Isaiah 8: 19: And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God?
Who are "they"? Notice the phrase "When they shall say unto you." These are "instructors" who will attempt to teach you. Their motive sounds honorable. They say, "Should not a people seek unto their God." (Mark 13: 22, 23; 2 Cor 11: 3.)
What is their message? Where do they say you should seek Christ? One, they shall say, "Seek unto them that have familiar spirits." The word means, seek unto the dead. Two, they shall say, "And unto wizards that peep, and that mutter." A necromancer claims he can talk to the dead. We think of palm readers, tarot card readers, and psychics. This is their gospel. Seek to the dead, and to those who claim they can communicate with the dead.
Would you consider it wise instruction if a man told you to seek God in the graveyard? That would be outlandish! Just as outlandish as considering it wise instruction to seek God by looking to you, your religious reform and your religious morality? What is the difference in going to the graveyard and in going to dead flesh? After conversion, the apostle Paul said, I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not...O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? (Ro 7: 14, 24.) Wasn't Paul born of the Holy Spirit? Wasn't Christ in him? So why did he call his flesh a body of death? Romans 8: 10: If Christ be in you the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. The Lord Jesus Christ said, John 3:6: That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. You can not trust Christ alone and yet entertain the thought that your flesh can be perfected by something you do. Yet, that is the message of false instructors!
Second question, would you consider it wise instruction if a man told you to seek Christ by going to a palm reader or a physic? Then why consider it wise to seek Christ by going to a man who calls himself a priest? Or to men who set themselves in the chief seat of Christ our High Priest by claiming their council can give you assurance or that they can observe you to confirm that you are in the faith? The LORD says here in this verse the same thing those were told who came to the empty tomb, "Why seek ye the living among the dead. He is not here but is risen!" (Lu 24: 5, 6; Col 3: 1-4.) The LORD of hosts himself says, Isaiah 8: 20: To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.
God's saints continue the same place they begin. The Spirit which worked in us making us obedient to turn from our flesh and from men to faith in the Lord our Righteousness was given to us through the hearing of the faithfulness of Christ Jesus the Son of God (Gal 3: 2.) Likewise, we are kept looking awayfrom our flesh and away from wizards to Christ Jesus by the power of our High Priest who works in us through the continual hearing of his faithfulness (Gal 3: 3.) Christ Jesus ministers the Spirit of truth into our hearts which works effectually, mightily, the miracle of keeping us looking away from all else to him. He does it through the gospel which declares that he alone does it. From Abraham to the sinner he began working in this very hour--all are brought into the obedience of faith, kept in Christ, worship him in the new man created in righteousness and true holiness, looking for the day he returns to make us like him in body as well as spirit, one way--by the power of God through the hearing of Christ the Faithful One. (Gal 3: 5, 6; 1: 11, 12; 2: 8; I Pet 1: 1-5; Php 1: 3-6; I Cor 1: 4-9; I Thes 5: 23, 24; Ro 8: 11-14.)
Make excuses for false teachers all you like. But you are taking sides with liars against the God of all truth. He says, "If they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them." The Lord Jesus Christ said, "Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch" (Matthew 15:14.)
If he is working mightily in you then you will obey him by cleansing your hands once and for all of that bewitching foolishness that says believers begin in the Spirit then are made perfect by the obedience of the flesh. If he is working his irresistable, effectual power in you then you will perfect holiness in the fear of the Lord one way, by laying hold of him through faith. May the Lord be pleased to make his power known in you!
SOVEREIGN GRACE BAPTIST CHURCH Of Princeton, New Jersey
LOCATION & TELEPHONE Rocky Hill Firehouse, 2nd floor 150 Washington Street, Rocky Hill, NJ, 08553 Pastor's Telephone: 615-513-4464
SCHEDULE OF SERVICES Sunday 10 AM Bible Class 11 AM Morning Worship Thursday 7:00 PM Mid-week Service (The first Sunday of each month, morning worship begins at 10am followed by observing the Lord's Table. Afterwards we have lunch together.)
For those who might like to visit us without missing their regular services, we welcome you to join us for our Thursday night mid-week service.