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Bro. Otis Fisher
We're in Romans the fourth chapter verse 1 and Russell who is that behind you? Who? Well, I'll get the David's mixed up. All right. Yes. Well good. Let me ask you a question. Are we to live in such a way that The Lord can use us Russell but should we strive to live in such a way That the Lord himself Can use us?
John Debbie you're you're messing with the question Can we live in such a way? That the Lord can use us what I thought I had brought you all much further than this David. Well, you just have to listen to it.
Can't. That's right. You cannot live we cannot live in such a refined way that the Lord can use us. Do you understand? You yourself Me myself and I Cannot Come up to the right standards for the Lord. To smile on us and use us is that Dennis?
Yeah. What do you say? But is it dependent upon you John. No. So you cannot live in such a way that the Lord can use you. Yes well, I don't. I Don't know but I'm sure he can. Because he does. What. It's all The Lord it's not you none of you.
Yes. Yes. It's not me. I'm not living in such a way that the Lord can use me. I would hope I'm living according to his plan and I hope he is using me. I Know he's using me because he uses all of us. But we cannot live to please him if you cannot understand it.
That's why. But what I'm trying to get you to see is that you yourself outside of God whatsoever. You yourself are not living according to the rules and dictates of God. He causes you to do that and it's not us ourself.
Yes. Yes. That's right. Every day when you get up or before you get up or when you wake up. Or when you're dreaming about it, then wake up you're supposed to submit unto the Lord each day and He will guide you.
Yes, that's right. Yes, well. This keeps all men out except those that he calls. If he has called you, you know it now. Verse 1. What shall we say then. That Abraham our father as pertaining to the flesh had found.
He found something now. Justification. Justification sanctification. What's the difference? Dennis that's it in a nutshell the first changes us. The first will change our state and the second our nature.
The first is perfect. The second is gradual. The first is from the obedience of Jesus the Christ. Sanctification. The second is from the work of the Holy Spirit. Why is it do you suppose John? That When we profess our faith when we get saved we we say When I have become illuminated we say Why doesn't God change me completely?
I mean all kinds of things are going to come to mind like you have to learn what he expects of us, what we should do. It would be too much all at once. Yes, it would be. And if he changed you completely like the finished product you wouldn't be here.
The first Gives us title to heaven. The second makes us fit for heaven. Justification and sanctification. Self justification is like a man caught in a rainstorm. And he runs into a house without a roof.
Thinks he's safe when he isn't question. Can faith. Can faith conceive great things? Joy. Well, I'm back in the house. Can you through faith conceive great things? I'll put it like that joy. Well think we do have everything through faith.
But faith cannot conceive real things. Well, that's different. Now John. What is or who is the controlling agent in your salvation? All right. You got that right? Can faith conceive great things? No. You cannot call faith up whenever you want it faith.
Faith has got to be there. You've got to act in faith. You cannot act ahead. You cannot run ahead of faith. Faith is the controlling agent In your work and All all that faith can do is let us. Or place us as an instrument in God's hand.
That's what faith. Faith is faith. Faith working is but God's will. Can I hammer drive a nail? Debbie can a book read? No, we're just instruments in the hand of Christ. The book Is an instrument to carry the thoughts of the author to the mind of man.
And that's exactly what Jesus did. He brought the mind of God down to the mind of man. Do you see that that's why he was called the word Word is a vehicle carried from God the Father to the mind of man.
To for if Abraham were justified by works he hath whereof. To glory, but not before God. Now he could glory before men, but not before God. For what sayeth the scripture? Concerning Abraham. Abraham believed God and it was counted unto him for righteousness.
Dennis. What is the it in that sentence? Well keep it in the language of the sentence. Abraham believed God and it was counted unto him for righteousness. What is it? All right. It's not his belief. Do you see it?
It's not his belief. Now Russell what does the word counted mean? Counted unto him for righteousness. All right. All right to put to his account. Even though the payment had not been made yet. It was put to his account now.
We have Adam. We have Moses. We have Abraham. We have all of the Old Testament Saints. We have all the New Testament Saints. Some haven't been born yet. Dennis when were they all saved or were they all saved at the same time?
Well, that's true, but are they saved yet? That's true. Well, is this statement true David? All of God's children were saved at exactly the same time. Yes, and when was that time John? All right when Jesus died on the cross when he was resurrected.
We were saved. Everybody was saved. Now Dennis did that one act that he did the whole thing. Did that affect every human being on earth or just to say it? Alright, how did it affect them Russell? How did it affect the.
The unsaved that's the difference. His death and resurrection. Has sent those unsaved to hell and the saved to heaven. He made it possible to judge the world. Without his death. He couldn't judge. Think about it.
Yes. That they want. That's right, but they're wrong. Now to him that worketh is the reward and not reckoned of grace, but of debt works and grace. The word worketh means what in this verse. David, all right.
All right. What's that young man named Dave. Dave what is work something we do. All right, can you. Do nothing and still work. I'm thinking of a person in a class and the teacher puts a problem on the board blackboard and He tells them to work it out in their mind.
Is that work? Dave. Thinking is work for some more than others. Work is energy spent. And he spent energy working thinking now the word debt. If man could work and gain his salvation. What would that mean as far as God is concerned?
David that's right. That means that he would be put in a position of debt. Now Debbie. Is God ever put in a position of debt? God can not ever be put in that position. He does not owe anybody anything that's right.
He would be a subservient of everybody. So all salvation cannot be based on that which man does five. But to him that worketh not. But believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly his faith is counted for righteousness.
Now to him that worketh not. Or to those that do not work for their salvation. But they believe on him that justifies the ungodly. Who is that John? All right, it's his righteousness and it's it is imputed to you.
What's the word impute mean Debbie? What? All right. There's another important ingredient. All right, there's still another one. All right, there's another one. Still another David. That's all true. What you have said is all true, but there's another very important ingredient in the word impute.
Joy. Be go ahead and finish. I guess you did finish. To impute something to someone means you give them full use of it, but they don't own it. You're responsible for it, but you don't own it. That's why our righteousness is imputed to us.
We can never own it. Yes. That's right, we have no righteousness. I Exhibit righteousness, but it's not my righteousness. It's the Lord. You see the difference? I'll say it does. Yes, it's righteousness on loan.
And you're held responsible. Even as David Also describeth the blessedness of the man. Unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works. What's it mean without works Dennis? That's right. He can never earn it now somebody.
John turned to Galatians 1 15 and 16. Dennis turned to Revelation 17 8 and Russell go to Revelation 17 14. 1 15 and 16. Now Let's read that without the prepositional phrases. But when it pleased God Who separated me from my mother's womb?
No. But when it pleased God To reveal his son in me. Well, I. But when it pleased God Skip the next one who separated me from my mother's womb. He's simply stating that he was born and Called me by his grace.
To reveal his son in me he did. So when it pleased God he revealed his son in you. When it pleased God he revealed his son in me. When it pleased God He did not reveal his son to you for me. To reveal his son in me that I might preach him among the heathen.
Immediately. I conferred not with flesh and blood. He didn't have to go get it confirmed someplace by a priest. Jesus the Christ has been in us for how long? Even before you were born. Before the world was born.
Now Revelation 17 8. All Right when were the. Let's see here. They will wonder and on the earth show wonder whose names were not written in the book. From when? Well, what do you know? Their names were never written in the book from the very foundation 14 Revelation 17 14.
So there must be a group that is with him. A Group that was never written in the in the book of life and Those that are written in the book of life see the difference 17 a. Whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation.
They never were alive. Spiritually. Well one more. Yes. All right. Sure. It would just follow if a God that made them and he made us and He did not write their names in the book of life. That he would also Say that he was responsible for their name not being written.
He has given them the name of Jesus Christ. A certain path to follow now, this does not lessen our responsibility. Or our response to them one more. Saying blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven given and whose sins are covered.
Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin. There's that word impute again. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin. Quickly, someone tell me what does impute mean? That's right.
All right. Is there anything else that you wish to discuss? You're not alone. You are you are alone in understanding. I've taught it so many times. Yes. Well, yes. Then that's what makes it so interesting.
Any book that you read in the Bible? It's a brand new book. Yet you have gone through it umpteen times Debbie and have exhausted it completely and it doesn't change. But what is there that changes the circumstances around which we are living?
They change and That causes us to see something new. That's why it is so interesting and informative to go back over a book many many many times. That's right. The faith is constant. Now you understand things you didn't before and you do now and there are things At which you will understand later.
The next time we go through it. Russell dismisses, please.