Pathway to Victory

Speaker 1

Hey podcast listeners, thanks for streaming today's podcast from Pathway to Victory.

Pathway to Victory is a nonprofit ministry featuring the Bible teaching of Dr. Robert Jeffress. And right now, your generous gift will have twice the impact, thanks to the Salt and Light Matching Challenge, active now through July 6th.

To give a special matching challenge gift, go to ptv.org/donate or follow the link in our show notes.

Now here's today's podcast from Pathway to Victory.

Speaker 2

Hi, this is Robert Jeffress and I'm glad to study God's Word with every day on this Bible teaching program. On today's edition of Pathway to Victory.

Speaker 3

Jesus affirmed God's plan. And by setting God's standard, one man with one woman for life, he is saying that any deviation from that standard, not just gay marriage, but any deviation, adultery, premarital sex, unbiblical divorce, those are all sins because they don't measure up to the standard, the perfect standard of God.

Speaker 1

Welcome to Pathway to Victory with author and pastor Dr. Robert Jeffress. The Bible teaches that God established the standards for right and wrong when he laid the foundations of the world.

But recently, politicians and policymakers have become self-appointed authors of moral law. Today on Pathway to Victory, Dr. Robert Jeffress shows how the spiritual decline of today's culture is a sign of turbulent times ahead.

Now here's our Bible teacher to introduce today's message.

Speaker 2

Dr. Jeffress, thanks David, and welcome again to Pathway to Victory. Today is the final day in June and we're in the final stretch of my teaching series called Shine the Light. In Matthew 5:14, Jesus said, "You are the light of the world. Let your light shine before others that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven." And that's exactly what we're doing together through the media ministry of Pathway to Victory. So please join me in seizing this opportunity to become salt and light in America and beyond.

By now you've likely heard that Pathway to Victory is the recipient of a large matching challenge in the amount of $1 million. This means that every dollar you give between now and July 6th toward blessing America with the hope of God's Word will be automatically matched and therefore doubled in impact. The deadline for receiving your gift is soon—midnight July 6th. This salt and light matching challenge will accelerate our effectiveness in the months ahead, and we're relying on you to help us meet or even exceed this $1 million goal.

When I receive your gift, I'm going to send you an exclusive book I've written that'll inspire you to become salt and light with your friends, neighbors, and your community. My book is titled Shine the Light. We'll identify more details about this new book and other resources later in today's program. But right now, let's continue a study I introduced on Friday on Pathway to Victory. My message is titled The New Moral Disorder.

Speaker 3

We're going to look at what the Bible says about the moral deterioration of our world and how it will be a precursor to the return of Jesus Christ. Listen, as an individual or a nation, we will never experience God's blessing when we are rebelling against Him. It is impossible. And as a nation, we are rebelling against God. We are shaking our fist in the face of God in two distinct areas.

First of all, in the area of what God says about marriage. Look and see what the Bible really says about marriage. And the best place to start is at the starting place. That's profound, isn't it? Let's go back to the book of Genesis. Look at verse 27: "And God created man in his own image. In the image of God, He created him; He created them male and female." There's an equality. But listen, equality doesn't mean sameness. There's a difference in the way we act. There's a difference in responsibility. There is a difference in how we relate to one another, including how we relate to one another sexually. And that's why you find the prohibition against homosexual behavior.

Listen to what the Bible says in Leviticus 18, verse 22: "You shall not lie with a male as one lies with a female. It is an abomination." Now some people would say, "Well, wait a minute, you Christians, you are so hypocritical because you just pick and choose which verses out of the Bible you want to obey." Well, there's a very simple reason for that. The only rules of the Old Testament that apply to us today are those rules that are repeated in the New Testament. We live under the New Testament, the new agreement, the new law of God. And the only parts of the Old Testament we follow are those parts of the Old Testament that are repeated in the New Testament. But in this new agreement, there are prohibitions against homosexuality.

For example, in Romans 1, verses 26 and 27, Paul said, "For this reason, God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural. And in the same way also, men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their persons the due penalty of their error." There is a prohibition against homosexual behavior.

Secondly, that leads to a prohibition against homosexual marriage. You can take this message when you hear this said in your classroom and hear it in other places in the university. Well, Jesus never talked about homosexuality, and he certainly never said anything about homosexual marriage. Oh, yes, he did. Where did he talk about it? He talked about it in Matthew 19. Remember, the Pharisees were trying to trip Jesus up, and they came to the Lord and they said, "Lord, is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any reason at all?" So they said, "Lord, answer this divorce question for us."

In verse 4, Matthew 19, Jesus answered and said, "Have you not read that He who created them from the beginning made them male and female? And He said, 'For this cause a man shall leave his mother and father and shall cleave to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.' And consequently they are no longer two, but they are one. What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate." What Jesus is saying is, if you want to know the answer to the divorce question, let's go back and see God's original plan for marriage, Genesis 1 and Genesis 2. It is one man with one woman for a lifetime. That's God's plan. Jesus affirmed God's plan.

By setting God's standard—one man with one woman for life—He is saying that any deviation from that standard, not just gay marriage, but any deviation, such as adultery, premarital sex, and unbiblical divorce, are all sins because they don't measure up to the perfect standard of God. Jesus did address the marriage question. He said it's one man with one woman for a lifetime.

Now, I know there are some people who say, "Well, I just wish we didn't talk about this gay marriage stuff. It is so controversial. We should just keep silent about it and not talk about it." We do not do the world a favor when we stay silent about what God has said. Best-selling author Joel Rosenberg offers this wise reminder: "It is becoming politically incorrect to accept the Bible's teachings on these and other moral issues or to talk about them publicly. Nevertheless, the kingdom of God is not a democracy. The Lord is not running for political office. He's not trying to cobble together a majority. He is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. What He says goes. How blessed is the man or woman who follows the word of God, not his or her own desires. God has spoken about this issue. We dare not be silent."

Our rebellion as a culture against God is seen in our attitude about marriage. Secondly, it's seen in what we believe about the sanctity of life. Let's talk about this issue, the issue of abortion. Since the Supreme Court's ruling in 1973, Roe v. Wade, that legalized abortion for women, 54 million children have been butchered in the womb. 54 million children have been murdered. And that number is being added to every year by 1.3 million children who are being slaughtered. Gone. They don't exist anymore. Wiped off the face of the earth because of our nation's rebellion against God.

How does God look at that? Well, let's see what God says about the unborn. Psalm 139:13-16 says, "For thou didst form my inward parts; thou didst weave me in my mother's womb. I will give thanks to thee, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are thy works, and my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from thee when I was made in secret and skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth. Thine eyes have seen my unformed substance; and in thy book they were all written, the days that were ordained for me, yet there was not one of them." God is the one who in the womb weaves together and forms the child.

Remember God's word through Jeremiah in Jeremiah 1:4-5: "Now the word of God came to me saying, 'Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you, and before you were born, I consecrated you.'" God had a relationship with Jeremiah before he was ever born, while he was still in the womb.

One of the most fascinating stories that deal with the unborn is found in Luke 1:41-44. This is the story of when the then-pregnant Elizabeth, mother of John the Baptist, met Mary, who was pregnant with the Lord Jesus Christ. And look what happened. Luke 1:41 says, "And it came about that when Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped in Elizabeth's womb." That's John the Baptist. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. Verse 44: "For behold, when the sound of your greeting, Elizabeth said to Mary, reached my ears, the baby leaped in my womb for joy."

John the Baptist in his mom's womb got so excited when he heard Mary speak that he leapt in her womb. Now, what is fascinating is this word "baby" in Greek is "brephos," talking about the baby inside Elizabeth's womb. It is the very same Greek word that is used elsewhere in the New Testament to talk about an infant that has already been born. God views the baby in the womb as much a human being as the baby outside of the womb. You can understand then why God absolutely hates any violence toward children.

Do you remember in the Old Testament when the Israelites came to Canaan, the promised land that was inhabited by Canaanites? They unfortunately fell into the ways of the Canaanites and began to worship the false god Molech, a god whom the Canaanites said required the sacrifice of children on the altar—burnt sacrifices of children. One commentator describes that gruesome act this way: "The ancients would heat up this idol of Molech with fire until it was glowing. And then they would take newborn babies and place them on the arms of the idol and watch their children burn to death."

What did God think about that? What did He think about His own people engaging in that horrific sacrifice? In Jeremiah 32:35, it says, "And they built the high places of Baal that are in the valley of Bahinom to cause their sons and daughters to pass through the fire to Molech, which I had not commanded them, nor had it entered my mind that they should do this abomination." God said, "When I saw the Israelites burning their children alive, it never entered into my mind that they would do such a thing."

And so in verses 28 and 29, He pronounces this judgment: "Therefore, says the Lord, behold, I am about to give this city, that is Jerusalem, into the hand of the Chaldeans and into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon. And he will take it. The Chaldeans, that is the Babylonians, who are fighting against this city, will enter and set this city on fire and burn it." God said to His own people, His own nation of Israel, "Because you are killing, slaughtering your own children, I'm going to raise up the foreigners to come and invade your city and to take it captive, to burn it to the ground."

Now, folks, if God will do that to His own chosen people who destroy the lives of children, do we have to wonder how God is going to deal with the United States of America, a country that not only allows but celebrates the freedom of choice—the freedom of choice to murder our children? It is an abomination in the sight of God.

Contrast that to what Jesus said about children. If you want to know how Jesus views children, look at Mark 10:13-16: "And they were bringing children to Him so that He might touch them; and the disciples rebuked them. But when Jesus saw this, He was indignant and said to them, 'Permit the children to come to Me and don't hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.' And then verse 16: 'And He took them in His arms and began blessing them, laying His hands upon them.'" The parents couldn't get their children to Jesus fast enough because they sensed He loved their children. They wanted Him to touch their children.

I want you to write down these two principles as we think about this whole abortion issue. Principle number one: When we honor a child, we honor Jesus. When we honor a child, we honor Jesus. Jesus said in Matthew 18:5, "Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me." When we honor a child, we honor Jesus.

And the second principle: When we harm a child, we will face unspeakable judgment. Listen to what Jesus said in Matthew 18:6: "But whoever causes one of these little ones who believes in me to stumble, it is better for him that a heavy millstone be hung around his neck and he be dropped and drowned into the depths of the sea." Whoever harms a child, tempts him, leads him to sin, abuses him, or commits an act of violence against him—that's what Jesus is talking about. It would be better to have a millstone hung around his neck.

And remember, Jesus said a child inside the womb is the same as a child outside the womb. If you harm a child, you'd be better off having that millstone placed around your neck and dropped into the most turbulent place in the sea. That's a better fate for you than to be found harming a child. Pope John Paul II cast this matter of abortion into a larger context when he said, "Whoever attempts to destroy human life in the womb of the mother not only violates the sacredness of a living, growing, and developed human being, but he also opposes God. And he also attacks society by undermining respect for all of human life."

You say, "Well, what does all of this have to do with Bible prophecy?" Here's what it has to do with it. Turn over to 2 Timothy, chapter 3, and look at verse 1. Paul said to Timothy, "But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days." Now, that verse raises two questions. First of all, what did Paul mean by the last days? He said, "Timothy, buckle up, get ready, because it's going to be terrible times in the last days." What does he mean by the last days?

Well, in one sense, the last days began as soon as Jesus ascended into heaven. After His first coming, the countdown began. This phrase really refers to those years, months, and days leading up to the return of Jesus Christ. Paul said to Timothy, "It's going to get worse. It's going to get worse in the last days."

The second question is, what does he mean by "going to be terrible times, difficult times?" Look, that word "terrible" is not just some bland preacher word. The word had a very specific meaning. Literally, you could translate it: "It will be times without moral restraint." That's what he's talking about.

Almost three decades ago, the evangelical philosopher Carl Henry predicted that as America increasingly lost its Judeo-Christian heritage, paganism would grow even bolder. He predicted that by the start of the 21st century, we would face, quote, "naked naturalism and raw paganism—that is, humanism with the pretty face ripped off, revealing the angry monster underneath it." And that's what we're seeing right now: humanism unmasked for what it really is. These are the times we're living in, and they are a sign that we are living in the last days.

But there's even a more direct connection to Bible prophecy and the moral deterioration of our culture. Remember, in the last seven years of the Tribulation, there will be a world dictator called the Antichrist. And I want you to listen to one of the descriptions of the Antichrist found in Daniel 7, verse 25: "And he will speak out against the Most High, and he will wear down the saints of the highest one. And he will intend to make alterations in times and in the law."

Now we understand the first part of this. In the last days, the Antichrist is going to speak out against God, and he's going to speak out against the people of God. He's going to attack to wear them down. But what does he mean when he says he will also try to make alterations in times and in the law? He's saying that this final world dictator will seek to change the most basic laws of humanity. And we're seeing that happen right now.

For the first time in history, we have a United States president who has tried to redefine the most basic law of society: what constitutes a marriage. The first president who has come out and said, "I don't care what God's word says; I want to change the definition of marriage." The president once again lectured and called out Evangelical Christians. He said, "You all need to quit talking about abortion and gay marriage and just take care of the poor like the Bible says."

And by the way, he's not the only one who's trying to change the most basic laws of society. There has been an unholy alliance right now between the left and big business forming together to strangle our religious liberties and say, "We're going to change the laws about marriage in this country." You see these nine self-appointed priests in black robes sitting on their bench in Washington D.C. saying, "Now stay tuned because in June we are going to rule about marriage." They're not going to rule about marriage. The rule has already been made. The judge of all the universe has already said that marriage is between a man and a woman.

This is what the Antichrist will do. He will seek to change. Did you hear again? It's not only gay marriage, but did you hear? Hillary Rodham Clinton, the would-be successor to Barack Obama, at the Women in the World Summit in New York City said that every woman has a right to abortion. Every woman has an unfettered right to abortion. But to make that perverse dream a reality, she said, and I quote, "For women to have access to abortion means that the deep-seated religious beliefs have to be changed." End of quote.

Can you believe that we have to change our most basic convictions, Mrs. Clinton? Culture may change; your views certainly change, but the word of God changes not. "Thy word is established in heaven forever," says the word of God. This is what Paul was talking about when he said to Timothy, "Get ready, get ready. In the last days there will be terrible times, times without any moral restraint."

But with that prediction is also a great hope. All of these things are simply setting the stage for the greatest event in human history. Don't lose heart. Don't despair. Help and hope are on the way.

Speaker 2

I suspect you care deeply for our country, just as I do. And you want nothing more than to see Americans wake up at Pathway to Victory. We believe God has given us an enormous opportunity through radio, television, and all of our digital channels to quicken the hearts of our fellow Americans. It's one of the many reasons we're so excited about the Salt and Light matching challenge that's active just for a few more days.

With your investment in this opportunity, we're empowered to proclaim the truth about Christ and his word. And when we do this together, we can shine the beacon of God's hope around the world. Here's how the matching challenge works: whatever amount you're able to give today will be matched and therefore doubled in impact. The goal is $1 million. Now that's a large number for any one person. But through the combined efforts of our listening family, I'm confident we can reach into, even exceed this goal.

Now, when you give a gift toward the Matching Challenge, I'm going to say thanks by sending you a copy of a powerful book I've written for you and your family. It's called Shine the Light. By reading my new book, you'll discover how your courage, kindness, and faith shine a light of hope into the dark.

Speaker 3

Culture in which we live.

Speaker 2

Let me add this very important comment. We're grateful for our new administration who has provided some relief on many of the cultural battles we're fighting in our country.

But even with these good initiatives, it's incumbent upon Christians to shine brighter than ever before. The deadline for receiving your gift for the matching challenge is July 6th.

Please, while there's still time, join us in this critical effort to be salt and light, just as Jesus commanded.

Speaker 1

David thanks Dr. Jeffress. You're invited to request the brand new book by Dr. Jeffress, *Shine the Light*. When you give a generous gift to support the ministry of Pathway to Victory, simply call 866-999-2965 or visit our website at ptv.org. When you give an especially generous gift of $100 or more, we'll also include the complete *Shine the Light* teaching session series on audio and video discs.

Remember, your gift right now will have twice the impact because of our Salt and Light Matching Challenge. However, the deadline for receiving your gift for the matching challenge is July 6, so it's critically important that we hear from you right away. Call 866-999-2965 or go to ptv.org. You could also write to us if you'd like. Here's that mailing address: P.O. Box 223609, Dallas, Texas 75222. One more time, P.O. Box 223689, Dallas, Texas 75222.

I'm David J. Mullins. For centuries, Americans have enjoyed the blessings of religious freedom, but today our religious liberties are threatened by those who ignore God. Join us again next time for a message called *America at the Crossroads*, right here on Pathway to Victory.

Pathway to Victory with Dr. Robert Jeffress comes from the pulpit of the First Baptist Church of Dallas, Texas. You made it to the end of today's podcast from Pathway to Victory, and we're so glad you're here. Pathway to Victory relies on the generosity of loyal listeners like you to make this podcast possible.

Right now, your ministry gift will be matched and therefore doubled in impact thanks to the Salt and Light Matching Challenge. Take advantage of this opportunity to double your impact before the deadline on July 6th. To give toward the matching challenge, go to ptv.org/donate or follow the link in our show notes. We hope you've been blessed by today's podcast from Pathway to Victory.