Becoming Better Theologians (part 10)

Father we thank you this morning that we Were able to get here. Pray for those who are still on the roads. Just thinking especially about those who are unsaved and driving this morning. Father we would pray for those who are on their way to Bethlehem Bible Church that you would grant them safe passage here Father we pray that as we look to your word this morning that we would be encouraged we would be challenged and that we would be a Reminded of your goodness in saving us.

Father we pray that you would bless this time and bless this day in Christ's name. We pray amen. Well last week we started talking about why people don't believe and Sometimes it's hard for us to accept or understand completely, but let me back up one thing you know last week I brought up this thing and the I wanted I want to say the Dead Sea, but in California Where they found this was a monolake where they NASA announced that they allegedly found these life-forms that feed on arsenic and This week now the scientists some scientists are saying that's impossible to so there's an ongoing debate about whether They actually found anything or not you know so maybe NASA doesn't know what they're talking about but imagine that that a Government agency would spend a lot of money and get the wrong answer.

I don't know doesn't really seem possible to me. Anyway, I digress. Last week we started talking about why people don't believe. We asked for reasons that maybe people don't believe and Some of them that were listed they are not chosen.

They hate God they harden themselves. They are hardened by God. Something we don't often talk about it, but we're gonna talk about this morning the gospel is foolishness to them. How about they love their sin.

More than they love God or how about this one? How about just Satan? Does Satan blind? The minds of the unbelieving. Absolutely. But ultimately the problem is for many people is they have too high a view of themselves too low of a view of God too Casual a view of sin.

And They have a wrong view of fairness what God should and shouldn't do so we started talking about reprobation and I do this by way of. It's a little bit of a digression from what Culver? Wanted to talk about we'll get to what he talks about eventually.

But he said you know why do people believe God and I'm going you know here's an interesting question. Why don't people believe? We know that they have evidence. They can look all around and they see the order they see the structure they can reason within themselves that there is a Creator that there is as the 12-step program says a higher power.

But what they don't do or what they cannot do is reason all the way we also know that there's evidence of God within each person. Not only do we bear the image of God, but we have what else? What else do each of us have that bears testimony to the existence of God?

What's that? Conscience Peggy says with a question mark that is a ding ding ding correct answer. Conscience how does a conscience reflect the existence of God? What's that some Peggy says gently volunteering the rest of the class?

It's somebody. Somebody else's turn. I recommend either coffee or Romans 2 for the answer. Let's go to Romans 2. Can't believe. Nobody stopped donkeys this morning. Oh, yeah, okay, just kind of get you going Romans chapter 2 starting in verse 12.

For all who have sinned without the law will also perish without the law. All who have sinned and all who have sinned under the law Will be judged by the law for it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God.

But the doers of the law who will be justified for when. Gentiles who do not have the law. They didn't have the Ten Commandments they didn't have the written law by nature do what the law requires. How can they do that?

They are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. They don't have the written law, but verse 15 explains what they do or what they have. They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts.

While their conscience also bears witness and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them. What is it about the law of God written in their hearts that should give testimony to God? His law being written on their hearts.

The conscience as Peggy said, what is that? What does that tell every single person? Whether they're saved or not. What do they know? They innately know that murder is wrong. And you say well, you know, wait a minute there are some cultures where they're still Cannibalistic and they're still listening.

Okay but if you took a kid out of that culture at a very young age and you told him that murder was wrong and You explained it all to him I Don't think you'd have to go very long before he would realize his conscience would kick in what's happened.

There is over years decades centuries. People have really hardened their conscience against God in rejecting those things. I don't know if you can recall Your childhood for some of us it's easier than others.

But the first time you really remember. Maybe some of it, you know, maybe George Washington's in this class this morning. Did anybody is there anyone here who never lied to their parents not one time?

You know, I realize some of you are still not quite awake. So I'll give you another second or two to respond. Maybe somebody maybe somebody just okay. And and what happened before you lied to them. I mean your heart is racing.

The the best lie detector in the world is the human heart. You know, if you just check somebody's pulse while they're talking to you, it's gonna go. Because their conscience is accusing them of lying.

They know it's wrong to lie. But they do it but that gives evidence to the fact that God Exists because he's written His law in our hearts we have a conscience. I'm just I'm just thinking, you know, because I'm very dog centric In my thinking because we do have three dogs, but you know, it's interesting because we ascribe all these human emotions and Abilities to animals but guess what?

Does the dog have a conscience? I mean if our dogs make a mistake in the house, are they really, you know? Apologetic 30 seconds afterwards I have five seconds afterwards. They don't even remember what they did.

It's no big deal to them. We are different. We bear the image of God. We bear his law in our hearts. We are completely different than all of Creation and that really separates us from all the other animals.

So we're talking about rep well we're talking about why some people don't believe and There is a topic called reprobation we began talking about it from Kurt Daniel syllabus last week. And I think we may have even read Isaiah chapter 6, but let's turn there as we start here this morning and as you're turning there Isaiah chapter 6.

Last week we asked a few questions that he asked. Why do some people never believe the gospel? Answer because listen what Daniel says they are not elected. They were not chosen. But were reprobated and we asked what that meant and One sense it means to be passed over to not be a recipient to not be chosen by God to be a recipient of his grace, but on the other hand it means Something that's kind of a little bit shocking to us and that would be what?

Not only are you passed over but God does. There's a hardening. He hardens you let's look at Isaiah chapter 6. And this of course is right after Isaiah's vision which every time I think of Isaiah's chapter his vision in chapter 6 I always think of something you guys have probably never heard but I have a CD and with Christian music on it and before this one song called.

Holy. Holy. Holy. It's RC Sproul and full Reverb mode and he's you know and one cried out to another Holy, holy, holy, and it just kind of it's it's pretty impressive. But that's that's the setting in which we come to this this passage.

He's just seen this vision of the glory of God. And the angels and the foundations of the throne and in verse 8 Isaiah says and I heard the voice of the Lord saying whom shall I send and who will go for us?

Then I said here am I which is loa me don't ask me why but I just remember that from the Hebrew send me and He said go and say to this people. This is what the Prophet is to say to the people of Judah the southern kingdom of Israel.

The Instructions that he's given by God go tell them this keep on hearing but do not understand. Keep on seeing but do not perceive. Make the heart of this people dull and their ears heavy and blind their eyes lest they see with their eyes and Hear with their ears and understand with their hearts and turn and be healed.

Look at verse 11, then I said how long Oh Lord and he said until cities lie waste without inhabitants and houses without people and the land is a desolate waste and the Lord removes people far away which They were going to be removed far away and the forsaken places are many in the midst of the land.

This was to be the fate of the kingdom of Judah it was to be sacked and The people were carried away into captivity. But interesting that God says go tell the people that they're gonna keep hearing the Word of God, but they're not gonna repent.

They're going to see the works of God, but they're not going to believe them. Is that encouraging? If I was Isaiah, I would have said like are you sure that's what you want me to say don't you want me to say?

God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life. Wouldn't that be a nicer a Nicer thing to say. This is evidence of a hardening and this passage here Isaiah 6 verses 9 and 10 specifically are used several times in the New Testament and we're going to look at it so that we can See how the New Testament authors use this Old Testament passage and the implications it has for us.

Let's look at John 12 verses 39 and 40. John 12 Verses 39 and 40 and when somebody has that would they read it, please? John 12 Verses 39 and 40 see. I would have thought y 'all would have gotten a little adrenaline shot driving in the ice.

John 12 39 40 anybody have that Dave. I love that passage, but that's not the right one. That's a great Simon. Okay, why don't you go ahead? Well, let's you know back up and read Verse 36 all the way to 40.

I just just reading that passage alone I I don't see how you can come away just reading that passage in context and think Every man woman and child has a free will we have a will that's clear because we do choose but we need to see this this is I Don't see how it could be any clearer.

I mean they see the works in other words and signs the miraculous when we see the word signs. It means the miraculous works of Christ here in this case. But they still do not believe in him. It wasn't just enough that they had God in the flesh God incarnate walking among them.

But he did miraculous works in the midst of them, and they did not believe. Why so that the words of the prophet might be fulfilled, but look what it says in verse 39 therefore they? Could not believe for again Isaiah said and then you know reading that so It says.

Well, that's what he says, but at second this fulfilled Isaiah 53. That's where the other passage was Lord who has believed our reports and Third this ties in with Isaiah 6 9 and 10. What were the reasons why men?

Indeed cannot believe the gospel it is because God has Hardened their hearts they could not believe Isaiah said he has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts lest they see with their eyes. God did Does not want all people to believe.

This is hard for us to grasp as human beings listen what Calvin says Says observe that he directs his voice to them, but in order that they might become even more deaf. He kindles a light, but that they might be made even more blind.

He sets forth doctrine, but that they might grow even more stupid. He employs a remedy. But so that they may not be healed. It seems so counterintuitive To us and it's certainly counterintuitive to most Christians.

I received an email today. So or this last week from a woman at no compromise radio, which reminds me. I should turn off my phone no compromise radio and She basically She wasn't really pleased with something I said on the radio, and it was just kind of a this will shock you, but it was kind of an offhanded comment.

I mean but it was about it was about. I mean Tuesdays are a different kind of show and I'd said that. The complaints that we get from people typically you know like every third word or whatever is Misspelled and I go I I just think that if you take the time to write the show and complain a you would want to Include some scripture and be you know just run a spell check or you know look for the words because my wife was saying.

You know in the browser if you write an email all the words that are misspelled get underlined. I'm like, what do you do just ignore it? I'm just gonna send it. I Like I like to you know at least appear to be smart when I send my emails.

But I didn't say that part on there, but I just said no. So she went on and she's just like you know you guys just have the wrong way of doing things you need to woo people to God and Now think about what that says.

And I'm not really I'm not dogging her. But I because I think this is Christianity at large says you know you need to you know say soft words. And just kind of woo them and kind of make it nice for them.

But this passage just said what that they could not understand and Jesus never never Went easy on people. Fact she asked she said you know I said because I talked about Nicodemus in my first response to her.

She wrote back after my first response in my first response I talked about how Nicodemus was told you must be born again, and I said you must be born again. And what does that mean and I just laid it all out for I figured I might as well give her the gospel.

I don't know if she saved or not. You know I'll presume that she is, but I'm gonna preach the gospel anyway and She wrote back, and she said well. Did Jesus say you must be born again to the rich young ruler.

Did he say that to the prostitute. Did he say that to? You know and I go okay. I'm gonna take this at face value. Why did he say you must be born again to Nicodemus, and he didn't say it to the rich young ruler.

Does that mean that you don't have to be born again? Well how do we know that it wasn't just an instruction for Nicodemus looks look at John 3 real quick who was Nicodemus Pharisee not just any Pharisee, but it notes that he was a ruler of the Jews.

He was kind of a big shot. Chapter 3 verse 2 this man came to Jesus by night and said to him rabbi. We know that you are a teacher come from God for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.

Jesus answered him and said truly truly. I say to you unless one is born now. He didn't say truly truly. I say to you unless you are born again. He said unless the generic case every single person has to be born again, so Why didn't he say to?

The rich young ruler you must be born again. Charlie he had he addressed the issue that was the hardening factor, so why would he tell Nicodemus specifically? You must be born again because he was a Pharisee who Trusted in his own righteousness.

He was an expert in the law. You know I'm going to present myself to God on the day of judgment. I'm gonna say here all the commandments. I kept look at this Lord. Aren't you happy and Jesus said? You must be born again.

So the rich young ruler he said Sell all that you have and give it to the poor. Why. Because that was a dagger through the heart. She says well, what about the thief on the cross? Going on and on and on and I said here's what you don't understand is again.

Being born again choice. I think the the language in John 3 is specifically Utilized to indicate the salvation is not a choice. Let's just walk through it real quickly, and then we'll get back to our Lesson here.

Starting again in John 3 3 truly truly I say to you unless one is born again. He cannot see the kingdom of God. And by the way that doesn't mean that you walk through the kingdom of God blindly. It means you won't get there.

Verse 4 Nicodemus said to him how can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born now? I don't know if Nicodemus was just being thick-headed here. But he's like well, what do you mean by what's all this born-again talk.

I Don't get it. Jesus answered truly truly I say to you unless one is born of water and the Spirit He cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh. That which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

Do not marvel that I said to you. You must be born again, and here's the the crusher. Verse 8 the wind blows where it wishes and you hear it sound. But you do not know where it comes from or where it goes.

So it is with everyone who is born of the spirits. Just again reading that passage. What would we understand about the Holy Spirit and his work in regeneration? That it is unpredictable imperceivable, that's three things but.

Yeah, I mean we can't we can't tell who's gonna be saved. You know I I I think a lot of us get surprised by who gets saved. I Think people around me were surprised that I got saved. But it's a sovereign work of God.

I Mean the language existed. Certainly Jesus could have said I mean There are two things that two choices here either Jesus didn't know what he was talking about or he chose his word specifically. He could have said you must choose to be born again.

But I think the language of being born we understand that babies Don't know they choose when to cry, but they don't choose what to be born. They're not in there going. You know I think today would be a good good day to be born.

They are born of a process that God begins and that physically the baby has no real Option in and in that same way when we are born again as spiritual children of God. First Peter chapter 1 says that God causes us to be born again.

It is not Something it's never presented as a choice so You know I think it's just illustrative of the fact that many people struggle with this idea of choice and choosing and all but Again it and again and again it always comes back to the sovereignty of God and salvation.

God Chooses. God acts on some people and not on others at least salvific Lee. Let's look at. Well that this is this is back in here. Let's look at Isaiah or I'm sorry acts chapter 28. Isaiah or acts take your pick.

Acts 28. Yes. Yes. Good yeah, that's a good point. You know certainly even this the woman who wrote me said you know people make a choice, how did she put it though? You know you have to believe and that's what Charlie's just saying there is a volitional aspect in other words there is a choice of the will but of course The the point of being born again is that in being regenerated in being born again?

One's will is changed. People often don't like that, and I'm like well You should like it because if you had your will if you were set in your will even as even as Daniels was just saying even as Was said in John you know you could look at the remedy, but you would never choose it.

You could see all these miracles done around you. But you would never believe why because unless God so changes your will that you want to believe you would never believe. Because you don't naturally want to believe so God Changes your will he regenerates you he gives you a new heart One that desires him and then you believe so which occurs first regeneration or faith.

I mean to say faith comes first is to say that a Person dead in their sins and trespasses can choose to believe and that's just not right so I mean I I don't think there's a time. Let's put let's put it this way if you had to put them in order I would say regeneration of faith, but I don't think there's a point in which you could say I was regenerated.

I was born again, but I didn't believe yet. Because that that time gap is so small that you would never perceive it. Yes, he does. He does give you the faith. It is a gift absolutely and by the way not a gift that you refuse.

You know I well it's a gift you have to choose to accept it. Just stop. Okay. Where were we. Oh acts chapter 28 verses 26 and 27 in fact let's back up a little bit. I'm gonna back up further than that.

Let's go back to verse 17. It's Paul in Rome. After three days he called together the local leaders of the Jews and when they had gathered together. He said to them brothers though. I had done nothing against our people or the customs of our fathers.

Yet I was delivered as a prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans when they had examined me. They wished to set me at liberty because there was no reason for the death penalty in my case. My dad called me yesterday, and my dad was just like you know they have a new Attorney General and California just got elected he said she she said that she won't seek the death penalty in a case where a Police officer was murdered by a suspect laying in wait with an ak -47 and I said she won't seek the death penalty in that case.

She basically won't do it, but so think about this. Paul was you know being examined for a death the death penalty why? Well because of his belief. There was no reason for the death penalty in my case he didn't lay in wait for anybody you know, but there you go.

But because the Jews objected I was compelled to appeal to Caesar. Because he was a Roman citizen so he could appeal straight to the boss the head of the Empire. Though I had no charge to bring against my nation for this reason therefore I have asked to see you and speak with you since it is because of the hope of Israel That I am wearing this chain.

What is the hope of Israel? Christ okay, and they said to him. We have received no letters from Judea about you and none of the brothers coming here has Reported or spoken any evil about you, but we desire to hear from you what your views are for with regard to this sect.

We know that everywhere it is spoken against. Now verse 23 when they appointed a day for him they came to him at his lodging in greater numbers. From morning till evening he expounded to them testifying to the kingdom of God and trying to convince them about Jesus both from the law of Moses and from the prophets and some were convinced by what he said, but others disbelieved and Disagreeing among themselves they departed after Paul had made one statement.

The Holy Spirit was right in saying to your fathers through Isaiah the prophet go to this people and say. You will indeed hear but never understand and you will indeed see but never perceive. For this people's heart has grown dull and with their ears.

They can barely hear and their eyes they have closed lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their hearts and Turn and I would heal them by the way. What is that word their turn?

It's Repent same word. And again, I don't know why but the Hebrew word just popped in my head. It's shoove and It means to turn to have a complete change of mind. That would be in the Old Testament. I don't know what the Greek.

Oh, it's met now. Yeah, I've got it metanoeo. Okay, but in acts 26 and 27. Again talking about free will. These passages don't teach anything to do with free will. Look again at verse 24. Some were being persuaded I'll just get it right by reading it right out of this.

Some were being convinced by what he said, but others disbelieved. So did they have a free choice is the question? Nobody has a free will but the reason is that God sovereignly gave some sight and he withheld that sight from others.

The again, this is Isaiah chapter 6 verses 9 and 10 just being used multiple times in the New Testament, let's look at Matthew 13 verses 14 and 15 in fact, we're gonna have to read more than just verses 14 and 15.

Let's just start from Matthew 1 1. No, I'm kidding. Let's let's read who has that and who would read verses 10 to 16. Bruce now before we get back to that passage. I just want to give you another analogy.

I was just thinking the About the OJ Simpson case where he was tried for murdering Ron Goldman and his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson. And he was found guilty and they talked to one of the Jurors afterwards and she said, you know, there was no proof That he had committed these murders.

You know just reading this it just reminds me that kind of if we think about Salvation Ultimately as if we thought about it Stretching things here, but it's kind of like a mystery where we pick up a piece here and a piece there.

Which is often how people think of Christianity. It's this fact over here and it's this fact over there and it's this fact over there and we just wonder why people can't put Everything together why at the end of the day when they look at all the evidence, they just say there's no proof.

What's the reason? God's because they're missing they see this evidence. They see that evidence that they see but they're missing the bigger picture. You know the people who follow Jesus around who saw the miracles they never put it all together.

Well, why is it we you know in our own minds? We just go if I saw Jesus, you know. Feeding 5 ,000 if I saw Jesus walking across the water if I saw Jesus. You would act no differently. I mean in By virtue of the Holy Spirit now we can look at the things he did and say wasn't he marvelous?

Why didn't they worship him? I would have worshipped him. Well in your current mindset. Yes, you would have. But before salvation before God regenerated you before you had as it were that foundational piece of evidence, which is a Regenerated heart.

You could not have done that you would have been you know. Like the I would argue the OJ Simpson jurors who must have been, you know. Putting on their dark glasses and just missing the whole thing. But back to our passage here He tells us Jesus tells us what the purpose of the parables was.

It served two different audiences the saved and the unsaved. For the saved Parables were very encouraging and challenging and reminders of Spiritual truths for the unsaved. What were they? Well, they weren't just mind-boggling they were also a means of hardening them, you know, how did the Pharisees respond to let's say the Parable of the lost coin lost sheep and lost son.

They were delighted great stories. Love those stories. They hated him all the more the unsaved remain blind. They remain opposed to Christ. God used the parables to grant knowledge and faith, but for the reprobates for those he had passed over He used them to confuse and to harden them further.

Now if you're here this morning and you're saved and you're thinking well, you know what for a long time I I Rejected the gospel. I didn't like the gospel. I didn't like the truths that were contained in Scripture.

But then one day God opened my eyes. So what was the purpose of all the all the teaching beforehand? I'd say this they were just little pricks against your conscience, you know little little pinpricks until finally God regenerated you and brought you to faith.

I like what he says here talking about wooing. Since that woman was so concerned of that we woo people. Well, let's go. Let's look at 2nd Corinthians 2 for a moment and we'll close here with this concept of wooing.

There is a group that's being wooed, but it's not everyone everywhere. 2nd Corinthians chapter 2 and I'm gonna start in verse 14 but thanks be to God who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession and Through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere for we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing to one a fragrance of from death to death.

To the other a fragrance from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things? What's Paul who could summarize what Paul's saying there? Maybe somebody who hasn't spoken yet for whom the caffeine is just beginning to kick in.

What's he saying? How about this? It's foolishness to those who are perishing. Paul says look we are an aroma the gospel by virtue of the fact that he's living out the gospel. He's preaching the gospel wherever he goes.

Everyone that is surrounded by Paul knows of the gospel believer or unbeliever but it's like this it's like walking into a coffee store and the one person says coffee and the other person says whoa. What's the difference?

One person loves coffee. The other one Hates it. So the ones who love Christ. They hear the words of Christ. They hear the gospel of Christ and they go. The ones who hate him say Hmm it's almost a visceral reaction and what happens the more they hear that gospel the more they go.

It's a reflex. It is who they are at the core of their being and the more they hear it the more they're challenged by it the more They're confronted by it the more they hate him. The more we hear it the more we're challenged by it.

The more we reflect upon it the more we love him. Because we think about all that he has done on our behalf. Listen the doctrine of reprobation and we'll talk more about it next week. The doctrine of reprobation is a difficult doctrine because we haven't even gotten to the really hard parts yet.

But this is the flip side of being elect and you know. Just like we don't know we can't put you like Spurgeon said we can't pull up people's shirts and see if they have an E On their back. We can't pull up people's shirts and see if they have an R on their back.

Here's what we know. We know that every single person here who loves Christ at one point would have seemed to have had an R on their back. Would have seemed to have been a reprobate someone passed over hardened by God.

But then God regenerated them caused them to be born again. So if they love Christ. So now if we could have looked we would have gone. Oh II sure. I knew that it just looked like an R. I don't know. But the point is That when we think about reprobation That the main point is that we should just marvel all the more at our own salvation.

It's not because we deserved it. It's because God chose to save a people and to act on their behalf. He acted. He worked in us if he had not acted in us. We never would have chosen him. It would have been Impossible.

I'll just close with this thought. I was once challenged in a class. You know guy says you talk all the time about the sovereignty of God and salvation. Why don't you ever talk about our free will and I'll issue you guys the challenge this morning.

Give me your favorite free will verse and I'll happily talk about it next week. You know. You just send me an email TMS Steve at BBC church org and I will wax eloquent next Sunday morning on on your free will versus all morning long.

I'll go overtime. I'll spare no no no expense. It's not a matter of free will it's a matter of will. And what our will is inclined to do we act in accordance with our nature and Before salvation our nature hated God our nature was opposed to God.

We did not love Christ. We did not love his gospel. After regeneration, it's a transformation. What happened? What changed? We changed by the work of God. Let's pray Father what a blessing it is to think of your redemptive work on behalf of your people.

Father how you have loved even from before the foundation of the world. Not because we were worthy. Not because we were good. But because we weren't worthy we weren't good and you wanted to glorify yourself.

So you took the flotsam and Jetsam and you made it a prized possession. Electing some giving them to the son who then died for them. That he might one day give them back to you after they have been preserved by the power of your spirits.

The triune God working in unison to bring about the salvation of his people. God it is a miracle that only you could do and father. We give you all the praise in Christ's name. Amen. Amen.