I want to read a few verses of scripture from the eleventh chapter Hebrews beginning with verse 24, reading through verse 27. "By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he had respect unto the recompense of the reward. By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible." I want to call your attention in particular to the last statement in the 26th verse, "He had respect unto the recompense of the reward. I am persuaded to believe today that if more people would have respect unto the recompense of the reward in the future we would have a far better world to live in today. We are most all acquainted with the story of Moses when he was a baby, how his mother hid him for three months from the king and then after three months placed him in an ark of bulrushes and set him adrift in the river PharaohÕs daughter came strolling along the river and found this ark and the little babe; she decided immediately adopt this little boy as her own child, and for a nurse she hired Moses own mother, under her teachings, under the influence of her prayers, and during that period of time Moses' mother instilled the teachings of her God into the heart of her boy. She instilled the teachings so deep into his heart that when he came years and to the age of accountability, to a time when a decision must be made for God or against God, the, teachings were the things that held Moses in the path of rectitude at that time. The first thing I want you notice in the lesson that I have read to you is the fact that Moses refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter. The treasures and the riches of Egypt could not buy Moses; there was something deeper in the heart of Moses something of such value that had been instilled in his heart by his mother that all the pleasures of sin, the riches of Egypt and even adoption into the royal family didn't mean anything to Moses. He chose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God and to esteem the reproach of Christ greater riches than all the pleasures and all the treasures that Egypt could afford him. I can imagine Moses as he walked out one day and at the end of the King's palace looked down across the plains of Egypt an he saw a little city of tents. In those tents lived his own, kindred and his own people, slaves to the nation in which he lived in the palace of the King. As he stood looking out over that scene of those little humble tents, there was, something down deep in his heart that got hold of Moses and he began to think of his own kindred and his own people under bondage. He living in, the palace and his people living in tents. As he looked over that scene, I can imagine the tears began to trickle down his cheeks; an he began to ponder in his own mind as to what decision he would make. Moses stood at the fork of the road; he stood there face to face with a decision for or against God He had to go with God and his people or against God and his people. After pondering the question in his mind, he turned and walked back into the palace. As he crossed, the threshold of the door, he made a decision down in his heart that "I would rather live in tents with my own people; I would rather suffer affliction with the people God; I'd rather live among my own people than to have all that Egypt can offer me." He made that decision as he thought of his mother's prayers and his mother's teachings. Then it was that mother reaped her reward when her son made his decision for God and for the things of God. Why did Moses make such a decision? Why was it that the pleasures of sin could not influence Moses more than they did? In the eyes of the world Moses made fool's choice, but he was not choosing for time: he was choosing for eternity. Sense chooses in the light of the present, but faith chooses in the light eternity. The text that I read to you answers the question as to why Moses esteemed the reproach of Christ greater riches than the pleasures of sin. And that question is answered in this 26th verse, "For he had respect unto the recompense of the reward." Moses saw the end of both lives, and he chose rather to serve God and to suffer the reproach of Christ than to revel on in sin. Beloved, as we ponder this question in our minds today, I ask you now to think along with Moses. Not only, did Moses make this decision, but you are facing the same decision Moses did. Perhaps some of you have already made that decision; others will face it in the future; perhaps some of you right now are thinking about the hereafter and about the end of your life if you continue to live just as you are living right now. Moses looked out to the end of the way, and he saw it would be far better to serve God and to suffer with God's children than to live on in sin. You are on the auction block today friend; the devil is bidding high for your soul; he is bidding high for your life. Life stretches itself out before us today. Satan offers you many pleasures; he entice your soul to follow in the paths of sin and to revel on the paths of ungodliness, and he promises you many things, beloved, but may I say to you today that nothing he offers is as precious as your eternity-bound soul. Yes, you look out upon life today; it promises you many things. Satan promises you a high social standing in your community if you will just follow in line with his crowd and go along with the crowd. But you know, when Moses made a decision, he stepped from the highest social position in that nation down to the very lowest position in that nation; it was a great step for Moses to make, but he saw the reward that lies in the future for every soul. In the world today social position isn't something to be scoffed at. Millions are selling their souls for a little social prestige today; men and women are giving up their hopes of eternity, turning away from God and away from the gospel just to have someone speak good words about them in the community, just to have someone pat them on the back. But, beloved, it will not amount to very much on the day of judgment, what men may think of you. What men may say about you will not amount to a thing on the day of judgment. On that day it will be, what does my Lord think of me, and how did I live back in yonder world? As you ponder this question in your mind, friend, I ask you to think seriously today. I would to God I could persuade you to make the same decision Moses made. There are many pleasures in sin. I wouldnÕt deny that, because the Bible says there are pleasures in sin. I want to read a verse of scripture found in 2nd Peter 2:13. Peter is talking about folk who are desirous of incessant pleasure and he says in that verse, "And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time. Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings..." Beloved if you are living sin and you feel that you are enjoying life to its fullest, you are only deceiving yourself as you live on in sin. And if you desire everlasting pleasure, if you desire peace down in your heart, there is one way and one place you can find it, that is at the foot of the old rugged cross. So turn your heart to the Lord, turn away from sin. I would like to plead with you to turn your heart and life to Jesus. Make the same decision Moses made; yield your all to Christ just now. May God bless you. Won't you turn from your sin just now, friends, make that decision? Oh, if you could just realize and visualize just now the great judgment day when you stand before God and give account of your life. Will you humble your heart just now and pour your soul out to the Lord?

THE FIRST RESURRECTION

In John 5: 24 we read these words, ÒVerily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.Ó In this statement of Jesus our minds are directed the subject of a resurrection. He mentions two states in which we may be found while living in this world: the state of death and the state of life. Of course, we an understand these words as spiritual and not literal. In I Tim. 5: 6 Paul is speaking of a person that lives in pleasure as dead while he lives. The person who lives the pleasures of sin is dead spiritually while he lives physically. Likewise, Jesus in the words of our text is speaking of death spiritually and coming to life spiritual. Also he speaks of the passage from the state of death to the state of life. We understand that conversion is the emigration of a soul from death into life spiritually, Webster gives the definition of resurrection as a restoration to life; a coming to life; therefore Jesus is teaching resurrection in a spiritual sense. When one passes from death unto life he has been resurrected. Jesus said, "He that heareth my word and believeth on him that sent me hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life." This is a resurrection, to believe on Jesus and accept him into our heart and life; but it is a spiritual resurrection and not a literal one, and also is the first one. We have many false prophets over the country today preaching two resurrections and placing both of them in the future and both literal ones. Jesus says in verse 25 of the same chapter of John, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and NOW IS (at the time he was speaking when the dead (spiritually) shall hear the voice of Son of God: and they that hear shall live." During the earthly ministry of Jesus many who were dead in trespasses and sin heard the voice of Jesus as he preached, Repent ye for the kingdom of heaven is at hand" and as many as obeyed him to them gave he power to become the sons of God, and they were resurrected from a dead state in sin to a live state in righteousness. This is the first resurrection. The second and general resurrection will take place at the second coming of Jesus. In John 5:28 in these words, he speaks of the general resurrection in these words, "Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming in the which ALL THAT ARE IN THE GRAVES shall hear his voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation." Here Jesus pictures most beautifully the two resurrections. The first , a spiritual resurrection in which we are born of the Spirit of God at conversion, and the second a literal resurrection at the second coming of Jesus when all mankind will come forth from the graves to stand before God in judgment for the deeds of this life.

It's the first resurrection that is of vast importance to the human family. We take part in the first resurrection by matter of choice and decision to follow Jesus and a strict obedience to his word, and it's the first resurrection that makes men blessed and holy, and without holiness no man shall see the Lord. (Rev. 20:6 and Heb. 12:14). Therefore, only those who have part in the first resurrection will meet Jesus in peace and will be accepted into heaven. All men come into the world with the principle of sin in their nature and are under the curse of sin and spiritual death. "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned" (Romans 5:12). Back in the garden of Eden Adam transgressed the law of God, and the penalty of sin, which is death, was meted out to the human family as a result of it transmitted the seed of sin to his offspring; he propagated his own likeness with the rudiments of his nature and moral likeness in them. Adam and Eve were the only two who were made or came into the world in the image of God their Creator. When they transgressed the law of God, that image of God was marred by their disobedience, and all mankind comes into the world with that image marred as a result of Adam's transgression. Notice in Gen- 5:3 we are told, "Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in likeness, after his image; and called his name Seth." Seth and likewise all of Adam's offspring, came into the world in the image of fallen Adam and not in the moral image of God, which is pure and holy. Sin, left its mark on the moral character of all mankind David says, "Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin my mother conceive me." By divinely ordained relation to Adam all mankind has become involved in the consequences of his sin and God looks upon all mankind as dead in trespasses and sin until they have come and repented and been "born again," which is the resurrection. The sinner comes to God in a state of spiritual death; he comes forsaking and repenting of sin and God has mercy on him and saves him through faith in the precious blood of Jesus. He immediately comes to life spiritually, being born of God, and this could be called nothing but a resurrection.

It's this first resurrection, a spiritual one, that folk need to have a part in that they might be ready to meet Jesus when he comes again to receive his bride. If more people in the religious world had had part in this resurrection, we wouldn't have so much cold, dead, formal religion. People who have had part in this resurrection have come to grips with God and have forsaken sin repented of it and been made alive spiritually. They are dead to sin and the things of this world, and are alive to things pertaining to godliness and righteous living. Paul says in Co. 3:1, If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God." To be risen with Christ means we have repented and been "born again" and are seeking those things which are above. We're not interested so much in the affairs of this world but are continually seeking a closer walk with God that we might become more intimately acquainted with him. We have similar experiences as the travelers on the Emmaus road on the first Easter morning. They walked along with Jesus and knew it not until they arrived home, and he, after much persuasion, entered in and returned thanks at the table and then made himself known to them, and they said, "Did not our hearts burn within us , while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?" As we live from day to day we too can walk and talk with Jesus. He will open to us the scriptures and will show is things the ordinary individual cannot see; truly our hearts will burn within us if we have been resurrected to life in Christ.

Referring again to Rev. 20:6 John says, "Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power." This resurrection makes men blessed and holy. Has your life been blessed and hallowed by the coming of Jesus into your heart an life? He'll deliver you from the bondage of sin and put a halo of glory around your soul, filling it with love divine, if you'll forsake sin and formalism and coldness and repent and be "born again." He also will give you grace to walk the highway of holiness with him. When men have part in this first resurrection they cease to sin and are made holy through the blood of Jesus. They become partakers of the holiness of God through faith in his Son and walk circumspectly and holy before the world, They are risen with Christ; therefore, they are seeking those things which are above. The cheap, gaudy pleasures of sin have no more appeal to them, for they are risen to walk in newness of life. Through the regenerating transforming power of God, the mind is renewed; the heart is completely changed, and this inward renewal will produce the outward transformation; and when we see folk professing to be God's children yet hankering after the things of the world, we are made to realize the inward work hasn't been done yet. They need to go to the fountain of life and plunge in and be made whole. They need to have part in the first resurrection, which produces blessed and holy people.

Jesus says in our text, "He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life." To hear the gospel preached and the Spirit of God calling and obey them both from the depths of your heart is to be "born again" and have part in the first resurrection. Only those people who have had part in the first resurrection will be admitted into heaven; rection, only those who have been born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. Only twice born individuals will enjoy the bliss of eternal glory.

WILL CHRISTIANITY WORK?

I've felt the burden of this message for some time. Its the burden of my heart and along the line I shall preach is one of the greatest, most important truth's that all of the children of God should have a vision of. I want to read two verses of scripture to start with. The first one is found in the 14th chapter of Luke, the 26th verse, "If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple." Then over in Rev. 12:11, another scripture, "And they overcame by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death". Now looking back to the scripture in Luke 14:26, Jesus there plainly set forth teachings concerning our discipleship, concerning us as followers of the Lord. He placed before our minds the requirements of being his disciple. He said, If any man come unto me and hate not. I want you to get those positive words of Jesus. If any man come unto me and hate not his father and his mother and his children, his brethren, his sisters, yea, and also his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Now, beloved, I want you to bear in mind that those are the requirements of discipleship today as much as when Jesus was here on earth. He did not set these in the Bible and say they are optional, but they are requirements for you and me to be disciples of Jesus. We have to put everybody and everything second to Christ or we'll get nowhere in the kingdom of God. Unless we love him supremely, unless we love him above everybody in the world, we'll never have that real sound experience that we long for in our hearts. I'm so glad that when we turn loose of everything, say good-bye to sin and good-bye to friends and relatives and everybody, the Lord will really bless our hearts with a real experience of salvation.

Now Rev. 12: 11 tells us they overcame him. "They" in this scripture refers to the saints of God. "Him" refers the dragon, enemy of the saints of God, and the preceding verses of this chapter tell us about a war that went on in heaven, not in the eternal heavens where God wells but the spiritual heaven and where Michael and his angels fought, and the dragon we are told was cast out, and his place was found no more in heaven; and the eleventh verse it says that the saints overcame him with the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony and they loved not their lives unto the death. Three points there in that verse give us a view into the real success of a true child of God. "Their success and their victory over the dragon and enemy of their souls was based upon those three things. And, beloved if we overcome Satan and sin, we will do it by the blood of the Lamb. There will be no other way we can do it, only by the power that is in the blood of Jesus our Savior. Also we will overcome by the word of our testimony. When we try to conceal the love of God in our hearts and fail to hand it out to the world it will become stagnant and will be no more in our hearts. Then, Dear ones, the Bible says they loved not their lives to the death. They'd rather give up their lives than to give up Jesus. Do you love him that well? Do you love Christ and his work so much that you'll just lay on the chopping block and say, "Take it, I'll not recant; I'll not give up Jesus. You can take my life but just leave me in the hands of God?" Can you say that? I'm glad this afternoon I've made that decision in my heart. As I've often said, I've gone to far to turn back, and I'm afraid to do anything but just trust God, and I mean that. I'm afraid not to trust God. Too many bridges have been burned behind me. If I'd turn back, I wouldn't know which way to go. So the only thing I know to do is to just keep my hand in God's and just keep plowing through the forces of evil. Now if individuals are not to the place where we love the Lord that much, we are not where we ought to be. If we haven't placed Jesus uppermost in our affections, in love, in our lives, in our all, we are not where God wants us to be. We're just a little below that standard that God wants us to live by, and that is, that he has first place in our hearts and in our lives. Unless we can truthfully say with John the beloved that our fellowship is with God the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ, we're not in tune. Oh, when we are in constant touch with God and with the spiritual dynamo in heaven, when we attached to it just right, then the Christian life is drab, uninteresting life. But, friends, if you have nothing but a profession as you go along in life, it will be a drudgery for you to try to serve God. It will be an uninteresting life; it will be a monotonous life, the commandments of his word will be very grievous for you to bear, but when you're hooked up with heaven just right, it is not grievous to be borne. Praise God for his word! Then we can have fellowship with him and his Son Jesus Christ.

Now the word of God plainly teaches us that we should have on the whole armor of God; and when we begin to think about having on the whole armor, we begin to think about fighting. I want to say, dear friends, if you aren't clad in the whole armor of God and if you don't have it fixed in your mind to fight your way through, you shall never see the pearly gates of heaven; because every step you take in the kingdom of God and the work God through the coming years is going to be in bitter opposition to the forces of evil. They are arraying themselves all about in this big world to stamp out real Christianity and to do away with the old-time minority that believes in old-time religion. But thank God, the word, tells us the gates of hell shall not prevail against GodÕs church. Brother, we might just as well buckle on the whole armor and resolve in our hearts "Lord, we will go through if it takes the heads from our shoulders." Yes we have a song that says, "God leads his children along, some through green pastures, some through shady place some through the water and some he leads through the fire. I want to say God leads us through suffering too. Oh, wouldn't it be nice, as Bro. Calloway said, to stick, up your finger and say, "Mark me down for a robe and a crown"? Wouldn't that be nice? Wouldn't it be nice to say, "Lord, I'm coming," and then just go as we please? Let's not look for an easy way. Let's not expect an easy way. if it were an easy way God wouldn't have provided any armor; you surely would not need it. But since he has provided armor and exhorted through his apostles for us to put it on, then let's get it on and get ready for some suffering. Now I don't mean physical suffering or physical grief. There are other ways that men suffer greater torture than through the human body. Men are strong as a rule and are able to stand untold agonies in the physical body, but when it comes to suffering the shame and reproach of the cross and when it comes to bearing the reproach that religious leaders will pour out on you, it's a different question altogether. But we might just as well get ready, for their intimidating remarks. You had just as well fix it in your mind they will come; and if one man doesn't say it, then another will. If one man doesn't say it then an organization will . So let's die out to all those that are said, let's not let them shake us one bit; let's this precious book, and some day we will see heaven.

Now let us turn our attention to Matt. 24. There's a verse I want to call your attention to. In the first three verses of that chapter we read of Jesus and his disciple at the temple in Jerusalem, and the scriptures says he came out of the temple and departed, and the disciples came to Jesus to show him the beautiful buildings of the temple. They still had their minds, like a lot of people today, focused on the material things. They came around and said, "Jesus, just look at the beautiful temple." In my mind the beauty of the temple just can't be imagined. The grandeur of that temple can't be visualized in your imagination. But Jesus saw something greater and far more important than these things. In verse two he said, "See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down." These old material buildings will all be torn down. Not one stone will be left on another. We know that about forty years later it really happened to the temple at Jerusalem. Then in the third verse after they had gone to the Mount of Olives the disciples came to Jesus and asked him a question, "Tell us what shall be the sign of thy coming and of the end of the world? when shall these things be?"

Not only those disciples there have desired to see some signs, but men women all down through the ages have been somewhat sign seekers. They wish to see some signs. By the help of the Lord I'm going to show you an outstanding sign that tells us we are right at the threshold of eternity. just one sign I want to show you that will prove to any rational minded individual that we are on the doorstep of eternity. Jesus is nigh at the door. As we look about today in the religious world there's one great move on foot toward an objective, and most outstanding religious leaders of the world are thinking of that one selfsame thing. The outstanding question of the day is unity among God's people. We read about it, we hear about it everywhere we go. In a religious meeting it's unity, let's get together, let's have just one church. Let's get together and have that one church.

Thank God that men's eyes have been opened to the extent that they see something is wrong. They see that division is a sin. It's wrong, and we need to get rid of it; but to say the most, there's only a few who have found the remedy for it. Now maybe you say, "Preacher, you think you're one of them." And I'll answer you, "Yes, I do." Not egotistically do I answer, but I thank God that the Lord has opened my little eyes down inside to the truth of his word. Christianity will work right here as well as anywhere else. Christianity will work on point of unity the same as on any other point we want talk about.

WILL CHRISTIANITY WORK?

There are many moves on foot today to bring about this desired result, one great world-wide church. The Federal Council of Churches in America is an organization that has been working for years and years to accomplish this thing. But the Federal Council of churches leaned a little too far toward communism and she split the ranks of Protestantism wide open because there are evangelical bodies in the Protestant world that refused to co-operate with the Federal Council in bringing about, one world-wide church because of the fact that the Federal Council had leaned too far toward Communism. Therefore, seeing her mistake in splitting the ranks of nominal Protestantism, the F. C. C. has turned out to through another channel, which is just as dangerous as the F. C. C. itself. And the council through which it is working now is the National Council Churches of Christ in the United States of America. N. C. C. C. U. S. A. it is branded, and it is only a subsidiary of the federal council, comes under the same organization, under the same body of men, working the thing identically as the Federal Council of Churches has been trying to work out for years-leading the religious organizations up to one thing, and that is an ecumenical church. That word ecumenical means general, an means world-wide in its extent. And we read throughout religious digests all over the nation of this ecumenical church being formed through this organization. But there are churches all over the nation that oppose bitterly this idea. Some words of strong denunciation have been uttered against this one ecumenical church. The America Council of Churches is one organization that is fighting it with all of its power. The National Association Evangelicals is another movement that is fighting with all of her power. I want to say, beloved, that we as children of God should register our protest against it too. I am not merely going to quote to you what somebody else has said about it and show you the perils and dangers that lie within the thing, but by God's help I'm going to register my complaint as a New Testament minister of God, and my complaint is going to be based on this. I say, beloved, that we need to register our complaint against this thing. Now the goal of this ecumenical church is a legitimate goal. I would not deny that one church throughout the world is a legitimate goal and is something to be desired. And it's that goal that blinds multitudes of men and women. All they can see is an ecumenical church, or world-wide church. That's all they can see; that's the very thing Jesus prayed for, isn't it? He prayed in John 17 that they all might be one, "that the world might believe that thou hast sent me." Now maybe you say, "Now, Bro. Barber, don't you think there ought to be one worldwide church?" I do, but I don't think it will ever be brought about to please God, as these organizations are endeavoring to bring it about, I'm not in the least agreed with the idea of one ecumenical church throughout the world because I see the dangers involved in the developing of such a world-wide organization. I'm going to tell you about some of them. Now the road the religious world is traveling today to obtain that desired result is the wrong road altogether. We hear about inter-faith movements all about, don't we? We hear about groups that are meeting in communities. It's a mixture of every denomination in the community. If Roman Catholicism happens to be there, she's right in with them. It's one big meeting in the community or city. No, I don't agree with that, won't have any part in it. Even though the preachers in my community say we need to get together, I say, beloved, I have no part in them, and I will refuse to take part in any of them. I'll show you why I refuse. How many of you love freedom? Let's see your hands. Almost everybody. Well, if you'd testify you'd say that you love it. I do too, and above all I love religious freedom. But this thing we're headed for today is going to rob people of their freedom. This ecumenical church idea is going t rob the public of the right to worship God as they choose, or as God directs. I have clippings in my possession telling of inter-faith movements, inter-faith gatherings throughout the United States and Canada. In Quebec not so long ago there was a great unity meeting. A mixture of Protestantism and Roman Catholicism of every brand. This meeting was hailed as a big step toward the ecumenical church. In Chicago another meeting held where 200 ministers were gathered, some in long white robes, long black robes, and some in street clothes. They had a great meeting. They called it an ecumenical meeting. I want to say when You mix Roman Catholicism, Jewish people, Protestantism, and Roman Orthodox, you can't have the presence of God in that meeting. God will not work in such a mixture of unbelief and idolatry as we get together in such a meeting. Why, here's a Jew who doesn't even believe that Jesus is the Son of God. Can you with him and have real fellowship with him? Can you worship with Roman Catholic men and women and have true fellowship with them when they're looking to one thing, and that is the priest or Pope to take away their sins? Why Peter said there is no other name under heaven whereby we must be saved. When we turn Jesus aside and begin to seek other channels and means to get rid of our sins, brother, we're outside of the kingdom of God. There's no hope for us until first we turn back to God.

But I say these meetings are being held all over the nation. At Berkeley, Calif., they started an inter-faith school, a school that is operated by the Protestant organization, by the Catholics, by the Messianic Synod, by the Lutheran Church, the Christian Science Church. A mixture of all of them have started an inter-faith school. When the teachers get together to decide what they are going to teach and how they were going to teach they had a big problem on their hands. IÕm not surprised. It was a big problem. But you know they agreed among themselves that nobody could proselyte. It would not be fair to proselyte. They also agreed that no teacher was allowed to use refreshments to entice a non-member to come and be a member of his class. And on those agreements and on that basis the school was started. the result will be; I'm curious to know. Beloved, that's not the way to unity. That's not God's plan at all, inter-faith movement. I'm fully aware that he man who opposes this move in any given city or community is the man who received the public scorn and ridicule and is looked upon as the disgruntled somebody and narrow minded somebody who does 't want God's people to get together. That's where the persecution will come. I'll tell you the salvation of the Lord won't mix with everything and anything. Salvation is something that is separated from the isms of men. Regardless of how much we try to put them together and mix them up, they will not mix.

Now, beloved, the road the world is traveling in the developing of this ecumenical church is a road that leads to spiritual darkness and bondage, back from which the world came out of in the 16th century reformation. I want to say again that the road the ecumenical church is traveling today goes back to the spiritual darkness and bondage as in Martin Luther's reformation. If you have studied church history you know that in A. D. 530 Papal Rome, Roman Catholicism, as we know her today , came into full power. From A. D. 530 to A. D. 1530 Roman Catholicism was state church at that time, and it was be a Catholic or die. Roman Catholicism worked in harmony and co-ordination with the civil law. When she sent out a decree and some one failed to obey, Roman Catholicism used the civil law to destroy that man or woman, and in that period, childen of God were found only in caves and catacombs, hiding and worshipping God in secrecy. Are you not glad that thing isn't today? We couldn't be here like this. No, we couldn't enjoy the privileges we have today in open daylight were we to live back in those 1,000 years. not the way to unity. The civil law of the land would not permit it. Then to think of going back, dear ones, is more than I can bear. It's more than I like to think about, notwithstanding the fact we're heading back that way as a world, going right back to it. God spoke to Martin Luther and gave him a revelation of truth back in Wittenberg, Germany. The truth that God gave him was that the just shall live by faith. He began to preach the new birth. He began to preach you must be born again. Of course, it began to bring about a breach between Luther and the state church, or Roman Catholicism. He was admonished and told to quit preaching it, but it came from God; and he could not quit preaching it. When God delivers a message to his true ministers, they'll give out that message if it takes their heads from their shoulders. When they fail to do it, they have lost out. There's only two things, do what God tells you or else lose your soul.

Martin Luther kept preaching the glorious truths revealed to him. The longer he preached, the wider the breach became until finally Roman Catholicism excommunicated him and branded him and his workers as Protestants because he was protesting against something. Too many Protestants today cease to be Protestants. They don't protest anything. They just put their arms around the spirit of tolerance and they will tolerate almost anything under heaven. Now the Federal Council of Churches has come forth with a formula of tolerance to offer the United States concerning Russia. And that formula is based on these three things I want to read to you now. First, the existence of conflicting beliefs must be considered as normal. Second, all men must renounce their efforts to spread abroad their way of life by methods of intolerance. Third, the U. S. must accept primary responsibility to secure international acceptance of the method of tolerance. When the Federal Council of Churches comes along and tells the United States of America, a nation that's based on the foundation principles of Christian liberty, she must adopt methods of tolerance to a pagan nation, I say, beloved, there is no foundation to build upon there. When we fail to protest against some things and accept the spirit of tolerance, we've turned the Spirit of God out, because the Spirit of God is not a spirit of tolerance. It will not tolerate anything and everything. It tolerates one thing, and that is faith and obedience to the word of God. Let's never get the idea in our minds that the Spirit of God is a spirit of tolerance. It would never tolerate the things that men would like to get us to tolerate. I'm glad that we can stand before a gainsaying world with that Spirit of God in our hearts. That's not narrow-mindedness, that's not fanaticism, that's just the Spirit of God having his way. Every other way is false, and with David I say, "I hate every false way." Amen. David said he loved the way of truth and I love it too. This is it, the way of truth, the way of righteousness that leads to the portals of glory. again, I say the present path that our religious world is following leads right back to the same spiritual darkness and spiritual bondage that existed for a thousand years between A. D. 530 and A . D. 1530 and, beloved, I don't want to go back to that. I don't want to go back to an age where men and women have been robbed of their spiritual freedom. This ecumenical church idea and inter-faith movement isnÕt a thing but regimentation. Regimentation merely means gathering together in groups or units for central control. The only central control I want to recognize is that control in heaven. Yes, beloved, that control in heaven, where God controls his people from the throne of grace.

This ecumenical church idea that is developing in our world today is going to develop in great power and authority and is headed by a group of unbelieving infidelistic, modernistic men who will have the authority and power to lay their finger on the man who does not obey their ethics and commands. The result of the move that is being developed today will be a group of dictators who will work from a national office somewhere, and they will dictate their commands a through state office and then a county office, then community office; and, beloved, it will affect every congregation in the U. S., and it will also affect every individual in America. Now I know a lot of folks want to say that this is some fantastical idea we have gotten hold of and that it is a bug-a-boo that doesn't exist, but I say it does exist. Already in the United States of America, a land of freedom, a lot of good preachers have been off the radio because the Federation of Churches not want them there. Is that freedom? There will multitudes of other preachers who will be silenced by this organization that is developing. One great reason why I believe it is going to develop and mature is because it is in line with scriptures. The Bible teaches that very thing is going to happen. Maybe you didn't know there were any such teachings in the Bible, but they are there. I am going to turn and read one scripture passage that pictures this organization named the ecumenical church. In Rev. 16:13-14, "And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. For they, are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty." In this portion he said he saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet. Those three symbols in this passage of scripture symbolize; the dragon, pagan Rome; the beast, Roman Catholicism; and the false prophet, Protestantism today. Now John saw the three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of those three organizations, and they went out on the breadth of the whole earth and to the kings of the earth to gather them to the battle of God almighty. And as we look at current events today we look at those three organizations moving together to collaborate with one another to destroy genuine Christian religion. Just a few years back you never did hear tell of Protestants and Catholics going together. It was an unheard of thing a few years ago, but today you pick up a newspaper and read about their having their inter-faith movements and gatherings and enjoying it. Truly the signs of the times point to the fact the enemy working through those three organizations is gathering his forces together to stamp out genuine Christianity. Now I want to turn to Rev.20:7-9. "And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, and shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them." This brings us down to the end of time, or the coming of Jesus. Doesn't that picture the gathering together of the different religious organizations all throughout the world to form one great world-wide church? And in the scriptural understanding of the whole thing it points to this beast that is pictured in the 17th chapter of Rev. Gog and Magog. Gog and Magog is constituted of all of the false religions of the earth binding together their forces to destroy real, true Christianity. But in the midst of their encompassing the camp of the saints, fire came down from heaven and devoured them. Thank the Lord! he'll just reach down right in the midst of that great mess of confusion and lift his great glorious bride, the true and living church of God and take her to glory to present her to his Father. Thank God for the privilege of being a part of that bride of Christ, the privilege of having our spiritual eyes opened and spiritual understanding enlightened by the word of God and by the Spirit of God.

Now I said my subject was "Will Christianity Work? Do you believe Christianity will bring about the desired results of a Christian world today? Do you believe Christianity will bring about one world-wide church? Is it possible for God to save men and women in like manner and melt their hearts together into one great organism, the church of the Bible? Is that possible? It is possible through genuine Christianity, but it is impossible the way world is trying to develop it. God will save one and will save another man just alike. When he saves them, he puts them both into one body, which is church, the body of Christ, and when we get to the point where we speak of inter-faith gatherings, I fear we are just a little bit beside ourselves when it comes to the Bible teaching. The prefix inter means among and so indicates more than one. So when we say inter-faith movements we mean movements of different faiths. How often we have heard someone say, "You're not of my faith and order."

Dear ones, there's only one faith. I want to turn to Paul's writings in Eph. 4:4-5, "'There is one and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism." When an individual comes to God to be saved, he gets salvation through and by one faith and faith is just believing God and trusting God. When one man comes to God to be saved, he gets saved by believing, obeying, and trusting God. It is by faith. Then another comes to God saved. He has to be saved by the same kind of and same kind of trusting the first man got saved by. Beloved, there is no such thing as different brands of faith. Paul said there is only one faith. Then it is impossible to have interfaith gatherings in the light God's Bible. That's the reason I won't take part in any of their services; that's the reason I am preaching to you as I am today, that God will open our eyes to the dangers that stand out before us in the developing of a world-wide church which will rob men and women of their privilege to serve God according to the teachings of his word. Not only is there one faith, but there's one body, as Paul said in Eph- 4:4, "'There is one body and one Spirit..." How many bodies did Paul say there were? One body, and one Spirit, even as you are called in one hope of your calling. I believe if Paul were here today, he'd preach the same message he ,wrote in the fourth chapter of Ephesians. He would tell men and women there's only one body, one faith, one way and one Spirit, even as youÕre called into one hope of your calling. Then he said in I Cor. 12:13, "For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit." Not into six bodies, not into two hundred and fifty-six, not into two, but we're baptized into one body by the one Spirit of God and by one faith. Beloved, when God opens our eyes to the teachings of his word and reveals his glorious church, there's no place for anything else. How I praise him this afternoon for the glorious light of the gospel that shone on my pathway and revealed the glorious bride of Christ. Hallelujah to God for the truth of his blessed word. They can form all the organizations they want to, but say, the glorious body of Christ is separate from it all, no part of any of it. Now what is that one body? We read in Eph. 1:22-23 what that one body is. Paul was telling there in those few closing verses to the Ephesians of the exalted position of Jesus Chris-exalted above every name in heaven and earth. Then he closed out the chapter by saying God "hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him that filleth all in all." Praise God for that wonderful truth, the truth this is his wonderful body. Their Paul, said in Romans 12:4-5, "For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another." Do you know, beloved, the plain simple teachings God's word have confounded the wise and prudent of this world? They're clear beyond the simplicity of Jesus Christ and have missed it all. But God said he would reveal it to babes. Now if you want God to reveal it unto you, you'll have to humble yourself as a child. you must let go of everything you've had injected into mind since you came into the world, , get rid of all the prejudice get rid of everything else, and God will reveal to you the most beautiful thing that ever existed. He'll open up your understanding; he'll open up your heart; he wlil open up your eyes, and you will see the most beautiful bride you ever beheld in your life. Thank God for the revelation of truth! Friends, it only comes through God, the Word of God, regardless of how much mental ability we have, or how much we may develop that mentality. The Bible is a closed book to the man who has not experienced the divine touch and been born by the Spirit. The natural man receiveth not the things of God because they are spiritually written and spiritually discerned. The reason men and women fight the teachings of God's word concerning the one true church of the living God is because they are blinded spiritually and have never been in touch with God; they've never been born again, their spiritual eyes are sealed; the veil has never been taken away; and they can't understand the word of God. But, friends, when the glorious hand of God reaches down and touches the heart and quickens the spirit and gives a new heart, you can understand then what the church is, but not until God comes in, not until God comes in, not until God performs the work of the Spirit in your heart. Beloved, may God open your eyes to the dangers before us in the forming of this organization called the ecumenical church that is designed to rob us of religious freedom and religious worship. Yes, those things are coming, dear friend; they're coming, but I thank God that Christianity will work. Christianity will bring about one church; bring about one body, and the only way we'll obtain unity is to get our hearts in tune with God. God is unity; he is the very sum and substance of unity. You can't divide God. God is composed of the triune God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. There was never a division or a split between them. There never will be. When men are born of the same Spirit and are placed in the same body by the same Spirit of God, nothing can result but the glorious body of Christ. [ For Next Sermon...see Link below... ]