How God Gets Men Lost Saved — Rolfe Barnard

The Unpardonable Sin and God's Judgment

Tomorrow night and Saturday night, I'm speaking on the same subject, the unpardonable sin that we preachers call it, but the Bible calls it a time when God puts men under strong delusion and fixes them so they cannot believe the truth, and seals them in their damnation and they enter into hell.

America's Reprobation and the Burden of Preaching

With all of my heart, I believe that it seems that America, especially because of the life she's had and sinned against it, I believe that God has placed America under great Paul of reprobation for a season, and I approach the pulpit these last five or six years with the most unholy burden and dread that all my years put together, for I am deeply conscious of the fact that it's God Almighty who saves everybody whom he gets lost and who uses means to get men lost so they recognize it, so that he can save a lost person, but even God can't save anybody unless he needs saving, and the thing that is with me night and day, and I'll be honest with you, it makes me listen some to your pastor in his thinking, it looks, I tell you, God's not using the means that he once used to whittle men down and bring them to the place out of their deep need.

They will cry unto God until the answer comes. I'm seeing less results the older I grow, and it ought not be that way. You may search your heart, and you say, well, it's you. Well, I take that with the exception, it's not simply me, it's every preacher is telling the same story today, and I'll tell you, that's a tremendous call for a lot, and my heart goes out to anybody who's like I was, and I think that's true of so many, even in our church throes today, 11 long years I was a member of a congregation before God Almighty discovered to me that I'd missed Christ and had just a hollow profession but no reality.

Only God can do that, and God's not doing it much now. I preach my heart out, if I could preach what they call the gospel today, I could get as many results as some of the other preachers, there's not that much difference in men, but I can't preach that because I think that only results in men making decisions out of their own strength and not getting to God.

But in other days I've seen God take the truth accurately, tear people up and show them themselves. I don't see it much today, and so as I come to preach, I come laboring my own soul, don't know just exactly how to handle it and face it yet, but a cry in my heart that God might do for somebody else what he was so blessed, precious to do to me.

He didn't leave me alone, a church membership and a comfortable profession and all of that, but he stirred up the nest, and he buried my soul, and he showed me my condition, and that's what we're trying to see take place here.

Humanity's Depravity and Christ's Absolute Lordship

Do your best now to control your children so that the people may care. How does God get men lost? How does God get men lost? He uses three truths that plow hearts, men's conditions of themselves, and there never was a greater blasphemy than that that's been preached all over America.

God loves you, and Christ died for you. Do you believe that? Well, you'll see. But listen to Brother Barnard. No man can know that Christ died for him until you're joined to him in seed and seed. The gospel does not say that Christ died for you.

The gospel says Christ died for sinners. But you see, if you walk the streets of Southern Pines tomorrow, or you comb the roll of this church, if you have one, it'd be awfully hard to find a sinner, a guilty sinner, a sinner.

We just don't say it in words. We say it in our hearts. God Almighty just lied about it. We are not, let's say, sinners. We're pretty nice people. We're doing the best we can. Our three truths that must be preached again to this generation.

It is the absolute, the absolute depraved condition of all mankind that you are so ruined that there's nothing about you, nothing you can do that God can accept. He's got to destroy the whole thing. And then the absolute saviorhood of Christ.

Horrible, bloody offering of himself as an offering for sin. Not the nice little sentimental Jesus who expressed his love on Calvary. And then the absolute lordship of Christ. When we come to that, we come to what I want to talk about tonight.

Men will accept the lordship of Christ over the nations, over the waves. They wouldn't deny that he could speak and the troubled waves would quit. That he could speak in death. Couldn't prevail that he could speak and people were healed and all of that.

But the one thing, now listen to me. The one thing that this generation in the church and out, I don't know about you individually, will not accept and praise God over is that he's lord of your heart.

That you absolutely are in his hands to do. We just will not accept that. This generation of preachers have made fun of that. Called it fatalism and hardshellism and all of that. If you whittle down Christ one and the same, that same Christ who starts walking along and say to a fella named Levi they've never met before, that same Christ who controls the very reins of your heart, not your will, but he controls it.

If he don't come and speak to you and call you and command you in such a way that you know he's talking to you, you're going to go to hell. Your daddies and mothers, I don't care what kind of denomination they were in, believe what I'm preaching.

This generation of church members don't believe in the God of the Bible. You believe in the God that does like you think he ought to. Don't you know my friends, I'm telling you the truth, has turned everything for a certain time over to the Lord Jesus Christ.

Even your destiny, even where you're going to spend eternity, I'm telling you he's going to decide it brother. The Lord Jesus Christ. Not you, but Christ. Now you just can't take that in your own strength.

You're going to go to hell opposing that if you don't watch out. But that's God. Everything that wiggles has been turned over to Jesus Christ. You, Nelson, you are in his hands. Try to hear me. Even if you've heard a hundred times everything in you, you don't want to believe this, because for the most part you were raised to go to hell or heaven.

But no, no, that's been turned over to Christ. Stock and barrel. He's got you on his hands. You're in his hands. I'm trying to lead you up to the propositions you ever got lost. You get saved. But I don't think there's much chance that you ever get lost.

Lostness Must Precede Salvation

Because you're raised on preaching that denies that you're lost. Oh, they said, oh, you poor lost sinner, won't you come to Jesus? Won't you trust him and all of that? But they wouldn't preach to you.

That's the thing that fixes it so it's dead certain. That you are lost. That must be done in order to be saved. As long as you keep on believing that God does this and God does that, and now it's up to you, you ain't from lost.

You may be in pretty bad shape, but you ain't such a bad shape that you can't get out. He's got any wing or any strength to get out of the mess he's in. I've butchered my body. I've been in this a while.

I've strengthed out. I've bucked preachers. I know I'm tamed to speak and to say and do. To recover from their awful condition. He's got to do it all. Let me see if I can give a simple illustration. To help somebody here, and I don't know why.

I'm just, I know it's a judgment. Maybe not know now. Who's here? It's Miss Christ, I don't know. What are you talking about? Being lost. Let me give you this little, simple illustration. There's a little, his mother and father lived just through the city limits.

On the other side. There's a big woods out there. Great forest. They got a rail tent around the little home. That old boy's allowed to play in the yard. Mother said, now don't you go out in the yard. Whatever you do, Don't you go into that forest.

Now if you're a member of the human race. All on God's earth. Mama, or father, or school teacher. Or traffic cop. Or the mayor. Or God Almighty, or anybody else. Has got to do the least to fix it. So you'll dead sure do something.

If they tell you not to. Of course there's that. The law stirs you up, you know. But. You say, I ain't going to do nothing. I'll just show you. God Almighty told Adam and Eve to keep their hands off the fruit of that tree.

Told them exactly what would happen if they did. Couldn't have kept holding me from reaching up against it. Anybody going to tell me I can't do anything? And so one day. While the mother's busy in the house.

The little five year old boy. Unlatches the gate. Starts playing in the forest. He's having the time of his life. And for he knows it. He's pretty well in the forest. And behold. At once the little boy.

Figures he's in a bad shape. He don't yet figure he's lost. He begins to. Cry just a little bit. Not much. He's oh my. I've got to get home. Oh yeah that's the way. And so he runs as fast as his legs will crawl.

And he doesn't get out. Finally he stops and he says. I'm going in the wrong direction. No he said. I believe it's that way. And he goes as fast as he can. But he never does. The edge of the forest. And then he says.

No no I'm going over there. But he doesn't get out of the forest. He knows he's in kind of a bad shape. He thinks he's going to lose his home. Because he's a drunkard. An adulterer. He's going to lose his job.

He's going to lose his family. He's going to lose his health. He's in pretty bad shape. But he's. Well I know I'm in pretty bad shape. But oh yeah. This is the way. That's the way out of the forest. And he runs over there.

That's a while. He's gone. He's run. He's run. He's run. He's getting nowhere. He falls down in exhaustion. Ladies and gentlemen. If you want to find out something. You listen to me. I'll give you a dollar and a half in account cash.

Repentance, Faith, and Human Inability

You will repent. Just try it. If you don't repent. You're going to burn in hell. While I'm preaching tonight. You just make up your mind you're going to repent. And the first time you try it. You'll find out you can't.

You can't cut her brother. You can quit drinking liquor. But you can't abhor yourself. You can't turn against yourself. That's right. You can't hate yourself. You can't do it to save your life. If you boys are repenting of your sins.

Those of you old boys. I'm going to tell you right now. I'm about to drink myself out of house and home. And I'm going to cut it out. And I'm going to get religion. And join the church. And he does and goes on bail.

Hate sin of the flesh. If the doctor scares you enough. You can cut it out too. Give yourself a new heart that hates sin. And hates yourself. And you cannot bow. To the rule of Jesus Christ. In your own strength.

And be glad that he's absolute Lord. Meantime. Papa's come home. And missed the little boy. I bet he's out there. And it's dark. And they get lanterns. And some neighbors come in. And they start combing that horse.

And every once in a while. They'll stop and say. I'm going to make it himself. Answer back. When he's tried every way. Nothing better. And when in exhaustion. He sinks down. Can't wiggle another wiggle.

The boy. This helpless hopeless. Exhausted. Brother. If you ever get to where. You can't do a thing. About it yourself. Can't make a bargain with God. Can't accept the proposition. The preacher made. Can't repent.

In your own strength. Can't lay hold of Jesus. In your own strength. And God Almighty. And set you up. To being guilty before God. Where you got not a word to say. I'll tell you the son of man. Who came to seek and to save lost people.

The day will come. When Clark Thomas will be preaching a sermon. Or your mom will be witnessing to you. Or your man on the radio. Or somebody talk to you down on the street. You'll hear. The sovereign God of the universe.

Will sing. And send Jonah to the belly of a fish. The way he get him. The way he didn't have any way on God. Earth to save him. And the salvation of the Lord. That's what it means to be lost. Last night.

God's Law and the Gift of Faith

Just this word about it. We tried to say. God uses his holy law. That's his requirements. If you face that. I guarantee. You'll curse God and go on to hell. Or you'll come to begin. To realize. That somebody.

Has got to find you. In the place and condition you're in. And save you. But right quickly now. And I mean it. If that don't bring you to. The realization of your lost condition. God's got another weapon.

That is. That he requires faith. You cannot produce it. As long as you think that you. Can accept Christ. Listen to brother Barton. As long as you think that you. Can accept Jesus Christ. As Lord and Savior.

In your own strength. You don't believe you're lost. Cause there's still something. You can do about it. You're in bad shape brother Thomas. But you ain't plumb lost. Cause there's still one thing you can do.

Now listen to me. Listen to me with all your heart. You see people don't listen to God's word now. And that's the only way faith. Is ever. Wrought. By the hearing. Of the word of a living God. Now here.

Is a paradox. And nearly every truth in the bible is paradoxical. Means looks like. Two different things. Now listen. He is not going to repent. For you. If you. Do not repent. Toward God. He'll have to send you to hell.

But you can't repent. Say brother Barton I don't understand that. Go away. I'm preaching something I understand. I'm telling you what's the truth. I'm the persistent faith. Ever here. So that you know God's talking to you.

Brother you can't. Do one thing in faith. Accept that you hear him. That's what faith is. Faith cometh by hearing. You don't have it. You start with it. Not saving faith. Oh you can believe Jesus died as a virgin.

Believe the bible. Believe he died on a cross. Believe he raised from the dead and all that. The devil believe all that. The devil is there when Jesus crucified. He don't deny the cross. The devil is there when he's raised from the dead.

Why should he believe in more than you do? Why should? He trembles and you don't. But this got to be quickened to you. Got to be quickened to you. Got to be made real to you. That's the way he gives faith.

Abraham's Calling and Life in the Son

By faith. Abraham did this. God made the life to him. He didn't have one. He wouldn't have skedaddled not knowing where he went. Came right on him. The word of the lord came to him. The writer of the book of Acts says The lord of glory appeared unto him.

He got converted. By accepting a proposition. Going through some motions. There hadn't been the slightest change. Something that will change me. That's the quickening of the word of God. Bringing life.

Is in the son. As the father has life. Within himself. I'm quoting scriptures. So has he given life. To be in his son. And I said a while ago. That the one who came by Levi. And said get up there and follow me.

He's got to speak to you. The bedded believed it. With faith. In order to perceive. God's happiness. You can't have salvation without Christ. There isn't a life anywhere. Except in Christ. And the words he speaks.

He's got to speak to you. We camp on this Saturday night. One of the march. God puts on a reprieve. He puts you under his silence. That's the awfulest thing. About the hour in which we live. God sent an earthquake.

To tear this thing up. We wouldn't bat an eye. We wouldn't hear the voice of God. He put us under his silence. There you are sister. Been a member of the church 40 years. Never known Jesus Christ. Sleep well at night.

Eat three meals a day. Listen to all the preaching. Breathe with it all. If you ever face this. God requires faith without faith. It's impossible to please God. We say by grace through faith. That hand of yours.

Must stretch itself out. To lay hold of Christ. Yet it's with us. He's going to give you the strength. To do what he tells you you got to do. It will come. As you listen. To hymns. Not a mystic nor a visionary.

God's Sovereign Call and the Preacher's Testimony

Jesus Christ. Must be made real. To you. Through the written word. In the lips of a man. But in the hands of the Holy Spirit. Brother if God ever called you. To shake the gifts and callings. Of God. But if you do it yourself.

You ain't lost it. If you cast your faith in Christ. You can put a bad shape. I think you need help. I think you need. Nobody else ever going to say it. They're known to God not me. Looking you in the face.

Hear God speak you through it. Let it reprobate it and go into his. For the sheep whether he's just been found or not. If he's a sheep. There's one thing about him. Listen. As you listen brother. Some of these days.

You'll hear from God. And when God speaks to you. Hell has to turn over when God speaks. Is that right? See I'm pleading for folks. To become list. Take this time Lord not take it. The Lord save me. Preach my first sermon.

Sunday night God willing. I want to bring my own testimony. I'm not much on testimony. But God's been pleased to use my message. When I tell how God saved me. I'm infidel. Stay with me. I preach my first sermon.

I went out to the world's biggest oil town. Just sprung up in a cow pasture. Started church in a saloon. Had a time. Some years later. Told me I ought to go to school. So I went to a seminary. I didn't know much theology.

I got out of the seminary. And the professors got with me. And they believed the book. They just told me all the pieces. My professors said that. Chose me. Instead of me choosing him. Well that took all my glory away from me.

I couldn't take that. Well I couldn't brag a bit. And I got the glory. If that's so. Excepted him. Of course this generation of church members. If they get to heaven. It's all about a bragging society.

Some of you folks say. I prayed longer than you did. I shouted louder than you did. Well you'll turn heaven into hell in five minutes. If the Lord lets you up there. But there ain't going to be nobody in glory.

That got anything to glory in. Except the Lord. Oh they'll be bragging on. About how long they prayed. How they did this. That's right folks. I'll tell you what. In fact that old professor. He said. Stop.

I can't explain this. But in Christ. I didn't mean I said. That one day. If I was able to hear. I got nothing to brag. He gave me the hearing ear. Put me in Christ. Amen. I didn't suffer. I never got mad at church people.

That get mad at me about this. Boy. If I got my hands on God. I sure would have told him a few things. Why that took. Every bit of the boast out. I didn't have nothing. Gave all the glory to him. I was in awful shape.

The Professor's Challenge and the Voice of Christ

And I argued with the professor. I'd go up to him after the class. And I said. Dr. Connolly. You want me to shut up. And I'm making a nuisance out of myself. He said. Oh no Mr. Bartlett. You just stay in that hanging rattle.

We'll land after a while. He said. It keeps the class going. Boy I argued with him. They're tearing down all my theology. Why man. I lied. I baptized 2361 people. In the first 16 months I passed. I was a big shot.

Here's this little old fellow. Whittling me down. And the trouble was. He quotes scripture. But I couldn't take the scripture. Fort Worth, Texas in a second hand bookstore. And I found a book of sermons.

By old Dr. B .H. Carroll. One of the old Baptist John's. He's the founder of that seminary. And I gave a dime for that book of sermons. You know the preachers. They won't read nothing that's got any truth in it.

And I took it home. And I read a sermon. I'd quote it upside down and inside out. He was preaching from the 5th chapter of John. Hear me now. And I'll never forget one statement he made. He's talking about time.

The Lord said. Now it's coming. He's talking about the spirit of the dead. Shall hear of the Son of God. And they that hear. And he preached on the voice. With authority. The only voice. That's got authority.

So you've got in. He delegates it to you. He gives it to you. You've got it for being united to him. Then Mr. Carroll said in the course of his sermon. And it unlocked the scripture. And I could understand.

I could understand what the old professor's talking about. I could understand some of it. And I never got over it. And I wish you'd get into it. Mr. Carroll said. I will know. That if you who listen to me tonight.

Hear only my voice. There's no authority in my voice. You'll go away nothing bettered. You'll go away just saved for eternity. That's it bud. That's it. Follow me. That's reading the scripture see. Without all this brethren.

Making Calling and Election Sure

Give all diligence. Pay you to do it huh. Give all diligence. It's talking church people. Give all diligence. Work at it. Depending on that little experience you said you had. Give all diligence to make your calling.

Election sure. That voice you said you heard. Might have been the voice of the devil. If you prove to me tonight. You say you judge folks around here. I'm subject to it. If you prove to me tonight. That God almighty.

Got in a way on earth. Of penetrating. Through that wall of death. That you live in. Accept that voice. That's got authority. So no way anybody can get. You.