The Glorious Privileges of Election: Part 3

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The Glorious Privileges of Election: Part 4

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We continue Our study and the glorious privileges of the elect.
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This would be part three and I believe it's going to go to a part four series We'll end it next week
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Lord willing But we continue to study in this wonderful epistle first Peter. I don't know about you.
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It has really blessed me so far It is so rich Peter does not the
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Apostle Peter does not beat around the bush He gets right to the point doesn't he so we're saying that please turn with me to this wonderful book this wonderful epistle and We will be reading.
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I'm I am reading actually from the NASB this morning Whatever translation you choose where's the
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King James the new King James is a very very good translation The old King James the authorized versions a very good translation.
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The ESB is good very good translations The NASB is as good as well.
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So whatever translation you use it's the Word of God So in saying that we are looking at chapter 1 just two verses
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And just two verses we're looking at so here the word of the
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Living God and reading verse 1 and 2 Peter an apostle of Jesus Christ to those who reside as aliens scattered throughout
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Pontius Galatia Cappadocia Asia and Bithynia Who are chosen?
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Who are chosen? verse 2 according to the foreknowledge of God the
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Father by the sanctifying work of the Spirit to obey Jesus Christ and Be sprinkled with his blood
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May grace and peace be yours in the fullness measure May God bless the reading of his
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Holy Word from our ears to our hearts this morning on this Lord's Day. Let's pray Our father we come to you in Lord we tremble
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May we tremble more at your word But we bless you we bless your holy name in song but also
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Lord we need to bless it in our attitude and our heart and our worship in faith
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As we come to you, we thank you Lord For the abundant mercy and grace that you have shown to unworthy sinners such as we
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Through your beloved Son and the shedding of his precious blood upon the cross Lord may this be the first thing in our mind that we would thank you for this great salvation a
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Salvation that is to the uttermost that has come to us unworthy sinners doomed hell -bound
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But mercy has been shown by not not of any works. They will he have done but by your sheer
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Love and mercy Lord, we pray now that your blessed Holy Spirit through your word and by the sanctifying work of your
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Holy Spirit would sanctify us more and more through and through in Order to conform us more into the image of your dear son to be more like your son
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Jesus As the whole DM says spirit of God our teacher be
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Showing the things of Christ to me May this be our prayer this morning and may this be our hearts desire as we
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Trust you and father in order that we may obey you May we set this before us in our personal daily life every day that we live so father,
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I pray that you would help us and That we would be very careful very very careful
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To give you all the praise and all the glory in Jesus name.
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Amen. And amen But for the past several weeks On the
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Lord's Day, we have been looking at this wonderful glorious section These two verses that are so packed so loaded up with eternal truths for us and We've been looking at the glorious privileges of God's election
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God's elect and it's such a comfort, isn't it? It's such a security to know that God Holds all that in his hands and no one can take that away
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Like Paul says in Romans 8 Who shall lay any charge to God's elect and who shall separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus, well obvious the the answer is no one can no one
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So what makes the believers in Jesus Christ so special and really that's what elect means.
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Yes, especially hand -picked You're selected out the believers that are elect are
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Marked God has marked them in whom he selected before the foundation of the world
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Well, first of all, if you've been taking notes And if you have it, this would be a good time to get caught up with it
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The first thing that we saw that the elect in the privileges is the elect are chosen by God Now that says a great deal doesn't it?
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He chose us we didn't choose him God chose us God chose the elect
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God chose the believer that is that they are picked out selected by God's sovereign grace by his
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His grace and his mercy for his own possession and for his glory and the second thing that we looked at and you see why
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I had to break these up because each one of these sections in which Peter is Writing to the persecuted church
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To give them comfort in their persecution is really loaded to the max
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The second thing that we looked in the glorious privileges that the for the is that the elect are strangers in the world
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They are strangers. So what do we mean by that? In other words? Their home is in heaven.
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This world is not their home Therefore they're different. They are meant to be different and it should be a privilege to be different So different are the elect that they are other worldly They're of another world.
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They are aliens. They are strangers. They are pilgrims sojourners So that's the second point that we looked at the third is
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We saw last Lord's Day that the elect are scattered by through goodbye God scattered throughout dispersed throughout the world
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To be a witness for God and a blessing to the world we are
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To bless the world with the gospel and the truth and even though it's not accepted and it will not be accepted
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Tozer says to be right with God means often. We will be in trouble with men and That is so true.
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The world will not always accept our message because the message of truth is offensive to their sin
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But we are to be a blessing to it whether they know it or not and scripture says of those
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Prophets and Apostles and the Early fathers beforehand the world was not worthy of them
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The fourth thing we looked at is the elect of God or intimate with God I think this is a very important one because intimacy with God is really and knowing
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God But God foreknew us before the foundation of the world That is in an intimate way meaning that God planned before not that he observed before God planned it
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Not just observed in the future, but he planned it in the past Signified that God pre thought it he predetermined it he predestined every
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Christian salvation So this is all of God's work not of man's
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Isn't that great to know? What a comfort to know that God planned it nothing.
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Jesus said no one can snatch you out of the father's hand No one No one can snatch you out of my hand.
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So we're in two hands and we also in the third hand bars the scripture says
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The Father the Son and the Spirit because when the Trinity is one in unity But it also says here and This is where we come to and all this is packed in this one verse verse 2
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It is because it is according to the foreknowledge of God the Father Now we come to the fifth and sixth and we're only going to cover two today and we're going to cover the last
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Next week on communion when we take communion we'll be looking at the sprinkled with his blood But notice with me again according to the foreknowledge of God the
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Father comma by the sanctifying work of the
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Spirit Comma, let's stop right there by the sanctifying work of the
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Spirit. So We're looking now at the next privilege, which is the fifth the elect are sanctified by the
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Holy Spirit So What does the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit actually include in the life of the believer in Jesus Christ?
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What a loaded question. I had to write that question down and I it's it's really it is a full gun that's loaded but we're gonna look at it much as we can and then we're going to look into the obedience of Jesus Christ and We'll come to some conclusion and some practical applications
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First of all, I want to say this that the work of God begins at salvation
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But it continues into the day that we depart from this world to see Jesus Christ face to face until we're glorified in fact much like election
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Sanctification is a common term used to describe or to I would like to say to identify believers in Jesus Christ To sanctify can mean that we are cleansed by his blood and we are washed and purified in The act of justification on the day that God justifies we're gonna look a little bit more in detail on this
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The Apostle Paul begins a lot of his letters and I want to give you an example of this You could turn with me very quickly to 2nd
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Corinthians turn with me. First of all the 2nd Corinthians chapter 1 verse 1 look at how he begins 2nd
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Corinthians and then we're going to go to 1st Corinthians. You could put your mark there if you like Notice with me in the
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Word of God how Paul begins to address the
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Corinthian Church The Christians there that are current the believers there and the
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Apostle identifies believers as saints saints
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Notice with me he begins Paul in an Apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God and Timothy our brother to the
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Church of God, which is at Corinth with all the saints Who are throughout
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Archaea? with with all the saints Who are throughout
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Archaea notice that Paul the Apostle addresses the people the believers at Corinth as?
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Saints now, what does that word Saints mean in the literal? Original Greek language that literally means that Saints are set apart
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They are set apart for the purpose of being holy to be holy Actually the word
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Saints means in the original Greek Holy ones it means holy ones in the original language
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Go with me very quickly to 1st Corinthians Chapter 1 go a book back.
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He is again addressing the first Epistle to the Corinth Church to the believers there.
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He also Calls them sanctified in this verse notice verse 1.
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I'm sorry verse 2 to the Church of God, which is at Corinth to those who have been sanctified
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They have been sanctified It's done. They're believers. So he's writing to believers
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They have been sanctified in Christ. Jesus. Jesus Christ is the sanctifier this has happened and he says this
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Saints or holy ones by Calling this is their calling
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With all who in every place call on the name of the Lord their Lord and ours
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I Love the way Paul the Apostle addresses them He addresses them believers and then make no mistake about it.
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They are Saints. There are holy ones. They are called out and He speaks about holy ones that are sanctified
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Sanctification is a believer are separated from the world. They may be in the world but not of the world
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We've heard that so many times, but they may we never get apathetic toward that There's so much truth to that Sanctification as a believer was separated from the world.
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We're placed in Jesus Christ at Salvation there are immediate changes that takes place and the believers live actually
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Paul said in 2nd Corinthians 517 What are my favorite verses? Therefore if any one is in Christ, he is a new creature
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He is a new creation. God creates him all new and then it says is the old things has passed away
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Behold don't you love that behold look all Things not some things all things
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Have become new There's a radical change that takes place a conversion when one comes to Jesus Christ There is a great transformation and actually
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Tozer said this if you're not changed by grace. You're not saved by grace
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So there has to be a radical change when Jesus when someone meets
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Jesus Face to face in the scriptures by the Holy Spirit when a nature has changed
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Something supernatural takes place and that is old things are passed away Behold all things have become new that happens at regeneration and then conversion takes place
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It is a enormous miracle that God and only God can do that miracle We cannot we bring the message we tell the lost ones.
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This is the truth This is what God says But by the power of the Holy Spirit and by the power of the Word and God and the
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Word of God There's a transfer. There's great life. There's transforming life within that word.
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It's not our that's not us Is it we're just mere vessels of clay?
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That has this great treasure within us and that is Jesus Christ the pearl of great price
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So at salvation Jesus Christ Translates the believer from the kingdom of darkness into the glorious kingdom of light
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That's what it says in Colossians Colossians chapter 1 you could turn with me there. I have a few verses from Colossians Colossians chapter 1 look at verse 12 and 13
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Look at what the Holy Spirit of God says through the Apostle Paul and we're talking about sanctification here
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This is Ted Ted, but we're talking about what happens at salvation Given thanks to the
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Father who has qualified us to share in the inheritance In the inheritance of what the
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Saints there it is again the Saints the Holy Ones in light God is the one that makes
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Saints When you become a child of God, we become holy children of God holy people of God set apart and Notice what he says in verse 13 now
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He's qualified us who can only qualify us only God can qualify so we cannot qualify ourselves
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Only God can verse 13 for he rescued us. I love this
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He rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us or translated us
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To the kingdom of his beloved Son now, what are the glorious act of God?
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That God does all this in One in salvation
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God has rescued us from the domain of darkness. You know what that means literally that means day
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He draws us to himself He draws us to himself and to deliver us from the
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Satan's kingdom He brings us out of Egypt. That's what God did with the children of Israel out of Egypt under the hard taskmasters and in a sense
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Pharaoh's like a type of Satan and Egypt is a type of the world and God comes and rescues him by his mighty power in his strong right arm but he does it because of his mercy and He brings them out and that's what he does for us in Jesus Christ in this great salvation now however in The text in which we're looking at from the
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Apostle Peter Peter speaks in the context if you go back to our text
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Peter is speaking about this action as a continuing work of the
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Holy Spirit Peter calls it the sanctifying work of the
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Spirit so therefore sanctification refers not only to what happens at the new birth and regeneration, but it also is a continuing process of Becoming more and more like Jesus Christ throughout this life
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You could separate it like this and then let me simplify it as best I can because I have to do this to my own mind because I'm a kind of a simple like person
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I have to keep it very simple, but aren't you glad there's simplicity in Jesus Christ? The depth is there but Jesus makes it comes and reveals it to babes
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They're humble themselves before him and even though it's simple that has great depth, but I have to have it simple
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Sanctification at salvation is what is called positional sanctification.
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It is positional That position has happened at justification
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We'll look at that more but then there's progressive sanctification positional sanctification is justification and Just happens at justification and then progressive sanctification is the continuing walk that we have
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With the Lord as we come to know him more and more deeper and deeper
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From that point of position that God saves us. He cleanses us makes us He regenerates us makes us part of the family of God, but there is a continuing
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Process that takes place so you have positional sanctification. Then you have progressive sanctification
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That helps me. I hope it helps you to Peter speaks of progressive sanctification
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That's what he speaks of there is a progressive sanctification the Apostle Paul spoke of Positional sanctification, but he also spoke of progressive sanctification as well
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Paul did here's some great verses that's helped me through my walk with the Lord and I know it's helped you as well
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First Thessalonians chapter 4 read that whole chapter in your time toward personal devotional time
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It's all about holiness It's all about how we're to walk before the Lord verse 3 of chapter 4 1st
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Thessalonians He says this for this is the will of God now. We know this for a fact. This is God's will the
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God desires What does he desire? your sanctification your progressive sanctification
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That is that you abstain from sexual immorality some translation says sexual fornication
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But it's immorality and Paul calls immorality through the Spirit of God idolatry
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Don't we see a time look around us today even in the churches We see this idol
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Set up on an altar everywhere Everywhere you go within the world.
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There's pornography There's sexual immorality and even people within the church are trying to justify and look at what
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Paul Addresses the current believers that this is idolatry and it's sinful and it's against what
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God has made and created you for And then he lays down the perimeters from God's Word But you know right there.
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It says this is God's will even your sanctification to be holy to walk pure and holy and clean before God moral purity
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I Love Philippians chapter 2 you could turn with me there
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Philippians chapter 2 notice what it says Paul speaks of progressive sanctification, but we're going to look at it then
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There's also two the different views of this of how this happens It's called synergistic and monergistic monergistic speaks that God is the one that does the sanctifying synergistic means that we are in part of Doing the discipline and the walking with the
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Lord of discipline ourselves and reading the scriptures and praying and Coming into a closer walk with God James speaks you draw close to God.
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He had draw close to you draw not a God He had draw not at you. Yes Some people say is sanctification synergistic.
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Is it man or is it God we will look Look at what this scripture says and it answers that question
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So then my beloved Don't you love me how he addresses the church my beloved.
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He's pastoral He loves them. They're loved of God beloved means they are loved
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God of God Beloved just as you have always obeyed Not as in my presence only but now much more in my absence
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Notice what he says Work out your salvation
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We're to do something that's synergistic Work out your salvation.
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That doesn't mean we earn our salvation. We're gonna look at that then he says this with fear and trembling
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For it is God Here's the key right here. Here's the key verse for it is
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God who is at work in you That's monergistic
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God does the work But he first can you notice what he said? He said you work out your salvation
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Then it is God who is at work in you both to will and to work for his good pleasure
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So Paul is basically given a command by his authority as an apostle through the
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Holy Spirit to the church of Thessalonica to become sanctified by abstaining from sexual immorality and He speaks to these
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People these Saints at Philippi To work out their salvation with fear and trembling and it is
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God who works it in you What a comfort to know that it is God that is doing the work
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Within us for we cannot do that work without apart from the Holy Spirit. That's what
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I believe He's saying apart from the Holy Spirit. We cannot be sanctified apart from the Word of God.
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We cannot be sanctified We cannot do that within our own But there is a sense that we have a part to play a part to do in action and obeying
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God When we come to the sanctifying process We're going to look at that But this was a continuous process and Paul again speaks here is that process to Philippi at salvation again?
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Let me reemphasize this salvation sanctification is Dispositional in Jesus Christ That is for sure through all eternity even though they're separate if you study
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Justification and sanctification they are separate, but they are closely related as well Justification let's look at this at justification.
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We are justified before God The believer is saved by grace through faith not of works so in What Paul is saying to the
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Philippian Church It's not something that you do. It's not works of righteousness of y 'all
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It's the works of God is his works of Jesus's righteousness that's imputed to you It cannot refer to salvation by works, but it does refer to a believer's responsibility for active pursuit of obedience
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But we meet we need to also remember that our our obedience does not save us it is the fruit
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Obedience is the fruit Repentance in of itself does not save us even though no one was saved without repentance
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It's part of conversion like faith Faith Spurgeon said this faith in of itself does not save you
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Repentance in of itself does not save you but you need it to be saved.
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It is an instrument Faith is an instrument to lay hold of God. Therefore is as repentance is they're twins.
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You cannot separate them But his gifts from God by God's mercy and grace. He gives to his elect to lay hold of him in faith to take a hold of who
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Christ is and To turn repentance is to turn for the sin of the world to turn to God now keep this in mind
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I like what Spurgeon says about this. So those are Instruments and gifts that God gives
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But it is Jesus That is the Savior. It is Christ himself
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That saves Don't you love that and we cannot be saved without repentance.
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We cannot be saved without faith They are part of the process in which
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God gives gifts to us in the salvation But Jesus is the
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Savior and that's what I don't know about you That's why I love to keep my eyes on is the Lord Jesus Christ To keep our eyes on him and what he has done in his work on the cross.
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This is glorious So in the process of sanctification Paul saying with fear and trembling fear and trembling don't you love that?
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He he does not exclude that he includes it and said this is part of it of working out your salvation
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Did the process that this refers to the believers attitude every believer true believer in Jesus Christ as the elect of God will have this attitude and Sanctification if they don't have it.
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I question whether they're saved This attitude includes a healthy fear of offending
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God as We walk with the Lord. How often has have we offended our
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God? Actually, we probably offend God every day in some form and fashion and our walk and our talk and the way we think
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Our thought life Spurgeon says your thought life is it like speech before God? It's just not what we say
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But it's what we think and it's the intense of our heart how many of us can honestly say that throughout one day
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I have perfectly loved God We can't say that So we throw ourselves on Jesus and we confess and even
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Whitfield says even my repentance needs repentance of I need to constantly come before God and repent and Calvin says that is not the
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Christian life. I'm sorry. That's not the beginning of the Christian life. That is the Christian life The whole life is a life of repentance
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That is part of the progressive sanctification Luther said the same thing in his first theses
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Isaiah what about the Word of God? Listen to what God says? We love the
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Reformers don't we we love the great preachers of the past, but what God says is really what matters.
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That's what they lean on Isaiah 66 1 & 2, you know where I'm going on this and it's a wonderful verse
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Thus says the Lord don't you love that thus says the Lord? Heaven is my throne earth is my footstool
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And then he gives a question we're then is a house you could build for me and Where is a place that I can rest?
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verse 2 For my hand made all these things Thus all these things came into being declares the
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Lord But to this one Here it is To this one, which one he says
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I will look To him who is humble and contrite of spirit and Who trembles at my word?
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We tremble at his word so God is looking for a heart to dwell in a
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Heart that is tender a heart that is broken a heart that is contrite a heart that desires truth
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Not one that is concerned with religious externals But a heart that loves
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God And only the Holy Spirit can help us do that But one who has a heart who takes his holy word
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Seriously, I don't know about you. I love about being around people that loves God's Word seriously
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In other words, they are in all and great respect when they speak about God and the things of God Remember hearing
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Tozer Tozer spoke He said he said he would turn away from people and Depart from people's company when they started making
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God and God's name a joke He says God and his holy name is not the subject of joking
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He says now you can joke about preachers all you want. He said but don't joke about God Sanctifying work of the
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Holy Spirit this is to be set apart But the word sanctify was it means let's look at the definition there's means it means to be cleansed there's a cleansing
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It's it's almost like what brother Keith read this morning on the pattern of the tabernacle You notice right when you go into the first part of the tabernacle you enter in there's a labor
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There's a labor of cleansing and washing Well, that means also not only to cleanse it means to consecrate to consecrate
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The con the word consecrate actually means to set apart There's a consecration.
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So it's consecrated set apart for the use of something holy
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So as God has purchased us and redeemed us from out of the world. He has purchased us with the blood of Jesus Christ He has consecrated us and washed us as a prize holy possession
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That's What Paul says you no longer your own you've been bought with the price you don't belong to yourself
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We don't have rights of our own our we have surrendered our rights at the foot of the cross. We belong to Jesus So whatever he says, he's the master and Lord if he commands that we do it
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And we should want to do it because we delight in it. We're gonna look at that in just a minute So the objective of the of the elect in Salvation is which comes to the elect through the sanctifying work of the
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Holy Spirit. So what Peter is saying is this? The Holy Spirit of God makes
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God's chosen holy by saving them Setting them apart from sin and unbelief unto faith and righteousness
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So it's safe to say according to the scripture that sanctification begins with justification
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When the sinner is declared righteous before a holy God just and righteous by God's grace through faith alone
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Imputing that means placing upon us and our account the righteousness of Jesus in that glorious and God Continues by his
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Holy Spirit within us and through us in the believer To work out our salvation the process of purification that goes on and on until the day we depart from this world and we see
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Jesus face to face and glorification That is what Peter is talking about.
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It's a progressive sanctification It's glorious If that's not working within us then we're not elect
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Calvin's right the first thing we see that it is God that we believe in God, but then we continue in this process of Sanctification Philippians 1 6 being confident of this that he
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Speaking of God who began a good work in you notice in you Will carry it on to the completion unto the day of Christ.
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Yes That's why the writer of Hebrews says in chapter chapter 12 verse 1 that he's the
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Jesus is the author and the finisher of our faith He begins us.
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He ends us And when I say ending the ending here on this earth, but it's the beginning through all eternity so the elect are sanctified
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Let's go to our next point by the sanctifying work of the
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Spirit. Then. What is he saying? Some translation says to obedience Through Jesus Christ the new
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NS &B says to obey Jesus Christ or obedience and sprinkling
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Well, let me ask the question. What does Peter mean by obedience to Christ? Well again, that's another loaded question
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We could take it all the way through scripture. Can't we actually on sanctification? We can I can do a whole sermon on it, but I want to go on here and connect these two another loaded question another glorious privilege by the way of the election that Believers have been set apart from sin to God in order that they might obey
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Jesus Christ the Lord Jesus says why call me Lord if you do not obey me and we saw last week that many will
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Stand before him on that great day a judgment and they will say Lord Lord Have we not prophesied in your name everyone not did miracles in your name
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Have we did all these things in your name and he never says he they never didn't do them But then he does say those curious words.
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I never knew the words. No one wants to hear This happens by the way, this obedience happens as a part of the work of the sanctification
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I Really believe this that sanctification is part of the obedience
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That's there the believer before salvation before salvation and Before regeneration took place initially the believer
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Which was an unbeliever at the time did not want to obey God We didn't have it within us
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Actually, we were the scripture says we were sons of disobedience
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Children of a disobedience in other words, we were naturally sinful disobeying
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God and God's laws Breaking God's commandments breaking God's laws but God When God was rich in mercy saved us
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Gave us a new nature Gave us new desires Now those desires is a desire what to obey
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God in God's Word We see this in the book of Romans. I Turn with me there.
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Oh, I don't have time to really preach on all of this This is so rich, but let me give you a few verses that really encourages myself
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And I know it would encourage you as well Romans chapter 8 I believe you knew
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I was going didn't you chapter 8? That's you know, if we're gonna look after a while the mountain peak of the
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Psalms John Psalm 119 but if you look at Romans is a He begins at ground and he like Jesus on the
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Sermon on the Mount He begins at the ground and he works like a pyramid to the top and then he comes right back down to practical
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Living Paul the Apostle does the same thing. He gives all this Wonderful theology and just doctrine at the beginning and then chapter 8 is almost like the mountain peak and Here it is
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Let me just begin with oh My let's start with verse 3 has so much in verse 1 to 1 and 2 is good.
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But look at verse 3 For what the law could not do weak as it was through the flesh
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God did God did Sending his own son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin he condemned sin in the flesh
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So that the requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us Who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the
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Spirit? verse 5 but those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are
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Are according to the Spirit the things of the Spirit this makes me think of John chapter 3 what
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Jesus speaks about the new birth verse 6 For the mind set on the flesh is death
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But the mind set on the spirit is life and peace Because now he gives the reason because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God That's key
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That's hostile for it does not subject itself to the law of God For it is not even able to do so and those who are in the flesh cannot please
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God However You are not in the flesh but in the
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Spirit If indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you That's key
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But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ he does not belong to him if Christ is in you
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Though the body is dead because of sin yet. The Spirit is alive because of righteousness But if the
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Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you He who raised
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Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his spirit who dwells in you
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So then brethren We are not under obligation not to the flesh to live according to the flesh for if you are living according to the flesh
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You must die But if by the Spirit you're putting to death old King James says mortify
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Mortify putting to death the deeds of the body you will live that's a progressive sanctification beloved
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And then he says in verse 14 for all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God I'll stop right there.
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I think that's enough for us to chew on there It's its own commentary, isn't it look at Romans chapter 7 go back a chapter look at verse 21
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Now this is this is the Christian This is the Christian now some commentators say that this is life
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This is the Apostle Paul speaking of his life before a Christian. No, I don't believe that I Believe that this is the struggle.
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This is the dead corpse. This is MacArthur puts it This is the dead corpse that's put that's you mortified the dead the flesh that that's body of sin
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But he's hanging on Luther even said when I came to God and I was
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Regenerated and he said I found out that that old dead man is hanging on to me and he said, you know something else
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I also found out that the old rascal can swim do In other words, he's still hanging on and he still has a part with me, but I hate it
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But we want to mortify him we want to put him to death what Paul says this look at verse 21 I find in the principle the principle that evil is present in me
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Notice this in me the one who wants to do good Notice what he says verse 22 for I Joyfully concur or delight with the law of God in the inner man.
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I See a different law in the members of my body They're waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin, which is in my members
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Verse 24. I don't you love Paul so honest and he cries and this is the
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Apostle Paul Wretched man that I that I am
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Explanation point he's crying out wretched man that I am Who will set me free from the body of this death?
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What a question, but he gives the answer Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our
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Lord That'll make you shout so then on the one hand myself with my
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I myself with my mind. I'm serving the law of God, but on the other hand with my flesh the law of sin
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It's a constant This is a constant battle that you and I have as believers.
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He says I'm rejoicing It's like it's it's in other words,
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I rejoice in the law of God, but there's another law the law of sin that it's a battle there We're not gonna be set free of this until we with the
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Lord I'm telling you that now it's gonna be a constant battle But I'm telling you got it. You got to fight it folks sanctification progressive sanctification is hard work and we have to press in and we have to Beat our body under subjection because the flesh wants to do things of the flesh and it has to be mortified
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It has to be put to death and we care about it because we are children of God The psalmist says this in Psalm 119 14 through 16
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I have rejoiced in the way of your testimonies as much as in all riches I will meditate on your precepts and regard your ways.
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I shall delight in your statutes and I shall not forget your word Beloved that's the born -again believer
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That's that has the same Desire that the psalmist has in 119 and Paul in chapter 7 that he delights in God's law
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But that sin that body of sin is hanging on that dead corpse is hanging on Well, he still stumbles doesn't he we still stumble we are disobedient at times
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But beloved, you know something it's the direction of one's life not the perfection as MacArthur says and Let me put in my own words his direction of that.
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The believers direction is a life of obedience desiring obedience instead of disobedience which characterize
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And the disobedience characterize people who do not know God So we want to obey
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God, right? We have a desire to obey God well verse of scripture that it that often
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I Personally use in the face of my failures when I fall flat on my face and I know I've sinned against God I've offended
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God. I know brother Keith Keith loves this verse and I know Many of you here do as well
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Proverbs 24 16 For though a righteous man falls seven times
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He rises again He rises again He keeps on going he don't give up but the wicked the wicked are brought down by clamity
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That's the difference. I Like what Jerry Bridges says here and this book
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The pursuit of holiness one of my favorite books He says this quote the person who's disciplined himself toward holiness falls many times, but he doesn't quit
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After each failure he gets up and he continues the struggle not so with the unrighteous
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He stumbles in the sin and gives up He has no power to overcome because he does not have the
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Spirit of God at work in him That's the difference That's the difference
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Well true salvation produces obedience doesn't it We see this in Ephesians chapter 2 verse 10 for we are his workmanship
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Created in Christ Jesus for good works which
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God prepared Beforehand so that we would walk in them.
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Did you get that? We're not saved by good works, but we are prepared for good works that we are his workmanship
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Stephen Lawson, I like how he put it good works doesn't produce salvation salvation produces good works
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Martin Luther says we're saved by faith alone, but that faith that saves is never alone
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Luther also says God doesn't need our good works, but your neighbor does That's good, isn't it?
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So good works cannot produce salvation Let me let me bring this to an end.
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Let me see how much time I got here. Oh Wow, I'm good to go, but I need to be careful here for my time redeem the time
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Let me conclude and give you some practical application. This is going to be really encouraging to you
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And I got a lot to say in the conclusion. Okay, so bear with me Good works cannot produce salvation, but they are the fruits and evidence of salvation
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Why how do we know this first John 5 13 says this these things? I've written to you who believe in the name of the
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Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life Go with me to 1st
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John chapter Chapter 5 there we're gonna look at some verses don't you love this epistle?
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It's it's really Now the reason I'm quoting verse 13 chapter 5 because these things
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I've written to you who believe Notice that those who believe their believers in the name of the Son of God so that you may know
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He gives the assurance that they may know you have eternal life. So you have struggles with sin, right?
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Yes Sometimes Satan will whisper in our ear. Oh, you're not really saved He's a liar
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He's the father of lies but you go to the Word of God and it says so the purpose of the
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Apostle John and writing his First epistle was to give believers the confidence that they possessed eternal life now in the context here in this book
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Once the false believers departed from John's congregation were shaken up John the
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Apostle assures those that remained those had stayed that they adhered to the fundamentals of the faith that stayed and he assures their hearts and he gives comfort to them as a father and He gives them some fundamentals of the proper view of Jesus Christ and obedience and love
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To know that salvation was secure So let me ask the question before we look at some verses here.
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So how does one knows? Uncertainty that they are one of God's elect where Calvin says that they are a believer.
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That is so true so he is talking to believers, right a true believer in Jesus Christ So scripture tells us the answer and this is it
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So those who are the children of God that are obedient to the scriptures look at first John chapter 3 real quick This whole chapter covers this beloved
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This whole chapter deals with sin and the child of God really let's begin.
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Look at verse 4 Everyone who practices sin also practices lawless
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Lawlessness notice what he says everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness and Sin is lawlessness
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So what is to say that the key word here the verb is practices MacArthur says this conveys the idea of making sin a habitual practice although genuine
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Christians have a sin disposition and Do not commit and need to confess sin
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That is not the unbroken pattern of their lives and then he says this a genuine and born -again believer has a built -in check or Guard against habitual sinning due to a new nature that he's been born again in quote
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But notice right here sin is lawlessness so the first reason why a Christian cannot practice sin and continue to practice sin is because sin is
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Incompatible with the law of God in which they love So he does not practice him
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But notice what the Word of God says verse 5, you know that he appeared in order to take away sins speaking of Jesus and In him there is no sin
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Verse 6 no one who abides in him sins That's talking about habitual sinning
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No one who sins has seen him or knows him Then he says verse 7 little children make sure no one deceives you false teachers
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He's talking about that. They taught something else contrary to the Word of God on this and the words of Jesus He says this just as he is righteous
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Though I'm sorry, the one who practices righteousness is righteous there. The key word is practices
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Just As he is righteous and verse 8 the one who practices sin is of the devil.
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Let me stop right there MacArthur says this is habitually practicing sin. So the false teachers were the source of giving something contrary to what the
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Word of God was saying and Here speaks of the devil meaning accuser or the slanderer the liar
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He's a liar and he's never changed his strategy since the beginning Verse 8 the one who practices sin is of the devil
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Wow For the devil has sinned from the beginning The Son of God appeared for this purpose to destroy the works of the devil
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No one who is born of God practices sin Because his seed abides in him and he cannot sin in the sense
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What he's saying is it doesn't mean he's perfect, but he does not have within him that Love of sin to continue in that sin
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Why because he's born of God in verse 10 by this the children of God and the children of devil are obvious You know, really that's the whole human race other those that are
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Children of God or those are children of the devil. They're in light Children of God those are children of the devil in the darkness.
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The Word of God is so black and white isn't it? And fortunately false teachers have grayed that area
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By this the children of God and children the devil are obvious anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God Nor the one who does not love his brother.
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That's obedience MacArthur says the third reason why
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Christians cannot practice in is because Christ came to destroy the works of the arch -sinner Satan and The fourth reason why
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Christians cannot practice Sin is because it is incompatible with the ministry of the
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Holy Spirit who has been imparted a new nature to the believer Well praise God.
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Let me go on here So that's the four reasons that Christians cannot practice sin Well, Jesus himself taught the same thing and everything
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John's teaching is based upon the words of Jesus John the Apostle follows Jesus Christ in this teaching and let me give you one verse
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Jesus said this is a strong. This is a good verse a strong verse John Chapter 8 verse 31.
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So then Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed him You know, the scripture says that he trusted in no man
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He committed himself to no man because he knew what was in man Well, they said they believed in him and knew what does
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Jesus do he turns to him and says if you continue in my word Then you are truly my disciples
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He gets to the point doesn't he notice the kid notice the key the key word continue in my word
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The first step in the progress toward true discipleship. Yes is believing in Jesus Christ that Christ is the
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Messiah He's the son of the Living God as Peter confessed the father gave him that revelation then the second step in the progress toward true discipleship then is
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Jesus said if you continue Don't lose sight of that word continue in my word
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Then you are truly disciples of mine You know what that's talking about perseverance perseverance and obedience to the scriptures
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The first evidence of a genuine salvation is to continue meaning to habitually abide in Jesus's words
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So a genuine believer holds fast he obeys he practices the teachings of Jesus I Don't know about you.
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I love to study the Sermon on the Mount beautiful you could take yeah,
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I really believe this if we didn't have anything else on the 66 books of the Bible if you just had those three chapters you would know how to live the
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Christian life Jesus packs everything in but aren't you glad we do have all 66 books
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Praise God. So a genuine believer holds fast. He obeys he practices the words of Jesus. So the teachings of Jesus So the one who continues in his teaching has both the father and the son.
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That's what second John 9 says Now let me give you some words
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Notice the words in Psalm 119 the mountain peak the Mount Everest of the Psalms You could go with me there if you like.
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I'm gonna just go through a few verses You know, I'm not going to be able to cover How many verses are there 164
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I think 176 yes my mistake 100 176 verses
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I tell you when you want a great chapter to to study Psalm 119 Notice what the psalmist begins how he says how blessed are those who observe his testimonies
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Who seek him with all their heart verse 3 they also do no righteousness they walk in his ways
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Verse 4 you have ordained Your precepts that we should keep them diligently
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Notice the words observe walk seek keep verse 5.
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Oh That my ways may be established to keep your statutes
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Verse 6 then I shall not be ashamed when I look upon all your commandments Verse 8
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I shall keep your statutes. Do not forsake me utterly verse 9
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Can I how can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping it according to your word some translation says taking heed
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But did you know by taking heed means keeping it? Verse 11
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Your word have I treasured in my heart that I might may not sin against you
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Verse 17 deal bountifully with your servant that I may live and keep your word
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Verse 22 take away reproach and contempt from me for I've observed your testimonies verse 33
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Teach me O Lord the way of your statutes and I shall observe it to the end
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Verse 34 give me understanding that I may observe your law and keep it with all my heart verse 44
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So I will keep your law Continually forever and ever verse 55.
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Oh Lord Remember your name in the high in the night and keep your law verse 56
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This has been mine that I've observed your precepts verse 57
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The Lord is my portion. I have promised to keep your words
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Verse 60. I have hastened and did not delay to keep your commandments
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Verse 63. I am a companion of all those who fear you and of those who keep your precepts
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Verse 67 before I was afflicted. I went astray, but now
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I keep your word Verse 69 the arrogant have forged a lie against me with all my heart.
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I will observe your precepts verse 88 Revive me according to your loving kindness so that I may keep your testimony the testimony of your mouth
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Verse 100. I understand more than the agent because I observed your precepts
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Verse 101. I have restrained my feet from every evil way that I may keep your word
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Verse 106. I have sworn. I will confirm it that I will keep your righteous ordinances
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It's almost like the psalmist is given a resolution Isn't he to pray gives he's resolved kind of like the resolutions of Jonathan Edwards But this is far greater because this is inspired word of God Verse 115 depart from me evildoers and I may observe the commandments of my
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God Verse 129 your testimonies are wonderful. Therefore my soul
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Observes them verse 136 my eyes shed streams of water because they do not keep your law
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What a heart this man had Verse 145 I cried with all my heart answer me.
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Oh Lord. I will observe your statutes Notice the desire of his heart verse 146
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I cried to you save me and I shall keep your testimonies verse 158
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I behold the treacherous and loathe them because they do not keep your word
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Verse 166 I hope for your salvation. Oh Lord and do your commandments verse 167 my soul keeps your testimonies and I will love them exceedingly verse 168
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I Keep your precepts and love your testimonies for all my ways are before you
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Now, let me stop right there. You notice how many times you mentioned keep keep keep observe observe
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It's obedience and what a desire he had that's that's the that is the mark of a child of God right there
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A .W. Tozer in his devotion. Let me give you a devotion in closing here love's final test
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Wow, my time's gone. So bear with me Love's final test Tozer said this quote the greatest question any of us face is whether we do not or do love
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The Lord too much hinges on the answer to pass the matter off lightly it is another question
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It is I'm sorry It is a question that no one can answer for another not even the
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Bible can tell the individual man that he loves the Lord It can only tell him how he can know
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Whether or not he does and it and it can and does tell us how to test our hearts
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For love as a man might test one for the presence of uranium But we must do the testing our
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Lord told his disciples that love and obedience were organically united That the keeping of his sayings would prove that we loved him and the failure of refusal to keep them would prove that we did not
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This is the true test of love and we will be wise to face up to it He goes on to say the
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Christian cannot be certain of the reality and death of his love until he comes face -to -face with the
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Commandments of Jesus Christ and is forced to decide what he will do about them Then he will know he that loveth me not
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Keep it not my sayings Said the Lord he that hath my commandments and keepeth them it is he that loveth me
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So tozer says this so the final test of love is obedience Not sweet emotions not willingness to sacrifice not zeal but obedience to the commandments of Jesus Christ And I love this what he says here our
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Lord drew a line a line Plain and tight for everyone to see on one side
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He placed those who keep his commandments and said these love me on the other side
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He put those who keep not his sayings and said these love me not Love for Christ is a love of willing as well as a love of feeling and it is a psych it is psychological impossible to love him adequately unless we
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Obey his words in quote And that's exactly the way
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Jesus ended the parable He ended with the parable of the builder and the sermon on the mount the greatest sermon ever preached
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And what did he say therefore if everyone hears these words of mine and acts or does them? May be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock
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The rain fell the floods came the winds blew slammed against the house and yet it did not fall where I've been founded on the rock
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Everyone who hears these words of mine and does not act on them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand that's what our
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Lord said the rain fell the floods came the winds blew and slammed against the house and it fell and Great was the fall
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You notice about Jesus what does he say he did not give an altar call after he preached that He did not appeal to the emotions of people to pray
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He just left it the text says this in verse 28 and 29 when Jesus had finished these sayings
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The crowds were amazed at his teachings for his teaching was teaching then was one have an authority and not as the scribes
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Powerful So what's this parable telling us? The parable basically teaches that the house
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Jesus speaks up represents the religious life Everything is external and what he's speaking of is the rain the floods and the wind they represent the judgment.
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That's to come Judgment is coming beloved and what he's talking about when this judgment comes
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The only house that's going to stand is those are built upon the solid rock, which is
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Jesus Christ himself that's what he's saying and Those who obey his commandments and what he's saying
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He knew how to end that sermon because everything he taught from chapter 5 chapter 6 and chapter 7
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This is the end of chapter 7. What is he saying? You've got to obey it That's what he comes to didn't
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James say that prove yourselves doers of the word not mere hearers who delude or deceive themselves
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For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer He is like a man who looks at his own natural face in a mirror
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So beloved we prove ourselves by obedience to the Word of God Thomas Watson said this
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Christians you who are vessels of election Were by nature as wicked as others but God but God had compassion on you and plucked you as Brands out of the fire
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He stopped you in your course of sinning When you were marching to hell
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He turned you back to him by sincere repentance.
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Oh Here is the banner of love displayed over you
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We have much to praise God today redeeming Grace Church That God has plucked us from the burning and we've done nothing about it
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It was God that did that but the result of our love toward him is our obedience to him
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May we truly be obedient to our Lord Jesus Christ to the very end Let's pray
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Our father What wonderful truths that are before us this morning? this great truth of salvation that's come to us who are so undeserving and Yet in your great mercy you had compassion on us and plucked us from the brands of hellfire itself and from your wrath
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Lord was so undeserving as we come to the foot of the cross all that you've done
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Your mercy is endure it endures forever and it's all because of your passion your compassion your pity toward us and Your selection and your right father we have no rights to call ourselves children of God only but by Your love and your mercy that has qualified us.
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So it's nothing of us Praise your holy name We give you thanks today and We bless you for the great salvation that you have planned that you have applied that you've sealed us and bought us and purchased us and What's so glorious about it?
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The Father the Son and the Spirit was all together in this great work Each and every one of us plucked us from the burning elected us before the foundation of the world
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Lord, this is such a humbling thing It humbles me to the dirt to even just pray
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Lord. Thank you For such a Savior that you are may we just look and behold our
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God our great God and Praise you and give you the glory