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NASB | Jude 1:4 For certain persons have crept in unnoticed, those who were long beforehand marked out for this condemnation, ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Jude 1:4 For certain people have crept in unnoticed [just as if they were sneaking in by a side door]. They are ungodly persons whose condemnation was predicted long ago, for they distort the grace of our God into decadence and immoral freedom [viewing it as an opportunity to do whatever they want], and deny and disown our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ. |
Subject: Scandal of the Catholic Priesthood |
Bible Note: You know, I just keep going back: "If the Son shall make you free, you shall be free" -- what? "...indeed." These dear people need to be delivered and liberated. You say: Well, how do we do that? Well, if you meet one, you need to treat them with compassion, but you need to recognize that they're probably in some pretty profound turmoil. And you could talk about freedom and deliverance in Christ. You know, let's just pray that God will start giving us opportunities to witness to priests and nuns. Wouldn't that be great? So while the whole system is crumbling, these lives can be picked up and no -- no homosexual, 1st Corinthians 6: No sodomite is going to enter the kingdom of God, right? But then Paul followed up by saying: "But such were some of you." But you have been what? Washed. Wouldn't it be great? Let's just pray that God will give us opportunity to see some of these terrible imprisoned people in a Satanic system washed and sanctified. You shouldn't even be a pastor if you're not the husband of one wife, right? Shouldn't be a pastor if you haven't ruled your own household. Well, shouldn't be a pastor if you don't have faithful children not accused of dissipation or insubordination. These people shouldn't be pastors. Furthermore, they're not Christians. Listen to this: "If you say you have fellowship with him, but you walk in darkness, you lie and do not the truth." They say they have this elevated fellowship with God. That's a lie. And you want to know? I think in many cases, they know it. They know that there's no victory over their terrible plight. Now there are probably some exceptions to that; men, women who do good, feel good about it. There might even be some people who've actually confessed Jesus Christ as Lord and been redeemed, and they're still stuck somewhere in that system. God could do that. That must be another kind of torture. We don't need any priests. Revelation 1: You are a kingdom of priests. We only need one high priest, and it's not the Pope. We have one mediator, the man Christ Jesus. The veil is torn. We go right into the Holy of Holies. You are a priest and I am a priest unto God. Father, we thank you tonight for a wonderful time together, and just kind of sorting through some of these things, our hearts are indeed gripped and grieved. How terrible is this system and how, you know, in the evangelical world, Lord, how can people look at this, and think somehow that this is all fine, and they're just, you know, another denomination; and leave these poor, darkened, benighted, beleaguered, tragically bound, fettered, eternal souls in that system? Lord, God, in the midst of all of this, draw some of these people to your Son. May they awaken to the true gospel, and may they not be so buried deep under the perversions and the lies of the Roman system that they can't rise from the dead. Would you be gracious in that way? And if you can use us along the way to accomplish it, we would be pleased. For your eternal glory, Lord, we ask these things in Christ's name. Amen. Transcribed by Bonnie Frankfurt of Grace Community Church and added to Bible Bulletin Board's "MacArthur's Collection" by: Tony Capoccia Bible Bulletin Board Box 119 Columbus, New Jersey, USA, 08022 Our websites: www.biblebb.com and www.gospelgems.com Email: tony@biblebb.com Online since 1986 |