THE CHILD OF HELL
Matthew 23:1 Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples, 2 Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat: 3 All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not. 4 For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.
Matthew 23:15 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.
Evangelism is required in order to make a “Child of Hell.” In that verse fifteen of our text we read that our Lord said of the scribes and Pharisees, involving themselves in aggressive evangelism, compassing land and sea, “ye make him”. And when they do, that second generation religionist is twice the child of hell than they are.
Do you recall his parable of the seed and the sower? There were four types of soil sown with the same seed. All kinds of people are evangelized. But three of these did not bring forth fruit unto perfection. Only one did. Take time to read Matthew 13:18-23 to understand how this occurred. And remember that once the gospel seed is received, it is impossible to renew the hearer back to his condition before he heard it.
Hebrews 6:4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, 5 And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, 6 If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame. 7 For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God: 8 But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned.
For the word received as just religious facts has a killing effect. It is only as the gospel is received as a spiritual revelation that one sees the glory of Christ and is changed! 2 Corinthians 3:6 Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life. John 6:63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. 2 Corinthians 4:6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 2 Corinthians 3:18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.
In the first twelve verses of this Matthew 23 chapter, our Lord warns his disciples of false religion. Then in the following verses he warns those who practice and promote it. He refers to them as “hypocrites, fools, bling guides, and serpents.” And we remember in the account of the tares sown among the wheat, he refers to the one who sowed the tares as “an enemy.”
Therefore again we see that all that which is called “evangelism,” is not good for those caught up in its net! Matthew 13:47 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind: 48 Which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away. 49 So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just,
The Apostle Paul wrestled with this in his ministering. He well knew that God has only one gospel, but it is a double edged sword. To one it is an odor of death. To another that same gospel is an aroma of life! 2 Corinthians 2:14 Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour (aroma) of his knowledge by us in every place. 15 For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish: 16 To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things?
And the Apostle Peter clearly sets forth that as far as the condition of some of those evangelized, it would have been better for them never to have heard the word preached. 2 Peter 2:20 For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. 21 For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. 22 But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.
And the quantity of light rejected determines the severity of punishment applied. Luke 12:47 And that servant, which knew his lord’s will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. 48 But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.
For some after hearing the gospel preached maintain their old nature. They remain as dogs and sows. They never were sheep who are known by the hearing and understanding of the Lord’s words. John 10:26 But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you. 27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: John 8:43 Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word.45 And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not.
1 John 4:4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. 5 They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them. 6 We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.
He that is made righteous by the birth of the Holy Spirit will practice righteousness! But those with just a mental assent to the gospel cannot express righteousness. 1 John 3:7 Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. 10 In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.
The Psalmist pleaded for God to rid him of these “strange children.” And the Apostle Peter also spoke of “cursed children.” Psalm 144:11 Rid me, and deliver me from the hand of strange children, whose mouth speaketh vanity, and their right hand is a right hand of falsehood: 2 Peter 2:14 Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children:
Both the righteous and the unrighteous are said to be children. (1 John 3:10 listed above). Both are said to have a father. John 8:44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. John 20:17 Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.
One is said to receive the new birth from above. These become the children of God. The others are said to be “made” children of hell by false evangelism. These are said to be “the children of the devil.” (See again 1 John 3:10 listed above.) John 3:8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit. Matthew 23:15 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.
The Apostle John states that these children of hell may also have sat on the same pews, hearing the same word as did the true believers. 1 John 2:19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.
And the Hebrew writer clearly states that it was this forsaking of continually remaining under the preaching of the word which brought upon them the indignation of God. For this was a willful sin to walk away from the source of the gospel! Hebrews 10:25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. 26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, 27 But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.
And Jude informs us as to why they do this. Jude 19 These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit. They may have been emotional as they remained under the gospel, but that was never truly of the Spirit! Most of religion in our day is carried on under the rule of the “angel of light” (Satan), and “inordinate affections,” thought to be true spiritual responses. 2 Corinthians 11:13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. 14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
The true gospel preacher is careful always to present the word plainly and without deceit! But if the hearer refuses to believe it, Satan is attracted. Then he blinds the minds of those refusing to believe, so that they remain forever in a lost state! 2 Corinthians 4:2 But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God. 3 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: 4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
{After fifty years of preaching the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, it is astounding to me of just how casually some souls, who say that they are serious believers, take the revelation of the truth! For no more that a few minutes after the message is delivered they are turning to one another and conversing with one another about everything in the world except the word just heard! We really don’t know that many true christians!}
Isaiah 8:20 … if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.
Mark 7:6 He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. Isaiah 30:1 Woe to the rebellious children, saith the LORD, that take counsel, but not of me; and that cover with a covering, but not of my spirit, that they may add sin to sin: 2 That walk to go down into Egypt, and have not asked at my mouth; to strengthen themselves in the strength of Pharaoh, and to trust in the shadow of Egypt!
And our Lord clearly stated that these false evangelists actually “shut up” the kingdom against those to whom they preach, hindering them from entering! Matthew 23:13 But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.
He also accuses them of making great issues of things of little matter, while omitting the more important things of true christianity! Matthew 23:23 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. 24 Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel.
The two things which are heightened to the heavens by religion in our day are homosexuality and abortion. And these are matters which hypocrites feel safe in preaching against. But let a true man of God preach on repentance and these same religionists either flee from that light, or spew false charges and lies against him. They will do anything in order to put that light out! John 3:19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
What is the true issue in our gospel day? Is it not that all men, every where need to repent? Even church members? Yes! Acts 17:30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: 31 Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.
Pastor Gene Breed
September 19, 2020
