That which John had seen and heard, he was commanded to "Write". The one who spoke to him said, "Write". It was written down, permanently recorded, that it might be passed down to all future generations. And the reason for this permanent, written record is given in our text. "And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God."
I do no violence at all to the Scriptures when I say that the words of our text may be most properly applied to the entire volume of Holy Scripture – (II Tim. 3:16-17; II Pet. 1:21). This Blessed Book is the Word of God, inspired, inerrant, infallible. It was written by men who were commanded of God to write. And that which they recorded for us upon the pages of inspiration is exactly what God the Holy Spirit dictated. Because this Book is Divinely inspired, we know that all the truths setforth in this Book are "The True Sayings of God". That is my subject tonight. Because the truths revealed in this Book are "The True Sayings of God", they are to be plainly preached, confidently believed, and implicitly obeyed.
All The doctrines, precepts and promises revealed in Holy Scripture are "The True Sayings of God".
Divisions:Without any further introduction, I want to show you a few of these things which are "The True Sayings of God" under three points.
1. The True Sayings of God Referred To In Our Text.
2. The True Sayings of God, Which We Have Proved by Experience.
3. The True Sayings of God Of Which We Are Assured.
When John wrote, "These are the true sayings of God," I am sure his immediate design was to assure us that the things he had just mentioned were indeed matters of Divine revelation. He was not writing his own opinion or interpretation of what he had seen in a vision. He was writing exactly what God revealed to him by the vision. He is saying, "These things which I have just now told you are the true sayings of God. Wonderful and astounding as they may appear, they are the true sayings of God."
What are these true sayings? Because I have gone over them thoroughly in the past several weeks, I will only mention them briefly.
A. THERE IS IN THIS WORLD A GREAT HARLOT CHURCH, WHICH GOD WILL DESTROY IN HIS WRATH AT THE LAST DAY (18:20-21).
There are only two churches in the world today. The one is the Church of our Lord Jesus Christ, composed of all true believers. The other is Babylon the Great Whore, made up of all false religions and all false religionist.
1. The true, chaste, virgin Church of Christ has only one Savior, believes only one creed, and proclaims only one Way of Salvation – (Phil. 3:3).
2. Babylon, the great harlot church, worships many gods, many saviors, many spirits, worships in many and varied ways, and follows many ways of salvation; but she always holds one creed, which she defends with vehemence – Her creed is the twin doctrines of free-will and works salvation.
3. In the last day, all who are of Babylon shall be cast into hell, to suffer the wrath of God forever.
B. THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, OUR GOD AND SAVIOR, IS THE OMNIPOTENT, SOVEREIGN MONARCH OF THE UNIVERSE – (v. 6).
Though the followers of Babylon despise it, poke fun at it, and constantly oppose it, it still remains a matter of prominence in the Scriptures that the God of Heaven is totally sovereign in all things (Ps. 115:3; 135:6; Dan. 4:35:37).
C. IN THE LAST DAY, WHEN CHRIST COMES THE SECOND TIME, HE WILL YET FIND HIS TRUE CHURCH IN THE EARTH. (vv. 7-8).
The Church, which he established in the earth, against which he promised the gates of hell could not prevail, will yet be upon the earth in the last day – (Matt. 16-18). When the Son of Man comes he will find faith upon the earth. Though Babylon overshadows her in the eyes of men, the Lord will preserve in this world a remnant according to the election of grace, which shall not be intoxicated by the delusions of Babylon. This elect remnant is the Church of Christ, a pure, chaste virgin, espoused to her Beloved.
1. She is pure, for she is washed in his blood.
2. She is arrayed in light, for she wears his righteousness.
3. She is chaste in heart, for she is born again by his Spirit, a new creation.
D. THESE ARE THE TRUE SAYINGS OF GOD REFERRED TO IN OUR TEXT, AND THEY ARE OF GREAT IMPORTANCE TO GOD'S PEOPLE IN EVERY AGE.
The practical importance of these true sayings of God is just this – "Come out of her, my people!" Let us ever beware of false religion and get as far away from Babylon as we possibly can. You must forsake the mystery of iniquity. If you refuse, if you cling to Babylon, with Babylon you will perish.
1. Flee the abominations of Babylon!Cling tenaciously to the Word of God. Forsake every doctrine, custom and tradition of man's making. Hold only to "Thus saith the Lord."
3. In the true Church of God, the Lamb, the Lord Jesus Christ, is everything (I Cor. 1:30; Col. 3:11).
Give no rest to your eyes until you know that you are among the number of those who are the chosen, redeemed, beloved Bride of Christ. God grant in that great day that not one number of this congregation will be cast into hell with Babylon!
II. THE TRUE SAYINGS OF GOD, WHICH WE HAVE PROVED BY EXPERIENCE.
There are some things held as matters of common faith by all true believers, because all who are born of God have experienced them. We have proved them by faith, acting upon them. We preach to you only these things, which we know by experience (I John 1:1-3).
These things I have read in the Word of God and I have proved by experience. I know they are the true sayings of God.
A. THE HEART OF MAN IS DECEITFUL ABOVE ALL THINGS AND DESPERATELY WICKED, FOR THE HEART OF MAN IS THE SOURCE OF ALL SIN – (Jer. 17:9; Matt. 15:19; Ps. 51:4-5).
The first thing the Holy Spirit does in conversion is conviction. And the first work of conviction is the conviction of sin. Before you ever taste the sweetness of grace, you will be made to taste the bitterness of your own sin. We are all sinners by birth, sinners by nature, and sinners by choice.
B. SALVATION IS BY THE GRACE OF GOD ALONE (Eph. 2:1-10).
C. "WHOSOEVER SHALL CALL UPON THE NAME OF THE LORD SHALL BE SAVED" (Rom. 10:13).
1. To call upon the name of the Lord is to believe the record God has given concerning his Son (I John 5:10-13).
2. To call upon the name of the Lord is to look to Christ alone for salvation (John 3:14-15).
3. To call on the name of the Lord is to surrender to Christ as your Lord (Luke 14:25-33).
4. Any sinner in all the world who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
5. That salvation is, through the blood of Christ, a matter of Divine faithfulness and justice (I John 1:7, 9).
D. THE LORD OUR GOD HEARS AND ANSWERS THE PRAYERS OF HIS CHILDREN UPON THE EARTH (Heb. 4:16; I John 4:14-15).
God honors faith. Those who trust him know it. They have experienced it in prayer.
1. True prayer is born of God – "Thy servant found in his heart."
2. True prayer seeks and submits to the will of God.
3. True prayer believes God – (James 1:6).
4. True prayer is for the glory of God – (James 4:3).
5. True prayer is answered by God.
E. OUR GOD IS ALWAYS, IMMUTABLY FAITHFUL – (II Tim. 2:13; Lam. 3:25).
"These are the true sayings of God." We have proved them so by blessed experience.
III. THE TRUE SAYINGS OF GOD OF WHICH WE ARE ASSURED.
There are some things revealed in the Word of God which we cannot yet prove by experience. But they are none the less "The True Sayings of God." Though they are yet future in their accomplishment, they are matters of assurance to all who believe.
A. The Lord Jesus Christ is Coming Back to this Earth.
B. All Who Are Found in Christ will Inherit Eternal Life In Heaven.
C. All Who Will Not Trust The Son of God shall be Eternally damned, Lost Forever in Hell.
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