Second and Third John speak very clearly about looking at the true church, and the true church not being quick to acknowledge others as believers and bidding them God’s speed.  But we’re a people that run around, and everybody that says they’re a Christian, we hug their neck and say, “God bless you brother, hallelujah,” give them our cell phone number and all of this.  We want to embrace everybody that says they’re a Christian.  You don’t know those people.  I know you’re saying you are part of the flock, but what big eyes you have; amen?

You want to live?  You want to survive this course that we’re on?  Look for sound doctrine.  I’m not talking about sweet personalities.  I’m not talking about people that are social and loving.  I’m talking about Christians.  Are they people that count it a privilege to suffer for His name?  We have people that because the government says don’t do it, won’t go to church and preach, much less after they’ve been beaten and forbidden to go back, and they’re found there the next day.  Who’s your brother?   Who is your sister, but those that do the will of your Father; amen?  “Well, I don’t want to appear to be self-righteous and exclusive and divisive.”  This isn’t about you, it’s about sound doctrine.  You are not being divisive, you’re being loving.  Jesus said, “I will divide homes”; amen?  He said, “I am the central figure.  I am the Rock of offence,” so stop trying to take that credit to yourself.  That spirit of Jesus is offensive to the majority of people that call on His name.  You want to know why I say that?  Because I see the fruit of it, and there’s going to be more.  How many times have you shared this pure Word of God with somebody, and people acknowledge that that’s what it says, but say something like, “my Jesus would never do that.”  Where’d you get your Jesus?  Where’d you find him?  Jesus speaks the words of the Father who sent Him; amen?  You see, many of us are going to have to war with our own flesh and realize the church of Jesus Christ is a small remnant and few there be that find it.  We can hardly bring ourselves to do that.  We don’t want people to think bad of us.  We don’t want to be divisive.

So, as we’re looking at these things, we’re talking about recognizing what the whore is, an all-inclusive church, versus what the real church is, exclusive.  There is no other name under heaven by where men can be saved; amen?  “Amen, I believe that.”  “Well then, if you love Me, and you believe that, it’s not a grievous thing or a difficult thing for you to keep My commandments.  And when I share with you in My Word how to deal with certain individuals, how to keep the church pure, and you’re more worried about relationships and people’s emotions then you are the purity of the church of Jesus Christ, you might ought to ask what spirit you’re of.”  That’s more the spirit of the whore.  We’re jealous for good works.  He’s coming for a pure church.  Those that do those things should not even be spoken of or numbered in your midst.  I believe these last days are going to require more implementing of the Word of God practically in the lives of people than at any other time.  The spirit of the world is that the Word is not absolute truth.  They say you can be right with God and not have to keep His commandments.  But Jesus says, “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments, and they will not be grievous”; amen?

Father, we thank You for Your Word, and we just ask You to prepare our hearts in this hour.  Stir us, open our eyes.  We’ve been blinded.  We’ve been deceived.  We’ve believed a lie.  We’ve thought we’ve known our own hearts.  We’re a people in desperate need of deliverance from ourselves and our opinion of ourselves.  Let Your fruits speak loudly to us, Lord, that You might be glorified.