In just two weeks and three days will come the Passover once again. What, after all, is the real meaning of the Passover? We take it every year. I forgot to count the number of years that this will be for me. I think it's about fifty-six at least, maybe fifty-seven. I'll have to count it again. (Probably longer than any of you.) And it seems that we just take it year after year; and, if we're not careful, we'll just take it for granted like so many other things, as routine, without thinking of the meaning of it. But it's one of the most important occasions in our lives. WE MUST EXAMINE OURSELVES SICKNESS AND PHYSICAL SIN: DOES CHRIST'S BLOOD SAVE YOU: WE MUST REPENT: REPENT, TO RECEIVE THE HOLY SPIRIT: GOD'S SPIRIT NEEDED TO UNDERSTAND: THE SPIRIT IN MAN: ANIMAL BRAIN: HOW KNOWLEDGE COMES: TAUGHT BY CHRIST VIA AN APOSTLE: REPENT, BELIEVE, AND BE BAPTIZED: SOME HAVE NOT CHANGED DIRECTION: WHAT 'TO REPENT' MEANS: EVEN SOME EVANGELISTS DON'T GET IT! THE HOLY SPIRIT ENABLES: EVEN SIMON MAGUS WAS BAPTIZED: PART AND LOT: REAL REPENTANCE, A DEATH: THE GREAT FALSE CHURCH: PETER, OR THE TITLE "PATER": THIS WAY: THE GOD FAMILY: PAUL'S CONVERSION: SUFFERING FOR CHRIST'S SAKE: THE CONVERSION EXPERIENCE: MR. ARMSTRONG'S CONVERSION: BREAKING OUR WILL: KING DAVID'S EXPERIENCE: ALL HAVE SINNED: IN AGREEMENT WITH GOD: EVEN CHRISTIANS SIN: HOW WE GO ASTRAY: PASSOVER EXAMINATION:
And it comes every year to remind us of the meaning of it every year. And I wonder: Are we all really ready for it? Well, we have two weeks and three days to get ready, if we're not.
I Corinthians 11:27 Wherefore, whosoever shall eat this bread [at the time of the Passover], and drink of the cup of the Lord, UNWORTHILY, shall be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord.
Now, "unworthily" doesn't mean that you are worthy to take it. It's referring to the manner in which you do it, and the condition in which you are when you do it, as to whether you do it worthily or not. But then it continues:
I Corinthians 11:28 But let a man EXAMINE himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.
Now verses 29 on to 30, the next two verses, refer to the meaning of the bread—the broken body of Jesus Christ. You and I have sinned. Every one of you has sinned. The trouble is a lot of people don't stop to really confess and admit that. We seem to take it for granted, we're just pretty 'good'. We don't realize how unworthy we really are ourselves. But it's talking here about both the blood and the body of the Lord. Now, Jesus' body was broken for us—for our healing. So we read in the next two verses here, the 29th and 30th:
I Corinthians 11:29-30 For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily [that is, the manner in which you do it], eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body [which was broken for us, and for our healing when we're physically sick]. (30) For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.
Many have had some kind of a sickness or disease that they have died, and they "sleep". That is the Bible language for the fact that they are dead. It really represents death as being in a type of sleep. When you're asleep, unless you have a dream, you're unconscious until you wake up; and even in a dream you seem to be in some crazy circumstance. You wonder why and how it ever happened, and we dream some very funny and foolish things sometimes.
The body was made to function in a certain way. Sometimes I wonder how the heart keeps on beating so long. I know sometimes, if I turn in my bed in sleeping over on the left side, on the pillow I will hear my heart thumping; and I sometimes have to turn over on the other side to get away from hearing it. And it's strange that that heart just keeps going, going, going.
Now, of course, we have to fuel ourselves with food and water from the ground; and we came from the ground ourselves. But nevertheless, as long as we have the fuel and we breathe the air… We breathe the air automatically, and you don't even think about it when you're sleeping. It just, I guess, the condition of the heart just keeps you automatically breathing. Something does. But it's a remarkable thing.
I often think, when we're flying in the G2 across the ocean, what if something happened that the engine stopped? There's no place to land out there, absolutely no place! Sometimes I think of that funny record that came out several years ago about the, let's see, it was Mrs. Ferguson's Airplane & Storm Door Company I believe it was. It's just a comic thing. It was a little small plane, a little small prop plane, economy class going to Hawaii. And the captain gave an announcement after they had taken off. "Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking." (This is not a case where he says, "We have both good news and bad news." It sounded to me like it was mostly bad news, but it was funny.) And he said, "Of course, we believe that what the people want is economy. So, he said, "Now we do have just one little bit of luxury. You people traveling first class have straps to hang on to. The rest of you don't have any straps." Everybody had to stand. There were no seats. And someone then asked the captain… He asked for questions. Someone asked him, "Well, what if we should have to ditch. How long would we remain afloat?" "Oh, well." he said, "Lady, that's hard to tell; but some of them just go down like a rock!" [Audience laughs.]
I have to think: I hope that that engine keeps going just like the human heart does. And yet you don't know what second your heart's going to stop. You just don't know. Did you ever think to be thankful to God that He keeps your heart just going, going, going, and going? And it just goes automatically. You don't have to wind it up or anything, except by eating food and drinking water.
Now, Catholics and Protestants believe that, if you are "saved", that you go to heaven when you die. Otherwise, I think that Catholics believe you go to purgatory; and after that you'll go to hell, if they don't pray you out of it. But Protestants believe you go straight to hell (a fire that is burning, burning, burning); and you keep burning forever and ever, but you never burn up. You'll have to go through that torture continuously forever. That'll keep going just like your heart does for a lifetime.
But this heart only pumps for a lifetime. The average age is about seventy. Some of us live about twenty years longer, as I have now; but not many. And no one that we have any record of ever lived the first thousand years. Methuselah lived nine hundred and (What was it?) sixty something. Adam lived nine hundred and thirty years. But they don't live that long any more; and they haven't, not since the time of Abraham, shortly after the Flood.
But they believe that all you have to do is accept Jesus Christ, and the blood of Christ saves you. Now, the blood of Christ does not save anybody! You read of that in the fifth chapter of the book of Romans, I don't want to take time to go into that this afternoon. But you will find there that we'll be saved by Christ, but not by His shed blood. And we're not saved by the death of Christ. We are reconciled to God the Father by the death of Christ. But we are to be SAVED by His resurrection—and through our own resurrection, made possible by His resurrection.
Now again, a lot of people think if they're baptized they're saved. And I'm afraid too many of us in this Church have believed that; and that's one thing I hope to correct now, today. "O yes, I'm a baptized member." Well, if you're baptized, that means you're a Christian—you're in the Church? OH, NO, IT DOES NOT, BRETHREN. I don't care how many times you've been soused in water (and I don't mean to ridicule the very sacred ordinance of baptism); but for many that's all it is—just a sousing in water. I'd like to read just a few scriptures along that line right now, before we pass on. Mark, the seventh chapter, verses 6 on to 9. Jesus said:
Mark 7:6-9 This people honoureth me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. (7) Howbeit in vain do they worship me [They not only accept Christ, they not only BELIEVE in Christ; but they WORSHIP Him, and they do it in vain. "In vain do they worship Me…"], teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. {1} [Let's see.] (8) For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold to the tradition of men… (9) And he said unto them, Full well do you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your own tradition.
I was thinking of another scripture right along that line.
Luke 13:3 I tell you, Nay: but, except you REPENT, you shall all likewise perish.
Now, He repeated that for emphasis in verse 5.
Luke 13:5 I tell you NAY: but, except you REPENT, you shall all likewise perish.
Regardless of how many times you've been baptized, if you have not REPENTED, you shall also likewise perish. I was thinking of, and I'd like to turn to that just a moment, it's in John. Let's see. In the eight chapter of John, I just happened to turn to it.
John 8:30-31 As [Jesus] spake these words, many believed on him. [Now here are people that believed on Christ.] (31)Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If you continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed.
And they began to dispute Him right away. They didn't believe what He said. And so later Jesus said:
John 8:43-45 Why do you not understand my speech? [That is, what I'm saying: "My speech."] Even because ye cannot hear my word. (44)Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there was no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. (45) And because I tell you the truth, you believe me not.
They believed ON Christ, but they did not BELIEVE Christ. They did not believe what He said. So just accepting Christ, just believing on Christ, doesn't save you. You have to believe what He says, and YOU HAVE TO REPENT. There are the two conditions: One is repentance, and the other is faith.
Now, Jesus came into Galilee preaching the gospel of the Kingdom of God. You read in Mark, verse one, chapter one, "The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ." Then in verses 14 and 15:
Mark 1:14-15 Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the GOSPEL [What gospel? "The gospel…] of the kingdom of God, (15) and saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: REPENT ye, and believe the gospel.
Repent and believe. "And except you REPENT." And I think a lot of people don't fully know what that means. They say, "Oh, I've repented. Yes, I know I've sinned." They haven't really repented, because I think we do not understand what we mean by the word REPENT. Very few seem to understand it.
Romans 8:9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man [or woman, either] have not the SPIRIT of Christ, he is none of his.
Without the Holy Spirit in you; and more than being in you, it must be leading you, and you must be following—must be led by the Spirit of God. Because then you will read beginning in verse 11:
Romans 8:11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken [or make immortal] your mortal bodies BY his Spirit that dwelleth in you.
The Holy Spirit of God is the impregnation of ETERNAL life, which you don't have. You were not born with LIFE. You were only born with a chemical temporary existence, just to exist a little while and then die. A lot of people die long before they're seventy years of age. Many people are facing death all of the time; and people come and go. A generation comes, and passes on; and another generation comes along. But notice verse 14: {2}
Romans 8:14 For as many as are LED by the Spirit of God.
Now, the Holy Spirit of God won't get hold of you and pull you. It won't get behind you and push you. It doesn't force you. It leads by opening your mind to understand the Word of God. The Holy Spirit itself does not teach you. It opens your mind to comprehend what IS taught. Jesus came and taught people who didn't understand. They didn't have the Holy Spirit. They didn't understand. Actually, the disciples were with Him three and a half years; and they didn't comprehend and understand what He told them—not all of it, not the spiritual part.
And He said that, when the Holy Spirit came upon them (which it did on the day of Pentecost), then He said that the Spirit of God would remind. And, of course, even the spirit of man too would bring to their remembrance what things He had taught them. Then they would come to understand it, after the Holy Spirit came.
You see it is God who must teach you. And He teaches through Christ, who is the Word of God. And Christ teaches through His apostles and others under them. But it all comes from God.
Now, many people will understand a certain amount of the Bible because there's so much of the Bible that is, well, relating to ordinary materialistic or physical knowledge (as well as the spiritual portion of it). And much of it is history, and they can understand a great deal of the history. But when it comes to the real deeper spiritual teaching, the natural mind of man CANNOT comprehend. It takes the words of the Bible that came from Christ, though, to teach—and not the Spirit. Without the Bible and just having the Holy Spirit, you will never know any more. It is the Holy Spirit that OPENS THE MIND to comprehend.
Spiritual knowledge comes by teaching from God, but it can't be COMPREHENDED, and it can't be UNDERSTOOD, except by THE SPIRIT OF GOD IN YOU. With the spirit of man—the human spirit—YOU CAN understand physical materialistic knowledge (that a dog, a cow, a horse, an elephant cannot understand, cannot comprehend) IF you are taught. Still, someone must teach you. And the knowledge must come through the senses of sight, or hearing, or smelling, or tasting, or feeling.
Brethren, we have not understood that until within the last year. It's a marvelous teaching that God has opened to us within the past year or so, and I hope that we can all come to understand it. I certainly thank and praise God for giving us that wonderful knowledge.
Turn now to Acts, the second chapter. On the day of Pentecost, after Christ had ascended to heaven, He had been crucified. He had lived without sin. He never sinned. He did not have to repent because He had never sinned. But He paid the price of sin, even though He didn't pay it for Himself. He paid it for you and me. And He took your sins and mine on Himself, and paid the penalty for us.
It's just like God is a great banker, and you owe the bank a lot of money. And Christ is the banker's son. And you can't pay what you owe the bank. But His Son, the son of the banker, pays it for you and says, "Well, I paid that off for you. So you don't have to worry anymore about it. It's all paid." That is, you don't have to worry about the past sin. But you'd better worry about whether you sin anymore in the future, from now on; because then, then you bring the penalty right back on yourself again, IF you do go on sinning any more.
Well, on the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit came on those that been taught by Christ, and on a total of 120 people (more than just the original Twelve). There were about ten times that many, a total of 120. And Peter preached the first really Spirit-inspired sermon by a human man on that day. And there were thousands there who heard him. And after Peter had finished his speech, it says in verse 37 of Acts the second chapter:
Acts 2:37 Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart.
It touched their hearts, emotions. They were really hit. It wasn't just any old common ordinary thing. It was something that really hit them emotionally. They were touched in their hearts.
Acts 2:37-38 And said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? [What are we going to do now, now that we've heard what we did and heard how Christ had been crucified.] (38) Then Peter said unto them, REPENT [But so many people don't know what he meant when he said repent. "Repent…] and be baptized [Now, that follows repentance.] every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy [Spirit].
But some people haven't ever undergone any change. They're still just the same. They've just accepted a few additional instructions, or teachings, or doctrines that they've heard. And they're so, they're really so 'good' that they said, "Well, you know, I want to be good. I want to do what's right; and that, I see that's true and that's right. So I'm so good I'm just going to accept it."
HOW MANY OF YOU ARE LIKE THAT, BRETHREN? You've just heard the truth. And you're so 'good' that you say, "Yes I—I, in my goodness—I'm certainly going to accept that, because I'm so 'good' I want to believe what's right. I don't want to do what's wrong." THAT WON'T SAVE YOU AND WON'T GET YOU THE HOLY SPIRIT!
I read (about fifty, fifty-five years ago back—about that time, about the time of my conversion. It might have been shortly after.) of a story of a Methodist preacher. In fact, he was the bishop that visited a church. He was a bishop, you see; and he was quite a celebrity, coming to this small church. He'd come from a bigger city and was over a good many churches. And he was preaching on repentance; but, somehow, the people couldn't understand. He wasn't able to make them understand what he meant. (And I think many of us perhaps do not understand just what we mean by repentance.)
So there was a black gentleman in the back of the church building, and he finally raised up his hand. "If you please, sir," he said, "I believe I can explain what you all mean, if I might." Well the bishop said, "Certainly, certainly. Go ahead, if you can make it more plain or clear to the people." "Well sir," he said, "I, this is what I think you all mean." And he started walking right down the aisle, down towards the platform. And he says, "I'm going to hell. I'm going to hell. I'm going to hell. I'm going to hell, I'm going to hell." And he got down to just in front of the platform, and then he turned around. And he started and he walked rapidly back, even a little faster now. And he said, "I'm going to heaven. I'm going to heaven. I'm going to heaven. I'm going to heaven." And when he got back up there; he said, "I think what you all meant, sir, is we must TURN AROUND AND GO THE OTHER WAY." And some of them began to understand it.
It meant you have to ADMIT you've been going in the WRONG DIRECTION. You have to ADMIT YOU'VE BEEN WRONG. YOU'VE BELIEVED WRONG! YOU'VE LIVED WRONG! YOU'VE DONE WRONG! YOU ARE WRONG, THROUGH AND THROUGH. And many of you have NEVER admitted that!
A lot of people have come into this Church, and a lot have become ministers and have gone through Ambassador College. They've been taught. But they never had the Spirit of God, and they NEVER REALLY COMPREHENDED THE SPIRITUAL TRUTH.
I want to speak on it this afternoon, because I won't be here (I'm sorry.) this year for the Passover. I'm going to have to be in Jerusalem. I've been there before on the Passover. I don't know why it's happened. At least three or four years already, I've been in Israel at the Passover time. And I've been there for…I know, once at least, I took the Passover in Bricket Wood. And then, on the preparation day after the Passover, I flew back over to Tel Aviv and was in Israel for the holy day. And I've been there for either the Passover or the holy day after about three or four times. And it seems like that's the way the schedule runs for this year once again.
Now, we are commanded to repent and believe before we are baptized because baptism is only the outward ceremony picturing your belief and picturing the fact that you have repented—that the old life is gone, you've admitted how wrong you are, and now you're starting a totally new type of life.
Acts 8:12-13 When they believed Phillip [Now, they believed.] preaching the things of the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. [Well, I think it's given to us to assume that they had repented. It does say they believed.] Then Simon…
Now, he was the head of the Babylonian Mystery religion there. And they ALL looked up to him as a man of God, from the least of them to the greatest, in Samaria there.
Acts 8:13 Then Simon himself believed [Now HE BELIEVED. He BELIEVED Christ. He BELIEVED the truth. I want you to notice that. He believed.] also: and when he was BAPTISED…
And he was baptized! How many of YOU have BELIEVED, you've accepted the doctrine, YOU'VE BEEN BAPTISED? Well, that happened to the founder of what the Bible calls "Babylon" and tells us to come out of it! (I'm going to read you that in just a minute.)
Acts 8:13 And when he was baptized, he continued with Phillip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and the signs which were done.
Now then, beginning with verse 20 on to verse 22. Peter and John came down. And they didn't understand that they should lay hands on them for receiving the Holy Spirit. They did not receive the Holy Spirit when they were baptized—UNTIL the apostles came down, and laid their hands on them, and prayed that they would receive the Holy Spirit.
Acts 8:20 But Peter said unto him…
Now, this Simon came and offered Peter money for the Holy Spirit. He had BELIEVED and he had been BAPTISED, and I want you to notice that. And now he came to Peter and said "I will pay money so you will give me the Holy Spirit" because he didn't get the Holy Spirit.
You know after Judas had dropped out and there were only eleven of the apostles left, they let THE LOT (which meant it was God's choice) fall on Matthias; and he became one of them, so he could have part in that apostleship. The part and lot referred to being an apostle. And Peter said to him, "You have neither part nor lot." You see he wanted to be AN APOSTLE. And he made himself an apostle—pretended he was anyway—afterward.
Acts 8:21-22 You have neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God. (22) REPENT therefore [Peter said to him].
I had to go through something that meant the DEATH of this old self. It was already dead, and I didn't know it. But I had to let it DIE, and let Christ put LIFE in me through His Holy Spirit. I'll come to that a little later. But Peter said to [Simon Magus]:
Acts 8:22 Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.
He had a wrong motive of heart. He had NOT repented! {3} But he had believed, and he had been baptized.
Revelation 17:5 And upon her forehead…
And a church is always regarded in the female sense, because the true Church of God is the affianced Bride of Christ, to marry Christ at His Second Coming. But here was a false church. And she is a harlot, a WHORE; and she's a mother of harlots.
Revelation 17:5 And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT [or, the Babylonian Mystery religion having become great, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
Her daughters came out of her IN PROTEST, as a daughter comes out of her mother at birth. And the Protestants came out of the Roman Catholic Church in protest. And that is called "Christianity" and that was started by that same Simon. And he had the title of "Peter." And he is the Simon "Peter" of the Roman Catholic Church.
Acts 9:1 And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest.
He had hatred. He was energized by it, and he was emotionally wrought up with hatred and vengeance against the Christians. He wanted to destroy them. He wanted to have them killed. So he:
Acts 9:1-2 …went up to the high priest, (2) and desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way…
Now you see, "this way" is a Way of Life. You repent of your old way of life and turn to GOD'S WAY OF LIFE. And what is God's Way of Life? It's the way God has always lived.
Well, John can be with Smith; but John is also Smith. Maybe John is Smith's son or Smith's father, one or the other. But Smith is the family name. And, in this case, "God" is the Family name. That's why we coming into His Family [are] begotten children, if we have really been begotten and received the Holy Spirit. We're begotten into the Family of God, and that's why we're called the CHURCH of God.
Now, in the Old Testament they were not the children of God. They were the children of Israel. They weren't called the congregation or church of God. They were called the congregation of Israel, and Israel was Jacob. Jacob's name was changed to Israel. And that was the name of Jacob—Israel, a human man. They were his physical descendants.
But we are ALREADY; if we have the Spirit of God, His Spirit witnesses with our spirit. We are now already begotten as the CHILDREN OF GOD. So we bear the Family name—Church of God. We're not Methodists. We're not Presbyterians. We're not Congregationalists. We're not Roman Catholics. We're the PEOPLE OF GOD. Brethren, do you realize this?
Acts 9:2-6 To the synagogues, that if he found any in this way [That is, God's Way of Life, the Christian Way that Christ had taught.], whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. [to be punished. They were going to imprison them.] (3) And as he journeyed [Now he's breathing slaughter, wanting to kill them. "As he journeyed…], he came near Damascus: [Now he must have gotten close to the outskirts of Damascus.] And suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: (4) And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, Why persecutest thou me? (5) And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. (6) And he trembling and astonished said, Lord what wilt thou have me do?
Something happened to him. He knew GOD had struck him down, and he was hit emotionally. He, all of a sudden, realized that he was actually persecuting GOD. And he was struck down blind. This was an emotional thing with him. But just emotion alone isn't enough. It wasn't really an emotion thing. It was a spiritual, mental thing. But I mean it had an emotional context, content, because he really… It was a very serious thing with him.
Acts 9:6-9 He trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do. [Now he was given an order, to see if he was going to obey.] (7) And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man. (8) And Saul arose from the earth; and when his eyes were opened [You see he had been blind.], he saw no man: [He was blind.] but they led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus. (9) And he was three days without sight [blinded], and neither did he eat nor drink.
Now, he went through quite an experience that shook him up. Believe me, this shook him up! This was no just easy thing. He just heard something. "Yeah, I'm so 'good.' I guess I'll accept that."
I wonder how many of YOU got into the Church that way? How many of you were struck down until it really shook you to the root—realizing how WRONG you had been, admitting how WRONG you were through and through?
Acts 9:10-13 And there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias; and to him said the Lord in a vision, Ananias. And he said, Behold I am here, Lord. (11) And the Lord said unto him, "Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus: for behold, he prayeth, (12) and hath seen in a vision a man named Ananias [who Christ was now talking to] coming in, and putting his hands on him, that he might receive his sight. (13) Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he has done to the saints at Jerusalem.
You know we've ALL been doing evil, but have we recognized it? Have we realized how EVIL we have been? Some of us have been so 'good' we've never had to REPENT. Some of YOU have been so 'good' you never had to repent. Well, brethren, I DID! Or I wouldn't be up here teaching you today.
Acts 9:14-15 And here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that call on thy name. (15) But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me."
Oh, [Paul] didn't volunteer at all! He wanted to go the other way. GOD CALLED HIM. God knocked him down. God CHOSE him. If YOU have been called, it's because God called you. But some of YOU weren't knocked down quite that bad. And some of YOU haven't undergone any such experience that really shook YOU up like this.
Paul had to suffer many things for Christ. Brethren, I have had to suffer many things for Christ. And when I gave myself to Him (fifty-five, fifty-six years ago, back in the very spring of 1927), I knew that Jesus said if they persecuted Him, they would persecute us. And I knew I would be persecuted! I counted the cost. And when I gave myself over to Him, I did it knowing what I was going to have to suffer. And I have suffered it. And I'm suffering it right now, this minute, in ways that most of you don't understand at all. And I'm not going to reveal a lot of it to you.
Acts 9:17 And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house.
He had been persecuting in dynamic ZEAL! He was. You know some people are just (oh, I don't know) so insipid that there's no life in them, it seems. They're not dynamic. They're not forceful. They just go along so easily. Paul was NOT like that! He was a real, vigorous, man. And now, when God turned him around the other way, he became a vigorous crusader for Christ. Maybe "crusader" is the wrong way because he wasn't going out trying to get people saved, anymore than Christ was. But his life was wrong. He was going the wrong way. And he made A SURRENDER. Notice again in verse six: "He trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?" And he began to obey from that minute on, and his whole life changed. He turned around and started to go the other way, started to live a different kind of life altogether.
So, Paul didn't become a Christian just in his own goodness. He was so 'good' that he said, "Well, I'm going to accept Christ." No! In his goodness, he was breathing out slaughter to the Christians. He wanted to see them slaughtered, if he could. He had to realize how wrong he was.
Now, what I became desirous of was all carnal and physical, in this world. I wanted to be… I began to want to be considered when I was mature, and I was only sixteen then, but I wanted to be considered successful by successful men. It wasn't that I wanted a lot of money. I wanted some of the things money would buy. That's true. But I wasn't thinking about just hoarding money, anything like that. But I wanted to be looked on as successful by successful men. And I became filled with self-confidence.
And I began, while I was still in high school, spending a lot of time in the public library—studying other books besides the high school assignment (in philosophy, and in business administration, and other things of that sort that I'd find in the library), not fiction. I had been reading a lot fiction. I read about Dick Merriwell and Frank Merriwell and all of those things, and even Mick Carter. I don't think any of you remember that far back. That was before I was sixteen. But now I began to read serious things. I was filled with ambition, and I became quite successful.
I made a self-analysis, an examination, to avoid fitting the proverbial "square peg in a round hole," to find where I belonged, where I could be a success in life. I chose the profession I was succeeding in. And, by the time I was twenty-eight, I was making what in today's dollar value would be at least a quarter of a million dollars a year. Not very many young men of twenty-eight have gone that far. And I had been quite successful.
And then in 1920, I was struck down. In 1920, there was a temporary flash Depression. It was a very serious Depression—following the end of World War I, which ended in 1918. In 1920, it struck this country. And all of my clients (that were responsible for my income) were firms like the J. I. Case people, and farm implement people, and like John Deer & Company, the Moline Plow Works, the Avery Company, a great adding machine company, and other companies like that. And EVERY ONE of them went into the receivership and lost everything they had! But companies… Oh, Goodyear Tire and Rubber was another one of my clients at that time. They also failed.
Now, the company name was continued, but new management was put in. New, well, new stocks were offered; and new capital came in. New management was installed. And the companies came back up again, but the same people that were in it lost everything they had. And my business was totally swept away from under my feet. And it wasn't my fault. I didn't bring on that Depression.
In 1924, I took a trip that took eighteen days—from Des Moines, Iowa out to Salem, Oregon. There were no cross-country highways in those days. It was just either mud roads in Iowa, dirt roads, or some gravel roads when we got farther west. And we had blow out of tires, and everything else, in a Ford. But we finally arrived out in Oregon in, well, we were eighteen days through that summer of 1924.
Well, I had begun to build another business in the advertising field, and I was doubling the business of all my clients. My work was eminently successful. And it had been hard to come back. I'd been struck down. Now I was regaining confidence again. And then all of a sudden something happened that all of my clients were stricken and could not expend money for local advertising any further. My business was suddenly swept away from me! (And I had every client, all through Oregon and Washington, in my field.) It took the life out of me.
I'd been ambitious. I wanted to succeed. Everything, and it just seemed… I said I was King Midas IN REVERSE. You know everything King Midas touched turned into gold. Everything I touched turned into nothing. I just thought "I'm King Midas in reverse." And all the confidence had gone out of me. I was a whipped, beaten man. I was reduced to poverty. (That's the time when you've heard me say that I had been making a quarter of a million dollars a year before that.)
I had those "righteous" shoes you've heard me talk about—they had "holey" soles. One pair, that's all I had, with holes in the soles. Yeah, and I had a suit for every day in the week—the one I wore was it—the only one I had; and it was threadbare, hardly presentable any longer. It was winter up in Oregon. I had a hole that big in the hip of the only overcoat I had, and it was only a topcoat; and it was a cold winter.
But I had finally been converted. And then, when I was in that condition, I was CHALLENGED; and I had to begin studying the Bible. And I began to realize that everything I had been taught was wrong! And I let God erase everything I'd ever believed out of my mind.
I turned around, and started to go the other way. I had been whipped, I had been beaten, and finally I was CONQUERED BY GOD. I didn't just 'get' and 'receive' and 'accept' Christ. I gave myself to Him! Of course, I accepted Him; but you know what I mean. It was more than just getting something. It was giving my whole life to Him! And I did it in poverty. I was beaten down. I had gone through an emotional BEATING, a terrible beating.
And now I began to have a new kind of confidence, totally different. It was not self-confidence. I began to have the faith of Christ. I began to have a confidence that Christ… Well, like they had in the morning service this morning, the song "I'll Never Walk Alone." I knew I wouldn't have to walk alone—that Christ would be with me—if I would be with Him. But I had to go His Way. I had to be CONQUERED by Him. I don't believe anyone receives the Holy Spirit until the human spirit has been conquered by God and His Spirit.
Do you know God has to break our wills and break us? And we have to be brought to the place of surrender to Him. How many of you have gone through such an experience? Or have you just, in your own goodness, seen the truth; and said, "Oh yeah, that's true, I'm gonna accept it. I'm so 'good' that I just want to accept it. And I'm gonna be a Christian from here on." I wonder if you have really received the Spirit of God? I wonder if you get it that easily? I didn't. The apostle Paul didn't. I didn't, and Paul didn't. I had to be whipped. I had to be conquered.
I wrote something here I wanted. Well, I had to confess and admit how wrong I had been. Not only that I had done wrong, but that I WAS WRONG; and I was wrong through and through. I had to come to a new attitude in life, a new purpose in life, altogether something new and something altogether different.
And another time he saw a woman taking a bath out of his window. I guess her window was open. She must have been next door somewhere from his palace. Well, he was the king; so he told some of his servants, "Bring that woman over here." And she became pregnant. And her husband was away from home in the war, in the battle. And now David was in trouble. He'd got this other man's wife pregnant. And David didn't know what to do.
So he got word to the General of the Army and said, "Send this man back home." And when he got there, he said, "You can stay home for a couple of nights with your wife before you go back." But he said, "No." He said, "I'm not going to enjoy going to bed with my wife when all the rest of my buddies down there are out there fighting. And they don't get to be in a nice shelter, or a beautiful home, or anything like that." So he, he just slept outside. He didn't even go in the house.
Now, David was really up against it. He didn't know what to do. He was like a rat in a corner, trapped. And he tried anyway to get out of it. He did a worse thing yet. After he had committed adultery with another man's wife, now he sent a note BY THIS SAME MAN to the General of the Army and said, "Put him up in the forefront of the battle where he'll get killed himself." And he was killed. David now became a murderer. And God sent Nathan, the prophet, to tell him what he had done.
I want to show you what David went through. In the 51st Psalm, here was a prayer of David when he woke up and finally realized what had happened. Most people would say, "Any man that's done those things, he's no good. God couldn't use a man like that." And yet I think they must sit in judgment of God's calling a man like David a man after His own heart. Well, here's why David's "a man after God's own heart." Look at this prayer. He was crying out to God. He said:
Psalm 51:1-3 Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy loving kindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. [Now he's beginning to admit his transgressions. He's admitting how wrong he was.] (2) Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity [MY iniquity], and cleanse me from MY sin. [Now he's confessing it.] (3) For I acknowledge my transgression: and my sin is ever before me.
And then, notice verse 10. I won't read all of it, but just notice in this prayer. In verse 10 it says:
Psalm 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit in me.
He confessed his sins, and David never did it again.
Now, maybe they already are forgiven. I don't mean asking a million times over to forgive it. Once they're forgiven, they're forgiven. But you'd better be sure they have been. And if they have, that's wonderful. And I hope they have been already.
Notice now from Ephesians the second chapter. The very beginning of the second chapter, "And you hath he quickened," or made alive, "who were dead in trespasses and sins." Every one of us has been spiritually dead in trespasses and sins. (Trespasses against God and God's Law.) We were SPIRITUALLY DEAD! But now—IF we have the Holy Spirit, IF we have repented, IF we have been conquered and received the Holy Spirit of God—that changes every thing.
Ephesians 2:2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air [who is Satan, and he's a prince of the power of the air], the spirit that now works in the children of disobedience.
And every one of us is a child of disobedience, and has been; and the Spirit of God has worked in us.
I John 1:3 That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.
Here we are, having fellowship. Here we are, in a Church service. Do you know that in spirit both God the Father and Jesus Christ are right here in this auditorium this afternoon with us? And we're having FELLOWSHIP and COMMUNION WITH THEM this afternoon, right now!
I love that beautiful song that the choir sang in the morning service—You'll Never Walk Alone. But two cannot WALK TOGETHER except they be agreed. And once we have really repented, once we have been conquered, you can't walk with Christ if you don't agree with Him. You can't walk with God the Father until you've repented because, in your sins, you aren't agreeing with Him. You've got to make a surrender! I mean A real surrender—and that's a changed life, a changed attitude, a changed goal in life, a changed purpose altogether.
I John 1:9 If we[We Christians. This is talking about Christians. "If we…"] confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us of all unrighteousness.
We've sinned, but we have not disagreed with Him. We didn't mean to sin, but we slipped up. We forgot, or maybe we got careless. Maybe we hadn't continued in prayer as often as we should. Maybe we slipped up a little while. Maybe you've sinned since you were converted. But if we confess those sins, He's faithful and just to forgive us our sins. Now it goes right on in the next chapter:
I John 2:1-2 My little children, these things write I unto you [those in the Church], that you sin not. And if any man [That is, a believer.] sin, we have an advocate {5} with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: (2) And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not ours only, but also for the whole world.
It shows that he meant, if we in the Church sin, He will forgive us. But you don't change your main attitude and your main purpose, and you may still have the Holy Spirit. But if you do NOT repent, if you do NOT acknowledge it, and then you continue on, pretty soon you'll just be lost entirely.
Now, the Bible is a lamp under our feet, but that lamp must have oil in it. You read of that in the twenty-fifth chapter of Matthew, where just before Christ's coming, it's really speaking of the Laodicean Church then. And half of the virgins, who had been Christians, had let the oil go out of their lamps. Their "lamps" are the Bible. But THE OIL is the Holy Spirit within them (speaking, of course, in figurative or in symbolic language).
And I've noticed those who go out from among us, they go off on some one point, or maybe two points. And ALWAYS, if they don't repent, it is not long till they've gone off on another doctrine, and then another. And then, pretty soon, they've just gone all together; and it's too late.
Now, if you make a mistake—if you sin—and you CONFESS your SINS, YOU'D BETTER DO IT QUICK AND DO IT IMMEDIATELY; and it isn't too late. And He will be faithful and just to forgive you your sins, and to cleanse you of all unrighteous.
But, brethren, some have gone out from this Body and this Church; and they didn't confess their sins right away. And then they began to make another sin, and then another; and they've just given up altogether. They don't believe any thing any more. They've gone farther, and farther, and farther away.
This whole Church has been going wrong, and we've had to get back on the track. Brethren, you have to keep yourself on the track privately and individually. I have to keep myself on the track. I know where I was beginning to get off a little bit. And maybe you didn't realize I was getting myself back on the track while I've been getting you all back on it. You thought I was just so 'good'—I was getting you all back Well, don't kid yourselves. I'm human too, brethren. Well, I've been trying to get ME back on the track too, along with you.
Let's all get back because it isn't going to be much longer until Christ is going to come! And I hope we'll all be together—so we can rise and be changed from mortal to immortal in the moment, in the twinkling of an eye; and rise to meet Christ in the air as He comes. What a GLORIOUS time that CAN be; [but] only IF we really repent, IF we acknowledge when we're wrong, IF we confess it, IF we're willing to CHANGE.
I've had to even confess that I'd mislead the Church on some things. We've had to change. When I found I was wrong, I CHANGED IT. I don't have to prove that I can admit I'm wrong. I've proved that. I've proved it before the whole Church more than once. But the time has come to examine… Oh, there's one more scripture. Well, I still have time. I want to read one more scripture.
II Corinthians 13:5 Examine yourselves, whether you be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is IN you, except you be reprobates?
It's not too late. You wouldn't be here this afternoon if you were already a reprobate. It's not too late! I don't know, maybe some of you have sinned. Maybe you've gotten off the track a little bit. You can get back on. And get back quick, and don't delay! Don't wait for tomorrow. Don't let the sun go down until you're back on. Examine yourselves before the Passover.
Now, it says, I read to you, "let a man examine himself," and then let him take of that Passover. Of course, there it's speaking of how you take it unworthily, rather than taking it worthily. But we have to examine ourselves, and we should before the Passover; and to know that we are back on the track ourselves—walking with Christ, as we should be.
So, I wish I could be here with you for this Passover; but it seems like duty calls me away. I have to go to Amman, Jordan. And maybe someday you'll realize how necessary it was that I go. And so I'll pray that God be with all of you; and I would like to have your prayers continue for me, and I'm sure that they will.
Thank you all.
Copyright © 2024 Herbert W Armstrong Library