American Pastor

To the Praise of the Glory of His Grace: Ephesians 1:3-6

Born of God: 1 John 5:13-21

1 John 5:13 "These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God."
This sermon from American Pastor J.D. Montieth explores the Apostle John's first epistle in a series titled Born of God. This sermon, the ninth in the series, 1 John 5:13-21, closes out the epistle of 1 John with a final warning against idolatry: "If Christ is possessed, then a man will know that there is something dwelling within him, apart from his physical and material makeup, which has its origin in God. This is also, the reason why the gospel should be preached today, and Jesus Christ, the Son of God, be declared to the world. Because only through Him, can men be both given, and come to practically know that God’s eternal life is theirs. To therefore preach Christ and make Him known, is to preach that precious gift of spiritual regeneration. It is to reveal the wonderful revelation that God’s eternal life can be found in the One sent to declare Him to the world.
"It is not enough to merely believe upon Jesus Christ for a moment, or a brief period of time; to do this offers no sure hope of gaining the life offered through Him. True faith is an enduring faith, which shall always manifestitself as genuine by remaining faithful to God once it has begun. In reality, there is no such thing as a temporal or momentary faith that will save men. As both belief in the Son of God and subjection to His lordship, must continue until this earthly life is over, or we are received into heaven by Him.
"A practical point which encourages faith in God is focusing not on the specific petition, but on the Lord Himself. It is therefore by trusting in the Lord, and not simply our specific petition, that provides the best way to keep our hearts at peace, until such time that our needs are met. Understandably, no faith can really be developed in God, by over-focusing on every request made to Him. It also goes without saying, that it is not confidence in self that gives hope of answered prayer, but only trust and confidence in the One we are praying to.
"Intercessory prayers are an important responsibility in the believer’s life, where prayers are not simply offered to God for our own needs, but to also help brothers and sisters, deceived and snared by sin. Just as intercessory prayer can save the sick, so can it assist in bringing those who have sinned against God, to regaining fellowship with Him. Ultimately, prayer for other members in the body of Christ, is as essential as praying for our own needs to be met.
"Where then sin has abounded and grown to epic proportions, the grace of God, and the gift of Jesus Christ, surpasses even the abundance of sin committed. Thankfully, the vast amount of sin in the world, is not unpardonable, and can and will be for given through repentance, and Christ sacrificing Himself for sin.
"It is a spiritual reality, and an established truth, that those born of God, neither can, wish, nor desire, to continue in sin. The very nature of God, imparted to those born of Him, prohibits this. What this verse plainly and uniquely teaches, is that true Christians cannot remain living in sin, and if some claim they can, they never were truly born of God.
"Once saved by the Son, a person has crossed over, that great chasm which separates death and life, and as such, it is impossible that his new  standing in heaven, can be taken away. Never again can true saints fall under God’s condemnation and be separated from Him.
"Though these last words of the Apostle seem to take a digression, the truth revealed is that for even those born of God, there remains a danger of unintended idolatry. Idolatry, where personal pursuits, worldly pleasures, and cares of this world, wrongly assume a place in the believer’s heart, reserved only for God and God’s Son. For this reason, care should be taken, and the heart regularly inspected to ensure that nothing assumes the rightful place of God in His children’s heart or life.
"If God and Christ are not fully loved, and highly esteemed over all things, then it should not be thought, that Either are really loved at all. There is no middle ground for the Christian to balance love for God and love for the world—to love not what the flesh desires, but that which the Spirit wills. Thus, if men desire to be saved, then love for God, and the Son of God, must rise above every other carnal and worldly desire in their heart. It is only by doing this that Christ’s first commandment is obeyed, and any form of idolatry abandoned. Simply because, any continuance in sin, is a form of unrighteousness, will prevent entrance into Christ’s coming kingdom.
"It is possible for men to be deceived that they can continue in sin, yet still enter Christ’s kingdom. This is undoubtedly not true, as the simplicity and clearness of this verse cannot be denied. For this reason, continued care and effort should be taken to remove anything in the heart, that rivals God and the new spiritual life gained through belief in God’s Son."
Broadcast live on 04/23/2023

Born of God: 1 John 4:13-5:12

1 John 4:13 "Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit."
This sermon from American Pastor J.D. Montieth explores the Apostle John's first epistle in a series titled I Born of God. This sermon, the eighth in the series, 1 John 4:13-5:12, highlights the importance of love: "The recognition of Christ’s deity, is not something that can occur merely in the head, but must be a genuine and sincere belief that originates in the heart, and then is made public to the world. It is an act of submission and subjection to the Son of God, that leads to God’s salvation.
"If any then desire to know whether or not they are saved, and have true fellowship and union with the heavenly Father, then they need only to ask themselves if both God’s Spirit and God’s love dwells in them.
"By following Christ’s example of love, His people are assured that they shall have nothing to fear in the day of His judgment. Because Christ’s love lives within the hearts of those saved by Him, and they live as He lived in the world, then nothing more is needed for them to have met God’s will for their life. Having obeyed Christ’s two commandments to love both God and his neighbor, allows the believer to approach the tribunal of Christ, with the spiritual confidence that the life lived was in obedience to his Lord.
"There is no fear in love, since perfect love casts out all fear of God, and any sheepishness to be judged by Him. Yet, if fear of divine judgment remains, this is strong evidence, that love still remains an unfinished work in the believer. Just as love is a fruit of the Spirit, fear is a characteristic of the flesh. Because of this, not until love has grown and accomplished its full purpose, revealing obedience to divine will, will all fear of heavenly judgement be removed.
"Ultimately, there is no such thing as a disobedient Christian, or a Christian lacking love, or a Christian who has not been regenerated by the Holy Spirit, simply because these three divine signs both confirm and establish where true salvation exists, and where it does not.
"It is sin that weighs men down, and is a heavy weight to bear, and surely not obedience to God’s will. This is because the Lord puts nothing on a man, that is not profitable for his life and good for his soul.
"It is easy to obey God when the heart is right;
"A true child of God therefore cannot be, nor ever will be overcome by this world, as so many who are not the children of God, confirmably are. Hence, Christians are not, and should never be considered victims of this world, simply because through Jesus Christ and His triumphant ministry, they have defeated it.
"Many a sinner has had this world beat them down, drain them of all strength, and ultimately ruin their life. Yet, there is no true Christian that it can be said was overcome in this manner. Because of faith in the Son of God, Christ has made all those born of the Spirit to overcome all the oppressiveness, sin, death, and evil forces in this world.
"There is no true Christian who does not possess a spiritual witness in his own heart, that Jesus is the Son of God. This witness is the Spirit of God, given through Christ, which abides in him. Understandably, no man can ever fully believe upon Jesus Christ, without having a personal witness of experiencing the Lord himself. This is accomplished by the Holy Spirit being given to all who believe upon Him as the Son of God and yield their lives to His lordship.
"There is hardly a verse which is so simple, solid and succinct regarding who has been given eternal life: it is those who possess the Son of God. So that if a man hath the Son, he hath the life of God, but if he hath not the Son, then neither does he possess that spiritual life, that comes only through Him. Ultimately, it is a man’s faith in, obedience to, and relationship with the Son of God, that allows for the gift of eternal life being given to him.
"Because God’s life resides in the Son, and cannot be found in any other place, the apostle’s great aim in writing this epistle is purposed, to lead people to belief in the Son of God, to gain the eternal life of God offered through Him. If Christ is possessed, then a man will know that there is something dwelling in him, apart from his physical and material makeup, which has its origin in God. This is also, the reason why the gospel should be preached today, and Jesus Christ, the Son of God, should be declared to the world. Because only through Him, can men be both given, and come to practically know that God’s eternal life is theirs. To therefore preach Christ and make Him known, is to preach that precious gift of spiritual regeneration and the divine life offered through belief in the Son of God. To preach Christ, is to preach the wonderful revelation that God’s eternal life can be found in Him."
Broadcast live on 04/02/2023

Born of God: 1 John 3:20-4:12

1 John 3:20 "For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things."
This sermon from American Pastor J.D. Montieth explores the Apostle John's first epistle in a series titled Born of God. This sermon, the seventh in the series, 1 John 3:20-4:12, explains the importance and benefit of keeping God's commandments: "Whatever a man thinks he knows of his sin, because God is greater, God knows more and could prosecute and bring charges, exceeding even what the human heart and conscience recognizes as sin. Consequently, to maintain both peace and fellowship with God, there can be no hiding or indulging in sin, especially so in the heart. Wherever sin is, it must be confessed, and dealt with in order for a man to maintain trust in God. A condemning heart does nothing to inspire greater confidence and trust in the Lord and His ability to come to our aid; in fact, it does quite the opposite.
"The condition of the heart greatly effects a man’s faith and trust in God. To properly grow and develop in faith, we must so live that our heart does not accuse us of sin, but rather commends us for living rightly before the Lord.4 Though it is not known by most, a good conscience is as critical to true piety, as love and faith are. Possessing these three godly characteristics is the ultimate end of God’s will for the Christian.
"If our faith or love is insincere and has no real depth in it, our conscience will inform us of such. Hence, the conscience plays a very key and important role in leading our soul to God’s salvation, by exposing if insincerity exists, or our faith and love towards God is pure.
"How foolish is it to believe that any can live as they will, sin as they desire, and God will still hear them. The truth is that God will not hear, nor come to the aid of any who regard iniquity in their heart. If men then embrace sin, they should not think that they will be heard of God.
"Sinners therefore should never be so presumptuous to believe that by deliberately walking in sin, that God will still hear them in their time of need. This is the truth of God’s Word: absent repentant prayer that acknowledges sin and does not defend and attempt to hide it from God, a sinner’s pleas will not be heard. For God to hear men, they must keep His commandments and do those things pleasing in His sight. It is only by living this way, that they can be sure that all asked of God will be granted.
"Belief in the Son of God and love for the brethren are therefore eternally bound. To obey one, will lead to embracing the other. Just as disregarding one, ensures that there can be no true possession of the other. This teaches us that whenever there is true belief in Jesus Christ, there will always be love for those born of Him. Hence, whenever there is sincere faith in the Savior, there will be corresponding love for His brethren.
"For the true Christian, God is much more than simply around him, He is in all respects now living within him. The true church of Christ is not formed when men enter churches, but rather when the Father and Son, enter them.
"Antichrists are at their core, worldly. It is the world they are of, the world they will speak of, and those of the world who will hear them. This teaches us that whom a man hears, listens to, and enjoys the company of, reveals whom he is really of. If it is the world, then he is of it; if it is God, then he is of Him.
"The Christian’s call through Jesus Christ is to come out and separate himself from the world. If this is not done, and a man believes that he can straddle the fence between love for God and love for the world, then it is certain that true love for the Father does not exist.
"Love therefore is the primary test to determine whom God has saved and made His sons, and whom He has not. This is why there is no such thing as a true Christian, if divine love is lacking in them. Even as those who lack love do not hold any true knowledge of God. Love is therefore that quality that reveals both being born of God, and coming to know a genuine knowledge of Him. Because God is love, He will birth children that manifest the very essence of Himself. If a man then has God’s love lacking in him, you can be sure he has never been born again, by God. There is also nothing that will give a man more confidence that he is of the truth, than when God’s love abounds both in his heart and his life.
"The timing of when God sent Jesus Christ to die for sin, reveals the undeniable goodness that dwells in God. Before then men ever developed love for God, God loved them. Many a man also has wondered why God would absolve him of sin. The answer is because goodness and generosity are the essence of God’s holy character. Consequently, it was not because men deserved Christ dying for their sin, but rather that they were in need of compassion, lest they die in their sins. 
"By divine and benevolent love is the reality of God revealed to His people."
Broadcast live on 03/19/2023

Born of God: 1 John 3:3-19

1 John 3:3 "And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure."
This sermon from American Pastor J.D. Montieth explores the Apostle John's first epistle in a series titled Born of God. This sermon, the sixth in the series, 1 John 3:3-19, teaches on the evils of sin and the benefits of love: "The glory and beauty of the Savior, first resides in the fact of His purity. It is not just that Jesus did not sin and was able to resist the sinful urges of His body, but rather that in Him is no sin. He was sinless, holy, and without defect or blemish. (Heb. 7:26) For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; It is also this purity, cleanliness of heart and soul, that Christ passes on the those who believe on Him.
"If a man remains indifferent to his sin, and perceives no harm in breaking God’s commandments, then you can be sure that Jesus Christ is not his Lord. Practically speaking, those born of God and filled with His Spirit will be recognized by their obedience and subjection to the gospel, and not their rejection and breaking of it.
"While it is true that a person is saved by grace, through faith, it is equally true that neither grace nor faith, allows men to continue in sin and break divine law. Grace gives no man the right to sin, because if it did, it would totally negate the purpose of God imparting to men His Spirit, which infuses Its recipients with the strength, power, and ability to keep God’s will and statutes.
"It is always a lie that implies that a man can sin, not pursue a life of righteousness, and still be a true son of God.
How a man walks, and not what he says, reveals whom he is of. By continuing in sin, men show themselves to have aligned themselves with the very one who has sinned since the very beginning. The language is strong because the truth is certain, he that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil.
No one, not one person, not one man, woman, or child can continue in sin, if actually born of God. This is a biblical impossibility and the apostle seeks to make this very important revelation abundantly clear. That once someone is born of God, been filled with God’s Spirit, and made Jesus Christ their Lord, they cannot, and will not continue in sin. The reason therefore that true saints cannot continue in sin, is because God’s seed, the Holy Spirit, has changed their heart, and now God’s holy nature abides in them.
"For true Christians, continuing in sin is infeasible, undesirable, and loathsome. Sin cannot be continued in once God and Christ, make Their abode in a new son of God’s heart. Sin’s power has been broken, and a new holy energy now lives within, enabling a pursuit of union and communion with the Lord.
"Love, and specifically love for the brethren, ultimately reveals if a man has truly been saved by Christ, born of God, or just merely walks in the company of those who have been.
"In contrast to love is envy and hate, which are the devilish qualities that led Cain to kill his natural born brother, Abel. The evil spiritual influence also that led Cain to slay Abel, had for its origin, the devil.
There was no divine love in Cain, and this vacuum, left the door wide open for envy and hate. The lesson is, that even as love will prevent sin,(I Cor. 13:4-8) its absence allows full space for it. Thus, when men do not obey Christ’s command to love, there is no other path for them to follow, than that which is harmful not only to themselves but sadly, to others as well. Where love is not, the devil will gladly take its place.
The divine qualities of love, joy, and peace, as well as the other fruits of the Spirit, cannot exist in an unsaved man. They are fruits of the Spirit of God, and cannot be truly manufactured, nor properly imitated, by those who have not the Spirit. Love for the brethren proves a man has been acquitted of his sins, and now is declared righteous before God.
"In contrast to a world filled with hate, is the example of love found in Jesus Christ. Hence, where Cain’s hate took the life of his brother, Christ’s love, gave His own life as a sacrifice for others. The contrast is seen in the world’s first murderer, Cain, and this world’s Savior, Jesus Christ. Cain and Jesus Christ therefore are set as examples of what hate will end in, and what true love also will ultimately produce. By Christ’s love in laying down His life for the brethren, divine love became visible. In Jesus Christ we have the very essence of what true love is. Surprisingly, Christ did not reveal a higher form of love, which of course He could reveal no other, but only that in Him, is seen what true and divine love really is. This is why not until a man is willing to give his life to God, as Christ also first did, for the benefit of others, is Christ’s love possessed. 
"One of the chief ways to determine if men love or not, is if they are willing to give up their own earthly resources when a brother is in need. All love gives, and there is not true love that can ignore and not come to the aid, of those in need. If the heart remains closed to the lack and necessities of those around us, especially our brethren, then it is certain God’s love has no true place in us.
"It is only by sincerely walking in love, that assures the believer that he is of the truth. Where a hypocrite has no inward assurance that he is of God, the man who genuinely loves, does. Teaching us that love does more for the conscience and soul, than any religious duty ever could. It is thus only by doing the Word and not merely hearing it, that the conscience is quieted, and assurance is given to ourselves, that we are indeed God’s children. Obedience to the gospel therefore has for its unsuspecting end, producing internal confidence in our own standing, of being the children of God.
Broadcast live on 03/05/2023

Born of God: 1 John 2:25-3:2

1 John 2:25 "And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life."
This sermon from American Pastor J.D. Montieth explores the Apostle John's first epistle in a series titled Born of God. This sermon, the sixth in the series, 1 John 2:25-3:2, highlights what the believer will be when Christ appears for the second time: 

Born of God: 1 John 2:19-24

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."
This sermon from American Pastor J.D. Montieth explores the Apostle John's first epistle in a series titled Born of God. This sermon, the fifth in the series, 1 John 2:19-24, examines the difference between apostates who leave the faith and of true believers in Christ: "They went out from us, but they were not [ever] of us is solid proof that those who depart from the faith, were never really of it. Apostates for a time can and will remain with true believers, but there must come a time when their false professions of faith becomes manifest. Impure motives while in religion are not enough to keep men faithful to it their entire lives. Like with Judas, though he walked with the Lord Jesus for a number of years, the truth is he never truly was subject to Him.
"By the Lord allowing the departure of those who once labeled themselves as Christians, the influence they once had, or could have had in the true church of Christ, is greatly diminished. Practically speaking, when men depart from Christ, Whom they once professed to follow, all real authority to influence others remaining loyal to Him ends. To understand apostasy properly, one needs to know that 1) Those who leave the faith were once considered part of the church. They took on the habits of conversion but were never truly converted. 2) God allows departure, so that the pretenders might be fully known, resulting in removing much confusion as to what true faith really is. 3) By the counterfeit believer’s exodus, the church is more able to grow in the divine qualities of love and spiritual unity. When schism is removed, if even undetected by most, then harmony and peace is more freely enabled to flourish in Christ’s true church.
"There are but two forms of government that men can choose to align themselves with. The first is that government, which the god of this world, Satan, sets the parameters of how men can live while in it. In this worldly institution much freedom is promised, whereby men can not only live as they will, with no judgment, but are actually encouraged to embrace self-will and self-government. In Satan’s world self-love and self-will are much more preferred than love for God, and subjection to divine will. Those who love the world, and are willing to depart from the faith for it, ultimately reveal themselves as preferring human government, or the government of self, man, and Satan, over the heavenly rule of God.
"It is this standard of leaving all to follow Christ, which is the true test of discipleship. It is a standard which Jesus Christ Himself set, and should not be lowered by men, who themselves have not enough love for divine things, to keep it. To be saved by the Son of God, then a man must be willing to leave everything for Him.
"In contrast to those who were never true followers of Christ and depart from the fellowship of the godly, are true saints, who have as a gift from God, the anointing of the Holy Spirit. 
"There are two distinct elements in recognizing Jesus Christ’s true person. 1)That He is God’s appointed Ruler of the world, in the form of the Messiah. 2) That His right to rule the world stems from His unmistakable relationship with God, as God’s only begotten Son. 
"To not recognize these two truths, is to be anti-Christ. It is therefore not nearly enough to know Jesus as a mere historical figure. This is insufficient for salvation. Because to be saved by God, the power, authority, right, and supremacy of the Son of God must be both believed in, and submitted to.
"To deny the Son is to deny His authority over your life. It is to not submit to His Word, and not follow His person. It is to foolishly believe that we can be saved by God, without yielding to His Son. Yet, there are none who deny the Son, who have any true relationship with the Father. In the Son, God has made Himself known; consequently, to reject and/or deny Him, is to reject the very One Whom God had sent to reconcile sinners unto Himself.
"When there is an acceptance of the Son of God, and genuine belief in His heavenly identity, then it is certain that true relationship with God has begun. Reception of Christ also has as its reward, being given power by Him, to  become a Son of God. Through Christ, and Christ alone, are men made to become sons of God themselves, and by  his it can be said that they hath the Father.
"Once made a son of God, a person must remain loyal to His calling for true fellowship to be maintained with both the Father and Son. There is no place in scripture, nor should any think it can be found, which allows for unfaithfulness, after conversion. He who has been made a son of God through Christ, must maintain both belief and obedience to Christ’s words and Christ’s Spirit, in order for fellowship with God to be continued. There is no second renewal, nor another regeneration that God can provide for any who when once exposed to the Holy Spirit, walk away from it and return to their previous course of living. This is also why there is no such thing as once a Christian, always a Christian, if Christ’s words and His authority over the soul, is abandoned. To make Jesus Christ Lord of your life, is to make Him the ultimate authority in it; consequently, to desert from His rule, is to forfeit the salvation offered by Him."
Broadcast live on 02/19/2023

Born of God: 1 John 2:8-18

1 John 2:8 "Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth."
This sermon from American Pastor J.D. Montieth explores the Apostle John's first epistle in a series titled Born of God. This sermon, the fourth in the series, 1 John 2:8-18, teaches about light and love:
"Though love was spoken of previously in scripture it was not fully manifested nor could be truly comprehended until the coming of God’s only begotten Son. That which makes John’s commandment new, is directly related to the divine love that led to Christ’s laying down His life for the brethren. It was this extension and depth of love, whereby One would be willing to die for others’ sins that revealed the true essence of love.
"Life is the most precious thing a man has. In fact, it is all he really has, and is his most precious possession. To give it up is to give all that one has. It therefore is this manner of love, of being willing to lay down our lives for the brethren (if not unto death, then surely in life) that those who claim relationship with the Son of God are commanded to walk in.
"Hate blinds; it does not enlighten. Ultimately, if it is not love that motivates religious movement, and love also that manifest’s itself towards the holy brethren, then religion is false, and the profession of possessing true faith iscounterfeit.
"It is also not uncommon among sinners, to outwardly lie as to their true relationship with God, where a profession of relationship with God is stated, yet no true obedience to His divine law is desired. Men are liars, and nowhere is this visible more than when sinners claim acceptance by God, though their lives evidence everything contrary to divine law. 
"In true Christian religion, there is no substitute for love. It is heralded as greater than even faith and hope. Love is what God is, and none can claim true relationship with Him, who do not possess it.
"So great is the divine commandment to love that when men walk in it, practice it daily, and pursue its expansion in their lives, then this fulfills God’s will for their life. Love is the fulfilling of divine law. This is why if a man truly desires to do God’s will in his life, then he should pursue walking in the very nature God is.
"Thus if it is truly love that rules a man, forms his character, and is the underlying force behind all his decisions, then it is not timidity but boldness that will fill him when Christ returns to judge the world.
"Where previously the apostle warned of the danger of hate, now it is the ever-present danger of loving the world and those things in it. He who loves the world cannot in any true measure or sense love God, and he who loves God must forsake any love or affection he might have for the world. It is thus clearly stated, and should not be debated, that all love for the world, practically nullifies any true love for the heavenly Father.
"It is important for men to know, that to reject Christ’s lordship, is by itself a form of Antichrist. Hence, to not submit to Christ’s rule, reveals a rejection of His government, and resistance to the overall authority God has given His Son. It is God’s right to transfer authority to whom He wills, and His will is that His Son, shall reign forever."
 
Broadcast live on 02/05/2023