CONFLICT SETTLED BY THE WORD

Text; Mat 4:4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
Psa 119:89 LAMED. For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven.

Proposition; God has NOT provided man with options!

If Christ could do only the will of the Father, then who are we that we should presume to have a right to do otherwise?

While man loves such phrases as, 'choosing our priorities', restructuring the church' etc. he needs to learn that God has NOT given him a choice on HOW to serve God. Man's only choice in the matter is WILL I serve Him? For this reason, it is of the utmost importance that one determines God's will about all things. This can only be done by studying God's Word.
2 Tim 2:15 Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

I. The devil tried to confuse Christ on the mount of temptation and he still tries to confuse men in all things, both spiritual and temporal.
A. God is NOT the author of confusion.
1 Cor 14:33 For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.

Society, theologians, churches and philosophers disagree, change their minds and still disagree. They have summits, seminars and conferences and still have their differences. The Word of God is unchanging.
Mat 24:35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. See text also

B. God's people could and should all speak the same things.
1 Cor 1:10 Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.
This is the unity of the Spirit.;
Eph 4:13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

II. There is no confusion in Gods' word as to:
A. The NEED for salvation.
Beginning with Adam
Gen.2:17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. through the Psalms;
[Psa 53:2 God looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, that did seek God.
Psa 53:3 Every one of them is gone back: they are altogether become filthy; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.]
The Prophets;
Ezek 18:4 Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die.
Isa 53:6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
Plus the entire New Testament;
Rom 3:10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:
Rom 3:11 There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.
Rom 3:12 They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
Rom 3:13 Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips:
Rom 3:14 Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness:
Rom 3:15 Their feet are swift to shed blood:
Rom 3:16 Destruction and misery are in their ways:
Rom 3:17 And the way of peace have they not known:
Rom 3:18 There is no fear of God before their eyes.
Rom 3:19 Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.
Rom 3:20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
Rom 3:21 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;
Rom 3:22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:
Rom 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

All of man's theorizing cannot change this! Man can invent falsehood but can only accept or deny TRUTH!

B. The Plan of Salvation;
1.It has never changed since the beginning.
Acts 10:43 To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.

2.Paul certainly had no illusions about it.
1 Cor 2:2 For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.
Rom 5:6 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.
Rom 5:7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.
Rom 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
Acts 16:30 And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?
Acts 16:31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.

III MAN HAS CONFUSED THE ISSUE!
A. As to what one should do with his life after salvation.
Some have said: ‘God has led me to found this church, or charitable organization in His name’; or ‘God will accept my service as long as I am sincere; or in any church for they are all working toward the same end’.

BUT GOD IS NEITHER CONFUSED NOR CONFUSING!
His Word says to put your light on the candlestick,
Mat 5:15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.
Mat 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.]
and that candlestick is a New Testament Church.
Rev 1:20 The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.
Eph 3:21 Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.]
MAN HAS CONFUSED THE ISSUE!

B. There is no confusion in the Scripture as to WHICH CHURCH.
1.Jesus said Mat.16:18 I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

2.If he didn't build it, it isn't his.
Psa.127:1 Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.

3.If it doesn't practice what He taught, it isn't His.
Luke 6:46 And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?

4. It will practice and teach the whole truth and nothing but the truth.
Otherwise it is NOT being led by the Holy Spirit as He promised to His church.
John 14:17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
John 16:13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come.

The Holy Spirit will never guide separate from or contrary to the Word of God.
ONLY MAN HAS CONFUSED THE ISSUE!

C. There is no confusion in the Bible as to Baptism.
1.As to Church Authority
Mat 28:18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
Mat 28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
Mat 28:20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

2. As to the proper candidate, a believer.
Acts 8:37 And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
This rules out infants and those who would be baptised in order to be saved.

3. As to the method;
Rom 6:4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
Rom 6:5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:
This rules out sprinkling and pouring.
Again; Man has confused the issue!

D. There is no confusion as to holy living.
Gal 5:24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
Man's depravity alone has lowered the standards!

III. Objections Answered.
'But what if I don't believe all these things?
Answer: Rom 3:3 For what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect?
Rom 3:4 God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.

A. When a man insists in doing that which is right in his own eyes, it denotes the absence of the Word of God from his life.
Prov 14:12 There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.
Prov 14:14 The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways: and a good man shall be satisfied from himself.