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I love God, our souls adore this world.
Thank you.
Their brightness race.
The.
Shall we start breeding together at John 8 verse #25?
Then said they unto him, Who art thou?
And Jesus, seven of them, even the same that I said unto you from the beginning.
I have many things to say and to judge of you.
But he that sent me is true, and I speak to the world those things which I have heard of him.
They understood not that he spake to them of the Father.
Then said Jesus, son of them, when you have lifted up the supplement that I am he and that I do nothing of myself, but as my father had taught me, I speak these things.
And he that sent me is with me. The Father hath not left me alone, for I do always those things that please Him.
And as he spake these words, many believed on him.
Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him. If you continue in my word, then are you my disciples indeed, and ye shall know the truth.
And the truth shall make you free.
They answered to him, We be Abraham's seed, and were never in ******* to any man. How sayest thou ye shall be free, if ye shall be made free?
Jesus answered them. Verily, verily, I send you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.
And the servant abideth not in the house forever, but the Son abideth ever. If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.
I know that ye are Abraham's seed, but you seek to kill me.
Because my word hath no place in you.
I speak that which I have seen with my father, and you do that which you have seen with your father.
They answered and said unto him, Abraham as our father. Jesus saith unto them, If he were Abraham's children, you would do the work of Abraham.
And now you seek to kill me, a man that I've told you the truth which I have heard of God. This did not Abraham. You do the deeds of your father, then said they unto him, We be not born of fornication. We have one father, even God.
Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, you would love me, for I proceeded forth and came from God.
Neither came I of myself, but he sent me.
Why do you not understand my speech Even because you cannot hear my word. Ye of your father the devil and the lusts of your father you will do. He was a murderer from the beginning and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him.
When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own, for he is a liar and the father of it.
Because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not Which of you convinced me of sin?
And I say the truth, Why do ye not believe me? He that is of God heareth God's words.
He therefore hear them not, because you're not of God. Then answered the Jews, and said unto him, Say We not well, that thou art the Samaritan, and hast the devil. Jesus answered, I have not a devil, but I honor my Father, and ye do dishonor me, and I seek not my own glory. There is one that seeketh and judgeth.
Verily, verily, I sin to you. If a man keep my sin, he shall never see death.
Then said the Jews unto him, Now we know that thou art the devil, Abraham is dead, and the prophets, and thou sayest, If a man keep my sayings, he shall never taste the death. Art thou greater than our father Abraham, which is dead, and the prophets are dead? Whom maketh thou thyself?
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Jesus answered, If I honor myself, my honor is nothing. It is my Father that honoreth me, of whom ye say that he is your God.
Yet ye have not known him, but I know him, and if I should say I know him not, I shall be a liar like unto you.
But I know him, and keep his saying, Dear father Abraham rejoiced to see my day, and he saw it and was glad. Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet 50 years old. And hast thou seen Abraham? Jesus said on them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was I am.
Then took they up stones to cast at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them.
And so passed by.
The reading yesterday afternoon and the reading ended. We had some.
Comments on this wonderful expression the I am and I'd like to make some more. Turn back again to Exodus 3 if you will, please.
I want to read the whole passage. Verse 11 And Moses said unto God, Who am I that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt? And he said, Certainly I will be with thee, and this shall be a token unto thee.
That I have sent thee. When thou has brought forth the people out of Egypt, ye shall serve God upon this mountain.
And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your Father's hath sent me unto you, and they shall say to me, What is his name? And what shall I say unto them? And God said unto Moses, I am that I am. And he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I am hath sent me unto you. And God said, moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel.
The Lord God of your Father's, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob had sent me unto you.
This is my name forever, and this is my memorial on to all generations. I am that I am and the I am. That's his name forever and his memorial to all generations. That's the meaning of the name Jehovah.
The self existent one I am that I am the unchangeable 1.
Now don't try to follow this, just listen.
I pointed out yesterday that I am that I am means equivalent to. The same is the same.
That expression occurs many times in our Bible, but if you have your King James.
Don't try to follow this, you won't see it there. It's in Mr. Darby's translation, and at Deuteronomy 3239 there is a long note listing all of the passages in the Bible where the expression the same occurs, or equivalent expressions and.
I heard a message on this once and a brother spoke on the same.
Very good. Now this is a little.
A little deep, but it's it's not really.
I want to read these passages where this expression occurs, and I'm reading them quoting from the new translation by Mr. Darby, and each one of these instances, there's eighteen of them where the same occurs.
It doesn't always show that way, but he covers it in his note. The first one is.
Second Samuel 728 Now I'll just read it now. And now Lord Jehovah, thou art that God, and thy words are true, Thou art that God. Note for thou art the same dash God. And then he has a couple other references there which I won't read. Well I will read. See Nehemiah 97 and compare Deuteronomy 3239. The second one, Second Kings 1915.
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And Hezekiah prayed before Jehovah, and said, Jehovah God of Israel, who sitteth between the cherubim, thou the same, Thou alone art the God of all the kingdoms of the earth. No, See Deuteronomy 3239.
The third one, First Chronicles 1726. And now Jehovah, thou art that God, and hath promised this goodness unto thy servant. Thou art that God, his note says, or thou art the same. See Nehemiah 97 and compared. Deuteronomy 3239.
Second Chronicles 20 verse six. And he said, Jehovah God of our fathers.
Art not thou God in the heavens? Note, Or art not thou the same dash, God in the heavens? See Deuteronomy 3239, Nehemiah 9/6 and seven. Thou art the same, thou alone, Jehovah, who has made the heaven of heavens, and all their hosts, the earth, and all that is therein, the seas and all that is therein.
And thou, quickness, the mall, and the host of heaven worshipeth thee. Thou art the same.
Jehovah Elohim, who did choose Abram. Note or thou art he, an expression which is really a name of God. See Deuteronomy 3239, Psalm 44. Four, thou thyself art my king, O God. Note literally Thou he, thou art the same. Deuteronomy 3239, Psalm 100 and 2:27.
Now in this instance.
The King James gives it gives it. Thou art the same. Psalm 1/02/27.
All those instances I've just read, you will not get the same in the King James Psalm 100 and 2:27 But thou art the same, and thy ears shall have no end. Note literally, thou he the name of God, the existing one, who does not change. See Deuteronomy 3239.
Isaiah 3716 Jehovah of Hosts, the God of Israel.
Who sitteth between the cherubim? Thou the same. Thou alone art the God of all the kingdoms of the earth. Note a name of God. Compare Second Samuel 728, some 100 and 2:27. See also chapter 41, Four, et cetera, where the corresponding form is in the first person. These are all notes from Mr. Darby's translation, Isaiah 41. Four. I Jehovah the 1St, and with the last I am He.
Note or I the same, it is really a name of God.
See chapter 3716. Deuteronomy 3239. Isaiah 4310. Ye are my witnesses, saith Jehovah, and my servant, whom I have chosen, that she may know and believe me, and understand that I am He before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me. I am He. Is that same expression, the same note. See a note, chapter 41, four. Isaiah 4313. Yeah, since the day was.
I am he again, that's the expression the same, and there is none that delivereth out of my hand.
Note. See note chapter 41, four. Isaiah 46, Four. Even to old age I am He, and not to worry, here's I will carry you that expression. I am He is the same. Note See chapter 41 form Isaiah 4812. Hearken unto me Jacob, and thou Israel my called. I am He, I the 1St and I the last. C Note chapter 41, four.
I am He is that expression. Isaiah 51, five and 9:00 and 10:51, nine and 10. Awake, Awake, put on strength, O arm of Jehovah, awake as in the days of old, as in the generations of past ages. Is it not thou that hath human rehab in pieces and pierced the monster? Is it not Thou that dried up the sea, the waters of the great deep? Note thou He when it says, Is it not Thou? It's Thou He.
Equals the same.
See chapter 3416, Deuteronomy 3239, Nehemiah 96, etc.
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Isaiah 52 Six. Therefore my people shall know my name. Therefore they shall know in that day that I am he that saith here I am that I am he the same.
Note. See note chapter 41, Four Jeremiah 512 They have denied Jehovah, and say he is not, and evil shall not come upon us. Note where it says He is not or it is not he.
The same.
Three more Jeremiah 1422 Are there any among the vanities of the nations that can cause rain, Or can the heavens give showers? Art not thou he Jehovah our God, or note, or thou the same?
See Deuteronomy 3239.
Now we have 2 instances in the New Testament, Hebrews 112 and in these two instances in the New Testament it reads this way in the King James.
Then as a covering shalt thou roll them up, and they shall be changed, but thou art the same, and thy ears shall not fail. Note for the same he says, the existing one who does not change every creature is changeable. A divine title. See Deuteronomy 3239, and then the one we know so well. Hebrews 13/8. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today.
And to the ages to come. Now there's two passages that I want to read. They're not part of this from Mr. Darby, the one that's in Malachi 3.
Malachi 3. Connection with this beautiful study, verse 6.
For I am the Lord, I change not. Therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed. And James.
The Epistle of James, chapter one.
And I had never noticed this, the force of it, until studying this verse 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. Isn't that very precious, that our God is the unchanging One, our Lord?
Is the unchanging one the same? He is just the same today.
As he was when he walked the scene, just the same today as when he hung on that cross and was bearing the judgment of a holy God against our sins. He has not changed. He is, He may have changed his form. He's now in a glorified body, but he is the same. That's His name forever and to all generations I'll infinitely precious that is. Well, if you don't have a Darby Bible, I strongly urge you to get one.
And to read the notes and to follow them out. There's a wealth of riches that will come to you if you do that.
It's always been precious to me to realize that this name is carried over into the book of Hebrews, into the New Testament.
Because this is the same resource that the Hebrew believers had, the same resource that they had in the Old Testament.
As Israel, when God chose that nation called them, redeemed them, they had this that were wonderful. That wonderful person was the one who supplied everything that was needed for them. But here in the New Testament where believers, Hebrew believers who had stepped out of that nation by receiving the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior in Christianity, and he says you've got the same resource and Brother nuts, the one that's our resource this morning, young people, you, we have the same God that Israel had. I say that because when I was a young person sitting in the meetings, I'd hear my brethren speak of God's provision with his people in the Old Testament, the nation of Israel.
I hear the stories of Daniel and David and all those wonderful men of faith and how they proved the one who was the same. And I used to think, wouldn't it be wonderful to prove the Lord in that way? To have that resource that Daniel did when he was cast into the lion's den. To have the resource that David did when he fled as a bird to the mountain and feared for his life from King Saul. To have the resource that the three Hebrew children had when they were cast into the fire. Well, young people, it's true. Maybe God doesn't always intervene and act in the same way that He did in the Old Testament or even in the beginning of Christianity.
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In the book of the Acts, but he is the same resource. This is 1998. We're just at the end of the dispensation of the grace of God. Young people, if we're left here a few more moments, we have the same resource that Daniel had. The God of Daniel is the living God and steadfast forever. It says in the end of the book of Daniel, we have the same resource that the apostle Paul had as he sought to serve the Lord and to minister to the Saints and preach the gospel.
And let's never forget this, as our brother Chuck has said all through the Old Testament, he's the same. But oh, it carries over into the New Testament and it carries over to 1998. I know these are difficult days. No doubt young people here burdened as they think of going back to school and to work next week if the Lord leaves us here. But let's never forget we have the one who's the same yesterday. Have we proved him in the past? Yes. He's the same yesterday, today. Are we proving him today? Yes.
And he'll be the same tomorrow. He's the resource and stuff that we have until we're called safe home.
Just let me give you one more passage that comes to mind in first Corinthians 12 in this connection, 1St Corinthians 12 and verse 4. Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit you have one gift, you another, I another, and so on. But it's the same Spirit that gives these gifts, that empowers us to serve in some way. And there are.
Diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differences of administrations or ministries or services, but the same Lord. You have one area of work, and you another, and you another, and I another. But we're serving the same Lord, the same Lord, and it's the same Spirit that has so gifted us. And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh All in all. In paganism there were many spirits.
And there were many Lords and there were many gods. But he's saying to these Corinthians that came out of paganism.
He says, because you have various gifts, don't concern, don't think that they came from various spirits. No, it's one spirit, the same spirit that gave all these gifts and you're serving only one Lord. It's the same Lord that you're serving, that you're serving, that each one of the Saints is serving and it's the same God that's working at all for his own glory and our blessing. Well, it's just that word same came to me and it it just so beautiful in in this connection and connecting it with our blessed Lord.
I wonder if we could go back to the 102nd sound and enjoy a little of what we find there.
One of the most precious Psalms we have, the feelings of Christ.
And.
Going into death and how he felt that in the 102nd Psalm.
Verse 23 He weakened my strength in the way he shortened my days. Now this is the one who is Messiah to the Jews, and he is literally feeling what he's saying here.
And he says.
Oh my God, take me not away in the midst of my days.
Where he gets an answer from God right away and it's the language has changed a little bit.
My years are throughout all generations. He weakened my strength in the way and he shortened my days. Jehovah, Jesus Messiah was literally feeling this. He had become a man and he was at middle age 33 and a half, 34 thereabouts.
And going into death and he cries to God about it. And he gets an answer. Thy years are throughout all generations. Well, the question comes down to the answer. If Messiah is cut off, who is this? Why? It's the eternal one. It's the I am. Messiah is the eternal 1.
How beautiful to see that and then just in a simple way to take up I am with our English language.
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The first person singular of the verb to be I am, you are.
Thou art he is so that the language that's used when it's person speaking as I am and that's an absolute. He goes there he always is. If you are saying that I am, you have to qualify that I'm going to eat dinner this day. I am going so on. It's very, very temporal for us, but with Jesus, with Messiah, with Jehovah, it is eternal. Then when the Father speaks to the Son, he says thou art the eternal one. Then we come with the Hebrews to the statement that uses he is.
He that cometh to God must believe that he is as far as you need to go there. God is he is the ever existing one so that in our chapter when the Lord is saying these things to these.
Jews that were accusing him.
And.
They refer him to Abraham. He refers to Abraham.
He says before Abraham was I am.
And you think of that, who was it that met Abraham? I guess the glory of God appeared to him seven times. But the one time that we think of that is so beautiful is when he was sitting in his tent door in the heat of the day and three men came to him.
And Abraham had the discernment to speak only to one of them.
And he called him Lord. He more or less ignored the other two. We believed they were the two angels that went on down to.
To take care of the judgment there.
And so that certainly was.
One time that Abraham saw Jesus.
Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day and he saw it and was glad. That is given to us to help us to understand what we're trying to get a hold of, that Jesus is the eternal.
And there's all these things in John's gospel. I am, I am, I am.
And here he is, the truth.
You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free in verse 32 and then.
More than that in the 36th verse. If the Son therefore shall make you free, shall be free indeed.
These Jews.
Say to him.
We were never in ******* to any man and here they were later on.
At the cross, saying we have no king but seizure. They had reduced themselves in their ******* to being under the Roman governor, the Roman power, rather than taking Jesus the Messiah. When he came, they rejected the Messiah and certainly they lost everything when they turned him down.
This statement we were never in ******* to any man. They were in ******* in Egypt under Pharaoh.
They were in ******* to the Babylonians to the Medes and the Persians to the Grecians.
And to the Romans, what a what a statement. Never in ******* to any man. And here they were in ******* to sin. And that's the one the Lord takes up, isn't it?
For the young people to see that award here in the 8th chapter has light. He exposes. The light exposes what's in our hearts and what is then harder. In the 9th chapter, the light exposes his glories to the blind man.
And in the 10th chapter, the light exposes those who are in the fold that the Lord is going to bring out. And I think you there's a line of him being the light right down through the 12Th chapter. And then the 13th chapter starts off of love. Is that right? He loved them under the end. So I think that's helpful to see in these two chapters. Life does not only expose our hearts.
But in the 9th chapter, Light exposes his glorious.
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When that woman.
Said to her, neither condemn ID. I was thinking about that when he said that, that meant that then he was going to have to suffer the punishment for adultery. Wasn't it on the cross?
What a what a statement that was that he was willing to take that place and he's taking it for us. What love.
Stress and neither condemn. I agree.
Verse nine we read there that was the true light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. He was in the world and the world was made by him and the world knew him not. Now this Blessed One who is the same, this one whose glories we have been enjoying as we speak about them, not only his personal glories, but his his also his moral glories.
This is the one that comes before that woman.
This is the Blessed One who would ever be before our hearts today. And I love to think of the woman of Samaria.
Her heart was in love with him we had that brought before us yesterday and she could say, come see a man. May that be the response of our hearts, beloved brethren. And I was thinking recently there was a young person who recently saved was feeling very depressed because of past sins in the life. And the truth that gave peace was when she laid hold of this.
The sufficiency of the work of Christ, who He is and what he has done, and I'd just like to make one statement I think would be very helpful for young as well as old for us to consider carefully. We have peace in our souls in the measure.
In which we lay hold of the work of Christ.
In the measure in which we lay hold of the work of Christ, all may our hearts.
Know him better.
Beautiful this verse 32 ye shall know the truth.
And the truth shall make you free. Nothing freeze like the truth. It's like you were mentioning the Samaritan woman. She was coming out there perhaps at a time when there were not many people out there.
Because she did not want to be noticed. What made her that way was her sin.
As soon as she comes in contact with the light of the world and the person of the Lord Jesus and her life is fully exposed.
Does she shrink away from him in shame?
She's drawn to him and to me, that's exceedingly beautiful. She's freed and the truth makes you free. That's what it does. We're living in a world and I think this needs to be spoken of for those are younger and those of us who are older too, but.
Where we live in a world where relativism pervades in people's thinking.
Any standard goes you think that way. That's your idea. You can have your own idea. I have my idea.
Brethren, my idea, Your idea doesn't count for anything.
What counts is the truth, and there is a standard that is unchangeable. Thank God we know that the truth is not just a mere philosophy. It's not a religion. The truth is a glorious person.
And I revel over those simple, precious words of the Lord Jesus.
I am the way, the truth, and the light.
Know Jesus, you know the truth.
They have found that, and I want to speak especially to those who are younger. Sometimes we speak about the truth, perhaps in reference to the way we gather together.
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As it is the truth, and I'm not saying it's wrong, but I want to say this to clarify the thinking that oftentimes.
When we speak of the truth in that way.
Souls that are looking on look at us as if we were the truth, and they see failure and they see mistakes and they start questioning.
If we want to get the truth in its most objective, purest form, it is in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself.
Also we can say another verse that scripture gives us. John 1717 says Sanctify them through thy word. Thy word is truth, and if you want to get the truth in its purest form, if you want to see the truth, look at Jesus.
Look into his precious word. You'll get the truth. There's such a thing, and I think it is. Second, John.
That speaks of the truth in you, and so the truth ought to be in it. But I think we need to recognize that OFT times when we speak of the truth and souls look at us.
They'll often find what's more than the truth oftimes what is failure too. And so we ought always, when we speak of the truth, to point to the person of the Lord Jesus Christ and His precious word. There you're going to get a clear picture of what truth is.
Don't shrink from the truth.
If it's going to expose something that is shameful in your life, remember.
Face it, because the truth will make you free.
And get so precious to get a hold of.
You know, you mentioned about in that 4th chapter of John about the woman, and I just happened to notice that I've always thrilled with what the woman says to the Lord with the knowledge that she had. And that 25th verse, the woman sat in them. I know that Messiah cometh, which is called Christ. When He has come, He will tell us all things. And then brethren, this beautiful opening, as you would say, the light of the truth of God in the person. Look what the Lord says Jesus said unto her.
I that speak under thee, and he will get the I am in that verse. Don't we either speak, I either speak under thee and he How blessed that thou that the Lord would reveal himself to a poor sinful women, and all brethren. Isn't this the substance of what the gospel is about, That you and I have come to know this blessed one? I believe that's why in the 36th verse, just in connection with what's been said, he goes on to say that if the sun therefore shall make you free. Now notice this, ye shall be free indeed, or Mr. Darby's translation, ye shall be really free.
Because we might be able to set forth certain points of doctrine, we may be able to delineate the truth in a certain way, and nothing wrong with that. We're thankful for those who set forth the truth for us in that way, and it's good to have an outline of truth and hold fast the form of sound words and so on.
But we can do that without the heart really being affected. We can be, as someone has said, clear as ice and just as cold. But I believe when the truth is presented in a way that it brings the sun before us, brethren, we can't be occupied with the sun and not have the heart affected. And so if the truth is presented in that way, young people read the Scripture in that way. See Christ in every line. It's true. It's various things in connection with this person and work and our blessing and what we've been brought into and so on. But see Christ when you read the Scripture.
When the truth is ministered in the assembly, those that minister the truth, we ought to be exercised to present the truth in a way that brings the person of Christ before the soul. So it's true the truth sets us free. But when the truth presents the sun, the person, then there's freedom indeed. Because if a man loved me, he will keep my commandments. And brethren, when the heart is affected, then it's not a hard thing to walk in obedience to the truth of God.
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It's not a hard thing to follow the Lord Jesus when the heart is truly affected.
And that's what the truth is to do. It's to affect our hearts. And so it's not a hard thing, but let's let our hearts go out to this person. Then we'll delight to do His will. Just as the Lord Jesus. It was his joy and delight to do the Father's will. When our hearts go out to Him, then it will be our joy and delight to do His will as well.
This chapter where he says Neither do I condemn thee.
And I'd like to link with that in Luke chapter 12.
Verses 49 and 50.
I am come to send fire on the earth, and what will I if it be already kindled, but have a baptism to be baptized with? And how am I straightened?
Till it be accomplished.
One might say, Moses said.
And he says, well, I don't condemn thee.
Then the question the enemy of Souls raises the question as he did with Job.
He could tell God, well, Joe doesn't love you.
You're blessing job unrighteously. You are not the same. You have changed.
The same is with this woman. He could say what He's a woman who is in sin.
If you're going to bless her, you've got to change.
But the unchanging one, the same.
Here in these verses, it wasn't his purpose to come on earth, but it was the result of his coming here that His very presence.
The fire kindled here.
So he went in under a baptism his death, and oh how his heart was straightened. He wanted to bless God, desires to bless God is love. But then God is late.
And when he looks at a poor Sinner, you, me.
Is he going to have to change to bless you and me?
A thrice holy God wanting to give me all the blessings that heaven has stored up.
No, because he has one that can go in under the load.
And glorify God. If there was anything I would say that could change God, it would be sin.
Because he loves, he wants to bless, and yet he thrice holy God, and there he is faced with this problem of sin, and yet he has one who is a victor.
Who comes in and goes down under the load and can come out the other side?
And now he can look back at you and me and said all of sinned and come short of the glory of God.
But now.
In rejoice, in hope of the glory of God, all that the unchangeable 1 is.
Is now put to the benefit of the Sinner because of the work of Calvary.
The same it says.
The power of God under salvation.
How much is that?
That's what we proclaim today. God is the Savior of sinners, a righteous, unchanging Savior of sinners forever and ever.
That's the gospel in Romans. He can be just and the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus. What a marvelous plan of salvation God has. He still remains just and he justifies those that believe in Jesus.
And so now instead of shunning the light, we can walk in the enjoyment of that position we've been brought into because it says in first John chapter one, if we walk in the light as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another. How can that be? The blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. And so every stain of sin, every bit of guilt has been taken care of at the cross. And so instead of shunning the light, rejecting the light like they did here.
00:45:15
In the life of the Lord Jesus we can enjoy and walk in the good of all the light, that position we've been brought into. We're not afraid of one charge of sin being brought up against us, because it's all been settled once and for all by one offering. He had perfected forever them that are sanctified. Let's read 2 verses in the third chapter of John.
What has just been said? Because it makes it so clear, I believe.
As to light and darkness and doing truth.
In John 320.
Everyone that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. Now the positive side is very blessed, but he that do us truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.
Evil and isn't it precious that and we look at this verse, and I've heard this verse quoted where the Lord says neither do I condemn thee in a very sad way. The Lord does not look lightly on sin. He hates sin. And those verses you've just read, brother, how beautifully they bring before us God's hatred for sin. And if we have the mind of God, we're going to hate evil too. We don't make provision for it.
But that verse points us so positively to the work of Christ. And he could say their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.
The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin. We're here today and enjoying that blessed peace of that freedom, free indeed, because we have believed what God has said about His beloved Son. I'd like to read a verse in verse John chapter 5.
We mentioned that the Lord Jesus said I am the way, the truth.
First John, chapter 5.
And verse 6.
Just the end of the verse. It is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth.
And then a verse back in Jeremiah, I'm going to read it in the new translation, Jeremiah chapter 10 and verse 10. It reads quite differently in the new translation says, but Jehovah Elochem is truth. He is the living God and the king of eternity.
So the whole Trinity is mentioned as.
The truth.
In that wonderful that we know, dear brethren, the true God, and that's why thing sin is so serious like you're mentioning, Larry. Why? Because it denies our God who he really is.
Yesterday was made mention of Ananias and Sapphira, the first sin that came into the church.
And if you look at the place there we're not, We won't have to turn to it. But in the 5th of Acts, you'll notice that Ananias really did not even tell a lie.
He acted a lie.
He brought the money that he brought as if it were the full price, and laid it at the apostles feet, and Peter in the power of the Spirit of God.
Rebuked him and he falls down dead. You say, man, that's not very much to have to die for. But it was serious because it denied the truth of who our God is.
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And a short time later, his wife came in and Peter asked, did you sell the land for so much?
And she told a lie, Ananias acted a lie, Sapphira told a lie, and they both fell down dead very serious. Why? Because it denied the truth of who our God really is.
If God acted that way today, we'd lose most of our government.
I'm afraid we can. A lot of us wouldn't be around too well. It's a result of the Spirit of God coming in Acts and the Lord in the 16th chapter of John told about that spirit and he says, howbeit, when he, the spirit of truth is come, he will guide you into all truth and he never changes. He's always the spirit of truth. He's the Spirit of God, He's the Spirit of truth, He's the Holy Spirit.
So I think what we've had about truth is so wonderful. It is known unseen in the person of Christ, in the Word of God and the Holy Spirit.
And we have all of that. We have the Lord in our midst, we have the Word in our hands and the Spirit of God dwelling in us. Now why does anyone want to shut down the light? Somebody referred to 1St John. If we walk in the light as he is in the light, well, it really means since we walk in the light because the light has come, and we always walk in the light because we've got it. But sadly.
We don't always want to look and see what the light shows and sadly in the great house they want to sew that curtain back up and shut God off in a different place and walk in darkness. What a tragedy.
I think there's a point to be made if I could just read in the 101St Psalm a few thoughts and that I think I have a parallel of what we've been speaking about here in that 101St Psalm. We just go down to verse #6.
Mine eyes shall be upon the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me. There it is, if we walk in the light. What about it, Fellowship. But let's read the verse. He that walketh in a perfect way, he shall serve me.
He that worketh the seed shall not dwell within my house. He that telleth lies shall not tarry in my sight. Well, these are verdes that we get from the Old Testament that the Lord sets forth. For in view of the Kingdom. True. But what about the the action in our own like has been mentioned? Lord, that thou shouldst mark on equity, who would stand? And so here the Lord comes in grace, and he meets this woman. How does he meet you and me?
And what about that 139th Psalm that was referred to yesterday?
Searched me Oh God, what about my brother? You know, the oldest song is I think my brother taint my sister, it's me. Oh Lord, you know, we sometimes we get the idea that we should be the arbiters of things here. But the best thing is when we get into the presence of the Lord and how blessed it is. We've had this portion before us that would bring the person before us and there's where the secret of his presence. What a blessed thing it is, brethren.
I think what you're reading, Bob, in 101St Psalm is beautiful and it tells us ahead of time of the millennial reign of Christ. There will be nothing unnoticed and unjust then.
So it ought to be that way now. And we've gone into the 102nd Psalm a little bit where it goes on. And the king is really.
The Messiah who was cut off, but he's the Eternal, and he abides and he goes on.
The Psalms are wonderful that way. A series of them.
To look on into the millennial day and comfort the godly women that's going through them then.
But they are written for the godly remnant at all times. I trust we are a part of them now.
And we'll get our comfort out of the Psalms, understanding that they really are for the people who are going to go through the great trial of the Tribulation period. We'll have our part in the Millennium in that day, and be with the King who's on the throne. Well, I just say these things to encourage us that we have the same Savior and that we have the Holy Spirit and we have the truth and we have the Lord Jesus.
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And we have his word. Let's don't cut this word up in the light. Let's let's read it as we began our meeting. Read, read and then find out that it is written because.
Perhaps God talked orally with man for 2500 years before he began writing. At least that's all about the distance that I can find in the scripture that the first time that God wrote is in the 17th of Exodus that I find in scripture. And what did he have to write about?
But he would have war with Amalek from generation to generation. They were told to write that in a book.
It's very interesting to think that.
That is back there because God starts with it and He keeps it up. It was before the writing of the law. What it means is that Amalek is a picture of the flesh that's taken over by Satan. That's in every one of us. So in the New Testament, the flesh profiteth nothing.
I know that in me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing. We have this continuing the Scripture. So God says now that's the first thing you write in the book, even before you write the law. So God wants us to get ahold of that thing, the flash profit of nothing, and learn that, oh, our blessing and all our happiness is in Christ Jesus the 2nd man, the Lord out of heaven, not in the first man at all. But we can't have any confidence in the flesh.
And the place doesn't like to read the word of God because it exposes the place. But the Spirit of God, a tennis delights to have that truth out in the open. If we do the truth, we come to the light that our deed might be exposed, that they are wrought in God.
You don't expect in the world to find righteousness. We don't expect to find those that rule the governments of the world to be doing it in righteousness, David said.
He that ruleth among men must be just ruling in the fear of God. Unfortunately, that isn't the case and the effort of so many Christians trying to set the world right and our government right is astray. They don't understand that we can't do that. We're not called to do that. We're called to walk in righteousness ourselves. Grace is reigning today through righteousness and we have the right to expect truth and righteousness in the assembly.
The assembly is called the pillar and ground of the truth. That's where it ought to be expressed. That's where it ought to be held. That's where it ought to be insisted upon the assembly. And that's what ought to make our highs run down with tears as we look at the assembly that Christ died to gather into, one so broken and scattered and so many areas of it where the truth is not held and supported and stood for we don't expect it in the world. In the Millennium, righteousness will reign, and then the truth will stand.
And be insisted on. And in the eternal state it will dwell. All form of evil will be forever expelled at that time. But we're in the time when righteousness suffers. We're in the time when our Lord has been rejected. How can Christians be promoting a Kingdom down here in.
Reigning in power without the king. The king is rejected, and that can't be until he comes back. He whose right it is shall reign. So if we knew the truth, we wouldn't be promoting things that are contrary to it. That's why it is so important. Thy word is true, and the Spirit of God is the truth to lead us into the understanding of it. And our blessed Lord himself, the truth he could say, when they asked him, Who art thou? He said altogether.
That which I say to thee, the truth, how good, how good it is just in our human relationships to find a man of integrity, a man who is true to what he says. He says what he means, he means what he says. And when he commits himself to something, you can say he will do it. He will carry it out. He's an honest man. He's a man of integrity, a man of principle, a man of his word. How, how refreshing that is to have someone like that if someone was searching for a faithful man.
To carry out a particular task, Would he ask you? Would he ask me? Are we faithful?
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That we might look at Romans chapter 8 in this light.
The truth shall make you free, and it says, if the Son shall make you free.
I look at that as.
Maybe 2 The truth shall make you free. That is the power of the Spirit of God.
Doing his work in the Saint.
The Sun shall make you free gives us the objective side.
All the way up to the sun's place. The Spirit of God has no limitations in revealing to the soul.
All the way up to the Sun himself.
And in Romans 8.
We find that now there is a liberty of grace.
And then there will be later, when the sons of God are manifested, there will be a liberty of glory.
The sons of God may manifest it. That's when we come back with Christ. As I understand it, We come out of heaven with Him.
And at that moment the Spirit of God chooses. He does it that very moment. He sets everything free, sets the creation free.
In the mean time he has come to take up abode in those who believe the gospel and.
Chapter would start no condemnation, and on that basis there he'll come and take up his abode. Now there in the believer, he's doing the work.
And he forms there within the believer.
I'll say a voice.
This voice says ABBA father.
This new life and the power of the Spirit of God draws conclusions.
It can say so then we're not debtors to the flesh.
That there in the believer he is doing a work in behalf of God to turn that believer free.
In all the liberty that being set free by the sun grants.
And that's where you and I are found in this day, as we have just heard in this time before the millennial scene when the Lord Jesus comes out as Psalm 101.
The Spirit of God is doing a work in you and me.
That he's going to expand.
Into another form of liberty in the whole creation.
But the sun setting us free, is that not like that fullest height of all that his position of the sun in the House of the Father. And this, this truth making us free is as the Spirit of God works in us, He works with power to make the truth true to me and I would say for all of us young and old.
If I don't know something undeniably.
I don't know it.
What I have, undeniably, I can't deny it. Then I know it.
The Spirit of God has put it there, and it's part of Maine.
By his grace, and I can't deny that that's true.
That, I would say, is that little picture of the truth making us free, but in the power of the Spirit of God.
Poorly in the liberty of grace through the height of all the heights of Christ, in his glory there. And we're looking forward to coming back with Christ. And behold, a whole creation set free in the liberty of glory and a day yet to come.
I want to ask Bill one thing. Isn't the whole of that?
The position that we are found in that verse one of Romans 8, the two words in Christ, that is everything.
To them which are in Christ. So then the Spirit of God goes ahead and writes the whole of the 8th of Romans.
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As a treatise upon the believer, because that's where he is and all of its hours because we are placed in Christ.
Amen. And there is another verse, another word in chapter verse 4IN.
The righteous requirement of the law is fulfilled in US and I I have thought of it in this sense that in those two expressions you have the compass of the chapter, but in Christ is something Abraham never was.
This is the rest of that verse 4A statement instead of a question in US who walked not after the flesh but after the Spirit. That's a statement, isn't it?
In the 34th verse of our chapter here it says Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.
It's interesting that we live in a world where Satan dresses sin up to appear attractive.
But sin always brings into *******. Sin never brings freedom. Think that's so important for us to get clear a very basic thing. The truth sets free sin brings into ******* Proverbs. It says man shall beholden with the cords of his sin brings into *******.
And that's where the Pharisees, these Jewish people, were.
And not only does Satan get him into that position of being in ******* but then he blinds them as to their true condition just to keep them there.
And you know, I think it's so important for us in our walk with the Lord and knowing the Lord.
Not to try to excuse sin in US so often I find that people.
When they're confronted with something that's not right in their life.
They excuse it instead of simply admitting it.
And that will set you free if you'll just simply admit it.
But sometimes I hear young people blaming their parents.
I think all of us who are parents have to recognize we make mistakes.
But you'll never get freedom by putting the accusing finger in the other direction.
If you have sinned, you are held responsible, and just simply to face the truth of it in the presence of the Lord Jesus will set you free.
Tremendous to see how souls have gotten freedom by doing it. And I just want to quote a verse that's been a big help to me in that.
It's what we have. Maybe I should read it in one John chapter, one in connection with sin in the light of a believer, how to deal with it. Because I find that it seems like there's so many that don't understand how to deal with this, their sin. They know they're away from the Lord. They know they're not walking in fellowship, but they don't seem to know how to get back. Here it is.
So Simply put, verse nine if we.
Confess our sins, didn't say excuse ourselves sins.
We confess, simply say to God I did it.
I'm guilty. That's confession.
He is faithful. Now here's God's part. He is faithful and just to forgive.
Our sins and to cleanse from all unrighteousness. Who does the cleansing? He doesn't. Who does the forgiving, He does. That's not our business. And so often I find that the souls that are away from the Lord gotten under the ******* of their own sins and they don't know what to do.
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Say just simply tell him. Don't try to excuse him. Simply tell him everything. Let it be out in the light. Don't try to hide anything. The truth will set you free. Sometimes people say, well, I'm going to try to clean up my act and get back to the Lord. You won't be able to do it. He does the forgiving and he does the cleansing too.
All you need to do is simply admit.
Sin, and then He'll do the rest. At first, one day we're caught into sin in the garden. Look what it says in Genesis chapter 3. This is so significant to connect with what you're saying. Brother. They said 3 words. Listen to the three words. And the Lord says, and he said, I heard thy voice in the garden verse #10 and I was afraid because I was naked, and I hid myself. And he said, Who told thee that thou was naked?
Hast thou eaten up the tree where if I commanded it that thou shouldst not eat?
And listen to these words, brethren, as I think that this is the the beginning of all of this whole.
Confession, if I could use it standard. Look what he says. And the man said, The woman whom thou gave us me to be with me, she gave me of the tree. Now here it is, and I did eat. There it is. In other words, you're saying I did sin. And the Lord says, in the day that you eat thereof you'll surely die. He brought the sentence of death upon himself, and that's when God could come in. But look, it says, it happened with a woman too. And the Lord God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done?
And the woman said, the serpent beguiled me, and I did eat, I did sin. There it is.
And so God was able to make a provision of the coats of skins. Would you say as a consequence, he that covers his sins shall not prosper, but he that confesses and forsaken them shall find what? Oh, that wonderful word, mercy.
We need to be on our guard, don't we? Because man has built a whole system of things, and I believe it has crept in amongst true believers. A system of things where if you have a problem today, they take you back through your past and pinpoint someone or something in your past and blame that on the problem or difficulty, the failure, the sin, whatever expression you want to use that you're having now. And I'm afraid that many Christians get caught up in this form of counseling.
But in contrast to what Brother Bob brought before us in connection with Adam and Eve seeking to blame someone else for their sin, I've enjoyed the two times in connection with David when he sinned both in the in connection with Bathsheba moral sin and then the sin in numbering the people on both those occasions. What did he say? Well, Lord, I have an excuse and something happened and someone may know He simply said these words.
I have sinned.
And you can go back and check that. But in both those occasions, that is exactly what David said. There was no trying to hide what had happened. There was no making excuse before God. But he simply said, I have sinned. Well, I think that what brother Bob Tony has brought before us is a good warning to us. Let's and again to those of us who are younger, let's not get caught up. There are many things done under the banner of Christianity Today.
Christian this and Christian that, but when you look at the root of it.
It is far from Christian, and we need to be careful that we don't get caught up in these things. And when sin has come into our lives, as has already been brought before us so well, let's not seek to excuse or to blame. Let's point the finger to our own hearts, confess it. And if we confess our sin, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sin and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness and the confession.
In one, John is of a believer and it's important to see that and it's restoration to communion and we need to learn that confession repeatedly, perhaps every day. And when it says if we confess our sins, he, God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, it means that God has to forgive us our sins because Jesus has already suffered for that. Just tell him he has to forgive us our sins.
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He's faced one just to the work of Christ, because for the believer that sin has already been punished.
And that restores the soul to fellowship. We need this frequently.
And that's why David could say, and confessing his sin in the 51St Psalm, restore unto me the joy of thy salvation.
That's walking in the enjoyment of the light that we have already been brought into, isn't it?
Think that's helpful to see that that's.
In one John 19, it's for a believer because the forgiveness there is not eternal forgiveness that we received when we.
Accepted the Lord as our Savior. It's governmental forgiveness and it's conditional upon.
My making confession if somebody, if one of my children does something blatantly wrong against what I told them to do and they come up to me and say, Dad, if there's something I did wrong, please forgive me. I'm not going to be satisfied with that.
That is not confession. I want them to recognize just what they did and to say so. And that's what's so important in getting back into fellowship with the Lord is not beating around the Bush is coming right to the truth of the matter. I did it and that's confession. And then he can forgive and cleanse.
From Leviticus chapter 5 and verse five, the last part of the verse.
That he shall confess that he hath sinned in that thing, in that thing.
Because it seems in verse 33 they were trying to claim the ground of faith.
And but really, they weren't on the ground of faith anymore, were they? Because.
They were under ******* to the law.
And.
And so the Lord in verse 34 is saying, whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin, trying to bring them back to Sinai, they would well and good for them to claim.
The the requirements of Sinai when they were trying to entrap the Lord with the woman who had been caught in adultery. But now the Lord was bringing these same principles to bear on their own consciences and hearts. And and so the path of blessing for them was to go back and revisit Sinai and admit that they were the servants of sin and had been ever since the 10 commandments had been brought into the camp.
And.
And if they did that, then they would have to be looking for for a refuge, wouldn't they? And that's what we have in Galatians, that that that the law was given until the sun would come. Equation 4.
To redeem those that were under the law and we also haven't Galatians that if you be Christ, then ye are Abraham seed we now we we are again on on that grounded face, aren't we? But the Pharisees, they were trying to claim the ground of faith and they were under ******* to sin through the advent of the law.
Could we sing #150, brother?
Maybe we could stand.