Cardboard Christians Adrian Rogers Proverbs 21:22-28

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1 Cardboard Christians Adrian Rogers Proverbs 21:22-28 I want you to take your Bibles today and turn to the Book of Proverbs, Chapter 21, and look at one verse. Now, we've been in the Book of Proverbs for quite some time, and the difficulty and the joy of studying the Book of Proverbs is that there is so much compacted in one verse! You're going to see that as we study this verse today. And the more I looked at this verse, the more remarkable it became in my eyes. When I first looked at it, I said, "Well, that's an ordinary verse." Then, you know, the more I dwelt on it, I discovered that there are no ordinary verses. Everyone is extraordinary. Listen to this. Proverbs, Chapter 21, Verse 28: "A false witness shall perish: but the man that heareth speaketh constantly." "A false witness shall perish: but the man that heareth speaketh constantly." Art Linkletter had a tragedy in his life, and it literally drove him to his knees. And Art Linkletter told that after this tragedy, he was with some young people in the lobby of a hotel in San Francisco, a dozen or so young people. And he said they got down on their knees to pray, and he got down on his knees with them to pray. And he said, "I looked around and I hoped no one would recognize me down on my knees." But he said, "I was not down on my knees but just a second when I did no longer care what anyone else thought." Because Art Linkletter said in this discussion of his life, he said, "Up until that time, I was very self-sufficient. I didn't feel that I needed anybody." Here's a man that for forty years on television and screen and stage had entertained millions. He said, "I didn't think I needed anybody." And he said, "I thought of myself as being a good person." But he said, "I was," -- and I want you to listen to this phrase -- "a cardboard Christian." - That's the title of my message [this morning "Cardboard Christians." He says, "I was a cardboard Christian." That is, "I was all facade." There was nothing real on the inside. And then he said, "I found reality." I want to speak to you today about reality because if there's anything this world is hungering for, it is reality. Now, I want to tell you something. This church or any church will reach people if they can come to that church and sense reality They're tired of hypocrisy. They're tired of games. But they are seeking reality, and the great hunger of every man's heart, every woman's heart, every boy, every girl, is to know Jesus Christ; not know about Him, but to know Him and to have reality. Right? Not only that, but the need of reaching people. Not only is it the hunger, but it is the basic need of the church. In order to evangelize, we must have this bright, shining, living reality, and no longer "Cardboard Christians." Now, our text today speaks of that subject. And, actually, it just breaks right down the middle. It deals with a false witness, and it deals with a faithful witness. It deals with the fatality of a false witness. It deals with the reality of a faithful witness. Now, look at the fatality of a false witness. The fatality of a false witness. "A false witness shall perish." That is, it's fatal not to have reality, to be false, to be a phony, to be a "Cardboard Christian." "A false witness shall perish." Now, put your bookmark there in Proverbs, Chapter 21, and go with me to Matthew, Chapter 7, and I want to show you a very sobering passage of Scripture, and I want every church member to pay strict attention because one of the devil's favority ploys is to have you to be a member of a church; you had to be a false witness, not to be saved, not to be born again. Matthew, Chapter 7, in Verse 21. These are the Words of the Savior: "Not every one that saith unto me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter

2 into the kingdom of Heaven; but he that doeth the will of My Father which is in Heaven." That is, everybody talking about Heaven is not going there, as the ole' song says. Not everybody who says, "Lord, Lord" is saved. Not everybody is born again. "Not everyone that saith unto Me, 'Lord, Lord' shall enter into the kingdom of Heaven, but he that doeth the will of My Father which is in Heaven." And then notice these amazing verses: "Many will say unto Me in that day" -- He's talking about the Judgment Day -- "Many will say unto Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Thy name, and in Thy name have cast out devils? and in Thy name done many wonderful works?' And then will I profess unto them, depart from Me, ye that work iniquity. I never knew you." Now, look at this. There's false praying. "Many will say unto Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord.'" These are people who knew to pray! They didn't know how to pray, but they knew to pray. And they are seemingly orthodox in their praying because they call Him Lord. "Many will say unto me in that day, 'Lord, Lord.'" But not only false praying, it's compounded false preaching. "Many will say unto me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Thy name?'" Now, the word "prophesied" means to stand up and preach with authority. Did you know that many people who stand behind the pulpit are lost? They don't know Christ as their personal Savior. I'm not trying to hold myself up to some grand example and think that I'm the only one who does. I thank God across America that many preachers who do know the Lord Jesus Christ. But the tragedy in our day and in our land is that many are standing behind the sacred desk who have never been born again. Judas was a preacher. "We prophesied in Thy name." But Judas was lost. But not only false praying, and not only false preaching, but false power. This verse goes on to say, "And in Thy name cast out devils." Now, every time in the Bible when you see the word "devils" plural, it means "demons." There's one devil, many demons. And this may be translated "demons." "In Thy name we have exorcised demons. We have cast out demons in Your name." Well, did they cast out demons? No. They said they did. They said they did. They thought they did. Do you know demons are clever, demons are so diabolical, demons are so scheming that they will allow you to think that you have cast them out when you've not? Do you remember reading in the Bible the story of a man who had an unclean house, and the Bible says that he swept and cleaned and garnished his house, and -- and -- and there was a demon, an unclean spirit, and -- and that unclean spirit went out of the house. The house, of course, was the -- the temple of the body. And this demon, this man was demonized, and the -- and the demon went out. And then the Bible says that that demon went out and got seven more other deadly demons than himself and came back in, and Jesus said, "The last state of that man was - worse than the former state." Now, many times a demon will appear to cooperate. Many times he will let someone have some semblance of false power that he might get a false following and deceive many! How many people are deceived by false power! Not everything you see coming through television, and not everything you see that seems to be miraculous is miraculous. And pay attention to that. Not everyone who seems to have power over the devil, has power over the devil! "Many will say unto Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord,"' false praying. "Have we not prophesied in Thy name," false preaching. "And in Thy name cast out demons," false power. "And in Thy name done many wonderful works," false performance! They sang in the choir. They were in the orchestra. They took up the offering. They worked in the nursery. They ran the television. They were on the church staff. "Lord, we did all of these things! We tithed! We did it all! We were there every time the church doors were open! "But a false witness shall perish." Jesus said, "And then will I profess unto them, depart from Me ye that work iniquity, I never knew you."' Now, not that I knew you, and then you lost it, they never had it! They were never saved. And notice what Jesus said, "Depart from Me, ye that work iniquity." Not, that's very important that you understand that, because they were saying, "Lord, look at all of these things we've done." Do you know what Jesus called all of those things? Iniquity. Iniquity. They didn't say, "We robbed banks. We raped. We abused little children." No, they said, "We were preaching, praying, working." Jesus said, "Iniquity." You see, the Bible teaches that even your righteousness is "as filthy rags in His sight." I've said it before and I want to say it again. You pay attention. The worst form of human badness is human goodness, when that human goodness becomes a substitute for the new birth.

3 Jesus called it iniquity! "Ye that work iniquity." "A false witness shall perish. Depart from me, ye that work iniquity. I never knew you. I never knew you. I never knew you." No reality. A Cardboard Christian. A Cardboard Christian! The fatality of a false witness! Now, let's look at the other side of that text. Go back again, if you will, and look at our text. Proverbs 21:28: "A false witness shall perish, but the man that heareth speaketh constantly." The reality of a faithful witness. What are the three marks of a faithful witness? What are the three marks of reality in this thing called "religion" to know it's real? First of all, there must be a listening worship. A listening worship. "He that heareth." No man knows God, no man is real, no man is prepared to serve the Lord until he's first heard the Lord. One of the marks of all true Christians, all reality in spiritual matters, is that you have heard the Lord. "He that heareth, he that heareth, he that heareth." Now, notice He's putting "he that heareth" in opposition to the ones who are false witnesses. Now, what did Jesus say in Matthew, Chapter 10? Jesus said, there -- excuse me, in John, Chapter 10, the Lord Jesus said, in John 10, Verse 27, "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them." The Lord doesn't know anyone unless they've heard His voice. "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them." You cannot be a Christian without hearing the voice of the Lord Jesus Christ. I don't mean audibly, but you must hear God. And I'll tell you how to hear God in just a moment, but you must hear Him. Jesus stood before that rascal Pilot, and Pilot tried to engage Jesus in a conversation and in a banter, in an argument. He wanted Jesus Christ to defend Himself, but Jesus Christ would not defend Himself to Pilot. But here's what Jesus said to Pilot. It's very interesting in John, Chapter 18, Verse 37: "Pilot therefore said unto Him, 'Art thou a king then?' Jesus answered, 'Thou saiest that I'm a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world,' -- now listen. Pay attention -- 'that I should bear witness unto the truth. Everyone that is of the truth heareth My voice.'" That's one of the greatest statements in all of the Bible. "Everyone that is of the truth, heareth My voice." A faithful witness hears! And what is it that you hear? His voice! And what is His voice? His Word! These are the Words of the Lord Jesus Christ! This whole Book from Genesis to Revelation is the voice of the Son of God, and you must hear Him. You must hear Him! "Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God." You wan to hear God? You want to hear God? "Faith comes by hearing! Hearing by the Word of God!" This is the way you're going to hear God! This Book! This Book is the way you're going to hear God! Beth sang, and she said in effect in that song, "When the Lord spake, universes sprang into existence." He upholds everything by the Word of His power. There's power in His Word; power for conversion, being born again, "not by corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the Word of God." Power for completion, "as newborn babes desire the sincere milk of the Word that you may grow thereby." Power for cleansing, "wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way by taking heed thereto according to Thy Word." Power for claiming, "if you abide in Me and My Word abides in you, then you shall ask what you will, and it shall be done unto you." Power for conquest, "Take the sword of the spirit which is the Word of God." Power in this Book. Power for counseling, "It is profitable for doctrine, for rebuke, for repute, for correction." You want to know what's right, what's wrong, how to get right and how to stay right, there's power in the Word of God, counsel in the Word of God! Power for communion, "If you abide in Me and My Words abide in you, then you shall ask what you will and it shall be done unto you." You see, the mark of reality is that you're hearing God, that you're hearing God! You cannot be a real Christian until you hear from God! You must hear God speak. Now, He may speak through a preacher, but it will not be the preacher speaking. It's God speaking. That's the reason the Apostle Paul said, "We are witnesses of these things, and so is also the Holy Ghost that God has given to them that obey Him." If all you hear is me this morning, you've not heard. I want to be so full of the Spirit that when I preach, you'll hear God. You'll hear God. I want to stand behind this Book so that when I open this Book, you're hearing God speak! Because, Dear Friend, that is reality! You must hear! A faithful witness hears. There is listening worship. And because there is listening worship, there is living wit- ness. Now, listen. Look at the verse again. "He that heareth speaketh"! Did you hear that? "He that heareth speaketh." Now, we dare not speak for God until we've heard God. But if we've heard God, we dare not be silent. We dare not speak

4 for God until we've heard God, but if we've heard God, we dare not be silent. "He that heareth speaketh"! We are to speak for the Lord because we've heard the Lord, but we're not to speak for the Lord until we've heard the Lord. And, again, that's what's wrong with Sa many preachers today. They are speaking when they've not been listening. And so what you have is, that they're -- they're getting things out of their own heart, rather than what the Holy Spirit has said. And, again, I'm not trying to hold myself up as some grand example, but I do not want to stand before you and simply be dredging from my own well! Do you know what the Apostle Paul said in 1 Corinthians, Chapter 15, Verse 3? Tremendous statement: "For I have delivered unto you that which first of all I received." Hm? I'm just passing it through. I'm not the generator, I'm the conduit. "I have delivered unto you that which first of all I have received." The Lord Jesus Christ Himself is the example of this. Listen to what Jesus said in John, Chapter 8, and Verse 26: "I have many things to say and to judge of you, but He that sent Me is true, and I speak to the world those things which I have heard of Him." Jesus said, "What I hear, I speak." Paul said, "What I hear, I speak." You see, this is the difference between a lawyer and a witness. Jesus didn't say, "You shall be my lawyers." Jesus said, "Ye shall be witnesses unto me." Do you know what a lawyer does? A lawyer argues a case. Do you know what a witness does? He tells what he's seen and heard. Isn't that right? How can you be a witness if you haven't seen anything, if you haven't heard anything? God has not called you to be a lawyer! He's called you to be a witness! And you can't be a witness unless you've heard! "He that heareth speaketh"! Now, we're talking about reality. Let me tell you why I know that so many people are phony Christians because they never speak. They never speak. You will never convince me that you have reality if you keep it silent j If Dale Evans Rogers stood in this pulpit, and she' talked about Hollywood and she talked about, uh, uh, life on the road, and she talked about movies, and she talked about all of those things, but if she did not ring true about Jesus Christ, I'd think she's a phony. A phony. I don't care how much fame she has. She'd be a phony if she doesn't talk about Jesus Christ! But here's someone who's heard Christ, and because she's heard Christ, she cannot be silent. Do you know what R.A. Tory had to say? Listen to this. He said, "I would like to know what right any man has to call himself a follower of Jesus Christ if he is not a soul winner." Did you hear that? "I would like to know what right anybody has to call himself a follower of Jesus Christ if he is not a soul winner." How can we claim to follow if His purpose is not our purpose? Hm? Jesus said, "Follow me, and I'll make you to become fishers of men." If you're not fishing, you're not following, or else I don't know how to read. "Follow Me, and I will make you to become fishers of men." How can any man claim to be a follower of Jesus Christ, if the purpose of Christ is not his purpose? Friend,"a false witness shall perish, but he that heareth speaketh." To hear is to speak; to know Him is to say, "I cannot be silent." Lee Scarborouh, who was one time President of Southwestern Seminary, said, "To refuse to witness the saving Gospel to a lost world day by day, is nothing short of high treason." High treason! It's not just simply that you're missing a blessing, it's a clenched fist in the face of God. It is rebellion against Heaven's Commander and Chief, the Lord Jesus Christ Who told us to go into all the world and bear witness to Him. "A false witness shall perish, but he that heareth speaketh." "He that heareth speaketh." "He that heareth speaketh." You cannot speak until you hear! You cannot be silent when you hear! You must speak! You must share the Lord Jesus Christ. It's the hallmark of a born again person. Years ago in the First Baptist Church of Dallas, Texas, uh, Doctor W. A. Truit was pastor before the illustrious Doctor Chris Well came. There was a little girl who came forward in the services, a tender little girl, just very young, wanting to be a Christian, wanting to be baptized and be a part of that church. And the counselors dealt with her. And, uh, because she was so young, they really felt that the little girl was sincere, but they recommended she not be baptized right away, that they wait a little while because they wanted to be certain. And so they explained to her, "Now, honey, we're glad that you've come to give your heart to Jesus. But we want you to wait a little while before you're baptized." And they watched her, and her little chin began to quiver, and tears were coming down her cheeks. And they said, "Now, darling, don't cry. It's all right. After awhile, you can be baptized and be a member of the church." She said, "That's not why I'm crying, not because I can't be

5 baptized." She said, "I was thinking about my brother. I want him to be saved, too." Well, the deacon said, "I believe we better receive her today." Amen. That's the mark! That's the mark of a Christian! That's the mark of reality! Not how well you sing, but that you have a burden for souls! "What right does anybody have to call himself a follower of Jesus Christ if he's not a soul winner?" What right? "A false witness shall perish, but he that heareth speaketh." "He that heareth speaketh." "He that heareth speaketh." You must hear Him! And when you hear Him, you cannot keep silent. From the very time I knew I was saved till this time, there's been a burning desire in my heart to share Jesus Christ. One of the ways that I know that it's real to me, because I want you to know what's in my heart. Third thing, not only a listening worship, that's one mark of reality. Not only a living witness, that's another mark of reality. But a lasting walk. A lasting walk. "He that heareth speaketh constantly"! Constantly! That is, he stays with it! He doesn't start and give it up! There's a consistency. That's the hallmark of reality. We have people who join our churches. They stay with us for awhile and then they're gone. What's wrong? No reality. They may have joined the church, but no reality. They may have had head knowledge, but no reality. And they qo away from us, and some people say, "Well, they lost their salvation." They did not lose their salvation. You look in I John, Chapter 2, Verse 9, and here's the answer. The Bible says, "They went out from us because they were not of us. For had they 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." Well, what does that mean? Why do people start and fall away? "They went out from us because they were not of us. Had they been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us." Somebody says, "Well, I know some- body who was once a Christian and lost his salvation." No, you don't. No, you don't. You don't know anybody who ever -- was once a Christian and lost his salvation. You can't show me that. Dear Friend, if you've got reality, it's going to last. And these people that go away never were saved. We have a little saying around here, I don't know who was the original with it, "The faith that fizzles before the finish had a flaw from the first." "They went out from us, but they were not of us; for had they been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us, but they went out that it might be made manifest that they were not of us." Do you remember when I was talking to you about hearing His voice? John, Chapter 10, Verses 27, 28, 29? Jesus said, "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and I give unto them" -- what kind of life? --"eternal, eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father which gave them Me is greater than all, and no man is able to pluck them out of My Father's hand. I and My Father are one." And, Dear Friend, you don't have afpiece of the rock. You're in the rock. I mean, you are in Him! And He is in you. And there's no power in Heaven above, Hell beneath, or earth present that can take you out of the hand of Jesus Christ. "I know them, They follow Me, I give unto them eternal life." That is the mark of reality. It's going to last. It's real. God will keep you. He'll keep you. I'm not saying that you can't be saved and stray away, but I'm saying if you are saved, the love of God is like a strong rubber band. He puts it around you, and you stray away, He just brings you right back. Isn't that right? That's the way it is! Because He loves you! He keeps you by His grace, and by His power. And what is the mark of a faithful witness? There's a listening worship. There's a living witness. There is a lasting walk. "He that heareth speaketh constantly." "A false witness shall perish." There was a man named Cox. He was a church member, but he was like some today. He did not have the assurance of his salvation. And he got tired of playing church, and he got saved. I mean, sure enough saved, born again. And he wrote a song, Brother Jim, the Gospel song heard you and others sing. "Oh, how well do I remember how I doubted day by day. For I did not know for certain that my sins were washed away. When the Spirit tried to tell me, I would not the truth receive. I endeavored to be happy, and to make myself believe. Then I prayed to God in earnest, not caring what folks said" -- and by the way, folks, you'd better stop worrying about what people think. "Then I prayed to God in earnest, not caring what folks said. I was hungry for the blessing. My poor soul, it must be fed! Then at last by faith I touched Him, and like sparks from smitten steel, just so quick, salvation reached me. Oh, bless God, I know it's real." It's real! It's real! I know it's real! Praise God! The doubts are settled, and I know, I know it's real! Do you know it's real?

6 Is it that reality? Are you an exclamation point or a question mark? Which? Are you a Cardboard Christian? Then you're going to perish. I don't care if you're a member of this church. You're going to perish! "A false witness shall perish! And Jesus will say, "Depart from Me, ye that work iniquity, I never knew you." Have you heard Him? Have you heard Him enough that you want to share Him? Is that -- that constancy in your life? Is y there? I say, 'Is there?" Is there? Are you saved? --Let's pray. Heads are bowed and eyes are closed. No one looking around. No one disturbing the service by moving. If you don't know Jesus Christ as your personal I want you to know Him, and you need to know Him. And I want you to know reality, not religion, reality, to know Christ. Not ritual, reality. Not reaffirmation, reality. To know Jesus Christ. I invite you to pray this way. If you're not certain that you're saved and you may be a member of this church. If you may be a Sunday School teacher. You may be a deacon, staff member, minister. Dear God, just talk to Him this way -- Dear God, I know You love me, and You want to save me, and I need to be saved, and I want to be saved. Jesus, You died to save me, and You promised to save me if I would only trust You. I do trust You, Jesus. Tell Him that right now. I do trust You, Jesus. I do trust You, Jesus. Tell Him right now in your heart. I do trust You, right now. I repent of my sin. I open my heart. I receive You, Jesus, as my Lord and Savior. Come into my heart, Jesus. Save me, Jesus. Just ask Him. Save me, Jesus! Just say it from -- in your spirit. You don't have to say it out loud. Just quietly, save me, Jesus. Did you ask Him? Were you sincere? Then thank Him. Say, Lord Jesus, thank You for saving me. I receive it now by faith like a little child. And that settles it, Jesus. Praise Your Holy Name! Now, I want you to pray one more thing. Pray like this: Lord Jesus, help me never to be ashamed of You. Art Linkletter said, "I didn't care what folks thought when I kneeled in that place. I was tired of being a Cardboard Christian." And, Friend, when you give your heart to Jesus he that hears speaks. You're not going to be ashamed to confess the Lord Jesus. For the bible says, "Whosoever be- liveeth in Him shall not be ashamed." And I'm going to ask you in just a moment that you'll make a public stand for Christ. So it's important that you pray right now. And Jesus, help me not to be ashamed of You. Lord Jesus, give me that grace. Help me not to be ashamed of You. Help me not to be ashamed of You Who died for me. "He that heareth speaketh." "He that heareth speaketh." I'm not going to be ashamed of You, Jesus, because You died for me. Give me that courage, Lord. In Your name, I pray. Amen.