Christ And The Criminal (part 2) - [Luke 23]

The Folly of Dull Doctrine and the Excitement of Christ

Lots of people these days have said Christianity that is full of doctrine will drive people out of the churches. Too much doctrine. Dull dogma. You'll drive people out. Am I loud enough by the way, I want to be louder.

My lamp doesn't work. So I need volume to make up for it. It's a venial sin. Somebody unplug my lamp. Go out of town for one week and come back to this chaos around here if you want to get people in. Water things down.

Talk about therapeutic issues moralistic issues. Come on, give me practical things relevant things. Give me how to. Well, give me that dull doctrine. Boring doctrine. You know, the interesting thing is when you look at Christianity and her claims.

It's all about doctrine, but it's not boring at all. The drama of redemption. And as Dorothy Sayers said you can accuse Jesus of lots of things, but nobody could ever accuse him of being boring. The drama is what's so wonderful.

The doctrine about who Christ is what he's done. The timeline stretching back into eternity past and the plan of God. It's exciting the doctrine of who Jesus is and how he condescends Sacrifices himself for others.

Is there anything more exciting. Turn your Bibles to Luke chapter 23, and we're gonna try to finish up today a little. Excursus on Jesus Christ and the thief commonly called the thief on the cross. Two weeks ago.

We started this we're in first Corinthians 9. But I wanted to just focus upon Christ because in my mind in my study I've just been looking at Jesus on the cross and watching him and being an admiration of him.

I'm thinking of myself all glory laud and honor to the eternal King. Other day, I walked into Walmart, and I had a spiritual experience. I Did I hate to admit it even the West Boylston Walmart of all places?

I walked in and I had been thinking about this passage, and I'd been thinking about Who I used to be and the sins that I lived in and the person that I was and what I deserved when I died. And then how God interrupted me to quote pastor Dave how God stopped me how God granted me repentance.

How God made me alive how God caused me to be born again for no reason. Except his good pleasure and how I was just different and when I walked into Walmart I began to look at the people and here's what I thought I thought I know something that none of these people know.

I've been let in on a divine secret. God has disclosed himself to me. God has revealed himself the word revelation means to uncover. There's been a secret a truth and God has just opened my mind through the spirits working through his word and now I know.

About the world about life death salvation. Suffering comfort hope eternal life. I know everything and everybody else is walking around. Zombie-like. Over in the bait-and-tackle section. I mean, they're just walking around.

I thought I know these things. And I think to myself I just want to tell somebody about who God is who Christ is. I know these things and they don't. Not because I'm better probably because I'm worse.

But I know these things because God has disclosed them to my mind through his Holy Spirit. Illumined word and I just thought the joy the peace. I wasn't thinking. Oh all that stuff. I know about God is boring dull.

Down with dogma up with experience. It was that the dogma the doctrine who I was in Christ and who Jesus was it gave me the feelings of love and joy and peace. And Experiencing God, can you imagine I'm gonna write a new book about that?

Experiencing God at Walmart. Finally I can write a book that somebody would buy and so as we look at this passage today the thief isn't the focus. The other criminal isn't the focus. The scorners aren't the focus.

This is a great passage because it keeps your mind where it should be. The spotlight is singular and it's right on Christ Jesus the Savior and you'll say to yourself. He is a great Savior. That's my Savior that's my King.

He did for the criminal what he did for me. And I think you'll have joy today. And if you're not a Christian today's a good day for you. You'll see the immediance the immediacy the importance of looking away from yourself and looking to the cross to live.

This is the passage that JC Ryle said whenever the gospel of Christ is preached. These verses will always be honored loved and had in remembrance. Why? Because they're all about the Lord. This is Christianity.

It's not how to it's who God is and what he has done. Let's pick it up in chapter 23 verse 32 just a quick review just so we're all Up to speed on the passage and then we'll give some lessons. Learned from the thief on the cross.

So we'll do some exposition and then some reflections derived from the truth that you could see on the thief on the cross. Luke 23 32 to others who are criminals thieves and robbers is what they were were led away to be put to death with him and When they came to a place that is called the skull it looked like a skull.

There wasn't a lot of skulls around. Calvary is the name of it in Latin. There they crucified him and the criminals one on his right one on his left for disgracing for humiliating the so-called King and Jesus said father forgive them.

I'm sure he was gasping for this breath to speak for they know not what they do. And what did they do? They piled on all the more Ignoble actions and they cast lots to divide his garments. He's not even dead yet.

Gambling for his clothes and the people stood by watching. People stood by watching but the rulers scoffed at him saying he saved others. Let him save himself. You just hear it almost like recess at a public school.

He saved others. Let him save himself. You just see the head wagging. He saved others he raised them from the dead he healed them he gave them food now save yourself. If he is the Christ of God His chosen one kind of a bad place to be if you're gonna be the chosen one of God.

I'd hate to be the unchosen one of God taunting Jesus to save himself. Little did they know what Luke has already said in chapter 2 to you is born. This day in the day city of David a Savior who is Christ the Lord.

Soldiers also mocked him verse 36 coming up and offering him sour wine. This is a negative thing to do to try to keep him alive longer. There's not any kindness here and saying if you are the king of the Jews save yourself.

You can't fulfill. This is the taunt you say you're the king, but you can't save yourself. It was also an inscription over him. This is the king of the Jews. Epigraph a writing upon this is the writing upon name crime.

One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him saying are you not the Christ save yourself and us? Mark 15 says the other Criminal had also mocked him. It's stereo mocking one side over here mocking the other side over here.

But something's gonna happen to this one criminal. We'll see in a moment. Save yourself and us. Get us down. We're not talking about eternal salvation forgiveness of sins. We want to be down from this cross.

And isn't it interesting one commentator said everything is reversed. In terms of what should be really happening to the Creator the Savior the king of the universe. Everything's reversed. It should be everybody else on the cross and Jesus down off the cross, but everything's weird.

Everything's off. Things don't seem from a human perspective. Proper now, it's interesting. I don't know if you've thought about it four times in five verses saved verse 20 chapter 23 verse 35 Saved saved verse 37 saved verse 39 saved or save.

Everything's about Jesus saving activity and they're mocking that Heather rebuked him verse 40 saying do you not fear God since you are under the same sentence of condemnation and we indeed Justly for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong and He said Jesus Remember me when you come into your kingdom.

And Jesus said to him truly I say to you today you will be with me in paradise. Let me give you a little review on some of the lessons We learned last time and then we'll get to some of the new lessons number one first lesson first.

Salvation Changes the Sinner Immediately

Reflection from what we've learned in this passage about our Lord. No particular order lesson one salvation changes the sinner immediately. Salvation changes the sinner immediately. So if people say they're saved and there's no change in their life.

No change in their attitudes. No change in their direction. No change in their affections. No change at all if there's no change In your life, there's been no change in your position. This man is changed.

That thief showed all kinds of repentance and faith and love for the Lord standing up for him. He was a different person. Can you imagine think about somebody in your own life who says you know what? I'm a Christian.

But they act like think like and from your perspective. There's no difference between them and a pagan. Do you mean to tell me that the God of the universe omnipotent God of the universe who creates with the word?

Son, and there's the Sun can Invade a person and there's no change at all. No wonder Jesus said not everyone who says to me Lord Lord will enter the kingdom of heaven. But the one who does the will of my father who is in heaven on that day.

Many will say to me Lord Lord did we not prophesy in your name cast out demons in your name and do many mighty works in your name and Then will I declare to them? I Never knew you. Oh He knows about them.

All right, but not in an intimate personal way. This whole idea that you can take Jesus as Savior without making him Lord is erroneous. First of all, you don't make Jesus Lord as I was taught at Master's Seminary what Steve Jesus is Lord if God the Father made him Savior and Lord, you can't just say you know what.

I need a little hell insurance. Second lesson. Christ has both the power and willingness to save sinners. So rejoice in God's saving work. Look at what he said in verse 43. Truly I say to you today you shall be with me in paradise.

He has both the power and the willingness to save. Steve's gonna be preaching through and is preaching through the gospel of John and you're gonna see over and over and over in that great Gospel according to John Jesus has the power to save and he has the will to save.

He's able to save and he is willing to save. That's amazing thinking about what we really deserve and what we've earned and what we should get. What did the thief discern earn get merit and we like the thief?

Have earned hell yet God to use the expression outdoes himself and saves. Grandma, Evie would probably say it this way. That's just like Jesus. To save a sinner like that. That's just like Jesus to save somebody like me a strong deliverer to save sinners.

That's good news. Greater love has no one than this. Then one laid down his life for his friends. Keep your finger at Luke 23 and flip over to Isaiah 55 just for a second. I almost said Isaiah flip over there.

I think once in Nebraska. I did a conference for pastors last weekend. In the middle of Nebraska, and I think I did say Isaiah you would have been very happy that it's affecting me. It's taking me 14 years to learn some of these words.

I did tell him the one story I said when I first got to New England coming from Los Angeles and Nebraska and somebody did a scripture reading and they got up and Said I am the Alpha and Omega. I said I knew I was in a different place that I'm a missionary.

Now thinking about God if you were God, would you be a willing Savior? Of course, if you're God you have the power to save but. What kind of Greek God saves. What kind of Molech God saves. What kind of Baal God saves at his own expense.

No one saves like God at his own expense and for Isaiah the Prophet he thought about that. Now lots of times we go straight to these verses. Go to verse 8. Isaiah 55 verse 8. You probably know this verse for my thoughts are not your thoughts.

Neither are your ways my ways declares the Lord. And there's a huge gap by the way God thinks and by the way, we think think for as the heavens are higher than the earth. So are my ways higher than yours and my thoughts than your thoughts.

So here's my question. What is he talking about there? What is the context for my ways are higher than your ways for my thoughts are higher than your thoughts. We just pull out verse 8 like it's kind of out on its own.

What's the immediate context. Well. What's the first word in verse 8 that should help us for so it makes us go back up a little bit. You want to know how God is such a God who doesn't think like we do because he's a God who saves.

Look at this verse 6. Seek the Lord while he may be found. Call upon him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts. Let him return to the Lord Yahweh that he may have compassion on him.

Don't miss this. Connect this to verse 8 and to our God for he will abundantly pardon. Isn't that good about God? If you were God, I don't think he would have abundantly pardon if they did something to your son.

Yet God is willing and able and God is a mind-blowing God to Isaiah because he's a God who Abundantly pardons, isn't that good? Just stop and think about your own sins for just a minute. Just have a little reap.

Rewind back to as long as you can think. And the different sins that you committed. Sins of omission sins of Commission sins of thoughts words deeds. Sins of actions. Sins of attitudes sins of all kinds of things.

You just think you know, what kind of pardon I need. I need a final pardon, but I need abundant pardon. What's the song grace that is greater than all our what? sins. So when you think about God not having thoughts like us.

Tie it to redemption. Let's go back to Luke chapter 23 lesson 3. Embrace the sovereignty of God in salvation. Don't run from it. Embrace the sovereignty of God in salvation. At the end of the day two thieves one redeemed.

One not. What's the explanation for the one being redeemed and the other not is the explanation found inside one of the thieves? This thief submitted his heart. This thief bowed the prayer. This thief Did something.

The other thief? Oh, he was worse. There's nothing in the text to tell us that one thief is worse than another. The only reason why one is in heaven and the Other isn't is because of the gracious distinguishing sovereign grace of God.

He's a God who abundantly pardons, but he does it based on his own good pleasure and his own free will. This is a classic example. Both earned Damnation yet one was graced with a gift. You say you know what?

I don't like that. Let me ask you a little something short of some of the people that are from the east here. Do you like it that you're able to if you're if you're single able to pick your spouse? If you are married, did you like it that you were able to pick your spouse?

Do you like to be able to pick the job you work at. You'd like to be able to pick your friends. Pick your church. Do you like to be able to pick those things? Of course. This is a free country and the reason why you like to pick and choose is because you're a reflection of God.

You're an image bearer. God picks and chooses. You pick and choose when I was a kid. It was the sandbox We used to play in the sandbox. Now they probably have Xbox sandbox. It's an X sandbox. Actually have at your sketches.

Frames that you can put around your iPad now. Makes you think you're playing with the next. Whatever it's called you like to choose because you're an image bearer. And so what you love in yourself. Why do you hate in God?

God chooses all the time. God says I choose Israel. I don't choose anyone else. None of them deserve to be chosen. Deuteronomy says he chose Israel because he loved him and he wanted to. God chooses some angels.

He doesn't choose the other angels. Only the leave bit of Levitical priests can be priests nobody else. Only these 12 can be Apostles nobody else. So why are we blown away when we think of individual salvation when it's part and Parcel of the sovereign grace of God picking and choosing at the essence of God.

He picks and chooses. And for Paul, he didn't say oh, this is that dividing doctrine. I don't want to teach it to new Christians. This isn't going to work. Ephesians chapter 1. What does Paul say? I'm gonna praise God for God's election of me in eternity past just as he chose us in him.

Before the foundation of the world that we might be holy and blameless in love. He predestined us. Predestination is not loving. Well, then you need to read the Bible. Predestination happens because God looks down the course of time.

Well, then you need to read Ephesians chapter 1 verse 4. Paul couldn't get over election and he tells it to the church right away. He doesn't say you know what? That's a that's a secondary doctrine. The Spirit of God has made it a primary doctrine and the sooner you embrace it the better off.

You'll be the better off you'll have a charismatic experience in Walmart. And when I mean charismatic, I mean the root word grace. Just I felt the grace as it were. I sensed it. There's nothing tangible because that wasn't really feeling or sensing.

I was replaying it over in my mind the doctrine of unconditional election. God chose me and he should have damned me. Except he's a God who abundantly pardons true or false without election. No one would be saved.

True because people are depraved spiritually in Unable to save themselves and unless God chooses you you're not getting in heaven. So why would we hate it true or false? Election harms no one true. The people that aren't elect they get exactly what they want and they don't want Jesus.

They don't love Jesus. They don't honor him. They don't give him. Exaltation. No unelect person ever says you're giving me something that I didn't want true or false. Man is in no position to judge God for what he does.

Listen to the words of Jesus in Matthew 20. Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with what is my own or is your eye envious because I am generous. Is there injustice with God regarding choosing Jacob over Esau may it never be.

Election on the other hand produces awe and worship. God chose that other thief and how did he respond? Worship honor thankfulness. Listen at 2nd Thessalonians, but we should always give thanks to God for you Brethren beloved by the Lord because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation.

And as I said last time if you are not a Christian and you're saying am I elect or am I not? Why don't you settle it right now believe on the Lord Jesus Christ? And that will be a response to your election number four salvation is by faith alone so believe.

Look at verse 42. Jesus remember me when you come into your kingdom. Jesus remember my Baptism. Jesus remember that I Was catechized. Jesus remember my works. What works did the thief have? So far nothing.

What merit what could he bring to God? He can't even get baptized. This reminds me of Luke 18. Lord have mercy upon me the sinner. Nowhere to go but to God. That's what faith alone is burdened with sin.

Empty-handedly going to Christ Jesus believing his word number five. When you die you were with Christ. So rejoice when you die you are with Christ, so we were so rejoice. Notice verse 43 today. You shall be with me in paradise.

Now how happy do you think the thief would have been with today? You'll be with me in purgatory. Today you'll be with me in soul sleep. No. Psalm 116 is insightful precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his godly ones.

The Hebrew there is carefully watched over by God is The death of one of his saints. God's carefully looking over watching as the Spirit of God hovered over the waters for creation. It's like the Spirit of God hovering over the death of his godly ones and here it's absent from the body.

Present with the Lord for me to live as Christ and to die is what? Gain, I thought about that when I was watching my mother die. I thought you know what? If I didn't believe what the scriptures teaching teach Death would be horrible awful wicked and final.

There'd be no gain to death. But you think you know what? Mom didn't want to leave. She didn't want to die by the second. She closed her eyes and that last breath of death went out. Gain gain over the three kids that were there singing hymns gain over the The the family gain over money gain over power it's all gain.

Can you imagine the thief on the cross? Naked ashamed dying for sins that he committed and then all of a sudden dead and then it's gain. Take a look at that word paradise if you would verse 43. Now it comes from a Persian root word, but it basically means garden.

It means park and over time the Greeks thought of paradise park gardens as some places wonderful someplace Pleasurable someplace full of bliss. You ever been in the Middle East hot Sand desert and you go to a little oasis and you can feel the temperature just drop.

Gardens, it would be the same way fountains flowers shrubs. This word in Greek in Luke 23 When used in the Greek Old Testament is where we get the word garden of Eden. The Romans had Elysium. Here we have Paradise it's a pleasure ground.

It's a park remember when you're a kid and at least we used to do this before the Xbox's and and people got Carpal fumble when they got their thumbs all. I can't even go through an airport anymore. People are just walking zigzaggedly.

You think they're drunk and and and they're drunk on blackberries is what they're drunk on man. Of course if I do it, it's okay, but everybody else I don't like. And and and sometimes maybe even now you'd say you know what we're gonna go to the park today.

Fun and play. And when you're older, maybe it's a pretty park with flowers and sensation and smells and you just think you know what? The park in Victoria, Canada. Think oh, that's wonderful. So it's an idea.

There's a concept so our minds could get ourselves wrapped around the idea of what would have and be like. How could you describe heaven? You can't describe it, but if you take a picture of one of the the greatest things back in those days of pleasure and and just Beauty a park so he says here.

This is a paradise. Now some people say well, you know what the text says today you will be with me in paradise. Today and do you know when it comes to today? Didn't the creed say and he descended in the hell.

Doesn't Colossians 2 says he he made victory and triumph over. Some of the demons doesn't first Peter chapter 3 say that his body's on the cross. But his spirit descends and proclaims victory to those who are in Tartarus.

Yes. But Jesus isn't trying to talk linear time here. Look if you would with me to Luke 4 21. We're gonna look at two passages super quickly. But I think this will help you because you can waste a lot of time trying to figure out if today Jesus says he's gonna be in paradise, but he didn't ascend to heaven until Sunday.

Where did he go? What's paradise? What's happening? Well, the point is this the criminal says someday I want to be there with you in your kingdom and Jesus is talking about an Immediacy of salvation that's the thing and and Luke uses this all the time.

Luke 4 21 show you two cases that Luke uses the word today to stress immediacy of salvation. Luke 4 21 and he began to say to them today. The scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing. Now flip ahead to Luke 19 9 you'll see this theme in Luke today.

A immediacy of salvation focusing upon. You want to be saved later you're going to be saved now. He's not using today as some chronological within this next two minutes. This will happen. Certainly, he will be in heaven one day.

Certainly, he's going to be with Jesus and you could call that paradise if you want, but here it seems like it's a place paradise. Luke 19 9 and Jesus said to him today. Salvation has come to this house.

Since he also is a son of Abraham for the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost. Someday save me in your kingdom. Here's the point and the only point it's not going to be the remote future. It's going to be now you're saved bliss now.

So You don't have to say to yourself. Well, where did his spirit go and all that because the second you say his body's there and his spirit is going someplace else. You start wrapping your mind around the omnipresent spirit.

What's happening? He's not thinking a linear today. You'll be with me and now Jesus quick goes up to heaven to drop the guy back off. Come back down here then go back down to hell proclaim that we won once you start thinking that way you're missing it.

Chapter 4 today chapter 19 today. Luke 23 today. You want it later? I'm telling you you're saved. That's the big point. Paul uses the same word. I was caught up into paradise and heard inexpressible words.

Which a man is not permitted to speak. 2nd Corinthians chapter 12 verse 4. Can you imagine that's the same word for paradise in Luke 23? Caught up to heaven to paradise and I can say things that only kids in Nebraska.

Writing the book heaven is for real are allowed to talk about. That's a biggest farce. If you need to know that heavens real based on some three-year-old kid in, Nebraska. I was right close to that town and if someone said a better title for that book Heaven is for real needs to be kids say the darnedest things.

That's a better title because when you describe heaven wrongly a it's not heaven B when Paul went there he couldn't talk about it. And now you're charging $15 a person to come into the gym in Nebraska to hear about it.

WB Henson was going to die. And he was thinking about heaven before he died. Here's what he said. I Remember a year ago when the doctor told me you have an illness from which you won't recover. I Walked out to where I live five miles from Portland, Oregon and looked across at that mountain that I love.

I looked at that river in which I rejoice. I looked at the stately trees that are always God's own poetry to my soul. Then in the evening, I looked upon the great sky where God was lighting his lamps and I said I May not see you many more times but mountain.

I shall be alive when you're gone and River I shall be alive when you cease running toward the sea and stars. I shall be alive when you have fallen from your sockets in the great down pulling of the material universe.

Today you will be with me in paradise. Lesson number six. Lesson number six as Long as you're alive, it's never too late to repent and believe as long as you're alive. It's never too late to repent and believe.

No matter how bad you've been no matter the sins you've committed. Here God saves this person at death's door at the maw of a hell. One of the dregs of humanity one of the worst riffraff. These are the kind of people we want to lock up and never see again.

Spurgeon said this why is there only one deathbed repentance in the Bible? Spurgeon said why only one deathbed repentance number one so you'd have hope. Aren't you glad when you go into the ICU and preach the gospel?

You think to yourself the power of the gospel? Attended by the Spirit of God is powerful enough to save this person on death's door. Aren't you glad for that? But there's only one for another reason. Spurgeon said so that's that you don't live your whole life presumptuously saying right before I die I'll accept the Lord a.

That's presumption and be that makes you say to yourself power of salvation is within my own power. You can't save yourself. You can't wait to the end. You can't earn salvation. You can't merit it. Salvation isn't in your own power.

Listen to what Doddridge said. Most ungrateful and foolish is the conduct of those who take encouragement from the penitent thief. To put off repentance to a dying moment. He says it's ungrateful and it's foolish.

Most ungrateful in perverting the grace of their Redeemer into an occasion of reviewing their provocations against him. And most foolish to imagine that what our Lord did so in a single circumstance Is to be drawn into an ordinary precedent.

When I was a kid I said to myself before I died then I'll make it right with Jesus. The elevator is gonna go down. At least I have eight seconds before I hit. Presuming on God if that's any kind of the attitude that you have maybe some of the kids here.

Maybe we have some of the younger kids here this whole Christianity thing. I know it's good. I know it's right. I know there's a hell. I know that there's eternal damnation, but I want to do my own thing now.

May I try to disavow you of that foolish and ungrateful notion. Today is the day. To honor the Lord by believing in his son. Lesson 7. God grants assurance of salvation. So enjoy your assurance. God grants assurance of salvation.

He granted the thief Salvation and he could know it. John Reisinger writes a lot about Salvation and assurance. Here's the issue. If you struggle with your assurance, I guarantee you it goes back to a faulty doctrine of salvation.

It goes back to a faulty doctrine of salvation. Now we live in a very Roman Catholic area here, of course. And Catholics do not believe. You can know for certain. Unless you're the Virgin Mary or possibly Paul.

Those are two exceptions. That you can know for sure. You can hope Trent will say. But you can't know for sure. Matter of fact. Listen to Trent still. Affectual now, it's not been rescinded. If anyone says that he will for certain of an absolute and infallible certainty.

Have that great gift of perseverance unto the end. Unless he has learned this by special revelation Paul. Let him be accursed. Can you know for sure you're going to heaven? The answer is yes, you can.

Now there's a false assurance that professors have and Some Christians are going to go to heaven even though they don't feel like they are. But you can have assurance. Assurance isn't necessary for salvation, but you can have a real assurance.

How much different is biblical Christianity than Roman Catholicism that calls real assurance. I kid you not the sin of presumption. Presumption. Gregory the Great 600s. He said it was dangerous. He said this the greater our sins the more we must do to make up for them.

Whether we have done enough to atone for them. We cannot know until after death. We can never be sure of success. 7th century. Gregory the Great says, you know what? It's not desirable and it's kind of dangerous.

Then comes a 1500s and Trent says it's a moral sin to know. You say, you know, you're going it's a moral sin. And of course it makes sense because works righteousness religions never know how much works.

They righteously need to do to get to heaven if it's do-do-do instead of done done done. Of course, it's built into the system. Show me a Pelagian semi Pelagian Roman Catholic Christian fundamentalist these days thinking that somehow it's God and them are them alone for salvation then Assurance will be distorted.

I hope so. I'm going to heaven, but you can't know. So this is in a Roman Catholic prayer book sample prayer. I desire by thy grace to make satisfaction for my sins by worthy fruits of penance and I will accept From thy hands, whatever pains crosses our sufferings I shall meet with during the remainder of my life are at my death as just punishments for my inquiries begging that they may be united to the sufferings and death of my Redeemer and Sanctified by his passion in which is all my hope for mercy grace and salvation.

You know, I prefer a different him my sin, oh the bliss of this glorious thought my sin not in part, but the Whole is nailed to the cross and I bear it no more. Praise the Lord praise the Lord. Oh my soul.

You can know for certain you can be positive that you're going to heaven lot different than this kind of prayer for sick Roman Catholic beg that God would accept all thy pains and Uneasiness and union with the sufferings of your Savior Jesus Christ.

Let our fast we beseech thee. Oh Lord be acceptable to thee that by atoning for our sins. They may both make us worthy of thy grace and bring us to everlasting effects of thy promise. Worthy of grace.

Friends Protestants and Catholics alike. We are not worthy of grace. Show me someone who's got the wrong doctrine of salvation. And of course, they have the wrong doctrine of assurance. Turn if you would a second Timothy chapter 1.

Let's take a look at Paul now again. The Catholic community would say this is Paul and pulley only Paul can know but he was writing to Timothy for a reason. And I just want you to see how certain Paul was and if you read 1st John chapter 5 and John chapter 20 you can know for sure that you're going to heaven.