we pointed out that it was carnal to take another name. It's fleshly. It's acting fleshly.
The Lord declares it to be so. In verse ten now, we have a fourfold appeal unity that you all speak the same thing. Question. Do all Christians, listen terribly, do all Christians in Jeff City, probably one of the largest cities nearest, Do all Christians in Jeff City speak the same things without the Lord? I'm afraid that's not true. I don't live here. Pop, I don't think that's true. No. They all speak the same thing. Number two, that there be no divisions among you. Are there divisions? Well, there's not only division, there's organized division. Thirdly, that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind. Are all Christians in Jeff City perfectly joined together in the same mind? And the answer is no.
And in the same judgment. Fourthly, the answer is no, which tells me heaven is not happy about that. Heaven is not pleased. So-and-so had his testimony that he pleased the Lord. I'm convinced we haven't pleased the Lord in that sense. There's division. And so I'm convinced that's an enemy. You say, well, what kind of enemy? Look, if you will, at John chapter seventeen. I know we're chasing around a lot of verses. It's not an expositional study that I like to do, but this was on my heart. And you be the judge if it's of God or not. may be one. Verse twenty one, that they all may be one. As thou father art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us, that the world may believe that thou has sent me.
The glory that thou gave us me, I have given them that they may be one even as we are one. I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one. Okay, five times in this one prayer he has prayed that we would be one. One time, verse twenty one, one time he gives us a tremendous reason. that they all may be one, as thou father arched me and I and thee, that they also may be one in us. And the next word translates a little three-letter Greek word, eoda, new alpha, or I-N-A. And then with the rough breathing mark, you add the H sound, the H effect, hena, which literally means in English, in order that. Let's put it together that way. that they all may be one, and thou, Father, arch in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us, in order that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.
One of the greatest deterrents to evangelism is the division among Christians. What if every Christian in Giles County walked the same path, spoke the same thing, no division? They could tack up on the town bulletin board, we're going to pray for the sinners tonight, and they might start trembling. If we did that in our present condition, they'd scoff us out of the county. Isn't it a sad thing? Oh, beloved, God, it's not pleased. That's an enemy. And there are those who couch by the way. Notice further, it's not only the name of the Lord, but there are other features that I think are couching by the way. One of them is the woman's role. I have never known of a time when more women are forsaking the home and going out in public life and leaving their kids for somebody else to raise.
I'll tell you, I've been assailed over that. I've had people get really mad at me. Matter of fact, at one conference, my wife remembers that. In another state, I won't mention where I was met right after I stepped off the platform by three women, and they really assailed me with words. And they were in tears. They were upset. And I said, well, the next time I get up to speak at this conference, I'll try to see if I can do something to help. But, you know, I just read this scripture, and so I got up the next session, and I said, no, I... I've upset some people. I'm very sorry for upsetting. I didn't intend to do that. God knows I didn't want to do that, but here's what it says. And I reread Titus chapter two. Now, beloved, when God speaks, he evidently means what he says, or we just ought to take the book and chunk it.
When children come into the home, I'm convinced he wants the parents to raise them, not ship them off to somebody else to do it. And that's been an enemy. And so through that kind of concept has come this thing. Listen carefully. There are assemblies that are supposed to be gathered under the name of the Lord that are allowing women to speak in their meetings. And I'm not just blowing air up here. Old Brother John Walden years ago out in Colorado Springs. He was a dear friend of mine. He was the older brother and I was the younger. He said, Donald, I'm going to warn you about a certain place in our country where there's a lot of liberalism going on and you better watch out for that place.
And I have lived long enough to see. He was right. He just knew a lot or he was a prophet. And there are places where they take part. Now, they're never considered the elders, but they do verbalize in the assembly. They say they're to speak but not authoritatively. Well, I want to tell you, Sister, something. If you ever speak and it has no authority, I think you ought to be quiet. Huh? If it doesn't have any value, why speak? Just idle chatter. No, I've learned from sisters. God bless them, I'll tell you, they're valuable. They're just as valuable as a man. And it mentions Aquila and Priscilla. When it comes to Apollos, they took him under them and expounded, they, plural, took him under them and expounded under him singular.
The way of God more accurately says our Greek word there accurately. She knew the book. And I'll tell you there's some dear sisters that could help some of us brethren. They've got a real grip on the book. And we can learn from them. But in the local assembly, when we're gathered as an assembly, there's a disarmament. It's not that they're inferior. It's not a matter of superior and inferior. It's a matter of role. Because if it's inferior and superior, then Christ is inferior to the superior God. And that isn't true. And yet, that's coming in. Head covering is being... put down. A man that's become famous about a certain book among many Christians who get on their assemblies like we do, and even going outside beyond assemblies that get together like we do.
And yet Leonard Linshead handed me his manuscript on head covering and it'll break your heart. Before Leonard died, the man had his name on it. I'm not misquoting. I'm saying, if the Lord says head covering, I'm convinced he means it. And yet there are those who couch by the way. would lead us into another path two hospitals were sold and wonderfully for many of us the monies were amassed together and being used to help many of us who have no personal insurance hospitalization and that went on well for a few years and then suddenly somebody got the idea that that's going to be titled under another title And a lot of that money was taken and to be used to guarantee salaries for preachers.
I had a guaranteed salary. Remember when I told you last night, twelve dollars and fifty cents. And let me tell you, I really didn't want that. They handed to me anyway. I thanked them. I was making my own living. And I climbed power line poles just to feed my family. So I could preach. I didn't preach so I could feed. I worked and fed so I could preach. Now they're giving stipulated salaries. And brethren, I spoke at Des Moines Conference there. It was called the National Workers Conference. I was there a number of years ago. They wouldn't have me back again. But anyway, I had that chance then. And they assigned my subject on the subject of the support of the role of the man of God.
And I gave a simple message. I gave the principle of the role. The pattern and the provision. And lo and behold, after I sat down and thought I delivered what was accurate, Jerry Cohen, who stood up, said, I told you. I've been a missionary for years in South America. He said, Don, you're calling me. That's right. Because they're the people that stood up against me publicly. I'll tell you that. Beloved, I'm convinced we need the just to live a faith. Now, the preacher doesn't live on faith. He lives by faith. Do you ever try to eat faith in a plate? Is that nothing on it? Don't work. It's the principle by which we live. We're trusting God. And beloved, I'm convinced we can keep on trusting Him.
We don't have to give in to those who lie and wait by the way or the enemies. We've got one path. It's in the Lord's name. It's looking to Him. It's following this blessed book. And no compromise is needed. You get one minute back. I said I'd quit for twelve.