Dorothy Conference: 1998
Table of Contents
Learn, Do, Teach
Open—R.K. Gorgas
DISCLAIMER: The following has been auto-transcribed. We hope it will help you to find the section of this audio file you are looking for.
Let's turn to the 17th chapter of Deuteronomy.
Deuteronomy chapter 17.
And verse 18.
Deuteronomy chapter 17 and verse 18.
And it shall be when he sitteth upon the throne of his Kingdom.
That he shall write him a copy of this law in a book out of that which is before the priests.
The Levites and it shall be with them, and he shall read therein.
All the days of his life.
That he may learn to fear the Lord his God.
To keep all the words of this law.
And these statutes.
To do them.
That his heart be not lifted up above his brethren, and that he turned not aside from the commandment to the right hand.
Or to the left to the end that he may prolong his days in his Kingdom.
He and His children in the midst of Israel.
These few verses, beloved brethren, are very heavily on my heart.
There are instructions that were given with regard to the Kingdom.
To the man who would sit upon the throne of Israel.
They're not all the instructions, there are some that precede it.
But I have before me, especially starting with verse 18.
And it shall be when he sitteth upon the throne of his Kingdom.
That he shall write him.
And I'm going to change it a little bit.
All the reforms that have been upon his heart.
All the things that he wanted to straighten out in Israel.
That what it says.
No.
I think that's a tendency that perhaps men have is that.
When they get into a position where they can do something about something, they want to do it. They want to do it right away.
But that's not what the king was to do.
His first act was to be was to sit down and write him a copy of the law.
In a book.
His own personal copy doesn't say he shall employ a scribe to do it, it says he shall write him.
A copy of this law.
Now I realize that there was a very limited amount of scripture that they had available to them at that time.
But they were he was to make his own personal copy of it.
Sometimes my heart is touched as I read of.
Places where Bibles are scarce, where Christians will actually sit down.
And instead of using the one Bible that they have, they will take paper and copy.
The passage of scripture that they have before them.
And put the Bible back in a safe place, having written out what they want to do.
Read.
And I remember when I was a boy.
And had trouble with.
Discipline. Sometimes, yes, I did.
That they would give me a card of long division problems to do.
As punishment.
I learned how to divide.
And I didn't like dividing when I first started, but I learned how to do it.
What you write out and what you copy for yourself, you retain.
And so they were required to write a copy of the law.
And where were they to take it from?
They were to take it out of that which is before the priest, the Levites. There was an original that they were to take it from.
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Not a fallible copy, but an original.
What's my point in mentioning that?
Well, there are many shortcuts you know to going.
To getting truth.
You go back to this one or that one that wrote it out.
That had a good grasp of it.
But that's not what we're to do. We're to go back to the original, to the Word of God, back to the Word of God.
And I just like to suggest that writing it here is a word to you and me to make it real and good to our own souls.
To make it good and real to our own soul.
There's a somewhat amusing story I sometimes tell, and I hope if you've heard it before you'll pardon me for repeating it, but I recall.
In wood shopping school.
They taught us how to make rulers.
I don't even know if they do such a thing today, but we learned how to make a ruler.
Cut a piece of wood and mark it off.
Send it first, mark it off and then varnish it. And we had a ruler.
And I thought that was fun. I thought that was a nice thing to do.
I said wouldn't it be fun to make more of them?
And so I took the ruler that I made, and I made more rulers.
Gave them away.
Always kept one of the production, made another one.
Well, you know what happened. The last one I made was short.
The last one I made was short.
Why? Because I was going from my copy rather than from the original.
You and I, beloved brethren, are not going to get the truth of God the way God wants us to get it.
Unless we go back to the Word of God.
Back to the Word of God, Am I putting down the written ministry that we have? Not by any means.
My shelves are full of it and I love to go back and read it and I thank God for it.
If you haven't had the joy some of your younger brothers of of picking up a book of ministry and reading it.
Try it, but if you really want to get the truth in its full and pure and.
And perfect way you've got to go back to the word of God.
Back to the scriptures.
Not even back to, although I esteemed them very, very highly, men like JMD and Wigram and those you've got to go back. How about the Reformers? Now we've got to go back to the word of God, to the word of God.
Verse 19 says, And it shall be with him.
I think that's important.
How many times I see, and it sometimes grieves me to see someone leave his Bible in the meeting room.
Now I know sometimes some people have one for a meeting room and some for home. I'm not talking about people like that, but the working copy of their Bible they leave in the meeting room.
It shall be wisdom.
It should be our companion, what we work with, what we live with.
Some of you know that when I was in Chile a few months ago.
I was in a place getting copies made and I put my Bible case down next to me.
And within 5 minutes after talking to the man about the copies, I looked down and my Bible case was gone.
Believe me, that hurt.
I've asked the Lord to bless the man who took it.
And it might read, but I lost 4 bibles, 2 hymn books.
My tickets. My plane tickets.
And another thing that I missed very much was a little fork that Charo Adama had given me that.
Said Horn and Hardard on it.
Had a special meaning to me because when I was a boy I stole one of those from the restaurant and my father made me take it back to the manager.
And I had been using that with children to give them a little lesson. I don't have that anymore.
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But what I missed most is that Bible.
It shall be with them.
Well, I have my Bible.
When's the last time you opened it?
Notice what it says here, and he shall read therein.
Every Lord's Day.
Is that what it says every Sabbath?
Lord, day is not the Sabbath, but I'm trying to relate it to the Hebrew culture here. It shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life, all the days of his life.
You ever get to a point where you don't have to read the word anymore?
I'm sure if I asked our brother Barry, who knows the word very well, are you at the point now where you really don't have to read it every day? I know what answer I get.
More than ever, He says he needs it. He shall read therein all the days of his life. This is our food, our sustenance, beloved. This is what our souls feed upon, is the Word of God.
It bothers me when some people ask me is there any scriptures that you should read every day that I have to read every day?
There's no commandment, so to speak, for everyone of us to read every day, but I think this is the closest that I've seen to coming to it. He shall read therein all the days of his life.
There wasn't a day to go by, but what he wasn't to open that and read it.
You ever been to a home, And I have, where you ask if they have a Bible? Oh, yeah, yeah, There's that one we bought. Remember the salesman that came around about five years ago? It's up on the shelf over there, I think. No, it's not over there. And there's a little argument goes by and pretty soon they find it and they blow the dust off it.
You know what good that Bible has done to them?
Don't let your Bible gather dust.
Reading it every day. Every day.
I know some of you young men.
If I suggested to you that you only ate once a week on a Saturday afternoon, I know what kind of an answer I get.
Because I raised three boys.
I was a boy.
Shall read therein all the days of his life. This is our food. This is what we are sustained by.
And then it says that he may learn to fear the Lord his God.
It's a terrible thing, but I believe the fear of God is something that is lost on this generation.
And why? Because we don't read in the Word. That's where we learn to fear the Lord.
Is reading the word.
And then it says to keep the words of this law, to keep them.
I suppose we might like it not to maintaining the doctrine.
Is that enough?
It says the last three words of that verse are so important and or just to do that, to do them.
There is no truth in Scripture that God gives us. That is just to hold as an intellectual doctrine.
Nothing.
Mr. Kohler used to tell us in Brooklyn.
That no truth is ours until it gets into our boots.
What did he mean by that?
Until we walk in it.
That's why it says to do them.
And it says in verse 20 that his heart be not lifted up above his brethren. All brethren, there's such a danger that our hearts get lifted up above our brethren.
It's a terrible danger.
It's a terrible danger to think we're better than our brethren. We have a better version of Christianity, a better kind of piety than they do.
The reading of the Word of God, the daily reading of the Word of God, is a safeguard against that because it let's me know what I really AM.
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I don't think there's anything more destructive than the ones heart be lifted up above his brethren.
It's destructive.
And when saying that, I'm not going to tell you that it hasn't happened to me.
But the remedy to it is the reading of the Word of God.
Then it says that he turned not aside from the commandment to the right hand or to the left.
It's a sad thing, but I'm afraid that we have a tendency.
To go up this way or that way when it comes to the truth of God.
What will keep us walking straight down the path that God has marked?
Out daily reading and meditating on the Word of God.
There's no way that can keep ourselves from deviating.
Becoming either.
Leftists or rightists and the things of God?
To the end that he may prolong his days in his Kingdom.
Now, beloved.
We're not kings in the sense that it's talking about here.
But everyone of us has been given a realm of responsibility, a realm of.
Of.
A place where God holds us accountable and we're to exercise that responsibility.
And if we go on with the Word of God following on with what's marked out here.
Will our.
Will be prolonged. The days of our Kingdom, of our responsibility will be prolonged.
And then it says he and his children.
Oh, I don't think there's anything that.
Touches our hearts, so is our children.
And our children, how we long for them to go on with the Lord.
The apostle John says I have no greater joy.
And to hear my children walking in truth.
But our children will not go on.
If we ourselves are walking carelessly with respect to the Word of God.
The word is to be.
Emphasized in our homes.
Now one more verse in Ezra.
I might say in preference and preface to this verse that.
When my father realized he was going home to be with the Lord.
He called those of us who could be there with him.
Two of my sons and.
Myself.
Perhaps someone else, I think a grandson.
One of my grandsons.
And he read this verse to us.
Ezra 7 and verse 10.
For Ezra.
Had prepared his heart.
That's the first thing, an exercise of heart. He prepared his heart.
To do what? To seek the law of the Lord.
Just to put it in a very practical way to find out what the word of God teaches.
To take hold of it.
In a doctrinal way.
And to what do it?
And to do it.
And to teach in Israel statutes and judgments.
It's a three fold responsibility.
God laid that on us very strongly in his last days.
Prepare your heart.
To get a hold of what this book teaches.
So you can teach it to others. No, not first.
And that's one of the troubles. Sometimes young people will ask is, well, why don't we have Bible schools and seminaries like other people do? One of the great dangers of a Bible school or seminary is just this, that people learn and teach.
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And don't do first.
So God's order is that you learn what it says, that you do it.
And then teach it. May the Lord help us to do those things.
Hold Fast Sound Words
Open—Charles Little
DISCLAIMER: The following has been auto-transcribed. We hope it will help you to find the section of this audio file you are looking for.
The return, please to Second Timothy.
2nd Epistle to Timothy.
I have a few thoughts on my heart.
Concerning the care that we should have as to this precious book that we have before us and in our hands, as we've been reminded.
Just notice first.
First Timothy or second, I'm sorry, Second Timothy is what I want to get Second Timothy.
Chapter One.
And beginning at verse 13.
Hold fast the form of sound words.
Just as we've been reminded, holding fast the form of sound words. But we want to see in this epistle, which is Paul's last epistle, that this is not always so.
And all beloved, if there is anyone here.
That is, any thought of turning aside.
Or neglecting the word of God, I appeal to you.
Don't do it.
It's only a downward course.
Two Timothy One verse 14.
13 Hold fast the form of sound words.
Which thou has heard of me in faith and love, which is in Christ Jesus.
Could we have anything more glorious than that, more blessed than that, this truth?
Hold fast the form of sound words or the outline that God has given you and given me.
What a responsibility we have. Then he says, That good thing which was committed unto thee, Keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in US.
Well, these are wonderful excitations.
Beautiful exhortations.
To hold it fast.
And keep it.
In the joy of the Lord.
But I want to call attention to the next.
Verse here, and we'll find there's three sets of two here.
Very interesting things because we see if one is that we have in my book is mother Micah. If two of agrees shall on earth, if two of you shall agree and we find that these are in in in sets of twos. So in in the second epistle of Timothy, we find three sets of twos.
And I've been, I meditated on this much and I think it's a very, very important thing for us to see.
What happens here? I just want to read verse 15 now. He had just been enjoining them to keep that form of sound words and to hold it fast. But what happens?
This thou knowest that all they which are in Asia be turned away from me. And now he names two of them.
Does God know your name? Does he know what your desires are? Other Is there anyone in this audience?
That has ever even thought of departing or turning away from the truth of God.
I appeal to you according to the word of God. You know it's only a downward course, and we want to see that.
Of whom is fight jealous and homogeneous?
Now I know there are different.
Names that are put differently whether it's Greek or.
Or Roman or or Hebrew, whatever. But I just want to point this out.
Phi Jealous.
Is little fugitive.
That's one meaning of it, little fugitive. Why?
He turned away from the truth of God and became, as it were, a fugitive. You know, every child of God here. We're not fugitives.
Where pilgrims on our way home. We're not Wanderers, but here was Phi jealous who was.
A little fugitive.
But notice what happens. He finds company.
And dear young people, you know if you get away from the Lord, you may find company too.
But remember, it will only be a downward course as we want to look at.
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So then he finds homogeneous.
And I understand now this is 1 interpretation, 1 meaning of it means.
Lucky.
Lucky.
It's in connection. It's connected with Lucky.
Which has nothing to do with our pathway at all. Nothing.
But here was a Phi, jealous and homogeneous, and he joined company together. But it says.
It says that they.
They turned away from the dear Apostle Paul. Now, this doesn't mean they were lost, doesn't mean that I've mentioned this, the different ones. And you say, well, you mean where they lost doesn't say that. It says they turned away from the Apostle Paul.
Paul's ministry is that which has been given to us, the truth of the Church of God.
And if man turns away from that, then he's only on a course that reads downward.
So again, I'm not going to take a lot of time here, but I just wanted to point out these things that I thought of myself and meditated upon. So we find here if I jealous and homogeneous, you know what this brings before us. Our feet are going in the wrong direction.
Our feet.
And we have to be careful on that, don't we? Of course, as we look at these, we'll say, well.
He brings in the thought of their feet going astray, but then drop over to verse to the next chapter.
And reverse 15.
Study to show thyself approved unto God, a Workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
What a responsibility it says.
Study. Study.
That doesn't mean a cursory reading of the Bible. It means to sit down, meditate, study the Word of God and you'll profit by it. There's a prophet in it. But what happened here?
Study to show thyself approved unto God, a Workman that needeth not to be ashamed.
Rightly dividing the word of truth.
Shun profane and vain babblings, for they will increase into more ungodliness.
So now we have two more.
Now we don't know whether they're connected or not, but they're connected in this way that it's a downward course.
That God is marking out here in this very last epistle that Paul wrote.
Solemn truth that he wrote here.
It is the last epistle he wrote, and so he is warning sounding the warnings.
And yet, at this late date, there are those that will turn away and follow their own path. Well, I believe here what we have is a very subtle thing. Now I understand that Hymenius.
Is.
A wedding song.
And also.
To pilitus is.
Beloved.
You know, this is the most deceptive thing I know. And you too, you have to talk to those that have been turned away from the truth of God. And they go out and they go down and they meet up with others.
And I meet them and I speak to them and say, well, how are you doing? Oh, we're so happy where we are. Wonderful now.
Are they happy?
They turned away from the truth of God, as it says here.
Their their word, their word will eat as doth a tanker.
Looks so loving and so care and so wonderful or so much love there.
Have you heard that? I've heard it many times.
But that's not true, because we see here these ones, as it says.
What was the thing that they turned away from? What was it that they were teaching in their love? They were teaching a truth that is the most precious, glorious truth in all the word of God, as it says here. Who concerning the truth of verse 18 concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is passed already?
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And overthrow the faith of some. Now, we're not going on to the rest of these verses, but just to point that out.
Here they were concerning the truth.
Have urged saying the resurrection has passed. You know, there's something about that.
The resurrection is the most attested truth in all the word of God. And here was this old couple who were going on in a very loving spirit, but they were teaching false doctrine.
Turning people away from the resurrection.
And you know, if you and I are turned away from that, you know what the path is. We're going to do what we please now, because if there's no resurrection, we find that in the 15th of First Corinthians.
No resurrection might as well do what you like, do what you please. So we see the subtlety of this turning away and saying that it didn't say there was no resurrection, but they're saying that the resurrection that was passed, that's that's all gone. Well, that is not the truth either, because we're waiting for that very moment when the Lord Jesus is coming to take us home to glory. And that will be a part of the resurrection.
The dead are going to be raised 1St and we're going to be caught up together with them.
To meet the Lord in the air. And what a precious truth this is. And we enjoy it to the full. But here they were teaching this kind of thing. So I believe here we see.
That their heads were wrong.
Their feet were wrong and turning away and now we see this couple brought before us.
And they are teaching something that is false or in error and their heads are wrong.
Is that not true, that when we leave the divine center, what if we turn away, If our feet take us away, there's only one way and that's the downward path, downward path. So we have to be very careful on this. Then it says here again, as I say, I'm not giving an expose on Second Timothy, That's not it, but just these thoughts concerning the turning away, their feet turn away.
And now their heads are wrong, their feet are wrong, and their heads are wrong.
Then go over to the third chapter, we find again another set of two.
The third chapter.
Now we find something else, as it says here. I'll just go back a few verses.
Verse 5 having a form of godliness.
But denying the power thereof from such.
Turn away, for of this sort are they which creep into houses and lead captive silly women laden with sins.
LED away with divers lusts.
Ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth, you see what the path of departure turns into.
Ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. Oh, that one. This is wonderful where we are. There's lots of love there.
Well, it's a downward path because they have left the divine center. And if there's anyone in this audience today that has ever had that thought, dismiss it.
Because it's only downward, it's not going to be an upward path, I assure you. So here were those.
It says ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. Now, as Jannies and Jane Breeze, we have two more.
Three sets of two, and it's always downward. Always downward, as it says here.
Jenny's.
Is.
Vexed or confused?
This is what it is. These are the prophets. These are the the ones in the book of Exodus that were tricking the people. Now they've got another. They've got something else going, Jenny.
Beloved.
Or be set, be beaten. They were, they were beset. Or what's the word? But anyway, they were, they were confused.
And then the other one says the other one. The other name is.
For me, for me, for me, healer, you know now God is going to come in.
They're going to do a great work, but what was the work that they did?
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Imitation. What do we have around us? Imitation.
Imitation.
I don't want to talk about about those that left, but just to say this.
That when we leave the teachings of the Word of God, if we leave the Apostle Paul's doctrine.
You're going to get into imitations, and that's exactly what Jenny's and Jamborees did.
Imitations. So do these also resist the truth, men of corrupt minds?
We find here their hearts were wrong, their feet were wrong, their heads were wrong, their hearts were wrong when we turn away, turn our back upon the word of God.
So we see that, as I say, it's not an expose of Second Timothy, but it's just those thoughts of these sects that God has brought, marked out for us that we might learn from this, that we might as we go on in the word of God, just as I think of any departure, these verses come to me. I think of these different ones. God wants me to go on in the path of truth and the doctrine, Paul's doctrine that he's brought before us.
All these years.
But.
So here we find feet wrong, hearts wrong, heads wrong, and just to drop over to verse to chapter four, we find also.
Verse four And they shall turn away their ears from the truth. Ears are wrong now.
But you know, God has given it. I meditate upon this and I thought, why does he tell us the feet first?
Usually the ear is the picks up the sound and the heart it lodges in the heart.
And then we go wrong. But you know, I believe that God has given us a picture of what we can see.
That is, we see the man leaving, we see his feet first. We don't know what's in his heart, but God does. So He's brought that out for us. And I think this is very, very precious. But in closing, I just want to turn over to the 4th chapter and drop down a little bit to show you two more.
And here we find dear, dear Apostle Paul.
Well, we could read a lot of verses here, but we're not going to do it.
Paul speaks about the 14th verse. Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil.
The Lord reward him according to his works, Of whom be thou aware also, for He hath greatly withstood our words. Alexander, Alexander, the coppersmith.
Notwithstanding no, and that my first answer, no man stood with me.
He had said, Paul has said they all forsook him in Flint, but there was one who stood with Paul. Notice verse 11. Only Luke is with me, and that lovely. So here's again our two. But here's the dear Apostle Paul, and Luke stands with him. But then there's something else too, notice.
It says at my first sixteen, at my first answer, no man stood with me, but all, all for struck me and and I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge. The apostle wasn't going to have the God lay any charge upon them at all. He's pray for them. And then it says, notwithstanding, the Lord stood by me and strengthened me.
That by me the preaching might be fully known, that all the Gentiles might hear.
And I was delivered out of the mouth of a lion. Isn't that beautiful to me? I just thought of it. The digression here. Feet wrong. Heads wrong, Hearts wrong, ears wrong.
Why has God told us this? To exercise each one of us.
So we need to be reminded of this, we need to be exercised as we pick up this precious book. It's the light for our feet, for our pathway.
And it lightens our pathway too. So we need, as our brother **** has already said, we need to cleave to the Word of God with purpose of heart. But how lovely it is to see here was Paul who could say, only Luke is with me, dear Luke was with him.
But then, notwithstanding verse 17, the Lord stood with me. What a beautiful thing.
Is it your diary to go on for the Lord? If it's your desire, the Lord will stand with you regardless of all the evil that's going on, regardless of all the missed failures and the false steps and the downward trend that we see all around us.
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Well, I just submit these thoughts.
In much feebleness, but just to think that here Paul marks this out in the end of this.
Of his epistle. Their feet were wrong, their heads were wrong, their hearts were wrong, their ears were wrong, but God was still over. Still cares for those who have a real desire to please God. May it be so with each one of us.
God is Light and God is Love
Romans 3:1-20
Romans 7
Romans 3:21-31
The Long Suffering Mercy of God
Gospel—Al Coleman
DISCLAIMER: The following has been auto-transcribed. We hope it will help you to find the section of this audio file you are looking for.
We opened our gospel meeting by singing that well known gospel hymn that we've seen many times in a gospel.
#25.
Life at best is very brief, like the falling of a leaf, like the binding of a sheath. Be in time. Fleeting days are telling fast that the dye will soon be cast and the fatal line be cast. Be in time, be in time, be in time while the voice of Jesus calls you be in time. If it's sin, you longer wait. You may find no open gate, and your cry be just too late.
Be in time #25 life that fast is there.
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We pray, our God and our Father, we do thank thee tonight for another gospel meeting. Oh our God and Father, we do marvel at thy long-suffering mercy lingering over this world tonight. And our God and our Father, we do thank thee that Thou has provided salvation full and free to whosoever will through the death of thy beloved Son on Calvary's cross, That blessed One who is all thy delight, that that one who thou could open up the heavens and look down upon and say, this is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. We do thank thee for that Blessed One.
And he's the Savior of sinners and he's the Savior for this world tonight. And we thank you that whosoever will may come and take the water of life freely. And so our God and Father, we do see to help us tonight as we would open this precious word of thine, this word that lives and abides forever. And our Father, we do ask thee for a rich blessing, and we ask thee too, especially that if there's one or.
Any in this room tonight?
Still lost and in their sins that Father there might be some verse or something sad that would bring them to the that they might come and find in the Savior who's willing and able and longing to say, oh, we just try to eat for this tonight. Our father just giving me the Thanksgiving to the for the privilege of being able to tell forth this wonderful message to whosoever will the gospel.
Of the good news of salvation we thank before tonight and we just commend ourselves to Thee for this little hour and thank Thee, Lord Jesus, and thy precious and worthy name. Amen. I have in my heart tonight to speak about the long-suffering mercy of God lingering over this world. You know, here it is, November. What is it? 28th, 27th, 1998.
And.
The long-suffering mercy of God has lingered over this world for 2000 years waiting for souls to come. There's a bunch of verses I want to read first of all that would speak of the heart of God ********* over this world.
Here for a second Chronicles chapter 36.
For fun.
Five or six verses here.
Second Chronicles, chapter 36.
In the verse 15, and the Lord God of their Father sent unto them by his messengers, rising up be times, and sending, because he had compassion on his people and on his dwelling face. But they mark the messengers of God, and despise his words, and misused his prophets to the wrath of the Lord rose against his people till there was no remedy. Jeremiah.
Chapter 22.
Jeremiah, chapter 22.
Listen to these words. They're from the heart of God.
Verse 29.
O Earth. Earth.
Earth hear the word of the Lord.
O Earth, earth, earth here the word of the Lord, Second Peter.
Chapter 3.
Verse 9. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness, but His long-suffering to us word not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
00:10:14
Thinking of that verse in Ezekiel 33, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked would turn from his evil way and live. Turn ye, turn ye, for why would he die? God does not want to send a person to hell. He doesn't want you to die in your sins. He's lengthened out the day of grace to this very day, this very night, so that you could come here tonight and hear.
This wonderful news of salvation, the gospel, what news that we have. You know, everywhere tonight you don't have good news, do you? In the newspapers and the radio and everywhere and any communication is all bad news. But you know, this is the most wonderful news, isn't it? It's here in the precious Word of God. How wonderful it is that we can proclaim this wonderful gospel.
Do you know this, the author of this wonderful book here that we have opened before us? Dear ones, tonight, young ones here, I see a lot of young ones sitting in the front row. I ask you this one thing. Have you accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as your own personal Savior? Have you done so? You know, don't wait for another moment, for another day. You know, this person here waited until he was a young man before he came to Christ. And those were wasted years.
But the time to come is, is now. He says, behold, how is the accepted time? Behold, now is the day of salvation. He says, remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth. And so the time to come to Christ is right now tonight. You may not have another opportunity tomorrow to accept Christ. This gospel meeting might not go forth tomorrow. And you know there are many that have scoffed at that. And you've said that many, many times before in the gospel meeting.
But yes, we're going to say it again. This may be your last opportunity to accept Christ as your Savior. And so the Lord Jesus, his arms are outstretched to you tonight. He's saying to you, come unto me all he that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. The heart of the Savior is longing to save you tonight. If you're still in your sins, Oh dear 1 won't you come? He loves you.
Loves you with an everlasting love. That love that led him to go to Calvary's cross for you.
Think of that. Think of that love that held him there and that cross, not the nails, but love for you. How wonderful that is. You know, I want to tell you a little bit about.
A little incident that happened to us this summer, and I've told this a few times, you know, on our way home from the Maritimes this summer, we stopped at.
Nepean for a weekend and through the kindness of our brethren there they took us for our little boat tour and we were taken on this Thousand island tour all over the Saint Lawrence and it was beautiful and we really enjoyed it. I thought all the good scenery was out West, but boy this was beautiful.
But you know, in the middle of the tour, we docked.
At a place called Bolts Castle, and there in the middle of this island, there was this huge castle and it was awesome to see it. I don't know how many rooms there was. I think it was over 100 rooms in this castle. And we went through this castle for about an hour or so discovering every room and that. And the story goes like this, that there was this man by the name of Bolt. He was a railroad man and he had all kinds of money.
But you know, he had a wife and he loved that wife. He loved her very, very much. And you know, all over this castle, you'll see on every door and every window, you'll see hearts all over this castle. It was just to show his love for her. He he built this beautiful castle for for his wife and because he loved her. But you know, something happened.
Halfway through the building of that castle, his wife died. Ah yes, ah yes. It is appointed unto man once to die. Where will you be after you die?
00:15:13
Well, you know, he stopped the construction of that castle, and there it remained for how many years? And of course they're restoring it now, that castle. But, you know.
Think of this, the Lord Jesus Christ loves you, loves you even more than Mr. Bolt does. Yes, he does that love that led him to go to Calvary cross for you. And then it says in John 14 in my Father's house or many mansions, but we're not. So I would have told you, I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself that where I am.
There ye may be also. Oh, there's a mansion in heaven for you.
For you, if you'll have that blessed one as Lord and Savior of your life, he loves you more than Mr. Bolt does. He loves you. And you know another wonderful thing about those mansions in heaven?
It's not like Mr. Bolt's castle. It's all completed. It's already all things are ready. Come, come. And so the invitation tonight is for you.
Come and just as you are, just as I am, without one plea, but that thy blood was shed for me. Oh, may it be the thought of everyone here. And tonight, O Lamb of God, I come. Will you respond to that love that He has for you. What a Savior, what a blessed one to proclaim tonight the Savior of sinners you know.
There, there was a, there was a young lad.
And it bears relating, you know, over again, it was a young lad in Princeton, ME this, this summer. And he really touched my heart. You know that lad. I believe that really and truly that lad confessed the Lord as his savior. He was just a lad of about 8 years old from a, from an Indian village near Princeton. And we were talking to that lad afterwards and he was they were talking about the sufferings of the Lord Jesus.
On Calvary's trust and he came out with this remark.
Did it? Did it hurt the Lord to when they banged those nails in his hands and in his feet?
Yes, dear one, it did the most excruciating pain that you could ever think of when they nailed those nails into the Lord Jesus. But ah, it said He never.
Spoke a word.
He is led as a lamb to the slaughter and as a sheep before her. Shears is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth there nailed to Calvary's cross.
Man in his wicked heart kneeled the blessed Lord Jesus up in Calvary's trust.
But oh, think of that, the very spear that pierced his side grew forth, the blood to save and all. Tonight we can proclaim this, that the blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son, cleanseth us from all sin. Did you know, dear 1:00 tonight?
Littlest one here, all this one here. You've sinned against the holy God.
Those sins need to be washed away. Have you ever asked the Lord Jesus to wash your sins away? May you do so tonight before it's forever too late. Judgment is coming upon this world. As sure as I stand here. We have the authority of the precious Word of God, and I believe that that judgment is coming very, very soon. Very soon if the Lord Jesus were to come tonight.
Would you be left behind in your seat?
It would be forever too late. You'd never hear the gospel again. You'd never hear this wonderful news of salvation.
Oh dear one, we urge you tonight, if you're still lost and in your sins, that you would come and confess the Lord Jesus Christ as your own personal Savior.
You know this precious word of God is able to save the vilest of sinners.
You know, we had a brother in Newfoundland got a hold of the precious word of God and he read it. He read it and he got saved. He read it and he got saved.
00:20:14
This is the precious word of God. You know, my wife and I were visiting a man.
And I was worn before by my wife that this man cursed.
He's 85 years old. He walks with a cane. His wife had died and we went over to see him and.
That man told me, he said, you know, I'm an atheist, I don't believe in God, I'm an atheist, I don't believe in God. And we were going through some of his effects.
He brought out a box of books and down in the bottom of the book at the bottom of the box was a Bible. Oh, Bible, about like that.
And I picked out that Bible and I opened a cover and the date was 19/08. It was given to his wife. And he says, oh, he says, you know, I got a Bible too, but I think it's down in the locker. What's it doing down there? You know, those are wonderful words of life.
You know, here's a wasted life, 85 years old.
And how long has he got in this world? His health is bad. How long has he got?
Dear friend tonight, how long have you got?
Oh, what a wonderful savior that we can proclaim tonight.
I like to turn to the 8th chapter of Jeremiah.
Jeremiah, chapter 8.
Verse 19 towards the end.
Well, I have. They provoked me to anger with their graven images and with strange vanities. The harvest is passed, this summer is ended, and we are not saved for the hurt of the daughter of my people and my hurt. I am black. Astonishment had taken hold of me. Is there no bomb in Gilead? Is there no physician there?
Why then is the health of the daughter of my people cover recovered?
Service is past, the summers ended and you're not saved. Is this your case tonight friend?
The harvest is past, the summer has ended and we are not saved. Can this be really yourself?
Ask yourself tonight, am I saved? Do I know the Lord Jesus Christ as my own personal Savior?
The harvest is past, the summer's ended, and we are not saved.
You know what's happened in the last day. Yesterday we had Thanksgiving Day.
Man yesterday was reveling in the thought that he.
Had received a bountiful harvest.
All over North America, your Thanksgiving is later than ours.
A harvest has passed, you know, and as we were coming across the United States by plane, you look down there and all the fields, they're all finished. They're all finished. The harvest is past. The summer has ended. And man was celebrating yesterday all the goodness of God, the sunshine, the rain, everything that came down the water this crops or his fruit trees or everything.
Or whatever the case may be. And all this came from a God.
That delights to bless.
And yet here we are, Thanksgiving Day. And who are they giving thanks to? The God of heaven? Or was it just all my own labor that I got all this? You see, there was that man, he says I so allow as much goods laid up for many years. Take thy knees, eat, drink, and be merry.
00:25:19
But what did the Lord say? Thou fool, this night shall I soul be required thee.
Then who shall these things be? Oh, think of it well, the the goodness of God, of the bountiful harvest in which we've had a.
What a wonderful God that God has blessed man richly, hasn't he? This year He's blessed man richly and has been given God the glory for it. Thanksgiving Day.
The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved. Let God out of their life.
You know, it says in verse 19, why have they provoked me to anger with their grieving images and with their strange vanities. Oh, idolatry everywhere, Departure from God, departure from the truth, everything given up. I believe that, dear one, tonight this world is going on to apostasy. What a solemn, sad world which we're passing through.
I could stand here tonight for an hour or so to tell you about the awful condition of this world.
What a world it is, you know, Up and down to the Skid Row of Vancouver, the most, the worst, awfulest place that you could find in the Pacific Coast.
Where people are there shooting up cocaine right on the side of the road.
An awful place. You just got to keep moving because I just, you just don't want to get it tied up into it.
What a place derelicts on the side of the road is the they followed the God of this world. You know that's what God of this world does. You follow me and I'll lead you right to the door of hell. And you know many of them are like that. You know they've been left to die. You know some some some days that when the welfare kicks come out.
It's been said that they're popping off left and right of drug overdoses left and right.
Because they followed the God of this world. What a world we're living in. What a world we're living in. But all thank God that God saved this person right here.
The very worst that you could think of. He saved me and he can save you. This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation that Christ Jesus came into the world.
To save sinners, but a Savior. Do you know this wonderful Savior? He died on Calvary's cross for you. He shed his precious blood for you. And He loves you and He wants to save you, and He wants to take you to that wonderful home that He is prepared for you in heaven to be with him for all eternity. Oh, think of it, dear one. Tonight, if the Lord Jesus were to come, we go to be with him in the glory.
Moment that is just before us, we're going to see his blessed face, that face that was once so marred more than any man, the Lord Jesus Christ, we're going to see him. What a wonderful moment. And I believe that moment is not very far off. No, it's not. Maybe this very night we'll see that blessed 10. Surely we can cry out tonight. Even so, come Lord Jesus.
The harvest is past, the summer has ended, and we are not saved. For the herd of the daughter of my people and my hurt. I am black. Astonishment hath taken hold on me. Oh, think of this world.
It says in Isaiah, it says in all their affliction he was afflicted, you know.
Over and over again in this last year or so, I've been struck by the amount of storms that have happened in this world.
00:30:12
Strange. Different.
You know, is God speaking to this world?
God is in his long-suffering mercy lingering over this world, and I believe that many of those storms were allowed of God so that man would realize that he has to do with God.
Study as a Sinner and that he needs a savior. What about this last storm, Hurricane Mitch?
Sick of the devastation, they said it was the granddaddy of all storms that happened down there. God is speaking to this world.
And dear one, God is speaking to you. Are you listening? Are you listening?
Is there no bomb in Gilead? Is there no bomb?
In Gilead, you know Gilead was noted for a healing bomb.
It was noted for a healing bomb. You know if you have a cut or a bruise, you put an ointment on it, don't you? And it soothes it.
And Gilead was noted for that. And then he says, is there no bomb in Gilead? Is there no physician there? You know, the bomb for this world, the healing bomb for this world is Christ.
Is Christ, you know, it says in Song of Solomon chapter one his name is as.
Ointment poured forth the name of Jesus. Neither is there salvation in any other, for there is none other name.
Under heaven, given among men, whereby we must be saved. Jesus, the Savior of this world, for thou shalt call his name Jesus, for He shall save his people from their sins. He can save you, dear one, tonight if you'll come in simple faith and confess Him as Lord and Savior. Won't you do that tonight? He's longing for you to come. He wants you to come. God and his long-suffering mercy has his arms outstretched to you. He doesn't want you to die in your sins, no, His heart of love.
Is lingering for you Oh think of it how wonderful it is that.
God in his long-suffering mercy, has lengthened out the day of grace for another week.
So that this gospel meaning could go forth, so that you could hear this gospel.
How wonderful that is. You know, I often relate this, that in our home in Newfoundland where we used to live.
There were some so many children that we were privileged to bring the gospel to. But then there was some, some nights, then the children came into the into our basement to hear the word of God. And sometimes we'd only see one child for only once and we never see them again. Their parents would drop them off and they'd only come for a night and we wouldn't see them again. And you know, that really impressed me because.
That was only the one opportunity I had to tell him about the Lord Jesus Christ, the Savior of sinners.
Oh, this may be your last opportunity to hear the gospel. The Lord Jesus were to come tonight. It would be forever too late. What a sad thing. What a tragic thing of that man 85 years old. Think of it, what a tragedy to live for 85 years without Christ. Without Christ, What a tragedy. And then what is the prospect for that man to face?
An eternity in the lake of fire. Solemn, isn't it? Does God want to send you there? No. A God of love. A God of long-suffering, patience and mercy. He wants you to come again. Nice. I I.
Quote that verse he's saying to you, come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest. Don't want a savior, What a savior. Turn to a well known verse that I love to quote in the gospel meeting.
John 7.
John 7.
Verse 37 In that last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink. He that believeth on me, as the Scripture has said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. Look at this here it was, you know, in this day I believe that.
00:35:25
In this chapter we find that the Jews were celebrating the Feast of Tabernacles.
Not in accordance to as it was put down in Leviticus 23, but they were just a feasting.
Having a good time and then that a picture of this world tonight. Man is feasting, man is having a good time. Here it is Thanksgiving Day again and we're having a good time and we're so thankful for everything that we've got. But leaving God out of their lives. And such was the case here.
And along comes the Lord, and there the Lord stands there.
And the the heart of the Lord here.
Oh, this is precious, the heart of the Lord trying out. It's the last day. Think of that, the last day of the feast.
You know, this might be the last gospel meeting, the last gospel meeting, the last opportunity to accept Christ as your Savior. Dear little boy, little girl, here tonight sitting beside your mother and father. Are you saved? Are you saved?
Do you know the Lord Jesus as your own personal savior? If there is there an older one here tonight?
Are still lost and in their sin are you saved. You can come tonight and be saved.
You can be saved right in your seat. You know, there was a little girl in Thomaston, New Brunswick that was saved right in her seat.
This summer, ask the Lord to savor. You know it's simple. It only says the simple thing. Believe and live that last day, that great day of the feast in that soul. Today is a great day of the feast. That's it. Tonight man is feasting, but without any thought of God, without any thought of God.
And then the Lord stands and he says, if any man thirst, oh, you know, I believe there are many thirsty people in this world tonight still in their sins, still lost. They're thirsty. And you know, there's only one that can quench your thirst. It's the Lord Jesus Christ. He satisfies the longing soul and filleth the hungry soul with fatness. What a savior do you know this wonderful person, the Lord Jesus?
That last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried. Think of that. He cried. He cried.
Think of the heart of the Lord that day as he stood there where all those people were feasting, and he stands there, and he cries.
If any man thirst, let him come to me, Come to me.
You know.
Is not coming to a gospel meeting.
Hello, that's so that's so wonderful that you're here tonight and we're thank you, thankful for your that you are here. But you know, it's coming to Christ, a person, a person, the Lord Jesus Christ. Oh, you know, there are many that think that I have to do something or or something like that. You know, a man that we talked to a couple of weeks ago, you know, he says that was a nice simple message that you had tonight.
And then he went on about the 10 commandments and things like that, you know, no.
Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy, He saved us.
You can't do anything to merit your salvation, for by grace are you saved through faith, and that not of yourselves. It is a gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast.
No, I know that when I was a young lad, I LED a very bad life. And sometimes I knew that the Lord spoke to me and I tried to mend my ways. I tried to do a little better. I tried to stop this habit or tried to stop that habit, you know, finally I had to realize that I was a lost, lost Sinner without any hope, without God in the world.
00:40:08
And I came to the Lord Jesus in the simple faith. Lord, save me.
Save me. You know, the Lord saved me as a young man. Wonderful, isn't it? But you know, I've got to say this, that those years that I was without Christ were wasted years, wasted years. The time to come to the Lord Jesus is tonight, tonight, tomorrow, maybe too late.
Oh dear one tonight, the songwriter says. Decide for Christ tonight.
And God's salvation, see yield heart and soul to him who died for the. I didn't quote that right at all.
But won't you come tonight?
God is long-suffering and not willing that you should perish. He doesn't want you to die in your sins. If you reject the Lord Jesus Christ, you've got nobody to blame but yourself. Nobody to blame but yourself. But all think about. Dear one, Tonight I want to point you to the Lord Jesus Christ, who 2000 years ago hung up on that cross for you.
In love to you.
Thy blessed One, who in those three hours of darkness, as the apostle Peter could say, who himself bore our sins in his own body in the tree, and oh, I thank God that he bore my sins there and Calvary's cross, and all I can say tonight is Hallelujah. What a savior, what a savior? Is he your Savior? Do you know this Blessed One? Do you know this one? Do you know the author of this book, this wonderful book that we have opened before us?
Is this your constant companion, this precious book? Young man, young girl, tonight read this blessed book in it our wonderful words of life.
Will diversity in Jeremiah 3, verse five? I think it is. Wilt thou not from this time try unto me, my father, Thou art the guy of my youth. There's a verse.
Young man, a young boy here tonight. My father. Is he your father? Can you look up to him tonight and say he's my father? Oh, yes. Through sovereign grace I can do that. I can say he's my father. But is he your father? That's relationship. And then it says thou art the guide of my youth. Oh, he wants to guide you. He wants to guide you all the way home.
To the Father's house. What a Savior do you know this blessed one? Do you know the Lord Jesus Christ as your own personal Savior? If you don't, won't you accept them tonight before it's forever too late? God is long-suffering and not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. He said to you, Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Oh, once you come, he's pleading for you to come tonight, dear one, tonight come as a guilty lost Sinner. You think of the prodigal son. When he came to his father, he said, Father, I have sinned against heaven and in my sight, and I'm no more worthy be called thy son. You think of the father that he wrapped his arms around his son and he kissed and he and he said, bring forth the best robe and put on him and put a ring on his hand and shoes on his feet, and they began to be married.
Oh, think of it for all eternity, rejoicing in heaven.
Oh, it's just before us, dear one, tonight, just before us, the Lord Jesus is coming. Maybe this very night we'll see him face to face. Shall we pray?
Our God and our loving Father, we do thank thee tonight for this wonderful gospel that we can proclaim to whosoever will. And our Father, we ask thee that if there's one here unsaved tonight, still lost in in their sins.
Our Father, we just asked thee that by thy spirit, that would touch that one tonight.
They might come, Lord Jesus, and confess thee as Lord and Savior before it's forever too late. We thank Thee that Thou is lengthened out the day of grace so that this gospel meaning could go forth tonight and we just ask thy rich blessing on it. Even though it's been spoken weakness, our Father, we just ask thy rich blessing on it. Do each one here tonight. We just give thee thanks and thy precious and worthy name, Lord Jesus, Amen.
Romans 11
Builded Together
Open—Ed Wilson
DISCLAIMER: The following has been auto-transcribed. We hope it will help you to find the section of this audio file you are looking for.
Let's turn to Genesis.
Back to Genesis.
How many times we can go over?
The death of Christ.
How many times we can go over that?
The most momentous thing that has ever happened.
And all the annals of time or eternity, and the Spirit of God can give us one.
More aspect if we have the eyes to see it.
I just want to share a little thought with your brethren that I've enjoyed recently, and I believe I have the the mind of the Spirit of God in this too.
We've been here in a little bit, you know.
About the fact that Israel will be saved, The fact that you and I have salvation now through the precious blood of Jesus.
Look down at the end of Chapter 2.
And by the way, the book of Genesis, one has said, is the seed plot of the Bible. All of the great foundational doctrines of the Scriptures are found in this wonderful book.
Very precious.
I want to read from the 21St verse.
And the Lord God.
Caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam and he slept and he took one of his ribs. We've been hearing about bones.
He took one of his ribs and closed up the flesh instead thereof.
I want you to fix this phrase right here in your mind and closed.
Up the flesh thereof. Now let's go to John 19.
Gospel of John, the 19th chapter, that great chapter.
That the Spirit of God, through the Apostle John gave to us in connection with the death of the Lord Jesus Christ.
I think I may take the liberty to read the 20th chapter 2 a few verses in there to connect up the the thought the 19th chapter.
The verse will pick up the thought from the 32nd verse. Then came the soldiers and break the legs of the 1St and of the other which was crucified with him that would usher these men into eternity.
And that's what it would do.
But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was dead already, they break not his legs, but one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side.
Remember that the rib was taken out of Adam's side, right was taken from his side, for Roman soldier now and hatred raises that spear, and he pierces the side of the dead Christ.
You see, brethren, dear ones, the death of Christ is unique in every way.
You can see over and over again when you look at the death of Christ, you see facets and aspects about it which are totally unique.
Totally unique one among us is said. Think of the nails passing through his hands and his feet and not a bone broken.
Now this soldier raises this spear and pierces the side of the Lord Jesus, and something else miraculous happens because the blood issues forced.
Wonderful.
Now let's go into the 20th chapter and I want to see why this is so significant. You know the Bible.
Gives us contrast.
And here we're going to see a contrast now in the 20th chapter.
Verse 26.
And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them.
Then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you.
Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hit her thy finger, and behold my hands, and reach, hit her thy hand, and thrust it into my side. And be not faithless, but be leaving.
00:05:05
Remember I told you earlier in Genesis to keep your eye fixed upon the fact that after God took that rib out of the side of Adam, he closed that flesh up again?
Now that precious Savior standing in resurrection life, that side is open.
It's open outside has never been closed.
I never realized, you know, you read it, but the impact of it does not hit you sometimes. That's why it's important to read the Word of God over and over again. Isn't that beautiful?
And Jesus is going to bear in his body forever those wounds in his hands, feet.
And his precious side.
Of course, what's Thomas? A pitcher up here?
He's no doubt a picture of the Jewish remnant that will believe in a coming day. They will believe.
But let's go on in the chapter, we'll see something.
Man, Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God, and he couldn't do any other. There was the evidence standing right in front of him.
Jesus after him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed.
That's the way it will be for the Jewish people. They'll see and they'll believe.
All that you and I have been called to something far greater. Look at the next bar. Blessed are they that have not seen and yet have believed. What a great thing.
What a great thing. You don't want to know that every practically every difficulty among us comes in as a result of two reasons.
Our unbelief.
And our self will.
Much mischief, if not all, can be traced to those two fountainheads. Unbelief.
And our own self will.
Oh, May God make us believing believers.
May make us believing believers that we will believe.
And made a self willingness, may it have no place.
Is everything.
I want to finish with a couple of thoughts in Ephesians. We touched on that book this morning. Beautiful book.
Ephesians chapter 2.
Verse 19 Now, therefore, ye are no more strangers and foreigners, fellow citizens, with the Saints, and of the household of God built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone. The thought is really the cornerstone, because there's only one.
In whom the whole building, all the building, but not in what it's, In whom all the building, fitly framed together, groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord. Verse 22 is what I had specifically in mind.
In whom he also are builded together for inhabitation of God.
Through the Spirit back in Genesis, it tells us that with that rib that he took out of the side of Adam.
He builded a woman. That's what really the original word means there.
That verb build. It is brought over into the New Testament, and this word builded here for a habitation of God.
Through the spirit is the exact same verb in the Greek. Not interesting.
See how it all fits together.
You dear young people, you older ones, do you see how these things fit together?
Wonderful, isn't it?
Now it was our God who wrote the Bible.
Who is like unto me, declaring the end from the beginning, and things that are not as, and calling things that are not as though they were?
Wonderful, isn't it?
You know, wonderful to realize in the 5th chapter of Ephesians it says this.
This is a great mystery, but I speak as concerning Christ in the church. But a great thing it is.
But it's a blessed, blessed fact, a glorious fact.
Build it together for inhabitation of God through the Spirit. Now there's nothing much drier than than than dry bones.
Their brothers brought that before pretty dry and that a dry bone Israel right to the point where there's not even a smell from a decaying corpse. Everything has just rotted away until there's a point where there's just nothing but but bones left, and dry ones at that.
00:10:17
But what is that in connection with the God of resurrection? Do you know this afternoon that resurrection is the greatest power that's known? Our God, our precious Savior, the one who himself said I'm the resurrection and the life. He is the one who holds that power. Brethren, this is the one we're gathered to. This is the one who's the head of the church.
This is the one who has called us to glory and virtue. This is the one.
Who? It says in Colossians, Christ is everything. Everything.
And so we have to bring the question home to our own hearts. What is He?
To me.
What is he to me?
I speak to you, dear young people.
Some of you have not taken your place at his table.
What's holding you back?
Do you know it's an unspeakable privilege to be able to sit down in his presence and remember him who not only went into death, but on that third day came out of that tomb triumphant? And as it tells us in Revelation 118, I am he that liveth and was dead. And behold, I am alive forevermore and had the keys of death and Hades of the departed state. It's all his. He has it all. In John chapter 10, it tells us very clearly, I am the resurrection and the life he that believeth in me.
Though he were dead, yet shall he live, And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. And he makes the question right home to her heart. Martha, do you believe this?
She says yay Lord, I believe.
She gets tested later.
Comes to the tomb.
The Lord turns to him. He says take away the stone.
It's very interesting the statement there and the sister of her of him that was dead. That's something that's like us. And the sister of her of him who was dead said Lord, by this time he stinketh, he's been dead for four days. And then the Lord says, said I not unto thee, that if thou wouldst what believe, I should see the glory of God resurrection.
Resurrection.
I want to finish with one final statement. Is this.
Do you and I believe.
Do you? And I believe this afternoon that we're on the verge of the greatest event.
Since the coming of the Holy Spirit.
To baptize all believers into one body, by the way, and not only baptize the church into one body, but it's the Spirit of God is going to lead us out of this world home to the Father's house, up there to meet Christ in the air. Think of it.
The power of the Spirit of God. I mentioned that to a brother the other day. It is interesting that the dead and the living rising, changing instantaneously in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye at the last trump. And I'll tell you something else that thrills my soul to think that all of the self will, all of what has been of man's arrangements that's going to be swept away.
At the coming of Jesus. One heart, one mind, 1 voice.
Blessed be his name, that's going to rise in a mighty crescendo to him, unto him that loves us and washed us from our sins in his own blood. Brethren, we're getting closer. Apostle John reminds us in his first epistle, the 2nd chapter. I quote the first part of that verse. Little children, it is the last time. It is the last hour.
That's how it's read in the other translation.
We're right there, we're right there. What a thrill it's going to be to see that ancient people brought back.
Into blessing. What a thrill it's going to be to see Him given His rightful place. Every believer in this room longs for that day when Jesus alone is going to have His rightful place.
I trusted, so I just want to leave these few thoughts with us. May they encourage us. His side was opened and it will remain opened forever. Adams was opened and then it was reclosed.
In a lovely little pictures of the Spirit of God can give us in the word of God, I commend these things to us.
Recommend these things to us. We keep these things in mind. It will make the remembrance of the Lord really sweet to us, won't it?
That side is opened.
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And we're going to see the marks of that servitude forever. Blessed be his name. Oh, may that love.
Grip our souls. May the realization of that love and amateur to a more fervent and a more arduous pursuit of those things that are pleasing to himself till he come.
Matthew 18:20
Romans 1:1-23
Reading
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The first chapter first and.
And then see if we can.
Move along through it. If we get through it, then we'll start the second chapter.
Romans chapter one.
All the servants of Jesus Christ called to be an apostle.
Separated unto the Gospel of God, which he had promised before by his prophets in the Holy Scriptures.
Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh, and declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.
By whom we have received grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith among all nations for His name.
Among whom are ye also the call of Jesus Christ?
To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be Saints, grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.
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For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of His Son, that without ceasing, I make mention of you always in my prayers, making requests, if by any means now at length I might have a prosperous journey by the will of God to come unto you.
For I longed to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift to the end you may be established, that is, that I may be comforted together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me.
I would not have you ignorant brethren, that oftentimes I purpose to come unto you what was let hitherto, that I might have some fruit among you also, even as among other Gentiles. I am a debtor both to the Greeks and to the Barbarians, both to the wise and to the unwise.
So as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also. For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ. For it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth, to the Jew 1St, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith as it is written, the just shall live by faith. For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who hold the truth in unrighteousness.
Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them, for God hath showed it unto them.
For the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power in Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because that when they knew God, they glorified Him not as God. Neither were thankful, but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools and changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image.
Made like 2 Corruptible man and to birds.
And four footed beasts and creeping things.
Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves, who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshiped and served the creature more than the Creator, who was blessed forever. Amen.
For this 'cause God gave them up unto vile affections, for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature.
And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman burned in their lust one toward another men, with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was meat.
And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind to do those things which are not convenient, being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness, full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity, whispers, backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud boasters, inventors of evil things.
Disobedient to parents without understanding, covenant Breakers without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful, who, knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.
I wonder if it would not be helpful to give an outline of the book very rapidly.
So that.
We can. It's always been helpful to me to have this outline of the book. It's an outlinable book. Some books are a little harder. I wouldn't. I wouldn't have the foggiest idea how to outline Ezekiel. I'm sure some brethren here could do it, but the book of Romans is a book which lends itself to it.
And I'd like to say this that the.
The the book is sets out in the first.
17.
Excuse me, the 1St 17 verses. It's introduction. It tells you what the book's about.
The book is about the Gospel of God.
You see that in the first.
Verse.
And continued on to the third verse. Verse two is parenthetical. It's the gospel of God concerning His Son.
00:10:02
And that's the theme of the book.
And in that book.
I mean in that theme is set out in verse 17.
The righteousness of God. And that's an important term and we're going to have to define it because.
There's terrible confusion in in the Christian community today as to what that term means.
The reformers, I don't think understood what that meant, and we're going back to what the reformers held on it.
So the 1St 17 verses are the introduction to the book.
Then the apostle arraigns humanity before.
God's judgment throne.
He brings them before them, and he brings them in the order of.
The Heathen First, what we would call the Heathen Chapter one.
Chapter 2. The moralist Gentile. The beginning of Chapter 2.
The one who knows a little better.
Who constructs a civilization that judges?
And then?
Goes on to indict the Jew.
And perhaps that's the strongest indictment of all.
But at the end of it is that all are without an excuse.
All of them are without excuse, whether it's the Pagan.
Heathen, the marvelous Gentile, civilized Gentile, or the Jew?
And.
That starts the Jew starts in verse 17 of chapter 2 and the runs on.
Through.
To.
Runs on through to the verse 20.
What It's made very clear that no flesh will be justified by works.
Well, how then can they be justified? And then that argument is brought in?
In the first.
Part of the book, which is the doctrinal part of the book.
From chapter one to chapter 8.
There's a natural division at the end of it. There's kind of a doxology at the end of it. But in that part of the book, two things are dealt with. The first, which you and I would first be concerned about, would be the fruit of our evil nature, the sins.
And that's dealt with up to the end of verse 11 of chapter 5. Our sins. How can God deal with our sins? Is there any hope? Can they be put away?
And of course, that's part of the gospel.
But then another thing is taken up, starting with chapter 5 and verse 12.
You'll notice the change.
Chapter 5 and verse 12 Another word is used, Sin.
Sin.
It's not so much the fruit as it is the root that's dealt with.
God Forgives the one and he condemns the other.
But it's both in the work of Christ.
And of course, that's taken up then in the rest of the doctrinal part of the book.
Chapters 910 and 11 are natural. Question is raised then, well, if that's how God justifies people, what about where does the Jew fit into all of this?
And so that's the dispensational part of the book is 9:10 and 11:00.
First part is doctrinal.
I was talking about this one time up in Worcester, MA and I mentioned that.
The last part of the book.
The chapters 12131415.
Are have to do with our?
With the practical part of the of our of the doctrine of the gospel, I said, I wish I had a word for that started with D because sometimes it's easy to remember the things that have the same letter starting it. Ken Kiesling spoke up and said doing.
Doing.
And I believe that's what it is. It's our do it what we do. So the first is a doctrinal, then comes the dispensational, and then doing.
And the 16th chapter is kind of an appendix. It's a letter of commendation, but it's, it's an epilogue to the book. Now, having said that, thank you, brethren, for allowing me to go on that line with that. But having said that, I, I think it would be nice now to, to get some of these things defined and down and careful.
00:15:17
But remember that in verse 16 of chapter one.
Verse 16 of chapter one. I am not ashamed of the gospel.
It says Gospel of Christ in our common translation, but I believe it's really just the gospel because while it certainly is the gospel of Christ, not in this book, it's the gospel of God.
It's the gospel of God.
So Paul says I'm not ashamed of the gospel, the good news.
And then we get to this point and I think maybe it would be good at the end of to look at verse 17 and say what is the righteousness of God?
What is it? The common thought is that it's the Lord's personal righteousness and his life down here.
May I just say.
That isn't what it is that condemns me.
That suits him to be the savior, but it condemns me.
The righteousness of God is something totally different from that.
Now.
Some of our brethren will help us as to what it is.
The reformers.
They believe that the Lord Jesus kept the law.
And that is put to our account, but the law would still be, with their doctrine, the basis for our righteousness.
But Christ is the end of the law for righteousness.
God no longer looks to man. He's no longer testing man to see if he can, by keeping the law, obtain A righteousness that will be acceptable before God.
And it isn't our keeping the law, nor the Lord keeping the law.
Justification is based on believing.
In the person and work of the Lord Jesus. That's the basis for our justification as it is stated in the third chapter, that God is just and the justifier of him that believeth on Jesus. So the law is not involved anymore. Christ is the end of the law for righteousness.
So justification is also good to mention.
It does not mean that we stand before God as if we had never sinned.
That would put us in the position that Adam was in before the fall.
He was still able to sin at that time.
We stand before God in a life to which sin cannot attach itself. We stand before God as justified in a way that as if he could have never sinned.
We have justification of life, this new life that we have received. Sin cannot attach itself to that. Now young people might say, now wait a minute, brother, aren't we still able to sin?
Yes, but it's a question of how we stand before God. Not only.
Were our sins dealt for in the death of Christ? We ourselves were dealt with, and we were put to death. In the death of Christ. We no longer stand before God.
In our old responsibility, creature responsibility, we are no longer in the flesh and we are now a new creature in Christ and we have an altogether different standing.
Before God, and that is all connected with the justification.
Wonderful truth to lay hold of. Not only my sins were dealt with, I myself was put to death. I no longer exist before. God is a Sinner and you and I have to learn to look at ourselves the way God sees us.
That gives peace.
To our souls.
Let's define the righteousness of God.
The righteousness of God is His perfect consistency with Himself.
In all his dealings with men.
Now when he sends a soul to hell, his righteousness does that, because that soul is lost. It has not been sheltered by the blood of Christ. When he brings a soul to heaven, his righteousness does that.
00:20:13
Because the blood of Christ has cleansed us from all our sins, we sing tis in the cross of Christ. We see how God can save yet righteous be. So it's I never forget the impact that had on my soul as a young man.
When I got a hold of that truth, it isn't just His love, His mercy, His grace.
His compassion, His kindness, that has saved me, that's all true. But His righteousness, I used to be terrified to think of what if He would deal with me in strict righteousness? You'd have to send me to hell. Well, that's true, but for the cross, the cross of the Lord Jesus has enabled Him now to justify me, to account me righteous before God and be righteous in doing it.
God is righteous in justifying the Sinner. So the righteousness of God revealed in the gospel is his justification of the Sinner, and he's righteous in doing that. How God can save yet righteous be?
So we shouldn't take away from the fact that in everything that God does, he has to be righteous. He is the the righteous God.
He has to be holy, He has to be consistent with himself. And that's the wonder of the gospel. How can God be holy and just and righteous and bring sinners like you and I are to heaven? How can you do that? Because He's provided A Savior who shed his precious blood and that has put those sins away, that has met the eye of God. He's glorified. He's judged sin in the cross. And now his very righteousness, which would have sent me to hell, now sends me to glory.
If you go over to chapter 3 for just a moment, not to anticipate.
Too, too much. But I'd just like to point something out there that.
In chapter 3 and verse 25.
We have him set forth as a mercy seat or propitiation. The Lord Jesus is.
And it says, for the showing forth of his righteousness.
And it has to do with the sins that are passed. Now don't think to yourself that's my sins that are passed.
That's not the question here.
There's a whole epic from.
Adam until the cross where God passed over things.
And he's passed them by through his forbearance.
And sometimes people said, how could he be righteous?
People said regarding David.
That is a man of God, what he did, and God loves him and God Forgives him.
How could he do it?
And there were others of all the sins from Adam until until the cross God passed by.
On the basis of the work of Christ.
And so you put a big cross between 25 and 26.
Because.
When the Lord Jesus died on the cross, that displayed the righteousness of God, and having passed by all those sins.
It it showed forth his righteousness.
Ah, he wasn't. He was righteous.
And all of those, all those things that were passed over during that period. Now it says in verse 26.
For the showing forth of His righteousness in the present time.
So you have this man who acts like he is.
A holy man, and you know that his life.
Is, I mean you see his on the board of this and that and he and charitable organization and he he.
Isn't saved and then you see this drunk that staggers into a mission and and.
00:25:05
With the with the half understanding he.
Reaches out in simple faith and takes the Lord Jesus Christ as his Savior and he saved.
And God just justifies him. How can that be? Well, it says that he should be just and the justifier of him that believes in Jesus.
So the cross sets out that God was just before the cross.
All those people that he.
He Best Buy their sins over all those years.
And showed that he was righteous by the death of Christ. And then at the present time, he's just and the justifier of him that believes in Jesus. That's glorious, that's wonderful.
And that's what's set out here. And the Apostle Paul sets it out in a way that.
Is just amazing. I don't think any any lawyer.
Human lawyer could ever do it.
Better than he could because the Apostle Paul was inspired of the Spirit of God, but he sets it out.
And that's what this book is all about. And do you want to understand the gospel?
It's not from Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. They understand the Gospel. You Get the facts of the Lord's life and his death.
But the doctrine of the gospel you get in Romans.
How could he do it? What does it mean?
And it's so good to get established in it. Oh, I just want to plead with our young people, if you haven't gotten established in Romans, do so.
The Lord has given us some very good ministry on it. One book that's very inexpensive is is.
Charles Stanley's For a while it was called Life Through Death. It's got another name now, but.
It's his book on Romans. It's hardly. I think it's just a couple of dollars to buy it.
But it really sets out the doctrine of Romans.
So you have just to summarize what you said, you have two groups. You have the Saints of the Old Testament and the Lord passed over their sins, didn't judge them, and then you have the Saints of the New Testament. What he says of that first group that he is just, He's righteous, and having passed over their sins, how can that be? Because the cross is now an accomplished fact. He was looking forward to it.
Now he doesn't pass over our sins. He justifies this on the spot, and he's righteous in doing it. He accounts us righteous because he's looking back to the to the cross.
That seems to present a problem to us because we're creatures of time. But God is a timeless being, and the future is as sure to Him as the past. So whether he was looking forward to the cross or back to it, the the purpose of the cross was determined before time began.
The mind of God. So it's a work which is timeless in his extent, and it embraces both the Saints of the Old Testament and the Saints of the New. I had a brother write me once that his understanding was that the Old Testament Saints were justified by the law and the New Testament Saints were justified by grace. And I wrote him back quickly and said, no, that's dead wrong.
Saints in all ages, at all times, have been justified by grace.
Justified by grace, founded upon the precious blood of Christ and the death of the Lord Jesus.
Always Adam, Abraham is used in chapter 4 as an example that he believed God and it was accounted unto him for righteousness. And then the question is raised, was it in connection with the law? Nor it was before the law. Was it in connection with circumcision? No, it was before circumcision, so at all time.
Those who had living faith in the Word of God, they were justified on dead faces. They didn't know about the Lord Jesus, but they had nevertheless the Word of God and they accepted His word and were based a blessed based on their faith in the Word of God. Wonderful. Now in our day we could not take a scripture such as what was promised to Abraham.
00:30:01
For our justification, we have to believe in the Lord Jesus. We have to, by faith, accept Him and the finished work of Calvary's cross. And let me just make one thing clear for those who might not know this that justification or righteousness in English, these two words convey the same truth. We don't have that in German and in other languages, you could say.
As we have it in verse 26 of chapter three that God is just and the justifier of him that believeth on Jesus. You could also say that God is righteous.
Righteous, the one that believes in Jesus. And that's wonderful that a guilty Sinner deserving to go to hell is declared righteous. And God looks down and sees the faith and he says that's a righteous person apart from anything that any of us have done.
Wonderful truth, to be cleared of all guilt, and to stand before him in a new way altogether.
The illustration that I use for young people is the Old Testament people would be like if I were went into a department store and I didn't know it, but a detector store detector was watching and so I.
Buy some things and I hand the card to the girl and she puts the card through and she.
Hands me the goods. So a few minutes later they the detective comes along and touches me on their shoulder and said sorry, excuse me, but you didn't pay for those goods. Yes, I did. No, he said I was watching you and you didn't pay a cent for those things. You have to come with me to the office. Well, what had I done? I had put it on my charge account. Now that's a simple illustration.
But that is the condition of the Old Testament Saints.
If every act of those who had put their faith in God.
That was put to the account of the Lord Jesus, and when he came, he paid that account.
Thinking of David, brother Norman in connection with that when the prophet Nathan came to him and of course David said the men that have done this thing.
You know he shall surely die. And I was thinking how the Prophet said, thou shalt not die.
God hath put away thy sin. And I've thought about that, you know, years later on a cross great David's greater son took that very thing that David did, and he made it his own. It's, it's so touching to think of that. And we look at ourselves.
How grand and how great the cross is, because not only were the Old Testament Saints, as you say, the charge account for us, we look back and we could say how can any of us ever stand? It's because of the grace of God. And how big is the cross anyway?
I like to think that it's comprehended in a sense in the 90th Psalm where Moses, the man of God, says from everlasting to everlasting, Thou art God. I suppose we have a tendency to look at that verse and think of it in the aspect of creation, but I believe the Spirit of God has tucked away in those lines.
The beautiful aspect of the cross of Jesus, because it not only reaches back to the beginning of time, yeah, on into eternity itself, but it goes on to the close of this present day, the millennial reign of Christ and the new heavens and the new earth where grace will reign through righteousness, which is interesting.
Just want to turn over to a verse that we noticed earlier.
Or I'd like to bring out the 5th chapter of Romans.
The 21St verse.
That as sin hath reigned unto death, even soul, my grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord. That is a beautiful verse. That 21St verse. Grace reigns through righteousness. That's right now.
Today, right? Not future, right now, right now. But in the eternal state, righteousness will dwell. The Millennium. It will rain on it.
May I just add to Brother Norman's comment?
When you pay with your charge account, you know you have paid for it. The Old Testament sayings did not have the understanding that the Lord Jesus would pay for their debt. They did have the assurance of forgiveness like the prophet told David that his sin was forgiven and he expresses that in Psalm 32. Blessed is the man.
00:35:16
But they didn't know how God could do that. That's why they didn't have the certainty and the same measure of assurance that we have in Christianity. We know who paid for it and we know why God is able to be righteous. Of course, it was all foreshadowed in the sacrifices that they brought. And we have a better understanding of these sacrifices, what they foreshadowed then those who brought them. But what a blessing it is.
To live at this time.
To have that assurance and be better by faith, accept it because what a joy it gives to our souls. Already David rejoiced in the forgiveness that he had been assured of without really knowing how God could do it. We know it today. He has a righteous basis for it. His Holiness has not been compromised and we see it in the cross in dealing with His Son, what he thinks of sin.
Holiness and righteousness dealt with him.
The way you and I deserve to be dealt with. But he dealt with him so that he didn't have to deal with us in that way. What love and grace.
If you if you just, if you understood what Heinz just said, I'm going to say that a little different way. Those that wrote the Psalms.
Were not in a known, settled, established relationship with God. As to their knowledge work of Christ is not finished yet.
The Song of Solomon presents a bride that is not in a known, established relationship yet with the bridegroom. We are. That's the difference. So when we read those books, if we don't realize that, we will appropriate to ourselves some things in those books that don't belong to us.
We know better. We know our sins are gone. We're not hoping for it. We know it.
And that's the difference between Christianity and what preceded it. Now, it's true there are multitudes of Christians that are in the Old Testament state as to their soul's understanding. That's true. But that's not Christianity. And so much of what is called Christian and Christianity in Christendom is not Christianity at all.
It's, it's a, it's a, it's a form of Judaism and paganism mixed up.
But no one established relationship founded upon the work of Christ being indwelt of the Holy Spirit. They didn't have that in the Old Testament. And have Him teaching us these wonderful things. That's what we have. Our blessings eclipse the blessings of any of the Saints in former dispensations, and future dispensations, I might add, we have the highest book.
People ask you the question was so and so in the Old Testament saved and.
The answer can be confusing, but I think in the context of what's been brought out this morning, people can understand that better. It's been brought out very nicely and very clearly several times already that the Old Testament Saints laid hold by faith of the promise of forgiveness, as Pints was already saying. But they didn't have as someone also put in a settled sense, as it was just put that if you walked up to them and say, are your sins forgiven?
They might say, I hope so, I'm trusting that they will be, etc. But that was what that's what God put before faith and faith laid home of that and went on in our day. If a person says that, like some of our relatives, you know, we labor with them in the gospel and then you're leaving and you say, well, will I see you in heaven? Well, I hope so. And your heart sinks and you feel like you've got to start all over again because what God puts before faith today is not a laying hold of a promise of something future.
Present possession of forgiveness as something I have now.
And that the in the New Testament word, whatever it is in the original that is translated in our Bible saved, is connected with that known assurance of the forgiveness of sins received now by faith and enjoyed as a possessed thing. And that is the state, the normal state of a, of a Christian, of a believer today. And there's a difference. One was something future that was promised, and one is something that's already, that's already been revealed in the Gospel.
00:40:05
To God's joy, God's delight and satisfaction, and we laid hold of it by faith. Now possessing, if you think about the sacrifices that were offered all through those Old Testament times, you might say to yourself.
And I've heard this said, and it's a wicked thing to say it, that God had some sort of a bloodthirsty attitude.
But that's not it at all. In every one of those, Christ was brought before it.
Everyone of those sacrifices, and those sacrifices can never put away sins.
They never put them away, but what did they do? They brought before God and before the offer the fact that there was a coming sacrifice. Now how intelligent they were as to that coming sacrifice.
Depends on each one, but in general we'd say they were not intelligent about it, but they in faith brought that sacrifice.
And God not liking the death of animals and.
Being pleased with them because he makes it very clear in the 40th Psalm with them. He wasn't pleased. That wasn't what his what his pleasure was. His pleasure was in the one who came to do his will, which was Christ. And yet in those in that symbolic way, they brought those to God and God said, all right, I'll pass by. I'll pass that by now I I know I'm being very simplistic about it, but.
As Chuck said before, we're creatures of time. God is not for God. The work of Christ was.
Something he was slain from the foundation of the world, wasn't he, and so that work of Christ was was a completed thing in his in his mind, but as to actuality, knowing he had to go to the cross and when he went to the cross.
You might say all those chips that were accumulated, all those charge accounts that you're talking about, they were all settled, weren't they?
One action and now from here on it's a direct payment.
When someone receives the Lord Jesus Christ, their sins are put away. And so it's foundational. You see in in first John it says, I read unto your children, because your sins are forgiven for his name's sake.
That's that's part of the foundational thing in the family of God. You have your sins forgiven for his namesake. They're put away. I've used this illustration sometimes, and I hope you'll pardon me if you've heard it before, but.
I used to go up every summer to my grandmother's house in Albany, NY, just outside of Albany.
And.
My brother and I and my Uncle Tom would get to.
Playing with some apples that were growing on a tree and they were terrible apples. Gnarled, sour, wormy apples.
They were only good for ammunition. It was about all they were good for and that's what we used. We throw them at each other and have a fight.
And finally, Grandmother said, let's shut that tree down and we cut it down.
Now what did we do?
Well, it wasn't long when I went back up there and I noticed that old tree had shoots growing out of it, and they grew up and pretty soon they were producing apples again. Now they were going to be good apples, right?
Do you think so?
They were just as gnarled and and sour and and unsuitable for eating as the first crop were because they came from the root.
And that's what God takes up from chapter 5 and verse 12 onward is dealing with sin, which is what produces in me those things that are displeasing to Him.
Now God never pardons the nature.
It's important to see that he condemns the nature.
But he forgives the sins and so chapter 5 and verse one says, therefore being justified by faith, we have peace towards God through our Lord Jesus Christ having been declared righteous.
00:45:01
All of that, all those sins have been forever removed from before the face of God. What happened? Jesus bore them on the tree.
Jesus bore them on the tree who his own self bear our sins.
In his own body, on the tree. They're gone. They're gone.
And I have peace towards God through the Lord Jesus Christ. But now that that old nature, that question of what produces the sins, the word is used sin, sin, the sin nature.
That's that's troublesome. What does God do with that? Well, Romans 8 and verse four says what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh. God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and poor sin forgave sin in the flesh. No condemn sin in the flesh.
And that's what my baptism is a picture of.
It's put in the place of death, all that I was.
And God isn't looking for some good fruit from those things that might come up from the from that old nature.
There's no good thing that'll come up from it. That's what Paul says in the 7th chapter. I know that in me that is in my flag.
Apples.
But he also deals with that which produces.
Verse 17 The righteousness of God is revealed.
The principle of faith to faith and that's been we've taken that up. I wonder if we could get some help on verse 18. How is it that the gospel reveals the wrath of God from heaven?
What? What does that verse mean?
Does it say that doesn't say that the Gospel reveals the wrath of God?
See in verse 17 it says therein is revealed the righteousness of God, but verse 18 is really there is revealed wrath from heaven.
Something else that God has revealed. It starts the substance of the book. Verse 17 ends the introduction to the book.
And the one is not revealed in the in the gospel, the wrath of God, just wrath of God, is revealed from heaven.
And it's a serious thing.
That profits.
Into reviewed work. You know, I also think better that we should not ignore.
A very important point in the beginning of the chapter, the Gospel of God is concerning His Son. Already we have.
Somebody mentioned that verse 2 is really a parenthesis and in verse 3 explains more about this sun.
And verse three gives him to be a man.
The son of David.
You know.
According to the flesh, he was a true man, but he was more than a man.
He is the Son of God.
And he was proven to be the Son of God by resurrection.
We cannot separate the divine and human nature from the One who is our Savior.
And even when we look at him on the cross.
He didn't just die as a man. He couldn't have died had he not become a man. But he never gave up what he always was, the Son of God. Paul says, love me and gave himself for me. And it has been said, could a mere man exhaust divine wrath against sin in three hours of judgment? Could he bear all our sins, the sins of all the redeemed in his body on the tree?
And answer for them in three hours.
Where the eternity of our judgment in three hours, if he would not have been more than a man.
Beloved young people get a hold of it. The one that went to the cross is God's Son.
He became the Lamb of God. That's how he's presented in John's gospel. It's the Son of God that became the Lamb of God and he was the only one that could answer to God and enter into that sin question and settle it for the eternal satisfaction of a thrice holy God. So how important it is that we are sound as to the truth of the person of Christ that he is.
00:50:08
Man, but a sinless man, A man who never could have sinned.
And that He is God's Son who became the Lamb, and He has accomplished atonement. He did more than just bear the judgment for our sins. If we end up in hell, we get punished for our sins and never pay for Him. The Lord Jesus poured the judgment, but He did more. He made atonement for sin. And it was in those three hours of darkness when He endured the wrath of God against sin.
And when he laid down his life.
And shed his precious blood. These three things have accomplished atonement.
Made full satisfaction to a holy God.
The Israelites in the glory.
When he realizes his life.
And to realize that God has punished his Son, that will be overwhelming. But to realise, for that person to realize that they put their Messiah, they killed him.
And what overwhelming grace and love is going to just fill them forever in the glory to realize that they killed that one that paid the price for their sins?
Rather than we're not expounding Romans 1.
Let's get back to the chapter.
Bruce mentioned verse 18.
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, Two classes of humanity, ungodliness, the Gentiles, unrighteousness of men who hold the truth and unrighteousness. The Jews. They had the truth in the Old Testament. Gentiles didn't have it.
So he includes the whole human race here, and he says the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all the evil things that the Gentiles and the Jews are doing.
And then he says, because now he gives 2 reasons why his judgment is hanging over this scene. Because that which may be known of God is manifest among them. I think it should read for God. It showed it unto them. For the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse. There isn't a man, woman or child on the face of planet earth.
That is not without excuse. He can look up into the starry sky at night, he can look at the trees, he can look at the birds and the plants and the animals, and he can see the hand of God.
There God has manifested his glory. The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament showeth his handiwork. Day unto day utter a speech night and tonight showeth knowledge. There is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard. That voice is heard everywhere. And so man is without excuse and he's going to be come under the wrath of God if he doesn't repent of his sins. There's another reason and that's verse 21 because that when they knew God.
Every one of those eight souls that came out of Noah's ark knew God as a God of judgment, a God who would judge and penalize sin. He had wiped out the whole human race except 8 souls. When they knew God in that new way, they glorified Him, not his God. Neither were thankful, but became vain in their imaginations and their foolish heart was darkened. And that's the rest of the first chapter where he's taking up the barbarian part of the Gentiles, the the heathen world and how they degenerated.
Into this, you look over in Australia today and go into the heart of it, the Aborigines there, the natives there, they're like this, they're just debased in that. Well, everyone that came out of the ark knew God and he had shown himself as a God that punishes sin. And how did they lose it? How did the human race lose that knowledge? Well, those of us who are living in a Christian, so-called Christian land.
We can see how they lose it.
They've just about lost it today in this land that has been so favored and so blessed with gospel truth, far more than just the knowledge of creation and that God judges sin. But we know the the full gospel and and you, you tell you stop people on the street and you can ask them the simplest questions about God and they're totally ignorant children, young people. They don't know anything about God anymore.
00:55:13
They don't even know if there is a God that's number one. Is there a God?
Why his? His evidence is everywhere. When the Russian cosmonauts got up there they said we didn't see God. Stupid comment. He's the invisible God. How can you see the invisible God if you can't see him on earth where he has manifested himself in planet Earth? When John Glenn circled the earth, he looked down and he said I can't imagine anyone having a view like this denying that there's a God.
He could see the evidence right before his very eyes, and we can see it every day. And yet, man, it's the fool that says in his heart there's no God. God has given evidence. So here we have these two reasons. The testimony of creation, the testimony of God coming in in judgment as he did at the flood. It was universal. The whole human race was extinguished except 8 souls, and they all came out of the ark, and they knew God in a new way.
Where is that knowledge?
It's the wrath of God is revealed because of those two reasons. What you're saying, Chuck, is if somebody doesn't have more than the revelation of God in creation and he bows to that, he will be just in the sight of God.
People say well what about those people that never heard about the gospel? They have that the revelation of God in creation and one of the well known philosophers has made this statement. The starry sky above him and the conscience within him, truth to him that there is a God. I don't think that man came to know the Lord Jesus as his Savior. We have no assurance of that. But still it proves the point. He was an intelligent educated man, knew more about the universe than you and I do.
And he couldn't help but have to admit there was a God, a hand surgeon, who came to study how this.
Body part of our body functions. He concluded that must be a God that created such a member in a body to function. Just think, the thumb touches every finger, you know, And the fact that we have sensation and feel everything, we would burn ourselves and do all kinds of harm to ourselves. Anybody that objectively looks at creation cannot but admit there must be a creator.
The interdependence of nature.
The plant and animal life many times cannot exist unless the order is from the beginning, the way it is now, you know. So the interdependence, all of these things should convince a man. But why do they not want to accept it? If there is a creator, they have to acknowledge that.
They have to answer to him, but we do not have to trouble ourselves about souls that have not heard the gospel they have.
The revelation of God in creation, you know, that historical knowledge has been lost, you know, but the knowledge in creation is available for anybody that would open eyes want to look at it.
May I just say this? I think I agree with what Brother Heinz has been saying. But when he says we don't need to trouble ourselves with him, he's not saying we don't need to go take the gospel present. What he's saying is the all these questions, well, here, these are difficulties we put up. Well, why didn't? Why didn't what? What about those people?
I find that the same people who who say that to you, well what about the heathen? They say leave them alone.
They're worried about them, but they said don't go and bring the gospel to them, let them alone with their own superstitions and things.
In school you've been taught, I'm sure some of you have been taught that.
Man saw forces and he like ice and and fire, and he and he deified them, and that was his first concept of something greater than himself. And then he saw the cobra come out and bite and he had a power and so he deified the cobra, and then he came up a little bit further and he he.
He took birds and he honored birds. The Aztecs still do that, I guess, in Mexico. And then.
Gradually they took four footed beats and finally.
Man, and they had this severe.
01:00:01
God of the Old Testament and finally they got the the idea that God was not that way at all and in Christianity and now we don't need them at all.
We don't need God at all. Have you heard that scenario? I have. I was taught that in college.
Is rubbish.
It's the opposite way. Read it here in first. Read it in verse.
23.
They changed the glory of the incorruptible God, the glory of the incorruptible God. They changed it into what?
Into the image of corruptible man.
And birds.
4 footed beasts and finally reptiles.
Snakes.
That's how these religions came about. They didn't come about through an ascendancy. It's a decline, and if you don't see that, you're missing something very important.
It's sad, isn't it, that men gave up God?
But in the end of that first chapter, we have God giving up man, don't we? And we know that we're in three parts, every being human being as a body.
As a soul, as a spirit, and when God refers to it he goes spirit, soul and body. But here I believe we have God giving up man in the body in verse 24.
And in the soul of all affections in verse 26.
And in verse 28, the Spirit, they did not like to retain God and their knowledge. That's a very solemn and serious condition for mankind to be in, and we see that.
The things that shock us in the news.
Are already recorded here in Romans one, aren't they?
So the New Age movement's been around for a long, long time.
At least we can see from this 21St 25th verse it was there at least in the apostles day because he says in verse 25 who changed the truth of God into a lie. Notice this right here. Worshiped and served the creature more than the Creator you know.
In this country at the present time that they're saying that everything around us is God, the trees and the rocks and the water. And, and by the way, that's the reason why Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth and World Wildlife Federation and all of these different groups.
You know, it's interesting, right? Say now it's even animal rights. Where does all this come from? This is where it comes from. It's the worship of the creature. I had a brother-in-law that was.
A missionary to the Korean Indians in northern Quebec, Canada.
And when the gospel was taken to those people, what did he find? The worshipping Beaver skulls.
This is right in Quebec, Canada. Interesting. You don't have to go to Africa to find these things. It's right in this country and the country to the north. And by the way, it's coming in more and more and more and more.
Turn away from the light. You turn to darkness, don't you?
There is nothing new under the sun or this new age movement is not new. Nothing new under the sun.
And we see, like you, Chuck, mentioned earlier, we see the effects of turning from the light of the gospel. Why do you think there is such an increase of immorality and incest and homosexuality in these lands of ours? It is because God has given them up to their lust. It's a very solemn fact. I think what has happened in the history before Christianity is repeating itself now after the light of the gospel has been rejected.
It's very solemn, Young people realize that.
That what you see round about you is the effect of apostasy, the Spirit already manifesting itself, and we better cling with the help of the Spirit of God to the truth of God in order that we be preserved. Because we have later on in this epistle not only the doctrine of justification presented, it also shows what is consistent for those who have been so blessed. You know we are no longer slaves of sin.
We have died to sin and we live unto righteousness. Righteousness is very much needed to be stressed in Christianity.
It's not law, but righteousness.
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Notice the last version of the chapter, and I believe this is an indictment of our civilization.
It says.
That knowing the righteous. I'm reading it from Mr. Darby's translation because I believe it's helpful there.
Knowing the righteous judgment of God.
That they who do such things are worthy of death. They not only.
Practice.
But have fellow delight in those who do them. Our whole entertainment industry is built on fellow delight in those who do those things that are worthy of death. And we're if we're not careful, we'll buy into that situation too.
Magazines that are sold on.
711 S and other places.
Horrible things? What is that? It's fellow delight in those who do the wicked things.
What a what an awful judgment awaits this thing.
309 Three O 9.
He goes before.
I.
Place me.
All over the Lord.
Romans 2:1-3:20
Reading
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He comes from him descending once more.
While the cry.
All every day.
I'm in a little young. I don't have a little God healing the sky.
Yeah.
Romans chapter 2 and verse one.
Therefore thou art inexcusable man, Whosoever thou art that judges, for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself.
Without that, judges doest the same thing.
But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things.
And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgeth them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God, or despises thou the richest of his goodness, and forbearance, and long-suffering? Not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth eat the repentance, but after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasures up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath, and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who will render to every man according to his deeds.
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To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honor, and immortality eternal life, but unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation, wrath, tribulation, and anguish upon every soul of man that doeth evil of the Jew 1St, and also of the Gentile. But glory, honor, and peace to every man that worketh good.
1St and also to the Gentile, for there is no respect of persons with God.
For as many as have sinned without law, shall also perish without law, and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law. For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified. For when the Gentiles which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these having not the law, are a law unto themselves, which show the work of the law written in their hearts.
Their conscience also bearing witness and their thoughts the meanwhile accusing or else excusing one another.
In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.
Behold, thou art called a Jew, and resteth it in the law, and maketh thy boast in God.
And knowest his will, and approveth the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the law, and are confident that thou thyself are the guide of the blind, a light of them which are in darkness, an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, which has the form of knowledge, and of the truth of the law. In the law thou therefore, which teaches the mother, teaches thou not thyself. Thou that preaches the man should not steal.
Steal thou that saith, the man, should not commit adultery. Dost thou commit adultery, so that that a poor idol does not commit sacrilege? Thou that maketh thy boast in the law, through breaking the law, dishonour S God. For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, as it is written. For circumcision verily profiteth, if thou keep the law, but if thou be a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is made Uncircumcision.
Therefore, if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision? And shall not uncircumcision, which is by nature, if it fulfill the law, judge thee, who by the letter and circumcision does transgress the law.
For he For he is not a Jew, which is 1 outwardly, neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh. But he is a Jew, which is 1 inwardly, and circumcision is that of the heart in the spirit, and not in the letter, whose praise is not of men, but of God. Chapter 3. What advantage then hath a Jew, or what prophet is there of circumcision? Much every way, chiefly because.
That unto them were committed the oracles of God.
For what if some did not believe? Shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect? God forbid. Yeah, let God be true in every man a liar, as it is written, that thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged. But if our unrighteousness commend the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unrighteous, Who taketh vengeance? I speak as a man, God forbid, for them. How shall God judge the world?
For if the truth of God hath more abounded through my lie unto his glory, why yet am I also judged as a Sinner, and not rather, as we be slandest reported? And as some affirm, that we say, let us do evil, that good may come, whose damnation is just. What then Are we better than they know, and no wise? For we have before proved, both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin.
As it is written, there is none righteous, no, not one. There is none that understandeth. There is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone Out of the way. They are together, become unprofitable. There is none that doeth good, No, not one. Their throat is an open supplicor with their tongues. They have used deceit. The poison of ASPs is under their lips, whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness. Their feet are swift to shed blood.
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Destruction and misery are in their ways, and the way of peace Have they not known? There is No Fear of God before their eyes. Now we know that what things so ever the law say, it saith to them who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. 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.
I.
It's as if at the beginning of this chapter, the.
Apostle summons to the bar of God's justice. The Gentile moralists civilized part of the Gentile world, the one who has a code who judges.
And he brings him up to the bar and he says, now you're inexcusable.
Because in the very things that you judge others.
You do them yourself.
And isn't that true?
When man makes a Civil Code a moral code, he violates that very code. The judges on the bench, I've seen it many times, are violators of the very codes that they're upholding.
That's not an excuse for doing the wrong thing. Now don't misunderstand me, but it does say that when you set up a code.
And a judgment of others.
You're judging yourself too, and it really points out the utter sinfulness of man.
He that is without sin among you, let him first cast the stone. That's the principle, isn't it? They all went out one by one, beginning at the eldest of the last.
As no man condemned thee, no manlord.
And then he who was the only one that could have condemned, he said, Neither do I condemn thee. He came in grace, didn't he?
We're slow to learn that.
He abhorred sin, but he showed grace.
Thought was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself.
He wasn't here at that time, judging. He was here to manifest the God of love and grace. He will come back.
There are two things that should lead man to repentance. As we have read here in chapter 2, it's the goodness of God.
But in chapter 17 of Acts we have that he will come to judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he has ordained, and he has given proof of that when he raised him from the dead. You know, coming judgment and the goodness of God should.
By the Spirit of God, be effective in the hearts and consciences of men to lead them to repent.
It's good to bring out that too, especially to the young ones.
That.
Because we have forgiveness of all of our sins.
Judicially and eternally by the blood of Christ. That doesn't change the fact that in the Father's government of his family he will deal with us according to the way we live. If thou call on the Father, who, without respective persons, judges according to the work of each pass your time of sojourning here in fear first, Peter 117.
So we have to do with a father just like a child. I I remember the story of two boys that were fighting and the father came out of his house and he took one of them and gave him a paddling. The neighbor came out and said I saw it all Sir, but it was the other boys fault and the father said that may be true but this is my son.
00:20:05
And he's the one he dealt with. He had told him not to fight. And that's the way the father deals with us as his children doesn't. But that's an entirely different principle. That's the government of the father over his family. The other is the forgiveness that we get through the work of Christ on the cross.
Sovereign Grace.
You have it illustrated in David.
He was immediately forgiven, but the sword would not depart from his house. He had spoken his own judgment. He shall restore four holes. And he did. Four of his sons were taken. So these are solemn things, and our God is a consuming fire. Hebrews, you know, we better remember that.
Well, if we forget it, he has his ways of teaching us, causing us to remember it. But isn't it true? He has not always, as we have it in Psalm 103, rewarded us according to our deeds. If he did, where would we be?
But he may, and he will many times make us reap what we sow.
God than dealing with the Father.
Somebody might enlarge on that for the younger ones.
Sometimes when they speak of a God, we think of him as the Father, but if it could be enlarged on a bit, I think it would be a help.
Maybe you'd do that for his brother Barry.
Well, I'll just say this briefly that.
As the result of the finished work of Christ, God can't see sin on anyone of us.
We are as perfect, Hebrews 10/14 tells us. We are as perfect as Christ is in the sight of God, but as our Father.
Our father now, he sees everything that's going on and he deals with us as.
His children, and whom the Lord loveth, he chasteneth and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. So we're dealing when we're dealing with the father. It's a loving father, training us so that we're going to be able to enjoy more all the beauties, the loveliness of Christ.
Someone has said.
What is this? That it's good to know that God is our Father.
But we must remember that our Father is God too, because God cannot look upon sin. We have a marvelous relationship. God is my Father, but I must remember in my pathway that my Father is God too.
That brings in the holiness of thought, doesn't it?
Some would take the goodness and forbearance and long-suffering of God as a license to continue on, but I think these verses make it plain that while the goodness of God leads to repentance.
If you go on with an impenitent and hard heart, all you're doing is treasuring up wrath for yourself.
And that's a very solemn thing.
It isn't to be trifled with.
I've often enjoyed our brother Gordon commenting on a verse in the Psalms, and I don't want to misquote it if it's in the 32nd Psalm.
No, it's not. I thought it was.
At any rate, it indicates that because of his mercy, he's to be feared.
00:25:00
Not to be trifled with.
I think that's one of the things that men have done characteristically in our day is.
They speak about God being a loving and merciful and forbearing God, and they don't realize that in taking advantage of that with a hard and impenitent heart, all they're doing is treasuring upright against the day of judgment. It's a very solemn thing, and I think that's what Paul is bringing out in these verses that we're looking at, because there's going to be a day of wrath, there's going to be a day of the revelation of the righteous judgment of God.
And he's going to render to everyone according to his works. Verse 6.
And then we're going to need help on 7:00 and 8:00 because they are verses that have always given me.
Difficulty.
That is, I'm going to need help on it.
Well, we're on the subject of the goodness of God.
Is it not possible that sometimes that goodness manifests itself in trial trouble?
Well, I know of a man that the cheerful, happy Christian. He didn't get saved till he broke his back in the woods. He's paralyzed from the waist down. He didn't get saved until then. And there's others that are in prison for *** **** and it's has to they're in a they've had a hard life, and the way of transgressors is hard, but they've come to know the Lord.
Met a woman in the prison in Bermuda who said.
It's been good for me to be in here because I got saved in here driven A10 year sentence, the young woman.
So the goodness of God can put something across a path that brings a person to a place where they have to repent.
Is that still the goodness of God leading his repentance?
Is there anyone who qualifies in verse 7?
Before we get there.
In verse.
2.
We are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth.
We know that that's far from true when it comes to the judgment of our courts. Our courts often render judgments that are not according to truth. The judgment of God is according to truth.
And.
The fifth verse speaks of treasure, stuff unto thyself, wrath against the day of wrath and revelation.
Of the righteous judgment of God.
It's always righteous.
Can't be bought off.
No respecter of persons.
Umm, all of these things.
Come into play when it comes to the judgment of men.
Judgment of God without respect to persons according to truth, his righteous judgment.
Is he going to get away with that?
How many times we said such a thing?
The answer is no.
No one gets away with anything. There is a judgment coming.
That will not allow that person to escape the eye of God.
You mentioned the.
Injustice often of human justice and I think of sometimes of the.
Here Spanish fellows in the jail, they'll get twice the sentence of a of an English speaking fellow.
For the same crime, same circumstances. And they feel it. They understand that there's a difference being made. One of the one. It's not just as simple matter. While he's Spanish, we're going to give it to him. That's not the thought. But they don't like to translate and they have to bring a translator into the court.
00:30:05
There's a hundred other reasons why it happens. But human judgment is very faulty. Very faulty. Gods will never be. Gods is going to be righteous. It'll be exactly what it should be. And that ought to sober a person who's going on with a hard and impenitent heart.
There are no plea. Bargaining is there with God.
Verse.
Be the same as Ephesians 284 By grace are ye saved through faith, and that's not of yourselves. It is the gift of God. Is that the same thought that is here? The goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance.
I don't think it's the same thought. I think it's quite different. But by grace, are you saved? That's the principle upon which we're saved unmerited favor. But here it's God bestowing goodness upon us and not.
As Kind said just a little while ago, he does not dealt with us after our things he had.
We'd all be in a sorry condition, but he's dealt with us in his goodness and.
We can. We can think of how many times he has.
Preserve this say on the highway.
We've just barely escaped an accident.
And.
Say one is unsaved and he reflects on that he was preserved. It was the goodness of God that preserved him reflects on that and it leads him to repent of his sins because he might say if I died then I'd be lost, I'd go to hell and.
It can lead one to repentance, the goodness of God. How many times you look back in your life. You can see how close you came to death.
Before you were saved, and the goodness of God brought you through that.
That's just an example of.
So is it more mercy here in this verse and grace in Ephesians 2? Is that the difference?
Say that louder. Is it mercy here in our chapter and grace in Ephesians 2? Is that the difference?
Percy is sparing us what we deserve.
Grace is giving us what we don't deserve.
Mercy is great in the greatness of the need. Grace is great and the greatness of the giver.
And those are distinctions that I think we can enjoy.
The goodness of God. They both flow from the goodness of God. God is good and.
His goodness has provided all that is needed for our blessing and great blesser.
Even letting the sunrise upon the good and upon the bad, bestowing all things to mankind, man may realize God in his goodness is doing this to me. I'm not deserving it, you know. When they realize this, it makes them realize how differently they deserve to be treated and this goodness lead them to repent.
Of their position before God, their condition. You know, repentance is really.
Acknowledging what God says about the Sinner is true of Maine.
And taking God's side against myself and agreeing with him.
And but repentance alone has not saved anybody.
But nobody was ever safe without it. You need more than repentance. Repentance is only acknowledging your position before God. Repentance towards God and faith in the Lord Jesus is what we have to stress, especially now that the work of Calvary has been accomplished.
So repentance in a child you don't expect that to be as.
Deep as in one of us who is older and has practiced many wicked things. But even a child needs to realize that it deserves to be punished and that he needs or she needs a Savior. Repentance is absolutely necessary, although some theologians try to wipe out that word from the scriptures.
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The soldier was lying in a ditch in a trench and.
He thought of.
Something you had to go back for that he had left and in another place and so he got up and went back and when he came back.
That very spot where he had.
Been lying had been hit by a bomb, and it was the goodness of God that led him to make that move at that time, so that he wouldn't be destroyed. And it resulted in his reflection upon his state. And he repented of his sins and got saved. And that's an illustration of the goodness of God. You look at the Titanic, how many were killed in the Titanic? What about those that weren't killed?
Wouldn't it? Wouldn't they reflect and say that was the goodness of God I came through, that it should have led them to repentance?
Proper to say that if the Lord comes this afternoon, no one of the ones that are left behind will feel sorry and will have prayer meetings, because it's the goodness of God that leads in the day of grace to repentance, but that the Spirit will be gone then.
It'll just turn to Rage Against God.
Mountains to fall upon them when they realize in Revelation that they're under the judgment of God. That shows how the heart without touched by the Spirit of God will not acknowledge what they are and turn to God. We wouldn't have done it if God by his Spirit wouldn't have touched us.
The light of Christianity has shown in this world.
And I was thinking of these verses again.
Verse 8:00 and 9:00 But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation, and wrath, tribulation, and anguish upon every soul of men that doeth evil of the Jew, 1St and also the Gentile. Well, the light of Christianity has shown this world, and manifested all this. But then notice what it says in verse 10 but glory, honor, and peace to every man that doeth good.
To the Jew 1St, and also to the agenda to the Gentile. So God has given us this contrast here to see this is what the what Christianity has done. The light of Christianity is shown in this world to manifest all this. This is how we know it.
But could anybody do good left to himself? What did we read in the indictment? There's none that doeth good. No, not one. And.
I.
Like to think of Cornelius?
His prayers and arms had come before God. Why did they come before God? Because these deeds were the result and proof of a work of God having been accomplished in his soul. And we have to recognize that that was possible before Christianity. You know that God could touch the souls of men so that what they did was not.
You might say the energy of the flesh it was because of the Spirit of God having touched them and worked in their conscience and in their hearts, so that what they did could be recognized of God. But there's none that doeth good. No, not one is not setting aside what we have here, and it doesn't conflict.
Could we say then, Brother Heinz, that this is the question I was asking before that?
Verse 7 is absolutely true.
But it should just show us that there isn't anybody who does it.
So something else has to come in, doesn't it?
And that's the way I've understood it.
That no one goes on and patient continuance and good work and.
Accept God, move that in their own, in their hearts and and.
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It just lets us know that God is a righteous God and he will judge according to their works. And here are the the two ways to be judged.
I don't know if I'm being clear, but I don't think there's anyone.
Who is a natural person? Based on the rest of what we read today, especially Chapter 3, I don't believe there's anyone who would qualify for life eternal on the basis of good works.
A good tree bringeth forth good fruit.
An evil tree bringeth forth evil fruit, and so the tree is known by its fruit.
This is not a way of getting saved. Doing good works, but those who are saved do good works.
We are created in Christ Jesus unto good works which got us before ordained that we should walk in them. He produces those good works in us. He gives us the desire to seek to please Him, those who seek for glory, honor and corrupt ability, eternal life. That's part of the Christian path. If you're not speaking it, if it means nothing to you, if it, if it's not what you're really striving for in your path.
Are you safe?
I was thinking when we read those verses in Malachi One verse 2.
The Lord. This is the word of the Lord to Israel by Malachi. I have loved you, saith the Lord. Yet she say we're in heaven, loved us. Was not Esau Jacob's brother sayeth the Lord. Yet I loved Jacob and I hated Esau and laid his mountains and his heritage waste a lot.
Esau was a profane person. He had never been born again. He had no divine life whatsoever.
Did not value things of God Jacob with all his failures.
You and me, with all our failures, we do love the Lord. We do value the word of God.
We do seek for glory, honor, and incorruptibility because we have a divine nature. We've been born of God. We're sealed with the Spirit. The difference between us and them is not some small amount. It's an infinite gulf between the children of light and the children of darkness.
That was even the case between Jacob and his brother, you know. And why was there different? Not because of Jacob. God had touched him.
And he valued that which Esau despised. And so while there was much in the life of Jacob which was not of God, that which was of God was recognized, you know, And he valued the blessing, and he desired it. He was trying to get it by his own manipulations, instead of trusting God for it who had promised him. But he valued it.
And that was of God. If left to himself, he wouldn't have had that desire for these things. And with us, like with Jacob, there's the mix mixing up of that which is of faith and values, divine things, with that which is of the flesh, the way he went about to get it. But the fact that he went about to get it showed that he valued it, and that showed that he had divine life, and that's why God said he loved him.
I think it's very important to notice where God says I've loved, Jacob, have I loved and he saw, have I hated. He didn't say that in Genesis, did he? He said the elders shall serve the younger, but he did not say that until long after they had lived on the earth. And I think that stumbles people sometimes and leads them into the idea of what is sometimes called reprobation, which is the idea that God chooses some to be lost.
That's a monstrous idea. It doesn't take in the character of God at all. He never chose a person to be lost. But I'll tell you this, anybody who saved was chosen to be saved. And sometimes the case of Jacob and Esau is used in that way. And all I say is be careful as to when God said that. He said it in Malachi, right? Not in Genesis.
I think appearances, too, are so interesting in all of this.
As naturally speaking, as a natural man.
00:45:03
Whose company would you really choose to be in Jacob or Esau's when you take a look at them naturally speaking?
OK. I was thinking I would choose these. I would too. I would too. Because, you know, you look at, you look at Jacob and you say, you know what, a Wheeler, dealer and Schemer, you're not going to have anything to do with this guy, you know. But that's what you say God and grace did in in that man's life, I think in the first Samuel 16.
Man looks at the outward appearance, but God looks at the heart. Sorry, Norman.
Who's Jacob? That's right.
Talk about it. No, that's right. He qualified that he says as a natural. Yeah, I know, I know. And you know, a good hunter and all those things that that.
I like a good pot of lentils too, don't you? So it's but as a natural spiritual leader in his family.
What is it that attracts you to the other sex? You know, I think these are very practical.
Applications and you can discern. Even as a young person who has been touched by the grace of God, having desire for divine things, you can judge that you don't have to be very advanced in the knowledge of God. You can discern that, and you will very soon find out.
What company is suitable for you and what a companion you want for your life partner?
Gracefulness is deceitful.
Beauty is vain, but the woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised.
It's very important to notice too, I believe that.
In verse.
Eight, it talks about obedience to the truth.
I think we tend to think that we're that believing the gospel is an opportunity. You can if you want.
Mr. Begg used to often say the stern face. God now commanded all men everywhere to repent.
What are you going to do about that? You're going to obey it?
The truth of God requires obedience, not just. Yeah, that's a good idea. I'm in favor of that. And lift your hand up and and say that no, it's an obedience to the truth. Obedience to the truth is such an important thing, and in Second Thessalonians, where it talks about judgment, it connects it with those who obeyed, not the gospel.
So it's a question of obeying the gospel, isn't it? Obeying the truth.
That from 5:00 to the end of verse 11 is all one sentence. And I wondered was it? Is it consistently one thought?
I believe so.
Would it be right to say then that?
The one who's accepted before God and does right. But that secret is not taken up in these verses themselves, but rather man and his responsibility. Having taken of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, therefore he judges. Therefore he knows what is right and wrong and just taking up on that responsibility and the secret of the man who does right is unfolded later in the book.
That's very good.
Secret of the Lord is with them that fear him.
And I think that's important, Steve, to see that we don't have to.
Resolve every.
We don't have to reconcile every scripture.
Every time we read a passage of Scripture, we know that it's reconciled. We know that it's true. And here in this passage, I believe there's something the Spirit of God is bringing out. Let's not take the edge off it, something very clear You do it, do practice good and.
00:50:02
Patient continuance and good works and seeking for glory and honor and incorruptibility. There's life eternal at the end of that life.
And otherwise you can see the consequences of it. It's terrible. It's awful to think of.
Now what? That grace comes in and brings in that.
Repentance and obedience to the truth and and patient continuance and well doing. That's another line of things. But it should not take the edge off of what we have here. And then the solemn end of it is there's no acceptance of persons with God.
He doesn't make exceptions for certain people.
I think it's.
Something that we all are amazed at as we see it in human justice, that there is very much an acceptance of persons, very much acceptance of persons, but not with God.
With the President of the United States, anybody had lied underoath he would end up in the jail. Can see it. Position a man is in makes a difference, at least in the eyes of man. But we find also in verse 12.
Court, as many as have sinned without law, shall also perish without law. So there's this unfortunate translation in First John that sin is transgression of the law. That's not true. Sin is lawlessness, and those who have sinned, not being like the Jew under the law, they perish because of their sin.
But those who under law sin, they're judged according to that, and they're more guilty because they have the word of God, you know, And really the law is by the law is the knowledge of sin. That's the only legitimate use of the law.
In our day, not to make it a rule for life. That's not the case for the Christian.
But by it is conviction of sin. If anybody wants to know that he is a Sinner, ask him Have you ever liked?
Well, they have to admit I have lied. Well then you prove to be a Sinner, so that is.
God's standard given to man in the flesh if he wanted to please God by his doing, but who could keep it in all point that was the minimum of.
What God could expect?
And Mansfield, Even the Lawgiver.
A promised life to those who would keep it, but transgressing in one they were guilted, guilty of it all, and they would perish. So how solemn it is to have grown up even in Christianity now with much more than the law, and then not taking heed to it. How more severe their judgment will be for those who turn aside and turn away from the truth that is presented and refused.
I think that verse in First John is, I think Mr. Darby says, if I'm not mistaken, it's the only passage in the authorized version. He would not feel free to read in public because it gets at the fundamental of what sin is and so that's it's an important correction. Sin is lawlessness acting without reference to the will of God and.
There's judgment for those who sin without loss.
Because there can be sin without law, can't they?
And that's if we think that sin is only transgression of the law. We're liable to think there can be no sin if there's no law. But the Scripture very clearly says.
Nevertheless, death reigned from Adam to Moses, even upon those who had not sinned after the similitude of Adam Strand. They didn't have a direct law, but they sinned and death.
They acted in laws in a lawless way, and death followed upon it.
If that were so, it there was no sin until the law was given.
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That's not so.
The legitimate use of the law today would be to convict of sin. Is adultery wrong? Thou shalt not commit adultery. Is murder wrong, thou shalt not kill. Is stealing wrong, thou shalt not steal. Is lying wrong. Thou shalt not bear False witness is lost wrong or shall not lust. There you have it. Is it wrong to disobey your parents?
5th Commandment says Honor thy father and thy mother.
That it may be well with thee, and that thou mayest live long on the earth so from that verse.
We can say, as one brother said, all of you, brethren and sisters that are old age, you must have obeyed your parents.
What about the Jew? Our time is running out. Can you hear about that?
They had the law, didn't they?
A more defined knowledge of good and evil in the Gentile.
Gentile was left to his conscience that verse 17 Tom.
I think the first verse of chapter 3.
Puts it in a focus. To what advantage then hath the Jew?
Or what profit is there of circumcision? Much every way, chiefly because that unto them were committed the oracles of God. They had the word of God, and they were far more responsible than even a civilized Gentile. But I think we can transfer that to ourselves in a practical way. We have the word of God, and we state it so often. We're very privileged. We have these meetings. We have the Spirit of God and for us to live.
Not according to the word is really a great violation, isn't it? Because we do know. We're responsible to know, because we have the word of God. I'm just making that application. But that was the Jew in his life. He had the word of God. He had the law to clearly define as Brother Chuck, which is bringing out what was a sin and what was not a sin.
I was riding on the train from Rome to the Fumacino airport, which is Rome's airport.
And I sat with a priest and we were talking, and he was very strongly telling me that the church gave us the kind of scripture and he insisted on it.
I do believe that he might have been a man with life, but that's beside the point. He was insisting on it. But verse two that Tom just referred to shows us that the Jews had the articles of God and they never accepted the Apocrypha. Never.
As part of scripture.
Now along comes Romanism and says yes, that's part of the word of God. No, that's not to the Jews who are committed the articles of God. What's the Apocrypha, the Maccabees and all those books that how many are there all together? You mean that the Catholics have included in their Old Testament, right. I I thought you'd have that number. I don't know the number but it's it's a number somewhere around 9 books. I believe that we're that our peer in a in Catholic bibles they call them the deuterocanonical books which means the 2nd canonical books.
We call them the Apocrypha because they're not genuine.
And the Jews had the right. That's a wonderful privilege. They had. God had committed to them the articles of God.
And they never had those books in the Canon of the Old Testament. That's the point was given to the Jew to establish the Canon of the Old Testament. It it is exactly like what we have in our Bible, not in the Catholic Bible. The Catholic Church has arrogated to itself authority to establish other books in the Canon of the Old Testament which they have no business deciding. In the 1St place this verse says it, the Jews decided that by the leading of the Spirit.
Their New Testament is the same as ours. So from that you could have argued from the New Testament with this priest and showed them how he was wrong.
01:00:01
So they support the theory, which was not stricter, but what is also important for us and for the young people especially to get ahold of.
When we look at paganism, Judaism, and Christianity, then what was characteristic of paganism? Was the blind leading the blind. Judaism, if practiced as God intended it to be practiced, would have been the seeing leading the blind.
But they deteriorated to the point that the Lord had to put them on the level of the heathen blind, leaders of the blind. But what it is, what is the difference in Christianity? It is not the seeing leading the blind, but the seeing leading the seeing. Get ahold of that. You have the Spirit of God if you are Christian, and you have the capacity of recognizing truth when it is presented.
You are not blindly leading some teacher or some pastor. You are to follow as you see the truth from Scripture as it is presented. It's the seeing leading the seeing.
I think our time's up, isn't it?
Romans 4-5
Reading
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Romans chapter 4, verse one.
What shall we say then, that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found? For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory, but not before God.
For what saith the Scripture, Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.
Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.
Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, saying.
Blessed are they whose are iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin. Cometh this blessedness then upon the circumcision only, or upon the uncircumcision also?
For we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness. How was it then reckoned when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision. For he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had, yet being uncircumcised, that he might be the father of all them that believe.
Though they be not circumcised, that righteousness might be imputed unto them also.
And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had, being yet uncircumcised. For the promise that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham or to his seed through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.
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For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effects, because the law worketh wrath. For where no law is, there is no transgression. Therefore it is of faith that it might be by grace to the end, that the promise might be sure to all the seed, not to that only witches of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all, as it is written.
I have made thee a father of many nations before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as those they were, though they were, who against hope believed in hope that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, so shall I see be. And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an 100 years old.
Neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb. He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strong in faith, giving glory to God.
And being fully persuaded that what he had promised, he was able also to perform.
And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness. Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him, but for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, who was delivered for our offenses, and raised again for our justification.
Chapter 5. Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom also we have access by faith into this grace, wherein we stand and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
And not only so, but with glory and tribulations also, knowing that tribulation worketh patience and patience, experience and experience hope, And hope maketh not ashamed, because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts.
Holy Ghost, which is given unto us.
For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.
For scarcely for a righteous man will one die yet per adventure. For a Goodman some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more than being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.
And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the Atonement.
His conclusion of chapter three we might read that verse 28. Therefore we conclude well, let me read verse 27. Where is boasting then it is excluded by what law of.
Works, nay, but by the law of faith.
Therefore, we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law. Is he the God of the Jews only? Is this only for Jews that this applies because it was only the Jews that were under law?
He says he's not also of the Gentiles also. Yes, of the Gentiles also.
Seeing it is one God which shall justify the circumcision on the principle of faith. It says by faith, thought is on the principle of faith. The Jews were on the principle of law in the Old Testament. Now they have to learn that the principle upon which they're justified has changed. It's not law anymore, it's faith.
Principle of faith.
Seeing it as one God, which shall justify the circumcision by or on the principle of faith, and the uncircumcision, the.
Gentiles through faith, they did not have to change a principle of their justification because they never had one. They were outside of God's sphere of blessing in the Old Testament. And so it just says through faith for them. And then that last verse, do we then make void?
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The law through faith.
God forbid. Yeah, we establish the law. Well, how do you establish the law? By faith.
The one that breaks it, the one that doesn't establish it, is the one that puts himself under law and breaks it and then says it doesn't condemn me. He's rendering null and void the law. But the one who by faith flees to Christ, realizing that on that law principle I'm condemned, I cannot.
Make it I cannot be justified and by faith in Christ.
I am justified. He really establishes the law. The law can only kill.
Condemn and curse the lawbreaker, so the one who by faith flees to Christ.
He establishes the law. He says yes, I cannot make it by that principle.
1900 years Jews were under law and they did not keep it. The law said to the Pharisees, the Lord said to the Pharisees, did not Moses give you the law? And none of you keepeth the law? Stephen said by the Spirit in Acts 7, you received the law by the disposition of angels and have not kept it. So what's what's our recourse?
Faith in Christ And when we flee to Christ in faith, we establish the law. The law is holy and just and good, but it's applies itself to a Sinner like me who cannot keep it.
My alternative, what the gospel gives me, is Christ as the object to rest upon. So we established the law by faith, not by putting ourselves under it, breaking it, and then saying it doesn't condemn me and it doesn't curse me, it does.
And there's so many, you talk to people and you say, how are you going to get to heaven by keeping the 10 commandments? Well, have you ever kept them? Well, no, but I'm trying. Well, it doesn't hold out blessing to the Trier, it holds out blessing to the one who keeps it. And no one has kept it outside of the Lord himself.
So faith is a new principle upon which we are justified, not the principle of works, but that of faith in Christ. And by fleeing to that we're really establishing that the law principle is in force. But I'm not under it now. It can only condemn me if I put myself under it.
What you're saying is that it's impossible then, to reconcile those two principles and seek to walk in both at the same time.
That is the law as per se and the law of faith. Those two things cannot be combined and lived in as a rule of life.
They mutually exclude each other, yeah.
And you can understand how then in the Jews mind immediately would come to well, what about Abraham?
What, what, where does he fit into all of this? And that's what this 4th chapter really brings out. And it's important to see because as we heard, I think it was.
Yesterday that.
Abraham received his justification.
Before law.
And before circumcision. And that's what the apostle developed strongly in this chapter.
So that Abraham then was not justified on the principle of works at all.
If he had the.
And we had something that could be justified by works. It would not be before God, would it? And that's an important thing to see too, that there is an aspect that James brings out that's important, and we don't want to leave it aside. That is, you might say, the smoke coming out of the chimney. I use that illustration. Sometimes you go buy a building and you see, and it's not your building and you can't go into it.
You can't really say whether there's a fire in the fireplace or not, but if you see smoke coming out of the chimney, that's the evidence that it is. And that's the side of things that I think James brings before us in Luke Chapter 7, the last incident reported there of the Lord in Simon's house. I think the Lord brings it out very beautifully.
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In order to prove to point to this woman.
In order to, I should say, give assurance to Simon that her sins had been forgiven, he points to her works when he talks to her, he does. He says thy faith is saved, thee go in peace. So there had to be the smoke coming out of the chimney in order to see what was going on inside you. And I cannot look inside the light. But if there is a justification by works.
Before men, and not be before God.
And I think that's very important. We need to understand that otherwise we get into a difficulty. We think that Paul and and James are writing in opposition to one another, which they're not. These are given by 1 Shepherd.
There's 3 words in the 4th chapter that really are one word in the original.
The end of verse three says Abraham believed God and it was counted.
Unto him for righteousness.
Or reckoned or.
Imputed The word is imputed issues in this chapter in our King James quite often Mr. Darby uses reckoned.
Considered to be so by God, and so it was counted unto him for righteousness, who counted it. So God did, God did. But it says in the second verse, if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory, to glory before men, but not before God. That's what you were just saying to him.
Well, James said, show me thy faith by their works.
But that shows us the difference. I mean, God can see our faith, can't he? That's right, He knows whether I believe or not. He knew about Abraham's faith. He knows. And that's important because one look of faith saves the soul, doesn't it?
How blessed that is. But you can't see my faith.
But God can, and the faith is very important to God. God delights in that dependence we have in him.
Abraham's promises or the promises to Abraham?
Were unconditional. This is in the form of a question.
Abraham's.
Condition was unconditional.
He was given.
This free gift. Then the law comes along 500 years later and it condemns everyone, but the promises made to Abraham are fulfilled in Christ.
But in what way now is it unconditional?
Everything depends on the work of Calvary's cross. Even the work of Calvary's cross gives God a righteous basis to bless His earthly people and to fulfill these promises because it is no longer conditional. You know the new covenant.
Is not only.
New because it follows the first. That is the Sinai covenant. You know there are other covenants.
It's also new because it has a new character, you know, It is not at all dependent on man's doings, you know, and.
Just in connection with that, we as Christians are not under covenant, you know, but the new covenant that He will make with both the houses of Israel in the coming day is all going to be based on the work of the cross, and the blood of the new covenant is already shed. The Lord Jesus is the mediator of the new covenant. We are blessed on the same basis.
As Israel, we come under the blood of the new covenant here. It's all sovereign great for us, and it will be all sovereign grace for Israel. And the cross gives God a righteous basis to do what he's doing. And when the high priest said that it was good that one died for the nation, you know, that was in view of the Lord Jesus dying.
So that God could bless them, you know, he prophesied, it says.
In making that statement, so Lord Jesus died for all of us, but in a certain sense he died for that nation of Israel, and that gives God a righteous basis to bless them.
00:20:12
It's interesting, too, to notice that I don't want to get this over to James.
Particularly, but I do think it's important to notice this that.
The statement Abraham believed God and it was counted to him for righteousness.
Comes long before the birth of Isaac.
He comes along, He just Abraham laid hold of that.
And God saw that and reckoned it him righteous.
But the specific.
Thing that James cites as what gave proof of that was offering Isaac upon the altar.
And so.
He says. You see?
There's the proof.
There is the proof that he had faith.
But all that time before that, didn't God see that?
And know it.
And value it. And I think that's such an important thing to understand that because they're not in opposition with one another. He was the same illustration, if you want to put it that way. The same people, Abraham.
And.
It is important to see that they.
God is talking about.
In Genesis 15, he's talking about the fact that when God made him that promise, he believed it.
How did anybody know that he believed it?
If you and I were standing there and we heard Abraham say that I believe it, how would we know that he believed it?
We wouldn't, would we? We wouldn't be able to say just like you walked by and you can't see the fire in a fireplace if you don't get into the house and see it. But.
There comes that moment when God says to take that one.
And offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains, which I will tell thee. And we hear Abraham say, I, and the lad will go Yonder and worship, and will come again.
And we see Abraham lay that son of promise on the altar and lift the knife.
And I believe that Hebrews warrants are saying this that he in.
And his intention was going ahead with it.
Because it says he received him from the dead.
And a figure so that God knew he would have gone ahead.
That was an act of faith, wasn't it?
And there you see the evidence of his faith.
Now that justifies him, but not before God, but justified him. Before God was that faith within his heart.
It's important to see that the two instances that James cites, which is Abraham offering Isaac and Rahab the harlot.
Keeping the spies.
Would have been both of those acts would have been sinful acts.
Abraham's act would have been murder.
Take away faith and Rahab's act would have been treason against her country. Take away faith, but you bring faith in there. Those were both faith works. And that's what gave the value to the works is that they they were done by faith. And so James doesn't conflict with Paul at all. He just brings the the other side of the story. But both are correct.
Steve Brown used to say that Romans 4 is vertical truth and James is horizontal truth. Puzzled me at first, but the vertical truth is between the person and God up and horizontal truth is before our fellow man.
But I was looking at that fourth verse of the chapter. Now to him that worketh is a reward, not reckoned of grace.
But of debt?
And is looking at Revelation 5 where the song is Thou art worthy, for thou was slain, has redeemed us to God. If it had been reckoned of death, then God would owe it to us. We wouldn't owe it all to Him.
That's very important, isn't it? That in every case, no matter how you look at it, it must be the work of God by faith?
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Not anything that we could do to earn it.
In which way was Abraham offering up Isaac by faith?
I think it's important to stress that God had promised that He would bless him in Isaac.
And if he now ask him to offer a bisect, is he going to go back on his promise? He isn't.
Abraham knew that if he would be forced to offer him up, God would give him back to him.
And that's where the faithless manifested, because God is not going to go back on His promise.
It's a tremendous faith, you know, to.
See that demonstrated in that act?
And.
You know, it's so foolish from a human point of view, you know, to kill the one in whom all your expectations are. But God said, I'm going to bless you in here and through him and.
Abraham knew he would live up to it. Wonderful faith manifested.
Hebrews it intimates that Abraham was willing to go right through it and kill his son, but he had so much faith in God that he knew that if he did that.
What God could raise him up out of the dead?
Of the fact that Abraham did not have the scriptures that you and I have today.
Think about that. I mean we have all of the scriptures and especially the full Lord light of the New Testament. That was a real step of faith in order for him to do that. But we see that that he comes through and and God is glorified in that and and our God will not be any man's debtor. So he comes forth and he says, because thou hast done this and blessing, I will bless thee. And so and he got it there in the 22nd. The Genesis is so beautiful. How how he makes that wonderful.
He had the word of God from Genesis 15, didn't he?
When the Lord had told him, as Brother Franklin was suggesting, he told him he was going to have a son. That was part of the promise. And we know he failed in his faith, but the Lord still gave him a promise of the son. But he promised that he would have a sea and like the stars of the heavens from that sun. So you have the word of God that he was going to have descendants through Isaac. And then God says going off of that son on the altar.
Well, you have the word of God, didn't he to trust him? God had said that and he did that, didn't he?
Don't we have in Abraham also the patience of faith, waiting for a promise that God promised him? And then we had the energy of faith when he took that same one whom God had promised him, and he was going to offer him up according to the word of God that God had given him. So we see in him the patience of faith in his waiting.
And I think it's a good lesson for us. Many times God tells us something and we become impatient.
We said it doesn't happen right away, so we get a little bit ahead of God on this where it wasn't. So with Abraham, we waited. It was a long time. It was a patient, it was a patience of faith. But then when the time came, Abraham was told to offer up his son. Well, that was the energy of faith. Then he had to exercise that in a marvelous way. So those two points are clear with Abraham, aren't they?
Testimony of David is then reduced.
From the 32nd Psalm.
It's a wonderful testimony. Blessed.
As the first 7.
Blessed those whose lawlessnesses have been covered, who have been forgiven, whose sins have been covered.
Blessed to the man, the man to whom the Lord shall not at all and will stick with the word. Reckon Brother Chuck, may we, we'll stick with that word, or it's that way we don't get into a lot of other trying to define a lot of other words. Blessed is the man to whom he does not reconcile. And that must have been immense blessing to David after he went through the exercise.
And he tells you a little bit about that in that 32nd Psalm.
He had no basis of works on which to claim this blessedness at all. He had kept silence. His bones had waxed old.
00:30:04
And then he makes the confection.
And the Lord sends a message to him that his sin had been put away.
What a joy that must have been to his soul and so he exalts with that man in the beginning of that Psalm and I believe that's you know, we we don't want to let me just say this without.
I trust saying too much. We don't want to say more than what Scripture says about what the Old Testament Saints laid hold of, but there are.
Some dramatic things that they did lay hold of.
And David may not have understood the basis on which God did that, but he understood the fact of it, didn't he? He knew that God had forgiven it.
He had had God's word for it, and in the 51St Psalm, as he pours out his soul to.
To the Lord he says, Wash me.
Watch me now. Did he understand that that was through the blood of Christ?
I don't think so.
But he knew that God needed to do a work.
And then he burst forth with that declaration in the 32nd Psalm that says.
Blessed or happy is the man whose sins are forgiven.
Whose transgressions? Whose lawlessness are forgiven? He knew the record. He knew what he would had gone, were done.
And he had had a deep conviction about it covering it up for a long time, it seems.
And actually physically suffering from the covering up of it. And then he confesses it and then it's all brought out in the open and, and God sends a message to him. You're forgiven. The Lord has put away thy sin.
How blessed that is to his soul. And so he declares that, but he does not set forth one thing of works as the basis of it. And that's what Paul is telling us here. He never set forth. He didn't say because I've done this.
And if you'll forgive me to put it this way, he's never said any Hail Marys or our Fathers who are done penance in any way.
He simply confessed, and the prophet system, the Lord has put away thy sin.
What a wonderful thing that was.
I just think we need to be understand how marvelous it was for for David to come that far in his statements.
He was a righteous man when he when this happened, it wasn't a Sinner. He had been born again, but he was guilty. He was guilty of sinning. He needed forgiveness.
That's the only time forgiveness is mentioned in Romans, I believe.
All the other times it's justification justified.
Made righteous, that the opposite of that is being condemned. I'm guilty, I need forgiveness, I'm condemned, I need justification. And that's mainly what Romans talks about. But the the sighting of David's case is a guilty man. He's committed a sin. It's a couple sins, in fact several sins.
Almost all of the law he broke in that one thing he coveted. He lied. He stole another man's wife. He committed adultery. He was a murderer.
There they are, there they are five of them. All of those he broke, he, he, he, he sinned, he was guilty and he needed forgiveness. And what is important to see the difference between Abraham and David, As it was pointed out, Abraham, it was before the law, before circumcision, David.
Sinned and did these awful things after the law had been introduced.
And that made it that much more serious.
You know, those who sinned without the law, they will perish without the law. But David now.
Had the law, you know. You have to even make a copy of it, as we have heard and should read in it every day. I doubt whether he did that.
Wonderful to tie all of these three events. Abraham was 2000 years before the Lord. David was 1000 years before the Lord.
Paul is 1000 years later and here we are 2000 years later enjoying the oneness of the Scriptures. And may I add to in connection with brother Dick's comment, when he covered up, you know, the difficulties and the distress of his conscience and soul is described, but when he opened up, then God covered up and I think that's also significant.
00:35:27
Significant that the word covering is used.
In connection with one under the Old Testament.
You know, because that's consistent with the position that he was in. You know, they did not understand.
The atonement, the way we do, but it was covered, you know, no longer viewed as open before God, You know, God said, I'll cover it up. You open up, I cover up.
In verse one, I want to just keep moving. So in verse one he says, what shall we then say that Abraham our father, and he was talking to the Jews there that knew knew the Old Testament. Then he asked in verse nine he says, cometh this blessedness upon the circumcision only or upon the uncircumcision also? Now he's going to bring the Gentiles in. Or we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness. When was it reckoned? How was it then reckoned when he was in circumcision?
Or in uncircumcision, not in circumcision.
But in uncircumcision, and he received a sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised, that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised, that righteousness might be imputed unto them also. Abraham was the father of the nation. He was the father of the faithful. But here he's cited by the apostle Paul as being the father of.
All those that have faith.
All those that will be brought into blessing by faith, that includes the Gentiles too now. And so he's bringing that out. And how that Abraham, the principle upon which Abraham was blessed was faith. And that's the way we're blessed as well.
Why would any rightly instructed Christian ever want to go back under that thing that Israel was under? It makes you wonder, doesn't it? It's not rightly instructed, no, it's right.
To do something with us. Yeah, Yeah, that's right.
There's a terrible curse brought in by the Apostle Paul in Galatians on any who would pervert that, any who would bring them under. In fact, Paul says, I wish they'd even mutilate themselves or cut themselves off who, who, who do that because that has that's destroying the very foundation of the gospel that I've been preaching to you.
And twice over he repeats that.
About.
Let them be a curse. Let them be a curse. It's a solemn thing.
I marvel sometimes I run into legalists sometimes who want to put you back under the law. And I, I think, don't they read Galatians?
Isn't it wonderful that the Spirit of God knew and prepared?
His people for dealing with that sort of thing in advance.
Could you read those verses, Brother **** ** chapter 2 of Galatians?
Why don't you read them, Bob? You mean chapter one, don't you? Well, I was thinking of the one in chapter 2, or chapter one was what I was reporting. Go ahead, read chapter one.
Although I referred to chapter 2.
In in a way, but it's chapter one that the verses I'm thinking about with a curse chapter one.
And.
Verse 8 and verse 9.
Well, verse six, he says, I marveled that you are so soon removed from him that called you unto the grace of Christ, unto another gospel, which is not another, is not another good news.
But there are some that trouble you. And who would pervert the gospel of Christ?
And here are the 2 verses. But though we.
Or an Angel from heaven, for each any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you.
Let him be accursed.
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As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you, then that you have received.
Let him be a curse.
Or the Christian is concerned.
In one Timothy, Paul says, knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, pretty plain, but for the lawless and disobedient, the ungodly, for sinners. I believe what it's saying is that under the law it was to restrain the flesh.
Whereas the believer, as we've been hearing, is not in the flesh, although we have the flesh in US.
And so we have a new principle on which to live our lives. But he lists the things murderers and ************ and so on. That's what the law is for. Is that what we are? No.
Some such were some of you, but we're not that now. So the law has nothing for us in that regard as law. Now we know that there's the moral content of the 10 commandments, which.
We don't violate.
But as law, we don't, we don't keep them. In other words, when you go into the store, you don't remind yourself the law says thou shalt not steal. Do you ever do that when you go into the store? No, you just don't think about it. You're a Christian, you don't even think about stealing. But if you're under law, you'd have to remind yourself, I better not steal while I'm in here.
Wonder if I could make one more reference to David as the king.
We think of him in his position as the king.
And we think of his sin, and as we've been reminded, how he had broken the law.
To such an extent, and then in.
In the 51St chapter Psalm, he says.
And I'd like just like to read these verses.
And verse 16 of Psalm 51 Thou desires not sacrifice, else would I give it.
How delight is not in burnt offerings?
How hopeless.
His life must have looked at this point. How hopeless. But then.
We see this man who had failed and no recourse.
You know, in the law, no way could he ever approach God.
And there was no sacrifice, there was no way. But then he verse 17 of Psalm 51, the sacrifices of God.
Are a broken spirit.
A broken and a contrite heart, O God.
Thou would not despise and that hasn't changed and I believe.
Sometimes we find it very hard to.
To repent very hard to be upright, but here is a man and everything, even as a king.
They were totally hopeless, but yet he had it with any soul.
The realization.
Of something that God would come in if he was willing to go this far down. So in our lives are we ready to own our failure?
And this verse is very beautiful. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit.
Broken and a contrite heart. Oh God, thou wilt not despise. And he won't do that today either, will he?
You might not feel like David did, but we need to know that God will hear our cry.
This curse you were talking about, so we understand what does mean what what is meant when Paul says let him be accursed, let him be damned?
Let him be sent to hell. I mean a strong language.
Very strong language at the Council of Trent, the Roman Catholic body that establishes doctrine, came together, and they considered all the recovered truth of the Reformation.
Rejected it all rejected it all the 2 cardinal truths that were that the Bible is all sufficient for the Christian doesn't need the authority of the church to back it up. And the second was we're justified by faith apart from works altogether. And they said anyone that believes those teachings are heretics and ought to be cursed. So they they pronounce the curse upon all of us in this room who believe what this book says.
00:45:26
But they're under the curse of Paul. They're under the curse because they have departed from the grace of God and added works to it. Very solemn and serious thing. When you look over Christendom today, a large percentage of Christendom is under that curse.
Do you think that that that?
The Reformation really delivered him out from underneath the teachings of the Church.
They're still there, isn't it?
In the yes, yeah, well, yeah, I hear what you're saying. Overflow from they didn't get full deliverance from them.
And that's because, as Brother Barry said a moment ago.
We want to have a part. We want to have our part. I explained Grace to my Roman Catholic professor and he said, I, I don't like that, He says I want to do my part.
He didn't like grace because grace brings us in as incorrigibly bad. Nothing good in us, nothing we can contribute to our salvation. We we come in as unworthy, undeserving. What the object is, is to try to bring about.
Reunion, you know, bringing back together. But maybe, Chuck, you can tell us briefly what is really the problem in Galatians. You know, it isn't that they set Christianity altogether aside, right?
They don't, said the death of Christ aside. Isn't that correct?
Well, it was a question of law. Is the is the Christian under law or is he under grace? And this is what they take, what Paul takes up in Galatians. So in other words, they still allow that you're going to be saved through the work of the Lord Jesus. But then the law is the rule of life for the Christian. That's one of the earth. That is the error of Galatianism.
And that's why it is so bad, and we should clearly see that.
The law is not the rule of life for the believer, you know.
And after you're saved, you have to keep the law to keep being saved.
Christ did his part to get us in, and now we have to do our part to stay in. That's the principle that.
Is such It's deadly. It's deadly and it's been imbibed by many bodies in Christendom, isn't it?
Such a beautiful.
BUT of our chapter.
But.
Now comes the positive.
Just thinking about verse two in First Corinthians 16.
Those ones in Galatia, they were perverting the gospel of Christ. When it's just in our heads, you know?
Things and events, and sometimes the gospel is presented that way, but in First Corinthians 16.
Verse 22, it says there if anyone loves not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be accursed. That same word that he was in Galatians. If anyone loved not the Lord Jesus Christ. That's what the result of the gospel is, is knowing about a person that God wants you to bring into relationship wants to bring you in relationship with him that you would know him and you can talk about things and and doctrine and church and going here and going there and doing this and doing that.
But unless you know that person, you can't be saved. And if you know that person, you can't be that person as your savior and not love them. That's impossible.
So you have in those two things the person.
Not to know the person is to be accursed, to pervert the gospel of the grace of God is to be accursed because it denies the work of Christ. Give something, give some status to man who is, who is nothing but sin, and it's just totally falsifies everything, doesn't it?
And it clearly stated, you know, they came down from Jerusalem. It says certain of the circumcision. And what did they say except he be circumcised and keep the Law of Moses. I'm quoting it. He cannot be saved. That's what they said.
00:50:14
15.
Yeah, well, Galatians 3, he says. Oh, foolish Galatians.
And then he says to them.
Received ye the Spirit.
By the works of the law or by the hearing of faith?
And what a solemn thing the just shall live by faith.
But the law is not a faith.
Definitely states that the law is not of faith. He can't put the boat together.
Laws works. If works. Law points me to myself.
Faith points me from myself to Christ.
That's the difference I like to.
Point out at the end of the fourth chapter.
Sarah and Abraham's body is mentioned.
And the faith.
And then resurrection is brought in at the very end.
Now in which way?
Is there a similarity we mentioned already?
That when he offered him up.
You know, he believed that God would give him back.
The Sun in resurrection.
But already when he gave him his son.
You know, that was a miracle.
Because both Abraham and Sarah were beyond the age of having children, but they didn't look at their body. If God said I'm going to give you Isaac, don't consider your body. So there again you have the truth of resurrection and then you have at the end.
Of that chapter, that it is not only written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him, but for us also, to whom it shall be imputed or reckoned, if we believe on him that.
Raise up Jesus our Lord from the dead. See how important it is to accept the truth of resurrection. He was delivered for our offenses and was raised again for our justification.
My.
Peace is based on the fact that the one that was in my place in judgment is now raised by the glory of the Father. The proof is given, the work is accepted. So how important?
What Abraham manifested in connection with even receiving.
The sun not considering his body.
Is likened unto us now, receiving the truth of Christ being delivered for us and being raised.
For our justification.
Abraham believed in the God of resurrection sorry I didn't hear you Abraham believed in the God of resurrection could bring life out of debt deadness of Sarah's womb considered his body dead, but he believed that God could could give life out of resurrection and that's the way the chapter ends If we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, who was delivered for our fences and raised again for our justification we the faith at the end of.
Romans 4 is not in in Christ.
It's the faith in God is the God of resurrection, and he raised him from the dead that we might now be brought into.
A resurrection state of justification.
He was raised again for our justification in order to our being justified, and then how do we get it by faith? The next chapter says, Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God, but raised again for our justification.
That's a beautiful statement at the end of Romans 4.
I just wanted to say that in verse 20 of this chapter, and we shouldn't dwell on it at all, but I just want to point out that it our ordinary translation says he was strong in faith. That's not wrong, but it really the thought is that he was by exercising faith, he was strengthened in faith. And that's an important principle that when you and I exercise faith, we're strengthened in faith so that he believed God.
00:55:02
In the 15th chapter.
When it came to the test in the 22nd chapter of Genesis.
Then he had gathered strength through the faith of the exercise previously. I just think it's important to notice that that the exercise of faith.
Strengthens faith.
Perhaps it was mentioned when the book was considered, but we have 3 expressions in these. In the third chapter we had.
Justified freely by His grace. Justified by grace and we have justified by faith, which is the 4th chapter.
And later on in the 5th chapter we had justified by his blood.
And I've enjoyed this very much. As to Grace, it's the source of our justification and it's from the Father giving the Son.
And justified by his blood from the Lord Jesus. That's because of his work. It's the basis of justification.
And justified by faith. Well, that's the operation of the Spirit of God in our souls to make us accept these things and believe these things and act in accordance with the conviction that he produces. So we see.
The Godhead occupied in the justification of the guilty one, the God had occupied in bringing us to faith, conviction, and having that object before us of the Lord Jesus.
Beautiful. I just want to add to that everything that God does is in Trinity.
Everything that God does, all three persons are involved, whether it's the death of Christ, the resurrection of Christ, the salvation of the soul, on and on and on creation of the universe, all three persons are involved.
Beautiful to see that.
Can I ask a question? Was the Trinity involved in the giving of the law?
In the what? In the Giving of the law?
What's the point of your question? Well, the point of the question is where we have the Trinity coming out and giving us the wonderful bases in salvation in Christ, in contrast to the giving of the law. The Trinity wasn't involved there, or was it?
I'm just asking it as a question. I'm just asking for some light on it.
I would say it was because God gave it, didn't it? Didn't God give it? Who's God The Father, The Son, the Holy Spirit, right?
A part of God didn't give it, God gave it. And if God gave it, he's a Trinity.
But angels were involved. We've already quoted, and that's not the truth. That is not true of what we have in Christianity, you know, and we have that in Acts 7 and in Galatians. What is it, chapter?
You know where in the hands of a mediator.
You know, there's the angels I mentioned there, but that is not.
Stated in connection.
With what our brother has pointed out, you know when it comes to the work of grace and our being justified.
So.
There is a much more wonderful dealings of God in connection with what we receive and what the Jews receive.
A direct dealing, you might say, by God.
Instead of using the medium of an Angel.
If I could have two minutes to pass on a thought that I had in connection with all this, the vastness of the work in the 22nd of Genesis, it goes through what we have been considering.
The the act of faith in Abraham and taking up his son, and then when the substitute was found, you never hear another word about.
Isaac has just mentioned once.
For a long period of time to the 24th chapter where he finds where Rebecca enters into it. But in the end of the 22nd chapter, when you finish the story, suddenly there's a big change in what is being spoken about. And here is the first woman that is born that her name is mentioned.
Immediately following Abraham.
Going ahead to offer up his son, What a beautiful picture this is. Who is that woman? Why she's Rebecca and that's the church. So that's connected immediately in there with with the Lord Jesus Christ died on the cross and here comes the birth of the church.
01:00:04
And to setting aside of Israel.
In chapter 23, that's so important, we have the death of Christ in 22, the basis for the bride being gathered, but before the bride could be gathered.
The mother, a picture of Israel, has to be set aside, and then the servant is sent to fetch a bride. These are beautiful, humorous pictures in the Old Testament.
Therefore, going on to chapter 5, therefore, being justified by faith, that's your part and mine. We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Peace with God.
The sin question has been settled. We enter into that, that peace. We know that that sin has been dealt with and removed, put away, and the, the the soul is at rest with God. He has peace with God. He knows the sin question has been settled, justified by faith, the principle. That's the way we lay hold of it. As Michelle was saying, the basis of it is the blood. The source of it is the grace of God.
And the means by which we obtain it is faith, beautiful justification. And it's it's the resurrection of Christ at the end of chapter four. He was delivered for our offenses. That's the cross raised again for our justification.
Some translations read because of our justification. That's wrong. He was raised again with a view to our justification.
In order that we might be justified, how do we get it? By faith?
The book of Acts is filled with the preaching of the gospel, and the resurrection of Christ is presented in every instance very forcibly.
If he's not risen, there is no salvation. It's it's founded on the work of Christ at the cross. But the resurrection is the proof that that work was accepted of God and approved of God, and it brings us now into a a new position before God.
And that's developed in the last part of Romans 5 and so on that.
We have a resurrection light. We took that up in an earlier reading, but this is this is the most beautiful verse, therefore being justified by faith.
We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. The sin question has been settled and we are at peace with God. Wonderful.
These two verses here one and two.
Since we say that this is a faith that takes the whole span of time in that first verse.
Considering it as to our past being justified by faith, that's considering all that we've been and we've done. It's all settled now by the cross of the Lord Jesus precious blood, and we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. That's our present condition, our standing in the present by who? Also we have access by faith into this race where we stand. This is our present standing by faith, access into that grace. It's never going to change.
And our faith goes on. It rejoices in the hope of the glory of God. The future is coming for us.
Beautiful.
Romans 3 It says all have sinned, had come short of the glory of God. And here here's the one who had come short of the glory of God. Now he comes under the benefit of the gospel. He's rejoicing in the hope of it.
Couldn't possibly think that he could ever achieve it, but now he's got it as a hope.
It's very, very important to notice it does not say having made our peace with God.
That is a common thought that you hear people express constantly. Well, have you made your peace with God? We could never make peace with God.
That was made in Calvary's darkness, as the little hymn says, and I believe it's important to see that settled peace towards God, or with God is on the basis of what we have had brought before us in these readings.
That is the work that the Lord Jesus did.
01:05:00
Is what gives us peace with God.
There's nothing in ourselves that would give peace with God. There's nothing in what we've done that would give peace with God.
There's nothing in any ritual that might be gone through that would give peace with God.
What gives us peace with God is through our Lord Jesus Christ, the work that He did on the cross of Calvary that He was, and that justification on the basis or principle of faith.
Don't ever talk about making peace with God. We couldn't do it. We couldn't do it. And I just want to add to **** **** the common expression is give your heart to God. Give your heart to the Lord.
The Gospel doesn't ask us to give God anything.
But to judge ourselves and to repent. He is the giver. We are the receivers.
Every good and perfect gift cometh down from above, from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink, Thou wouldst have asked of Him. He would have given thee living water. It's God who is the giver. Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable free gift. He does not ask a Sinner for his heart, or anything else from the Sinner. He says, My Son.
Give me thine heart that's that's with one who is in relationship with him. That's another matter. But he doesn't ask anything of the Sinner. He commands all men everywhere to repent and to take the place of a Sinner before God.
It was very common among us to hear people say give your heart to the Lord or ask the Lord into your heart. I mean ask the Lord into your heart. That's different.
Ask the Lord into your heart is different than asking a Sinner to give their heart to God.
Brother Jacobson from California, I heard him preach the gospel once and he commented on that.
He said, what does he want to do with that filthy thing? You know what Scripture says about the heart of man, But the fact is that he gives us a new heart. That's the truth of the gospel. And the love of God is shed abroad in our heart by the Holy Spirit. That's why we can glory in tribulation and go through these things and patiently bear up because we are in the enjoyment of the love of God is poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit.
Well you know the Christian path is not always easy. There are tribulations and difficulties and we need to be patient. The story goes that a brother told his brethren, pray for me, I need more patience and a better and pray sent the brother tribulation.
Well, he said, I didn't ask for that. They said you forget tribulation workers patience. You know what, we all need that to some extent, do we not? Maybe some of us need it more than others, but we need it, you know, and strengthened with All might Colossians, patience and long-suffering not to win all kinds of victories.
But to be patient and long-suffering, we need that. And He wants to strengthen us. And then we're in the enjoyment of the love of God that is poured out in our hearts. We find that grace.
Already what you said about.
God asking us for something. I was thinking that the psalmist must have known something about that in the 116 Psalm it says.
What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits towards me?
And then he answers the question. I will take the cup of salvation and call upon the name of the Lord.
I want to make it clear, if you are a child of God, He does ask you for here.
He does say, My son, give me thy heart, but that's one who's in relationship with him. I'm talking about a Sinner that's lost.
I guess our time is up.
197.
Yes. And could we stand to sing it?
So we can begin with prayer.
Our blessed God and our Father.
Look up to the now and we would thank Thee above all things for the Lord Jesus, the only Savior of sinners.
And our God, we thank thee too, for the time that we could spend in this book of Romans over the past few days, which brings before us the foundation truth.
Justification by faith.
And Ohio, Lord Jesus, now the gospel is once again to go forth, the gospel of the grace of God.
And we just pray thee, our God, that thou will bless thy word here this afternoon.
The fact either we can.
Turn to those words in my word, which tells us, not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord.
And so our God, we pray that Thy word now will go forth in the power of Thy Spirit. We do pray that each one of us in this room would have a heart and ears were listening and taking in without us have for us.
So, our God, we just look to Thee for help. Pray Thy blessing upon Thy word, and we ask it in the precious and worthy name of the Lord Jesus. Amen.
I'd like to read a couple of verses in John's Gospel, chapter 19.
John's Gospel, chapter 19.
And verse 33.
But when they came to Jesus.
And saw that he was dead already.
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They break, not his legs.
But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side.
And forthwith came there out blood and water.
I'd like to tell you a story. One time there was a little boy, just a little fella.
I don't know his name, but I know that he had a sister named Lisa.
At least it was a very sick girl.
In fact, she was so sick with this disease that if something wasn't soon done, she was going to die.
Well, it seems this little boy, he'd had this disease too, and he'd come through it all right. And so the doctors knew that in his body there had been that which built up antibodies against this disease.
And so they felt that if they could take some of this little fella's blood and transfuse it to his sister, that perhaps she might have a chance of living.
And so all the arrangements were made, all the equipment gotten together, the little boy and his sister Lisa, and everything was hooked up.
And they began to take his blood and pump it into his sister's veins.
Well, it didn't take very long before it showed in this little girl. It just seemed like life was being pumped right into her.
Her face got radiant.
And then they went over to see the little boy beside her. And you know, he had an awful sad expression on his face. He had an awful sad expression on his face.
And the doctor looked at him and asked him what the trouble was.
And you know, they came to ask that little boy before all of this, they asked him if he would give his blood to his sister. And he thought for a long time.
And he said I will give my blood to Lisa.
Well again I go back to where we were. They asked the little boy what the problem was and he just looked up at the doctor and he said will I start to die right away?
You see the little fella, he thought that they were going to take all his blood and give it to his sister.
But you know that little boy? He didn't know what to expect.
When they asked him to give his blood to his sister, he didn't understand.
But the Lord Jesus, when he came into this world and went to that cross of Calvary and shed his precious blood for you, he knew exactly.
What to expect?
He knew exactly what would happen.
Let me ask you why.
Why did that little boy, why was he willing to give up his life for his sister?
You know the answer as well as I do. It's because he loved her.
And why? Why did the Lord Jesus come into this world born in poverty?
Why did he tread a lonely and sorrowful path for 33 years in this world?
Why did he tread that path all the way to Calvary's cross and lay down his life for you and me?
And why did he shed that precious blood, that precious blood that cleanseth from all sin?
You know the answer as well as I do. It's because he loved you. It's because he loved you. Listen to what he says in John chapter 15. He says as the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you.
And if you don't get hold of anything else in the next few minutes, I pray that you'll get hold of that.
That God loves you. God is love. It's his very nature.
You know, you've got an enemy of your soul, Satan. He's the enemy of our souls. And right from the very beginning of time, right from the very beginning of man's history, he tried to convince man that God really didn't love him. He tried to put a question in the mind of Eve, and he continues to do that this very day.
Yeah, hath God said he made her believe that God was holding the most important thing from her.
She believed his lie.
And that's what God is doing today to keep you from coming to the Lord Jesus. He's trying to get you to believe that God really doesn't love you.
Oh, dear friend, I like the way God puts it. You know Isaiah, he says. Can a woman forget her sucking child? That she should not have compassion on the son of her wound?
I've seen a lot of mothers here this weekend with little children and with babies, and I don't think there's a more beautiful picture of love than a mother and her little one. But listen to how the Lord finishes that verse. Yeah, they may forget, yet will I not forget Thee? Behold, I've graven thee upon the palms of my hands. He has those marks of love in His hands that he's going to have for all eternity.
Because he loved you. That he went to that cross of calamari. Don't pass up a love like that. Don't pass up a love like that. He loves you more than anybody ever could or anybody ever will.
If you don't know the Lord Jesus as Savior, you come now. You don't have to come up here. You don't have to come up to the front. You don't have to do anything. You can make the transaction right there as you sit in the seat, just like that thief on the cross. All he said was, Lord, Remember Me? And what was the answer of the Lord? Did he tell him he had to do anything? No. Did he tell him he was going to have to be baptized?
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It's the right thing to be baptized if you know the Lord, but that didn't save him. What was it? It was just a call of faith. And the Lord said, today shalt thou be with me in paradise.
And he'll give you the same answer too. Thou shalt be with me in paradise. Oh dear friend, He loves you like no one has ever loved you or ever will. He gave his life for you. Won't you come?
We're at the end of a conference.
We're soon going to go home.
Are you going to go out of here unsaved one more time?
God speaketh once. Yeah, twice. Yet man perceiveth it not. It was a year ago when I stood up here for a few minutes.
And the years passed just like that very quickly. And here we are again, one more conference.
One more set of meetings.
One more appeal to accept the gospel of the grace of God. You're going to walk out one more time because you know soon it's going to be the last one.
Very soon the gospel is not going to be going forth anymore.
The Lord is going to come and he's going to take everyone of us here who belong to the Lord Jesus. He's going to take us home.
And if you don't belong to the Lord Jesus, If you're not in Christ, as we've been having.
You're going to be left behind for judgment.
You're going to be left behind for judgment. I'm not sure it's God's word that declares this.
Don't go out of here once again unsaved.
You believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved right now.
Well, in the Gospel of Matthew.
It says, when the Lord instituted that little feast of remembrance.
Says they saw me hymn and went out.
We're going to sing a hymn and then we're going to leave this place.
We're going to go back to our homes.
And we're going to have to live and face this world.
I trust that each one of us here has received that which will strengthen us and fortify us for the walk ahead if the Lord should leave us here for a little while longer.
I trust that each one of us, too, will be found building each other up in our most holy faith. In these last days, may we seek brethren, to encourage one another.
But we're going to go from this place and I trust that there won't be anybody that goes out unsaved.
Let's just sing a hymn together #67 in the appendix.
The perfect righteousness of God is witnessed.
In the Savior's blood.
Is in the Christ the cross of Christ we trace his righteousness yet wondrous grace in verse 4. The Sinner who believes is free can say the Savior died for me can point to the atoning blood and say this made my peace with God #67 can be sung to the tune of all happy day.
And mercy God.
Dispensers all.
Right.
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For me.
Just commend ourselves to the Lord.
Our blessed God and our Father, again we would look up to Thee with Thanksgiving in our hearts.
And above all things, we thank Thee for that unspeakable gift of Thy Son, the Lord Jesus. We thank Thee to our God and Father for the past few days, and we've been able to spend time over Thy precious Word and find encouragement, find comfort therein.
And our God and our Father, we thank Thee also for the time of fellowship. We think of Thy word, which tells us of those who forsake the assembling of their cells together. And we're told not to do that, but so much the more as we see the day approaching. And so, our God, we thank you for the time we've been able to spend together encouraging each other in the things of the Lord. We thank you for blessing this weekend, our Father. And now as we look to thee, we leave this place, Our Father, we just pray that that will protect each one. We think of many on the highways traveling, and we just asked by safekeeping over each one.
But we do pray too, that everyone of us would take something home from these meetings, something that will encourage us, something that we can meditate upon, something, Lord Jesus, that will encourage us in these last days. But most of all, we pray that should there be anyone here that is still in their sins, that they would take away thyself, Lord Jesus with them. That they would take away thy salvation, that they might have it, that they might walk to please thee, that they might be able to look forward to that day when thou will return and call thine own to be with Thyself.
Deuteronomy 17:6, 2 Timothy, Psalm 19 & Ecclesiastes 12
Open—D. Gorgas, C. Little, C. Hendricks
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Let's turn to the 17th chapter of Deuteronomy.
Deuteronomy, chapter 17.
And verse 18.
Deuteronomy chapter 17 and verse 18.
And it shall be when he sitteth upon the throne of his Kingdom.
That he shall write him a copy of this law in a book out of that which is before the priests.
The Levites, and it shall be with them, and he shall read therein all the days of his life.
That he may learn to fear the Lord his God.
To keep all the words of this law.
And these statutes.
To do them.
That his heart be not lifted up above his brethren, and that he turned not aside from the commandment to the right hand.
For to the left to the end that he may prolong his days in his Kingdom.
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He and his children in the midst of Israel.
These few verses, beloved brethren, are very heavily on my heart.
There are instructions that were given with regard to the Kingdom.
To the man who would sit upon the throne of Israel.
They're not all the instructions. There are some that precede it.
But I have before me, especially starting with verse 18.
And it shall be when he sitteth upon the throne of his Kingdom.
That he shall raise him.
And I'm going to change it a little bit.
All the reforms that have been upon his heart.
All the things that he wanted to straighten out in Israel.
What it says.
You know.
I think that's a tendency that perhaps men have, is that?
When they get into a position where they can do something about something, they want to do it, and they want to do it right away.
But that's not what the king was to do.
His first act was to be was to sit down and write him.
A copy of the law.
In a book.
His own personal copy doesn't say he shall employ A scribe to do it. It says he shall write him.
A copy of this law.
Now I realize that there was a very limited amount of scripture that they had available to them at that time.
But they were he was to make his own personal copy of it.
Sometimes my heart is touched as I read of.
Places where Bibles are scarce, where Christians will actually sit down and instead of using the one Bible that they have, they will take paper and copy the passage of Scripture that they have before them.
And put the Bible back in a safe place, having written out what they want to do.
Read.
And I remember when I was a boy.
And had trouble with.
Discipline. Sometimes, yes, I did.
That they would give me a card of long division problems to do.
As punishment.
I learned how to divide.
I didn't like dividing when I first started, but I learned how to do it.
What you write out and what you copy for yourself, you retain.
And so they were required to write a copy of the law.
And where were they to take it from?
They were to take it out of that which is before the priest. The Levites. There was an original that they were to take it from.
Not a fallible copy, but an original.
What's my point in mentioning that?
Well.
There are many shortcuts you know to going to getting truth.
And go back to this one or that one that wrote it out.
That had a good grasp of it.
But that's not what we're to do. We're to go back to the original, to the word of God, back to the word of God.
And I just like to suggest that writing it here is a word to you and me to make it real and good to our own souls.
To make it good and real to our own soul.
This is somewhat amusing story I sometimes tell, and I hope if you've heard it before you'll pardon me for repeating it, but I recall in Wood Shopping school.
They taught us how to make rulers.
I don't even know if they do such a thing today, but we learned how to make a ruler.
Cut a piece of wood and mark it off.
00:10:03
Send it first and mark it off and then varnish it and we had a ruler.
And I thought that was fun. I thought that was a nice thing to do.
I said Wouldn't it be fun to make more of them?
And so I took the ruler that I made, and I made more rulers.
Gave them away.
Always kept one of the production, made another one.
Well, you know what happened. The last one I made was short.
The last one I made was short.
Why? Because I was going from my copy rather than from the original.
You and I, beloved brethren, are not going to get the truth of God the way God wants us to get it.
Unless we go back to the word of God.
Back to the word of God, am I putting down the written ministry that we have? Not by any means. My shelves are full of it, and I love to go back and read it, and I thank God for it.
If you haven't had the joy, some of your younger brothers of, of picking up a book of ministry and reading it.
But if you really want to get the truth in its full and pure and.
And perfect way, you've got to go back to the word of God.
Back to the scriptures.
Not even back to.
Although I esteemed them very, very highly, men like JMD and Wigram and those you've got to go back. How about the reformers? Now we've got to go back to the word of God, To the word of God.
Verse 19 says, And it shall be with him.
I think that's important.
How many times I see, and it sometimes grieves me to see someone leave his Bible in the meeting room.
Now I know sometimes some people have one for a meeting room and some for home. I'm not talking about people like that, but the working copy of their Bible they leave in the meeting room.
It shall be wisdom.
It should be our companion, what we work with, what we live with.
Some of you know that when I was in Chile a few months ago.
I was in a place getting copies made and I put my Bible case down next to me.
And within 5 minutes, after talking to the man about the copies, I looked down and my Bible case was gone.
Believe me, that hurt.
I've asked the Lord to bless the man who took it.
And it might read, but I lost 4 bibles to.
To hymn books.
My tickets. My plane tickets.
And another thing that I missed very much was a little fork that Charo Adama had given me that.
Said horn and hard art on it.
Had a special meaning to me because when I was a boy, I stole one of those from the restaurant and my father made me take it back to the manager.
And I had been using that with children to give them a little lesson. I don't have that anymore.
But what I missed most is that Bible.
It shall be with them.
Oh, I have my Bible.
When's the last time you opened it?
Notice what it says here, and he shall read therein.
Every Lord's day.
Is that what it says every Sabbath?
Lord Day is not the Sabbath, but I'm trying to relate it to the Hebrew culture here. It shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life, all the days of his life.
You ever get to a point where you don't have to read the word anymore?
I'm sure if I asked our brother Barry, who knows the word very well, Are you at the point now where you really don't have to read it every day? I know what answer I get.
More than ever he says he needs it. He shall read therein all the days of his life.
This is our food, our sustenance, Beloved. This is what our souls feed upon, is the word of God.
00:15:11
It bothers me when some people ask me, is there any scripture that says you should read every day that I have to read every day?
There's no commandment.
So to speak for everyone of us to read every day. But I think this is the closest that I've seen to coming to it. He shall read therein all the days of his life.
There wasn't a day to go by, but what he wasn't to open that and read it.
Have you ever been to a home? And I have. Where you ask if they have a Bible? Oh yeah, yeah. There's that one we bought. Remember the salesman that came around about five years ago? It's up on the shelf over there, I think. No, it's not over there. And there's a little argument goes by and pretty soon they find it and.
Blow the dust off it.
You know what good that Bible has done to them.
Don't let your Bible gather dust.
Read in it every day. Every day.
I know some of you young men.
If I suggested to you that you only ate once a week on a Saturday afternoon, I know what kind of an answer I get.
Because I raised three boys.
I was a boy.
Shall read therein all the days of his life. This is our food. This is what we are sustained by.
And then it says that he may learn to fear the Lord his God.
It's a terrible thing, but I believe the fear of God is something that is lost on this generation.
And why? Because we don't read in the word. That's where we learn the fear. The Lord.
Is reading the word.
And then it says to keep the words of this law, to keep them.
I suppose we might like it not to maintaining the doctrine.
Is that enough?
It says the last three words of that verse are so important and or just to do that, to do them?
There is no truth in Scripture that God gives us that is just to hold as an intellectual doctrine.
Nothing.
Mr. Kohler used to tell us in Brooklyn.
That no truth is ours until it gets into our boots.
What did he mean by that?
Until we walk in it.
That's why it says to do them.
And it says in verse 20 that his heart be not lifted up above his brethren. All brethren. There's such a danger that our hearts get lifted up above our brethren.
It's a terrible danger.
It's a terrible danger to think we're better than our brethren.
We have a better version of Christianity, a better kind of piety, than they do the reading of the Word of God. The daily reading of the Word of God is a safeguard against that because it lets me know what I really AM.
I don't think there's anything more destructive than the ones heart be lifted up above his brethren.
It's destructive.
And when saying that, I'm not going to tell you that that hasn't happened to me.
But the remedy to it is the reading of the word of God.
Then it says that he turned not aside from the commandment to the right hand or to the left.
It's a sad thing, but I'm afraid that we have a tendency.
To go up this way or that way when it comes to the truth of God.
What will keep us walking straight down the path that God has marked?
Out daily reading and meditating on the word of God.
There is no way that can keep ourselves from deviating.
Becoming either.
Leftists or Rightists and the things of God.
I.
To the end that he may prolong his days and his Kingdom.
00:20:05
Now, beloved.
We're not kings in the sense that it's talking about here.
But everyone of us has been given a realm of responsibility, a realm of.
Of.
A place where God holds us accountable and we're to exercise that responsibility.
And if we go on with the word of God, following on with what's marked out here?
Will our.
Will be prolonged. The days of our Kingdom of our responsibility will be prolonged.
Then it says he and his children.
Oh, I don't think there's anything that.
Touches our hearts. So is our children.
And our children, how we long for them to go on with the Lord.
The Apostle John says I have no greater joy.
And to hear my children walking in truth.
But our children will not go on.
If we ourselves are walking carelessly with respect to the word of God.
The word is to be.
Emphasized in our homes.
Now one more verse in Ezra.
I might say in preference and preface to this verse that.
When my father realized he was going home to be with the Lord.
He called those of us who could be there with him.
Two of my sons and.
Myself.
Perhaps someone else, I think a grandson.
One of my grandsons.
And he read this verse to us.
Ezra 7 and verse 10.
For Ezra.
Had prepared his heart.
That's the first thing, an exercise of heart. He prepared his heart.
To do what? To seek the law of the Lord.
Just to put it in a very practical way to find out what the Word of God teaches.
To take hold of it.
In a doctrinal way.
And to what do it?
And to do it.
And to teach in Israel statutes and judgments.
It's a threefold responsibility.
God laid that on us very strongly in his last days.
Prepare your heart.
To get a hold of what this book teaches.
So you can teach it to others? No, not first.
And that's one of the troubles Sometimes young people will ask is, well, why don't we have Bible schools and seminaries like other people do? One of the great dangers of a Bible school or seminary is just this that people learn and teach.
And don't do first.
So God's order is that you learn what it says that you do it.
And then teach it. May the Lord help us to do those things.
The return, please, to Second Timothy.
Two Epistle to Timothy.
I have a few thoughts on my heart.
Concerning the care that we should have as to this precious book that we had before us and in our hands as we've been reminded.
Just notice first.
00:25:02
First Timothy.
I'm sorry, two Timothy is what I want to get. Second Timothy.
Chapter One.
And beginning at verse 13.
Hold fast, the form of sound words.
Just so we've been reminded, holding fast, the form of sound words. But we want to see in this epistle, which is Paul's last epistle, that this was not always so.
And all beloved, if there is anyone here.
That is any thought of turning aside.
Or neglecting the word of God, I appeal to you.
Don't do it.
It's only a downward course.
Two Timothy One verse 14, verse 13 Hold fast the form of sound words.
Which thou has heard of me in faith and love, which is in Christ Jesus.
Could we have anything more glorious than that, more blessed than that, this truth?
Hold fast the form of sound words, or the outline that God has given you and given me.
What a responsibility we have. Then he says That good thing which was committed unto thee, keep by the Holy Ghost.
Which dwelleth in.
Well, these are wonderful excitations.
Beautiful excitations.
Hold it fast.
And keep it.
In the joy of the Lord.
But I want to call attention to the next.
Verse here and we'll find there's three sets of two here.
Very interesting things because we see.
If one is that we have in a book it's mother Micah. If two of agrees shall on earth. If two of you shall agree, and we find that these are in in in sets of twos. So in in the second epistle of Timothy we find three sets of twos.
And I've been, I meditated on this much and I think it's a very, very important thing for us to see.
What happens here? I just want to read verse 15 now he had just been enjoining them to keep that form of sound words and to hold it fast. But what happens?
This thou knowest that all they which are in Asia be turned away from me. And now he names two of them.
Does God know your name? Does he know what your desires are? Other. Is there anyone in this audience?
That has ever even thought of departing or turning away from the truth of God.
I appeal to you according to the word of God. You know it's only a downward course, and we want to see that.
Of whom is fight jealous and homogeneous?
Now I know there are different.
Torn names are put differently, whether it's Greek or or Roman or or Hebrew, whatever. But I just want to point this out.
Phi jealous?
Is little fugitive.
That's one meaning of it. Little fugitive. Why?
He turned away from the truth of God and became, as it were, a fugitive. You know, every child of God here. We're not fugitives.
Where pilgrims on our way home. We're not Wanderers.
But here was Fie jealous Who was?
A little fugitive?
But notice what happens. He finds company.
And dear young people, you know, if you get away from the Lord, you may find company too.
But remember, it will only be a downward course as we want to look at.
So then he finds homogeneous.
And I understand now this is 1 interpretation, 1 meaning of it means.
Lucky.
Lucky.
Umm.
It's in connection. It's connected with Lucky.
Which has nothing to do with our pathway at all. Nothing.
00:30:05
But here was a Phi, jealous and homogeneous, and he joined the company together. But it says.
It says that they.
They turned away from the dear apostle Paul. Now, this doesn't mean they were lost, doesn't mean that I've mentioned this, the different ones. And he said, well, you mean where they're lost. Doesn't say that. It says they turned away from the Apostle Paul.
Paul's ministry is that which has been given to us the truth of the Church of God.
And if man turns away from that, then he's only on a course that reads downward.
So again, I'm not going to take a lot of time here, but I just wanted to point out these things that I thought of myself and meditated upon so we find here if I jealous and homogeneous. And you know what this brings before us. Our feet are going in the wrong direction.
Our feet.
And we have to be careful on that, don't we? Of course, as we look at these, we'll say well.
He brings in the thought of their feet going astray, but then drop over to verse to the next chapter.
And reverse 15.
Study to show thyself approved unto God, a Workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
What a responsibility it says.
OK.
Study.
Study.
That doesn't mean a cursory reading of the Bible. It means to sit down, meditate, study the word of God, and you'll profit by it. There's a prophet in it. But what happened here?
Study to show thyself approved unto God, a Workman that needeth not to be ashamed.
Rightly dividing the word of truth.
But shun profane and vain babblings, for they will increase into more ungodliness.
So now we have two more.
Now we don't know whether they're connected or not, but they're connected in this way that it's a downward course.
That God is marking out here in this very last epistle that Paul wrote.
Solemn truth that he wrote here.
It is the last epistle he wrote, and so he is warning sounding the warnings.
And yet, at this late date, there are those that will turn away and follow their own path. Well, I believe here what we have is a very subtle thing. Now I understand that, Hymenius.
Is.
A wedding song.
And also.
Pilitus is.
Beloved.
You know, this is the most deceptive thing I know. And you too, you have to talk to those that have been turned away from the truth of God. And they go out and they go down and they meet up with others.
And I meet them and I speak to them and say, well, how are you doing? Oh, we're so happy where we are. Wonderful now.
Are they happy?
They turned away from the truth of God, as it says here.
Their their word, their word will eat as doth a tanker.
Looks so loving and so care and so wonderful or so much love there.
Have you heard that? I've heard it many times.
But that's not true, because we see here these ones as it says.
What was the thing that they turned away from? What was it that they were teaching in their love? They were teaching a truth that is the most precious glorious truth in all the word of God as it says here, who concerning the truth of verse 18 concerning the truth have earned saying that the resurrection is passed already and overthrow the faith of some. Now we're not going on to the rest of these verses, but just to point that out.
Here they were.
Concerning the truth.
Have urged saying the resurrection is passed. You know there's something about that.
The resurrection is the most attested truth in all the word of God. And here was this little couple who were going on in a very loving spirit, but they were teaching false doctrine.
00:35:07
Turning people away from the resurrection.
And, you know, if you and I are turned away from that, you know what the path is. We're going to do what we please now, because if there's no resurrection, we find that in the 15th of First Corinthians.
To no resurrection, might as well do what you like, do what you please. So we see the subtlety of this turning away and saying that it didn't say there was no resurrection, but they're saying that the resurrection that was passed, that's that's all gone. Well, that is not the truth either, because we're waiting for that very moment when the Lord Jesus is coming to take us home to glory, and that will be a part of the resurrection. The dead are going to be raised 1St and we're going to be caught up together with them.
To meet the Lord in the air. And what a precious truth this is, and we enjoy it to the full.
But here they were teaching this kind of thing, so I believe here we see.
That their heads were wrong.
Their feet were wrong and turning away, and now we see this couple brought before us.
And they are teaching something that is false or in error and their heads are wrong.
Is that not true, that when we leave the divine center, what we turn away? If our feet take us away, there's only one way and that's the downward path, downward path. So we have to be very careful on this. Then it says here again, as I say, I'm not giving an expose on Second Timothy, that's not it. But just these thoughts concerning the turning away, their feet turn away and now their heads are wrong, Their feet are wrong and their heads are wrong.
Then go over to the third chapter, we find again another set of two.
The third chapter.
Now we find something else, as it says here.
I'll just go back a few verses.
Verse 5 having a form of godliness.
But denying the power thereof from such.
Turn away for of this sort are they which creep into houses and lead captive silly women laden with sins.
LED away with divers lusts.
Ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth, you see what the path of departure turns into.
Ever learning and never able to come until the knowledge of the truth. Oh, this is wonderful where we are. There's lots of love there.
Well, it's a downward path because they have left the divine center. And if there's anyone in this audience today that has ever had that thought, dismiss it.
Because it's only downward, it's not going to be an upward path, I assure you. So here were those.
It says ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. Now as Jannies and Jane Breeze, we have two more.
Three sets of two and it's always downward. It's always downward, as it says here.
Jenny's.
Is.
Vexed or confused?
This is what it is. These are the prophets. These are the the ones in the book of Exodus that were tricking the people. Now they've got another. They've got something else going. Jenny's.
Beloved.
Or be set, be beaten. They were, they were beset or what's the word? But anyway they were they were confused.
And then the other one says the other one. The other name is.
For me. For me, For me, healer, You know now God is going to come in.
They're going to do a great work, but what was the work that they did?
Imitation.
What do we have around us? Imitations.
Imitation.
I don't want to talk about those that left, but just to say this.
That when we leave the teachings of the Word of God, if we leave the Apostle Paul's doctrine.
You're going to get into imitations, and that's exactly what Jenny's and jamborees did.
Imitations.
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So do these also resist the truth? Men of corrupt minds we find here their hearts were wrong, their feet were wrong, their heads were wrong, their hearts were wrong. When we turn away, turn our back upon the word of God.
So we see that, as I say, it's not an expose of Second Timothy, but it's just those thoughts of these sects that God has brought marked out for us that we might learn from this, that we might as we go on in the word of God. Just as I think of any departure these verses come to me, I think of these different, different ones. God wants me to go on in the path of truth and the doctrine, Paul's doctrine that he's brought before us and so all these years.
But so here we find feet wrong, hearts wrong, heads wrong. And just to drop over to verse to chapter four we find also.
Verse four. And they shall turn away their ears from the truth. Ears are wrong now.
But you know God has given it. I meditate upon this, and I thought, why does he tell us the feet first?
Usually the ear is picks up the sound and the heart. It lodges in the heart and then we go wrong. But you know, I believe that God has given us a picture of what we can see. That is, we see the man leaving, We see his feet first. We don't know what's in his heart, but God does. So he's brought that out for us. And I think this is very, very precious. But in closing, I just want to turn over to the 4th chapter and drop down a little bit to show you two more.
And here we find dear Apostle Paul.
Well, we could read a lot of verses here, but we're not going to do it.
Paul speaks about fourteenth verse. Alexander the Coppersmith did me much evil.
The Lord reward him according to his works, Of whom be thou where also? For he hath greatly withstood our words. Alexander Alexander the Coppersmith.
Notwithstanding no, and that my first answer, no man stood with me.
He had said Paul has said they all forsook him in Flint, but there was one who stood with Paul. Notice verse 11, only Luke is with me. Isn't that lovely? So here's again our two. But here's the dear apostle Paul and Luke stands with him. But then there's something else too. Notice.
It says at my first 16 at my first answer no man stood with me, but all all forsook me and and I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge. The Apostle wasn't going to have the God lay any charge upon them at all. He's pray for them. And then it says, Notwithstanding, the Lord stood by me and strengthen me.
That by me the preaching might be fully known, that all the Gentiles might hear.
And I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. Isn't that beautiful to me? I just thought of it. The digression here. Feet wrong. Heads wrong. Hearts wrong. Ears wrong.
Why has God told us this? To exercise each one of us?
So we need to be reminded of this. We need to be exercised as we pick up this precious book. It's the light for our feet, for our pathway.
And it lightens our pathway too. So we need, as our brother **** has already said, we need to cleave to the word of God with purpose of heart. But how lovely it is to see. Here was Paul, who could say only Luke is with me dear Luke was with him.
But then, notwithstanding verse 17, the Lord stood with me. What a beautiful thing.
Is it your diary to go on for the Lord? If it's your desire, the Lord will stand with you regardless of all the evil that's going on, regardless of all the missed failures and the false steps and the downward trend that we see all around us.
Well, I just submit these thoughts.
In much feebleness, but just to think that here Paul marks this out in the end of this.
Of His epistle. Their feet were wrong, their heads were wrong, their hearts were wrong, their ears were wrong. But God was still over, still cares for those who have a real desire to please God. May it be so with each one of us.
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Psalm 19.
We had in Romans one the two becauseses the.
First was.
Why the wrath of God was revealed?
Because God had given a testimony in creation.
And then through his word and we have those two things in this Psalm.
Psalm 19 The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament showeth his handiwork.
Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night showeth knowledge.
There is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard.
Their line has gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them hath he said, a Tabernacle for the Son?
Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strongman to run a race.
Is going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it, and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof. There you have.
Beautiful verses, the testimony of the heaven.
The sun in its circuit and its rising, we can depend upon it every day and setting at the same place.
Always rising in the east and setting in the West and the circuit.
Covering the whole Earth, there's no place that hasn't seen that witness.
Declare the glory of God. The firmament showed his handiwork.
It's only the fool that cannot see the hand of God in his workmanship.
And then at the end of the chapter verse 7, the law of the Lord.
Is perfect.
The word law is used in the Old Testament as it is here, many times, just for the word of God, and that's the way it is here.
The law of the Lord is perfect converting the soul.
The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.
As we read this, it reminds us of 119th Psalm where you have all of these.
Words used to describe the word of God. First it's the law of the Lord, then it's the testimony of the Lord.
Then it's in verse 8 the statutes of the Lord are right rejoicing the heart. And then in verse 8 again the commandment of the Lord is pure.
Enlightening the eyes.
Verse 9 The fear of the Lord is the is clean, enduring forever. The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. All of these.
Descriptions of the The testimony that God has given to us. The word of God. We are indeed a rich people. We have God's word.
My brother was speaking about one Bible put on a shelf collecting dust. Never opened, never looked at.
That's pretty much the way it was in my family before I was saved.
Just a Bible to put your hand on when you swore to something.
And not to be opened and read.
That's too bad, because that's the way it is with so many today. This book is not known to them. We know it. We have the inestimable privilege of of having not just one Bible, but maybe many in our homes, Bible in every room, so that wherever we go, we can we can find it and turn to it.
Have have you ever noticed if you come to a place and on the table next to the chair where you sit down there is a Bible and there's a newspaper?
Which will you Pope pick up?
1St.
Most of the time.
He's going to tell us.
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She says. The Bible, good girl.
But I'm afraid she's right. It's the way it should be, but I'm afraid it's often not that way.
A little child shall lead thee.
Just saw an example of it. She had the right answer.
The Word of God is pure. It is precious. It enlightens the eyes. It gives understanding to the simple.
It shows us the path wherein we should walk. It answers all the questions that we have in life.
It does. It really does. Where should I live? Where should I work, you say? Well, that's not answered in the Bible. Well, not directly.
But there are precepts in it to guide us and to keep us from making some serious mistakes.
For instance, settling way too far away from meeting if I can settle more closely.
Those are mistakes we may make because after all, the job that's farther away pays more.
And.
I was refreshed by a brother that.
Took a much lower paying job so that he could be where he felt the Lord would have him to be. That's to be our guide, not circumstances. Oh, the Lord will guide us by circumstances sometimes, but this is the book that guides us. If we knew his mind and if we were so familiar with this book, we would be kept beloved from many a mistake which we make.
Kept in the path the meek.
Will he guide in judgment the meek? Will he teach his way?
The one who was the meek and lowly 1.
Invited us to follow him.
It's not a popular path.
It's not.
The majority path.
It's a path of rejection.
A path that he has marked out.
A path that he tried.
And we learned that path as we read this book.
More to be desired, verse 10.
Are they than gold?
There will be some of us.
Many, maybe many of us, when we get home to glory, if we have a regret, we'll say, oh, that I didn't spend more time.
This book.
Learning his mind, becoming better acquainted with himself.
So that I could walk hand in hand with him.
A little while left is here.
More to be desired, are they? Than gold. Yeah, than much fine gold.
Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. Is there anything sweeter than honey?
Word of God.
Moreover by them as thy servant warned.
Many warnings in scripture. Many.
We need them.
Danger stay out close door, don't go in it. One has fallen into some sin. It's because he's gone through many stop signs or many stoplights in his life.
You don't just all of a sudden fall into these things, but you've taken a step, another step, another step which, if we were acquainted with this book and heeded its precepts, we would be kept from it.
By the word of thy mouth have I kept me from the paths of the Destroyer.
Moreover, by them as thy servant warned, and in keeping of them, there is great reward, I guarantee you, if you keep his word, if you follow his word, if you do it as we've had before us, you'll never say I'm sorry I did it.
You'll never say that.
Great reward.
Who can understand his errors and so on. Now I have one more passage and then we'll close.
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Ecclesiastes 12.
Ecclesiastes 12.
We had before us in Romans, in Psalm 19 and again here.
The creation here, it's the creator.
And the word Remember now thy Creator, in the days of thy youth.
While the evil days come, not.
Nor the years draw nigh when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in that.
There are many Gray hairs tonight, this afternoon amongst this.
And oh, how quickly they come upon us.
Remember now thy Creator, in the days of thy youth.
Think of him the one that gives you life and breath in all things.
The one in whose very breath his hand is.
You your breath is in his hand.
While the sun or the light or the moon or the stars be not darkened.
Nor the clouds return after the rain.
These are all things experienced by old age, creeping on of of feebleness. In the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, we see some like this keepers of the house, are trembling.
Can't hold their hands steady anymore.
And the strong men shall bow themselves.
The grinder shall cease false teeth.
They are few.
And those lookout of the windows be darkened.
Glasses.
Some the glasses don't help. They don't see well anymore.
And the doors shall be shut in the streets.
When the sound of the grinding is low.
And he shall rise up at the voice of the bird. Sleep is.
Not easy.
And all the daughters of music shall be brought low, the hearing goes.
And when they shall be afraid of that which is high, and fears shall be in the way, and the almond tree shall flourish.
Gray hairs.
And the grasshopper shall be a burden.
I've heard several interpretations of that.
The smallest thing.
Something that you might stumble over.
Now you young ones don't know what that is.
But some of us know what that is.
Everything's a problem. It takes me 3 hours to do what I used to do in 15 minutes.
Some of us can relate to that.
Desire shall fail.
Because man goeth to his long home.
And the mourners go about the streets.
Or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern. Death comes in.
And we pass on. Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was, and the Spirit shall return unto God, who gave it vanity of vanities. All is vanity, saith the preacher.
And moreover, what should we do then if this is what's ahead of us and we can't avoid it?
You can't avoid it.
The Lord may come and rescue you from it, but otherwise you will get old.
Moreover, because the preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge. Yeah, he gave good heed and sought out and said in order, many proverbs. The preacher sought to find out acceptable words, and that which was written was upright, even words of truth. And what did he do during the time that he he had the strength to to do it? You're young, so many young people here. Now is the time to gather up.
These precious fragments, these precious truths. Now do it. Don't wait till you get older. Don't wait till these first verses of Ecclesiastes 12 apply to you. It's too late. It's too late then.
01:00:07
The preacher sought to find out acceptable words do that.
And that which was written was upright, even words of truth. Find them out. Store them up.
The words of the wise are as God stirs you on to action.
It prides you, it says This is the way going that way, and it keeps you from going in the wrong way. The words of the wiser is goats, and you can use them to guide someone. That's your friend.
You see them going astray and you use the goat. And no, that's wrong. That's not the way go this way.
I'm going to correct this. I'm going to correct it by the new translation a little bit, and the collections of them. The collections of the words of the wise, collect them.
Are as nails fastened in you can hang something on it.
Come in, you take your coat off, you hang it on the nail.
Collections of them as nails fastened in a nail fastened in a sure place.
They're given from 1 shepherd. One shepherd has given us.
These words of the wise.
Further by these my son be admonished.
Of making many books there is no end. In much study is a weariness of the flesh.
Those of us that have gone to college know what that means.
Collect the words of the wise. Collect those things that are given from that one shepherd.
And let them be that which you can hang your hand upon.
And lift yourself up should it be necessary, and gold others on in the path that he's marked out for us in these dark days.
Romans 11, Genesis 2, Matthew 18
Open—B. Brimlow, E. Wilson, T. Roach
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Look at that the 11Th chapter of Romans for a moment.
We've been enjoying this lovely outline of the book of Romans.
And these meetings.
And it's been laid in my heart. I trust the Lord of the Lord to review a little something of the end of the story. You know, we like to hear where the story is leading us. And I think it's wonderful to be able to anticipate what God is going to do in this world, Beloved, and you and I that have the, as has been pointed out in these meetings, the Spirit of God to give us that blessed hope to know where we came from, what we're here for, and where we're going.
And I believe with our young people, they need to have that vision enlarged and that's what's in my heart to just enlarge a little bit on what we had this morning.
It says in the Romans 11/26.
I'll make it right to the point.
And so all Israel shall be saved.
And so all Israel shall be saved.
And so the apostle he exalts about this.
He says.
In the 33rd verse, listen to this great benediction that he gives a praise.
All the depths of the knowledge, all the depths of the riches, both of the wisdom and knowledge of God. How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out?
His ways past finding out. It's like this, like it says.
Who hath known the mind of the Lord is not wonderful. Who hath known the mind of the Lord? For who hath known the mind of the Lord, Or who hath been his counselor? Or who hath first given to him? And it shall be recompensed unto him again. And then we get this lovely thought, brethren. For of him and through him and through Him are all things to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.
How is Israel going to be saved?
I've been put on the spot about a certain portion in the 37th chapter of Ezekiel. Our brother mentioned it this morning in his remarks, and I thought it struck me that we should perhaps just have a short time to review the end of the story. How's it going to end with Israel? All Israel's going to be saved, you know. There's nothing for your heart and mind, beloved, like a picture.
00:05:22
Some of us, we like to tell stories that got pictures in the story with a motive, with a purpose, with a moral. The Lord Jesus, when he was here, he could talk to the farmer about the about the grain of wheat falling in the ground, and he says unless it dies, it won't bring any fruit, but if it dies, it brings forth much fruit. A picture for your mind and especially the farmer would understand right away what he's talking about.
But here's another picture. Let's turn to the 37th of Ezekiel.
I've enjoyed these thoughts in my own meditation or else I wouldn't be able to say anything about it. But you know, this is such a beautiful picture, and I hope the youngest person here in this room this afternoon can understand what it's about. You know, the Lord Jesus wants you and me to get a hold of the truth, and sometimes we get the teaching and the doctrine, but we don't get the picture. I hope that I could be an encouragement.
Not only to the young as well as to the old. Let's read it. And the hand of the Lord was upon me.
And carried me out in the spirit of the Lord, and set me down in the midst of the valley, which.
Was full of bones. Oh, can you see the picture? You're coming to a dry place that's full of bones.
What's it about? You know, somebody said, what's that all about? I don't understand it. Well, let's see if we could have with the Lord's help, we can understand it this afternoon. The apostle Paul had, I think this in mind when he when he spoke. And so all Israel shall be saved.
I'm delighted. I'm delighted that the Lord tells us about what he's going to do with his earthly people.
What am I here for? You know the Lord Jesus in that 11Th chapter of Matthew, he said come.
Take, learn, learn what of me You know, this is all about His doing, and you and I are going to be filling the course of heaven with praise for what He does, not only what He's doing, what He did, what He did in the cross. We could go back to the 8th chapter of Proverbs and He could. He could say before the foundations of the world. He could say in my delights, who were the sons of men.
And you know, beloved, His delight is with you and me, and He wants you and me to be in the enjoyment of it. Let's read on.
It caused me to pass by them round about, and behold, they were very, very many in the open valley, and Lord, they were very dry. You get the picture, A valley of dry bones. What is the Spirit of God trying to tell you and me about by the prophet? And he said unto me, Son of Man, can these bones live?
You know, it's almost like a a question that the Lord would put to somebody.
Whose image and superscription is on that coin?
What a perfect answer the Lord gave to those Pharisees of old that would try to entrap him. But what words of grace he tries to lead you and me, when he could say, learn of me, take my yoke.
Learn of Maine. He wants to walk with you and me, beloved through this world and companionship with himself. How can we do it?
He says without me you can do nothing, without me you can do nothing. He wants to take you and me by the hand now and take us back to the valley of dry bones. And I hope that the Spirit of God would give that liberty that you and I would be able to get to the simple simplicity of what he's talking about by the prophet.
Can they live? And I answered, O Lord God, thou knowest. Again he said unto me, prophecy upon these bones, and said to them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. Then saith the Lord gone unto these bones, Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live, and I will listen yous upon you, and will bring up flesh upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live, and you shall know that I am the Lord.
Dry bones.
Dry bones, they're going to live. Oh, is this a mystery that the Lord would unfold to your heart and mind? Beloved, from these beautiful things, what things were written aforetime were written for what?
Our instruction and learning that we, through patience and comfort of the scriptures, might have something.
HOPE, hope.
I wonder how old you have to understand that? What that word means? Hope. Well, here it is, the hope of Israel. If I could give the clue. Let's go on.
00:10:10
So I prophesied as I was commanded, and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold, the shaking of the bones came together, bone to his bone. And when I beheld Lord, the sinews and the flesh came up upon them, and the skin covered them above, but there was no breath in them. Verse 9. Ezekiel 37.
Then said He unto me, prophecy unto the wind, prophecy, Son of man, and say to the wind, Thus saith the Lord God, become from the four winds or breath.
Upon these slain, that they may live.
So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up upon their feet an exceeding great army.
What a picture, beloved, that the prophet brings before your heart and mind of what things were written before time and the Lord Jesus at the grave, before he raised Lazarus, He could say those wonderful words, I am the resurrection and the life.
I am the resurrection and the life. He that believes on me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Oh, that's the enlightening words that the Lord gave to the grieving sisters of Lazarus. Lazarus being a picture, you know, that's a comparative. It's a reflection of what we get in this chapter, but a lot more light because there was the man there, the man Christ Jesus who raises the dead.
Who could say I am he that lives? I am he that died and lives again? Well, let's read on and see what happened in this story.
Verse 11 Then he said unto me, Son of man, these bones are the whole House of Israel.
There it is, the whole House of Israel.
Here's a picture, beloved, of the revival of what we've been speaking about the Apostle Paul is leading us into in that 11Th chapter, Romans. You know, sometimes we like to hear the end of the story. We would like to read the end of the book to see how it's going to turn out.
I don't mean to get ahead of our meditation that we've got in the Romans. I think the desire of our brethren and the Spirit of the Lord in these meetings was to bring us into the picture of what the Romans would set before us.
Those wonderful truths of the gospel, of the grace and love of God, first to all.
It says for all of sin and come short of the glory of God, there's none righteous, no, not one Jew or Gentile. All condemned is like the courtroom scenes like our brother was bringing so graphically before us this morning the judge said guilty.
Guilty. Israel was guilty, and God had set them aside and there were they now, Well, we were talking a little about that on our discussion, but I wanted to lead you on to the end of the story. It makes it more exciting, you know, to fill in the details now from where we started in the book of Romans.
The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all unrighteousness.
An ungodly man that hold the truth and unrighteousness.
These are verdicts, these are truths that we need to take heed to young people.
We get away with nothing. It says the wages of sinners. Death.
But the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. I never want to get far from that side of the truth of this man that came down from heaven because he loved sinners like you and me, but he loves his earthly people.
And in that chapter that was referred to this morning, he said the other sheep that I have which are not of this fold them also I must bring, you know, you and I are some of those sheep, but from the other, the other pastor, the other folk. But there's going to be one in Christ in glory very shortly.
But let's get on with this picture that goes back to the Old Testament to tell us what's going to happen in the future. You know, there's three questions that I like to address to people in the gospel.
Where did I come from? What am I here for? But where am I going? This tells us of the future, beloved, the future of this world, this earth, and the Kingdom where we're going. And the Lord Jesus is going to share it with you and me. And do I deserve it? Like we've had that reflection. How come?
The brother said it, how come chosen to him before the foundation of the world. You know I don't understand it, but praise the Lord, I believe it and you know the Lord wants you to believe it more and more. And the Lord says he that believes on me has everlasting life that the verse and John waters is 647.
00:15:04
Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that believes on me has everlasting life.
That's the gospel of the grace of God, beloved. You and I are in the good of it, but He's going to bring his earthly people into the good of it in the future. An earthly blessing, if you please, in this world.
And so all Israel shall be saved. Where on the earth? It's that hope of Israel is to have the glory of the Lord Jesus flowing from Zion, the city of God in Jerusalem, on the earth. Yes, this is what they're coming into. And here's a little picture of it. And the Lord wants you and me to be interested in his earthly people as well as his heavenly people. Let's read on.
Behold, they say, our bones are dried, our hope is lost, we are cut off.
For our parts, therefore prophecy and saying to them thus saith the Lord God, behold.
All my people, or how the heart of God has seen in this, this portion, beloved, all my people, the heart of God yearns for the restoration of his earthly people. And you know, I, I was taught to love the Jewish people when I was a little boy in New York, where I came from, there was a lot of Jewish people where I went to school and I remember I made friends with some of them.
And my desire was to want them to know about my Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. I hope you have the same desire when you meet a Jewish person. And it's like the one brother remarked, I love to meet a Jew that saved. Oh, I tell you, my heart leaps twice when I meet. Anyway, let's get on with this story. Behold all my people, I will open your graves and cause you to come up out of your graves and bring you into the land of Israel.
And so all Israel shall be what SAVED. And who's going to do it? The madness and the glory, with the marks of the cross, the hands and the feet, and his blessed side, from where with came the blood that cleanses from all sin.
I hope that you know him as your savior this afternoon.
You know, I'd like to put a question to you.
If the Lord Jesus was to come this afternoon, would you go up?
You know, I asked that question, people, I get all kinds of answers, 57 varieties. Oh, I don't know, hope so. I never heard one of them yesterday. I don't want to go up. I had the one girl say to me how high? And I said all the way to the Father's house where the Lord Jesus is. Let's go on.
And ye shall know that I am the Lord, when I have opened your graves, all my people, and brought you up out of your graves.
Where is the Nation Today? They're dead. The Lord Jesus, when he was here because they rejected Him, he said your house is left unto you desolate.
Desolate.
It was at Treblanca during the war.
And Pastor Warmball was there in Warsaw.
I think we're sports up.
And they were taking and hurting those Jewish people from the ghetto and putting them on the trains.
To the death chambers.
And there was a young woman that was probably 1920 years old.
That they had considered. Why all this trouble?
Came to the Jewish people.
And Pastor Warm, Warren Brandt, he had told her the gospel and she got saved as I remember the narrative.
And one day they rounded up this Christian Jew, this converted Jewish girl onto the cattle car with all of the evil and difficulty and wickedness of the heart of man to crowd them in like a like a bunch of beasts.
And as they were going in the train to the Treblanca, they were crying. Oh, why, why, why this troubles come upon us. You could feel in the narrative the lament and the passion of the feelings of those dear people as they're being hurt off like so many animals to the slaughter.
And this young girl said, I'll tell you why, because you said to Jesus.
Are you rejected Jesus and he said your house is left unto your desolate until you say blessed is he that comes in the name of the Lord she's but I want to tell you what he did for you. He did this for you on the cross. He shed his precious blood that you and I might be redeemed and our nation rejected him. But she said I found him as my Savior and I want to tell you if you'll ask him to save you, he'll save you right now. And when you go up and smoke it won't be in smoke. It'll be to the glory to be with Christ and she gave them the gospel for God so loved the world that he gave his only begottenness Son.
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That whosoever believes on him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
She got off the the the cattle car crowded toward the ovens and all the showers that they would take. They tell them it would take a shower so he cleaned up before you go on to this new job of going to give you.
And so the fury of the enemy against God's earthly people. Who's being vented by the Elf Hitler.
It's in the history books.
I don't want to review it except to tell what happened. There was a guard as they were crowding down out of the car. She was giving the gospel to some of those poor women on the train on that car that were had been crowded with her. They said, oh, tell us more, Tell us more of this man Jesus. And the guard was a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ. And he grabbed her roughly and said comedy.
And he took her over to the side and he said, I'm a Christian. She said, I want to show you the way of escape. Go back and warn the rest of them and tell them of Jesus. He said, I'm powerless in my job, that I can't do anything else. But I realize what you're doing quick through this gate. And so she fled, and she found her way back to the Warsaw.
And she told him about what was coming to death and judgment, death and judgment, the smoking furnaces, but how they could have eternal life by by looking to that man whose name is Jesus, who said I'm the resurrection and the life.
He that believes in me though he were dead, yet shall he live. And whosoever liveth and believeth me, and me shall never die.
And she told Pastor Warren Brandt about what was going on.
And so he no doubt arranged for her to speak to others, and finally another roundup came and she was caught again and stuffed into the cattle car.
This time there wasn't a friendly guard to rescue her and she was taken to the ovens.
And her remains went up in smoke. But beloved, I'm going to look up her sister when I get to heaven.
You, we, I won't have to look her up, you know. It says we shall know as we're known. But let's go on.
Here is the lament.
The Lord says in that 13th verse, Ye shall know that I am the Lord. One eye have opened your graves, all my people, and brought you up out of your graves, and shall put my spirit in you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then shall you know that I, the Lord have spoken it, and have performed it, saith the Lord.
That's the picture, beloved. He's going to bring them back into their land. And so that that portion that we're reading about, let's just turn to it in the closing remark or two about the Romans, Chapter 11.
We may get to it in our readings, but I was so excited to hear about what was leading, what all these things are leading up to at this 11Th chapter, because her brother remarked about it this morning.
And I thought to myself, oh, what a vision for you and me, beloved, to know that all Israel is going to be saved.
But you know it always gets back to #1 Are you saved?
If the Lord was to come this afternoon, would you go up?
Israel is going to be saved and so the apostle says I would brethren, verse 23 of chapter Romans, Chapter 11.
I would not, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest he should be wise in your own conceits. That blindness in part has happened to Israel. There's the picture, the dry bones. What's blinder than a dry bone?
We get these beautiful pictures in the word of God for your conviction and encouragement and instruction that we might have. What hope, hope in that man is in the glory that has the marks of this world's hatred on his hands and his feet and his side, and yet he reaches out today and he says, come unto me.
Come unto me only the labour and are heavy laden, and I'll give you something rest.
What kind of rest? You know, the boys and girls when I was a little boy, when I did something bad.
I didn't feel good.
You little boys and girls, when you are, you grown-ups, when you're a little, you did something bad, you didn't feel good. You know the Lord still wants you to feel good.
I want you to have rest of conscience.
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You know the conscience doesn't make us feel good when we know that we're sinners. He wants us to have rest, and he's the only one that can give it. He says I'm the resurrection and the life. But in that lovely narrative, that lovely approach the Lord makes in the 11Th chapter of Matthew, he says, come unto me. Only that labor now heavy laden, I'll give you rest.
Oh, I love it. Rest of conscience, rest of heart, peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Then what does it say here?
I would not at verse 25 of this chapter, Romans 11 That you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest we should be wise in your own conceits that blindness and part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in.
And so all Israel shall be saved, as it is written, there shall come out of Zion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob.
For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins. Oh, how blessed. How is the Lord Jesus going to take away the sins of Israel? He did it already on the cross.
He did it for you too, and for me. And that's why we can sing and rejoice. We can say.
All my sins are gone.
All because of Calvary.
That's the story in a nutshell.
The other one is.
That it says there in the first John one and chapter chapter one, first John one and I think it's verse 9. The blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from how many of my sins.
All.
All my sins are gone, all because.
Of Calvary life is filled with song, all because of Calvary Christ my Savior lives, lives from sin to set me free.
One day, he's coming.
All Glorious blessed day all.
Because of Calvary. How does it end here?
But this is my covenant.
Verse 28 As concerning the gospel there are enemies for your sakes, but as touching the election they are beloved for the Father's sakes. For the gifts and calling of a God are without repentance, for as He in time has passed have not believed God.
Yet now hath the turn mercy through their unbelief. Even so, have these also not believed, that through Your mercy they also may obtain mercy? For God hath concluded that concluded them all in unbelief, that He might have mercy upon all. And then the wonderful doxology of praise.
All the depth of the riches, both of the wisdom.
The knowledge of God.
How unsearchable are his judgments in his ways past, finding out. For who hath known the mind of the Lord, and who hath been his counselor, or who hath first given to him? And it shall be recompensed unto him again. For of him of who Jesus that's Who, for of him, and through him who Jesus, the one that came from heaven's highest glory.
That came to this world and took human form as a man.
Of him.
And to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever and ever.
Amen. Well, may these words be appropriate in view of some of the background that we've had in these meetings.
Let's turn to Genesis.
Back to Genesis.
How many times we can go over?
The death of Christ.
How many times we can go over that?
The most momentous thing that has ever happened in all the annals of time or eternity. And the Spirit of God can give us one more aspect if we have the eyes to see it.
I just want to share a little thought with your brethren that I've enjoyed recently. And I believe I had the the mind of the Spirit of God in this too. We've been hearing a little bit, you know.
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About the fact that Israel will be saved, The fact that you and I have salvation now through the precious blood of Jesus.
Look down at the end of Chapter 2.
And by the way, the book of Genesis, one has said, is the seed plot of the Bible, all of the great.
Foundational doctrines of the Scriptures are found in this wonderful book.
Very precious.
I want to read from the 21St verse.
And the Lord God caused a deep sleep.
To fall upon Adam.
And he slept and he took one of his ribs. We've been hearing about bones.
He took one of his ribs and closed up the flesh instead thereof.
I want you to fix this phrase right here in your mind.
And closed up the flesh thereof. Now let's go to John 19.
The Gospel of John, the 19th chapter, that great chapter.
That the Spirit of God, through the Apostle John gave to us in connection with the death of the Lord Jesus Christ.
And I think I may take the liberty to read the 20th chapter 2 a few verses in there to connect up the the thought the 19th chapter.
The verse will pick up the thought from the 32nd verse. Then came the soldiers and break the legs of the 1St and of the other which was crucified with him that would usher these men into eternity.
That's what it would do.
But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was dead already, they break not his legs, but one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side.
Remember that the rib was taken out of Adam's side, right?
Was taken from his side. Roman soldier now in hatred raises that spear, and he pierces the side of the dead Christ.
You see, brethren, dear ones, the death of Christ is unique in every way.
You can see over and over again when you look at the death of Christ, you see facets and aspects about it which are totally unique.
Totally unique.
One among us who said think of the nails passing through his hands and his feet and not a bone broken.
Now this soldier raises this spear and pierces the side of the Lord Jesus, and something else miraculous happens, because the blood issues force.
Wonderful.
Now let's go into the 20th chapter and I want to see why this is so significant. You know the Bible.
Gives us contrast.
And here we're going to see a contrast now in the 20th chapter.
Verse 26.
And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them. Then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you.
Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hit her thy finger, and behold my hands, and reach hit her thy hand, and thrust it into my side. And be not faithless, but believing.
Remember I told you earlier in Genesis to keep your eye fixed upon the fact that after God took that rib out of the side of Adam, he closed that flush up again?
Now that precious savior standing in resurrection life, that side is opened.
It's open outside has never been closed.
I never realized, you know, you read it, but the impact of it does not hit you sometimes. That's why it's important to read the Word of God over and over again. Isn't that beautiful?
And Jesus is going to bear in his body forever those wounds in his hands, feet.
And his precious side.
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Of course, what's Thomas the picture of here?
He's no doubt a pitcher of the Jewish remnant that will believe in a coming day. They will believe.
But let's go on in the chapter, we'll see something.
Man, Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God, and he couldn't do any other. There was the evidence standing right in front of him.
Jesus after him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed.
That's the way it will be for the Jewish people. They'll see and they'll believe.
Oh, but you and I have been called to something far greater. Look at, look at the next bar. Blessed are they that have not seen and yet have believed. What a great thing.
What a great thing You don't want to know that every, practically every difficulty among us comes in as a result of two reasons, our unbelief.
And our self will.
Much mischief, if not all, can be traced to those two fountainheads.
Unbelief.
And our own self will.
Oh, May God make us believing believers.
May make us believing believers that we will believe.
And may the self will in US, may it have no place.
He's everything.
I want to finish with a couple of thoughts in.
Ephesians, we touched on that book this morning. Beautiful book. Ephesians chapter 2.
Verse 19 Now, therefore, ye are no more strangers and foreigners, fellow citizens, with the Saints, and of the household of God built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone. The thought is really the cornerstone, because there's only one.
In whom the whole building, all the building, but not in what it's In whom all the building fifthly framed together, groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord. Verse 22 is what I had specifically in mind. In whom He also are builded together for inhabitation of God through the Spirit. Back in Genesis. It tells us that with that rib that he took out of the side of Adam.
He builded a woman. That's what really the original word means there. That verb build it is brought over into the New Testament, and this word build it here for a habitation of God through the Spirit is the exact same verb in the Greek. Not interesting.
See how it all fits together.
You dear young people, you older ones, do you see how these things fit together?
Wonderful, isn't it?
Now it was our God who wrote the Bible.
Who is like unto me, declaring the end from the beginning, and things that are not as, and calling things that are not as though they were?
Wonderful, isn't it?
You know, wonderful to realize in the 5th chapter of Ephesians it says this. This is a great mystery, but I speak as concerning Christ in the church.
What a great thing it is.
But it's a blessed, blessed fact, a glorious fact.
Build it together for an habitation of God.
Through the spirit. Now there's nothing much drier than dry bones.
Brothers brought that before pretty dry in it, a dry bone.
Israel right to the point where there's not even a smell from a decaying corpse, everything is just rotted away until there's a point where there's just nothing but but bones left, and dry ones at that.
But what is that in connection with the God of resurrection? Do you know this afternoon that resurrection is the greatest power that's known?
Our God, our precious Savior, the one who himself said I am the resurrection and the life. He is the one who holds.
That power?
Brethren, this is the one we're gathered to.
This is the one who's the head of the church.
This is the one who has called us to glory and virtue. This is the one who it says in Colossians, Christ is everything, Everything. And so we have to bring the question home to our own hearts. What?
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Is he?
To me.
What is he to me?
I speak to you, dear young people.
Some of you have not taken your place at his table.
What's holding you back?
Do you know it's an unspeakable privilege to be able to sit down in His presence and remember Him who not only went into death, but on that third day came out of that tomb triumphant? And as it tells us in Revelation 118, I am he that liveth and was dead. And behold, I am alive forevermore and had the keys of death and Hades of the departed state. It's all his. He has it all. In John chapter 10, it tells us very clearly, I am the resurrection and the life. He that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Then he makes the question right home to her heart. Martha, do you believe this?
She says yeah, Lord, I believe.
She gets tested later.
Comes to the tomb.
The Lord turns to him. He says take away the stone.
That's very interesting the statement there and the sister of her of him that was dead, not something that's like us and the sister of her of him who was dead said Lord, by this time he stinketh, he's been dead for four days. And then the Lord says, said I not unto thee, that if thou wouldst what believe, I should to see the glory of God resurrection.
Resurrection.
I want to finish with one final statement. Is this do you and I believe?
Do you? And I believe this afternoon that we're on the verge of the greatest event.
Since the coming of the Holy Spirit.
To baptize all believers into one body, by the way, and not only baptize the church into one body, but it's the Spirit of God is going to lead us out of this world home to the Father's house.
Up there to meet Christ in the air. Think of it.
The power of the Spirit of God. I mentioned that to a brother the other day. Is it an interesting?
That the dead and the living rising, changing instantaneously in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye at the last Trump. And I'll tell you something else that thrills my soul.
To think that all of the self will, all of what has been of man's arrangements, that's going to be swept away at the coming of Jesus.
One heart, one mind, 1 voice.
Blessed be his name, hast going to rise in a mighty crescendo to him, unto him that loves us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood.
Brethren.
We're getting closer.
Apostle John reminds us in his first epistle, the second chapter. I quote the first part of that verse. Little children.
It is the last time, it is the last hour is how it's read in the other translation. We're right there, we're right there. What a thrill it's going to be to see that ancient people brought back into blessing. What a thrill it's going to be to see Him given his rightful place. Every believer in this room longs for that day when Jesus alone is going to have his rightful place.
I trusted, so I just want to leave these few thoughts with us. May they encourage us. His side was opened and it will remain opened forever. Adams was opened and then it was reclosed.
In the lovely little pictures of the Spirit of God can give us, in the word of God, I commend these things to us, commend these things to us, but keep these things in mind. It'll make the remembrance of the Lord really sweet to us, won't it?
That side is opened.
And we're going to see the marks of that servitude forever. Blessed be his name, O May that love.
Grip our souls.
Neither realization of that love Anna, made us to a more fervent and a more arduous pursuit of those things that are pleasing to himself till he come.
Will you turn with me now, please, to Matthew, chapter 16?
Matthew, Chapter 16.
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And verse 18.
Lord Jesus speaking.
And I say also unto thee, that thou art Peter, and upon this rock.
I will build my church.
Gates of hell shall not prevail against it. The rock, of course, is not Peter, but that which Peter had just previously confessed. Thou art to Christ, the Son of the living God.
I will build my church. We've been speaking much about Israel, about the former dispensation, and the Lord Jesus here speaks of His church as yet future.
Because he was still dealing with the Jews.
He had not yet given them up. I will build my church.
So it was still future, just to fit that in with what we've been having before us. So much of the difference between the old dispensation and the present one. And now we've heard about that coming one. And I really enjoy thinking of how Israel is going to be blessed, how those bones will revive and the way back, and the Lord Jesus will have his true place as their king reigning over them.
But you know, he's not our King, He's our Lord. And I would really like to speak a little bit about the precious privilege that we have of being gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus.
If he shall hear thee, thou hast gain thy brother, But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.
And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church. But if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as a heathen man and a publican. Verily I say unto you, whatsoever ye shall bind on earth.
Shall be bound in heaven, and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth, shall be loosed in heaven.
Again I say unto you, that if two of you shall agree on earth, as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father, which is in heaven.
For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. Now, just prior to this portion, the Lord Jesus has spoken of humility, and He brought a little child as an example.
And subsequent to this portion that we have read, we have.
A portion on forgiveness and this fits in between.
Now a number of brothers and I, our last few stops and traveling about, have expressed the desire that young people and all of us really would hear what it is to be gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
I wonder if everyone of us took out a sheet of paper to write a one page essay on what it means to be gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, backed up with scripture. Could you do it?
You know, there it's a wonderful thing when a young person brought up on a Christian home, brought up on the assembly, asked for their place at the Lord's table.
And when they first break bread, I like to say to them, are you happy? And they're smiling, you know, they say, yes, I'm happy. Who's happier than you are? Oh, they say, the Lord. The Lord, That's true.
But many times I think we fail in presenting to them the responsibilities and what the assembly is and how we must respect it. And we don't have time to go through the scriptures. There's a number of portions that really cover it, but right here we have.
We have something that really we can think much about because it speaks about a a trespass. And I know someone will say that's a brotherly trespass.
One-on-one, but I believe it sets before us a principle of how to deal with things. If you can go to that person yourself that has caused some offense, said something that wasn't correct.
Well, I'd appreciate it if I say something that isn't according to Scripture. You come up to me and tell me. Don't go tell everybody else.
They can't help me. Come to me.
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And so this is the process.
And if I remember rightly, I heard I didn't hurt directly, but I heard someone remark of brother Eric Smith saying that anytime this process was used, he never never saw it go before the first step.
In other words.
It's so powerful just to go to a person and point out their mistake or failure, whatever it was. They never had to go beyond it. But if it does go that far, there's a there's a recourse. I just wanted to say that there is authority in the assembly.
And when you come down to verse 18.
It says, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven when someone asks for their place at the Lord's table.
Where there's a a responsibility to inquire.
In fact, this is I was thinking of a bunch of questions that would come up in connection with the Lord's Table. One would be young people, sometimes I believe, hold back from asking because they say, what kind of questions are they going to ask me?
Well, we don't have time to turn to scriptures, but one question would be, are you saved?
Do you know that you're saved? Because only those who are saved can remember the Lord as their Lord, the one who died for them.
That's the first responsibility.
Baptism is another, putting on the uniform, as it were.
And and then there is the question of.
What are you going on with in your life?
And so when someone shows up at the door and wants to remember the Lord.
We don't just receive them in, we don't know them.
And so there needs to be some questions asked. And Nehemiah had told us in the 7th chapter, the third verse.
They were not to open the gates until the sun was hot.
And when the sun is hot, you know it's bright. You can see there's nothing in the shadows.
And so there is that caution to be displayed.
That isn't in this particular passage here, but I think we'll just bring it up.
Someone said to me one time, if it's the Lord's Table and you don't invite anybody to come because it's the Lord's Table, then why do I have to ask you?
Well, that's a good question. Why does someone have to ask?
Well, over in First Corinthians 5 we have a case of evil in the assembly.
And I want to turn to that because it does bring out the 20th verse here gives us is the authority, where is the authority to meet together as we do?
So in First Corinthians 5.
And verse 4.
I believe this is the authority that the assembly has to function.
And the name of our Lord Jesus Christ when ye are gathered together.
And my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The power is in the assembly, the authority in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
It's not given to a few brothers.
Brothers have to maybe make an investigation to get that on the 15th of Acts. All these principles come out in various scriptures.
But the authority in the assembly is in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
When we're gathered together.
Well, there's binding and losing, and it's a very strong thing if it's bound in heaven or loosed in heaven.
And it can't be changed by man.
I think of an Old Testament example when the Gibeonites came to Joshua.
And Joshua and the elders of Israel made a decision. They didn't consult the Lord.
Didn't talk to the people. They made a decision.
And the name of the Lord.
And they loose them.
They were held to that. Israel was held to that. It was a poor decision. The Gibeonites were their neighbors. They were supposed to destroy them. They could not do it. They were not allowed to do it because they had sworn in the name of the Lord that they would not destroy them.
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I'm not sure the timing, but probably 500 years later.
500 years later, time didn't change this. King Saul in his false zeal tried to exterminate the Gibeonites and God sent a famine in the land, and David had to deal with that.
He did, He dealt with that, but I mention it because here was a bad decision, but it was made in the name of the Lord.
And it was bound in heaven and it was not going to be changed by anybody on earth.
Well, these are the responsibilities and the authorities of the Assembly.
That that we have in this chapter.
And I just should go on with that question that someone says, why do I have to ask you? Let's go back to First Corinthians 5.
Why does a person have to ask?
To have their place at the Lord's table.
Well, the authority is in the assembly, in the gather together in the name of the Lord Jesus.
And verse 12 of that chapter.
For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? Do not ye judge them that are within?
But them that are without God judges. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.
The man asked me that question. Why do I have to ask you if it's the Lord's Table?
I believe the Lord gave me the answer. I couldn't have come up with it myself, but this was the answer if we have to deal with evil within the assembly.
Should we let it in and then have to deal with it?
It must be kept out.
1St Corinthians 10 shows us that.
Those that partake of an altar are in fellowship, preparing communion with that altar and what we bring to that altar.
Is not an altar in our case, it's the table of the Lord. Because of the Lord, what we bring there affects the the honor of the Lord.
They were not to allow in anything that would dishonor the Lord an immoral life, bad doctrine, a bad association.
Because it speaks in this chapter of association. It says in verse 6.
Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? She turned to Galatians 5. You find the same statement made with doctrinal evil here. It's moral evil.
So association with the evil, it carries the evil with it, it leavens the whole law. So if we would allow somebody.
In our responsibility.
To break bread at the table of the Lord. That's going on with evil. We're defiled by it.
Not we only, but the name of the Lord is dishonored by it, and that's the important thing to see. I hope that we can all get a feel for that. It's not our honor, it's his. It's the honor of the Lord that's at stake.
Well, it names these things here, and in verse 11 it tells us how to deal with those that are.
Immoral.
And it says.
In the end of that verse 11 with such a one no not to eat.
Now some think that's hard, and I know that there are young people when one of their friends has to.
Be excommunicated because of evil in their life. They feel sorry for that person. They try to console them, try to make them feel comfortable.
I think if you read this carefully and you go over to the second epistle to the Corinthians, you find out that they must have held the line pretty well. They did not sympathize with this person. They made him feel his guilt and his sin, and he was restored.
If you want to see your friend restored, don't console them over there being disciplined.
That is an error that is not going to lead to their restoration. They need to feel it and unfortunately today.
There are many groups and you can just, if you're put out of the assembly, you can say, well, I'll go somewhere. Well they'll accept me.
But God only has one place. He only has one assembly. The Lord Jesus has a right.
To tell us where to meet and how to meet. And there are people, I've heard them say we're not told how to worship. We're told how to be saved. We are told how to be, how to worship. We have it in various scriptures which we don't have time to go into, but the Lord is in the midst of those who are gathered to his name. And if we can just remember that.
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That it says where two or three are gathered together, there am I in the midst of them. You know, it was pointed out one time about Elijah when he had to tell Ahab that there would be not rain or do in three years.
That he was told to go to a certain brook, and God said to him, I've commanded the Ravens to feed thee there.
There at that certain brook.
And if Elijah said that there are more trees, if there's other brackets, a nicer place, it's cooler, or something else, he wouldn't have been fed. He had to go where the Lord told him and there he was fed.
If you want to be with the Lord Jesus, since in the midst it must be as gathered to His name, there am I in the midst of them.
There am I.
Someone was just saying the other day.
If a person was cast up on a desert island.
And had a Bible and read it and got saved and if he read it further.
What would he find? He would find out that he should be gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus. He would just be under the name of the Lord Jesus.
Met a lady in the parking lot during the break and she said, is it some kind of a church convention in there? What is it? Jehovah's Witnesses? No 7th day Adventist? No, just simply Christians that meet in the name of the Lord. Oh, all the nominations? No, no denominations, no denomination, just the Lord, the name of the Lord Jesus. Oh good, she said. That's the way it should be.
Well, that's the way it should be and if we're honestly searching the scriptures.
We won't want to think that the Lord has set up a rivalry against himself. He is 1 as one way of salvation, one way to meet.
And I'm sorry there isn't time enough to go in more detail to some of these things, but I hope that if any of you do have questions about these things, why not ask your brother in your assembly or ask someone of us here? I'm speaking especially the young people. You may not understand these things. It's probably a great mystery to some of you what goes on and how an assembly operates.
But it's all recorded in the scripture. Those two portions we read you'll learn something from.
Acts 15.
And other other scriptures, but particularly these ones. We looked at 1St Corinthians 10.
I'll just recommend it. You look at those things yourself and.
Has been appealed to those who might not yet be saved to trust in the Lord Jesus. But I'd like to make an appeal to those of you who are saved. Have you taken your place at the Lord's Table in the simplicity of it, just to ask?
The Lord to show you the way.
To rest on him. He wants you to be there. He wants you. He wants you to be happy. We were hearing he wants us to be happy.
He wants us to be in that place where we can be happy and where we can learn. Oh, you say, Don't know very much.
No, you don't usually know very much until you take your place and you Start learning. Then that's where you learn.
So I just leave you with that little exhortation and trust that we have a desire, each one of us.
To understand these things and to appreciate why things are done the way they are. I don't mean to say we don't make mistakes and we aren't don't have the flesh. We do and we fumble.
But the principles is what we're talking about. We need to act on the principles of Scripture and then.
We have the blessing of the Lord. That's what we want.
Oh my.
Gathered unto His Name
Address—T. Roach
DISCLAIMER: The following has been auto-transcribed. We hope it will help you to find the section of this audio file you are looking for.
Will you turn with me now, please to Matthew chapter 16, Matthew chapter 16, and verse 18, Lord Jesus speaking.
And I say also unto thee, that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church. Gates of hell shall not prevail against it. The rock, of course, is not Peter, but that which Peter had just previously confessed. Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.
I will build my church. We've been speaking much about Israel, about the former dispensation, and the Lord Jesus here speaks of his church as yet future. Because he was still dealing with the Jews, He had not yet given them up.
I will build my church.
So it was still future just to fit that in with what we've been having before us so much.
Of the difference between the old dispensation and the present one. And now we've heard about that coming one. And I really enjoy thinking of how Israel is going to be blessed, how those bones will revive and they'll be back, and the Lord Jesus will have his true place as their king reigning over them.
But you know, he's not our king, he's our Lord, and I would really like to speak a little bit.
About the precious privilege that we have of being gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Let's go over to the 18th chapter and read a little bit there. There's so many scriptures, we won't have time to cover much of the subject that really is on my heart, but we'll read of Matthew 18.
Moreover, if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone. If he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established, and if he shall neglect to hear them.
Tell it unto the church. But if he neglect to hear the church.
Let him be unto thee as a heathen man and a publican. Verily I say unto you, whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
Again I say unto you, that if two of you shall agree on earth, as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father, which is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them. Now, just prior to this portion, the Lord Jesus has spoken of humility, and he brought a little child as an example.
And subsequent to this portion that we have read, we have.
A portion on forgiveness and this fits in between.
Now, a number of brothers in my in our last few stops and traveling about have expressed the desire that young people and all of us really would hear what it is to be gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. I wonder.
If everyone of us took out a sheet of paper to write a one page essay on what it means to be gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, backed up with scripture, could you do it? You know there it's a wonderful thing when a young person brought up in a Christian home, brought up in the assembly, asked for their place at the Lord's Table.
And when they first break bread, I like to say to them, are you happy? And they're smiling, you know, they say, yes, I'm happy. Who's happier than you are? Oh, they say, the Lord. The Lord, That's true.
But many times I think we fail in presenting to them the responsibilities and what the assembly is and how we must respect it. And we don't have time to go through the scripture. There's a number of portions that really cover it. But right here we have, we have something that really we can think much about because.
It speaks about a trespass and I know someone will say that's a brotherly trespass.
One-on-one, but I believe it sets before us a principle of how to deal with things.
If you can go to that person yourself, that has caused some offense, said something that wasn't correct.
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I'd appreciate it if I say something that isn't according to Scripture. You come up to me and tell me. Don't go tell everybody else.
They can't help me. Come to me.
And so this is the process.
And if I remember rightly, I heard I didn't hear it directly, but I heard someone remark of Brother Eric Smith saying that any time this process was used, he never, never saw it go before the first step.
In other words, it's so powerful just to go to a person and point out their mistake or failure, whatever it was, they never had to go beyond it. But if it does go that far, there's a there's a recourse. And I just wanted to say that there is authority in the assembly.
And when you come down to verse 18.
It says, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven.
And whatsoever he shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. When someone asks for their place at the Lord's table where there's a responsibility to inquire. In fact, this is I was thinking of a bunch of questions that would come up in connection with the Lord's table. One would be young people sometimes I believe, hold back from asking because they say what kind of questions are they going to ask me?
Well.
We don't have time to turn to scriptures, but one question would be, are you saved? Do you know that you're saved? Because only those who are saved can remember the Lord as their Lord, the one who died for them. That's the first responsibility.
Baptism is another, putting on the uniform, as it were.
And then there is the question of.
What are you going on with in your life? And so when someone shows up at the door and wants to remember the Lord, we don't just receive them in we don't know them.
And so there needs to be some questions asked. Nehemiah it tells us in the 7th chapter, the third verse.
They were not to open the gates until the sun was hot.
And when the sun is hot, you know it's bright. You can see there's nothing in the shadows.
And so there is that caution to be displayed.
It isn't in this particular passage here, but I think we'll just bring it up. Someone said to me one time, if it's the Lord's Table and you don't invite anybody to come because it's the Lord's Table, then why do I have to ask you?
Well, that's a good question. Why does someone have to ask? Well, over in First Corinthians 5, we have a case of evil and the assembly, and I want to turn to that because it does bring out the 20th verse here gives us is the authority. Where is the authority to meet together as we do so in First Corinthians 5 and verse 4?
I believe this is the authority that the assembly has.
To function.
And the name of our Lord Jesus Christ when you are gathered together.
And my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The power is in the assembly, the authority in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Not given to a few brothers.
Brothers have to maybe make an investigation to get that on the 15th of Acts. All these principles come out in various Scriptures, but the authority in the assembly is in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ when we're gathered together.
Well, there's binding and losing, and it's a very strong thing if it's bound in heaven or loosed in heaven.
And.
It can't be changed by man.
I think of an Old Testament example when the Gibeonites came to Joshua.
And Joshua and the elders of Israel made a decision. They didn't consult the Lord. They didn't talk to the people. They made a decision.
In the name of the Lord.
And they loosed them.
They were held to that. Israel was held to that. It was a poor decision. The Gibeonites were their neighbors. They were supposed to destroy them. They could not do it. They were not allowed to do it because they had sworn in the name of the Lord that they would not destroy them.
00:10:15
I'm not sure the timing, but it probably 500 years later. 500 years later. Time didn't change this. King Saul in his false zeal tried to exterminate the Gibeonites and God sent a famine in the land and David had to deal with that.
He did, He dealt with that, but I mention it because here was a bad decision, but it was made in the name of the Lord and it was bound in heaven and it was not going to be changed by anybody on earth.
Well, these are the responsibilities and the authorities of the Assembly that that we have in this chapter.
And I just should go on with that question that someone says, why do I have to ask you? Let's go back to First Corinthians 5.
Why does a person have to ask to have their place at the Lord's Table?
Well, the authority is in the assembly, in the gather together in the name of the Lord Jesus.
In verse 12 of that chapter.
For what have I to do to judge them also that are without?
Do not ye judge them that are within, but them that are without. God judges therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person. The man asked me that question. Why do I have to ask you if it's the Lords Table?
I believe the Lord gave me the answer. I couldn't have come up with it myself, but this was the answer if we have to deal with evil within the assembly.
Should we let it in and then have to deal with it?
It must be kept out. First Corinthians 10 shows us that.
Those that partake of an altar are in fellowship, preparing communion with that altar. And what we bring to that altar, it's not an altar in our case, it's the table of the Lord because of the Lord, what we bring there affects the the honor of the Lord. And we're not to allow in anything that would dishonor the Lord an immoral life. Bad doctrine.
A bad association?
Because it speaks in this chapter of association. It says in verse 6.
Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? She turned to Galatians 5. You find the same statement made with doctrinal evil here. It's moral evil.
So association with the evil, it carries the evil with it, it leavens the whole law. So if we would allow somebody.
In our responsibility to break bread at the table of the Lord, that's going on with evil. We're defiled by it.
Not we only, but the name of the Lord is dishonored by it, and that's the important thing to see. I hope that.
We can all get a feel for that. It's not our honor, it's his. It's the honor of the Lord that's at stake. Well, it names these things here and in verse 11 it tells us how to deal with those that are immoral. And it says in the end of that verse 11.
With such a one, no not to eat. Now some think that's hard.
And I know that there are young people when one of their friends has to be.
Excommunicated because of evil in their life. They feel sorry for that person. They try to console them, try to make them feel comfortable.
I think if you read this carefully and you go over to the second epistle to the Corinthians, you find out that they must have held the line pretty well. They did not sympathize with this person. They made him feel his guilt and his sin, and he was restored.
If you want to see your friend restored, don't console them over there being disciplined.
That is an error that that is not going to lead to the restoration. They need to feel it and unfortunately today.
There are many groups and you can just, if you're put out of the assembly, you can say, well, I'll go somewhere. Well, they'll accept me. But God only has one place. He only has one assembly. The Lord Jesus has a right to tell us where to meet and how to meet. And there are people, I've heard them say we're not told how to worship, we're told how to be saved.
00:15:20
We are told how to be work, how to worship. We have it in various scriptures which we don't have time to go into, but the Lord is in the midst of those who are gathered to His name, and if we can just remember that.
And it says where two or three are gathered together, there am I in the midst of them. You know, it was pointed out one time about Elijah when he had to tell Ahab that there would be not rain or dew in three years of that he was told to go to a certain brook.
And God said to him, I have commanded the Ravens to feed thee there.
There that certain bro.
And if Elijah said, But there are more trees, if there's other brook, it's a nicer place, it's cooler or something else?
He wouldn't have been fed. He had to go where the Lord told him, and there he was fed.
If you want to be with the Lord, Jesus is in the midst. It must be as gathered to His name.
There am I in the midst of them.
There am I someone was just saying the other day.
If a person was cast up on a desert island.
And had a Bible and read it and got saved. And if you read it further, what would he find? He would find out that he should be gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus. He just be under the name of the Lord Jesus.
Met a lady in the parking lot during the break and she said, is it some kind of a church convention in there? What is it? Jehovah's Witnesses? No 7th day Adventists, No, just simply Christians that made in the name of the Lord. Oh, all denominations. No, no denominations, no denomination, just the Lord, the name of the Lord Jesus. Oh God, she said that's the way it should be. Well, that's the way it should be. And if we're honestly searching the scriptures.
We won't want to think that the Lord has set up a rivalry against Himself. He is one as one way of salvation, one way to meet. And I'm sorry there isn't time enough to go in more detail to some of these things. But I hope that if any of you do have questions about these things, why not ask some brother in your assembly or ask someone of us here?
I'm speaking especially of the young people. You may not understand these things. It's probably a great mystery to some of you what goes on and how an assembly operates.
But it's all recorded in the scripture. Those two portions we read you'll learn something from.
Acts 15.
And other other scriptures, but particularly these ones we looked at 1St Corinthians 10. I'll just recommend it. You look at those things yourself and.
Has been appealed to those who might not yet be saved to trust in the Lord Jesus. But I'd like to make an appeal to those of you who are saved. Have you taken your place, the Lord's Table, in the simplicity of it, just to ask?
The Lord to show you the way, to rest on Him. He wants you to be there. He wants you. He wants you to be happy. We were hearing He wants us to be happy. He wants us to be in that place where we can be happy and where we can learn. Oh, you say, don't know very much.
No, you don't usually know very much until you take your place and you Start learning. Then that's where you learn.
So I just leave you with that little exhortation and trust that we have a desire, each one of us, to understand these things and to appreciate why things are done the way they are. I don't mean to say we don't make mistakes and we aren't don't have the flesh we do and we fumble, but the principles is what we're talking about. We need to act on the principles of Scripture and then we have the blessing of the Lord. That's what we want.
Hold and Keep
Address—C. Little
DISCLAIMER: The following has been auto-transcribed. We hope it will help you to find the section of this audio file you are looking for.
The return, please to Second Timothy.
2nd Epistle to Timothy.
I have a few thoughts on my heart.
Concerning the care that we should have as to this precious book that we have before us and in our hands, as we've been reminded.
Just notice first.
Timothy.
Or a second, I'm sorry, Second Timothy is what I want to get Second Timothy.
Chapter One.
And beginning at verse 13.
Hold fast the form of sound words.
Just as we've been reminded, holding fast the form of sound words.
But we want to see in this epistle, which is Paul's last epistle, that this is not always so.
And all beloved, if there's anyone here.
That is, any thought of turning aside.
Or neglecting the word of God.
I appeal to you.
Don't do it.
It's only a downward course.
Two Timothy one verse 14, verse 13. Hold fast the form of sound words which thou has heard of me in faith and love, which is in Christ Jesus.
Could we have anything more glorious than that, more blessed than that, this truth?
Hold fast the form of sound words, or the outline that God has given you and given me. What a responsibility we have. Then he says, That good thing which was committed unto thee. Keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in US.
Well, these are wonderful exhortations. Beautiful exhortations.
Hold it fast.
And keep it.
In the joy of the Lord.
But I want to call attention to the next.
Verse here, and we'll find there's three sets of two here.
Very interesting things because we see.
If one as we have in a book, it's Mother Micah. If 2.
Of agree shall on earth, if two of you shall agree. And we find that these are in in in sets of twos. So in in the second epistle of Timothy we find three sets of twos.
And I've been, I meditated on this much and I think it's a very, very important thing for us to see.
What happens here? I just want to read verse 15 now. He had just been enjoining them to keep that form of sound words and to hold it fast. But what happens?
This thou knowest that all they which are in Asia be turned away from me.
And now he names two of them.
Does God know your name? Does he know what your desires are? Is there anyone in this audience that has ever even thought of departing or turning away from the truth of God? I appeal to you according to the word of God. You know it's only a downward course, and we want to see that.
Of whom is FAI jealous and homogeneous?
Now I know there are different.
Names that are put differently whether it's Greek or.
Or Roman or or Hebrew, whatever. But I just want to point this out.
Phi Jealous.
Is little fugitive. That's one meaning of it. Little fugitive.
Why? He turned away from the truth of God and became, as it were, a fugitive. You know, every child of God here. We're not fugitives.
Where pilgrims on our way home, we're not Wanderers.
But here was fie jealous who was.
A little fugitive.
But notice what happens. He finds company.
And dear young people, you know if you get away from the Lord, you may find company too. But remember, it will only be a downward course as we want to look at.
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So then he finds homogeny.
And I understand now this is 1 interpretation, 1 meaning of it means.
Lucky.
Lucky.
It's in connection is connected with Lucky.
Which has nothing to do with our pathway at all. Nothing.
But here was a Phi, jealous and homogeneous, and he joined company together.
But it says.
It says that they.
They turned away from the dear Apostle Paul. Now this doesn't mean they were lost, doesn't mean that I've mentioned this, the different ones. And he said, well, you mean where the law doesn't say that it says they turned away from the Apostle Paul.
Paul's ministry is that which has been given to us, the truth of the Church of God.
And if man turns away from that, then he's only on a course that leads downward.
So again, I'm not going to take a lot of time here, but I just wanted to point out these things that I've thought of myself and meditated upon. So we find here if I jealous and homogeneous and you know what this brings before us, our feet are going in the wrong direction.
Our feet.
And we have to be careful on that, don't we? Of course, as we look at these, we'll say, well, he brings in the thought of their feet going astray, but then drop over to verse to the next chapter.
And we verse 15.
Study to show thyself approved unto God, a Workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
What a responsibility, it says. Study.
Study. That doesn't mean a cursory reading of the Bible. It means to sit down, meditate, study the word of God and you'll profit by it. There's a profit in it. But what happened here?
Study to show thyself approved unto God, a Workman that needeth not to be ashamed.
Rightly dividing the word of truth, but shunned profane and vain babblings.
For they will increase into more ungodliness.
So now we have two more.
Now we don't know whether they're connected or not, but they're connected in this way that it's a downward course that God is marking out here in this very last epistle that Paul wrote.
Solemn truth that he wrote here.
It's the last epistle he wrote, and so he's warning, sounding the warnings.
And yet, at this late date, there are those that will turn away and follow their own path.
Well, I believe here what we have is a very subtle thing.
Now I understand that harmonious is.
A wedding song.
And also.
Papalitis is.
Beloved, you know this is the most deceptive thing.
I know and you too. You have to talk to those that have been turned away from the truth of God.
And they go out and they go down, and they meet up with others.
And I meet them and I speak to them and say, well, how are you doing? Oh, we're so happy where we are.
Wonderful now.
Are they happy?
They turned away from the truth of God, as it says here.
Their their word, their word will eat as dothe canker.
Looks so loving and so care and so wonderful or so much love there.
Have you heard that? I've heard it many times.
But that's not true, because we see here these ones, as it says.
What was the thing that they turned away from? What was it that they were teaching in their love? They were teaching a truth that is the most precious, glorious truth in all the Word of God, as it says here. Who concerning the truth of verse 18 concerning the truth have earned, saying that the resurrection is passed already?
And overthrow the faith of some. Now, we're not going on to the rest of these verses, but just to point that out.
Here they were.
Concerning the truth.
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Have heard saying the resurrection is passed. You know, there's something about that.
The resurrection is the most attested truth in all the word of God. And here was this little.
Couple who were going on in a very loving spirit, but they were teaching.
False doctrine.
Turning people away from the resurrection.
And you know, if you and I are turned away from that, you know what the path is. We're going to do what we please now.
Because if there's no resurrection, we find that in the 15th of First Corinthians.
No resurrection might as well do what you like, do what you please. So we see the subtlety of this turning away and saying that it didn't say there was no resurrection, but they're saying that the resurrection that was passed, that's that's all gone. Well, that is not the truth either, because we're waiting for that very moment when the Lord Jesus is coming to take us home to glory. And that will be a part of the resurrection.
The dead are going to be raised 1St and we're going to be caught up together with them.
To meet the Lord in the air. And what a precious truth this is, and we enjoy it to the full.
But here they were teaching this kind of thing, so I believe here we see.
That their heads were wrong.
Their feet were wrong and turning away and now we see this couple brought before us and they're teaching something that's false or in error and their heads are wrong.
Is that not true, that when we leave the divine center, what we turn away, if our feet take us away, there's only one way and that's the downward path, downward path. So we have to be very careful on this. Then it says here again, as I say, I'm not giving an expose on Second Timothy, that's not it, but just these thoughts concerning the turning away, their feet turn away.
And now their heads are wrong, and their feet are wrong and their heads are wrong.
Then go over to the third chapter, we find again another set of two.
The third chapter.
Now we find something else, as it says here. I'll just go back a few verses.
Verse 5 having a form of godliness.
But denying the power thereof from such.
Turn away, for of this sort are they which creep into houses and lead captive silly women laden with sins.
LED away with divers lusts.
Ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. You see what the path?
Of departure turns into.
Ever learning and never able to come until the knowledge of the truth. Oh, they're wondering. This is wonderful where we are. There's lots of love there.
Well, it's a downward path because they have left the divine center. And if there's anyone in this audience today does ever had that thought, dismiss it because it's only downward. It's not going to be an upward path, I assure you.
So here were those, it says, ever learning, never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. Now, as Jannies and Jane Breeze, we have two more.
Three sets of two, and it's always downward. Always downward.
As it says here.
Jenny's.
Is.
Vexed or confused?
This is what it is. These are the prophets. These are the the ones in the book of Exodus that were tricking the people. Now they've got another, they've got something else going. Jenny's.
Beloved.
Or be set, be beaten. They were, they were beset. Or what's the word?
But anyway, they were they were confused.
And then the other one says the other one. The other name is Foamy.
For me, a for me healer, you know, now God is going to come in, they're going to do a great work, but what was the work that they did?
Imitation. What do we have around us? Imitations.
Imitation.
I don't want to talk about about those that left, but just to say this.
00:15:03
That when we leave the teachings of the Word of God, if we leave the Apostle Paul's doctrine.
You're going to get into imitations, and that's exactly what Jenny's and Jamborees did.
Imitations.
So do these also resist the truth? Men of corrupt minds we find here, their hearts were wrong, their feet were wrong, their heads were wrong, their hearts were wrong. When we turn away, turn our back upon the word of God.
So we see that, as I say, it's not a an expose of Second Timothy, but it's just those thoughts of these sects that God has brought marked out for us that we might learn from this, that we might as we go on in the word of God, just as I think of any departure, these verses come to me. I think of these different, different ones. God wants me to go on in the path of truth and the doctrine, Paul's doctrine that he's brought before us.
All these years, but so here we find.
Feet wrong, hearts long, heads wrong. And just to drop over to verse.
To chapter four we find also.
Verse four And they shall turn away their ears from the truth. Ears are wrong now.
But you know, God has given us. I meditate upon this and I thought, why does he tell us the feet first?
Usually the ear is the picks up the sound and the heart it's lodges in the heart.
And then we go wrong.
But you know, I believe that God has given us a picture of what we can see. That is, we see the man leaving, we see his feet first. We don't know what's in his heart, but God does. So He's brought that out for us. And I think this is very, very precious. But in closing, I just want to turn over to the 4th chapter and drop down a little bit to show you two more.
And here we find dear, dear Apostle Paul.
Well, we could read a lot of verses here, but we're not going to do it.
Paul speaks about fourteenth verse. Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil.
The Lord reward him according to His works, Of whom be thou where also for He hath greatly withstood our words.
Alex that Alexander the coppersmith.
Notwithstanding no, and at my first answer, no man stood with me.
They had said, Paul has said they all forsook him in Flint, but there was one who stood with Paul.
Notice verse 11. Only Luke is with me. Isn't that lovely? So here again are two. But here's the dear Apostle Paul, and Luke stands with him. But then there's something else too. Notice.
It says at my first sixteen, at my first answer, no man stood with me, but all, all forsook me. And and I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge. The apostle wasn't going to have the God lay any charge upon them at all. He's pray for them. And then it says, notwithstanding the Lord stood by me and strengthen me.
That by me the preaching might be fully known, that all the Gentiles might hear.
And I was delivered out of the mouth of a lion. Isn't that beautiful to me? I just thought of it. The digression here. Feet wrong. Heads wrong, Hearts wrong, ears wrong.
Why has God told us this? To exercise each one of us.
So we need to be reminded of this, we need to be exercised as we pick up this precious book. It's the light for our feet, for our pathway.
And it lightens our pathway too. So we need, as our brother **** has already said, we need to cleave to the Word of God with purpose of heart. But how lovely it is to see here was Paul who could say, only Luke is with me, dear Luke was with him.
But then, notwithstanding verse 17, the Lord stood with me. What a beautiful thing.
Is it your diary to go on for the Lord? If it's your desire, the Lord will stand with you.
Regardless of all the evil that's going on, regardless of all the MIS failures and the false steps.
And the downward trend that we see all around us.
Well, I just submit these thoughts.
In much feebleness, but just to think that here Paul marks this out in the end of this of his pistol. Their feet were wrong, their heads were wrong, their hearts were wrong, their ears were wrong, but God was still over, still cares for those who have a real desire to please God. May it be so with each one of us.
Gospel
Gospel—A. Coleman
DISCLAIMER: The following has been auto-transcribed. We hope it will help you to find the section of this audio file you are looking for.
Second Chronicles chapter 36, the verse 15. And the Lord God of their Father sent unto them by his messengers.
Rising up the times and sending because he had compassion on his people.
And on his dwelling face. But they marked the messengers of gods. And despise his words. And misused his prophets. Till the wrath of the Lord rose against his people, till there was no remedy. Jeremiah chapter.
22 Jeremiah chapter 22 Listen to these words. They're from the heart of God. Verse 29 Oh earth, earth, earth.
Here the word of the Lord. Oh, earth, earth, earth. Here the word of the Lord, Second Peter, chapter 3.
Verse 9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness.
But his long-suffering to us words, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
Thinking of that verse in Ezekiel 33.
I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked would turn from his evil way and live. Turn ye, turn ye, for why would he die? God does not want to send a person to hell.
He doesn't want you to die in your sins. He's lengthened out the day of grace to this very day, this very night, so that you could come here tonight and hear this wonderful news of salvation, the gospel, what news that we have, you know, everywhere tonight.
You don't have good news, do you? In the newspapers and the radio and everywhere and any communication is all bad news. But you know, this is the most wonderful news, isn't it? It's here in a precious word of God.
How wonderful it is that we can proclaim this wonderful gospel. Do you know this? The author of this wonderful book here that we have opened before us? Dear ones, tonight, young ones here, I see a lot of young ones sitting in the front row. I ask you this one thing. Have you accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as your own personal Savior? Have you done so? You know, don't wait for another moment.
Another day, you know this person here waited until he was a young man before he came to Christ and those were wasted years. But the time to come is is now. He says, behold, now is the accepted time. Behold, now is the day of salvation. He says, remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, and so the time to come to Christ.
Is right now tonight. You may not have another opportunity tomorrow.
To accept Christ, this gospel meeting might not go forth tomorrow. And you know, there are many that have scoffed at that. And you've said that many, many times before in the gospel meeting. But yes, we're going to say it again. This may be your last opportunity to accept Christ as your Savior. And so the Lord Jesus, his arms are outstretched to you tonight. He's saying to you, come unto me.
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All he that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest. The heart of the Savior is longing to save you tonight.
If you're still in your sins, Oh dear 1 won't you come? He loves you, loves you with an everlasting love, That love that led him to go to Calvary's cross for you. Think of that. Think of that love that held him there. And I crossed, not the nails.
But love for you, how wonderful that is. You know, I want to tell you a little bit about.
A little incident that happened to us this summer, and I've told this a few times, you know, on our way home from the Maritimes this summer, we stopped at.
Nepean for a weekend and through the kindness of our brethren there, they took us for our little boat tour.
And we were taken on this thousand island tour all over the Saint Lawrence and it was beautiful and we really enjoyed it. And I thought all the good scenery was out West, but boy this was beautiful.
But you know, in the middle of the tour, we docked at a place called Bolts Castle. And there in the middle of this island, there was this huge castle.
And it was awesome to see it. I don't know how many rooms there was. I think it was over 100 rooms in this castle. And we went through this castle for about an hour or so, discovering every room and that. And the story goes like this, that there was this man by the name of Bolt. He was a railroad man and he had all kinds of money. But, you know, he had a wife and he loved that wife. He loved her very, very much. And, you know, all over.
This castle you'll see on every door and every window, you'll see hearts all over this castle. It was just to show his love for her. He, he built this beautiful castle for, for his wife and because he loved her. But you know, something happened halfway through the building of that castle, his wife died.
Ah yes, ah yes, it is appointed unto man once to die.
Where will you be after you die? Well, you know, he stopped the construction of that castle and there it remained for how many years? And of course, they're restoring it now, that castle. But, you know, think of this. The Lord Jesus Christ loves you, loves you even more than Mr. Bolt does. Yes, he does. That love that led him to go to.
Trust for you. And then it says in John 14 in my father's house, or many mansions. But were not so, I would have told you, I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself, that where I am, there He may be also.
There's a mansion in heaven for you. For you.
If you'll have that blessed one as Lord and Savior of your life, he loves you more than Mr. Bolt does. He loves you. And you know another wonderful thing about those mansions in heaven?
It's not like Mr. Bolts Castle. It's all completed. It's already all things are ready. Come, come. And so the invitation tonight is for you.
Come, come, and just as you are, just as I am, without one plea, but that thy blood was shed for me. Oh, may it be the thought of everyone here. And tonight, oh Lamb of God, I come. Will you respond to that love that He has for you. What a Savior, what a blessed one to proclaim tonight, the Savior of sinners you know.
There, there was a, there was a young lad.
Bears relating you know, over again. It was a young lad in Princeton, ME this this summer and he really touched my heart. You know that lad. I believe that really and truly that lad confessed the Lord as his savior. He was just a lad of about 8 years old from a from an Indian village near Princeton and.
We were talking to that lad afterwards and he was they were talking about the sufferings of the Lord Jesus on Calvary's cross.
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And he came out with this remark, did it? Did it hurt the Lord to when they banged those nails in his hands and in his feet? Yes, dear one, it did the most excruciating pain that you could ever think of when they nailed those nails into the Lord Jesus. But it said he never.
Spoke a word.
He has LED as a lamb to the slaughter and as a sheep before her. Shears is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.
Nailed to Calvary's cross, man and his wicked heart kneeled the blessed Lord Jesus up in Calvary's trust. But oh, think of that. The very spear that pierced his side drew forth the blood to save. And all tonight we can proclaim this that the blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son, cleanseth us from.
All sin did you know, dear? 1:00 tonight.
Littlest one here, oldest one here. You've sinned against the holy God. Those sins need to be washed away. Have you ever asked the Lord Jesus to wash your sins away? May you do so to night before it's forever too late. Judgment is coming upon this world.
As sure as I stand here, we have the authority of the precious Word of God.
And I believe that that judgment is coming very, very soon, very soon. If the Lord Jesus were to come tonight, would you be left behind in your seat?
It would be forever too late. You would never hear the gospel again. You'd never hear this wonderful news of salvation.
Oh dear one, we urge you tonight, if you're still lost and in your sin, that you would come and confess the Lord Jesus Christ as your own personal Savior.
You know this precious word of God is able to save.
The vilest of sinners. You know we had a brother in Newfoundland.
Got a hold of the precious word of God and he read it. He read it and he got saved. He read it and he got saved. This is the precious word of God. You know, my wife and I were visiting a man.
And I was warned before by my wife that this man cursed. He's 85 years old, he walks with a cane. His wife had died. And we went over to see him and.
That man told me, he said, you know, I'm an atheist, I don't believe in God, I'm an atheist, I don't believe in God. And we were going through some of his effects.
He brought out a box of books and down in the bottom of the book at the bottom of the box was a Bible. Oh, Bible, about like that.
And I picked out that Bible and I opened a cover and the date was 19/08. It was given to his wife. And he says, oh, he says, you know, I got a Bible too, but I think it's down in the locker. What's it doing down there? You know, those are wonderful words of life.
You know, here's a wasted life, 85 years old.
And how long has he got in this world? His health is bad. How long has he got?
Dear friend tonight, how long have you got?
Oh, what a wonderful savior that we can proclaim tonight. I like to turn to the 8th chapter of Jeremiah. Jeremiah chapter 8, verse 19 towards the end.
Why have they provoked me to anger?
With their grieving images and with strange vanities. The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved. For the hurt of the daughter, of my people and my hurt. I am black. Astonishment had taken hold on me. Is there no bomb in Gilead? Is there no physician there?
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Why then, is the health of the daughter of my people?
Cover recovered.
Service is passed, the summers ended and you're not saved. Is this your case tonight friend?
The harvest is past, the summer has ended and we are not saved. Can this be really yourself?
Ask yourself tonight, am I saved? Do I know the Lord Jesus Christ as my own personal Savior?
The harvest is past, the summer's ended, and we are not saved. You know what's happened in the last day? Yesterday we had Thanksgiving Day.
Man yesterday was reveling in the thought that he had received.
A bountiful harvest.
All over North America, your Thanksgiving is later than ours.
A harvest has passed, you know, and as we were coming across the United States by plane, you look down there and all the fields, they're all finished. They're all finished. The harvest is past, the summers ended.
And man was celebrating yesterday all the goodness of God, the sunshine, the rain, everything that came down, that watered his crops or his fruit trees or everything or whatever the case may be. And all this came from a God.
That delights to bless. And yet here we are, Thanksgiving Day. And who are they giving thanks to? The God of heaven? Or was it just all my own labor that I got all this? You see, there was that man, he says I sold out as much goods laid up for many years. Take thy knees, eat, drink and be married.
But what did the Lord say?
Thou fool, this night shall a soul be required. Thee, then who shall these things be? Oh, think of it well, the the goodness of God, of the bountiful harvest in which we've had a.
What a wonderful God that God is. Blessed man richly, hasn't he?
This year He's blessed man richly and has been given God the glory for it. Thanksgiving Day.
The harvest is past, this summer is ended and we are not saved. Let God out of their life.
You know, it says in verse 19, why have they provoked me to anger?
With their grieving images and with their strange vanities.
Oh, idolatry everywhere, Departure from God, departure from the truth. Everything given up. I believe that, dear one. Tonight this world is going on to apostasy. What a solemn, sad world which we're passing through. I could stand here tonight.
For an hour and so or so to tell you about the awful condition of this world, what a world it is. You know, I've been down to the Skid Row of Vancouver, the most, the worst, awfulest place that you could find in the Pacific Coast.
Where people are there shooting up cocaine right on the side of the road.
An awful place. You just got to keep moving because I just, you just don't want to get it tied up into it. What a place.
Derelicts on the side of the road. You see, they followed the God of this world. You know, that's what the God of this world does. You follow me and I'll lead you right to the door of hell. And you know many of them are like that. You know, they've been left to die.
You know some someday some days that when the welfare checks come out it's been said that they're popping off left and right of drug overdoses left and right because they followed the God of this world what a world we're living in what a world we're living in but all thank God that God saved this person.
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Right here.
The very worst that you could think of, He saved me and he can save you. This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. But a Savior. Do you know this wonderful Savior? He died on Calvary cross for you. He shed his precious blood for you and he loves you and he wants to save you and he wants to take you to that wonderful.
That He is prepared for you in heaven to be with Him for all eternity. Oh, think of it, dear one. Tonight, if the Lord Jesus were to come, we'd go to be with Him in the glory. Oh, what a moment that is just before us. We're going to see His blessed face, that face that was once so marred more than any man, the Lord Jesus Christ, we're going to see Him. What a wonderful moment. And I believe that.
Not very far off. No, it's not. Maybe this very night we'll see that blessed 10. Surely we can cry out tonight. Even so, come Lord Jesus.
The harvest is passed, the summer has ended and we are not saved. For the herd of the daughter of my people. Am I hurt? I am black. Astonishment have taken hold on me. Oh, think of this world.
Well, it says in Isaiah, it says in all their affliction he was afflicted, you know.
Over and over again in this last year or so, I've been struck by the amount of storms that have happened in this world.
Strange. Different.
You know, is God speaking to this world?
God is in his long-suffering mercy lingering over this world, and I believe that many of those storms were allowed of God so that men would realize that He has to do with God.
That he is a Sinner and that he needs a savior. What about this last storm, Hurricane Mitch? Sick of the devastation? They said it was the granddaddy of all storms.
That happened down there. God is speaking to this world.
And dear one, God is speaking to you. Are you listening? Are you listening? Is there no bomb in Gilead? Is there no bomb in Gilead? You know Gilead was noted for a healing bomb.
Noted for a healing bomb. You know, if you have a cut or a bruise, you put an ointment on it, don't you? And it soothes it. And Gilead was noted for that. And then he says, is there no bomb in Gilead?
Is there no physician there? You know the bomb for this world?
The healing balm for this world is Christ.
Is Christ, you know it says in Song of Solomon chapter one, his name is as ointment toward forth the name of Jesus. Neither is there salvation in any other, for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved Jesus the Savior of this world, for thou shalt call his name Jesus.
For He shall save his people from their sins. He can save you, dear one, tonight if you'll come in simple faith and confess Him as Lord and Savior. Won't you do that tonight? He's longing for you to come. He wants you to come. God and His long-suffering mercy has His arms outstretched to you. He doesn't want you to die in your sins.
No, his heart of love is lingering for you all. Think of it, how wonderful it is that.
God in his long-suffering mercy has lengthened up the day of grace for another week so that this gospel meeting could go forth so that you could hear this gospel. How wonderful that is. You know, I often relate this, that in our home in Newfoundland where we used to live.
There were some, so many children that we were privileged to bring the gospel to, but then there was some, some nights, then the children came into the into our basement to hear the word of God. And sometimes we'd only see one child for only one, and we never see them again. Their parents would drop them off and they'd only come for a night and we wouldn't see them again. And you know, that really impressed me.
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Because that was only the one opportunity I had to tell Him about the Lord Jesus Christ, the Savior of sinners.
Oh, this may be your last opportunity to hear the gospel. The Lord Jesus were to come tonight. It would be forever too late. What a sad thing. What a tragic thing as that man 85 years old think of it. What a tragedy to live for 85 years without Christ. Without Christ, What a tragedy. And then what is the prospect for that man?
To face.
An eternity in a lake of fire. Solemn, isn't it? Does God want to send you there? No. A God of love. A God of long-suffering, patience and mercy. He wants you to come again. Nice. I I.
Quote that verse he say unto you, Come unto me, all ye that labor, and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Don't want a savior? What a savior.
Turn to a well known verse that I love to quote in a gospel meeting. John 7.
John 7 verse 37 In that last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture has said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. Look at this.
Here it was, you know, in this day, I believe.
That in this chapter we find that the Jews were celebrating the Feast of Tabernacles, not in accordance to as it was put down in Leviticus 23, but they were just feasting, having a good time. And then they had a picture of this world tonight. Man is feasting, man is having a good time. Here it is Thanksgiving Day again, and we're having a good time and we're so thankful.
Everything that we've got but leaving God out of their lives. And such was the case here.
And along comes the Lord, and there the Lord stands there, and the, the heart of the Lord here, oh, this is precious, the heart of the Lord crying out. It's the last day. Think of that, the last day of the feast.
You know this might be the last gospel meeting.
The last gospel meeting, the last opportunity to accept Christ as your Savior. Dear little boy, little girl here tonight sitting beside your mother and father. Are you saved? Are you saved? Do you know the Lord Jesus as your own personal Savior?
If there is there an older one here tonight are still lost and in their sin. Are you saved? You can come tonight and be saved. You can say you can be saved right in your seat. You know there was a little girl in Thomaston, New Brunswick that was saved right in her seat this summer.
Ask the Lord to savor. You know it's simple. It only says a simple thing.
Believe and live that last day, that great day of the feast in that soul. Today is a great day of the feast. That's it. Tonight man is feasting, but without any thought of God or any thought of God.
And then the Lord stands and he says, if any man thirst, oh, you know, I believe there are many thirsty people in this world tonight, still in their sins, still lost. They're thirsty. And you know, there's only one that can quench your thirst. It's the Lord Jesus Christ. He satisfieth the longing soul and filleth the hungry soul with fatness. What a savior do you know this wonderful person?
The Lord Jesus.
That last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried. Think of that. He cried. He cried.
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Think of the heart of the Lord that day as he stood there where all those people were feasting, and he stands there, and he cries.
If any man thirst, let him come to me. Come to me, you know.
It's not coming to a gospel meeting.
Hello, that's so wonderful that you're here tonight and we're thank you, thankful for your that you are here. But you know, it's coming to Christ, a person, a person, the Lord Jesus Christ. Oh, you know, there are many that think that I have to do something or or something like that. You know, a man that we talked to.
A couple of weeks ago, you know, he says. That was a nice, simple message that you had tonight.
And then he went on about the 10 commandments and things like that, you know, no.
Not by works of righteousness, which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us. A.
You can't do anything to merit your salvation, for by grace are you saved through faith, and that not of yourselves. It is a gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast. No, I know that when I was a young lad I LED a very bad life, and sometimes I knew that the Lord spoke to me.
And I tried to mend my ways. I tried to do a little better.
I tried to stop this habit or tried to stop that habit, you know, finally I had to realize that I was a lost, lost Sinner without any hope, without God in the world. And I asked came to the Lord Jesus in the simple faith, Lord, save me, save me. You know the Lord saved me as a young man.
Wonderful, isn't it? But you know, I got to say this, that those years.
That I was without Christ, were wasted years, wasted years. The time to come to the Lord Jesus is tonight. Tonight.
Tomorrow, maybe too late.
Oh dear one tonight, the songwriter says. Decide for Christ tonight.
And God's salvation, see, yield heart and soul to him who died for thee. I didn't quote that right and all, but won't you come tonight?
God is long-suffering and not willing that you should perish. He doesn't want you to die in your sins. If you reject the Lord Jesus Christ, you've got nobody to blame but yourself. Nobody to blame but yourself. But all think about, dear one. Tonight I want to point you to the Lord Jesus Christ who 2000 years ago hung upon that.
For you in love to you.
Thy blessed One, who in those three hours of darkness, as the apostle Peter could say, who himself bore our sins in his own body in the tree, and oh, I thank God that he bore my sins there. And Calvary crossed, and all I can say tonight is Hallelujah. What a savior, what a savior? Is he your Savior? Do you know this, blessed One?
Do you know this one? Do you know the author of this book, this wonderful book that we have opened before us?
Is this your constant companion, this precious book? Young man, young girl, tonight read this blessed book.
It is our wonderful words of life.
Will diversity in Jeremiah 3, verse five? I think it is. Wilt thou not from this time try unto me, my father, Thou art the guy of my youth. There's a verse for young man, a young boy here tonight.
My father, Is he your father? Can you look up to him tonight and say he's my father? Oh, yes. Through sovereign grace I can do that. I can say he's my father. But is he your father? That's relationship. And then it says thou art the guide of my youth. Oh, he wants to guide you. He wants to guide you all the way home to the father's house.
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What a savior.
Do you know this blessed One? Do you know the Lord Jesus Christ as your own personal Savior? If you don't want you accept them tonight before it's forever too late. God is long-suffering and not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. He said to you, Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Oh, won't you come? He's pleading for you to come tonight.
One tonight come as a guilty lost Sinner. You think of the prodigal son. When he came to his father, he said, Father, I have sinned against heaven and in thy sight, and I'm no more worthy be called thy son. You think of the father that he wrapped his arms around his son and he kissed him.
And he and he said, bring forth the best robe, and put on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet, and they began to be married. Oh, think of it for all eternity rejoicing in heaven.
It's just before us, dear one. Tonight, just before us, the Lord Jesus is coming. Maybe this very night we'll see him face to face.
Holding Fast the Word
Address—C. Hendricks
DISCLAIMER: The following has been auto-transcribed. We hope it will help you to find the section of this audio file you are looking for.
Psalm 19.
We had in Romans 1.
The two because is the first was.
Why the wrath of God was revealed?
Because God had given a testimony in creation.
And then through his word, and we have those two things in this Psalm.
Psalm 19 The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament showeth his handiwork.
Day on today uttereth speech, and night unto night showeth knowledge. There is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard. Their line has gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them hath He said a Tabernacle for the Son.
Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber and rejoiceth as a strongman to run a race.
Is going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it, and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof. There you have.
Beautiful verses the testimony of the heavens.
The sun in its circuit and its rising, we can depend upon it every day and setting at the same place. And then at the end of the chapter, verse 7, the law of the Lord is perfect.
The word law is used in the Old Testament as it is here many times just for the word of God.
And that's the way it is here. The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul.
The testimony of the Lord is sure making wise the simple.
As we read this, it's it reminds us of the 119th Psalm where you have all of these words used to describe the word of God. First it's the law of the Lord, then it's the testimony of the Lord, then it's in verse 8, the statutes of the Lord.
Are right rejoicing the heart and then in verse eight again the commandment of the Lord is pure enlightening the eyes.
Verse 9 the fear of the Lord is the is clean, enduring forever. The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. All of these descriptions of the the testimony that God has given to us the word of God we are indeed.
A rich people we have.
God's word. My brother was speaking about one Bible put on a shelf collecting dust. Never opened, never looked at. That's pretty much the way it was in my family before I was saved.
Just.
A Bible to put your hand on when you swore to something and not to be opened and read. And that's too bad because that's the way it is with so many today. This book is not known to them. We know it. We have the inestimable privilege of of having not just one Bible, but maybe many in our homes. Bible in every room.
So that wherever we go, we can we can find it, can turn to it.
Have you ever noticed if you come to a place and on the table next to the chair where you sit down, there is a Bible and there's a newspaper?
Which will you, Pope, pick up?
First, most of the time.
She's going to tell us.
She says the Bible. Good girl.
But I'm afraid she's right. It's the way it should be, but I'm afraid it's often not that way.
A little child shall lead thee.
Just saw an example of it.
She had the right answer.
The Word of God is pure. It is precious. It enlightens the eyes, it gives understanding to the simple.
It shows us the path wherein we should walk. It answers all the questions that we have in life.
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It does. It really does. Where should I live? Where should I work? You say, Well, that's not answered in the Bible. Well, not directly.
But there are precepts in it to guide us and to keep us from making some serious mistakes.
For instance, settling way too far away from meeting if I can settle more closely.
Those are mistakes we may make because after all, the job that's farther away pays more.
And.
I was refreshed by a brother that.
Took a much lower paying job so that he could be where he felt the Lord would have him to be. That's to be our guide, not circumstances. Oh, the Lord will guide us by circumstances sometimes, but this is the book that guides us if we knew His mind and if we were so familiar with this book.
We would be kept beloved from many a mistake which we make.
Kept in the path, the meek will he guide. In judgment, the meek will he teach his way.
The one who is the meek and lowly 1.
Invited us to follow him.
It's not a popular path.
It's not.
The majority path.
It's a path of rejection.
A path that he has marked out. A path that he tried.
And we learned that path as we read this book.
More to be desired. Verse 10. Are they then gold?
There'll be some of us.
Many, maybe many of us, when we get home to glory, if we have a regret, we'll say, oh, that I didn't spend more time this book.
Learning his mind, becoming better acquainted with himself.
So that I could walk hand in hand with him.
A little while left is here.
More to be desired, are they than gold? Yeah, then much fine gold.
Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. Is there anything sweeter than honey?
Word of God.
Moreover, by them, as thy servant warned.
Many warnings in scripture.
Many.
We need them.
Danger, stay out.
Close door, don't go in it. One has fallen into some sin. It's because he's gone through many stop signs or many stop lights in his life.
You don't just all of a sudden fall into these things, but you've taken a step, another step, another step which if we were acquainted with this book and heeded its precepts, we would be kept from it.
By the word of thy mouth have I kept me from the paths of the destroyer.
Moreover, by them is thy servant warned, and in keeping of them there's great reward. I guarantee you, if you keep His word, if you follow His word, if you do it as we've had before us, you'll never say I'm sorry I did it.
You'll never say that.
Great reward.
Who can understand his errors? And so on. Now one more passage, and then we'll close. Ecclesiastes 12.
Ecclesiastes 12.
We had before us in Romans, in Psalm 19, and again here.
The creation here it's the creator.
And the word, remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth.
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While the evil days come not.
Nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them.
Many Gray hairs tonight this afternoon amongst this.
And oh, how quickly they come upon us.
Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth.
Think of him, the one that gives you life and breath in all things.
The one in whose very breath your hair his hand is.
You. Your breath is in his hand.
While the sun or the light or the moon or the stars be not darkened.
Nor the clouds return after the rain.
These are all things experienced by old age creeping on of feebleness. In the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, we see some like this.
Keepers of the house are trembling.
Can't hold their hands steady anymore.
And the strong men shall bow themselves.
The grinder shall cease false teeth.
They are few.
And those lookout of the windows be darkened.
Glasses. Some of the glasses don't help. They don't see well anymore.
And the doors shall be shut in the streets.
When the sound of the grinding is low.
And he shall rise up at the voice of the bird. Sleep is not easy.
And all the daughters of music shall be brought low, the hearing goes.
And when they shall be afraid of that which is high, and fear shall be in the way, and the almond tree shall flourish Gray hairs.
And the grasshopper shall be a burden.
I've heard several interpretations of that.
The smallest thing.
Something that you might stumble over.
Now you young ones don't know what that is.
But some of us know what that is.
Everything's a problem. Takes me 3 hours to do what I used to do in 15 minutes.
Some of us can relate to that.
Desire shall fail.
Because man goeth to his long home.
And the mourners go about the streets.
Or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern, death comes in.
And we pass on. Then shall the dust return to the earth, as it was in the spiritual return unto God, who gave it vanity of vanities all his vanity, saith the preacher.
And moreover, what should we do then if this is what's ahead of us and we can't avoid it?
You can't avoid it. The Lord may come and rescue you from it, but otherwise you will get old.
Moreover, because the preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge. Yeah, he gave good heed and sought out and said in order many proverbs. The preacher sought to find out acceptable words, and that which was written was upright, even words of truth. And what did he do during the time that he he had the strength to to do it?
You're young, so many young people here. Now is the time to gather up.
These precious fragments, these precious truths, now do it. Don't wait till you get older. Don't wait till these first verses of Ecclesiastes 12 apply to you. It's too late. It's too late then.
The preacher sought to find out acceptable words do that.
And that which was written was, was upright, Even words of truth. Find them out, store them up.
The words of the wise are as golds. A gold stirs you on to action, it prods you. It says this is the way, going that way, and it keeps you from going in the wrong way. The words of the wiser is gods, and you can use them to guide someone. That's your friend.
00:15:11
There you see them going astray and you use the goat. There's no that's wrong. That's not the way. Go this way.
I'm going to correct this. I'm going to correct it by the new translation a little bit. And the collections of them, the collections of the words of the wise, collect them.
Are as nails fastened in you can hang something on it.
Come in, you take your coat off. You hang it on the nail.
Collections of them as nails fastened in a nail fastened in a sure place.
They're given from 1 shepherd. One shepherd has given us.
These words of the wise.
Further, by these, my son, be admonished.
Of making many books there is no end in much study is a weariness of the flesh.
Those of us that have gone to college know what that means.
Collect the words of the wise. Collect those things that are given from that one shepherd.
And let them be that which you can hang your hand upon and lift yourself up, should it be necessary. And go to others on in the path that he's marked out for us in these dark days.
Value God's Word
Address—C. Hendricks
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Psalm 19.
We had in Romans one the two because's the.
First was.
Why the wrath of God was revealed?
Because God had given a testimony and creation.
And then through his word, and we have those two things in this Psalm.
Psalm 19 The heavens declare the glory of God and.
And the firmament showeth his handiwork.
Day on today uttereth speech and night unto night showeth knowledge. There is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard.
Their line has gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them hath He said a Tabernacle for the Son.
Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strongman to run a race is going forth, is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it, and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof. There you have converting the soul.
The testimony of the Lord is sure making wise the simple.
As we read this, it reminds us of 119th Psalm where you have all of these words used to describe the word of God. First it's the law of the Lord, then it's the testimony of the Lord, then it's in verse 8 the statutes of the Lord are right rejoicing the heart, and then in verse eight, again the commandment of the Lord is pure.
Enlightening the eyes.
Verse 9 The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever. The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. All of these.
Descriptions of the the testimony that God has given to us the word of God. We are indeed a rich people.
We have God's word. My brother was speaking about one Bible put on a shelf collecting dust. Never opened, never looked at. That's pretty much the way it was in my family before I was saved.
Just a Bible to put your hand on when you swore to something.
And not to be opened and read. And that's too bad because that's the way it is with so many today.
This book is not known to them. We know it. We have the inestimable privilege of of having not just one Bible, but maybe many in our homes. Bible in every room, so that wherever we go, we can, we can find it and turn to it.
Have you ever noticed if you come to a place and on the table next to the chair where you sit down, there is a Bible and there's a newspaper?
Which will you, Pope, pick up?
1St.
Most of the time.
He's going to tell us.
She says the Bible. Good girl.
But I'm afraid she's right. It's the way it should be, but I'm afraid it's often not that way.
A little child shall lead thee.
Just saw an example of it.
She had the right answer.
The Word of God is pure. It is precious. It enlightens the eyes, it gives understanding to the simple.
It shows us the path wherein we should walk. It answers all the questions that we have in life.
It does. It really does. Where should I live? Where should I work?
You say, well, that's not answered in the Bible. Well, not directly.
But there are precepts in it.
To guide us and to keep us from making some serious mistakes.
For instance, settling way too far away from meeting if I can settle more closely.
Those are mistakes we may make because after all, the job that's farther away pays more.
And I was refreshed by a brother that.
00:05:06
Took a much lower paying job so that he could be where he felt the Lord would have him to be. That's to be our guide, not circumstances. Oh, the Lord will guide us by circumstances sometimes, but this is the book that guides us if we knew His mind and if we were so familiar with this book.
We would be kept beloved from many a mistake which we make.
Kept in the path, the meek will he guide. In judgment, the meek will he teach his way.
The one who is the meek and lowly 1.
Invited us to follow him.
It's not a popular path.
It's not.
The majority path.
It's a path of rejection.
A path that he has marked out.
A path that he tried.
And we learned that path as we read this book.
More to be desired verse 10.
Are they than gold?
There will be some of us.
Many, maybe many of us, when we get home to glory, if we have a regret, we'll say, oh, what? I didn't spend more time.
This book.
Learning his mind, becoming better acquainted with himself.
So that I could walk hand in hand with him.
A little while left is here.
More to be desired, are they than gold? Yeah, than much fine gold.
Sweeter also than honey.
And the honeycomb. Is there anything sweeter than honey?
Word of God.
Moreover, by them, as thy servant warned.
Many warnings in scripture.
Many. We need them.
Danger. Stay out close door, don't go in it. One has fallen into some sin. It's because he's gone through many stop signs or many stoplights in his life.
You don't just all of a sudden fall into these things.
But you've taken a step, another step, another step, which if we were acquainted with this book and heeded its precepts.
We would be kept from it.
By the word of thy mouth, that I kept me from the paths of the destroyer.
Moreover, by them, as thy servant warned, and in keeping of them there is great reward.
I guarantee you if you keep His word, if you follow his word, if you do it as we've had before us.
You'll never say I'm sorry I did it.
You'll never say that.
Great reward.
Who can understand his errors? And so on. Now one more passage and then we'll propose.
Ecclesiastes 12.
Ecclesiastes 12.
We had before us in Romans, in Psalm 19, and again here.
The creation here it's the creator.
And the word.
Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth.
While the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them, There are many Gray hairs tonight, this afternoon, amongst this.
And oh, how quickly they come upon us.
Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth.
Think of him, the one that gives you life and breath in all things.
The one in whose very breath your hair his hand is.
You. Your breath is in his hand.
While the sun or the light or the moon or the stars be not darkened.
00:10:04
Nor the clouds return after the rain.
These are all things experienced by old age creeping on of of feebleness. In the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, we see some like this keepers of the house are trembling.
Can't hold their hands steady anymore.
And the strong men shall bow themselves.
The grinders shall cease false teeth.
They are few.
And those lookout of the windows be darkened.
Glasses.
Some of the glasses don't help.
I don't see well anymore.
And the doors shall be shut in the streets.
And the sound of the grinding is low.
And he shall rise up at the voice of the bird sleep.
Is not easy.
And all the daughters of music shall be brought low the hearing.
Goes.
And when they shall be afraid of that which is high, and fear shall be in the way, and the almond tree shall flourish.
Gray hairs and the grasshoppers shall be a burden.
I've heard several interpretations of that.
The smallest thing.
Something that you might stumble over.
Now you young ones don't know what that is.
But some of us know what that is.
Everything is a problem. Takes me 3 hours to do what I used to do in 15 minutes.
Some of us can relate to that.
Desire shall fail.
Because man goeth to his long home.
And the mourners go about the streets.
Or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern, death comes in.
And we pass on. Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was, and the Spirit shall return unto God, who gave it vanity.
Of vanities all is vanity, saith the preacher.
And moreover, what should we do then if this is what's ahead of us and we can't avoid it?
You can't avoid it.
The Lord may come and rescue you from it, but otherwise you will get old.
Moreover, because the preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge. Yeah, he gave good heed and sought out and said in order many proverbs. The preacher sought to find out acceptable words, and that which was written was upright, even words of truth. And what did he do during the time that he he had the strength to to do it?
You're young, so many young people here. Now is the time to gather up these precious fragments, these precious truths.
Do it. Don't wait till you get older. Don't wait till these first verses of Ecclesiastes 12 apply to you. It's too late.
Too late then.
The preacher sought to find out acceptable words do that.
And that which was written was upright. Even words of truth. Find them out, store them up.
The words of the wise are as God stirs you on to action.
It prides you, it says this is the way going that way and it keeps you from going in the wrong way.
The words of the wiser is goats, and you can use them to guide someone. That's your friend.
You see them going astray and you use the goat. No, that's wrong. That's not the way. Go this way.
I'm going to correct this. I'm going to correct it by the new translation a little bit and the collections of them.
The collections of the words of the wise Collect them.
Are as nails fastened in you can hang something on it.
Come in, you take your coat off. You hang it on the nail.
Collections of them as nails fastened in a nail fastened in a sure place.
They're given from 1 shepherd. One shepherd has given us.
00:15:03
These words of the wise.
Further, by these my son be admonished of making many books. There is no end in much study.
Is the weariness of the flesh.
Those of us that have gone through college know what that means.
Collect the words of the wise. Collect those things that are given from that one shepherd.
And let them be that which you can hang your hand upon.
And lift yourself up, should it be necessary, and go to others on in the path that he's marked out for us in these dark days.