Pressing Toward the Goal

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What I would like to speak to you this morning is Really a follow -up from last
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Lord's Day As we looked at the wonderful and awesome verse of Scripture Found in Matthew chapter 1 verse 21.
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That's not my text today it was last week's text as Chris the Christmas season is upon us and Some people celebrate the
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Christmas season several days and even go weeks. I like that and It's it's a good window of opportunity for Christians, but we we as Christians We don't stop celebrating the virgin birth that we continue to do that Our whole lives is a great mystery and the
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God -man That that really it's not just celebrating a birth of a baby.
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It's celebrating God in flesh Incarnate that's really the purpose and the reason for Christmas and we looked at this wonderful verse from Matthew's gospel as it says she married the maiden virgin of the
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That will bear a son and you shall call his name Jesus for he shall save his people from their sins now
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As we looked at that, there's certainly That There that the
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Lord shall save his own people. That's his elect. That's his people From their sins, this is a total act of God through the gospel that salvation is of the
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Lord and in Justification which is apart from works good works by faith alone and trusting in the finished work of Jesus Christ His passive works, but not only his passive works that he accomplished on the cross
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But also his his active works that we're saved by his life you know a lot of you don't hear a lot of that part, but it's both really so it's his his active and Passive works that he accomplished by his life and his death there's a
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Theological word that speaks of his atonement is propitiation It's a it's a wonderful word because that word means appeasement
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Satisfaction, I love that word. Don't you? It's the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross and actually as you know, is this as well?
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This is the gospel that Jesus's life and death fully
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Satisfied the demands of a just and holy God that is the gospel and He took the punishment of sin upon him our sin and when you look at that that is the very heart of the gospel and we we rejoice in that don't we because Christianity is something we do.
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It's something God is done That's the gospel and we receive it and rejoice in it and trust
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God First John 2 2 says is and he himself talking about Jesus is the propitiation
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That means he himself is the satisfaction For our sins and not for ours only but also for those of the whole world now
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That's a generic term referring not to every single individual if that was the case Then Jesus's redemption failed
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But he he will and shall save his people from their sins He it's basically in that text got context as speaking that the gospel is offered to the whole
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Mankind all of mankind in general so Christ actually paid the penalty only for those that would believe and repent
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So we see that in salvation that salvation is by grace alone by God's favor through faith alone and God actually the faith is the instrument that we take a hold of God and Faith is a gift from God We see that in the text in Ephesians By grace are you saved not of works least any man should boast and then it says and then it's through faith
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That we in that faith God gives us in the finished work of Jesus Christ and we in faith is the ability to take a hold of What God and who
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God is and what he's accomplished his person and his works Many scriptures and psalms speaks of that the
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Lord is my salvation. Don't you love that? He is our salvation.
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Actually, that's what was saved unto from sin unto him That's that's really the essence of the gospel, but I like to put a question before us this morning and is this
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Why were we saved now? We're justified, but why were we saved?
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That's a good question, isn't it? And it's a simple question. I'm gonna give a simple answer But it's profound and all of verses
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So many verses I should say and throughout the scriptures really speak about this and we're gonna look at just a few
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But to what purposes is salvation now, why are we saved to what purpose is salvation?
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We're going to expand that a little bit Most Christians would answer that well, I would say that God has saved me from hell
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That's a good benefit. I don't believe anybody wants to spend an eternal hell hell fire and eternity in hell
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Some people say it's separation from God, but really hell is not separation from God Because God's presence is everywhere
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Actually, no one will ever be separated from God. Even those that go to hell. That's sad, but They suffer
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God's wrath There because of their sins as horrible as we like to talk about it, but it's true
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There's millions in hell right now as I'm speaking that will forever Or Spend eternity because of their sins and God will not take responsibility of that Well, he saves us from hell that's a great benefit, isn't it
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What about he saved me to go to heaven? Well, that's surely a benefit too I believe that he does save us from hell and he he gives us the benefit to heaven where is our eternal home
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But that is not the primary reason now as good as those benefits are that is part of it
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This is true and they're great benefits. Believe me We rejoice and that we're saved from hell was saved from eternal hellfire and punishment and heaven is our home that scripture teaches that But what is one of the primary?
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Benefits and and the answer to that question is really much much deeper
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Than what I've just mentioned According to God's Word and God's ultimate purpose for salvation and you don't hear a lot of this preach
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But I'm going to preach it to you is to call us unto holiness now holy living is part of the
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Christian life because Let me say this. This is God's answer to why we are saved is to make us holy
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This is the purpose of our salvation to make us holy in a holy people of God You and I are
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God's love gift to him and that a beautiful way to look at it He saves us out of sin from sin.
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This is our sins saves us from ourselves We deny ourselves we take up the cross we follow him and the purpose of salvation is okay
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He saves us from something from his wrath, of course But what is it to unto holiness now?
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We're gonna look at this to make a holy people of God so first there's justification now that sounds like a
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That's a theological word, but it's a good theological word. It's a Bible word One preacher put it like this just if I have never sinned that is true
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That's a easy way to remember that isn't it I am justified Everything that Jesus did is on his account is put on my account your account
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Justified imputation. It's placed on him as Jesus took our sin
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We take his righteousness in that beautiful Now there's nothing more glorious than that so there's justification but there's also sanctification which follows
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Justification always in that order, by the way, never another another other order around and not another way around I should say
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Because we're not we don't come to God by good works By being holy do we we are holy in Christ?
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He makes us holy It's no holiness within ourselves. I don't know about you. I say my own good works and righteousness is filth
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It's it's nothing. It's it's terrible before God So with saying all that Turn with me to 2nd
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Timothy and I want to read just a few verses of Scripture and this is gonna be our base I'm not gonna spend a lot of time on verse 8.
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We're going to look at verse 9 and 10 mainly verse 9 But this is the Word of God in what the
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Lord has to say about why and what for what purpose are we saved to Hear the word of the
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Living God God's Word says this is the Apostle Paul Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our
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Lord's or of me his prisoner But join with me in suffering for the gospel according to the power of God And verse 9 is a beautiful verse
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Who has saved us and called us notice to us?
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With a holy calling not according to our own works But according to his own purpose and grace which was granted in us in Christ Jesus from all
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Eternity and that wonderful that's humbling But now has been revealed by the appearing of our
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Savior Christ Jesus who abolished death and brought life and Immortality to light through the gospel.
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That was the purpose Jesus came right there Let's just stop for a minute and I'm gonna let's pray and and seek
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God's face Within this hour as we look upon these wonderful glorious passages As the
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Lord by his Holy Spirit would help us to see our father once again, we do come to you
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Lord in heaven and we pray hallowed Be thy name
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Hallowed be that name we just sung This wonderful hymn, holy.
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Holy. Holy Lord God Almighty Lord your name is holy.
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It's glorious Your name is good and it's awesome but above all it's holy
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Always holy in heaven it will be holy for all eternity Father may we now hallow your name on in earth as it is in heaven as Jesus taught us to pray
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Father my prayer this morning to us here at redeeming grace Church. Give us ears to hear your word.
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Give us eyes to see you For only the pure in heart will see you
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Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God Father I'd pray to give us divine unction as I speak of it.
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Also those that will hear From your blessed Holy Spirit, of course Lord without the Holy Spirit We might as well just go home.
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We need the Spirit of God to give us the holy unction from you That we may see your beauty and your glory the beauty of your holiness
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Lord most important give us a holy affection Give us holy affections
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Because this is not our nature Lord. This is something that must be done from you So that we may apply
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These great truths to our everyday living and that we would be careful
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Lord and we would be very careful to give you all the praise and the honor and the glory And we ask this in Jesus name.
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Amen and amen Well, God has certainly called us as his people he's called us out of darkness into his marvelous light and Here in the text before us.
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He's given us this surety those whom God justifies he
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Sanctifies the matter of fact If there's no sanctification as I've already mentioned in the life of a believer, then
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I seriously doubt there's any justification you know
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God knows the hearts and Of course Jesus did say we shall know them by their fruit.
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So it's the fruit of sanctification Good fruit now fruit by producing those good fruits is not
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The hallmark of in a sense of a person Trying to get to heaven.
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That's what I'm trying to say It's we don't do the good works and good in the fruit to get us to heaven.
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Those are a result of the root The heart the seed it's almost like you see a seed and it's planted in the ground
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That seed is there it falls upon the good ground and that seed takes
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It germinates and it comes up from the sunshine and the rain and then it sprouts and eventually you think of a tree
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Tree doesn't get over night grow into a massive tree and then the next thing you know
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That's full of all these fruits It takes time, doesn't it? but out from that there's a miracle and only
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God can produce the miracle of how that works and Operates and it amazing if you really study that but it's not that The good works save us that is a result of what is there in the first place?
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so as justification is like the seed and Then there's sanctification is like the fruit the
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Apostle Paul and the text before us begins with this truth and He says this therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of the
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Lord or of me his prisoner now Let me ask you a question now are why are we not to be ashamed of our
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Lord? This is a great great verse To begin with the answer to that question is given to us in verse 7
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So why don't we say that because anytime you see as you read the
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Bible the word therefore Is there for a reason?
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It means we need to always go back to the previous verse So that we apply the truth to the context of what the text is saying
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Verse 7 says this for God has not given us a spirit of fear. That means timidity but a power and the
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Greek that means dunamis like dynamite and Love agape that's God's love and I love this last one too and of a
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Discipline that means a sound judgment. God has given us sound judgment a sound mind
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So look at those words with me very quickly. There's power. That means dunamis. God has given us his power
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Not our power, but his power he gives through the gospel There's power in the gospel
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God has already given believers all the spiritual resources in Jesus Christ for every trial and For every situation that we will ever face in that wonderful That is the power.
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He gives us that power that power keeps us There's keeping power in God If it would go if we run on our own energy and power, we're going to fall and fail
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I've done it many times. I've tried to run on on my own steam and my own power Damn, I'm down But not
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God God gives power to the weak When we're weak was strong.
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That's the way God works Secondly there is the word love now.
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This word is misinterpreted among us today in evangelical circles But this kind of love is
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God's love and according to 1st Corinthians 13 charity It never fails
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It never fails. It's strong. It endures to the very end matter of fact
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If you want to say it demonstrated you read in Scripture when Jesus they crucified him and they hung him on the cross and when
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Jesus taught at the Sermon on the Mount to pray for your those that use you and Mistreat you then he says love your enemies.
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That's a strong It's a hard thing, isn't it? But it takes the power of God to do that Jesus was demonstrated that as he taught that he demonstrated it on the cross
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And what did he say father forgive them for they do not know what they're doing. Now, that's
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I love that is strong They would crucify him and hanging him on a tree and he was cut up bleeding and put him there in shame
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And yet he prays for the he was loving his enemies powerful
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They said even out of that prayer one of the thieves was noticing that That one of the thieves one of them was mocking him the other thief
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Basically says don't do that. Why you don't you fear God and I personally believe by that prayer that thief was listening to Jesus As Jesus was demonstrating that powerful love
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So that's a kind of love that endures to the end It's strong it's endearing and it centers by the way on pleasing
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God doesn't it not people It pleases God first and foremost and seeking others
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Welfare before our own that's convicting because so many times we think of our own Before others, but we need to think of others.
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But first of all, we think of God and then others And third you had the word discipline This refers to a self -controlled mind that's properly prioritized a
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Sound mind that has a sound Judgment, we need this don't we? We need this severely in the church today discernment.
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It's lacking among us. The reason why it's lacking is because So many people talk about God's Word, but they don't read
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God's Word. They don't study God's Word And the only way we can grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ is to stay in the scriptures day and night
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The Bible says to meditate on day and night that takes a discipline doesn't it?
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But this is this is the very opposite by the way of what I just mentioned about a sound mind This is the opposite of fear and as you know fear has torment which is diametrically opposed from faith
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This kind of fear is cowardly and it causes disorder and confusion as you well know that God is not a god of confusion
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He's a god of order notice everything that God does is a god of order. Actually what causes
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Confusion is sin and you and I know that sin makes a mess of things
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It causes disorder and disarray and you know As it amounts and builds in one mess after another there's such a maze and a mess of sin
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But God comes to put it back to put us back together actually To do away with the sin that's why
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Jesus died was to deal with sin and He did it because he loves us and that's the way
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God operates, but God is not a god of confusion The discipline that is given through the gospel focuses on the sovereignty and sovereign nature and perfect purposes of a eternal
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God It allows the believers to control their lives with godly wisdom.
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We've been talking about in that in James that heavenly wisdom is first pure and peaceable and gentle We need heavenly wisdom and there's a confidence by the way, it's not confidence in the flesh but as a confidence of God in every situation that we face now here
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Paul says We are not to be ashamed of the testimony of the Lord Romans 1 16 is one of my favorite verses and Paul says for I'm not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ for it is the power of God unto salvation
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Unto everyone that believes to the Jew first and also to the
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Greek This power in the gospel now first The first thing
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Timothy says here Is what I'm sorry what
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Paul says he speaks to Timothy that he's not ashamed of the testimony of our Lord He's not ashamed of his life.
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He's not ashamed of who Jesus is His death and all that Jesus accomplished
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But also is another great verse that I love to tie into this and I believe it's found in 1st 1st
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Timothy You don't have to turn there, but I'll read it to you 1st Timothy verse Chapter 1 verse 12 for this reason.
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I also suffer notice how many times Paul mentioned it's about suffering This man suffered
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Actually, Jesus said he was called to suffer. This was this man's calling was to suffer This man knew
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Christ so intimately because he he had intimacy with Jesus because of his sufferings and That's why he knew
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Christ so much because the more he suffered and that's why he didn't mind suffering He can't he was so dead to himself now this is hard for us to get because We're in such a comfort zone so many times
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We do not want to invite suffering on us, but Jesus called this man the
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Apostle to suffer for his sake for Jesus sake for the gospel sake
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Folks, you know you think of it. He was in prison most of his life and he wrote a lot of these epistles in prison and Back then prisons were pretty bad.
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They're not nice Places now for bums to live in this is a place. It was a dungeon.
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It was dark unsanitary He was in chains.
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He was beaten most of the time. He was cold and Here he was rejoicing in the
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Lord and he said, you know, I'm in chains. I'm bound but the Word of God's not bound Isn't that great?
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But yet this man Could say this for I know whom I have believed here.
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He is in prison. I Know whom I have believed and I am persuaded that means
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I'm convinced That he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day praise
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God Now what day is he talking about the day? See this is what he kept before him He kept before him the day of judgment that he's going to see
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Jesus face to face now That's what really prioritizes our lives We keep before the face of God that we're going to see his face that everything we do is before God Almighty This is the way
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Paul looked at life We need to set this before us at all times Now, let's go to verse 9.
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This is what we need to look at and this is the very purpose of our salvation He has saved us and called us
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With a holy calling now the word holy means he set us apart
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He's taken us out of the world. He's taken he owns us now. He's taken possession of us
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He's why because he purchased us When you buy something that you really love
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You purchase it, don't you and it belongs to you? You prize it.
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Well, that's the way Jesus did his people his church. He prizes them. He possesses them
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He's jealous over them And by the way, it's a holy call calling not according to our works
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It's not something we've done. It's but then he says this but according to his own purpose and Grace, which he granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity
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That's that's awesome The everlasting God the Father the Son and the Spirit three and one has accomplished and has worked in our salvation
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The Father chose us before time began The Son has accomplished the work that the
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Father had given him and has brought salvation to earth and The Holy Spirit applies it the
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Father the Son and the Spirit all three in one works together in Unity the not three separate gods.
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They're one God, but in three persons working together now explain that to me Pastor David, I don't know.
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I can't explain it, but it's a mystery, but I know I know it's true That's all I can tell you. I believe it there
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So, you know there you have the Trinity working together for our salvation and that wonderful And by the way, the
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Trinity works not only in creation all together. They work in our salvation, but also they're going to work in our preserving us enduring to the end
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God saves his people from their sins Matthew 121, but he saves us unto holiness
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So salvation is past present future. Let's look at that real quick past He has saved us according to his own purpose and grace, which was given in Christ Jesus before time began
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That's past Look at this present. He has saved us and called us with a holy calling unto holiness that's present that's sanctification and Future eventually will be glorification according to Romans 828 through 30.
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Let me read it to you you could go there if you like and we're all familiar with these wonderful verses here, but These are the most richest
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Promises you will find in the Word of God Paul says is and we know
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We know Just not me know, but we know That all things not some things all
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Things now, that's this is what the Christian sees We know that God makes no mistake
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Whatsoever. He's already lived our yesterdays and tomorrows God is perfect and everything he accomplishes will be done perfectly right in exactly the time frame
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From all eternity past eternity future. God makes no mistakes He's sovereign he orchestrates everything to his glory now notice this he says and we know that all things work
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Together for good to those who love God. It's to those who love
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God That's his children Paul speaking to his people to God's people to the elect of God To those who are the called according to his purpose now notice in verse 29 for whom he foreknew
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He also predestined that means he marked them out he hand -picked him he selected them he elected them to be conformed to the image of his son
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That's the purpose that he might be the firstborn among many brethren that Jesus went before us the captain of our salvation and In verse 30 and here's the golden chain of redemption right here.
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I love this Moreover whom he predestined he marked out These he also called this is an effectual calling.
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In other words, it's effective. It will not fail In other words whom God calls it's going to happen all that the father gives me will come to me
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Jesus said and Jesus then says he that cometh to me. I will no wise cast out
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He said and then he says who he called these he also Justified here's the golden chain
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There's a there's a call there's a predestined he's called effectual calling he justified in Whom he justified the these he also
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Glorified now there you have the salvation to the uttermost the golden chain of redemption Jesus is the author and the finish of our faith
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Hebrews 12 1 There are two points Let's look at I like to set before you and verse 9 the first thing we see in the purpose of our salvation is our conversion there's conversion and Secondly, we see our calling just keep it simple like that conversion calling
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Conversion calling let's first look at the purpose of our salvation conversion
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Now you don't hear a lot about this word, but this is a very important word conversion conversion
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What do we mean by when we say this word conversion? Well, the definition of this word is very simple, but it's an effective word.
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It's a profound word We use it haphazardly at times to convert that means to change
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It's a word of change God changes us
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When we say God converts us God does the changing there's a change
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When a person comes to Jesus you don't hear this preach today because people want to remain in their sins and They say okay.
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I'm going to heaven. I have Jesus I'm okay. You're okay.
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We're all God's children and all this that's lies No God converts there's a conversion when
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God converted Saul of Tarsus on the road of Damascus. I don't know about you when you read this man's life
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There was a complete change in his life By the way, his name he was so radically changed.
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He changed his name from Saul to Paul Now the
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Jewish people did that because their name meant something what's in the name? well, their name was in their character character the way they were and Someone said this and I like this and it sounds great
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Saul means big Paul means little so he went from big the little
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Isn't that wonderful? He was humbled and Jesus Christ when he met when
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Jesus came to him by the way Paul Saul of Tarsus was not looking to be converted.
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He wasn't looking to change was he but Jesus changed him And everybody else
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Didn't know what was going on Paul saw the brightness of God's glory brighter than the noon days noon a noonday
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Sun knocked him down converted him You know, this word is also found in Acts Acts chapter 15 verse 3
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I'll read it to you. It says it's therefore being sent on their way by the church
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Speaking of Paul and Barnabas, by the way, they were passing through Phoenicia and Samaria just listen is describing in detail the conversion of the
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Gentiles and We're bringing great joy to all the brethren.
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Don't you love that? Describing in detail the conversion in other words what
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God has done What God does God brings a change? David in Psalm 51 13 said this and his prayer was penance.
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He was repenting before the Lord He says then I will teach transgressors your ways your ways and sinners
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Will be Converted to you in other words the sinner would change when you teach him
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God's ways in Matthew chapter 18 Go with me there very quickly.
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This is well worth looking at Matthew chapter 18. I love this chapter
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Matthew's account and Here you have Jesus Was a master teacher and he knew how to teach on humility, this was a
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Instruction giver he was teaching them what it means to be humble and If you look at it a lot of pride that Jesus rebuked even among his apostles at that time notice in verse 1 in chapter 18 of Matthew's gospel at that time the disciples came to Jesus and said
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Who then's the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? Oh now now they want to be
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You know in in pecking order and and who's gonna be the great one in the kingdom of heaven and Jesus knew exactly
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You know as Jesus didn't respond to them immediately and in verbal. So, okay
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Let me tell you who he is and who's not. No You know as Jesus does This is how he teaches them.
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He called a child to himself And he set the child he set him it was a male child, of course before them before these adults and He said this truly
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I say to you unless you are Converted there's the word right there.
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In other words unless you change unless you repent and become like Children now
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Listen closely. What are you saying? He's not saying to behave like you He said you got to be like children other words you got a what
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Jesus is saying you got to have all the pride knocked out of you got to be stripped and Go to the bare bones to the very bottom of the barrel
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In other words, you got to become like a children like like a child You will not enter the kingdom of heaven.
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That's strong words in other words, Jesus is saying That This is how
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Jesus characterized conversion and in the Beatitudes. It's like a picture of faith a simple helpless
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Trusting dependence upon God, that's what Jesus is saying and That think of it children do not have resources of their own
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They depend on their parents to take care of them And Jesus don't you love the way he teaches he sets the child right before them
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He said unless you become like this little one You'll by no means enter into the kingdom of heaven
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Then he goes on to say this in verse 4 whoever then humbles himself as this child
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He is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven now. He's answering their question I don't know about you can just almost see them with her mouth gaping open like Wow And whoever receives one such child in my name receives me don't you love this?
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But whoever calls is one of these little ones who believe in me to stumble now. He's talking about sin
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It would be better for him to have a heavy millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea
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In other words you do not Cause a stumbling block to God's people
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Jesus will Deal with that in a severe way, and we don't want to go there.
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That's that's severe, but this is what Jesus is talking about now Conversion keep in mind that this takes place
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After regeneration now a Lot of people said what are you talking about pastor? Regeneration is the new birth and this is something that God does
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Born from above the work of God and miracle a supernatural work of God That does within the life of each person
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RC Spro put it this way I loved RC He had a wonderful way of bringing this out
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He says we do not find God as a result of our search for him.
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We are found by him God fine no man seeks God right God is the seeker
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God comes in he goes on to say this the search for God does not end in conversion
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It begins at conversion It is the converted person who sincerely seeks after God so after we converted
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That's when we see God God first came after us Just like Saul of Tarsus By the way, it is
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God who does the converting right not us Not because of our inherent righteousness.
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We don't have any of our own But because God himself converts us now again
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Sproul says this So we do not believe in order to be born again.
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We are born again in order that we may believe That is exactly right.
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Oh Don't you love it? He's basing that on Scripture Beloved this is all over the
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Bible salvation is a work of God. I Give you one example at chapter 1 in John's gospel verse 12 and 13
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Notice what he says, but as many received him Listen to that that's conversion
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To them he gave the right that means the privilege to become the children of God even to those who believe in his name
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But you can't stop there Listen to verse 13 Who were born?
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not of blood nor the will of the flesh Nor of the will of men but of God God is the one that does the work.
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It is God who comes after us and brings us in Acts 13 48 is one of the surest and greatest verses of Scripture that you cannot doubt when the
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Gentiles heard this they began Rejoicing glorifying the word of the Lord and as many as he had been appointed to eternal life believed
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There you have it to as many had been appointed to eternal life believed
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So this is no doubt one of the clearest scriptures and statements on the sovereignty of God and salvation
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God chooses man for salvation not the opposite So it is God alone who has saved us to the uttermost by his power and by his hand and by his grace
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Now, let's look at my next point. That's conversion. Now. Let's look at the purpose of salvation is our calling our calling
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Time is going by wow This is great now who has saved us that salvation to rescue us from Satan's domain to rescue us from sins
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God has called us with a holy calling not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace which granted in Christ Jesus Before time began now
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This is just hope so humbling because we don't have anything to do with this and this is before The earth was made and before light was made and before the stars were made there was just the
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Father the Son of the Spirit God the Trinity and they decided this the father decided it and Made a covenant with the
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Son an everlasting covenant a Beautiful covenant and God will fulfill this before time
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Before he wound the clock up time started clicking In eternity past God has already said his love upon his people humbles me
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That because you you and I have nothing to do with that salvation Christ likeness is something that God desires in our salvation
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This is the purpose God saved us is to call us unto holiness God chose us in Christ before time began to make us holy that we would be like him and his son
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Christ likeness is holiness People would ask if they ask the question what is holiness is to be like Jesus You look at Jesus.
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That's what it means to be holy right there Now here's a verse that I like to tie in Ephesians chapter 1 verse 3 and 4 blessed be the
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God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ Who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in heavenly places in Christ?
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You know what Paul's doing Paul's praising God. He's blessing God for the salvation
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Now that word blessed is derived from the same Word that means eulogy
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He's given an eulogy He's praising and commending God Don't we need to be doing this?
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Praising God for our salvation. This is the purpose of our conversion To praise him to worship him to glorify him.
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What's the chief end of man is to enjoy God? forever to worship God to praise him forever
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That the glorified God and to enjoy him forever. That's the purpose of our salvation Verse 4 just as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world for what purpose there it is
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That we should be holy without blame Before him in love here.
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We have the doctrine of election Don't hear this preach much, but it's there in the scriptures And I love the word chose because the word the word chose is critical.
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You know what that means? the form of the Greek verb in this word indicates that God not only chose by himself, but for himself, oh
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I love that in Other words, he just didn't do it by himself.
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He did but the verb here is for himself for his pleasure to the praise of his glory verse 6
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To the praise of the glory of his grace, which he freely bestowed on us and the beloved Verse 12 to the end that we who were the first first to hope in Christ Would be to the praise of his glory verse 14
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Who is given at us a pledge of our heritage? That's the Holy Spirit with a view to the redemption
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Listen this of God's own possession to the praise of his glory
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Three times right there to the praise of his glory to the praise of his glory to the praise of his glory
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To the praise of his glory There you have worship say he's worshiping He's given it to the praise of his glory now.
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Look at the next word in verse 4 That word is notice that he chose us that we would be what blameless
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Now what a word that is. What does that mean in the original Greek? That means without blemish
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That means without spot without wrinkle Jesus is going to have a holy bride
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He's going to have a bride that's glorious and clean from the dirt and the defilement of this world
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We are chosen to be like that and that great chosen to be in him And what
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Christ has accomplished at the cross has provided this don't you love that sisters? Oh, I love that and bring in salvation and what
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God has done and what God has accomplished that we are to be holy and blameless before him in love and love
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Now you think about think of ask yourself the question How can this be? Grace To the praise of the glory of God to his grace to his grace because Jesus Christ gave himself.
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This is grace For us he's the gift That's what
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Paul said. Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift before God the
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Father He was a lamb the Lamb of God he was by the way unblemished
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Spotless was that mean without sin? perfect Nothing, no blemish.
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No sin the Lamb of God Presented before the Father the Holy God But by faith in his finished work that he accomplished there on Calvary's cross
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Is by his passive work his active work, but also as all his works
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He lived a perfect life before God the Father in your place and my place that we may be holy.
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He saved us Rescued us from sin out of the world
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Cleaned us up by the blood of Jesus Now he's puts us back to be holy to be separated and that what we got to be careful is we live in a very
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Filthy world. We got to make sure we stay unspotted from the world We've got to keep clean.
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That's sanctification so Jesus was our substitute and God sees
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Jesus's righteousness not ours and that wonderful According to the
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Word of God. We have been made partakers of his divine holiness and his divine merits
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Well a great exchange is taking place. I wish I could this is a whole sermon right here But second Corinthians 521 he made him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf
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Why that? Because that we might become the righteousness of God in him.
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That's the gospel now Jesus knew no sin
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And the sinless Son of God was made sin on our behalf. In other words God the Father using the principle of imputation
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He all the sin of the world was placed on Jesus But now all his righteousness is placed on us
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That's glorious, you know, so that's all that's going to matter when we enter into into heaven's portals and glory
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Jesus Has do we are we dressed in the robes of Jesus's righteousness?
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And the only thing that they can bring us there is the blood of Christ and by placing our faith and trust in that Isaiah 53 for surely our griefs listen to this he himself bore
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Our sorrows that means our pains all the pains he carried
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Yet we ourselves esteemed him stricken smitten of God. You know what that word smitten of God means struck down by God God struck him down God And afflicted him.
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It was the Lamb of God was God's lame In verse 5, but he was pierced and wounded that means wounded through for our transgressions because of sin
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He was crushed for our iniquities and that that's how much God hates The chastening of our well -being fell upon him and by his strikes by his scourging
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We're healed And then verse 10 of Isaiah 53, but the
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Lord was pleased to crush him that that blows my mind It pleased the
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Lord to crush him putting him to grief if He would render himself as a guilt offering and he will see his offspring and he will prolong his days
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And the good pleasure of the Lord will prosper his hand the Lord accomplished this
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All to rescue us from sin's power sin's penalty and One day since presence
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All this was accomplished by our great God on the cross So the purpose of God may stand to save us from sin
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Well, let me just give some quick applications here very quickly in closing and this is what we really need
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So, how's this as a believer, how are we to become holy the answer to that question is the
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Holy Spirit now sanctification is There's theological words.
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I don't want to lose you here here but there's two words that a lot of people ask and I want to do my best here to Make this simple because it really can go deep deep deep deep we don't have time to go there, but There's the word monergistic and synergistic
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The word monergistic means that God does it all The word synergistic means that man does it all
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Now, what is it and saying and now and justification? We know it's monergistic, right? God does all of it and Sanctification there's a lot of debate about this.
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Is it monergistic or synergistic? Is it all of God? Or is it all a man is do
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I have to do it or is God doing it? My answer to that is both
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Because it is first God that does the work in Sanctification salvation absolutely, but in salvation
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God does the work Because you cannot we cannot be sanctified or sanctified live a sanctified life a holy life
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Unless God is working and operating in us through the Holy Spirit But there is a part that we are to sanctify ourselves
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You read it in Scripture many times. It says sanctified the Lord God in your hearts sanctify yourself sanctify yourself
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So in that sense, we cannot sanctify ourself unless God the Holy Spirit is operating within us
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No one can be sanctified unless you first say and regenerate it, right?
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So I would answer that that it is both That is the Holy Spirit the third person of the
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Trinity The one who is the Holy Spirit by the way that convicts us gives us life reach it teaches us all truth and Sanctifies us through the
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Word of God, which is the agent that works in us now the first application is is that the
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Holy Spirit that convicts us of our sin so that We will turn from it and hate it and abhor it and to love righteousness now
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Again it is the Holy Spirit that helps us Jesus said he's a standby. He's a helper. He's an aid
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He aids us in other words, he gives us the ability to Help us to hate sin and to love righteousness.
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We can't do that at all. Okay, we know we can't But by the indwelling Holy Spirit that the
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Holy Spirit, you know You know what? I'm talking about when you sin or say something you shouldn't or do something you shouldn't right then the
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Holy Spirit convicts my heart And I had to get on my knees. I said I got to get this, right? Maybe I need to go to my brother and sister and repent and confess
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Something I've done wrong and I've done that sometimes the people look at me and say what are you talking about? I said look believe me
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You need you need to take my word and forgive me on this because in my heart
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I did something wrong And you want to keep short accounts with God, don't you and I do too
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Jesus said in 16 and John 16 8 through 11 and he speaking of the
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Spirit of truth when he comes The Holy Spirit, what does he do? He will convict the world concerning sin of righteousness and judgment concerning sin
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Jesus is says because they do not believe in me and Concerning righteousness because I go to the
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Father and you no longer see me Verse 11 concerning judgment because of the ruler of this world has been judged now.
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There's three things we need to see here This is the total ministry of the Holy Spirit the first is to convict and that has two meanings by the way a
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Judicial act of conviction which is a view of sentencing like a courtroom someone in court you're guilty or The second idea is the act of convincing and I take that one of the convincing because if there is
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Condemnation it doesn't come from God now The law will convict us and condemn us
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But the law cannot save us the law is a schoolmaster to bring us to Christ Now get this very this will help you really a lot
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When there's condemnation coming upon you a lot of times that would not be the Holy Spirit in the sense because The Holy Spirit will convince us to repent.
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He will convict us to repent Not Sentence us like in the courtroom
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Yeah, and by the way, the Holy Spirit's not a force, right? He's a person he convicts us of our sin
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Now notice that s I in it doesn't say sins plural. It speaks of a sin.
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What is the greatest sin? The greatest sin is Specific in view here and I believe that the greatest sin is to reject
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Jesus Christ That is the greatest sin the sin of unbelief This is the only sin by the way that ultimately damns people to hell
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That is the sin right there unto death the sin of unbelief an unwillingness to believe in the
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Lord Jesus Christ righteousness Well, what's he talking about? The Holy Spirit's purpose here is to shatter all pretension of self -righteousness
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Hypocrisy the Holy Spirit will do that to us doesn't he if when
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I'm when I'm hypocritical about something And I'm not real about it the
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Holy Spirit really penetrates my heart and it exposes my darkness and I said I'm repenting and if you haven't already known that like Calvin said
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Repentance is at the beginning of the Christian life. It is the holy Christian life. I Repent all the time.
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I don't know about you, but I'm constantly repenting of judgment the judgment here is in context of the world under Satan's dominion and Listen to this the judgments of the world, you know, this are blind
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There are faulty and evil and the verdict is They crucify
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Jesus. They did they did this ignorantly, but they did it knowingly as well In a sense it ignorantly in a sense they they didn't know that he was the
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Prince of Glory, but their sinfulness Moved them to that.
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They hated God. That's the reason why they crucify Jesus because they hated the light
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Jesus was the light and he exposed their evilness Their evil wicked deeds and the world cannot make righteous judgments
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You know this but the Holy Spirit does and the Holy Spirit convicts men of false judgments now very quickly.
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My time is about gone Application number two, I'm gonna go through this real quick is becoming holy and Becoming holy is that the
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Holy Spirit gives us a new life in order that we can pursue holiness You and I cannot pursue
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God and holiness unless the Holy Spirit has put that in us Romans 8 11, but if the spirit of him who raised
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Jesus from the dead dwells in you, there's the key He dwells in you. He who raised
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Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life. That means quicken Your mortal bodies through his spirit who dwells in you
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It is only by the Holy Spirit by his power by the way That we can put the deeds of the flesh to death
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That's what he says for if you are living according to the flesh, you're going to die
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But if by the spirit you're putting to death that means to mortify the deeds of the body you will live
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That's sanctification. Well, how do we do this by faith? Yes But it's by the
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Holy Spirit and his power that provides the energy because notice there by the spirit
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You're putting to death the deeds of the body by the spirit can't do it by the flesh
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We can't do it. We can't muster it up It has to be by the spirit now
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This is not instantaneously. This is continually and gradually and progressively
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The reason I say that today because there's false views of sanctification like let go and let
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God don't believe that You know why because it's quick and easy it doesn't happen that way in other words
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In other words what they're saying let God take over while or just remain. I oh, yeah, right
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God does it God doesn't go along with that What about this in an instant moment a crisis
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BAM? I'm sanctified immediately. I'm made perfect to a higher level. No Nope, it doesn't work that way either
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At some turning point in my life something great it's going to happen
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I'm gonna turn a new leaf over and it's going somehow I'm gonna make a decision and I'm gonna be on a higher level of holiness doesn't work that way either
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These are false views. I wish I had time to go into these but these views
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Sound good, by the way, a lot of people believe these views that's sad Because they don't read the scriptures, but what about pastor, what do you say?
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What does the scripture say? Well God uses sanctification and By the way, it's an ordinary thing and our on our side, but it's a supernatural thing on God's side
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It's been faithful To the old to the commands of Jesus Christ It comes down that simple
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Pastor you got to be kidding me. You mean just to be faithful to the and be obedient to the commandments of Jesus.
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Yes Do a study in the commandments of Jesus sometime love one another as I've loved you now, is that deep or what?
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That's very deep That kind of love is very deep
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See if you and I do that we will we will find in our lives that there is sanctification
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Going on and we will go stronger in the grace and the knowledge of God. The third application is
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That the Holy Spirit teaches us because he's a spirit of truth The way
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God desires us to live now. I wish I had time for this but first Thessalonians 5 23
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Says this may the God of peace himself sanctify you. Holy That means entirely
01:01:28
Just not part of us. He wants to sanctify all of us He wants to sanctify our mind our body ours all of us and notice what he says
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May your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete without blame at the
01:01:44
Coming of our Lord. There you have it That's a comprehensive reference to keep yourself pure and holy without blame until Jesus comes back again that's the way we should be living a
01:01:58
People that's purified and zealous of good works a clean bride as I said earlier
01:02:04
It's well, it's not by human power or might But by the Spirit of God to be sanctified in all these ways well
01:02:13
In your devotional time first Thessalonians chapter 4 1 through 8 is a good instruction from God himself about sanctification
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Now I got to skip a lot of this because my time's about gone But let me go to this very quickly
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Paul said this I have been crucified with Christ It's no longer I who live but Christ who lives in me
01:02:37
The life which I now live in the flesh. I'll live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me gave himself up for me
01:02:43
You know believers died to self Believers died to self and being crucified with Christ The believers new self has have a blessed privilege of the indwelling
01:02:55
Christ empowering him and living through him It does not Come cheap
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It doesn't come easy does it? There's a great cost to be close
01:03:07
Intimate with our Lord and to share in his fellowship of his sufferings. It cost Paul It will cost us
01:03:15
There's a cost and Jesus spoke about this cost and by the way, Jesus said he was very straight -up with people count the cost
01:03:22
You count that cost That's another sermon in itself, but he says you count it and knowing him and the power of his resurrection
01:03:30
It comes with a great cost Well, let me close with this story and I think it's very appropriate to what
01:03:36
I'm talking about here I've heard this story. You might have heard me say this before but I it's a wonderful story.
01:03:43
There was a there was an actor at a drawing room function who was asked to recite
01:03:50
Something and he stood up and wanted to be gracious to his audience. So he said this I'll recite anything you want me to recite today
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But no one suggested anything So an old preacher don't you love these preacher stories? I do an old preacher happened to be there
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He was sitting in the back. Now. I don't know how he got there. So he probably crashed the party
01:04:12
So normally preachers don't get invited to drawing drawing room functions so On a high society level at any rate, but he was there so he stood up the preacher stood up in the back
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He said I'd like to hear You speaking to the actor recite the 23rd
01:04:31
Psalm Well, the actor was a little shocked at that But he had thrown himself
01:04:37
Oh wide open now, so he had to do what the man asked him to do so He happened to know it by memory.
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He knew this 23rd Psalm and He says all right,
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I'll do it so he repeated the 23rd Psalm with complete perfect eloquence
01:04:59
Masterfully articulated Diction was perfect Interpretation was beautiful and when he had done
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It was a spontaneous applause. Everybody clapped and clapped and clapped What a what the entire room loved the way he just articulated it
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He was a good spokesman The actor figuring he had to get back at the old preacher So he said now sir speaking to the preacher.
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I'd like to hear you recite it. He's trying to get back with his poking at him So the old preacher hadn't bargained for that he didn't kind of surprised him
01:05:34
But because of his love for Jesus Christ, he was not ashamed of the gospel He stood up before that audience and he repeated the 23rd
01:05:43
Psalm His voice was cracked. He was broken It wasn't very beautiful He wasn't eloquent
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But the interpretation was it really? Good He stammered
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You know, you can hear a pin drop after he was finished But there wasn't a dry on that whole room
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And the actor sensing his own emotion stood up and said this and listen what he said.
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He said ladies and gentlemen, I reached your eyes and your ears
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He reached your heart See the difference is this
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He says I know the song But he knows the shepherd Now that has a point
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That's what matters We can talk about Jesus and we can know about Jesus that's a totally different things to know
01:06:43
Jesus That's our prayer. May God grant it. Let's pray our father
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What a wonderful time this has been You've met with us and you've promised to never leave us nor forsake us
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We're just two or three are gathered in your name or you're in the midst of us So father we thank and praise you for the privilege that we've had this morning
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To hear your word father. I needed to hear this myself His preparation was from my heart as well
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Lord help sanctify us sanctify us wholly May we come to know you more and more intimately
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More than we did in 2019 the rest of this year. It's gone There's nothing we could do about yesterday, but father we have today we have today father and If you would give us time in 2020
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May we'd be like Mary May we choose what is best and that what was not taken away from her that we may sit at the feet of Jesus your son and worship
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Father, I pray enlarge our hearts that we may know you in the power of your resurrection
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And the fellowship of your sufferings That's our prayer to know
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Jesus more closely personal and intimate Until he comes back again father we thank you and I ask this in Jesus name praise