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Dr. Robert Jeffress | Robert Jeffress - Good Grace Spiritual Surgery (Part 1) | April 29, 2026
- From the pulpit of the first baptist church
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- Of dallas, texas, this is pathway to victory
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- With dr. robert jeffress.
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- Hi, i'm robert jeffress,
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- And welcome again to pathway to victory.
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- When a fellow christian sins against you personally,
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- The bible's answer is clear, forgive that person.
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- But what about sins that are destroying somebody else's life
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- Or threatening the health of the entire church?
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- That's a different matter entirely.
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- Today we're going to look at the categories of sin
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- That require confrontation and why.
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- My message is titled, good grace spiritual surgery
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- On today's edition of pathway to victory.
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- Some christians use grace
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- As a spiritual get out of jail free card.
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- Others pile on so many rules,
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- They have no grace for themselves or others.
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- "in grace gone wild. dr. robert jeffress shows you
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- What biblical grace actually looks like,
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- And how practicing it leads to true freedom and lasting joy.
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- Discover how grace can transform your marriage,
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- Your relationships, and your walk with god.
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- Request "grace gone wild"
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- When you give a generous ministry gift
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- To pathway to victory.
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- ♪ music ♪
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- Tammy, i thought you should know
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- That i overheard rhonda criticizing you,
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- Especially the way you dress
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- In front of some of the women in our small group.
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- Patty informed her best friend.
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- Since rhonda had never voiced her concerns
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- To tammy personally, rhonda was clearly guilty of gossip.
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- Should tammy confront rhonda directly about her sin?
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- If rhonda is unrepentant,
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- Should she follow the steps allied in matthew 18
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- And take several more people to talk to rhonda?
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- If she still refuses to acknowledge her sin,
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- Should the leaders of the church expel rhonda
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- From the congregation for her gossip,
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- Or should tammy simply forgive rhonda and move on?
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- Last time we began looking at the subject
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- Of church discipline,
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- Correcting christians who are involved in sin
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- And how that relates to the whole doctrine of grace.
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- When does grace require us to forgive those christians
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- Who are sinning and when does obedience require
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- That we confront christians who are sinning?
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- That's what we're going to talk about today.
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- I mean, the fact is the whole idea
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- Of correcting other people who are involved in sin,
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- The idea of church discipline is something
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- That is completely foreign to our way of thinking today,
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- Especially in the individualistic western american culture
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- That we have.
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- Everybody is responsible
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- For their own relationship with god.
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- "judge not lest you be judged,"
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- Who are we to try to correct somebody else?
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- And yet, as we saw last time, the bible repeatedly talks
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- About the responsibility we have to confront
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- Sinning christians and restore them
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- To a right relationship with god.
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- Remember last time we said there are three purposes
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- For church discipline.
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- First of all, to reclaim a christian who has been overtaken
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- By sin, just as the story of the good samaritan illustrates,
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- When you see somebody who has been beaten and ambushed,
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- And battered and let for dead by satan and by sin,
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- We're not to just walk by and leave them
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- To their own consequences, we're to stop and render aid.
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- That's what galatians 6:1 is all about.
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- A second reason to correct sinning christians
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- Is to maintain the witness of the church.
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- Remember the church at corinth, they prided themself
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- On the fact that they allowed a member of their church
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- To have sex with his stepmother
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- Without any consequence whatsoever.
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- It had become a scandal in the city of corinth,
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- A pagan town, and yet the church was unwilling
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- To deal with it and they lost their witness
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- In the city because of it.
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- And a third reason for church discipline is to sustain
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- The spiritual health of the congregation.
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- Remember paul saying a little leaven, leavens impacts
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- A whole lump of dough in the same way,
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- It only takes a little sin in the congregation
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- To infect an entire congregation.
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- But the question arises,
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- When do we confront sinning christians about their sin?
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- Do we really want to make policing other christians the sole
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- Focus or the primary focus of our church?
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- Well, first, let's look at different categories of sin
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- That you and i run into every day,
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- And how we're to respond to them.
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- The first category of sin are personal offenses against us.
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- If you have your bible,
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- Turn to matthew chapter 18, matthew 18.
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- Jesus makes a clear distinction between sins,
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- And sins against us.
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- Sins we see in other people,
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- And sins other people commit us.
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- Now you've heard people talk about matthew 18,
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- Oh, we need to follow the steps in matthew 18.
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- Let's look and see what matthew 18 is really all about.
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- Actually, the context for matthew 18 begins in verse 12.
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- What do you think, jesus said,
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- "if any man has a hundred sheep
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- And one of them goes astray,
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- Does he not leave the 99 sheep on the mountains
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- And go and search for the one that is straying?
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- If it turns out that he finds that sheep,
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- Truly i say to you, he rejoices over it more than the 99
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- Which have not gone astray."
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- There's so many times that passage is used
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- To talk about evangelism.
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- The 99 we're to leave the church and go out
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- And search for the one believer and we're more joyful
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- When we find the one unbeliever than over the 99
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- Who remained back in the church.
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- It's true as christians, we have a responsibility
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- To evangelize, matthew 28,
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- "to go and make disciples of all people,"
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- But that's not what this verse is talking about.
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- Remember, the one that is lost from the sheep fold
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- Is not a crocodile, is not a kangaroo, it's a sheep
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- And it's a sheep that belongs to the shepherd
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- That is a part of the sheep fold.
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- This is talking about going out
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- And rescuing not a non-christian,
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- But a christian who has strayed from the fold.
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- That's the context of this,
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- And that's why in verse 15, jesus continues,
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- "therefore, if your brother sins,"
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- Not some alien that you have no relationship,
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- A fellow brother or sister in christ.
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- "if your brother sins go and show him his fault in private.
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- If he listens to you, you have won your brother."
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- Well what if he doesn't listen to you?
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- We'll get to that in a few moments.
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- Then jesus gives three more steps to take
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- In trying to reclaim a christian who is involved in sin.
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- But when we get to verse 21 after jesus has talked
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- About how to handle christians who sin, the topic changes.
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- Look at verse 21.
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- "then peter came and said to him, lord,
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- How often shall my brother sin against me
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- And i forgive him?"
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- Peter said, okay, enough of this theoretical stuff
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- About other christians, i want to know about me.
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- If somebody sins against me,
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- How am i supposed to respond?
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- One word, forgive. forgive.
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- Jesus says nothing in this instance about taking two,
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- Or three people to go with you
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- And says nothing about turning this person out of the church.
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- You're to forgive.
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- You don't have to confront somebody about their sin
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- To forgive them.
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- Mark 11:25 jesus said, "if you're standing in the temple
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- And you're praying and you remember you've got something
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- Against somebody, you're to forgive them right on the spot"
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- And there's a difference between sins in general
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- And sins against me.
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- Go back to our little melodrama here with rhonda and tammy.
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- I mean rhonda was guilty of gossip.
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- What was tammy to do?
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- She should forgive her friend of gossip.
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- Well, yeah, pastor, but isn't she also sinning
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- Against the congregation?
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- Doesn't rhonda need to be corrected for what she's doing?
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- Oh, you bet, she needs to be corrected but not by tammy.
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- It's very hard for those of us who have been wounded
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- By somebody not to want to seek revenge against them.
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- The correction of somebody who has sinned against us
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- Is best left to somebody else in the church to handle
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- Not to us.
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- There's a difference between sins and sins against us.
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- If we come up against sins against us, we are to forgive.
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- But there's a second category
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- And that is personal sins in other people.
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- What if we do see a fellow christian
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- Who has been overcome by anger,
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- Or by immorality or by an addiction,
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- Or something else that is destroying his life
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- And perhaps the life of his family or others?
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- What are we to do?
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- We're not to walk by and do nothing.
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- If we care about our fellow christians,
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- We're to try to win them, to restore them.
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- That's what james had in mind in james 5:19
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- When he said, "my brethren, if any among you strays
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- From the truth and one turns him back,"
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- Verse 20, "let him know that he who turns a sinner
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- From the error of his way will save his soul from death
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- And will cover a multitude of sins."
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- And this passage,
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- There's nothing about taking it before the church
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- And voting the person out of the church.
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- We're talking about people who are involved
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- In what i call personal sins.
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- They're not sins that are well known in the congregation.
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- They're not on the front page of the dallas morning news.
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- These are personal sins that still are destroying the life
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- Of a fellow christian.
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- We're to be involved in helping turn them back.
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- It's this kind of sin paul had in mind in galatians 6:1
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- When he said, "brethren, if any one of you
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- Is caught, ambushed in any trespass,
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- Those of you who are spiritual,
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- Restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness.
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- Each one looking to yourself,
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- So that you too will not be tempted."
- 00:11:04.920 --> 00:11:06.989
- Again, nothing about church meetings,
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- And telling the congregation these are personal sins
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- Of a fellow christian,
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- But there's a third category of sin
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- That sometimes demands drastic action
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- And those are corporate sins against the church.
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- Sins that infect the whole body of christ.
- 00:11:26.375 --> 00:11:31.013
- Now admittedly, there are some people
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- Who think every sin affects the body of christ,
- 00:11:32.681 --> 00:11:35.951
- Even if it's not known by the church as a whole,
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- All sin needs to be dealt with.
- 00:11:40.790 --> 00:11:42.858
- Martin luther was one of those people.
- 00:11:42.858 --> 00:11:45.094
- Martin luther one time talked about a man in his church
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- Who had sold his house for more money
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- Than martin luther thought it was worth,
- 00:11:53.736 --> 00:11:56.005
- And therefore martin luther said,
- 00:11:56.005 --> 00:11:57.673
- "this fellow christian is guilty of greed,
- 00:11:57.673 --> 00:11:59.942
- And needs to be turned out of the church."
- 00:11:59.942 --> 00:12:01.477
- He needs to be dealt with because of his greed.
- 00:12:01.477 --> 00:12:04.747
- Now we have to think this through practically.
- 00:12:04.747 --> 00:12:07.383
- Do we really want to go around
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- And inspecting everybody's sin,
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- And having a church business meeting about it?
- 00:12:11.320 --> 00:12:15.624
- I mean, would we want to correct somebody for example,
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- For making too many trips to mcdonald's?
- 00:12:18.994 --> 00:12:21.697
- Now, the sin of gluttony is a serious sin. it really is.
- 00:12:22.832 --> 00:12:26.202
- The bible says a lot about gluttony,
- 00:12:26.202 --> 00:12:29.138
- But you can think of ways gluttony would affect
- 00:12:29.138 --> 00:12:32.141
- Not only that person but his family,
- 00:12:32.141 --> 00:12:34.076
- And be a poor example to the church,
- 00:12:34.076 --> 00:12:35.945
- But there's probably a better way
- 00:12:35.945 --> 00:12:37.813
- To handle a bloated believer
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- Than having a public church meeting about them.
- 00:12:40.015 --> 00:12:43.619
- Those things are handled better in private,
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- Or with two or three that are concerned
- 00:12:45.921 --> 00:12:48.224
- With that individual, but there are some sins
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- That demand more drastic action.
- 00:12:52.261 --> 00:12:54.463
- I want to give you three categories of sin.
- 00:12:54.463 --> 00:12:56.532
- First of all, sins that threaten the moral health
- 00:12:56.532 --> 00:13:00.102
- Of the church, sins that threaten the moral health
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- Of the church.
- 00:13:03.539 --> 00:13:05.107
- A church member who engages in sexual immorality
- 00:13:05.107 --> 00:13:08.377
- That is well known, he's engaged in financial impropriety.
- 00:13:08.377 --> 00:13:12.648
- First of all, that sinning christian weakens
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- The moral authority of the church outside of the church.
- 00:13:16.118 --> 00:13:20.189
- The church can't speak out against things
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- That it refuses to condemn.
- 00:13:23.292 --> 00:13:25.094
- That's why paul so harshly addressed the church at corinth.
- 00:13:25.094 --> 00:13:30.366
- He said, you're boasting about the fact
- 00:13:31.166 --> 00:13:32.134
- That you're not disciplining
- 00:13:32.134 --> 00:13:33.936
- The sinning church members sleeping with a stepmother.
- 00:13:33.936 --> 00:13:36.805
- It's to your shame you become a laughing stock.
- 00:13:36.805 --> 00:13:39.875
- Your church in the city of corinth.
- 00:13:39.875 --> 00:13:42.878
- 1 corinthians 5:6, "you boasting is not good.
- 00:13:42.878 --> 00:13:45.881
- Do you not know that a little leaven leavens
- 00:13:45.881 --> 00:13:48.651
- The whole lump of dough?
- 00:13:48.651 --> 00:13:50.419
- Through the years, i can't tell you how many times
- 00:13:50.419 --> 00:13:53.122
- In different churches i've pastored,
- 00:13:53.122 --> 00:13:55.457
- I've had people in the community say to me,
- 00:13:55.457 --> 00:13:57.860
- Not members of our church saying,
- 00:13:57.860 --> 00:13:59.328
- I can't believe you allow so and so to be a member
- 00:13:59.328 --> 00:14:01.697
- Of your church.
- 00:14:01.697 --> 00:14:02.932
- Don't you know what he or she's doing?
- 00:14:02.932 --> 00:14:04.800
- And then they'll list off their sins.
- 00:14:04.800 --> 00:14:06.769
- It weakens the moral authority of the church,
- 00:14:06.769 --> 00:14:09.571
- And the community.
- 00:14:09.571 --> 00:14:11.540
- Not to deal with sin also weakens the moral authority
- 00:14:11.540 --> 00:14:14.677
- Of the church within the congregation.
- 00:14:14.677 --> 00:14:17.513
- When there is well-known sin that we refuse to handle,
- 00:14:17.513 --> 00:14:20.983
- It's like our church is giving our stamp of approval
- 00:14:20.983 --> 00:14:24.019
- On that behavior to other church members as well.
- 00:14:24.019 --> 00:14:28.290
- And that's why paul said to timothy,
- 00:14:28.290 --> 00:14:31.060
- In talking about elders in the church, he said,
- 00:14:31.060 --> 00:14:33.629
- "those who continue in, sin rebuke in the presence of all,
- 00:14:33.629 --> 00:14:38.934
- So that the rest may be fearful of sinning as well."
- 00:14:39.969 --> 00:14:44.907
- Sins that threatened the moral health of the congregation.
- 00:14:46.075 --> 00:14:48.177
- Secondly, sins that threaten the doctrinal health
- 00:14:48.177 --> 00:14:52.815
- Of the church, they have to be dealt with firmly.
- 00:14:52.815 --> 00:14:56.618
- I remember in my first church i pastored,
- 00:14:56.618 --> 00:14:58.587
- I hadn't been there but a few weeks,
- 00:14:58.587 --> 00:15:00.155
- And leaders came to see me and they were telling
- 00:15:00.155 --> 00:15:04.393
- About a sunday school teacher
- 00:15:04.393 --> 00:15:06.328
- Who was not teaching the curriculum.
- 00:15:06.328 --> 00:15:09.231
- Instead, she was teaching her own series on bible prophecy,
- 00:15:09.231 --> 00:15:13.769
- And talking about the relationship between the second coming
- 00:15:13.769 --> 00:15:17.573
- Of jesus and haley's comet.
- 00:15:17.573 --> 00:15:20.342
- And you know, they wanted to know what i was going to do
- 00:15:20.342 --> 00:15:23.312
- About that and so forth.
- 00:15:23.312 --> 00:15:25.514
- Well, this woman wasn't guilty of heresy,
- 00:15:25.514 --> 00:15:29.118
- She was guilty of stupidity but not heresy.
- 00:15:29.118 --> 00:15:32.121
- I mean there was nothing heretical
- 00:15:32.121 --> 00:15:33.722
- About what we were saying, it was just doubtful.
- 00:15:33.722 --> 00:15:35.657
- So we removed her from her teaching position,
- 00:15:35.657 --> 00:15:38.861
- But it wasn't worthy of being removed from the church.
- 00:15:38.861 --> 00:15:41.663
- But there is some kind of doctrinal error
- 00:15:41.663 --> 00:15:44.733
- That is much more serious.
- 00:15:44.733 --> 00:15:46.969
- Any doctrinal teaching that denies the deity
- 00:15:46.969 --> 00:15:50.839
- Of jesus christ, the inerrancy of the scripture,
- 00:15:50.839 --> 00:15:54.843
- The blood atonement of jesus for our sins,
- 00:15:54.843 --> 00:15:58.180
- Those are serious doctrinal errors that must be dealt with.
- 00:15:58.180 --> 00:16:03.852
- Do you remember the church of (indistinct)?
- 00:16:04.753 --> 00:16:06.355
- We looked at in our study of revelation
- 00:16:06.355 --> 00:16:08.457
- And revelation chapter two, there was a woman teaching
- 00:16:08.457 --> 00:16:11.794
- In that church, she's referred to as jezebel.
- 00:16:11.794 --> 00:16:15.164
- We don't know if that's her real name,
- 00:16:15.998 --> 00:16:17.433
- Or she was like jezebel from the old testament,
- 00:16:17.433 --> 00:16:20.202
- But she was guilty of serious doctrinal error.
- 00:16:20.202 --> 00:16:23.405
- And you know what the church leader said in (indistinct)?
- 00:16:23.405 --> 00:16:26.141
- Oh, live and let live.
- 00:16:26.141 --> 00:16:28.510
- In our church, we celebrate diversity of beliefs.
- 00:16:28.510 --> 00:16:31.780
- We don't require everybody to teach the same thing,
- 00:16:31.780 --> 00:16:34.817
- We let people, the priesthood of the believer follow
- 00:16:34.817 --> 00:16:37.519
- Whatever doctrinal teaching they want to subscribe to.
- 00:16:37.519 --> 00:16:41.557
- Jesus had a different word for that.
- 00:16:42.324 --> 00:16:44.726
- In revelation 2:20, he condemned the church for not dealing
- 00:16:44.726 --> 00:16:48.464
- With this false teacher, "but i have this against you
- 00:16:48.464 --> 00:16:51.967
- That you tolerate this woman jezebel."
- 00:16:51.967 --> 00:16:56.205
- He condemned them for their tolerance.
- 00:16:57.039 --> 00:16:59.741
- Don't let anybody tell you tolerance
- 00:16:59.741 --> 00:17:01.510
- Is always a positive quality. it's not.
- 00:17:01.510 --> 00:17:04.480
- Sometimes it's a very negative quality.
- 00:17:04.480 --> 00:17:07.716
- You're not to tolerate sin.
- 00:17:07.716 --> 00:17:09.284
- You're certainly not to tolerate doctrinal error,
- 00:17:09.284 --> 00:17:12.254
- "but this i have against you," jesus said that "you tolerate
- 00:17:12.254 --> 00:17:15.290
- The woman jezebel who calls herself a prophetess
- 00:17:15.290 --> 00:17:19.128
- And she teaches and leads my bond servants astray,
- 00:17:19.128 --> 00:17:22.397
- So that they commit sexual immorality,
- 00:17:22.397 --> 00:17:24.666
- And they eat things sacrificed to idols."
- 00:17:24.666 --> 00:17:28.804
- God has a zero tolerance level for false teaching
- 00:17:28.804 --> 00:17:33.642
- In the church.
- 00:17:33.642 --> 00:17:35.110
- It has to be confronted.
- 00:17:35.110 --> 00:17:36.612
- We've talked about sins that threaten the moral health,
- 00:17:36.612 --> 00:17:39.615
- The doctrinal health, thirdly sins that threaten
- 00:17:39.615 --> 00:17:42.985
- The emotional health of the church.
- 00:17:42.985 --> 00:17:46.421
- Sins that threaten the emotional health,
- 00:17:46.421 --> 00:17:48.423
- The unity of the church.
- 00:17:48.423 --> 00:17:50.826
- Let's be honest,
- 00:17:50.826 --> 00:17:52.327
- We all kind of have different categories of sins.
- 00:17:52.327 --> 00:17:55.264
- We think about the really big sins.
- 00:17:55.264 --> 00:17:57.099
- You know what the big three are?
- 00:17:57.099 --> 00:17:59.168
- Adultery, murder, theft.
- 00:17:59.168 --> 00:18:01.737
- Oh, those are sins that have to be dealt with,
- 00:18:01.737 --> 00:18:03.906
- But sins like gossip, criticism, slander,
- 00:18:03.906 --> 00:18:09.211
- We kind of see those as secondary or tertiary sins.
- 00:18:10.245 --> 00:18:12.948
- Well, everybody does it, not that big of a deal,
- 00:18:12.948 --> 00:18:16.852
- But those sins can destroy a congregation if not dealt with.
- 00:18:16.852 --> 00:18:21.590
- Remember what james said in james 3:5
- 00:18:21.590 --> 00:18:23.992
- About the power of our words.
- 00:18:23.992 --> 00:18:26.562
- He said, "see how a great forest is set a flame
- 00:18:26.562 --> 00:18:30.499
- By such a small fire."
- 00:18:30.499 --> 00:18:33.468
- We've all read those stories.
- 00:18:33.468 --> 00:18:35.137
- One cigarette butt that's not extinguished,
- 00:18:35.137 --> 00:18:38.307
- Thrown out on a roadside and it sets thousands of acres
- 00:18:38.307 --> 00:18:42.044
- Of a forest on fire and destroys them.
- 00:18:42.044 --> 00:18:45.180
- That's what one careless word can do in the midst
- 00:18:45.180 --> 00:18:48.183
- Of a congregation, one little piece of gossip,
- 00:18:48.183 --> 00:18:53.522
- One false report can destroy an entire church.
- 00:18:54.489 --> 00:18:57.125
- I've seen that happen before.
- 00:18:57.125 --> 00:18:58.927
- Many of you have as well.
- 00:18:58.927 --> 00:19:01.230
- How do we keep that from happening?
- 00:19:01.997 --> 00:19:03.699
- Ephesians 4:3 says, "be diligent to preserve
- 00:19:03.699 --> 00:19:06.902
- The unity of spirit and the bond of peace."
- 00:19:06.902 --> 00:19:09.771
- That means when we come upon these sins,
- 00:19:09.771 --> 00:19:12.507
- We need to confront them.
- 00:19:12.507 --> 00:19:14.343
- You know, i like to remind our congregation
- 00:19:15.244 --> 00:19:17.980
- That as we move in and out among other church members
- 00:19:19.047 --> 00:19:22.851
- In our sunday school class, our small group,
- 00:19:22.851 --> 00:19:25.187
- Discipleship university, as we interact during the week
- 00:19:25.187 --> 00:19:28.257
- With one another, we're carrying two buckets with us.
- 00:19:28.257 --> 00:19:33.528
- Just imagine yourself walking around with two buckets.
- 00:19:34.630 --> 00:19:36.665
- One hand is a bucket of water,
- 00:19:36.665 --> 00:19:40.135
- The other hand is a bucket of gasoline and it's normal.
- 00:19:40.135 --> 00:19:44.973
- When we come into contact with one another,
- 00:19:44.973 --> 00:19:47.976
- We come upon sparks of controversy all the time.
- 00:19:47.976 --> 00:19:51.647
- Little conversations that go on like,
- 00:19:51.647 --> 00:19:54.549
- Oh, did you hear what the pastor did last week?
- 00:19:54.549 --> 00:19:57.386
- Or how do you really feel about the music in our church?
- 00:19:58.520 --> 00:20:03.425
- Or you know, i wondered if you would pray with me
- 00:20:04.426 --> 00:20:08.130
- About the direction of our church.
- 00:20:08.130 --> 00:20:09.931
- I'm very concerned about the direction of our church.
- 00:20:09.931 --> 00:20:12.768
- You hear all these little sparks of controversy.
- 00:20:12.768 --> 00:20:15.737
- We have a choice when we come upon those sparks
- 00:20:15.737 --> 00:20:18.140
- Of controversy, we can take our bucket of water
- 00:20:18.140 --> 00:20:23.478
- And extinguish that spark by what we say.
- 00:20:24.379 --> 00:20:26.715
- You know, i doubt that's true,
- 00:20:26.715 --> 00:20:28.684
- Or have you checked with the person about it personally,
- 00:20:28.684 --> 00:20:32.087
- Or maybe that's not the whole story.
- 00:20:32.087 --> 00:20:33.955
- We can douse it with water,
- 00:20:33.955 --> 00:20:35.691
- Or we can pour a bucket of gasoline on that spark and fuel
- 00:20:35.691 --> 00:20:40.295
- That flame until it destroys everything and everyone.
- 00:20:40.295 --> 00:20:44.800
- We are called as a church,
- 00:20:44.800 --> 00:20:46.435
- As individual members of the body of christ
- 00:20:46.435 --> 00:20:49.204
- To be fire extinguishers.
- 00:20:49.204 --> 00:20:51.673
- Wherever we find those sparks going around,
- 00:20:51.673 --> 00:20:54.509
- And when somebody refuses to do that,
- 00:20:54.509 --> 00:20:57.346
- When somebody is continually fueling the flame
- 00:20:57.346 --> 00:21:00.615
- Of controversy in the church,
- 00:21:00.615 --> 00:21:02.284
- We cannot afford to leave that alone.
- 00:21:02.284 --> 00:21:05.120
- It has to be dealt with.
- 00:21:05.120 --> 00:21:06.855
- In romans 16:17, paul said,
- 00:21:06.855 --> 00:21:09.591
- "now i urge you brothers and sisters,
- 00:21:09.591 --> 00:21:12.027
- Keep your eye on those who cause dissensions,
- 00:21:12.027 --> 00:21:17.299
- And hindrances contrary to the teaching
- 00:21:18.100 --> 00:21:20.635
- Which you have learned and turn away from them."
- 00:21:20.635 --> 00:21:25.474
- In a previous church, we had a leader who was always fueling
- 00:21:26.675 --> 00:21:30.245
- The flame of controversy.
- 00:21:30.245 --> 00:21:32.414
- He was making false statements about the finances
- 00:21:32.414 --> 00:21:35.350
- Of the church.
- 00:21:35.350 --> 00:21:36.685
- He was constantly criticizing staff members.
- 00:21:36.685 --> 00:21:40.122
- And finally the leaders of our church met and said,
- 00:21:40.122 --> 00:21:42.424
- We can't put up with this any longer.
- 00:21:42.424 --> 00:21:44.626
- It is hurting our church.
- 00:21:44.626 --> 00:21:46.528
- And they had the audacity, the boldness,
- 00:21:46.528 --> 00:21:49.698
- The courage to remove this person
- 00:21:49.698 --> 00:21:52.501
- From their place of leadership.
- 00:21:52.501 --> 00:21:54.569
- And the controversy disappeared.
- 00:21:54.569 --> 00:21:57.773
- You think that's drastic?
- 00:21:57.773 --> 00:21:59.107
- Listen again to what the word of god says.
- 00:21:59.107 --> 00:22:00.675
- Titus 3:10-11, "reject a divisive person after a first
- 00:22:00.675 --> 00:22:06.314
- And second warning."
- 00:22:06.782 --> 00:22:08.183
- Oh, pastor, we're supposed to love these people.
- 00:22:08.183 --> 00:22:10.485
- We're supposed to welcome it.
- 00:22:10.485 --> 00:22:11.787
- No, that's not what the word of god says.
- 00:22:11.787 --> 00:22:14.222
- You reject them after a first and second warning,
- 00:22:14.222 --> 00:22:17.592
- "knowing that such a person has deviated from what is right
- 00:22:17.592 --> 00:22:21.630
- And assenting being self condemned."
- 00:22:21.630 --> 00:22:26.001
- There are some instances in which a sin
- 00:22:26.802 --> 00:22:31.173
- Is so grievous against a congregation,
- 00:22:31.173 --> 00:22:33.542
- It threatens the moral doctrinal,
- 00:22:33.542 --> 00:22:36.077
- Or emotional health of that congregation,
- 00:22:36.077 --> 00:22:38.547
- It has to be dealt with.
- 00:22:38.547 --> 00:22:40.816
- ♪ music ♪
- 00:22:41.149 --> 00:22:44.486
- Every church needs more people
- 00:22:45.120 --> 00:22:47.055
- Who are willing to carry a bucket of water.
- 00:22:47.055 --> 00:22:50.192
- Nothing will snuff out rumors and controversy any quicker
- 00:22:50.192 --> 00:22:54.162
- Than a generous dousing of god's good grace.
- 00:22:54.162 --> 00:22:57.899
- I'll say more about this topic next time
- 00:22:57.899 --> 00:23:00.068
- On pathway to victory.
- 00:23:00.068 --> 00:23:01.102
- So be sure to join us then.
- 00:23:01.102 --> 00:23:03.872
- Well, every day we hear from people who watch
- 00:23:03.872 --> 00:23:06.341
- And listen to pathway to victory around the world.
- 00:23:06.341 --> 00:23:09.444
- And perhaps you have no idea how much your letters,
- 00:23:09.444 --> 00:23:12.314
- Phone calls and emails mean to me personally.
- 00:23:12.314 --> 00:23:15.550
- Recently i heard from a grace-filled man who wrote,
- 00:23:15.550 --> 00:23:18.820
- "pastor jeffress, i'm so excited right now,
- 00:23:18.820 --> 00:23:21.756
- And i want you to know that i'm walking the walk
- 00:23:21.756 --> 00:23:24.793
- I'm supposed to.
- 00:23:24.793 --> 00:23:26.361
- It has taken me 56 years, but through pathway to victory,
- 00:23:26.361 --> 00:23:29.831
- I've begun to see the true light."
- 00:23:29.831 --> 00:23:32.601
- This comment is such an encouragement to me
- 00:23:32.601 --> 00:23:35.604
- Because it affirms that god is using pathway to victory
- 00:23:35.604 --> 00:23:38.540
- To bring light into the darkness.
- 00:23:38.540 --> 00:23:41.109
- So thank you to our pathway partners
- 00:23:41.109 --> 00:23:43.411
- And everyone who forward to help us pierce the darkness
- 00:23:43.411 --> 00:23:47.749
- With the light of god's word.
- 00:23:47.749 --> 00:23:49.784
- Now please stay right there.
- 00:23:49.784 --> 00:23:51.353
- I'll be back with more pathway to victory in just a moment.
- 00:23:51.353 --> 00:23:55.190
- The bible tells us we're saved by grace,
- 00:23:56.057 --> 00:23:59.294
- But do you allow yourself to receive grace?
- 00:23:59.294 --> 00:24:02.097
- Do you practice grace?
- 00:24:02.097 --> 00:24:03.698
- Do you abuse god's grace?
- 00:24:03.698 --> 00:24:05.967
- In "grace gone wild," dr. robert jeffress clears up
- 00:24:05.967 --> 00:24:09.004
- The confusion and shows you
- 00:24:09.004 --> 00:24:10.739
- How grace leads to joy, not guilt.
- 00:24:10.739 --> 00:24:13.575
- Christians fall into one of two traps
- 00:24:13.575 --> 00:24:15.877
- When it comes to grace.
- 00:24:15.877 --> 00:24:17.445
- Some believe grace means there are no boundaries in living.
- 00:24:17.445 --> 00:24:21.249
- Others, pile on so many rules
- 00:24:21.249 --> 00:24:23.318
- That christianity feels like a burden instead of a blessing.
- 00:24:23.318 --> 00:24:27.622
- In my book, "grace gone wild,"
- 00:24:27.622 --> 00:24:29.190
- I'll show you that true grace leads to a deeper,
- 00:24:29.190 --> 00:24:32.994
- More joy-filled relationship with god.
- 00:24:32.994 --> 00:24:36.164
- Discover how understanding grace can transform
- 00:24:36.164 --> 00:24:39.100
- Your marriage, your relationships,
- 00:24:39.100 --> 00:24:41.069
- And every decision you make.
- 00:24:41.069 --> 00:24:43.071
- Request your copy of "grace gone wild"
- 00:24:43.071 --> 00:24:45.574
- When you give a generous gift to pathway to victory.
- 00:24:45.574 --> 00:24:48.910
- And when your ministry gift is $75 or more,
- 00:24:48.910 --> 00:24:52.447
- We'll also send you the "grace gone wild" teaching series
- 00:24:52.447 --> 00:24:56.051
- On both cd and dvd along with the application guide.
- 00:24:56.051 --> 00:25:00.288
- There are too many christians today
- 00:25:00.288 --> 00:25:02.090
- Who have taken this marvelous gift of grace
- 00:25:02.090 --> 00:25:05.860
- And perverted it.
- 00:25:05.860 --> 00:25:07.529
- They are robbing themselves of the joy
- 00:25:07.529 --> 00:25:09.731
- That comes from obedience to god.
- 00:25:09.731 --> 00:25:13.034
- Thank you for your generous support of pathway to victory.
- 00:25:13.034 --> 00:25:16.471
- Your gift helps us bring bold,
- 00:25:16.471 --> 00:25:18.239
- Biblical teaching around the world.
- 00:25:18.239 --> 00:25:20.108
- Together we are piercing the darkness
- 00:25:20.108 --> 00:25:22.444
- With the light of god's word.
- 00:25:22.444 --> 00:25:26.481
- Not every sin requires the same response.
- 00:25:27.349 --> 00:25:30.619
- Sometimes grace means forgiveness,
- 00:25:30.619 --> 00:25:33.188
- And sometimes grace means intervention.
- 00:25:33.188 --> 00:25:36.458
- Today we've identified the kinds of sin
- 00:25:36.458 --> 00:25:38.927
- That are serious enough to demand action.
- 00:25:38.927 --> 00:25:41.563
- For the sake of the sinner
- 00:25:41.563 --> 00:25:42.998
- And the health of the whole congregation.
- 00:25:42.998 --> 00:25:45.533
- And next time, we will walk through
- 00:25:45.533 --> 00:25:47.202
- The biblical step-by-step process for how to actually do it.
- 00:25:47.202 --> 00:25:51.640
- Stay tuned for a preview of what's coming up next
- 00:25:51.640 --> 00:25:54.142
- In our series, "grace gone wild."
- 00:25:54.142 --> 00:25:58.179
- All of this is an illustration
- 00:25:58.179 --> 00:26:00.248
- Of how seriously god takes the subject of sin.
- 00:26:00.248 --> 00:26:05.020
- Sin is a serious subject to god.
- 00:26:05.654 --> 00:26:07.789
- It's serious in your life,
- 00:26:07.789 --> 00:26:09.691
- And it's serious in the life of other believers as well.
- 00:26:09.691 --> 00:26:13.461
- And the most loving thing you can do
- 00:26:13.461 --> 00:26:16.131
- Is to help correct a sinning christian.
- 00:26:16.131 --> 00:26:18.833
- Set your dvr and join us next time for part two
- 00:26:18.833 --> 00:26:21.603
- Of the message, good grace spiritual surgery
- 00:26:21.603 --> 00:26:25.006
- Here on pathway to victory.
- 00:26:25.006 --> 00:26:27.876
- Join us on the pathway to victory cruise to alaska,
- 00:26:28.943 --> 00:26:32.213
- June 13th through 20, 2026.
- 00:26:32.213 --> 00:26:35.083
- Let me paint a picture for you.
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- You're standing on the deck of a beautiful cruise ship,
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- Coffee in hand watching a glacier cab
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- Into the pristine waters while bald eagles circle overhead.
- 00:26:43.224 --> 00:26:47.996
- That's going to be us this coming june.
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- You've got to see alaska with your own eyes to believe it.
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- Seven days of pure luxury
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- Where every meal is prepared for you.
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- The world class service means you never have to think
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- About the details.
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- Instead, you can focus on casual conversations
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- With like-minded christians, laughing,
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- Telling stories while surrounded
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- By god's breathtaking creation.
- 00:27:09.951 --> 00:27:12.287
- This is purposeful travel at its finest,
- 00:27:12.287 --> 00:27:15.557
- Refreshing your soul in god's stunning cathedral
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- Of natural wonders.
- 00:27:19.194 --> 00:27:21.229
- Call 888-280-6747 or visit ptv.org.
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