Consider our devotional program and how it may be improved. It can be

improved! To claim that there is no room for improvement would be to

claim perfection which none of us would like to do. Bro. Murphy has been

making some fine suggestions in our Thursday evening work. Those of you

who have missed them have been missing an opportunity to improve the

effectiveness of your own service in the kingdom of God. He’s made some

_practical_ suggestions. You may think some of them are not good, but

certainly every suggestion he has made should be given very careful

consideration by those who are supervising and taking part in the work

here.

Perhaps our greatest sin is our failure to put into use the knowledge

which we receive, to make practical use of suggestions offered. It would

be easy just to let Dr. Murphy’s advice pass by and go unheeded. If we

do that, it will mean that the church will be very little better off

after this eight weeks of training than it was before. But, if his

suggestions are promptly and faithfully heeded, the church will be a

great deal further along toward the accomplishment of its scriptural

objectives than it was before.

You will notice that the Wednesday evening meeting appears three or four

times in this outline and might appropriately appear at even some other

place. For instance, the Wednesday evening meeting may be used for

devotional purposes. It may be used for instructional purposes and will

be for the next eight weeks. It may also be used for the purpose of

giving practical training to those who would be workers in the kingdom

of God. If we’ll think about it like that, you see, it will give purpose

to our mid-week meetings.

Here are scriptural goals. God is holding us responsible to do

everything we can to attain these objectives promptly and effectively.

Our mid-week program can be made to serve a very important purpose in

the attainment of these ends. And, therefore, along with every other

scriptural phase of the work, should receive the wholehearted

co-operation and support of every member.

I’m looking forward to much greater things for the church at Chapel

Avenue in the weeks, months, and years ahead. Don’t you want to have a

part in it? If there are some here tonight who live in our community and

would like to work and worship with the church here, we invite you to

make that known by coming forward tonight. If there are those who have

backslidden, you are invited to follow the Bible plan of repenting,

confessing your faults, and praying for forgiveness, that God may save

your soul. And, of course, you who have not been baptized, if you

believe that Jesus is the Son of God, if you will repent of your sins

and confess your faith and obey the commandment to be baptized for

remission of sins (Acts 2:38) God promises that your sins will be

forgiven, washed away by the blood of Christ, and you will receive the

gift of the Holy Spirit! Christ invites you to come to him and let him

save you! Will you accept that invitation while together we stand and

sing?

XIV

HOW MUCH IS LIBERAL?

The subject of giving has been assigned to me for this occasion. This

assignment pleases me for two reasons: First, it is a popular subject.

Folk like to hear it because it hits them so hard. In the second place,

it is a vital question. Those who have taken the time to count the

instances say that the Bible mentions money more often than it does

faith, repentance, confession, and baptism all put together. “The love

of money is a root of all kinds of evil.” Whether, therefore, we base

our judgment on the danger of our sinning with respect to it, or the

amount of space devoted to it in the Bible, the subject of money, or

giving, is a very important one. I am approaching the subject from the

standpoint of this question: “How Much Is Liberal?” The reason for this

approach will appear as we proceed.

I

New Testament Authority

You know, as well as I, that in every instance we must go to the New

Testament for our guidance in matters religious. Our people have been

thoroughly taught, but not too thoroughly, that we are no longer bound

by the laws given to Moses and Noah, but by the law of Christ. In

studying the subject of giving, therefore, we must go to the New

Testament.

In First Corinthians 16:2 we read: “Upon the first day of the week let

every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that

there be no gatherings when I come.” This Scripture teaches that we

should give regularly, weekly (not weakly). The giving is to be just as

regular as the eating of the Lord’s supper—upon the first day of each

week. This quotation also teaches that we should give according to our

prosperity. The more prosperity one has the more he is expected to give.

A third New Testament requirement is cheerfulness in giving. “God loveth

a cheerful giver” (2 Cor. 9:7). Sometimes it is said that we ought to

give until it hurts. It is all right to give until you can miss what you

give, or until you have to do without something that you want. But you

should never give until it hurts. It is all right to give until you can

miss hurt you to give as God requires. He loves a cheerful giver.

Fourthly, we are taught to give purposely. The Christians at Corinth

made a purpose a year in advance and were commanded to give as they had

planned. “Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him

give” (2 Cor. 9:7). They had not only purposed but they had expressed

their purpose and when a Christian does that, it very nearly becomes a

promise. The text does not specifically say that we should make a

purpose, but it implies it; and if we purpose, we should give

accordingly. In reference to this question on which we are so likely to

stumble we ought to do some prayerful planning, lest we make the mistake

of not giving as we should. The temptation to give sparingly is so great

that one can not afford to depend merely upon the impulse of the moment.

Make a purpose or plan and then give according to your plan.

Finally, the New Testament commands us to give liberally. “He that

giveth, let him do it liberally” (Rom. 12:8, A.R.V. or footnote in the

A.V.). The word “liberal” comprehends both the attitude of the giver and

also the amount of the gift. The New Testament does not specify any

amount or percentage that we should give. It does not tell us to give

any certain amount or percentage of our income; but it does command us

to give liberally. You have often heard the statement, “We are not

commanded to give a tenth.” This statement is literally true, but it may

imply an error. The inference is that the New Testament assures us that

we need not give as much as a tenth. Such an inference is false. The New

Testament does not command us to give _less than_ a tenth. It names no

definite amount and no definite percentage.

In 2 Corinthians 9:5-7 we are not only taught to give liberally but we

are encouraged to do so by the statement: “He which soweth sparingly

shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap

also bountifully.” It appears to me that the New Testament thus puts us

on our honor. If it had named a certain number of dollars or a certain

percentage of our income, we might just give that amount and claim the

rest to do with as we pleased. But God has placed us on our honor, the

amount of our giving to be determined by general instructions and our

love of Him and those to whom we give. When an honorable man is placed

on his honor, it seems that he should do even more than when he is under

definite laws. Some schools have what they call “the honor system.”

According to this system, the teacher may put a test on the board and

leave the room. The students are on their honor. It seems to me that one

would be less likely to cheat under those conditions than with some one

on guard. The New Testament puts us on our honor, so to speak, with only

general instructions and commands to guide our giving.

II

Individual Responsibility

Each individual must answer for himself this question: “How much is

liberal?” The Old Testament required a certain percentage; the New

Testament requires liberality. _How much is liberal?_ What does the

Bible mean when it says, “give liberally?” Liberality would not mean the

same amount in every case. Some must give more than others. This story

was published some years ago in the _Gospel Advocate_: There was a

certain rich man in a congregation who had as much money as all the

other members. When money was being raised for any purpose he would

propose to give as much as any other _one_. When the congregation was

trying to raise money to put a new roof on their building, he arose,

according to his custom, and said, “Brethren, I will give as much as any

other man in the house toward putting on this new roof.” There happened

to be a rich infidel present that day, who arose and said, “Well,

Mister, you and I will pay for the new roof; I will give half the cost.”

Now, if you expect me to tell you exactly how much you should give, you

will be disappointed. I am not going to tell you because the Bible

doesn’t tell me. If I were to undertake to tell you, I might put it too

low. I would certainly be afraid to tell any one that he was giving too

much. A man once asked me a question which several other preachers had

been unable to answer. He said, “My wife and I make $150 per month. We

give $25 of that to the church each month. I want to know if we are

giving enough.” When I heard the question I knew why the other preachers

had not answered. He and his wife were giving more than a tenth. They

were giving 16⅔ per cent, but I was afraid to tell him whether they were

giving too much or not enough, because I didn’t know. Jesus Christ

watched the poor widow give away all her living, and He didn’t tell her

that she was giving too much. Some of our brethren today would probably

have said, “Just wait a minute, lady, we appreciate your motive and

admire your liberality, but you ought not give all you have. We wouldn’t

want you to starve to death or to do without the necessities of life.”

But Jesus stood there and watched her give away the very last thing she

had and He made no effort to restrain her. So, I can’t tell any one that

he is giving too much or the exact number of dollars that he should

give. Each one must answer for himself.

_How much is liberal?_ I can’t answer for you; you can’t answer for me.

You must answer for yourself and your answer must be a definite one,

expressible in terms of a certain number of dollars and cents. You must

decide how many dollars and cents you should give in order to meet the

requirement of liberality. How much have you studied the question? How

much have you prayed about it and investigated the word of God in your

search for an answer? How much time have you spent on the question? Are

you sure that you have reached a scriptural conclusion? You must not

merely decide what is liberal according to your own standard, but what

is liberal according to God’s standard. For, after all, God is to be the

final judge as to whether you are giving liberally. You must reach a

definite conclusion as to what God will consider a liberal amount from

you. I urge you to study the question of liberality. Search the

Scriptures, pray God to lead you to the right answer. Because the

question must be answered. It is a commandment of God in the New

Testament.

III

Abram

Although the New Testament does not, and I can not, tell you definitely

how much is liberal in the sight of God, we can get some light on the

question by studying what God has required of his people in other

dispensations. In the 14th chapter of Genesis there is an account of

four kings who went to war against five other kings. The four kings won

the war and among the captives was Lot, the kinsman of Abram. “And when

Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his trained

servants, born in his own house, three hundred and eighteen, and pursued

them unto Dan.” With this small band of men he won a great victory over

the four kings and their powerful armies and rescued Lot and his goods

and his people. After his return from this battle Abram met Melchizedek,

priest of God, and gave him tithes (a tenth) of all. God wants you and

me to know that Abram gave a tenth.

The book of Genesis is very brief. In a very few pages, less than the

number I hold in my hand, God has given us the history of the world for

a period of several thousand years. It is very brief. If man had written

such a history, the volumes would have filled a shelf all the way around

this room. Men have written many volumes of history concerning the

United States which has been a nation for less than two hundred years.

But God has condensed the history of the world, for a period of

thousands of years, within these few pages. Yet, he took enough of that

precious space to tell us that Abram gave a tenth. If man had written an

account of this war, he would have told the names of the captains in

each army, how many men were killed, how many were wounded, how much the

war cost, and so forth. God omitted all those things of interest, but he

did take the space to tell us that Abram gave a tenth and that he

prospered. He even repeated this information in the New Testament, where

he says, “Now consider how great this man [Melchizedek] was, unto whom

even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils” (Heb. 7:4). He

had some reason for wanting us to know this, for He has a reason for

everything He does and says. He took the space to tell us twice that

Abram gave a tenth, and Abram prospered. You may draw your own

conclusion from these scriptural and vital facts.

IV

Jacob

Turning on over to the 28th chapter of Genesis we find another

interesting story that throws some light on our question. Jacob had

taken Esau’s blessing. Esau was angry. Jacob was afraid Esau would kill

him. For refuge he went to Padanaram. On the way he spent the night at

Bethel, and slept in the open, with a rock for a pillow. I don’t know

why he chose such a hard pillow. People do some strange things. I have

heard that in days gone by the Oriental people slept with their feet,

instead of their heads, on the pillow, because the feet did the harder

work. According to that rule I think I know some people who ought to

change ends with the pillow. While Jacob was sleeping with a rock for a

pillow he had a strange dream. He saw a ladder reaching from earth to

heaven and the angels of God going up and down (not down and up) on it.

The Lord stood above it and promised to be with Jacob and to bless him.

When Jacob arose early in the morning he vowed a vow saying, “If God

will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give

me bread to eat and raiment to put on, so that I come again to my

father’s house in peace; then shall the Lord be my God: and this stone

which I have set for a pillar, shall be God’s house: and of all that

thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee” (Gen. 28:

20-22).

With this vow in his heart Jacob continued his journey to Padanaram,

where he spent twenty-two years and became very wealthy. As he was

returning to Canaan we find him praying to God as follows: “O God of my

father Abraham, and God of my father Isaac, the Lord which saidst unto

me, ‘Return unto thy country, and to thy kindred, and I will deal well

with thee’: I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all

the truth, which thou hast showed unto thy servant; for with my staff I

passed over this Jordan; and now I am become two bands ...” (Gen.

32:9-10). Please note that twenty-two years ago he had passed over this

Jordan with nothing but a stick in his hand and in his heart a vow to

give one tenth of all his increase to God. In the meantime he has become

very wealthy.

The extent of his wealth is partially indicated by an incident that

followed. Jacob was afraid that Esau was still angry. (He should have

known that Esau was too lazy to stay mad twenty-two years.) To find

grace in the sight of Esau he sent him a present, a token of his good

will. Such presents usually represent only a small fraction of one’s

total possessions. Yet this is what Jacob sent Esau: “two hundred she

goats, and twenty he goats, two hundred ewes, and twenty rams, thirty

milk camels with their colts, forty kine, and ten bulls, twenty she

asses, and ten foals” (Gen. 32:14, 15). Few farmers in this county have

that much livestock, yet that represents a small fraction of what Jacob

was worth and had acquired since crossing the Jordan twenty-two years

before. Since that time, he had been giving one-tenth to Jehovah. Again,

remember that God has taken space to tell you and me about that in this

much condensed book, the book of Genesis. He evidently meant for us to

get some lesson from these facts.

During a financial depression, a business man in Kansas went broke. He

lost everything he had and found himself $50,000 in debt—fifty thousand

dollars in the hole. A friend of his offered to give him a medical

formula to be used in any way he saw fit. The man took the formula and

went home. He turned to Genesis 28:22 and drew a ring around these

words: “Of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto

thee.” With that vow, now become his vow, he began to manufacture a

medicine. You probably have some at home. It was Mentholatum. On the

bottle or tube you will find the name of A. A. Hyde. When I first heard

this story he had become a millionaire and was still giving one-tenth of

his income to what he considered the work of the Lord.

In private conversation I told this story to some one who said, “Well,

he can afford to give a tenth, because he is rich.” I replied, “Yes, but

remember that he was $50,000 in debt when he began doing so.” It is

easier for one to give a tenth when he is poor than when he is rich. A

man who practiced giving a tenth said that when he was working for $1.00

per day it was easy to give 60 cents on Sunday; but when he began making

$500 per week and had to give $50 on Sunday, it was hard to do. It is

easier for a poor man to give liberally than it is for a rich man to do

so. That may be one reason the Bible says it is easier for a camel to go

through a needle’s eye than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of

God.

V

Jews

Now, back to the Old Testament. You know the Jews were required to give

a tenth of their income and even more. Some Bible students say the

requirement was ²/₁₀ all the time and ³/₁₀ every third year. That is not

entirely clear to me, but we do know that they had to give a tenth and

in addition to that, they had to make daily, weekly, monthly and annual

sacrifices. So at the very least, they gave more than a tenth, and you

know that the Jews were a prosperous people. For some reason God tells

us about all these Old Testament characters who gave a tenth and

prospered while doing so. They were required to give a tenth. The New

Testament commands us to give liberally. Now, which is more? Of whom

does God require and expect more—those who give a tenth or the ones who

are told to give liberally?

Now, I could stand up here and give you many more examples of those who

gave a tenth of their income and were blessed while they did so. A man

in Richmond, Virginia, who had himself and a wife to support, was making

only $20 per week. He purposed to give a tenth to the church. Later, he

became sick and his remuneration was only $10 per week. He continued to

give $2.00 per week to the church. He soon recovered, returned to work,

and was promoted to a position that paid $75 per week.

My wife and I had another good friend at Richmond, Virginia, who gave

$5.00 out of her $35 per month salary. One month, after meeting all

necessary expense, the $5.00 that she had set apart for the church was

all she had left with which to buy a new spring dress and you know how

much a young lady wants a new dress in the spring. After debating the

question for awhile she overcame the temptation and gave the $5.00 to

the church as she had planned. The next day her employer, who was not a

Christian and who knew nothing of the battle the young lady had fought

and won, gave her enough material to make two new dresses.

I could continue compiling such examples indefinitely. If you think a

tenth is too much for one to give, ask the man who has tried it. I never

knew any one to discontinue the practice of tithing after trying it for

a while. Experience proves that it is a good practice. A church in

Dallas, Texas, has a large sign on the wall of its building which reads

as follows: “If any member will practice giving one-tenth of all he

earns for one year and at the end of that time can say that he has been

made poorer by doing so, we will give him $1,000 in gold.” No one has

claimed that $1,000.

The church at Lily Chapel, near Portsmouth, Ohio, doubled its

contributions. That meant, of course, that some of the members were even

giving more than twice as much as they had been giving. One night I

requested that all who had been made poorer, or who had less left to

live on, as a result of increasing their contribution, raise their

hands. Nobody raised a hand. Then I said, “Why don’t you double it

again, then?”

VI

Blessings

Some people don’t give away enough and that is the reason they don’t

have enough left to pay their bills. If you are having trouble making

“tongue and buckle meet,” and don’t have the necessities of life, I

suggest that you start giving more to the Lord’s work. Then you will

have more left to live on. This may not sound like good arithmetic; but

it is good Bible teaching. “He that soweth sparingly shall reap also

sparingly, and he that soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.”

“The liberal soul shall be made fat” (Prov. 25:11).

Jesus said, “Verily I say unto you, there is no man that hath left

house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or

children, or lands, for my sake and the gospel’s but he shall receive an

hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and

mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to

come eternal life” (Mark 10:29, 30). That is a wonderful promise. It

does not apply to those who give for the sake of handsome returns; but

to those who give for the sake of Christ. Those who give for His sake

shall receive a hundredfold in this life. Do we believe the Bible? Then

why don’t we give more? Many do not believe the above promise. They do

not believe that all necessary things will be added to those who seek

first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. They are afraid they

will come to want if they give liberally. Instead of giving liberally

and trusting God’s promises they try to provide for themselves by

holding on to what they have. They should heed the words of the Bible:

“There is that withholdeth more than is meet [suitable], but it tendeth

to poverty” (Prov. 11:24). Christians need more faith. We need to

believe that “it is more blessed to give than to receive.” I don’t

believe any one was ever made poorer as a result of giving, if he gave

according to the Bible. To do so would be to disbelieve the word of

Almighty God.

May I insist again that you give prayerful consideration to this

question: “How much is liberal?” Ask yourself, “How much must I give in

order for the Lord to consider me a liberal giver?” This question must

be answered to the satisfaction of the Lord Almighty. When a widow can

give all she has without being reproved by the Lord, do you believe that

God will be pleased with less than a tenth from you? In the light of

what God required of the Jews do you believe that one-tenth exceeds the

demands of liberality?

If all the members of God’s church gave a tenth [which they certainly

could do and still have plenty left] the contribution of the average

congregation would be at least four times as much as it is at present.

Think of the good work that could then be supported. We could preach the

gospel to the entire world in a short time; we could take care of all

the poor; we could count the elders that rule well worthy of double

honor (1 Tim. 5:17).

How many Jews did it take to start a congregation and support a priest?

It took only ten. Wherever there were ten Jews they could employ a

priest and support him with their tithe, or tenth. The priest was

required to give a tenth also. This left each in the group ⁹/₁₀ to live

on and meet other obligations. How many Christians does it take to

support a preacher? In this age, it takes from one hundred to one

thousand so-called Christians to keep one man busy in the work of the

Lord. In the light of this comparison, how do you think we will stack up

with the Jews on the Judgment Day? Why does a congregation of five

hundred, or one thousand, members do but very little more than a

congregation of one hundred members? Even if it takes one hundred

Christians to support one preacher, why can’t a congregation of five

hundred, or one thousand members support five, or ten full-time workers

in the Lord’s vineyard? Is it not because the members of the average

congregation are content to give barely enough to carry on a local

program that is respectable in the eyes of the public? Such a limited

conception of what is needed is not a scriptural standard of giving.

The New Testament requires liberality. The Jews had to give a tenth, and

more. We must give liberally. Let us be sure that we meet this New

Testament requirement. Let us prove our faith by our giving. Let us obey

God and trust His promises. Let us give liberally, and watch the growth

in our individual and congregational prosperity.

I want to leave just one more thought before closing. I suppose you are

glad to be here, grateful for your existence on the earth. Most people

are. Very few are tired of living. God blessed you when he gave you your

life on this earth. I will tell you how you can get a blessing still

greater—by giving your life to God. “It is more blessed to give than to

receive.” If you were blessed when you received your life, you will be

more blessed by giving your life in obedient service to your Maker. “I

beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present

your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your

reasonable service” (Rom. 12:1). Give your life to Jesus. Live for Him

who died for you.

While we stand and sing we entreat you to accept the Lord’s gracious

invitation.

XV

AND SUCH LIKE

You and I ought to be very thankful to the Lord for the opportunity to

meet and worship Him. Such a blessing is not universal. It is

exceptional in the history of the world, and I am glad to see people

show their appreciation of this blessing by taking advantage of the

opportunity.

I

The Will of Christ

As many of you well know, the New Testament teaches that the law of

Moses is not binding on Christians today, but that we should follow the

law of the Spirit of life in Christ. This means that the Ten

Commandments, as such, are not today binding, but the principles

involved in the Ten Commandments are binding in so far as they have been

included in the law of Christ. Frequently, when I make such a statement

someone replies, “Do you mean that we may do as we please? Do you mean

that it’s all right to kill today? That it’s all right to steal?”

Evidently the Holy Spirit knew that people would ask such questions and,

therefore, the 5th chapter of Galatians was written. “Stand fast

therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not

entangled again with the yoke of bondage. Behold, I, Paul, say unto you,

that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. For I

testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to

do the whole law. Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of

you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace. For we through

the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. For in Jesus

Christ neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision; but

faith which worketh by love. Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye

should not obey the truth? This persuasion cometh not of him that

calleth you. A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump. I have confidence

in you through the Lord, that ye will be none otherwise minded: but he

that troubleth you shall bear his judgment, whosoever he be. And I,

brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution?

then is the offence of the cross ceased. I would they were even cut off

which trouble you. For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only

use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one

another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou

shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. But if ye bite and devour one

another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another. This I say

then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the

flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against

the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye

cannot do the things that ye would. But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye

are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which

are these: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry,

witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions,

heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revelings, _and such like_: of

the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that

they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. But the

fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness,

goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And

they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and

lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us

not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one

another.”

The fact that we are not bound by the law of Moses then does not mean

that we can do as we please. This Scripture plainly says, “Ye cannot do

the things that ye would.” We are restrained by the law of the Spirit.

We are restrained by the law of love. “Thou shalt love thy neighbor as

thyself.” In order that we may clearly understand what this implies, the

Holy Spirit has listed for us the works of the flesh and the fruits of

the spirit. This list is the basis of the lesson which I want to present

this morning. I have the items on the board. Perhaps those in the back

of the building cannot see them. But at least we shall refer to them as

we go along and you will get the picture anyway.

II

The Works of the Flesh

Let us look at the works of the flesh first. The Bible plainly says that

those who follow the works of the flesh shall not enter the kingdom of

God. If you find yourself guilty of one or more of these works of the

flesh, then remember that you are on the outside, that you will remain

on the outside until you repent and obey God. People who follow the

works of the flesh simply cannot enter the kingdom of heaven.

1. _Adultery and Fornication._ The first four in the list are adultery,

fornication, uncleanness, and lasciviousness. All four of these words

have reference to immorality. Some state legislatures make a distinction

between adultery and fornication, using the word adultery to apply to

immorality on the part of married people, and the word fornication to

apply to the same sort of sin on the part of unmarried people.

Therefore, those words cover exactly the same sort of crime—illegitimate

relationship between men and women. I don’t know just how prevalent this

sin is in the world—I have no statistics on that point, and would not be

particularly interested in gathering any, but I do know that such sins

are very common, and I know that you know whether you are guilty. If you

are guilty the Bible says that you cannot enter the kingdom of heaven.

You must repent of that sin and have it washed away by the blood of

Jesus before there is any hope for you.

2. _Uncleanness._ This word probably covers a little more territory than

either of the first two words. The best definition I know for

uncleanness is found in Romans 1:24: “Wherefore God also gave them up to

uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonor their own

bodies between themselves: who changed the truth of God into a lie, and

worshiped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed

forever. For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections; for even

their women did change the natural use into that which is against

nature; and likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman,

burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which

is unseemly; and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error

which was meet.” If I were to talk an hour, I could not give a clearer

definition of what is meant by uncleanness. It is obviously a work of

the flesh, and all who are guilty stand condemned in the sight of God

Almighty.

3. _Lasciviousness._ This term is apparently still more comprehensive.

It not only includes general acts of lewdness and abandoned sensuality

but is sometimes used to describe that which tends to produce voluptuous

or lewd emotions. For instance, “The lascivious pleasing of a lute”

(Shakespeare). The plural of the noun form is found in Romans 13:13

where it is translated wantonness. “Let us walk honestly, as in the day;

not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in

strife and envying.” Referring to this text Thayer’s Greek Lexicon

quotes the following definition of lasciviousness from Fritzsche:

“wanton acts or manners, as filthy words, indecent bodily movements,

unchaste handling of males and females, etc.”

There may be some who would not (at least think they would not) actually

become guilty of adultery but who do allow themselves to daydream about

things which are unclean and immoral. Such unholy meditations are liable

to produce wanton and lewd desires and may even lead to an overt act of

immorality. You should study the meaning of the word lasciviousness and

diligently avoid the sin it describes. “But put ye on the Lord Jesus

Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts

thereof” (Rom. 13:14).

4. _Idolatry._ We turn now to a different sort of transgressions but we

are still talking about works of the flesh. Everybody knows what

idolatry means. If a man worships something other than the God of

heaven, he is guilty of idolatry. If one values anything in this world

more than he esteems God and his relationship to God, he is virtually

guilty of idolatry.

5. _Witchcraft._ Then comes the sin of witchcraft, or sorcery, which, I

believe, includes what is commonly called fortunetelling. It is

condemned both in the Old Testament and also in the New Testament. It is

a work of the flesh. Friends, if it is wrong to practice the fraud, the

craft, the art, (or whatever it is) of fortunetellers, then it’s wrong

to patronize them, for when you do so you are giving them both your

financial and moral support.

6. _Hatred._ Hatred is a sin of the disposition. It is an attitude of

the heart. It is the state of being an enemy. This term describes

aversions and antipathies which are opposed to brotherly kindness and

love.

I’m not sure that these words were intended to be arranged in logical

order, but I do believe we can see some sequential significance in the

order of the word hatred and the three which follow just as we did in

the first four.

7. _Variance._ This word means contentions. It is hatred in action,

manifesting itself in contests, altercations, lawsuits, and disputes in

general.

8. _Emulations._ This word signifies envious and contentious rivalry or

jealousy, which often are associated with hatred and variance. Jealousy

is strife to excel at the expense of another. It is destructive, not

constructive. When you are jealous you try to pull the other man down in

order to get above him. But you can’t do it! In the effort to injure

another you sink lower yourself.

9. _Wrath._ This is the climax of the last four words. Wrath is hatred

in violent action. It consists of turbulent passions which disturb the

harmony of mind and produce domestic and civic broils and disquietudes.

(Once I used Jiggs and Maggie of comic strip fame as an example of wrath

when they were throwing pots and pans at each other, but someone

corrected me by saying that Jiggs never threw any, they all came from

the other direction! But anyway the point of the illustration was

clear.) When hatred, variance, and jealousy break out into violent

action, that’s what is described by the word wrath. Herod’s jealousy

became wrath when he killed the babes of Bethlehem in an effort to

destroy Jesus.

These last four are sins of the disposition. In some instances they are

committed, especially the first three, by people who come to worship

every Sunday and pass as devoted Christians. But friends, I want you to

see what ugly company they are keeping. They are classed by the Holy

Spirit right along with idolatry, adultery, uncleanness, and

lasciviousness. That’s mighty bad company, isn’t it? We are inclined to

be more tolerant of sins of the disposition than of sins of immorality,

but we’d better be very careful how we appraise sins without Biblical

authority. God has put them all in the same catalogue, and therefore

sins like hatred and jealousy will send you to hell just as quickly as

idolatry or adultery. If you’re guilty of any of them, you must repent

before you can go to heaven for people who continue in the work of the

flesh cannot enter the kingdom of heaven.

10. _Strife, Seditions, Heresies._ The word “strife” represents a

courting of distinction, a desire to put one’s self forward, contention

and wranglings with a partisan and factious spirit which tends to result

in division. The word “sedition” suggests the act of dividing. It means

dissension. The word “heresies” applies to the parties or sects arising

from diversity of opinion and aims.

Note, therefore, that division is condemned in every stage of its

development. The disputing, arguing, wrangling, and vanity which lead to

it are condemned by the word strife. The act of separating into parties

is condemned by the word “divisions” or “seditions,” and the parties

themselves are condemned after they occur by the word “heresies.” Again

I call your attention to the fact that God puts these sins in the

category of fornication and adultery. The very disposition to divide is

wrong; the act of dividing is wrong; and the parties and sects which

result from the division are likewise wrong. Division is evil from

beginning to end. It is a work of the flesh and all of those who are

guilty of it, who encourage it, who endorse it, or who support it,

morally or financially, will be condemned as following the flesh rather

than following the spirit.

11. _Envying._ This is another sin of the disposition. The best

definition I have found of envying is this: “Pain felt, and malignity

conceived, at the sight of excellence or happiness.” Did you ever notice

someone who is happier than you or more successful than you, and as a

result feel some sort of pain within you, or some sort of uneasiness?

Well, that’s envy. It is pain felt or malignancy conceived at the sight

of happiness or success on the part of another.

After reading in some religious paper a glowing report of a very

successful meeting, a preacher may have a strange feeling of discontent

or chagrin which self-analysis would show to be the result of his

natural (fleshly) reaction to the success of a brother evangelist. Is

not this a case of envy? Is it not a work of the flesh? Can those who do

such things enter the kingdom of God?

Preachers are not the only ones who are tempted to envy each other.

Business men, doctors, school teachers, young people in their social

relationships may all be guilty of this sin and must guard against it.

If you cannot see your boy friends or your girl friends be more popular

or successful than you without having a feeling of uneasiness and a

disposition to harm them in some way, then you are guilty of the sin of

envy, and a murderer can come just as nearly going to heaven as one who

is guilty of envy. Because they are both works of the flesh and stand

condemned by Jehovah.

12. _Murder._ We don’t need to comment upon the word “murder.” You know

what it means. You can be guilty of murder at heart. The Bible says,

“Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no

murderer hath eternal life abiding in him” (1 John 3:15).

13. _Drunkenness._ Everybody knows what this sin is. It’s the work of

the flesh, and those who are guilty of it will be lost. And there’s only

one way to be absolutely certain that you won’t get drunk—just don’t

drink of anything that’s intoxicating. If you never take the first drink

of beer, if you never take the first cocktail or sip of whiskey, then

you’ll never get drunk. But if you do take the first one, you don’t know

what may happen.

14. _Revelings._ Reveling signifies lascivious feasting with obscene

songs and music, feasts and drinking-parties which are continued until

late at night with unclean songs, dissolute conduct, and boisterous

merrymaking. Those occasions when people turn themselves loose and do

not observe proper restraints of natural desires, are occasions of

revelry. Remember “that they which do such things shall not inherit the

kingdom of God.”

III

The Fruits of the Spirit

In contrast with the works of the flesh let us look at the fruits of the

Spirit. They are the fruits which will be produced in the life of one

who is following in the Spirit. They are the characteristics which will

adorn the life of one who obeys God. I want you to notice how attractive

these are. I want you to see how beautiful this list is.

1. _Love._ Love for God, for your brother, for your neighbor, and even

love for your enemy is a fruit of the Spirit.

2. _Joy._ God expects his people to be joyous. Paul said, “Finally, my

brethren, rejoice in the Lord” (Phil. 1:1). “Rejoice in the Lord alway:

and again I say rejoice” (Phil. 4:4). Again we read, “And these things

write we unto you, that your joy may be full” (1 John 1:4). As Christian

people, those who are following the Spirit are full of joy. People who

are trying to follow the Spirit and the flesh both are not full of joy.

But those who are truly following the Spirit are joyful, because joy is

one of the fruits of the Spirit.

3. _Peace._ Peace—peace with God, with one’s self, and usually with

most, if not all, one’s fellowmen—is a part of the fruit of the Spirit.

The calm, quiet, order, and hope which abide in the heart of a Christian

are more precious than gold. The sinner has doubts, fears, alarms, and

dreadful forebodings.

4. _Longsuffering._ People who follow the Spirit are patient; they are

not easily provoked; they bear the troubles and difficulties of life

without murmuring or repining and submit cheerfully to every

dispensation of God’s providence.

5. _Gentleness._ One who is harsh and unkind is lacking in this fruit of

the Spirit. It has been said that to be gentle means to always do and

say the kindest things in the kindest way.

6. _Goodness._ This means uprightness of heart and life—a constant

desire and diligent effort, not only to abstain from every form of evil,

but also to do good to the bodies and souls of all men.

7. _Faith._ The word faith is here used in the sense of fidelity, the

character of one who can be depended upon to keep all his promises, to

meet all of his obligations, and to be true to every relationship.

8. _Meekness._ Meekness is likewise a fruit of the Spirit. It is the

very opposite of anger. Moses was called a meek man. Jesus said,

“Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth.” And although

Christ was brave and uncompromising, he was nevertheless one of the very

meekest of men.

9. _Temperance._ Temperance means self-control. Remember this very

chapter says, “Ye cannot do the things that ye would.” You cannot give

free expression unto the passions of your body. Your body must be

buffeted and brought into subjection as Paul did with his. We must learn

to exercise self-control and to make ourselves do that which we know we

ought to do.

These are the fruits of the Spirit. They are the characteristics that

should be developed in your life if you are a Christian. I just want you

to look at these two pictures—the fruit of the Spirit on the one hand

and the works of the flesh on the other. They are contrasted in every

sense of the word. They are incompatible and antagonistic. To the extent

you have one you fail to possess the other.

Let me ask you this question: Do you believe the fruit of the Spirit

will make anybody unpopular? Sometimes when people are unpopular and are

being persecuted they say, “Oh, well, those who live Godly lives are to

be persecuted.” That’s true. The Bible teaches it (2 Tim. 3:12). But I’m

afraid that very often our persecution comes from other causes. We might

be suffering because we have hatred, jealousy, and envy, and not because

we have the Spirit of Christ. Before you take pride in your persecution

you’d better examine the source of it. It might be coming from the wrong

side of the fence.

Those who follow the Spirit are a living rebuke to those who fail to do

so, and as such they will receive some degree of persecution. But I also

contend that everybody in this world will have to admire a person who

has the fruits of the Spirit in his life. His character presents a

beautiful picture to all who know him. You just can’t help admiring him.

Let us be very careful then about the cause of our persecution.

But I promised to talk to you about “And So Forth” or “And Such Like.”

After the apostle Paul had finished naming the works of the flesh he

said, “and such like.” He said that there were some things like those

named which also belong in the same classification. Now suppose you were

requested this morning to come forward and list in this blank column

some things that are like those Paul named. What would you put in this

column? There must be _some_ things like these. The Bible says there are

some things like them. Otherwise, there would have been no sense in

saying “and such like.” What are those things which are like the ones

named by Paul? The Bible itself mentions some others that could be put

in this class. For instance, lying is a work of the flesh. It could

certainly be included in the “and so forth” of Paul’s list.

But now I want to put some words in this blank column, and leave it up

to you to decide whether they belong under the Fruit of the Spirit or

the Works of the Flesh. From this point on, I’m going to let you preach

this sermon. It’ll be your sermon from here on out. I shall not tell you

where I think these words belong. Not that I’m afraid or ashamed to

tell, but I want you to make your own decision. For after all, people

will not do right until they decide to do so themselves. If I can

provoke you to think and to resolve in your own heart that you will do

right, then that will be much better than anything else which I might do

for you today. The first word I’m listing is:

1. _Dancing._ I want you to decide for yourself which column it belongs

in. Would you list it as a work of the flesh or as fruit of the Spirit?

Into which list does it fit better? I’m not going to say. Decide for

yourself. If you were called upon to classify it in one or the other of

these groups, in which group would you put it? You may say it doesn’t

belong in either. Well, I’ll still leave that up to your judgment. I’ll

put another word up here.

2. _Bible Study._ (That’s two words, isn’t it?) Do you have any trouble

classifying that? In which list would you put it? Would you say that

Bible study belongs with the fruit of the Spirit or with the works of

the flesh? I shall not try to influence your opinion. Decide for

yourself. You see I can put most anything up here today because I’m not

committing myself. I’m playing safe. Well, let’s list another word.

3. _Movies._ Not as they could be and not as they ought to be, and not

as they are in some isolated cases, but as they are in general, would

you say that they look like this crowd (Fruit of the Spirit) or do they

look like this crowd (Works of the Flesh)? Do they contribute to

lasciviousness, do they contribute to envy and hatred and such like

things, or do they look more like peace, self-control, and goodness?

Decide for yourself! I’ve asked a great many people this simple

question: “Do you believe that movies as they are in general are helpful

to society or injurious to society?” All of the answers to that question

except in one single instance have been on the same side. I think you

know what the correct answer is.

4. _Card playing._ Let’s consider card playing here, playing bridge, and

such like games. Please note what happened in Cincinnati a few years

ago. The city council passed an anti-gambling law which, of course,

outlawed playing bingo. Some of the preachers of the city got together

and wrote out a petition asking the city manager to amend the

anti-gambling law to give the churches permission to play bingo in order

to raise money to carry on their work. The city manager granted the

petition. It’s on the legislative record of the city of Cincinnati. Do

you wonder why so many people have quit going to church, why the

buildings are empty on Sunday?

A young lady in Cincinnati told me the first time I ever saw her that

she didn’t like to go to church, that she came away feeling worse than

when she went and that she didn’t get what she needed when she attended

the typical place of worship in the city of Cincinnati. Do you wonder

why? Now Cincinnati may be a little bit extreme, but similar conditions

prevail at a great many other places.

There was a lady in Louisville, Kentucky, who told me she was alarmed

about her son. She said he was a natural-born gambler. There are a lot

of “natural-born gamblers,” but they are not all in Kentucky. I asked

the lady if she didn’t go to bridge parties, and she said she did. Then

I said, “Don’t you contribute your share of the money to buy a prize?”

She admitted that she did. Next I asked, “Don’t you play a game of

chance to see which lady will take the prize home?” Again she answered

in the affirmative. My reply was, “Well, you taught your son to gamble.

Why are you alarmed?” She was perfectly content to gamble in the

living-room with a group of so-called refined ladies, but she didn’t

want her son to bet on the horse races or go to some gambling den in the

city. (I almost told you where I thought that one belonged, didn’t I? I

didn’t mean to do that.) Let’s take something else.

5. _Prayer meeting._ Where would you put attending prayer meeting? I

never heard anybody raise a question about that. I think everybody knows

where it belongs so we pass on to something else.

6. _Petting._ We just as well talk about it; everybody knows about it.

Many have been guilty of it. Where would you put petting? Does it look

like lasciviousness, tending to produce wanton and lustful desires, or

does it look like it belongs with the fruit of the Spirit? Now about the

only difference I see in petting and dancing is that the dancing is done

to music and the petting without the benefit of music; dancing is

usually done in public, where the presence of others imposes at least

some degree of restraint, whereas the petting is done in a parked

automobile on a side road or in some living-room with the shades pulled

down. That’s about the only difference. I’m perfectly willing to leave

the decision to your own honest judgment, because if you’re not honest

you’re certainly lost anyhow.

7. _Tobacco._ Maybe you think I’m going too far, but I’d like to ask you

to classify the use of tobacco. Would you classify tobacco—whether it’s

dipping, chewing, or smoking—as a work of the flesh, or as fruit of the

Spirit? Do you believe that using it will help you to save souls or

hinder you in saving souls? Would you be a little bit ashamed to let the

man whom you were trying to convert see you smoking or dipping or

chewing? Again, I’m just asking questions. Not answering them. If

anybody wants to know what my answer is, see me after we’re through and

I’ll tell you. But I want to leave it up to your own judgment. Where

would you place these things? Do they belong in the list of works of the

flesh or the fruit of the Spirit?

Friends, we are talking today about something that’s fundamental.

There’s no part of the Bible more fundamental than the 5th chapter of

Galatians. The Bible says those who do these things (works of the flesh)

shall not inherit the kingdom of God. Against these things (fruit of the

Spirit) there is no law. You’re perfectly safe when you’re on this side.

There’s no law of God or man that would condemn anything in this list.

You never heard of a law forbidding one of these fruits of the Spirit.

There’s not a state legislature on this earth that would even think

about condemning one of them. Against such things there is no law.

Perhaps the greatest progress the church of Christ could make today

would be to heed diligently the lesson of Galatians, chapter 5, and get

all of our thinking, conversation, and conduct in harmony with the fruit

of the Spirit. The very example of the membership would then be a

tremendous drawing power. It would win the admiration of all those who

observed it. All serious-minded people who want to go to heaven when

they die, would like to have a part with a group of people who are

governed in such a way. If there are some present this morning who are

guilty of following the lust of the flesh, there is still a chance for

you to be forgiven. If you will repent, confess your faults, and pray

God to forgive you, he will do so—that is, those of you who are erring

children of God. You who have not yet been baptized into Christ may

secure forgiveness by believing in him as God’s son, repenting of your

sins, confessing your faith, and obeying the commandment to be baptized

for remission of sins. If you are subject then to this call of Christ,

we invite you to accept it.

XVI

WHAT MUST I DO TO KEEP SAVED?

Allow me to add a word of welcome to all of you who are present and

especially to the visitors. We are very grateful for such good

attendance at our Sunday evening meetings, and especially for the large

number of young people present. I know of no better way to build a

courtship, and eventually a marriage and a home, than upon regular

attendance to all the meetings of the church. I have just learned

recently of one young man who is seriously considering obeying the

Gospel as a result of attending our Sunday evening meetings with his

girl friend. This is an example of how you young people may do a lot of

good, not only for yourselves but for those whom you may bring with you.

Hence I urge you to come back tonight to hear Brother Bradford and every

Sunday evening to our program of worship and study.

We had so many questions arising in my class upstairs this morning that

we didn’t get to our lesson. We are taking the same lesson next Sunday,

the first twenty-two verses of the ninth chapter of Acts, and the memory

verse will be Colossians 2:12. If you want a copy of the questions, you

can find them here on the pulpit at the end of the hour.

We had a fine program last Wednesday evening, even a bigger crowd than

expected. I hope you realize the importance of the training we are

giving the young men on Wednesday evening. It means a lot to them.

They’ll be the leaders of the churches in just a few years from now and

they’ll appreciate your presence and encouragement as they conduct our

services for the next five weeks. We are expecting a good program again

this week.

This morning my topic is “What Must I Do to Keep Saved?” There have been

many sermons, and rightly so, preached upon the subject, “What Must I Do

to Be Saved?” That is indeed a very important question. It is asked and

answered three times in the book of Acts (Acts 16:30-34; 2:36-38; Acts

9:6; 22:16). These answers teach that in order to be saved, one must

believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God; repent of

his sins; and then be buried with Christ in baptism for remission of

sins. One who has done these things is then a child of God, a member of

the Lord’s family, a citizen in the Lord’s kingdom, a member of God’s

church; for Jesus said, “He that believeth and is baptized shall be

saved,” (Mark 16:16) and God adds to the church day by day such as are

being saved (Acts 2:47). All people then who have been saved are in the

church because God put them in, just as soon as they were saved.

I

The Danger of Falling

It’s not our purpose to speak at this time on the topic, “What Must I Do

to Be Saved?” but rather upon one which is equally important, “What Must

I Do to Keep Saved?” This very question implies not only the

possibility, but even the danger, of one’s falling from grace. If it

were not possible for one who has once been in a saved condition to fall

out of it into an unsaved condition, then our topic would be entirely

out of place. Furthermore, a big part of the New Testament would be of

no value. A great portion is devoted to warning Christians against

falling and to telling them how to keep from falling. Every warning in

the New Testament addressed to Christians implies not only the

possibility but also the danger of apostasy.

Simon, the sorcerer, believed and was baptized; therefore he must have

been saved for Jesus said, “He that believeth and is baptized shall be

saved” (Mark 16:16). But after Simon had reached that condition, he

endeavored to buy the gift of God with money, to whom Peter said, “Thy

money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God

may be purchased with money. Thou hast neither part nor lot in this

matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God. Repent therefore

of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine

heart may be forgiven thee. For I perceive that thou art in the gall of

bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity” (Acts 8:20-23). Surely Simon

was then lost, although he had been once saved, illustrating the fact

that one can fall from grace.

Addressing the Christians at Galatia who would be saved by the law of

Moses, Paul said, “Ye are fallen from grace” (Gal. 5:4). Why argue about

the possibility of falling from grace when such a plain statement is

found in the Bible?

If any further evidence could be desired, you can find much more in the

Bible to the same point. For instance, James, chapter 5, and the last

two verses thereof, “Brethren, if any one of you do err from the truth,

and one convert him; let him know, that he which converteth the sinner

from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a

multitude of sins.”

Save a soul from what death? Not from physical death. “It is appointed

unto men once to die,” physically. In that sense everybody has to die,

the good and the bad alike. The only death from which you can be saved

is the second death, which means to be cast into the lake of fire and

brimstone (Rev. 20:14, 15; 21:8). This verse says that if you save a

sinner from the error of his way, you have saved him from the second

death. But who are the sinners here addressed? They are members of the

church. Verse 19 says, “brethren,” you people who have already been

saved, “if any one of you”—one of you saved people—“do err from the

truth, and someone convert him,” then he has saved his soul from eternal

torment. Surely this teaches that a brother in the church, who has been

saved, may so sin as to go to hell, and will go to hell if somebody

doesn’t convert him.

No wonder, then, the Apostle Paul said, “Let him that thinketh he

standeth take heed lest he fall” (1 Cor. 10:12). Let him who thinketh he

standeth—let the man who thinks that apostasy is impossible—take heed,

lest he experience that which he denies. These Scriptures then are

sufficient to show that there is a danger of one’s falling from grace.

II

The Power to Stand

Please do not get the impression, however, that you have to fall from

grace. You don’t have to do it! You can stand if you will. If you will

stand, God will give you the power to stand. If you submit your life

unto Him for safekeeping and maintain the right attitude toward Him, and

the right sort of service for Him, then He will keep that which has been

committed unto Him. You don’t have to fall from grace. Anybody can be

saved who wants to. If you don’t go to heaven, it will be because you

didn’t want to badly enough to put forth the proper effort.

I’d like to emphasize the fact that anybody can go to heaven who wants

to. It is like Brother Freed used to tell us at school: “You can do

anything you want to, if you want to badly enough.” A story which

illustrates the point comes from England, where they are said to dig

graves deeper than we do in America—in fact, ten feet deep. Instead of

having the cemeteries hard by the church building as we often do, the

story says that they have them adjacent to the school buildings,

sometimes on the school campus.

In one instance they had a graveyard between the boys’ dormitory and the

administration building. Of course the boys did not walk around it. They

made a path right across it. One day the caretakers digged a grave ten

feet deep across the path and failed to put up a red light, leaving the

grave open during the night. After it got dark a boy started from one

building to another and fell into the open grave. He tried to climb out,

but the walls were straight up and down and ten feet high. Finally, he

gave up and sat down in the corner to await developments. It wasn’t long

till he heard another boy coming down the path—“pat, pat, pat.” He sat

right still, and boy number two fell off in the grave with him. Then boy

number one said, “Can’t you let a man rest in peace in his own grave?”

The second boy jumped right out of the grave like a cat—without any

trouble at all. He had a stronger desire to escape than the first boy

did. He was scared worse!

This illustrates the point that you can do anything you want to if you

want to badly enough. If you are scared enough of hell, you will go to

heaven. If you want to go to heaven more than you want to do anything

else in this world, then you will go there, and there is no power on

earth, or in heaven, or beneath the earth that can keep you from going

to heaven if _you_ want to (Rom. 8:35). You are the only person in all

this universe who can keep you out of heaven.

Now I may surprise you a little bit when I tell you that there are not

many people who want to go to heaven. I can prove it by the Bible. The

Bible says that very few _are_ going to heaven, and since anybody can go

who wants to, then only a few want to go. If many wanted to go, then

many would go; but the Bible says that there is a strait and narrow way

which leads to life everlasting and few there be that find it. But there

is a broad way that leads to destruction and many there be that travel

it (Matt. 7:13, 14). Anybody can go to heaven who wants to, but only a

few are going; then only a few want to go. If you will examine yourself

and observe the people around you, you will soon become convinced that

not many people want to go to heaven.

An illustration which I frequently use on this point is this: One Sunday

afternoon I was talking to two young ladies who were backsliders. I

asked them if they loved the Lord. They said, “Why, Brother Dark, of

course we love the Lord.” Then I said, “Do you want to go to heaven when

you die?” As you might expect they answered, “Why, sure, everybody wants

to go to heaven!” My next question was, “Will you be at worship this

evening?” They grinned a little bit and looked at each other. I said,

“You have some dates, don’t you?” They grinned a little more, and said,

“Yes.” I said, “Your boy friends don’t want to go to church with you, do

they?” They grinned a little bit more and said, “No.” Well, they didn’t

come to worship that night. I asked which they loved more, those boy

friends or the Lord. They didn’t make any answer.

Now, which do you think they loved the more? They said they loved the

Lord more than they loved anything else in the world, but they went out

with some boy friends that night instead of coming to worship. They

thought they wanted to go to heaven, and they did want to a little bit;

but they wanted to go out with those boys more than they wanted to go to

heaven. And that’s the case with a great many people. You ask them if

they want to go to heaven and they will say “Yes”; but there is

something they want to do more. They want to have a good time, make

money, or do something else, more than they want to go to heaven. That’s

the trouble with most people. That’s the reason most people are going

somewhere else. God allows people to go anywhere they want to and if

they prefer to go somewhere else rather than to go to heaven, then they

go somewhere else and He permits them to do it.

Just remember this: you cannot possibly go to heaven without traveling

the road which leads there. A lot of people would like to go to heaven

but they don’t want to travel the road which leads there. They want to

travel some other road and then get to heaven. Well, you can’t travel

the road that leads to Memphis and get to Chattanooga, can you? You

can’t travel the road that leads to hell and wind up in heaven. It just

can’t be done. So if you want to go to heaven more than you want to do

anything else in this world and are willing to put forth the effort

required to do it, you can certainly go there.

That to me is a very encouraging thought. My destiny, under God, is

completely within my own hands. I don’t have to depend upon anybody

else’s wishes, anybody else’s choice or word about it whatsoever. God

wants me to go to heaven, and with that point settled then it is all up

to me, and you can’t keep me from going there. Nobody else can, if I

want to go. Nobody can keep _you_ from going! Sometimes people make

excuses, and they blame others for their failure. They find fault with

other people and say, “He did so and so, and therefore I did so and so.”

That’s no good at all. There is nobody in this world who can keep you

from going to heaven if you want to.

III

Three Rules

From this point on I shall assume that I am speaking to people who do

want to go to heaven. On this assumption I can give you three little

rules to follow, which will insure your success. I do not mean that the

mere formality of doing these three things will make you safe for

heaven. There is not necessarily any virtue in the mere routine

suggested. But granting that you want to go to heaven, if you will

follow these three simple rules, they will enable you to do what you

want to do. The beauty of them is that they are so simple that anybody

can follow them who wants to.

1. The first one is to read the Bible every day. If you want to go to

heaven, you are willing to do that much, aren’t you? If you really want

to go to heaven, won’t you _want_ to read the Bible? It’s the book that

tells you how to get there. It is the road map that shows you the way.

If you want to go to heaven, the first rule then is to read the Bible

every day. From doing that you’ll learn what God wants you to do in

order to _be_ saved and in order to _keep_ saved. The Bereans were more

noble than the Thessalonians “because they received the word with all

readiness of mind and _searched the Scriptures daily_” (Acts 16:11).

Now, if you don’t read the Bible every day, I believe you’d have a hard

time establishing the fact that you want to go to heaven. Don’t you

believe you would? How can you prove that you want to go to heaven when

you fail to read the only book in the world which can tell you how to

get there?

I suspect that I’m talking to two or three hundred people right now who

don’t read the Bible daily, and if I knew how to make this more

emphatic, I’d do it! I’d like to fix it so you never would forget it.

The Bible is the only book that can tell you how to do what you propose

to want to do. It is the word which _God hath spoken_. The mere fact

that you are a member of the church is an announcement that you want to

go to heaven, but your behavior contradicts your profession, if you do

not read the Bible every day.

I have found sometimes that those people who argue the loudest and take

the most dogmatic positions on points of doctrine are the very ones who

don’t read the Bible. They think they know! They can tell you what’s

right and what’s wrong. If you ask them how much they read the Bible,

they’ll hang their heads in shame and say, “Well, I haven’t read it

much.” Sometimes they even preface their remarks by telling you they

haven’t read it much. They say, “Now, preacher, I don’t read the Bible

much, and I know you do, and so and so” and then proceed to tell me just

exactly how it is. _A man who doesn’t read the Bible has no right to

express an opinion in the field of religion._ A man who begins his

conversation by saying, “Now, I’ll admit I don’t read the Bible,” ought

to stop right there until he has read it. He doesn’t have any right to

talk about it, nor to undertake to tell anybody what to do, or what one

ought to do until he has read the Bible—the only reliable standard of

right living. “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word

that ye may grow thereby” (1 Pet. 2:2). “Receive with meekness the

engrafted word, which is able to save your souls” (Jas. 1:21). “Study to

show thyself approved unto God ...” (2 Tim. 2:15).

If you will read the Bible every day, there is not much that needs to be

done for you; if you will not read the Bible, there is not much that can

be done for you! Anybody who doesn’t love the Lord well enough to read

this letter that He has written, anyone who doesn’t want to go to heaven

bad enough to be a daily student of God’s word, I just can’t see much

chance for him. One of the most alarming things is the ignorance of our

own people concerning the Bible. Many of our own members are not daily

students of God’s holy word. I wish I could say something that would

scare you just as much as the second boy who fell in the grave. If I

knew what to say, I’d say it. I’d like for you to become so badly scared

that you would read the Bible every day.

Now, you can do it! If you don’t read it, you cannot blame anybody but

yourself for your failure. You say, “But, Brother Dark, I don’t have

time.” Oh, yes, you do; you have as much time as anybody. There are

twenty-four hours in the day and you have all twenty-four of them. You

say, “Yes, but I have so many other things to do.” Well, are those other

things as important as going to heaven? Do you love them more than you

love going to heaven? Do you want to do them more than you want to be

saved?

How many of you read the newspaper every day? I suspect we would get a

unanimous response on that. How many of you listen to the radio every

day? Now, it is not wrong to listen to the radio. It’s not wrong to read

the newspaper, maybe, but certainly you will agree that a man who loves

the newspaper and the typical radio program more than he loves the Lord

isn’t much interested in going to heaven. He had rather go where they

have newspapers and radios, than to go to heaven where they have the

word of God and a choir of angels singing.

You see, your behavior reflects your interests. So, you _can_ read the

Bible every day; and if you don’t do it, you can blame no one but

yourself for your failure. You can’t say, “I tried to be a Christian and

couldn’t.” You’ll just have to say, “I didn’t try. I didn’t do what I

could. I didn’t do my best.” Sometimes I hear people say, “Well, I’ve

done the best I can,” when I know they have not. I know they are telling

a falsehood when they make that statement. Anybody who doesn’t read the

Bible daily is not doing the best he can!

2. Rule Number 2 is just as simple: “Pray every day.” You _can_! The

Bible commands you to pray without ceasing (Eph. 6:18). Anybody, who can

talk, can talk to God. I am afraid that there are a great many church

members who do not pray to God every day. One cannot believe the Bible

and deny the efficacy of prayer. Prayer is powerful! Prayer moves the

hand that rules the universe. Prayer will cause God to do things that He

would not have done if you had not prayed. Prayer is a means of drawing

upon the riches and the glory and the wisdom of God. What a wonderful

thing it is to be able to write a check on the bank of heaven with the

assurance that it will be honored. That’s exactly what prayer is.

Through prayer you can draw a check upon a bank whose resources are

inexhaustible, with the full assurance that the Teller will honor the

draft or check. Prayer changes things. God will do things for you after

you have prayed that He would not have done if you had not prayed.

Whatsoever ye would therefore, that God should do unto you, ask him for

it. “Ask and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and

it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he

that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened”

(Matt. 7:7, 8). He will withhold no good thing from them that call upon

Him according to faith and in the name of His Son. “If ye then, being

evil know how to give good gifts unto your children how much more shall

your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?”

(Matt. 7:11). If you haven’t been praying to God daily, you ought to

begin to do so right now. I heard Brother H. Leo Boles say one time that

he never even bought a pair of shoes without first asking God to guide

him in the choice that he made. One should ask God’s guidance in every

choice, however trivial it may seem to be. If you are not using the

power which can come to you through prayer, then you are going along

without a great blessing that you could be enjoying. You are not doing

what you can. You can only blame yourself for the failures that come

your way.

3. Rule Number 3 is one that I have emphasized here many times: “Go to

worship every time the congregation meets.” Be faithful and regular in

your attendance at worship. Now, you _can_ do this also! Of course, I

know there are legitimate exceptions in cases of severe sickness on your

part or some member of your family or something else of like nature; but

you know the difference between that and just staying away because you

prefer to sleep, read the paper, listen to the radio, go fishing, take a

trip, or some other such illegitimate, unscriptural excuse.

You need to have the contact with other saints upon the first day of the

week. God knew what He was doing when He arranged for us to meet

together to worship Him. He knew we would get inspiration and

encouragement there that could not be found anywhere else. Whenever you

show me a man who is neglecting his church attendance, I’ll show you a

man in the same person who is drifting away from God. I believe there is

no exception to this statement. Whenever a man willfully stays away from

worshiping with God’s people, he certainly drifts away from the Lord.

I read a story one time about a certain family who had been missing the

worship. One of the overseers of the church went to see this family. He

went into the room and exchanged the customary greetings; then sat down

before the open fire. He picked up the tongs and got a red hot coal,

just glowing with heat, and laid it out on the hearth by itself. It

wasn’t long until it cooled off and turned black. The man of the house

spoke up and said, “Brother, you need not say anything. We’ll be at

worship next Sunday.” That illustrates what happens to anybody who

deliberately stays away from worshiping God with the saints. You can

attend worship regularly; if you don’t you can only blame yourself for

your failure. You cannot say, “I tried, and couldn’t.” You’ll have to

say, “I didn’t try.”

One time in West Virginia, I closed a meeting by talking along this

line. When I went back a year later one of the elders got up and said,

“We had twenty-four additions when Brother Dark was here last year.

Eighteen of them are still with us. Three of them have moved to other

towns, and three have fallen from grace.” I asked whether the three

backsliders had followed these three rules. Of course they had not. They

couldn’t have fallen from grace if they had been following these three

rules; at least I have never heard of anybody’s falling who did. Have

you? I have heard of people’s falling from grace while following one or

two of them, but not all of them. These are not the only requirements

but when faithfully performed they make it possible and easier for you

to do your duty in every way. May I insist then, if you want to go to

heaven—and you say you do—that you read the Bible every day, pray to God

every day, and go to worship every time you can.

Let me read a Scripture before I close this lesson. It’s found in the

first chapter of 1 John 1:4. It’s one of the sweetest promises in all

the Bible. “These things write we unto you, that your joy may be made

full.” God wants us to be full of joy. He said, “I’m writing these

things that you may be full of joy.” Well, what is it, John? “This, then

is the message which we have heard of him and declare unto you, that God

is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have

fellowship with him and walk in darkness, we lie and do not the truth:

but if we walk in the light as he is in the light, we have fellowship

one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us

from all sin. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the

truth is not in us.” Will you note this promise again? “If we walk in

the light as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another,

and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.” This

promise is to those who walk in the light.

The word “walk” suggests continuation. The blood cleanseth from all sin

those who continue in the light. Just as the word “walk” suggests

continuation, I believe the cleansing is also a continuing process. The

best way I know to illustrate this point is by the blood of the human

body, one purpose of which is to remove poison from any place which

becomes infected, and eliminate the poison through the natural channels

of elimination. So the blood of Jesus Christ flows, so to speak, through

the veins of a Christian, keeping all impurities removed therefrom. This

I believe with all my heart.

But don’t get the wrong impression. Somebody might say, “Well, if that’s

the way it is, I’ll not be so careful. I’ll just take it easy and drift

along and let the blood of Jesus keep me clean.” Well, it won’t do it in

your case. You’ve missed the point entirely. The promise is to those who

walk in the light, to those who are doing the best they can, to those

who are working at the job, to those who really want to go to heaven,

who read the Bible, go to worship, and pray to God, and do everything

they can. In spite of all this they’ll make some mistakes.

This Scripture doesn’t say that you won’t sin. The promise is to those

who do sin—who sin in spite of the fact that they are walking in the

light. If people who are walking in the light can’t sin, then this

promise would be out of order; but this promise is to those who are

walking in the light, who are doing the best they can, and yet they sin.

When they do so, the Bible says the blood of Jesus will cleanse them

from all unrighteousness—keep them clean. In that sense, you see, you

can stay in a saved condition all the time.

Suppose I were to ask you right now, how many of you believe, if you

were to die at this minute, that you would go to heaven; I wonder how

many would raise your hands. I find very few people who answer this

question properly. They say, “Well, I hope I would. I’d like to. I don’t

know.” People go through life in doubt about their own salvation. God

didn’t expect his people to experience such uneasiness. He has written

these things that our joy may be full. A lot of people have doubts and

fears. They think if they were to die just after saying their evening

prayers, confessing their sins, that they would go to heaven, but if

they were to die five minutes before, that they would go to hell. If I

felt that way about it, I’d want somebody to shoot me just after I’d

finished my evening prayer so I’d be sure to go to heaven.

I’m not boasting when I say that I believe with all my heart that if I

should fall dead in the midst of this sentence, I would spend eternity

in heaven. That’s not because I’m so good; it’s certainly not because I

have never sinned. But I _can_ say this: if there is a single sin

against me of which I have not repented, I do not know it. If I did know

it, I would repent of it before I finished this statement. I wouldn’t

wait till time for my evening prayer. The time to repent of a sin is

just as soon as you become aware of it, right then and there. That’s

what you have to do in order to be walking in the light. Never allow an

unforgiven sin to hang over you for one minute for you might die during

that minute, and have to spend eternity in torment.

God doesn’t expect his children to go through life having so many ups

and downs, thinking one minute they’re on their way to glory and the

next minute on their way to hell. It isn’t necessary to be like that.

God doesn’t want you to be. He wants you to be full of joy. If you will

read this verse, meditate upon it, and conform to the conditions stated,

it will certainly help you to be full of joy.

I’m emphasizing the fact that you can go to heaven if you want to. I’d

like to read one more Scripture and then we close. This is found in II

Peter, chapter one, verse 5-10, “And beside this, giving all diligence;

add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge

temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; and

to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness love. For if

these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither

be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But

he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath

forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. Wherefore the rather,

brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure.” Do you

notice that word “sure”? “Give diligence to make your calling and

election _sure_”; it didn’t say to make it likely, or to make it

probable, but to make it _certain_. It requires diligence, but if you

will give the proper diligence, you can make your calling and election

certain. “For if ye do these things, ye shall never fall. For so an

entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting

kingdom of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.”

A man who does these things will not barely slip in by the skin of the

teeth, but for him the gates will stand wide ajar. He will receive an

abundant entrance into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior,

inherit eternally a mansion which Jesus has gone to prepare for those

who love him, for those who walk in the light, for those who do the best

they can.

Do you want to go to heaven? I suspect if I were to take a vote on it

and ask all who want to go to heaven to raise their hands, that every

person in the house would raise his hand. You say you want to go, but do

you? Are you on the road which leads there? A man driving toward

Louisville, Kentucky, at sixty miles an hour, knowing that Atlanta is in

the opposite direction, would have a hard time convincing me that he

wanted to go to Atlanta. He may want to go some day but he doesn’t want

to go now, because he is going in the other direction. The man who is

going toward hell at sixty minutes an hour can’t convince me that he

wants to go to heaven, unless he is just mistaken about his direction.

Do you really want to go to heaven? If you do, let’s be on the way. The

Bible reveals the road which leads there. Get up and follow the sign

posts and some day you will get there. Why not start right now? Will you

come to Jesus now?