James Talarico’s HERETIC Pastor Exposed in Undercover Video (Pastors RESPOND) | Live Free transcript

If you start with what people want, what people will listen to, and what people are attracted to, you're going to end up with churches where everybody's welcome but Jesus and anything is accepted except clear Bible teaching. >> She said, "Jesus didn't die to save our sins. You can trust her word or you can just read your Bible." >> I meet so many people who live with a perpetual fear that they haven't done enough for God.

That's right. It's not about what you've done for him. It's about what he did once and for all for you. >> Well, hey, Lifree Nation. Before we jump into the episode, this podcast is recorded right here at Lakepoint Church in Dallas, Texas. But delivery nation is spread all over the country and all around the world. So if you've been watching and thinking, man, I wish I could be part of something like this, we want to invite you to take a simple next step, and that is join us for church online.

Every weekend, we stream our services live on YouTube, Facebook, and our church online platform. And it's more than just watching a service. There are live hosts in the chat, prayer teams ready to stand with you, and people all around the world worshiping together in real time. And so whether you're exploring the faith, coming back to church, or just looking for a place to start, church online is a great way to jump in and experience what God is doing here at Lake Point.

We would love to see you in the chat this weekend. And now, enjoy the podcast. Well, hey, welcome back to another episode of the Lift Free Podcast. My name is Carlos Araso, and today I'm excited because I'm here with Pastor Josh Howard and Pastor Paul Cunningham. >> Hey, you know why I'm excited? >> What's up, man? >> I shot an armadillo this morning. >> Oh, I'm expecting that. Is it illegal? It's not illegal to do that on your property, is it? >> Is it?

Google it. >> If it is illegal, this will be censored. >> I shot an armadillo this morning >> with a rifle. >> Uh, no. It's with my with my Glock. >> Oh, okay. >> Caps on your property. >> Yeah, dude. Okay. >> No, no. I just went out hunting for >> Maybe you're from Louisiana. Um, sorry for all our people. >> Well, we were hungry for breakfast. And >> did he mess with the flock? >> Yeah, he mess with the flock. He got the glock.

Okay, there you go. Oh man, is that Was that your first time shooting an armadillo? >> Yeah, it was. >> Oh, okay. >> Yeah, dude. He bounced around. I don't know. I'm not going to Have you ever seen that? They call it the armadillo jump. Have you guys seen that? >> I can. >> That's a thing. Kim's seen it. Okay, >> that's a thing. If you hit Why are we talking about that? Sorry, I didn't mean to go on. We're going to talk about the Bible, but yes, we are. >> Well, we're going to have a good episode today.

It's going to be a good episode because uh now that we know that you have shot an armadillo, >> I did the armadillo. and uh and they and it jumped. Um you uh man, you threw me off over here. We're going to talk about multiple things. Hey, chapter 4 of Second Timothy. >> Boom. >> We are in week number eight of Fight the Good Fight sermon series, which was really has been really fun. >> One of my favorites in a long time. >> Um you've done a great job u bringing the word. >> Thank you, man. >> Uh we're going to be debunking one of the most or some of the most common Christian heresies out there. >> Five?

Yeah, >> we're doing five, right? >> Five. >> Five. So, we're going to do most five most common Christian heresies. We're going to be very careful to define what heresy means. >> Some of them among uh Prosperity Gospel. >> Yeah. >> Yep. >> Uh maybe name it, claim it. >> Yes. >> Don't Some of them are things that people have been influenced by. They don't know they've been influenced. >> Exactly. That's right. >> So, yeah. >> We're going to be also reacting to this uh viral video of James Tarico's pastor >> saying Pastric >> Pastric >> saying that Jesus did not die for our sins.

Actually, >> dude, speaking of >> sometimes you like actually just see a Bible verse like float on your screen. Like, bro, there's a lot of I just saw a lot of Bible verses and the bad ones. >> We'll get to that in a second. >> It's going to be interesting. Hey, we just came off of a huge celebration. Pastor Josh, would you please tell us what happened? >> Dude, uh I've never seen anything like it. I still haven't gotten the numbers.

I think when it's all said and done, I'm I'm going to go out on a limb. I'm going to go on a limb. I think this weekend we will have end ended up baptizing well over 800 people just this weekend. I never I never seen anything like it. >> And I do want to say uh I've uh it was I think it was Jonathan Edwards who talked about how when people are in the middle of a revival a lot of times they don't know it >> because they treat holy things like they're common.

I just want to remind everybody who like if you're part of Lake Point that ain't normal. It ain't normal to baptize 800 people in a weekend >> and uh we ain't this good. >> That's a big deal, man. >> Glory to God. >> And it's not just a number. This is these are real people. Can I share like a couple super quick two stories? Please do. >> Um J, can you pull out the younger uh kid? Uh there you go. So he is and uh his story is that at some point he asked uh Lake Point dad if he could date um his daughter and the Lakeoint dad said, "No, you need to come to church with me." And so he when he invited him, he said, >> "Good job, Lake.

Good job. >> Unsaved kids can't date my daughter." Nope. >> That's right. Yeah. >> He said, "No, I don't want to go to church." And then months later, a friend of Enrin, uh, he invited Enin to come to church and then turns out it's the same church that he was already invited to. So, he went to church, uh, eventually got saved, got into rooted, got baptized recently at Fireheal, and is now serving with students. COME ON.

SO, LET'S GO. AND WAIT, but is he dating the daughter? >> We shall find out. >> The story is ongoing. >> We shall find he's probably watching this right here. So, would you please let us know in the comment section? And uh we'd love to find out. Here's one more. This is from Roy City campus. This right here is Ethan uh right there getting baptized. So, Ethan and his wife were not attending church. He randomly randomly found the Roy City campus, gets plugged in, started serving in production, and at some point during baptism weekend recently, he had a conviction.

Man, I've never been baptized before. And so he said, "Hey, uh, I want to get baptized." So somebody on our team said, "Let me get you a shirt." He says, "No time. We got to do it now." So he just like, so he just like ripped off his cowboy boot >> Ethiopian unic. There's some water right now. >> Jumped into the water and then got into Rooted and recently he also had the privilege of baptizing his wife as well. So shout out to Ethan, bro.

So again, these are we have literally thousands of stories. Praise God for that big celebration. >> Bro, that's that's By the way, I just want to clarify that guy's not a unic. I just want to say I just want to that I know of that I know of. >> I wasn't confused, but I'm glad you cleared it up. >> That I know of. >> Good clarification. >> No, wait. Can we do a secondary celebration >> that is not as important or good as baptizing 800 people on a weekend? >> What do you got? >> We got to celebrate the Phil Pantheon episode, >> bro.

Come on, dude. First of all, it was such a great episode. Um, I love being there with you. Were you Were you there? Oh, no. He wasn't there. >> Why weren't you there, bro? It was such a It was such a bro the presence of God in the room. >> It just fell. Paul, do you remember? >> Well, you you were supposed to be there. >> Sorry. Go ahead. I interrupted when I thought the joke was over. >> Let me just get this in here.

The new Paul's never been to Israel joke is Paul wasn't there for the Philip Anthony Mitchell episode. >> Like literally right before we were filming, I get a call from my daughter's school saying she is throwing up. And I was like, uh, my first op my first responsibility is the dad. Okay. >> But I'm not going to lie, I was I was a little disappointed. Uh Pastor Pastor Phillip, if you're listening or watching this, please come back as soon as you can.

Please come back as soon as we can. So this joke will not be long before. Let me let me celebrate real quick. So So first of all, let's just go to that first one. >> You know, I mean, we're always celebrating a Protestant cast reformation day. So any anytime we get Father Mike, we got to celebrate it. We, by the way, we love our Catholic friends. We love love you. This is a sibling rivalry. This is fun. But anytime we get Father Mike, we for the number one spot, we got to celebrate.

And then dude, so then uh this morning, I think it was Sabrina back here texted this. So on overall podcast globally, >> uh pumped up this morning, we were at number six. I just want to say we're one spot away from Joe Rogan. >> Joe Rogan. Okay. So then this was this is like the Live Free Team text thread. This is what we're showing you. So then that somebody says, "Oh, we're one away from Joe Rogan." Then somebody texts this picture, >> which I can't unsee.

I won't ever unsee that. >> Nervous Joe Rogan. Nervous Joe Rogan. >> He's been pretty silent ever since that episode dropped. >> Pretty silent. Joe, if you're listening, you're a friend >> and we we'll love to hang sometime. And then well, I'm going to have some fun banter even more. Then this is last night. Go to the next one. >> So this is top trending podcasts in the globe >> on on planet Earth. And we we passed we passed Joe.

So I just I want to point this out. This is on per on episodes that one episode. >> So I just want to point this out, man. Like glory to God. >> For at least one day, >> two dudes talking about Jesus surpassed Joe Rogan >> for most trending podcasts in the world. And then uh hilariously, I'll give you another Sabrina uh meme. Sabrina, do you you remember you know the meme of uh uh The Shining where it's Jack Nicholson getting ready to you know obviously none of us have ever seen that movie.

You never obviously should never see that movie >> ever. >> Yeah. And but but there's a meme that we're all aware of and uh where he's he's coming through the here's Johnny through the door. >> Yeah. >> Sabrina sends this boom hilarious >> we b through the door. >> So >> that's amazing >> man. Again, I just what I want to celebrate is for at least a day, >> two dudes talking about Jesus Christ, beating Joe Rogan for the most trending podcasts in the world. >> The tide is turning.

Praise God. >> The tide is turning. >> I didn't plan. Can I share a story or two real? Because even connecting it back to the baptism thing. We celebrate the numbers and we celebrate that unashamedly because like you we we want to get the word of God and help people develop a Christian worldview. And unashamedly, we want to do that for as many people as possible. But what encourages the three of us and all of our team behind the scenes the most is the stories we get.

That's right. And I could tell countless. I get them every week. But I actually Yeah. I got to meet actually a guy in in our lobby this past weekend. Uh he was coming down from El Paso. He was in town for work. But he told me he's like one night he went to bed praying that God would kill him >> cuz he didn't want to face another day >> and just asking that God would take his life the next day. And the next day he turns on YouTube and finds our podcast and literally says, "Your podcast saved my life." Now, we know we know that he believes that God ultimately saved his life.

But God used this to speak truth into him and encourage encouragement into his heart. And so, he just came up to me this past week and gave me a hug. I could tell others. I mean, there's one person who reached out on social media where she said, "I was deep into new age thought and practice and had all these questions and and rejections of the Bible, but actually was watching you guys that filled my life with biblical truth and now I'm a believer." >> You get stories like that and that's why it matters.

I just always want to encourage people. It's like it's not simply about a number or ranking. is because we know that the more that we can reach people with the word of God, the more it will change them. And so that's what we want to say, right? >> The the ranking comes and goes. Right. The word of God remains forever. >> Boom. >> That's right. >> Bro, can I actually can I do this? Can I do some I've been wanting to do this for a long time.

I'm not going to No, I'm not being weird. You got a smile on your face like this. Like an actual, >> by the way, you never know what can happen. But >> No, no. This is like an actual spiritual thing. I want to make a a a church history observation. Howard, the other Howardan, my buddy Jason Howardan over here. This not related to me. Uh uh we've talked about this. So dude, I I got a theory on and I'm going to zoom out and do a little church.

We're going to do church history nerd thing for a second. I got a theory on something. Okay. So So just go with me on this. Here's my theory. Virtually every great awakening and revival in history is preceded by some new mechanism or technology being leveraged for the spread of the gospel. So, bro, I want you to think about this. I'm going to connect some dots real quick. All right. So, first of all, yeah, I'm going to make two points.

Okay, just check. So, first of all, you have the Great Awakening. That's Jonathan Edwards, George Whitfield. Listen to these dates. Like, if you just try to keep these in your head if you're listening. First Great Awakening, 1730 to 1740 is when they date it. Jonathan Edwards, George Whitfield. Okay. Second Great Awakening typically dates 1790 to 1850. That's Haystack Revival in Kentucky. Shout out Kentucky. That's where I'm from.

That's Charles Finny. That's Father Nash, all the stuff. Okay. Third Great Awakening, 1910, 1900, 1910. That's DL Moody. I think New York businessmen's revival is somewhere around that time. And then, bro, you fast forward again. Jesus Movement, Billy Graham, Crusades, all that stuff. The dates for that are typically 1960 to 1975. All right. Now, this is where my eyes start sweating a little bit. Let me I'm going to point out two things. one.

Basically, every revival in American history has been spaced almost exactly 50 years apart. Watch. So, first Great Awakening 1730, 1740. Fast forward 50 years. Second Great Awakening 1790, 1850. Fast forward 50 years. Third Great Awakening, 1900 and 1910. Fast forward exactly 50 more years, 1960 to 1975, Jesus Movement, Billy Graham Crusades. >> Carlos and Paul, if you fast forward 50 years from about 1975, you know where you're at.

You about 2025, 2026. Now, this is really fascinating to me. Think about this. New technology being leveraged for the spread of the gospel. All right, check this. I did a little homework this week. So the Protestant Reformation comes right on the heels literally 50 years after the invention and mass production of the printing press. So for the first time in history, Catholic Church, sorry Catholics, they can't contain like a doctrinal rebellion for the first time in history.

Okay, >> first great awakening, George Whitfield, he mass popularizes the concept of outdoor preaching and advanced marketing. Nobody had ever done that before. So, for the first time in church history, he's getting ready to roll up into some little town up in Connecticut or wherever he is. And for the first time in history, thousands of people know he's coming. So, he can preach to 20,000 people in a field. That never happened before.

So, new technology. Okay. Third great awakening, D.L. Moody. That's right after the mass production of newspapers. >> Yeah. >> That had never happened before in human history. Okay. Then, bro, >> you go even more. Jesus movement movement and Billy Graham crusades. So you got 19, you know, 1950, 1975, around right there. 1960, 1975. Guess what had just happened for the first time in American history, every every homes got a TV and a radio. >> So for the first time, people like, bro, there he is.

And do I just say this? When I when I look at stuff like that and you got the number five trending podcast in on planet earth is about Jesus, dude, there's part of me that's like, man, what if for the first time in human history, we figure out how to leverage this thing of like the little stupid podcast world and all this social media stuff that I always used to think was real dumb. But now what you're seeing is you're seeing stories walk of dudes walking into churches going, I was going to kill myself and then I turned on a dank podcast, heard about the love of Jesus for me.

So all I'm going to say is 50 years, 50 years, 50 years, 50 years, 2026, you got a new technology. And here, I'll just finish with this. Habach 3:2. Oh Lord, I have heard the report of you. And your work, O Lord, do I fear. In the midst of the years, revive it. And in the midst of our years, make it known. In wrath, remember mercy. Do it again, Lord. >> Why not, man? Why not, bro? Amen. >> Why not? >> Amen. That's amazing.

Now, let me let me I'mma pitch the ball back to y'all. You guys did a great episode last week without me. Thank you. >> Oh, thank you. >> Uh you got you got a thought. What What do you think, Carlos? >> Man, it was uh Paul did a great job, by the way. >> He did a great job. >> But there there's one thing that I I I didn't get to get in there, but uh you know, I wish somebody would have taught me this when I first started reading the Bible.

Um right now, we're getting thousands of people reaching out saying, "Hey, I'm a brand new believer. I've never read the Bible and I want to I want to start. And they're asking questions like, "How do you what how do I start reading the Bible? Where do I even start?" So, let let me do something real quick. Let me help you for this. So, if you're if you're that guy, if you want to know who Jesus is, read the book of John. >> If you want to go deeper in your identity in Christ, read the book of Ephesians. >> If you want to learn how to live in holiness in a culture that is godless, read the book of First Corinthians. >> If you want to have wisdom in life, read the book of Proverbs.

If you want to know the origin of the universe and understand why everything is so broken today, read the book of Genesis. >> If you want to understand the gospel and you want to know what should I believe as a Christian today, read the book of Romans. >> If you want to understand life without God and why it is meaningless without him and even if you achieve success, status, popularity, and more and still if you don't have God, life will be meaningless, read the book of Ecclesiastes.

If you want to learn how to find joy in the midst of your suffering, if you're going through something difficult right now, but you are striving for joy in Christ, read the book of Philippians. If you want to hear how the church started initially and how the Holy Spirit empower the church to do the supernatural things that was were done at the time and we still see those things, read the book of Acts. If you want to learn how to put your faith into practice, not just say that you believe something, but actually live it out, read the book of James.

If you want to learn how to pray with honesty, if you're going through something difficult and you want to learn how to bring those emotions to the Lord in prayer, read the book of Psalms. >> Um, if you want to see a brief preview of the future, of what will happen, and you want to hold on to a hope right now, everybody's freaking out about what will happen, what could happen, but you want to hold on to the hope that at the in the future Jesus wins, he is still Lord of Lord and King of Kings.

Read the book of Revelations. Here's the point. Uh, St. Jerome who was one of the most famous theologians at the time. I think it's AD300 and who by the way translated the Bible to Latin. Uh he's the one who wrote the Latin Vulgate um because he wanted other people to have access to it. He said this. He said the scriptures are shallow enough for a babe to come and drink without fear of drowning and deep enough for a theologian to swim in without ever touching the bottom. >> Here's the point.

You cannot read this book and not have it change your life. It will change you. Hope that helps. >> Boom. >> It's been a good episode, guys. >> I think we can hang it up right now. >> That's very helpful. >> That's funny. I'm reading Charles Spurgeon's biography right now. Literally last night, he's he basically has a riff on that drum quote. I didn't realize it until you just said it. >> Uh Spurgeon's quote was uh nobody ever outgrows the scriptures.

It widens and deepens with years. >> Dude, it's so funny, man, because like, you know, we've been studying the Bible. I've been studying the Bible now 30 years. And honestly, it's really weird. In some ways, I feel like I know it less than I did back then because the more you study, it's like you realize how much you didn't know. And I'll just shoot you straight. It's kind of exciting. Yes. >> Because honestly, like you get to this spot where you're like, I could plunge myself into this thing for the next 50 years of my life >> and I'm still going to have some deep end of the pool things that I get a saver.

So kind of fun, man. >> And what I love about that, and this is true, by the way, of God's word, but then also of God himself, theologians have sometimes used this phrase that God is infinitely knowable. >> And the idea there is that we can know God for who he truly is. But we will never know God fully for who he is because he's infinite. And that's not bad news. That's actually good news. It means that we can spend the rest of our lives coming to know him through his word and never exhausted.

But it also means that in heaven we will spend the rest of eternity coming to know God just a little bit more day by day. And that's a good thing cuz think about it. The analogy I sometimes will use is like if you've ever fallen in love I don't know about you guys but like I I'm assuming you fall in love because you're married but I was very much I preemptively said what I was about to say. I got the cart before the horse because I don't know about you guys but what we do when Amy and I first uh first starting to date and falling in love.

So we just ask each other questions and it's like the more that's where I was going with that. The more we came to know each other, my love for her and my appreciation and the joy deepened the more I came to know her. And it's amazing that means theologians have said your joy in God and your love for God will only ever expand for eternity because he's infinitely noble. And if that's true, if that's going to happen in eternity, why not start now by coming to know his word more every day?

Man, >> I'm excited to get into the word. Hey, before we do it, that's a cool hat, Pastor Josh. If people are watching on YouTube, Spotify, >> look at this guy. Live free, bro. Live free. If you want that hat, you can get it. So, you can go to free school. I look like an idiot doing that. I actually do think it's really cool. >> Uh, text the word hat to20411 or go to live free.shop. >> Be really helpful cuz I personally pocket every dollar to become a millionaire celebrity pastor.

So, it really help. That's right. >> That's a joke. >> You can also look as good as he does, right? >> Wait, can I just clarify because the internet will love that though to that I don't get a dollar like not one penny when we when you buy a hat. That just helps us fund the podcast. >> Jason said, "We're cutting all that out." All right. >> And when you wear that hat, you not only look more like him, you also like your your arms get a little bigger, too. >> Oh, do they?

You know, wait. Can I say one more thing? Let's say one more thing and then we're actually going to get into the word. We're going to get into the word. We're going to get into the word. So, when you know when Philip was here, you know, at the end, I asked him to pray for me. Yeah, that was it. You saw this. I asked him to pray for me and he just instinctively reached out his hand, you know, he's like, "Hey, let me pray for you." Now, what was awesome is one of our team back there was very kind of them.

They actually got a closeup shot of this prayer moment. It was a close-up shot. Here's a close-up shot of uh Now, look at that. >> Wow. >> An actual >> We did the meme. >> That's exactly the same photo for sure. Yeah, that's awesome, bro. All right, we're let's quit being 20 minutes in. >> Let me uh let me ask you this, Pastor Josh. Uh what didn't make it to the sermon? >> All right. A lot. Uh >> waiting for you to allow it, man. >> Uh oh, wait.

Ask again. >> Uh hey, uh can I ask you a question? >> Yeah. >> Why didn't you make it to the sermon? >> I will allow it. >> Okay. >> Let's keep traditions. Traditions. >> There you go. Let's keep it going. >> So, uh this is a very emotional uh sermon to prepare for because what you're doing right here is you're you're preaching the final words of the Apostle Paul is really functionally what you're doing. Um, dude, actually, hey, Kim, could I I will actually get a sprite.

Can I get a sprite? Yeah, thank you. Uh, there was uh so let me let me set this up real quick. I'm because I'm just going to read them. And if you're listening, like I want you to imagine when I read these final words. I want you to imagine this is your spiritual father. Let's say you're and you're let's say you're a guy or a girl. You don't have you don't even got a dad. And then the godliest man that's ever lived, not named Jesus, just sort of steps forward and he's like, "Hey, I want to be your spiritual dad." And what I'm gonna gonna read here in a second are his final words he says over you.

But dude, I want to uh do you know the story of Michael Carden and Bill Lane? >> I don't think so. >> Okay. So, like it is not often you see an actual representation of what the Apostle Paul did. All right. So, now for I'm an 80s baby, but the 90s made me. So for anybody that car Carlos, you're not going to understand any of this. Just roll with me. >> Back in uh back way back in the the late 1900s when you know we rode dinosaurs to school and uh there the this guy right here, will you go ahead and show that picture?

This guy this guy right here was the most famous uh musician. Uh yeah, that guy right there was the most famous Christian musician in the world. Uh doesn't exactly look like a rock star. >> No. >> Uh do you know who that is? Oh, actually I already said it. You know who that is, Paul? >> No. >> That's Michael Card. Okay. His name is Michael. Bro, where were you? Where? Come on, bro. >> I know. I'm just like six months younger than you.

I guess I totally missed. He's like, "Whoa, whoa." We were a Stephen Curtis Chapman family. We didn't know. Yeah. >> All right. So, here's the story. >> Christian artist. >> Yeah. Christian artist. Uh, absolutely blew up. Four million albums sold, 19 number one hits. Like the guy he crushed. >> Um, Michael Card later in his life wrote a book. Show that book real quick. It's about an 80page book. You can literally read it in one setting.

It's it's called The Walk. >> Oh, yeah. Okay. All right. Now, check this out. So, and I got to point to this. We're actually I'm taking you into the scriptures. So, Michael Card tells a story. He he goes to Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green, Kentucky. Uh either he's a baby Christian or something like that. And uh there's a professor there. Uh the guy's name was Bill Lane. He's a Christian professor. Michael walks into his office, asks him a question about the Bible.

And Bill Lane just says this. He says, "Take a walk with me." Michael Card's freshman year, he starts taking one walk per week with this older senior saint, godly man named Bill Saint. And for the next six years of Michael Card's life, they take a walk every week and a godly man who's a spiritual father to Michael Card just walks with him, talks about Jesus, talks about the Bible. All right, now that's really cool. Affects Michael Card's life.

Then Michael Card uh moves away from Bowling Green and many years pass. Fast forward many years, Michael Card is now a guy that sold four million albums. He's had 19 number one hits and uh he and his wife, they're grown. They live in Nashville. And Bill Lane uh is across the country at Seattle Pacific University. Michael Cart gets his phone call from Bill Lane one day and uh Bill uh tells Michael hadn't talked to him in a long time and he says, "Michael, uh uh I just received a terminal cancer diagnosis and I just want to call you and tell you." And uh and Michael thought Bill was calling to say goodbye.

And Bill said, "No, no, no. That's not what I'm calling." Uh, Bill said, 'No, what I'm doing is me and my wife are moving back to Nashville to be close to you because the greatest act of my disciplehip of you is about to begin. And then he said, >> I now will show you how a Christian man dies. >> And he spends the last time of his life taking more walks with Michael Carden, showing him how a Christian man dies. Now, when you get to second Timothy chapter 4, many years ago, the Apostle Paul saw this kid uh named Timothy.

And do you know what he did? >> He looked at little Timothy and he said, "Timothy, walk with me." And for the next 15 years, the Apostle Paul walked an estimated 3,000 miles with this little kid, fatherless kid named Timothy. Changed his life. what you have in second Timothy chapter 4. Remember this. One of the last things Paul does is he tells Timothy, "Come to me quickly." >> He says, "I know I'm going to die. Come to me quickly." And what the Apostle Paul is literally saying to Timothy is he's saying, Timothy, I will now show you how a Christian man dies.

Now before I read the final words of the Apostle Paul because he deserves some honor, reverence, glory here. It is the responsibility that we do not talk about very often in the church. It is the responsibility of every Christian man and woman to show the people around them this is how a Christian man this is how a Christian woman dies. And here's what I'll say. That responsibility begins today. M >> we are right now careening towards our deathbeds and we want to be able to say like the Apostle Paul, my life was poured out and it was worth it.

So with that in mind, let me read this. I'm just going to point out a few things people probably wouldn't think about. The final words of the Apostle Paul. I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus who is to judge the living and the dead. And by his appearing and his kingdom, preach the word. Be ready in season and out of season. Reprove, rebuke, and exhort with complete patience and teaching. For the time is coming, this is going to sound familiar, >> when people will not endure sound teaching or sound doctrine, but having itching ears, they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions.

And they will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. But as for you, always be sober minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry, for I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. Now listen, listen, bro. If anything on earth you want to be able to make your final words to your son or spiritual son, verse seven is it.

I have fought the good fight. I have finished the race. I have kept the faith. And henceforth there has laid up for me the crown of righteousness with the Lord which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day. And not only to me, but to all who have loved his appearing. >> I just want to say this. >> Well done, good and faithful servant to the Apostle Paul. >> I just want to say that. Now, let me just point out a few things real quick here.

And this can be a weird couple minutes because Paul's talking to a preacher. >> And so I'm going to just like take a second for like people who are listening. There's a few things here that I want you to understand in the heart of your preacher, whether you go to Lake Point or any church uh that hang off this. So let me just do a couple things real quick. One, he he starts going, "I charge you in the presence of God in Christ Jesus." What he's doing is he's going, "Hey, man, you you remember who you're working for." And I just want to remind people of this because sometimes uh people are can be real hard on pastors.

They can be real hard on them. Um there is a danger for pastors and if you're a fellow pastor, I want to warn you of this danger that especially with kind of this like a movement that has some really good things in it, but maybe a couple things could have been different called the attractional church movement. >> The danger that pastors have is they'll get into this thing. And it's like the first thing in their head is I'm trying to attract the people.

Attract people. Attract people. Well, hey man, you remember this? Like, hey dude, I I'm not preaching for people. >> I'm not standing before people. Uh I charge you in the presence of God in Christ. I'm working for for God. >> And if you're not careful, Brian, and we're going to talk about here in a second, Chad G. Paul, he's going to talk about like five common American heresies. And basically, I'm going to tell you this.

Almost every single one of them, they begin with a Bible teacher who forgot the fear of God. And he forgot that the person who he's working for more than any people are Jesus Christ himself. Okay? Because if you start with what people want, what people will listen to, and what people are attracted to, you're gonna end up with churches where everybody's welcome but Jesus and anything is accepted except clear Bible teaching.

So, I just want to like man, whether you go to Lake Point or you go to any other church, I just want you to know this. I'm not preaching for you. >> I'm preaching to you. I'm not preaching for you. Your pastor's uh he's preaching to you. He's not preaching for you. He's preaching for God. Okay? And what what you got to do as a preacher is uh if you preach the word of God, the word of God attracts the presence of God, and the presence of God will attract the people.

You just preach the word, man. So, he says that then, and I'm this is this can be a little bit weird. Then he goes, "Hey, man, you know, preach the word." I will just say this. People ask us a lot in comments and we get these emails like, "Hey man, how do I know if I'm in a good church? >> You know, how do I know, you know, we actually got a pod coming out soon. How do I know I'm at a good church or whether I should leave?" There's a lot you could say, honestly, man.

Number one, are they preaching a word? >> Yeah. >> Are they preaching the word? Okay. Now, now listen. Are they preaching the word? Not Not somebody's opinion. Not a TED talk. Not four jokes and three stories and one verse and a poem. No. No. Are that is that is that man opening that thing the sword of the living God and choosing violence? Like honestly, that's like how I think. I'm like, I'm open that thing. I'm going choose violence.

The Bible calls itself a sword for a reason. >> And is he preaching a word? And and I'll just dude, I'm going to defend I'm going to defend and encourage pastors a couple times in this in the in this pod. If you're a p here's the deal, man. The world has an unspoken agreement with pastors. If you take it easy on us, we'll take it easy on you. And the second you start opening that book and you are willing to preach the entire word of God, what the Apostle Paul calls the whole council of God, uh if you're if you start doing that and you start choosing a little a little violence every now and then, I'm going to warn you right now, all hell will break loose, >> but so will all of heaven.

So the question you're asking is, man, like, okay, am I a good church? Are they preaching the word? Okay, no, they're not not preaching some of the word. Are they preaching the word? Um, so I'm going to give you actually this is this is weird. Just go with me here, Carlos. This is not on our little game plan. >> I'm like, I'm going to give you one, two, three, four, five. Uh, I'm going to give you I'm going to give you five I'm going to give you five tests if you're sitting in a church like, man, how how do I know if they're preaching a word?

I'm not saying this is all you could say. I'm saying here's five little things to watch out for. Okay, now here's why I say this. Uh, there's a quote that's attributed to Martin Luther. Uh, that's it's fire. Uh Martin Luther supposedly said, you probably heard this before the if I profess with the loudest. Yeah. Okay. He It's true. Martin Luther, if I profess with the loudest voice and the clearest exposition, every portion of the truth of God except that one little point which the world and the devil are at that moment attacking, I am not confessing Christ, however boldly I might be professing Christ.

M >> listen, where the battle rages, there the loyalty of the soldier is proved. And to be steady on all the battlefield besides is mere flight and disgrace if he flinches at that one point. >> So, bro, that's fire. >> That's fire, bro. Injected into my veins. >> Wow. >> All right. Now, listen. So, I'm going to give you five tests because like what what can happen is you can be in a church where Yeah. Somebody opens the book >> and they read a verse.

We're actually going to we're going to show a video at the end of like an actual heretic who they do they open the they open a book with leather on the edges of it and they read verses but they are actually explaining I'm going to talk about this more in a second, bro. Here's I'm I'm not going to give it away yet there. Yeah. Okay. Here. So, here's what you're asking. Here's five tests. And don't get too legalistic on this.

You got to give grace. Like give the benefit of the doubt. Look for the ways where Oh, bro. I can see how they were doing that. Like >> I hate It's the most annoying thing ever when everybody starts interpreting all the pastors in the worst possible light >> and then shooting people who don't desist. This dumbest. Like we literally have Bible verses. Watch out that you do not bite and devour one another. Like these are like literal Bible.

So quit doing that stupid stuff. Yeah. >> But but I will say here's like a couple tests. Okay. So, are they flinching at the points that are that are going to get you in a little hot water? >> So, there's obvious things. If you walk into a church, especially in the Northeast or in Austin, >> and there's a pride flag or a BLM flag, like run. Just get your kids out. Get, you know, everybody just run. Just run. Okay. >> Uh here's test number two. >> Is the gospel clear? >> And here's what I mean by that.

Listen real close. it. You're not hearing like, "Ah, I'm kind of a mistaker in need of a life coach." >> You're hearing, "No, no, you're a sinner in need of a savior." >> And real real good news, uh, Jesus is better at saving than you are at sinning. >> You know, like, you need to hear like, "Is the gospel clear? You're a wretched black-hearted sinner. >> Jesus is a really awesome savior." Yes. >> If you if you don't get him, you're going to hell.

Like, like, >> give me a little fire and brimstone, but with a heart that doesn't want you end up there. That's what you're Okay. Number three. And this is one like I'm I'm doing things where it's like these are the spots on the battlefield. Okay. Yeah. >> Are they clear on gender, marriage, and sexuality? >> Like if if you start here's what you're watching out for. If you start noticing anytime they're they hit a passage and they're talking about gender, marriage, and sexuality, listen real close.

And they're actually not explaining what the word says. They're explaining away what the word says. Mhm. >> Bro, the number of sermons you listen to and they get to that stuff and the sermon is actually explaining away what you just read >> and not explaining what you just read, bro. >> It happens more often than you think. >> Yeah. >> So, are they clear on gender and sexuality? Okay. Number four. Um, do now just go with me.

Just don't rage at me in the comments until you hear what I'm about to say. The Here's what I would just gently say. Um, are they willing to pastor the women? >> And dude, here's why I say this. Okay, now just just go with me. All the caveats, men and women are equally sinful. No one is like men and women equally sinful. All the things. But I'll just tell you from experience when you preach, you know, I did that whole eightweek series a few years ago, act like men.

You can get up and open that book and yell at men and beat them over the head and, you know, get your act together like you can go hard. Yeah. at dudes and it will get you uh clap emojis and fire emojis and your sermons will get shared a billion times. >> What can happen uh by the way what is one thing that is very different about Lake Point is Lakepoint women are the opposite of this. >> They are the opposite of this gift.

It is a huge gift. In fact, I'm going to brag I'll brag on this. >> The most viewed sermon I have ever preached at Lake Point is four signs of a god four traits of a godly woman. I think that's what it's called on YouTube. Because the women of Lake here, listen, here's my thing. I refuse to rob the women of my church of the disciplehip they need to become everything God wants them to be. >> So, here's why I'm saying this is what can happen for pastors.

You preach a sermon to dudes, you get all the the cheering, you give even a gentle admonition to some churches, ladies, and you just better buckle up. You're you're going to catch it in the teeth for the whole week. So, I think you just need to go, man, are they willing to pastor everyone >> and confront the sins of everyone? I think that's a legitimate question. Um, last thing I say here is here's here's your last little test.

Uh, actually two two more. >> Um, uh, there's a I call them there's two types of sermons. There's come and live sermons and those are the uh, you know, Jesus is the water of life and yeah, >> be encouraged, fulfill your calling, the Lord is for you. >> And then there's go and die sermons. Go pick up your cross. Amen. Do not be surprised surprised that the world hates you. Um uh I came to a conviction a few years ago when I was preaching through Jesus warning about the end times where he goes and you will be hated by all uh you will be hated by all men for my name's sake.

And it was like legitimately a point of conviction where I was like oh I have not done a good job preparing my people to be hated by all men for his name's sake. Mhm. >> So ask yourself the question is am I only hearing come and live sermons or am I also getting the come and die sermons because those are in the book too. >> That's good. >> I think that's one. >> That's great. >> Uh last few things here. Do they call sin sin? >> Yes. >> Uh not a struggle.

Uh not you know not an illness. You know here's what you're watching out for. In in our culture uh what people do today sin is called sickness. So we think it just requires therapy, not repentance. >> So there you will sometimes see this where it's like actually you're just always the victim and it's an illness and you it's like ah well actually you're the villain. >> You need to repent. >> You're broken and even like it's in the passive tense.

So someone else broke you so we got to address what other Yeah. >> And what's tough is bro sometimes that's true. >> That is true too. It's not it doesn't have to be either or but that's where the significant accent is on now is is the emphasis is on that. >> That's it. The biggest problem in your life, and I know this is tough, man, and I say this with like a gentleness in me because of how deeply some people have been hurt by evil people. >> The biggest problem in your life is not that somebody else hurt you. >> Is that you hurt Jesus and you are estranged from the living God >> and you need the gospel and a savior.

So, do they call sin sin? And then, you know, last thing I already said is just listen close. When they read tough parts of the word, are they explaining it or are they explaining it away? Okay. Any any other thoughts there? Any other comments before I move on here? >> What do you got, Paul? No, >> I think really just come around something you said at the beginning. As as you're doing that, use these appropriately in the sense of whatever church you're at or if you're maybe new to an area and you're going around and trying to find your church, look for overall patterns and look.

And so, in other words, it's not that every week they have to do all of those five or six. I don't. It's Yeah. It's more just look like I like to even I was I did a teaching for our uh worship team a week or two ago just on a theology of worship and we were talking about man like Christian worship. if I'm going with this, should be Christian. In other words, man, it should be trinitarian shaped. It should be gospel influence, all those things.

And the point that I kind of made with them that I'd say the same thing as people were evaluating preachers is like, hey, over the course of eight weeks in the songs that we sing, would people hear the gospel? Would they get the idea that God is father, son, and holy spirit? So, in the same way, all those things is like, man, think over the course of eight to 10 weeks, are you hearing those kinds of things consistently?

That's just I think that's both a good way to say, "Hey man, like to make sure you're at the right church that's preaching the word faithfully, but also we don't want people to go into the other ditch, which is becoming hyperritical of every single sermon." >> We we will excommunicate you from Live Free Nation if you become that jerk, the jerk for Jesus that ruins every church cuz that, you know, it's like that's not our thing. >> Yeah.

Don't do that. So that's just the one that I just stay on the road. Don't go into either of those two ditches. >> Yeah. And we get people come and speak very highly of Lake Point and you know speak very highly obviously of you pastor Josh but uh again just to emphasize that I think uh it is interesting for me coming from a different culture in a different country as well. I feel like here in America um man the the honor and respect for pastors is like zero like generally speaking obviously like when you just go on X and >> what's it like give me the difference between South America.

I mean there there's at least like if you disagree with somebody man at least you got to recognize man that that man is like trying to labor for the Lord and there's some aspect of respect I guess you could you maybe this is true in some aspects of like the black church or like you know some non-white churches I guess there's at least a level of like man let me at least call you with a proper title or some sort of like there's a difference to it >> default honor >> yeah but here you go X and like that one pastor that you have you have no visibility over what they're doing you're like taking shots like he he's your best bud from college.

And it's like and I'm I'm surprised I'm a great >> You're greatest enemy from college. >> Oh, you're greatest enemy. That's right. That's right. And and it's just like no respect, no honor, no reverence. And and and to me, again, a lot of these pastors, yeah, if you see somebody that is heretical, you call them out. Um but when you see somebody that you just maybe have a slight disagreement in their ministry philosophy, um at least you should you, in fact, I think we have Bible verses.

Um 1 Thessalonians chapter 5:12 says, "Hey, respect >> those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you and esteem them very highly and love because of their work." Um I I feel like when I was in college and then you you get all you start reading a bunch of books and you think you know everything and you don't um and then you go to church and be like, "Well, you're not preaching the gospel as you should, right?" Yeah, I did that.

Uh you got to repent for that. Uh but but so don't be that guy. Uh and show them grace, man. Be pastoring is hard. >> Yeah. uh the pastor and it's not even >> it's difficult. >> It's a little difficult. >> It's a little bit >> and so so a lot of and and again a lot of these pastors that you they're figuring it out like we're we're learning. We're all learning here. >> Yeah, dude. Yeah. Uh man, that's that's I'm glad you said that dude.

So the the big headline is chill out, bro. Chill out, bro. In Jesus name. Couple other things. >> That should be your next post on >> chill out, bro. >> All caps. >> Uh let me just say a couple other things. He talks about preach the word in season and out of season. And man, I I will just say, you know, it's really interesting uh when you go Jan and I have spent a little time in Europe and you know, in season, out of season, like there's some seasons where it's like, man, it's a little easier to grow a tomato than another season. >> There's some seasons there's some soil where it's a little easier to grow a coconut tree, a they call those palm trees, uh than than some.

So, what Paul's saying is, man, there's going to be sometimes some places where, uh, hey, dude, you can have all the right fertilizer, you can be doing all the things, you can give it all your energy, you can water it on the right schedule, and, bro, you you you're going to get very little fruit. There's going to be some seasons like that. You know, if you go to Europe, uh, like we just talked about Martin Luther and Reformation.

You go to Germany, I looked this up this week, there was a time where the greatest revival in the world was happening in Germany. Today, it's 1.7% Bible believing Christian. Wow. Uh we preached through Revelation 2 and 3 letters to seven churches. >> Uh that was literally the global staging ground for the move of God in the entire world in the first century. >> Today you're going to go there, you're going to see minats and mosques. >> It's less than 1% Bible believing Christian. >> Uh and you know you you so different things.

What he's saying is hey man don't matter like you just keep doing your thing. Maybe your workplace looks a little different, feels a little different. That's all right. you know, in season, out of season, you can just keep being faithful. Couple other things I'll say. And dude, let me just >> Yeah, man. Let me get let me get one one last thing here. Um, one of the great questions of this passage is how can a man who spent uh more than half of his life hating uh God, murdering Christians, and blaspheming Christ, how can that guy say, "You know what?

I fought a good fight." Mhm. >> I ran a good race. >> And dude, I actually, this is like my favorite part of the about the passage. What some Christians will do, this is a great little watch out. What some Christians will do is they'll mess up. They have stuff in their life. Uh or people who are not Christians, they go, "Man, you know what I need? I need a second chance." >> And you honestly, and well-meaning Christians, I'm not saying there's anything wrong with that.

Let's talk about he's the God of second chances. And in one sense, I kind of get what you're saying. But in another sense, I'm like, "Bro, you you don't need a second chance." I'm like, if he gave you a second chance, you're going to screw that one up, too. Out of the, you know, out of the frying pan, into the fire, you know, out of the food addiction, into the porn addiction, you know, what whatever it is, you're going to screw that one up, too. >> Um, you don't need a second chance.

Here's my here's the analogy I like to use. Um, we have I got three very very smart kids. Not all of them are awesome at math, okay? Uh, if I gave, and I'm not saying she's the one, but if uh if somebody put a calculus 2 exam in front of my 15-year-old Elelliana, >> bro, I'm just going to tell you, it don't matter how many chances you give her, she not going to do she's not going to pass the test. She's going to fail.

Fail fail. No matter how many chances she gets. So So listen, listen. I love this. >> What she doesn't need is a second chance. What she needs is a substitute. M >> she needs somebody >> she needs somebody who can walk in the room and say, "Hey, get up and let me take that test for you >> and sit down and they can ace the thing." And what Jesus Christ did when he came to this planet is he looked at all of us screw-ups, all of us rough around the edges.

There's guys that are listening to you're behind some bars in a correctional facility. and he looked at us and he was like, "Hey man, it really don't matter how many chances I give you. You're gonna screw that one up, too." >> Why do you let me step in and take the test for you? >> Amen. >> And then he came and he lived the perfect life that we could not live. Died the death that we deserved. And God made him who knew no sin to be sin for us that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

So I got a buddy that says it like this. He says, "Dude, this is so freeing." He says, "In the Christian life, there are no second chances. There's just the blood of Jesus and from now on." >> Oh, >> wow. Wow. >> And what he's saying, dude, is so let's go back to the original question. How can a guy who spends more than half of his life murdering Christians and blaspheming Christ get to the end of his life and say, "You know what, man? >> Fought a good fight, >> ran a good race." Well, here's why.

Because the Apostle Paul could also say, "I, the old me, have been crucified with Christ." >> Yeah. And it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. >> Come on, Matt. >> That's awesome. >> Anyone who is in Christ is a new creation. >> Creation. The old has passed and the newest is coming. >> Dude, it's the best. >> Last couple things and then uh I I want you to do five most common because there are here's why we're doing this. >> Bro, can I interrupt >> please? >> I was just notified right now over here on my fake headphones that uh that we just surpassed Joe Rogan on iTunes.

Bro, >> did we, >> bro? Right there. It's in the >> literally during the mod. >> Like right now. >> Hang it in the lube. >> We're going to put it right here in the wall. Joe's smile is a little bit smaller in this picture now. >> Go team Jesus. Go. >> We prayed for this. For the glory of God. For the glory of God. >> For the glory of God. >> We got Well, we we're going to frame it and just >> Some things only happen through prayer and fasting.

This probably might be one of those. So, >> that's amazing. Listen, you know who gets the shout out there? Live Free Nation. >> That's right. >> Live Free Nation. You just toppled Joe Rogan. >> Wow. >> For most listen podcast in the world today. That's insane. That's insane. So, let's keep talking about Jesus. >> So, here in a second, you're going to do I want you to do five most common uh heresies uh in in American culture.

There's a bunch of them that people may have actually been influenced by. They don't know it. Exactly. And we're going to give a bunch of caveats so you don't become a jerk for Jesus and start shooting people who don't need to be shot. >> That's right. >> But but I do want to say this. >> Hey, Live Free Nation, let's have fun with this and swing some elections. In all seriousness, midterm elections are obviously coming up in November.

Um, in the state of Texas, there's an estimated 16 million Christians. And the midterm elections coming up in November will be decided by a predicted actually about 300,000 votes. Um, so what this means is if Christians do their job as salt and light in the world, good things really easily happen. So what we've done at Live Free Nation is we actually built a website to help mobilize Christians uh to do our job as salt and light um in society.

So uh you can simply text the word vote to the number 2041. text the word vote to 20411. And we have built a website all at our own expense um to help Christians remember to vote leading up into the midterms because the number one reason that Christians don't vote, especially in midterm elections, is they just forgot. So with one text, vote to 2041, you will get one text, which is a link to the website where you can put in your address. uh we do not keep any of the information and it will tell you where the polling location is for voting in your area uh when to come and what in your area you need to bring.

Again, we keep absolutely none of the data and we will send you that text and then only one other reminder text right before midterms. So, let's have some fun with this. Text vote to 20411 and we'll see what Live Free Nation can do. So, here's here's the leadin to what Paul's about to do. So Paul says the So Chad G Paul see who I'm talking about. Now I'm talking about the Apostle Paul. So the Apostle Paul he does this thing and he goes he goes hey here watch out listen listen listen watch out.

The time's coming when people will not endure sound teaching. Most translations say sound doctrine. It's the it's the same word. >> But having watch itching ears. This is really helpful. He says having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions. Okay. So itching ears. Listen. Here's what he's saying. He's saying there's a type of person, and if you're listening to this right now, this could be you.

And you don't even know it's you. And you need to make sure it's not you. >> Because if it's you, you're going to put yourself under Bible teaching that is going to be awful for you, awful for your family. And if it's especially certain kinds of Bible teaching, it's going to lead your family to hell. >> So what he's saying is, watch out. There's a certain type of person, they don't want the truth. >> They just want relief.

So here's what he's going. You ever had like a real like Carlos, did they have the Do you ever have chickenpox or did >> Yeah, we do actually. And I actually had it. >> Oh, did you? Okay. Because now they got a vaccine and people don't give it >> because the technology we didn't have at the time, I suppose. But did you have it? >> Yeah. >> Okay. Did you literally everyone know the right message? >> This new generation though, like my wife didn't have it. >> Kids these days these days, what's wrong with the societ? >> So dude, when you got like a terrible it, think about it.

You got a terrible itch, it's just like it won't go away. >> Like your kids are not going to have it, right? >> No, they won't have it. They got a vaccine now, I think. So, so if you had a really really terrible itch, >> you'll like you'll do you'll do anything to relieve the feeling. What he's saying is you better watch out because if you let a desire uh that started as a foothold become a stronghold in your life and it becomes a chokeold.

He's saying that desire will become so big in you watch. You'll eventually get to the spot where you don't want a preacher who tells you the truth. You just want a preacher who gives you relief from the feelings of guilt you have for satisfying that sinful desire. He's going, "You better watch out because the time will come when in another epistle he says their God is their belly. They glory in their destruction is what he's saying.

He's saying all they care about is their appetites and desires." Okay? So then what people will do, watch. They'll say stuff like this. And dude, if you're doing this, I'm praying the Holy Spirit right now graciously in his love for you shows you that's what you're doing. So you can run, man. Run and get somewhere where you can get the word of God. What people start doing is they start going, "I don't like that pastor cuz he said I was wrong.

And I do like that pastor cuz he said I was right." >> Okay. Well, listen, bro. If that's you, you're not even looking for the truth. >> You're just looking for somebody who will tell you what you want to hear. So what you're watching out for is watch the order with which you listen to Bible teachers. It's about order. Itching ears. It starts with my desires and you're willing to change what word you will hear to make your desires feel better. >> People who are like actual disciples, what they do is they start with what the word of God says and they let it change their desires to make them more godly.

That's right. >> So there's this famous and it's actually really really mean. It's like it's actually savage. There's this famous story about Tim Keller who's hugging Jesus uh to shout out Tim Keller can't wait to come hug you in heaven >> where he tells a story it's very savage where college students would come back you remember you know what I'm talking about college students come back uh from college and like man pastor I'm deconstructing my faith man pastor I'm just I'm rethinking religion and God and Tim Tim Kell this is so savage Tim Keller would go oh let me ask you a question who you sleeping And he was like, his point was like 95% of the time, and here's his point. >> Their their desire for a sin became so big that they were willing to change what word of God they were willing to hear.

That's what Paul's talking about when he goes, "The time's going to come when people won't put up with sound teaching. They'll have itching ears and they'll just go go find whatever Bible teacher will affirm whatever desires they have." And I'm just going to tell you right now, bro. I'm going to tell you right now, I don't care what weird, deranged, gross thing you believe, desire, and do. I don't care what it is. You can find some Bible teacher on the internet somewhere who's got more degrees than Fahrenheit who will spend all their time explaining away what the word of God says instead of explaining to you what the word of God says.

And if that's you, you have itching ears and you're not putting up with sound teaching. >> And your facts. Now, uh, Paul, why don't you tell us five itching year thing? So, so here's what we want to do is we just want to help disciple people. >> Yep. >> I'm going to give a very strong caveat. >> Yes. >> There is with the whole thing we were talking about earlier. There's more verses in the New Testament about, hey man, preserve unity.

Watch out that you do not bite and devour one another. the all the things >> there is a difference between uh I disagree with that Christian on a doctrinal issue and they're a false teacher, a wolf, and a heretic. >> Those are different things. >> That's right. >> So, what we're going to do right now is five common do you want to use the word heresies? Is that the right word? >> Yeah. I was actually I think it could be false teachings and then within these there could be like levels of heresy because I even think in a second I'm going to kind of lay out what heresy is not and what it is and kind of just give some cav because I think for example I'll go and say one thing it's not not every disagreement amongst Christians is heresy. >> It's like one thing that drives me crazy for example is like we got into this a few weeks ago on the podcast on Calvinism and Armenianism and often times I'll see them call each other heretics false teachers. so stupid because there are certain things that faithful Bible believing Christians have simply disagreed over because the Bible presents some tensions.

And just because we disagree doesn't mean you're a heretic. And so we got to be really clear on that. But I'm going to give some caveats, but I think like what we want to do is is hey here here are five of the more common ones. It's not exhaustive and that we're not listing all of them. We're just giving five. And we could do an episode on each of these. So just know as we're walking through them, we can't give everything.

We're just going to kind of give some basics. But before before I jump in even to those, okay, if I give some more of a few other caveats, >> like here's the thing I say is false teaching is the broader category. You can have false teaching that is dangerous that you do want to avoid and run from. But if we say heresy, heresy is really more like, hey, they're attacking a level one issue. And a level one would be like, who is God? the trinity, the divinity of Jesus, the reality of the resurrection where hey, if you disagree or teach false things on that we have a different faith.

It's it's not that we disagree to I mean agree to disagree. We have a different faith and it's a different level of error. That being said, do you guys actually know what the word heresy actually means? >> I actually don't. >> I have I have a clue. I have a theory. >> What's your theory? >> Um heterodox. >> Okay. >> As opposed to orthodox. Ortho means straight. Hetero means uh crooked. >> It can but it also literally the original >> man.

This is not about that, Carlos. >> Well, well, actually, just going to here in a minute. >> I read a book on heresy a while back. That's what I said. >> All right. >> Yeah. So, >> did you really? >> I did. >> What was it called? >> Uh, >> do you remember? >> No, it was called It was called Heresy. >> Chester. >> Uh, who? >> By GK Chester. >> No, he said he wrote a book. >> No, I read a book. >> No, I read I was like He didn't remember the title of the book he wrote.

Did you use AI to say? >> No, I read a book. I did not write a book on heresy. I wrote >> Did you GK Chester heresy? >> Uh, no. It was another the Let me let me look up. >> I'm going to quote him in a second. >> A wonderful Cath Catholic believer. >> He's a stud. >> No, it was Alistair McGrath. >> Oh, Alistister. Great guy. Alistister. >> Another one on heresy. Go ahead. Go ahead. Did you read that one? >> Yeah. Yeah.

Yeah. No, it's good. It's good. Um, okay. Of course you did. >> Wow. Where have we gone? >> Okay. Yeah. So literally the original idea of heresy, it can just mean a choice of beliefs or a choice or I'm going to take something for myself. So the idea is instead of receiving what the Bible clearly teaches in what the church across all time and all over the world has consistently taught, I'm going to choose to adopt a different set of beliefs that either contradicts or distorts what the word clearly says or Christian history clearly says.

So that's the idea. um a part also of heresy really of any false teaching I love how GK Chester once said he says it's a truth that hides all the other truths. So a big idea of false teaching of heresies even when I go through some of these I'm going to describe some of their beliefs and some of them is because they actually take some truths from scripture but then they either deny or distort the other truths that counterbalance it.

So that's even another way to think of heresy is every heresy is an orthodox belief a right belief that's lost its counterpoint. So in the early church for example they on Jesus it was like some people were like oh he's fully God but ah he wasn't really a human. He only appeared that way. So he was fully God but they lost the counterpoint that held it in tension with each other. >> Same thing in these when we're going through these what what kind of what I want to do is basically we'll list the list the heresy then I think you uh >> we have a meme for each. >> Yeah I think we have a meme for each. >> A secret talent of mine.

Go ahead. >> So we'll list what I want. >> Did you create these memes? >> Uh some cuz I couldn't find a good one >> really. Yeah. So, yeah. Well, we needed a good illustration for the pod. So, I'm like, if you if you don't find it, you got to create it. >> I'm so impressed. >> Hey, man. Uh, I guess thank you for being impressed with my meme creating abilities. >> So, for each of these, I want to list it and then what I want to do is a few things.

Number one, I'm basically going to say, hey, this is the core of what it believes after we show the meme. Some distinctive marks and beliefs. And then I actually want to highlight, hey, here are some truths that it actually kind of gets right. Here are some things that it's drawing on. But then I want to emphasize, hey, here's what it leaves out and here's why it's dangerous and wrong. And I also want to distinguish, hey, here's some things that are simply false teaching, but then here are some things within these that if you believe it's outright heresy.

When we say heresy, basically we're saying, hey, if you teach these or if you believe these and don't repent from these is damnable, send we have a different faith kind of thing. Is that does that make sense? Does that make sense? >> So, can I call for Are you ready? >> Yeah. >> All right. Are you ready? Yeah. All right. Let's go. Heresy, but I don't know where he's going. Yeah. So, all right. Uh, Chaji Paul. Yeah. Heresy number one. >> Heresy, false teaching.

Number one, prosperity theology. >> Okay. All right. >> Prosperity theology. Now, man, we got we got a meme here. It says, "Prosperity gospel teachers, if you have enough faith, you won't suffer. The Apostle Paul, you're in the face." >> Now, I'm I'm Wait, you I'm going to give caveats because again, here's the caveat. There are people who teach things that s there are actual Bible verses that sound like that. So, you have to really clearly understand what Paul is saying and what he's not saying. >> This is really important. >> I'm so glad you gave that because before we jump in, this is something I should have even said earlier is that we do have to be careful because sometimes because they draw on truths from scripture, people will hear someone that may be in that particular sermon or teaching emphasizing one of those truths and then because maybe we've heard it falsely done elsewhere like, "Oh, you must be a prosperity teacher." Or, "Oh, you must be one of those woke progressive Christians." We have to be very careful and generous and not judge people based on a 10-second clip from a sermon or just anything like that.

All right. Prosperity theology. Here's the idea. God wants his children to have fullness and blessing materially and financially in their health and in their relationships. And if you have enough faith and even if you're willing to give money, you can have that. >> And if you don't have those things, it actually is a good sign that you don't have enough faith. >> There you go. And and so the idea is even like if you can go to an extreme, Christ's death is sometimes said to guarantee not merely our final resurrection and redemption, but it guarantees our present physical healing and material prosperity.

So if you don't have those things, you are not leaning into the blessings that Jesus Christ died to give you. Now the thing is is that it kind of leans into some truths that we do see in scripture. >> This is really important, man. Um because for example, God really does provide. That's right. >> It says that if we ask him, he can provide for us. Um in Deuteronomy 8, it says that God can give wealth. Material provision is generally a gift from God.

It's legitimate to pray for your needs and to pray for your health and to pray for your relationships. What this gets wrong is basically where equates God's blessing to material prosperity. And if you don't have that, you don't Yeah. >> almost to only material prosperity. >> Exactly. And here's the other thing I'd say >> because uh material prosperity can be one way God bless. >> Exactly. Because here and maybe even cutting to the chase here here to just show why this is wrong.

Any theology that would exclude the son of God from qualifying it is generally a pretty crappy theology. Here's what I mean. Um did Jesus Christ have fullness in his health at all times? >> No. Uh he died. >> Yeah. Did Jesus Christ have fullness in his riches and in his wealth? >> Nope. >> No. He said, "I have no place to lay my head." Uh, did he have rich did he have fullness in all of his relationships? No. His own family called him crazy at one point and one of his best friends betrayed him. >> And so, literally, if you're Go ahead. >> He had fullness of faith at all times. >> Exactly.

And so, that's thing. So, basically, if you're looking at Jesus, you have to say, well, hey, he didn't have that, so I guess he didn't have enough faith. And so the danger so while there are some things that we don't want to throw the baby out with the bath water, we do want to say God does provide and we should ask him for things out. He's a good dad who knows how to give good gifts to his kids. We also need to be careful that we turn the freedom to bless the freedom of God to bless to the promise of blessing that corresponds with our faith or with us giving to God.

Because what you often hear, let me maybe give you some phrases that maybe people have heard in this. If you will give thousand dollars, they often call it a seed gift of faith. If you'll give $1,000 to God, he'll give you $10,000 in return. >> Yeah. I'm That's just a lie. It's a lie. >> That's like you're not prophesying, you're prophesying. >> Exactly. It's a lie. And while man, Jesus Christ did to give us so much, we've got to be careful.

And this is where I would say it elevates it to really the level of heresy. when you're basically saying that Jesus died to give you wealth and to give you um physical wholeness when actually he died to forgive you of your sins to take away your judgment and to reconcile with God. You've twisted the gospel. Anything that you guys would hit on this or anything that I left out? >> Yeah, there you know there's a couple little things.

What's really interesting is actually in one sense Jesus did die for you to have uh uh prosperity. He did die for you to have your best life later. >> Yeah, exactly. >> It's like like Yep. Yeah. Yeah. And so, man, kind of what what I'm driving at here's here's here's a line. Here's where I go, man. A line. Because you will hear people lean into, by the way, >> actual Bible promises that do actually say that, man, things like, you know, uh, seek first the kingdom, divide, and then all these things will be added to you, pressed down, shaken together, overflowing.

Uh, you know, 2 Corinthians, uh, 8:9 talking about, man, as you as you give, you will be blessed in every way. There are actual Bible promises like, man, God does respond in blessing when you get Yes. Here's your line. Here's your line. If you start hearing things like, man, >> if you don't have material prosperity, it's because you didn't have enough faith. >> If you didn't get healed, it's because you didn't have enough faith.

That's where we've crossed the line. Yes. Into something that is, you know, kind of heterodox. Yeah. >> Yes. Yes. We would say do not confuse the prosperity gospel with the promises of the gospel. >> Bingo. That's great. >> Carlos, >> can God and again I'm bringing here for somebody that may be uh you know somebody could be like well you guys are financially well off or whatever you guys seem to be healthy. Um even if you're not in a spot like that um is God a provider of financial uh means?

Like yes he's he's owner of everything. Is he a healer? Yes. Is he Jesus talked about the abundant life? Yes he did. But when wealth, um, health, prosperity, success becomes the ultimate treasure, um, that's that's a problem. Uh, Jesus is your your ultimate treasure. And so, we are grateful for what comes from God's hands, but ultimately we do we do not neglect to seek God's face. >> There you go. >> That's so good. That's so good. >> All right, number two.

What do we got? >> All right, this is going to be a fun one because there's some nuances to it. And there's a range range of beliefs. Word of faith theology. Word of faith. Where's our meme? We got a meme over here. That's me. And by that I mean the guy in the over there, not my will but yours be done is the girlfriend. And then the other girl is name it, claim it, declare it. >> Let me just say you got to be on YouTube to see these. >> That's hilarious. >> If you're just listening, you probably should go pause and like go find the video cuz this is great. >> By the way, I just want to say this.

Uh, be a onewoman man with your eyes. Exactly. There you go. All right. What you got? So, but the basic idea of word of faith is that a believer can bring about their desired reality into being through manifestation through faith and faithfilled words. Specifically, this really caught on with a guy named Kenneth Hagen in the 1960s and he emphasized the idea of speaking words of faith as a way to manifest health and wealth and other blessings.

You can see some of this is overlapping with prosperity theology. They are a little bit different but they're still correlation. The idea here is that a huge emphasis putting on the idea between the the logos, the written word, and remmo, which is a spoken word. So you often hear, if you hear people spoken, the idea of the rema word. It's not a definite sign, but it could be a telltto sign that you're listening to a word of faith preacher. >> I I'll give a heavy caveat there because I know tons of very faithful uh charismatic Bible teachers that'll talk about, you know, Rama versus Kyros and they're not this >> and they're not.

And that's where you got to be careful. You got to be careful. And so oftentimes this will be something that people call and this is what leaning into the meme a name it and claim it theology. So for example someone will say well man don't say I have cancer because in your accept reality you got to speak healing over your life and you got to claim it. Um and listen again part of this is leaning into stuff that is in scripture.

Faith matters enormously in scripture. And the idea of faith expressed through expectation. It's hard to say that I'm having faith in God if I'm not expecting anything from God. Expectation is a form of faith. I mean you see in scripture the idea of in the book of Mark it says Jesus could not not decided not but he could not do many miracles because the people in particular town did not have faith. So man man faith matters enormously.

And by the way we should pray boldly. >> That's right. >> So man those are important things but where where this gets out of line is the simple idea that I can manifest a reality into existence by simply speaking it into existence. Faith is not a force by which I impose my will upon reality. >> That's right. >> Faith is trusting God who rules reality. >> Dude, here's how I like to say this. So, the anchor verse for some Word of Faith, guys, is the I think it's is it Proverbs 17 life and death? 18:21.

Life and death is in the power of the tongue. Okay. So, first of all, let's acknowledge something that's true. >> Uh that that verse is true. >> That's true. >> That verse is true. But listen, this is really really important. Okay? So, what we're not listen here's the difference. We're not saying, man, your words h have so much power that you can get God to agree with your words. Here's what we are saying. There is power in getting your words to agree with God. >> Exactly. >> That's where the power is. >> Yes.

Exact. In prayer, we can both say, "I know you can." >> Yeah. >> And I pray you will and say, "Your will be done." >> There you go. >> And so when Jesus prayed um in the garden and basically said, "If you will take cup of me, but not my will but yours." He was praying a biblical prayer. He didn't lack faith. The Apostle Paul prayed three times that God would remove a thorn from his flesh and he didn't. It's not because he lacked faith.

He asked and God said no. So the idea I'd say the danger, the false teaching part is the idea of it's about me and what I want. When the right posture towards God is saying, man, I'm going to bring to you my request and I'm going to have faith that you respond, but it's not primarily what I want. It's about what you want. Now let me give do let me let me do give a few places where this can go from harmful or false teaching into outright heresy.

There are some lines of thinking um in the word of faith movement which again that's a very broad term and sometimes I'm glad you point out sometimes people think that all charismatics are extreme word of faith people it's simply false and not true. Um but it came across there are some elements in word of faith teaching that basically believes that we are little gods. Kenneth Copeland's famous mean I don't even know what that means.

I've heard that before. What the heck does that even mean? >> That's a great It sounds really weird. Well, and even like the way Kenneth Copeland say is like you don't have a God in you. You are a little god when it gets that level that at that point is probably at this point I would say is level one heresy and you've got to run for the hills. Um man, we do have the living God inside of us by the Holy Spirit. But we are not little gods.

Also, I'd say you got to be watch out for is almost like basically it can makes God sound like he has to do whatever you want him to do if you have enough faith. And basically, you're making him your servant and him your vending machine. And that's where this can really get out of line. Let me give one more. I think this is where I want to add up something that's so to to your point. Sorry, Paul. So, so Jesus uh in John 10:34 cites an Old Testament verse from Psalm 82:6 that says, "You are God's." And again, um, when when he does that, you want to explain it? >> No, you keep going.

I think you're going to say what I'm going to say. >> When he does that, he's not implying that you and I share in some sort of divine nature. He is speaking to an authority sense. Uh, so again, I don't know if that's where these preachers get that. But, um, again, it's one, it's confusing, two, not helpful. Um, three, if if it implies that there is some sort of divine uh sharing in the divine, it's just wrong and heretical. >> It's just stinking weird. >> Stinking weird.

I do want to warn about a subgroup again this is not all it's not again because that's part of some of these it's helpful to say some of these are a spectrum of beliefs >> is there is a group called N or NAR or the New Apostolic Reformation this is not an official denomination you've never heard of them >> never heard of that's a joke ahead >> there's a lot there's a lot of jokes the three of us want to make with each other right now but we're not going to uh it's not an official denomination but it's kind of a group and basically their idea is this is that man their reformation information is the idea of God never meant for the official office of apostle to go out.

And so the idea >> big a capital A apostle >> big A capital A. So the idea is is that God is raising up apostles who have the same authority as Peter and Paul and the other apostles in >> you hear somebody say run for the hills for the hills because not all but many who refer to themselves as apostles basically say that their commands and their authority are on level with the apostle Paul and Peter and therefore begin to kind of encroach upon the level authority of scripture. >> Yeah, bro.

We got Bible verses for that. We are delivering to you the message of God. Quote, once and for all delivered to the saints. Ain't nobody receiving any revelation on par with the authority of scripture anymore. Sorry. Run for the hills. >> Yeah. These guys, they'll start basically saying, hey, what I say to you is on par with scripture. Or they'll say, well, hey, let me explain what scripture says. And their interpretation is authoritative.

So, frankly, this wouldn't be a guy who's nar, but this is what Joseph Smith did that started Mormonism. Okay? He would take scripture and basically he referred himself at one point as a new apostle basically and said, "Hey, this is actually Hey, you guys got this wrong. This doesn't mean the trinity. This means there are three separate gods and stuff like that. Run for the hills. >> You never go full Mormonism. Never do that." That's right.

That's another meme. >> We ready for Go ahead. >> We ready for the third. >> Number three. Number three. >> All right. This will be a fun one. >> I don't know where you're going. >> You're going to be basic Christianity. Okay. >> Progressive Christianity. >> It's a guy. I don't always follow the Bible, but when I do, it's the parts I already agree with. >> That hilarious rather hilarious. >> What's the thirsty men? >> Okay, for this one, a few Kevin, this one covers a wide range of beliefs.

There isn't necessarily unonymity between all the people who could be lumped in as progressive Christians or woke Christians. But let me summarize it with a few core beliefs that they would hope in common. Number one, the Bible is no longer the final authority. >> Yeah, the Bible is no longer the final authority. Scripture is treated as a fallible record of ancient people's experiences and beliefs about God, but not necessarily as God's words themselves to us and what God himself is saying to us.

Uh, the Bible can be respected, quoted, or preached from, but here's the key. If scripture conflicts with modern beliefs about God or about any kind of ethics or whatsoever sexuality, we don't go with what the Bible says. We go with what we say. We had to uh only once and I won't use a name. Uh maybe I should uh we kicked uh it's the only guy we've ever had this uh we had to kick we had to remove a guy from strategic launch our church plan network uh who became an actually biblically defined heretic. >> Yeah. >> And this was the this was the uh heresy >> and it it was that and uh it was really interesting.

I got into a a rather heated conversation one time and I just here's a question. I asked I said what is the difference between your ethics and the ethics of any secular humanist and he could not give me a single difference. Yeah. >> So dude the big thing you're going to talk more about this for a second. The big thing about uh progressive Christianity >> is uh they will hollow out your religion and wear it like a skin suit. >> Exact.

This was my very next point is that they'll often use the same Christian words and the same Bible words that we use, but their meanings drastically change. We I know we're going to respond to a video in the latter half of this and we'll definitely hit into this now. So, they'll use words like the gospel or salvation or sin and resurrection, but they'll radically redefine those. So, the resurrection ah that doesn't actually mean that Jesus literally rose from the grave.

It's just the resurrection of our faith. Sin becomes not so much about what I do, but what's done to me or it's just the oppression of the poor. It's just what I do to others. Sin is not for first and foremost what I do against God. It's what I do against other people. Um Jesus is primarily example rather than a savior from sin. Rad radical def redefinition of sexual ethics. And here's a big one is that in progressive Christianity, Jesus is no longer nec necessarily the only way to God. >> Never ever ever. >> He's a good example.

Hey, if Jesus makes your life better. But you know what? Hey, if someone sincerely believes in Allah, if someone sincerely a Buddhist, that's great. There's many paths and many ways that you can get to God. >> John Mark Comr one time who was a pastor up in Portland for a long time. He wisely, now this, you know, he wisely one time because here's what happened. Some people, they grow up in a church like ours, Bible Believing Church, you know, the whole whole word for the whole thing.

And uh and then they go to they go to college. there. By the way, parents, please stop paying to send your kids uh to organizations whose entire goal is to reverse and undisciple your kids. >> Let's not do that. So then they do that and then so then they become so what they do is they go from Bible believing Christian to progressive Christian. And and so he was up in Portland. This is like what he was surrounded by. And here's what he said.

He said, "In my experience, >> uh uh progressive Christianity is just a stopover on the way to postChristianity." Oh, 100%. >> It's just it basically, hey, man, you're just deconverting. Yep. >> You're just crockpot deconverting instead of light switch deconverting. So, here's why I'll summarize this and I want you to move the fourth one so we we keep rolling. Here's what you're going to notice. It redefineses. So, it redefineses sin.

Yep. >> Salvation and redemption uh and atonement. Sin, salvation, uh redemption, and atonement. So, in progressive Christianity, uh the problem is not sin. The problem is social injustice, inequity in the system. The solution is not repentance and atonement. The solution is social justice activism. They practice tolerance of sin, not repentance of sin. Uh Jesus did not die for your sins as a penal substitutionary atonement.

We're using theo the theology word nerd words there. Jesus didn't die as a penal substitution for your sins. He was really just an example of another victim of social injustice in the evil Roman Empire. And he died as an example of speaking truth to power. social justice activism and disciplehip isn't actual disciplehip. It's more just like vote vote left and protest things. >> Yeah. >> Like put bumper stickers on your car and yell at people and say do better. >> Yep. >> Not Christianity. >> Not Christianity.

All right. Number four. >> All right. So, the first three were primarily things that you could find in specific churches, denominations, probably more espouse from the pulpit or from the stage. The next two can be those for sure, but they're actually found across many churches and are probably more predominant in the seats and the pews than in the pulpit. >> Wow. >> And so the next two are I'll get the first one first.

Works based Christianity. >> Yeah. >> Works based Christianity. >> Here's a meme. This is a man choosing one or the other. Having a hard time. One of the options says Jesus said it is finished. And the other option says, "But maybe if I read my Bible 30 more minutes, God will love me more." >> Theology nerd humor. >> Oh, did you create that one? >> Theology nerd. I was that had I felt I felt you. >> I'm just I'm trying to illustrate whatever it is you're going to see. >> I thought it was great.

I'm just saying I felt you on that one. That was good. >> The entire book of Galatians is written contrary to this heresy. >> Exactly. Go ahead. >> So, here's the core thing. And again, this is this sneaks not in just necessarily through the pulpit, but just into the into the people's minds and hearts that are just sitting in almost any church. And it's this. >> My standing before God depends wholly or partly on what I do for God rather than what he has done for me. >> Bingo. >> That's the core of this. >> Best news you'll ever hear.

That's the core of this. We like people who think this think, "Hey man, God's love for me and his acceptance of me depends wholly or partly on what I do for him rather than what he did for me through Jesus Christ on the cross." That is the heart of this. Now, this looks, I think, like two versions. There's a religious version, which is, yeah, I'm saved because I believe in Jesus, but now it's on me. I've got to get my stuff together.

It's like instead of it just being grace period, I'm giving a grace period. like, "Oh, gives God gives me grace, but then I got to get my stuff together and live a good life for him to keep him loving me." >> It sounds like this. I'm saved by I get God's love by faith, but but I got to keep God's love by works. >> Yes. But then, exactly. Then I would say there's actually a much more common version that's outside of the church that is this.

I call it nice person justification. I am saved if I'm a generally good and nice person. Like if I'm generally a good person, I don't kill anyone. I think when I die, the good will outweigh the bad. That's not man. And here's what actually some of this gets right. Man, your life does matter. How you live does matter. Like I mean Ephesians 2 says that we are not saved by works. But it does say we are saved for works. So that's the key distinction.

We don't want to make people think like oh I can confess Jesus walk the aisle when I'm sick and now live like heaven until I go I mean live like hell until I go to heaven. We don't want to make people think that. But rather we got to get the order right. I am not saved by what I do and by works but I am saved for good works. You want to move to the fifth one >> real quick. The whole point of the gospel, it is grace. Uh I've heard somebody said that uh grace means God's riches at Christ's expense. >> That's right. >> And so it's not your expense, it's Christ's expense.

That's why there's hope. >> Here's the the the thing I like to do. I love doing this in sermons is about, hey, pick a number in your head. On a scale of 1 to 10, if you're a Christian, how much does God love you right now? >> And I get agree with you. The answer is it's always a 10 because the Bible says there is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Listen, God does not love you to the degree that you are like Christ Jesus.

He loves you to the degree that you are in Christ Jesus. So what I like to do is are Christians saved by good works? >> Yes. >> Just not ours. >> And it matters for your lesson. I'm going to make this brief cuz again a lot of this can sound like theory, but I meet so many people who live with a perpetual fear. That's right. >> That they haven't done enough for God. >> That's right. >> And they go to bed afraid sometimes like, "Oh, what if I've done like No, no.

Like, it's not about what you've done for him. It's about what he did once and for all for you." >> All right. All right. Number five, >> our last one. I call this one cafeteria Christianity or Build-A-Bear Christianity, depending on what you like to call it. >> Cute. You're welcome. The guy uh being smart says, "Can't be convicted by scripture if you ignore the verses that convict you." >> I got I think that's hilarious.

Did you make that? >> I did. >> Bro, you're so good. >> No, man. I uh So good. >> The best memes for the one who uh These are old school memes, by the way. So, Trinity wouldn't approve of these memes. She's uh she's >> I would I would actually argue >> they're not busting it out. >> They're not. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. They're skippy toilet, bro. >> What's the Jin slang, Trinity? >> She says it's Skippy toilet. I'll ask I don't want to go home. >> I would actually argue that this is probably the most widespread false teaching or false belief or heresy out there in in most people.

And the idea is this the thing if you go if I go to a cafeteria um or if you go to I don't know how if it's prominent where people live the idea of a golden corral. The whole idea is is man I'm going to get I'm going to get a tray I'm going to plate and I'm going to pick and choose what I like and then I'm going to leave what I don't. And so the way a lot of people believe build their belief system or their ethic system, the way they live is, hey, if the Bible says something that I agree with and that I like, man, I'm going to take it.

Oh, God is love. That's amazing. Oh, God judges and he's also God of wrath. >> No thanks. >> Uh, no, no thanks. I'm going to leave that, man. Like, hey, take care of the poor and love the poor. Yeah. Hey, man, control your body sexually and do and like and live a certain life. No, I'm good. I'm going to live however I want. And so, basically, the here's the issue with this. It makes Jesus my savior, but I still get to be Lord. >> Oh, bro, that's great.

That's that's good, Paul. >> It makes Jesus my savior, but I still get to be Lord because I get to choose what parts of him he has both in my mind and what I believe and in my life and what I do and what parts he has. And I forget, you may remember the actual guy, but there's a famous story of this Christian emperor that when he was baptized, he allowed him to baptize all of them. But he kept his hand and his sword above the water. >> I looked it up few years ago.

It's a true story of uh it was some uh Christians during the Crusades that they would there were soldiers that would be baptized. They would hold their sword out of the water because they felt by the way I actually think there's a an argument for that they were waging just wars. So they actually probably didn't might not need needed to have done that but they would hold their swords out of the water because they thought I'm probably sinning by how I use my sword.

Yeah. So they would get baptized every part of them except the sword. >> Exactly. And so the idea is like you can have every part of me but this. And that's the mindset of this is that we have to remember Jesus doesn't merely offer salvation. He demands lordship. >> It's not an either or. It's a both end. Luke 6:46 says, "Why do you call me Lord Lord and not do what I tell you?" Yep. >> And practically speaking as well, I'm connecting dots here, but selective Christianity or cafeteria Christianity eventually leads to progressive Christianity.

And progressive Christianity eventually leads to postchristianity where like you exit the faith. >> Typically true. >> So there you go. >> Anything you guys think I left out or anything you think I missed? >> No. Let's talk about James Taylor cuz we're going to give an example. >> Yeah, this is great cuz basically let's double click on one and now we'll get to see a living version of it. >> Okay, so this video went super viral recently, literally this week and it's this is uh what you'll see is Reverend Babs Miller who is a minister at St.

Andrews Presbyterian Church in Austin, Texas. Um her official title is Minister to the Parish. This is James Telerico, longtime congregation, and it's obviously a hidden camera, and she's going to share uh what she really believes on some topics that she's being asked to in this moment. >> Yeah. I want to say a couple things about this. Um some of you, you may have listened to some of these uh Cheddy Py run through some of the heresies.

You're like, "Nobody actually does that." >> Wrong. Do not pass go do not for like $200. Uh honestly, this stuff is like it's all over the place. It's it's for real. It's all over the place. And you don't know it. bless God because you're not around it. Um, but it's all over the place. Now, I want to set this up real quick. So, dude, um, here's I'm going to zoom out and just I'm going to give you this is an old conversation me and John Tyson had one time and so I'm going to bring this here.

Uh, what you're seeing right now in American culture is you're seeing something I don't think at a meta narrative. People don't realize what h what's happening. So, for the last honestly, I'd probably say since ah just after World War II, secularism has kind of been the official kind of predominant religion governing the social order in the United States. Uh, bro, this is Tyson. This is fire. Tyson says, "Searism >> does a reverse exorcism.

It goes throughout society and wherever it finds God, it cries out, come out in humanity's name. Only John Tyson can throw fireballs like that. Okay, now that in some more progressive areas that secularism might still be honestly most people think secularism is generally dying. Now dude, here's the bro here's the warning because we got Bible verses for this. Uh nature hates a vacuum. >> Yes. >> And Jesus gives this example.

You remember that time uh he's telling the little parable. Hey man, if you drive out one demon >> and if you don't backfill it, if you drive out an unclean spirit and you don't backfill it with the Holy Spirit, uh, hey, actually watch out because seven other unclean spirits will backfill the one unclean spirit you just expelled and the last state of the person will be worse than the first. Dude, I'm going to give you a theory and we can watch for the next 20 years and see if I'm I'm right.

I think as secularism is dying and being driven out, you're actually going to start to see in American society competing spirits and spiritualities >> vying for cultural dominance in America. So instead of it being like, ah, we're committed to atheism and secularism, honestly, dude, I think you're going to see, >> and understand what I'm saying and what I'm not saying. I think you're going to see it's like Islam, Christianity, uh, demonic progressive Christianity, various spirits and spiritualities start to, hey, man, bunch of unclean spirits try to backfill the vacuum created by driving out the first unclean spirit of secularism.

Uh, which leads me to why, and I know these are strong words, but these are Bible words. Why you're starting to see demonic false teachers moving from pulpit to politics. >> So, there's actually two prominent ones. Uh, I haven't mentioned the other one on the podcast yet. One's James Tarico. Yeah, we've done that a million times here. The other one is, I think it's in Kansas, Adam Hamilton, >> uh, is is running for office, progressive Christian pastor.

The dude's like got a a church. Uh, it's like I think it's like the the largest uh, Methodist church in the United States, >> bro. They like literally financially sponsor uh, pride festivals that are like having drag, you know, affirming church, all the things. like it's evil, man. He's running on a pro-choice platform. It's evil. It's like overt evil. And these guys are like uh a wolf in sheep's clothing kind of deal.

And I use that in the biblical sense of the term. Just because you disagree with something a pastor says doesn't mean he's a wolf in sheep's. I'm talking about somebody actually teaching heterodoxy. >> Yeah. >> These are like openly affirming nonorthodox, non-orththraxy guys running for office. They're moving from pulpit to politics, which leads me to what you're about to see. Okay. So this is uh James Talico's uh I'll call her a pastric.

We'll just say that. So uh this is Reverend Babs Miller. Now Trinity, I'm going to have you stop start a couple times because I want to help people get a playbyplay of what progressive Christianity sounds like. >> So when Paul's talking about itching ears Oh. Oh, that's what it's talking about. So we we'll do this real fast. Okay. So here we go. >> Do we really believe that like a virgin gave birth to a baby? >> Yeah.

Okay. I I just don't want to offend my own my own common sense. >> Yeah. No, don't. >> Yeah, >> absolutely. Don't. Part of what we encourage here is for people to think for themselves. >> Hey, pause. So, so we have like an actual clear doctrine of the Bible version of Jesus. Hey, you know, don't check your uh don't stop doing your thoughts and doing God's thoughts. Keep doing your thoughts and ignore God's thoughts. I just want to point this out.

Huge hallmark of progressive Christianity is in the garden. How does Satan tempt mankind? Hey, did God really say, >> "Oh, wait. You will not surely die." In other words, Satan's going, "Uh, really what I'm encouraging here is for you to think for yourself." >> Okay. Well, I'll just tell you, like me as a pastor, I'm not I'm not encouraging you to think for yourself. I'm trying to get you to be transformed by the renewing of your mind, by the word of God.

Okay? That's okay. Now, keep keep going. >> Yeah. >> And take what makes sense. It's kind of like what they say in 12step program. Take what you want and leave the rest. >> Okay. Boss. So, Babs, >> build a bear. >> Babs, take what you want and leave the rest. >> The Apostle Paul, I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole council of God. Okay, keep going. >> So, you you and I know that that >> watch this >> would greatly offend your relatives. >> Yeah. who want to hang on to these archaic rules.

Mary and the Virgin birth comes out of the pagan belief that the gods came down and impregnated people. >> Well, my gosh, >> as my grandma would say, bless your heart. Bless your heart. And dude, actually, I want to say something way more serious. >> So, think think about this. She's taking this Holy Spirit inspired virgin birth of Jesus and going, "Hey, you know where that idea came from? demonic pagan religions. So, dude, I just want to point this out.

In Mark 3, Jesus says, and we could do a whole episode on what this means and what it doesn't mean. Jesus says, "Hey, do you know what the unforgivable sin is?" >> He says, "Truly I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the children of man, and whatever blasphemies they utter. But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin. >> For they were saying, he has an unclean spirit." In other words, Jesus is warning, and this is a whole podcast episode. >> He's saying if you continue in for the rest of your life in a spirit where you look at things the Holy Spirit did and start telling people unholy spirits are doing that, he says, "You better watch out >> because if you die in that spot, >> you're going to hell." >> Yeah. >> That's what Jesus is saying.

She's literally looking at an act of the Holy Spirit and saying that came from demonic Paul pagan religions. I got we got Bible verses for that. All right. Now, now keep going. >> Yeah. >> That that people were still hanging on to during that time. >> Um I'm gonna apologize in advance, but not apologize. I'm going to use a very strong word in a second, but we have a bib we have biblical merit for me saying what I'm about to say.

Okay, keep going. Watch what she says here. >> We have no way of knowing if Jesus really existed. >> Pause. Then get the hell out of a pulpit. >> And here's why I say that. I know that sounds harsh. Nope. >> In Galatians 1:8, the Apostle Paul says, "Even if we or an angel from heaven, preach to you another gospel, let them be damned." >> Yeah. >> So, I literally mean, you're seeing someone pull hell up onto earth and into a pulpit.

Get out. >> Yeah. >> Get out. Okay. Now, keep going. Watch. >> Any more than we have of knowing that the original Buddha ever existed. >> Yeah. And whether or not Jesus existed doesn't really matter to me. >> Okay. Whether or not Jesus really exists doesn't really matter to me. Okay. The Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 15. And if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is feudal and you are still in your sins. >> If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pied. >> So I'm team team Paul. >> Yeah.

And also historically speaking, it's just not true. Like even uh like uh like if you talk to the vast majority of historians today, >> atheist historians >> and even like the most ardent atheist today that are historians, they will acknowledge that the vast majority that the consensus is like he definitely existed. >> Yes. >> Uh this is actually a quote from uh an atheist historian Bart uh agnostic actually today Bartman who rejects the resurrection and much of traditional Christian doctrine.

He says this um Jesus certainly existed as virtually every competent scholar of antiquity, Christian or non-Christian agrees. >> Except Babs, except Babs. All right, keep keep going. >> Fact remains that that message that was delivered by someone named Jesus supposedly and it could have all been made up for all I know. And the God in the Old Testament is not a loving God. It's a vengeful killing people kind of god. >> Pause.

Okay. Now, every progressive Christian you almost meet ever says that. That's going to get thrown thrown at you at the water cooler at your office. So, let me tell you how to respond to that really quick. Okay. The God of the Old Testament is a vengeful killing people kind of God. What they're doing is they're looking at the passages in the Old Testament that people call the quote slaughtering of the innocence passages.

Now look, >> God commands the slaughtering of the innocents. Okay? If you ever get that thrown at you, let me tell you how to think about that. I got great news for you. Great, great, great news for you. In all the passages that people call the slaughtering of the innocent passages, great news. All the innocent ones were spared. >> Bad news, there were no innocent ones. >> Why? because I got a Bible verse that says the wages of sin is death >> and all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.

Okay, so good news,