Focal Point

Dave Druly: Today on Focal Point with Pastor Mike Fabarez.

Pastor Mike Fabarez: The mess in our church is not that we lack new information; it's that we're not applying what we already have. The problem is we're not applying what we have. And so I'm tired of people going, "Well, I need new revelation. I need a new word from the Lord. I need a new word for this new day." No, you don't. You need the old word of the New Covenant, and you need to master it, you need to study it, and you need to get into it.

Dave Druly: And welcome to Focal Point with author and Pastor Mike Fabarez. Maybe you've seen these slogans in advertisements: "new and improved," "enhanced formula," or "new look." It's clever marketing because "new" is often associated with "better."

That's why people often run to those claiming to have a new word from God. But today on Focal Point, we'll see why the amazing message of Jesus needs no amendment, revision, or improvement. The Gospel remains God's final word. Concluding our series, "Christ Changed Everything," here's Pastor Mike.

Pastor Mike Fabarez: The Bible is very clear that the church is now being built upon two things: the foundation and the cornerstone. The cornerstone is Christ. The foundation was the ministry of the apostles and the prophets. You're being built on top of that. On top of what? The foundation of the apostles and prophets. Their ministry provides us the inspired, great, and precious promises of God. And from that, we build the church.

Everything in the New Covenant has provided for us the solution for the world's problems—everything in the world. Everything that is wrong with the world, including your life and mine, has been provided for and paid for by the atonement. It's been taken care of.

First Corinthians 15—think about this. We've got bodies that are diseased and riddled with all kinds of imperfections, and eventually, the biological unit is dying. Eventually, it will die. That doesn't seem to match the work of Christ in redemption. If Christ has taken away the wages of sin, which is death, then I should see the death problem reversed.

Death is an enemy of God according to First Corinthians 15. Paul utilizes the verbiage of talking about the enemies being put under Christ's feet, and he says one enemy that has yet to be put under his feet in practical terms is your biological death. He's got to fix that problem. And he will through the resurrection.

But to show he's already paid for it, he brought forth the firstfruits from the grave. Who was the firstfruits from the grave? Christ. Because sin was taken care of, he accelerated this whole resurrection thing, and he popped Christ out of the grave in three days to prove that he was in there long enough to be sure that everybody knew he was dead. Now he's coming out to show he's got victory over death.

I have victory over death, you have victory over death, but that enemy has to be put under Christ's feet in practical, real-time terms by me being resurrected. That hasn't happened yet. It hasn't happened for any Christian loved one that you know that's been laid in a grave, but it will.

He's working out—the Holy Spirit is working out—his plan. One of the things with an exercise of his power that he will do is pop all of our biological units out of a grave, recondition them, refurbish them according to the manufacturer's specs, and he's going to put us in a new place called the New Jerusalem. That's going to happen. It's going to happen because Christ has to make another payment yet because he's got a few installments to make on the payments till that works, right? No, it's already been paid for. He just hasn't exercised that right yet.

Hebrews chapter two—look at verse eight. It says he's going to put everything under his feet. This is Hebrews 2:8. In putting everything under him, God left nothing that is not subject to him. Yet—now read the rest of it—at present, we do not see everything subject to him. How's that? Well, it's not that he hasn't earned the right; it's that he hasn't exercised the right. It's not that he hasn't made the payment; it's that he hasn't actually walked through and made it happen.

He hasn't put it physically in real time under his feet. That's exactly the issue for us. He made us holy judicially in heaven, but he's working out the process of holiness in our life. That's letter A. In your life and mine, there's a lot of things that are wrong, and he's done all that it takes to fix those problems. It's called sanctification; he's working on it in your life.

Secondly, the world. I'm going, okay, he's fixed the problems for me. What about the world? The world's a mess. People are out there doing all kinds of things. They have no interest in following Christ or following his word. They're doing their rebellious thing every day. It makes it on the 11 o'clock news every night. What's wrong with this world? It's messed up. His redemptive work and lordship has been paid for; it's complete; it's done.

Then why isn't he really the Lord in people's lives? Side note: he will be, by the way. Even before he tosses some people into outer darkness, they will all, according to Philippians 2, bow before him. Every knee will bow, every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord of the glory of God the Father. You know what precedes that verse? That God has exalted him to the highest place. He has already been exalted to the highest place, and he is the boss, he's the King.

Problem is, he hasn't exercised that bossness, that lordship, in everybody's life in a practical sense, but he's already earned the right to be there. How do we deal with that in this world? What is our response? What is our commitment as it relates to that? One simple thing; jot this word down: the word evangelism. It's the word evangelism.

Go to John chapter six with me. John chapter six. Saving lost people, he's got it under control. Our responsibility is simply to present the world with Christ. Look at John 6, verse 37. "All that the Father gives me"—this is Christ speaking—"will come to me." Apparently, there's some transaction here in eternity past where these future people here, the Father is giving them as gifts to the Son.

The text says, "All that the Father gives me will come to me. And whoever comes to me, I will never drive away. For I've come down from heaven, not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of them that he has given to me, but I'll raise them up on the last day." That reeks of that whole statement in Romans 8: that if he's predestined us, you can look through all those big words to the last one: he's glorified us.

That's what we call a prophetic perfect. I'm not glorified yet; I haven't gotten to that place. As a matter of fact, there's a lot of Christians that are being drawn to Christ that aren't even justified yet, let alone glorified in the New Jerusalem. That hasn't happened, but it's such a certain thing because of God's redemptive plan that was completely paid for on the cross that he can state it as though it's already happened. In Hebrew, it's an idiom that filtered into Greek, and we call it a prophetic perfect. It's stated in the past because it's so certain God's going to get it done.

Those he—you know how it is—those he predestined, he's called; if he's called, he's justified; if he's justified, he's glorified them. That hasn't happened for any of us here yet, but it's as though it's already happened. God's plan of reaching out to those that he's called, he is not going to lose one of them. He's going to bring them all to himself.

What stands between that and where they are now? Well, people like you and me presenting them with Christ. As you do that, God says he's going to draw those people to himself. Or, like you've already experienced, not. Or you're going to present Christ to those people, and they're going to go, "Ick, yuck, stupid, get away from me." And they say, "I'm not interested in hearing that stuff." It's a stumbling block to them.

Turn ahead to chapter 16 if you're still in John. We're in John 6; go to John 16. Look at verse seven. He talks to his disciples, Jesus, and he says, "It's good that I'm going away." That didn't compute for them. He says, "Unless I go away, the Counselor, the Paracletos, the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, he won't come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. When he comes, here's what he's going to do. He's going to convict the world of guilt in regard to sin, righteousness, and judgment.

In regard to sin, because men do not believe me, and they will be convicted of that. In regard to righteousness, because I'm going to the Father, where you can see me no longer, and they'll have no lived-out standard of righteousness. So the Holy Spirit's going to work in concert with their conscience and show a standard of righteousness, and they'll be convicted. And in regard to judgment, because not only them, but the prince of the world—now check this verbiage out—now stands condemned."

The ministry of Christ won that battle for the universe. But the Spirit, even though the work has been done, is going to not only collect for himself redeemed people, which is why we exist as a church on this earth—in heaven, we can go to heaven and worship him and learn all about Christ, but now we're here to reach lost people for him—he's also going to, as he presents the lordship of Christ and the message of the Gospel, people are going to go, "No thanks, I'm not interested."

Part of the job now for us, practically speaking, is to present him to a lost world, and God will fix it. He'll either present them with the accountability of the Gospel and judgment, or he will draw them to himself and bring them into the family. He'll fix the problem with you and me through a process of sanctification; he'll fix the problem of the world through evangelism and presenting Christ to a lost world.

Thirdly, let me make this clear, and I want to draw this out, knead this out from the other two. He will fix the problem with the church. I say that because most aberrant cult groups and theological error, when people are trying to step in with new revelation and a new version of Christ 2.0, they're doing that because they're frustrated with the church. Just go back to the 19th century and watch all the people going, "I don't like what's going on in the church," and they step out and say, "Well, God spoke to me, and I'll tell you what he said." And off they start their group.

Why? Because they're frustrated with the problems in the church. Does the church have problems? Yeah, let me tell you. The church has got problems, but the answer isn't all of that stuff: version 2.0 of the church or the New Covenant documents. The problem is solved by the work of the Holy Spirit. It is a problem that God, just like in the sanctification of the individual Christian life, is working out in the church.

If you go and read these top-selling authors in the Christian bookstore—God forbid, our bookstore; hopefully, we've weeded all this stuff out in ours—but you can read about them. I've heard it starting in the late 80s all the way to today. One of the most recent books of one of the most popular Christian evangelical authors has said it over and over and over again, and that is: the church of Jesus Christ is basically irrelevant. And you know what? You can live the Christian life and have all that God wants for you, and you really don't need that antiquated thing called the church anymore.

Well, I hate to break the news to them, that in Matthew chapter 16, that's not the way Christ saw it. He looked and he said, "I'm going to build my church, and you know what? A real hard-hearted 21st-century Western society's going to kill it." That's what he said. Is that what he said? "I'm going to build my church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it."

Church have problems? Yes. Is it going to be irrelevant like the titles of the books that I've read in my past? And they made me sick. The titles of the books: "Oh, the church is going to die," "The church is going to be extinct by the year 2000." No, it's not. God has got his church. There's a lot of false churches, I recognize that, and false prophets. But God has his true church, and that true church will never, ever be extinct or irrelevant.

He is going to build that church, and hell itself will not be able to stand against it. Why? Because of the victory that was won by Christ in his redemption. He is seated at the right hand of the Father, not because there's anything else to do for the victory of the church; it's already been won. And the Spirit is going to tag all the bases and live it out corporately for us, just like he does individually for us.

Is there sin in the church? Yes. Are there problems with the church? Yes. Are there bad leaders in the church? There are, I understand that. But God is going to have his purifying effect because the Spirit cares about the church, and he is going to lead the church into victory, the real church. He's going to do that, and there's no doubt about it.

Practically speaking, let me say it again. Let me turn you to a passage, Acts 13. As I think of this passage, I think of Romans 11:25, too. In Romans 11, there's that interesting statement about: what about God's plan for Israel? Paul says this: you know what? There has been a time, a partial hardening of Israel, and it's taken place—and I love the verbiage here—until the full number of Gentiles come in.

There is something in the divine plan where God has a roster, and that roster isn't full yet. And if that reminds you of Second Peter 3, you're on the right track. He prolongs the consummation of the ages because the full roster's not full yet. The Spirit is running the bases, and for the church, he's got to fill it up. And he's going to put people in there that he's called by name.

I love that picture next to that great statement about him being a light for Christ in Acts 13. Look at how it's put. Drop down to verse number 47, almost to the end. Acts 13:47: "For this is what the Lord has commanded us: 'I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.'" From their perspective, we're on the edge right now. We're on a whole new continent.

We are on the other side of the planet, and he's working his plan out. He's faithful to do that on the coast of a continent they didn't even know about. When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and they honored the word of the Lord. Now underline this: "and all who were appointed for eternal life," guess what they did? They believed. They jumped on board and put their trust in Christ. That is a great and encouraging statement.

You know what that says? God has not only paid for redemption, his Spirit is working out the redemptive plan, not just for us individually, not just in external evangelism in the world, but right here in the church, he is bringing the full number of saved people, Gentile people; he's bringing them in. Our job is to shine the light of the Gospel. And that's why it's so important for us to keep looking outside the doors of our church and thinking how we can accurately and clearly, without compromise, present the word of God to the world. That's what we're all about.

And so it is that God has provided the solution for the world's problems because of the finished work of Christ. Everything practically not under his feet yet, but it's all under his feet. And one day he's going to work that out with the exertion of his power—progressively in our sanctification, progressively in the world through evangelism, and progressively in the church through church growth. It's going to be a reality for us.

Now, you're going to say, well, that's great, but there are real big issues in my family, or in my life, or in my Bible study group. Or maybe you're listening on the radio or you've got a CD; you go to some church—my church is all messed up. Listen, here's what you need. Because I know that every single aberrant theological movement has been birthed from a real frustration with the church.

But know there are two very distinct options—very distinct options. There are people that want to seek new revelation, and then there are people that return to the old revelation of the New Covenant—pardon the pun. They return to the inscripturated New Covenant word, and they seek something that's not new revelation; it's called reform.

Number three on your outline: no matter what happens—good or bad, catastrophic or chronic, whatever the situation—seek reform, not new revelation. And that's where most of the church is. They're going, "Well, I don't know, I don't see the answers in God's word, I don't see God working, we need some big new revelation." See, there's a big difference between Joseph Smith and Martin Luther. You realize that, right?

One came out of the problem that both of them said the church is screwed up. The church is messed up; it's a real mess; it's a sewer, it's a pit, it's not right. And you can take the two and say one came out with a New Testament of Jesus Christ and said, "Here, this is what we need." And the other one came out with a Latin phrase that was the cry of the Reformation, and you know it, right? Sola Scriptura—the Scripture alone.

Which means the mess in our church is not that we lack new information; it's that we're not applying what we already have. That's the problem with the church, and it's the problem with my life, and it's the problem with my Bible study group, and it's the problem with your life and your church. The problem is we're not applying what we have.

And so I'm tired of people going, "Well, I need new revelation. I need a new word from the Lord. I need a new word for this new day." No, you don't. You need the old word of the New Covenant, and you need to master it, you need to study it, and you need to get into it. And you know what I find? People want the new revelation because it's a lot easier than studying the old one. You recognize that, right?

And I love J. Vernon McGee—preaches from the grave on the radio every morning. And you know J. Vernon, right? Don't you love the hymn that was picked for the beginning of his show every day? "How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord, is laid for his saints in his excellent word." I love this next phrase: "What more can he say than to you he has said?" That's just it. What more can he say?

People go, "Oh, God, tell us something new. We need a new word for a new day." God's going, "You know what?" and he's pointing. The book's right there collecting dust on your shelf. Get it off and master it. I will never forget: I went to Bible school, became a Christian at Bible school, and I walked every morning past an inscribed stone cornerstone of the dorm.

And every day I passed it—passed it in the spring and in the fall, I passed it in the dead of winter with snow piled up underneath it—and it was one verse from Second Timothy 2:15. Do you know that verse? And it was the cry of the leaders in my life at that time, saying what we're here to do for you is not give you new information and new insight.

We want you to become a master of the thing that God has already said. Because like J. Vernon McGee's opening bumper music, my professors were saying, "What more can he say than to you he has said?" He's already said what's for you. And you know Second Timothy 2:15: "Study to show yourself approved unto God, a workman that doesn't need to be ashamed, one who rightly handles the word of truth."

Our need, our desperate need, is for us to know the word, to know and study the word and handle it accurately and apply it. I know this isn't fair—same passage in two points in one sermon. But in Second Peter chapter one, we quoted that verse about the fact that he's given us everything for life and godliness through the precious promises that he's provided to escape the corruption in the world. You remember that passage?

The next verse says this: that because of that, or with this in view, it says let's make every effort to add to our faith—now you're thinking "what new revelation?" He says this: he starts listing all these biblical qualities. "Let's add to it goodness, and gentleness, and self-control, and brotherly kindness, and love." "I need you basically," Peter says, "to take the promises of God, master those promises, put them to work in your life, and add some application of that word."

The problem with the medieval church that all the reformers came out and said "I'm sick of it, we gotta fix it" was fixed by one book, a book that the church already had, but they didn't want anybody to read. They didn't want anybody to look at; they didn't want anybody to turn to any passages. They wanted to keep it in a different language so that no one could study it.

You take a church or religious system and divorce it from good, open Bible study with a Bible staring at your face and studying that, not just in the service but encouraging people like good Bereans to go home every day and study it to see if the things that the guy on the stage is yakking about whether they're true or not—if you divorce the ministry from that, you are in big trouble and you are in danger of going down a road like most people today, saying, "Well, what new thing does God have to say to us?" What more can he say?

Now, I understand for this generation that we're reading about, the New Covenant was new. And that's why so much is given about the emphasis and the argument that all those symbols and shadows were pointing to Christ. But don't miss this: once we have Christ—now that Christ and the New Covenant is 2,000 years old—please know that the fine print on that New Covenant says: and this is God's final word.

As a matter of fact, Jude put it this way: there are so many people with new ideas and new thoughts and Christ, like he said Matthew 24:24, saying "Hey, come and listen to this new thing." Here's what Jude said: you and me, we ought to contend for the faith that was once and for all delivered to the saints. And you and me are in a society—and I know we can look at all the big names of the cult leaders and say "look at them"—but it's happening all the time in Christendom today, all over evangelical Christianity.

People saying, "I know what you've heard, but you know what? That's just kind of old, antiquated stuff." God has finished the work. Christ has accomplished our redemption. And you'll never be able to have anybody rightly come up to you and say, "Well, you know what? You're missing something; you need a new piece to this puzzle." Every piece to the puzzle is here. We don't know everything that God has for us, but what we have is what he needs us to have and what we need to master.

Charles Wesley wrote a little hymn—I've never heard it sung in public, but it's called "'Tis Finished."

The types and the figures have all been fulfilled;

Exacted is the legal pain.

The precious promises have all been sealed;

The spotless Lamb of God has been slain.

'Tis finished; all the debt is paid.

Justice divine is satisfied.

The grand and full atonement is made;

God for a guilty world has died.

Accepted in the well-beloved,

And clothed in righteousness divine,

I see the bar to heaven removed,

And all the merits of Christ are mine.

If we died today, we've got all we need. If we never heard a new concept ever, we've got enough revealed to us in the Scripture. He has provided it all for us in Christ.

Dave Druly: In Jesus, we have the final word on salvation and everything we need in life. Mike Fabarez is answering the question, "Should we be expecting a newer Testament?" and you're listening to Focal Point. We've just wrapped up a series called "Christ Changed Everything," and you can revisit or share any part of this impactful study by going online to focalpointradio.org.

While you're there, grab the free Focal Point app or pull up the podcast and subscribe. Either way, you'll have these programs with you wherever you go. This month, Pastor Mike is pointing us to a book that fits hand in glove with where we've been in this study. It's *The Pursuit of God* by A.W. Tozer.

In just a handful of chapters, Tozer manages to say something most books never get around to: that knowing about God isn't the same thing as knowing him. He writes with a kind of spiritual restlessness that makes the reader sit up. If you've been tracking with us through Hebrews and have felt the weight of what Christ has done, Tozer gives that weight a direction.

Request *The Pursuit of God* when you give over the phone by dialing 888-320-5885 or go online to focalpointradio.org. You can also send your donation by mail; just write to us at Focal Point, PO Box 2850, Laguna Hills, California 92654.

And friend, this program stays on the air because there are listeners out there who believe that careful, text-driven teaching is worth putting something behind. If that's you, thank you; you're part of what makes this work.

And if you've been thinking about stepping up as a monthly supporter because these messages have genuinely shaped your own walk with God, we'd love to have you join the team. Become a Focal Point partner with a recurring gift of any amount by calling 888-320-5885 or going online to focalpointradio.org. I'm Dave Druly, and that's all our time for today. Don't miss next time when Pastor Mike Fabarez kicks off our next series called "A Closer Relationship with God," Thursday here on Focal Point.

Pastor Mike Fabarez: Pastor Mike here. You know, we live in a culture where every point of view demands affirmation. It'd be easy to tell people what they want to hear, but we must teach the Bible accurately, unapologetically, and without compromising and without editing it. God's word is true. If you want to send me a question, I encourage you to get in touch with us at focalpointradio.org.

Dave Druly: Today's program was produced and sponsored by Focal Point Ministries.