Join us as we continue our exploration of God’s nature. This episode of International Gospel Hour unravels the complex relationship between love and doctrine. Reflecting on scriptures that speak against false doctrine, vain worship, and misguided teachings, we encourage listeners to reconsider their understanding of divine love and what it means to worship and live according to God’s word. Discover the love behind God’s correction and the path to a more authentic spiritual journey.
If I were to say God hates something, that would probably shock you. It will shock many people. But for God to be a God of love, there are things that He hates. And I want us to think about what God hates today as this is part two of our broadcast, You Mean God Hates? That’s coming up from the International Gospel Hour. Please stay with us.
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Hi, this is Jay Webb for International Gospel Hour.
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For 90 years, churches of Christ have proclaimed God’s word through International Gospel Hour. You are about to listen to another Bible-based lesson with Jeff Archie of International Gospel Hour, starting now.
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Well, thank you to our J-Web for his kind words. And greetings to all of you. Great having you with us once again for our studies here from the International Gospel Hour. We want you to know that our work is under the oversight of the elders of the West Fayetteville, Tennessee Church of Christ in Fayetteville, Tennessee, about 20 miles north of Huntsville, Alabama. You can write us at P.O. Box 118, Fayetteville, Tennessee, 37334. You can also send us a message through our website at internationalgospelhour.com as well as our toll-free number of 855-444-6988. If you’d like to take a moment and just give us a call after the broadcast, or if you can pause the broadcast, whatever works best, we’d like to know where you are listening to our program from. We are delighted to hear from our listeners, and we appreciate you choosing to listen to our broadcast. As mentioned earlier, this is part two of a study began last broadcast, simply titled, You Mean God Hates? Well, someone will say, well, God is love, and that is true, 1 John 4 and verse 8. But friends, God hates things that if He loved and approved them, He would be lying to us and we would be deceived. We understand that He loves the sinner. Romans chapter 5 and verse 8 says, But God demonstrates His own love toward us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. His love was expressed to a world that needed Christ, John 3 and verse 16. In Ezekiel 18 and verse 32, the Lord says, For I have no pleasure in the death of one who dies, therefore turn and live. And He’s pleading there of the one who would die lost. And you think about the plea and the changes that were to be made in Ezekiel 18 and verse 30 when he said, Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, everyone according to his ways. God has no pleasure in the one that dies lost. For in 1 Timothy 2 and verse 4, He would have all men to be saved and come unto the knowledge of the truth. Today we want to pursue our knowledge of the truth. We want to pursue our study of God’s Word, which is truth, John 17 and verse 17, and 2 Timothy 3, 16 and 17. In an earlier broadcast, we talked about how God hates idolatry. In this broadcast, we want to look at a couple of other areas of which God hates. And He has made it possible through His love that we not pursue what God hates. But first, let’s pause for just about 30 seconds, give or take, and hear a few words from our J-Web concerning our social media.
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You mean God hates vain, empty worship? Well, friends, that question would say, well, sure. I mean, friends, worship is just not worship. We can’t do something and say, well, God would be pleased with this if God doesn’t command. Worship to God is to be, according to John 4 and verse 24, God is a spirit. And they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. Earlier in John 4.23, he is seeking the true worshipers. So that tells me that God is seeking those that worship him in spirit and in truth. And when I go back to the Old Testament, God did find some worship unacceptable, quite a bit. What about the offering of Cain’s worship in Genesis 3? He was not pleased with that. What about over in Exodus 32 when they were dancing around the golden calf? Other passages that time will not permit us to go in depth, but in Amos 5, 21-27, God rebuked His children for their worship they were offering, their sacrifices. Isaiah 1, 11-20, same thing. And friends, we readily recall Matthew 15 and verse 9 when Jesus says, But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. Now, let’s listen to 1 John 5.3. This is the love of God that we keep His commandments. Okay, now let’s put those texts together. In Matthew 15 and verse 9, in vain they do worship me. Okay, why? They’re teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. 1 John 5, 3, this is the love of God that we keep His commandments. Well, can we say that God loves the commandments of men that are taught as doctrine? Friends, we cannot affirm that, neither would God affirm it. God hates vain, empty worship because things are being offered unto God that He does not command. If you were to look from Genesis to the Revelation, God always explained and told man what He expected in His worship and living for Him. So if we keep the commandments of men, would we not show our devotion to man and not God? The love of God are the commands brought forth for us today to obey in living and in worshiping Him. To make certain that our worship unto God is in accordance with His will and His way. That we pray according to God’s commands. We sing according to God’s commands. We would remember the Lord’s Supper upon the first day of the week as God commands. Our giving as God commands. And our teaching as God commands. Here’s the next one. You mean God hates false doctrine? Well, now, friends, if you think about that, the opposite of false is true. And so, yes, I mean, the words of Christ in Revelation 2, verse 6 and 15 are very clear. That doctrine not in accordance with God and his word is hated. Because, you see, that misleads good, innocent people. Those texts, Revelation 2, 6, but this you have, he’s writing to the church, but this you have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. Verse 15, thus you also have those who hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate. Now, does not say that he hates the individuals. He hates their deeds. He hates their doctrine, what they believe. Once again, folks, yes, the Bible teaches that Hate the sin, but love the sinner. And, you know, some may advocate doctrine doesn’t matter. I mean, with all due respect, you may be a listener to this broadcast or that broadcast, and you may listen and say, well, look, everybody’s saying something a little different, but we’re all going to the same place. Friends, you can’t find that in the Scripture. Jesus never taught that. Paul never taught that. Peter never taught that. And if some advocate doctrine doesn’t matter, then you might as well throw out the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5-7 because the Bible says, When Jesus had ended those sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine. So you might as well throw out Acts 2 in verse 42 where the early Christians continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship and in breaking of bread and in prayers. And we might as well send the Romans to hell for they obeyed doctrine. Romans 6, 17, But God be thanked that you were the servants of sin, but you have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. Friends, doctrine is to be sound and good in accordance to God and His will. 1 Timothy 1, 13 and Titus 2 and verse 1. Now, I want you to think about some words with me. If one teaches, doctrine doesn’t matter. Well, you know, another word for doctrine is teaching. So then one is teaching that teaching doesn’t matter. Now, let that sink in for just a moment. Let it sink in just a little more. If one teaches doctrine doesn’t matter, and another word for doctrine is teaching, then one is teaching teaching doesn’t matter. Friends, do you see how absurd that becomes? Yes, friends, God hates false doctrine. But He wants us to turn to the Scripture to have a book, chapter, and verse for what we do and why we do it. Listen to 2 Timothy 3.16. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. So friends, once again, let’s make certain that our worship is according to the Bible. Let’s make certain that our teaching concerning the church, concerning salvation and all, is in the Bible. With that being said, friends, let’s grow in our love for God as He loves us. And we wish to share with you one of our newer Bible studies that we offer from International Gospel Hour, a wonderful book of study called God and Man. We want to send you your free copy of God and Man. Don’t want your money? Not going to ask you for funds? It’s yours for the asking. All you do is call us at 855-444-6988. Leave us your name and address and just say God and man and we’ll send you the booklet. You can also go on our website, send us an email through our contact tab and put in your name and address and in the comments box just put God and man and we’ll send that to you right away. You can also download your copy at god-and-man.com. Be sure you put the dashes in there, god-and-man.com, and you can download your free copy as well. Friends, we want to embrace the love of God and how thankful we are that God hates those things that would take us from Him. And when we study and see the love of God from His Word, then we are able to be what God would have us to be. When we see the great love we’re with, God loves us, Ephesians 2 and verse 4. we move away from the hate and draw more to His love. With that being said, friends, let’s continue our studies together at another time. And thank you for joining me today on the International Gospel Hour broadcast. I’m Jeff Archie, and friends, keep listening.
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Thank you for listening to our broadcast today. To God goes all the glory, and we hope that our study today will draw you closer to His Word to walk in His way. To listen to it again or our other broadcasts, please visit our website at internationalgospelhour.com.
Join us as we continue our exploration of God’s nature. This episode of International Gospel Hour unravels the complex relationship between love and doctrine. Reflecting on scriptures that speak against false doctrine, vain worship, and misguided teachings, we encourage listeners to reconsider their understanding of divine love and what it means to worship and live according to God’s word. Discover the love behind God’s correction and the path to a more authentic spiritual journey.
