1. I I Must Know Something Lk.12:39 –Who is the guilty one, God or man? (direct attack)Society says every tragedy is God’s fault (direct attack) (indirect attack)Society says crime is someone else’s fault (indirect attack) –“God made me this way” Truth: Blaming others does not change truth

2. I must know the truth about… MyselfMyself, Ro.3:23 GodGod, Ro.2:4 ChristChrist, Ro.1:3-4 GospelGospel, Ro.1:16

3. II I Must Believe Something I can’t believe just anything The Episcopalians, the Lutherans, the Presbyterians, the Congregationalists, the Methodists, and the Baptists, are distinct and separate families“Thus Protestantism in the nineteenth century is divided into half a dozen or more large denominations, without counting the minor divisions which are even far more numerous. The Episcopalians, the Lutherans, the Presbyterians, the Congregationalists, the Methodists, and the Baptists, are distinct and separate families. Nor is the centrifugal tendency of Protestantism exhausted, and may produce new denominations, especially in America, where no political power can check its progress”

4. What I believe is important Eve believed error prefer error to truth2 Th.2:10-12, prefer error to truth the perishing –10a extends thought of 7-9: the lawless one comes to deceive the perishing on the wayThey are “on the way” to eternal misery Even nowEven now they have lost their spiritual perception of truth, right, and salvation

5. why 2 Thes.2:10b, why are they perishing? Because they do not love the only thing that can save them: the truth The dupes of Satan are punished after their kind: those who do not want truth will not have truthThe dupes of Satan are punished after their kind: those who do not want truth will not have truth The love of the truth = the setting of the heart upon it –Pro.2:2-4

6. 2 Thes.2:11, God’s part God helpsGod helps them to believe the lie of the lawless one Strong delusion = working of Satan, v.9 God gave them up… –Ro.1:24ff, God gave them up… –Sin works out its own punishment –Persistent rejection of truth destroys the ability to perceive truth

7. 2 Thes.2:12, the consequence They all will be condemned. Why? 1.Did not believe truth (cf. v. 10) 2.Pleasure in unrighteousness They do not sin through force of passion, or example, or habit, but out of enjoyment in wrong! Evil has become their good 1 K.22

8. III I Must Feel Something “You believe in feelings?!” Two extreme views: –Deny all emotions Reduces worship to ritual –Elevate emotions above truth Destroys truth

9. Two extreme results 2 Co.7:10 self-disgust –Godly sorrow (self-disgust) self-pity –Worldly sorrow (self-pity) Gn.39; Ps.51 Ep.4:19, past feeling: beyond feeling (morally insensible) –Pain urges the sick to seek a remedy –Cain

10. IV I Must Confess Christ Mt.10:32-33, admits no exceptions believe –It is one thing to believe that Jesus is the Messiah profess in the face of hostile opposition –It is quite another to profess to be His disciple in the face of hostile opposition from people in high places –“I” is emphatic ChristThose who confess Him will be acknowledged by Christ Himself FatherWill take place before the Father

11. Romans 10:9-10 – A Typical Conversation A: The Bible tells us what to do to be saved in Ro.10:9A: The Bible tells us what to do to be saved in Ro.10:9 B: True! But we must not isolate this one verse and ignore other passages that give additional informationB: True! But we must not isolate this one verse and ignore other passages that give additional information A: But other verses confirm this passage: Thief; publicanA: But other verses confirm this passage: Thief; publican B: Question: did the thief and publican believe that God had raised Jesus from the dead?B: Question: did the thief and publican believe that God had raised Jesus from the dead?

12. Ro.10:9-10, cont’d A: No, He had not yet diedA: No, He had not yet died B: Then re-read Ro.10:9! This rules out the thief and publicanB: Then re-read Ro.10:9! This rules out the thief and publican B: In addition, it doesn’t mention repentance. Is repentance necessary?B: In addition, it doesn’t mention repentance. Is repentance necessary? A: “Yes”A: “Yes” B: Then you admit that:B: Then you admit that: –we must accept all the scriptures teach –this passage does not contain all of it

13. V I Must Do Something But salvation is by grace“But salvation is by grace,” Ep.2:8 –TrueGrace tells us what we need to do to become Christians –True. Grace tells us what we need to do to become Christians –Ep.5:26; Ac.22:…16 (saved by grace) His grace teaches us to–His grace teaches us to – –Hear –Hear the gospel. Ac.2:37. –Believe –Believe the gospel. Ac.2:37 (implied) –Repent –Repent of our sins. Ac.2:38. –Confess –Confess Christ. Ac.8:37 (implied) –Bebaptized –Be baptized for forgiveness. Ac.2:38

14. VI I Must Endure Something Tribulation, persecutionTribulation, persecution, Mk.4:17 Sound doctrineSound doctrine, 2 Tim.4:3 ChasteningChastening, Hb.12:7 TemptationTemptation, Ja.1:12