Hi, everybody. Great being here. What language shall I borrow? I love that line. I can't come up with the words or the proper language, but what language shall I borrow?

Would you turn with me to Romans chapter 10? Verse 1, Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they might be saved. I've entitled this message, Am I I hope we can resist the temptation of trying to figure out whether or not the person beside us is saved. Am I saved?

Now, when I gave that title, I wonder how many people were thinking, well, do I give evidence of salvation? Am I saved? Can I look in my life and find evidence that I am saved? If you can, I fear for you. If you can look at something in your life and conclude, yes, I must be saved, that's the wrong place to look.

Am I saved? What could be more important than the answer to that question for me? Am I saved? Somebody may think, well, what do you mean by saved? It means God saved you. That simple. He saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace which were given us in Christ Jesus before the world began.

Now, I want you to notice the order there. He saved us and he called us. Which came first? The saving or the calling? He saved us. A salvation accomplished outside of my personal subjective experience. He saved us. And then we found out about it. He called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, 2 Timothy 1.9, but according to his own purpose and grace which were given us in Christ Jesus before the world began.

He saved us. Am I saved? Would you turn with me for a moment to 1 Peter chapter four? Verse 17. For the time has come that judgment must begin at the house of God. Now what does that mean? That verse of scripture used to kind of frighten me. Judgment must begin at the house of God? Well, judgment begins and ends for the house of God when Christ died on the cross. That's when judgment was accomplished at the house of God. All of God's house, all of God's body, all of God's people, they were judged and justified by what Christ did on Calvary's tree.

Judgment begins with the house of God, and if the first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? And if the righteous scarcely be saved. What's that mean? Does that mean they just get in by the skin of their teeth? No. Bold shall I stand in that great day, for who ought to my charge to lay fully absolved from these I am, from sin's tremendous curse and shame.

That doesn't mean the righteous are just gonna get in by the skin of their teeth. The word scarcely means with great difficulty. Was it difficult for God to give His Son? Was it difficult for the Son to be made sin? With great difficulty are the righteous saved. That being the case, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?

Wherefore, let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to Him, in well-doing as unto a faithful creator. Now, when I say, am I saved, what does it take for a sinner to be saved? Great difficulty. It takes God willing me to be saved. If I'm saved, it's not because of my will. It's because he willed me. to be saved.

What does it take for a sinner to be saved? It takes the life and the death of the Lord Jesus Christ. God being made flesh, keeping the law perfectly, for me dying, that's such a mystery that Jesus Christ died. He had to die for me to put away my sins. He had to be raised from the dead for me

What's it take for a sinner to be saved? It takes the life-giving work of God the Holy Spirit birthing them into the kingdom of heaven where I am actually made a partaker of the divine nature.

What does it take for a sinner to be saved? All that was, is, and will be. all of God's providence.

What does it take for a sinner to be saved? The preaching of the gospel. It pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. Now that's not to put the emphasis on the preacher. I must hear and I must believe the message. There's no salvation apart from that.

What does it take for a sinner to be saved? I have to persevere all the way to the end, looking to Christ only. It doesn't mean just simply remaining religious. It means to persevere to my last breath, looking to Christ only. Not Christ and, Christ only. as everything in my salvation.

Am I saved? Let me repeat. Don't try to examine your life to see if you can find evidence. I fear that if you come up with something, that would be indicative that you're not saved. You're not looking to Christ only. Salvation is looking to Christ only.

Am I saved? If I'm not saved, it means I'm God's enemy. The carnal mind is enmity against God. It's not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. If I'm not saved, it means God's against me. Romans 8, 31, if God be for us, Who can be against us? But if God's against me, who can be for me?

Am I saved? Look back in our text in Romans chapter 10, verse one. Brethren, now this follows Romans chapter 9, this glorious declaration of God's absolute sovereignty and salvation. I love the verse of scripture for the children, being not yet born, neither having done good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, that's God's purpose, but of him that calleth. It was said unto her, the elder shall serve the younger, as it's written, Jacob of a love. Esau have I hated, that's God's words.

Well, does that make people indifferent about salvation? We can't save ourselves, what's the use? Paul didn't respond that way, did he? He said, brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they might be saved. They're not saved, but I want them to be. Now let's go on reading, verse two.

For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God. They're very religious, very sincere. They have a zeal of God, but it's not according to knowledge. Now there is such a thing as saving knowledge, and there is no salvation apart from this saving knowledge. Do I have this saving knowledge? Let's see what he means by this.

Here's the knowledge he's speaking of for they being ignorant of God's righteousness and going about to establish their own righteousness have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. Now here is saving knowledge, some understanding of the righteousness of God. Now what do I know about that? The righteousness of God. The righteousness of God's character. Do you know if I believe in salvation by works, I'm totally ignorant of the righteousness of his character. Clueless. If I believe my salvation is in some way dependent upon something I do, I prove by that I'm ignorant of the righteousness of God's character. To think that he could accept something that I would do, bring him down to my level? Most people think God is a bigger version of us. and nothing could be further than the truth. Ignorant of God's righteousness in my condemnation. If I'm ignorant of his righteous character, his altogether righteous character, I might have some kind of ignorance of his righteousness in passing me by in my condemnation.

Let me ask you a question. If God sent you to hell and didn't give you mercy, would he be just?

ignorant of God's righteousness and salvation. You see, if I'm saved, the righteousness of God demands my salvation. Isn't that an amazing thought? The very righteousness of God, because Jesus Christ gave me his righteousness and put away my sins, the very righteous character of God demands my salvation.

Oh, They being ignorant of God's righteousness. And what do they do? They go about to establish their own righteousness. What do you do when you do that? Lord, I've done this. Now you do that. I have fill in the blank. If in my experience I begin with an, I have, fill in the blank, whatever it might be, I'm trying to establish my own righteousness. I'm saying the Lord has to save me because I did this or I did that. And in doing that, they've not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. They've not submitted themselves to his righteous character. They've not submitted themselves to his righteousness in their condemnation. They've not submitted themselves unto his glorious righteousness and salvation.

And here's what all this means, for Christ, verse four, Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believeth. Now, someone that is saved, am I saved? Well, if I am, I have some understanding of this. Christ is my righteousness. Christ is the end, the goal, the purpose of the law for righteousness to everyone that believeth.

Now let's go on reading, verse five, four. The rest of the chapter is spent explaining exactly what that means. For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law that the man which doeth those things shall live by them. Now, if I could be saved by my works, here's what it would take. Perfect, nonstop, continual obedience to every commandment in the Bible all the time. That's the righteousness which is of the law. Moses described that the righteousness which is of the law, that the man which doeth those things shall live by them, but the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise.

Now the righteousness of faith is not a lower standard of righteousness. It's what Paul speaks of in Romans chapter 10, verse four. If I'm saved, I'm gonna have to enter into something of what he says Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believeth. Now he says, now the righteousness which is of faith speaketh On this wise, here's what it has to say. Say not in thine heart, who shall ascend into heaven? That is to bring Christ down from above. Or who shall descend into the deep? That is to bring Christ again from the dead.

Now here's what the righteousness of faith has to say. First, he tells us what it doesn't say. What can I do to bring Christ down from above? and do something for me. What can I do to get him to respond to me? Don't say that. That's works. What can I do to bring Christ up from the dead? What can I do to make what he did effectual to me? What can I do? That's works. That's making salvation dependent ultimately upon me, what I do.

What does it say? But what sayeth it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth and in thy heart, that is the word of faith which we preach. Now, think about this. The word very near you right now. You don't have to go out and get it. It's in your heart. How can that be? He's talking about the new heart he gives. It's not in that old heart. It doesn't have a drop of faith. The heart is deceitful above all things, desperately wicked, incurably wicked. You're not gonna find it in that heart. He's talking about the new heart he's given. A new heart will I give. It's nigh thee, even in thy heart, in thy mouth, that is the word of faith which we preach.

And here it is, that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth, the Lord Jesus, and believe in thine heart, that God has raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. Am I saved? Well, if I confess with my mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in my heart that God has raised him from the dead, yes, I'm saved.

to confess. That means you agree with what God says. We talk about a confession of faith, we believe the same thing. We believe what God says. If thou shalt confess with thy mouth, what you believe in your heart comes out in your speech. If thou shalt confess with thy mouth, the Lord Jesus. You believe he's Lord. You believe he's Lord of creation? You believe he created the universe? You believe he's Lord of providence? You believe he controls everything all the time in absolute sovereign control? You believe that? You believe he's the first cause of everything? He's Lord of salvation. If you're saved, it's because he saved you. He willed your salvation. You really believe he's Lord? Do you believe he's Lord?

and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead. Now the heart, like I said, it's the heart which he gives, but the heart is made of the understanding, it's made of the affections, it's made of the will. You understand, as much as you can understand, you understand he's Lord. And you understand that God raised him from the dead. And you understand why God raised him from the dead, because he satisfied God with what he did. He was delivered for our offenses. He was raised again for our justification. He satisfied God with what he did. I understand that. Not only do I understand it, I love it. I love that he's Lord. I love that God raised him from the dead. I love that my salvation was completed by what he did, outside of my personal subjective experience. My subjective experience is that I love that. I believe that.

The will. If you give me a choice, would you like to be saved by The resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, yes. That's the way I want to be saved. He goes on to say, with the heart man believeth unto righteousness, with the mouth confession is made to salvation. In my understanding, I understand that the righteousness of Jesus Christ is the only righteousness I have. Do you understand that? That the only righteousness you have is the righteousness and merits of Jesus Christ. Not only do I understand that, I love it being that way. I love having his righteousness as the only righteousness. With my heart, I believe. If I'm given a choice, that's the way I'm going, to be saved by him.

With the heart, man believeth unto righteousness. With the mouth, confession is made unto salvation. Am I saved? Well, do I look to him as my only righteousness? Do I love him being my only righteousness? Is this the way I want it to be if given my choice? Would you rather be saved by your righteousness or his? His. His. That's not difficult. Let's go on reading. Verse 11, for the scripture saith, Oh, I'm so thankful for those words. For the scripture saith, whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.

Now, I'm not ashamed of the gospel. I'm ashamed of myself. I'm not ashamed of the gospel. Not only am I not ashamed of the gospel, I'm not gonna be put to shame, because there's nothing for me to be ashamed of, because before God, I'm perfect. Whosoever believeth in him shall not be ashamed. Aren't you proud of the gospel? It's a gospel worthy of God. And I say that, I hope, fearfully. It's a gospel worthy of the glory of God. I'm not ashamed of the gospel, I'm proud of it. And I'm not gonna be put to shame. I'm gonna stand before God without guilt.

Twelve, for there's no difference between the Jew and the Greek. For the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. There's no difference between me and you. There's no difference between the Jew and the Greek. There's no difference between the, before God, there's no difference between the most religious moral man and the most degraded immoral man as far as before God. I know there's a difference before men, but that's not what counts anyway, is it? Before God, there is no difference.

For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be Saved. Am I saved? Well, listen to this. Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. I love the word whosoever. I'm one of them. Are you one of the elect? Well, I hope so. Are you one that Christ died for? I hope so. Are you a whosoever? Yes. I can fit myself in that group. That's better than if you said Todd Nyberg, because there are other Todd Nybergs. Whosoever. Don't anyone ask, am I one of the elect that Christ died for me? Do I have a new heart? No, are you a whosoever? Whosoever, that's a very broad word. You can get yourself in that group. Are you a whosoever?

Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord. There's the important word. The name of the Lord. Now, that's talking about the person behind the name, his attributes, the sovereign Christ, the holy Christ, the omnipotent Christ, the independent Christ who doesn't need for you to do something for him to be able to do something for you. He simply wills it because he has no need. The immutable Christ, the one who never changes, the one who, I love this scriptural description of him, in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. That's the Christ I'm calling on. When I'm calling on his name, I'm saying, Lord, save me as an act of your sovereign will. Will my salvation. Save me as an act of your righteousness and justice. Save me as an act of your mercy and grace. Save me by your attributes. That's what we're doing when we call upon his name.

Lord, the one behind the name, whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord, whosoever shall call. There's an easy word. Help me! Save me! Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. That's God's promise. Am I saved? Are you whosoever? Are you calling upon the name of the Lord? Are you calling? Oh, look at the sureness of this word, shall be saved.

Now let's go on reading. Verse 14 and verse 15, we're given five hows. How then shall they call on him in whom they've not believed? How shall they believe in him in whom they've not heard? How shall they hear without a preacher? How shall they preach except they be sent? As it's written, how beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace and bring glad tidings of good things.

Now how shall they call on him in whom they've not believed? You can't. You can't call on someone you don't believe. Do you believe him? Do you believe he's Lord? Do you believe he's Jesus? Do you believe he's the son of God? Do you believe he's all powerful? Do you believe on his name? Now, if you don't, you certainly can't call on him. You're not gonna call on an unrevealed Christ. It's only who he is that you call on him.

How should they call on him and who they've not believed? Well, it's impossible. How should they believe in him in whom they've not heard? If I haven't heard the gospel, I can't believe. Are you hearing the gospel right now? Is this gospel? How should they believe in him who they've not heard? You can't believe something you've never heard anymore and you can come back from a place you've never been.

How should they hear without a preacher? Now, the emphasis is the message the man brings. It's not the preacher. We're gonna see that in a minute when he says, how beautiful are the feet of them. You don't even see their face. How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace. But you're not gonna hear apart from a preacher.

How shall they hear without a preacher? How shall they preach except they be sent? They can't do it. As it's written, how beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace and bring glad tidings of good things, the good things of the gospel. God electing a people is a good thing. No one would be saved if he didn't. Christ accomplishing salvation is a good thing. You won't be saved without that. God the Holy Spirit giving life to dead sinners, that's a good thing. There's no salvation apart from that.

Verse 16. But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah saith, Lord, who hath believed our report. There are many who do not obey the gospel, who do not believe the gospel.

Look at verse 17. This is such an important verse. So then faith cometh by doing. Studying? Reading? Asking? Faith cometh by hearing. What is the most passive thing you'll ever do? Hear. Hear what is being said. Faith cometh by hearing, not praying, not seeking. Are you saying things against those? Of course I'm not. But what does this word say? Faith cometh by hearing, hearing by the word of What is it you hear? The Word of God. The Word, the message from the Word, the scriptures that reveal the Word, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.

Verse 18, but I say, have they not heard? Yes, verily, they, Jews and Gentiles, yes, verily, their sound went into all the earth and their words into the ends of the world. And he's talking about creation. Now turn to Psalm 19. This is a quotation from Psalm 19.

The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament showeth his handiwork. You know, you can't look at creation and not see the glory of God and that it's his handiwork. Everybody knows that. What about atheists? Well, they weren't always atheists. There was a time when they knew.

Let's go on reading. Day and day uttereth speech, and night and night showeth knowledge. There is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard. I don't care what country you're in, what part of the world. Creation has something to say. Their line has gone out throughout all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them he has set a tabernacle for the sun, which is as his bridegroom, coming out of the chamber and rejoices as a strong man, to run a race is going forth is from the end of the earth and a circuit unto the ends of it and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof.

Creation says God is. Everybody knows that. Everybody knows that. I can't think of anything more unreasonable than atheism. To think that life comes from non-living matter, to think that matters Eternal, I mean, stuff doesn't even make sense. Everybody knows that, but let's go back to Romans chapter 10. Have they not heard verse 18? Yes, verily, their sound went into all the earth and their words into the ends of the world.

But verse 19, I say, did not Israel know? No, they didn't. They didn't. First, Moses says, I'll provoke you to jealousy by them that are no people. And by foolish nation will I anger you. But Isaiah is very bold. And saith, I was found of them that sought me not. I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me. Who is saved? Those that didn't seek him. but those who he made himself known to. But to Israel he saith all day long. Here's our responsibility. But to Israel he saith all day long have I stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people.

Now, he was found of them that didn't seek him. Yet he stretched forth his hands all day long to a disobedient, and again saying, people, that we have both God's sovereignty and salvation, and we have man's responsibility to believe the gospel. Now, the original question, am I saved? That is, oh, I want to know, don't you? Am I saved? Am I somebody that God has saved? Am I included in that group described in Matthew 21, 21, thou shall call his name Jesus for he shall save his people from their sins. That's what I need to be saved from my sins. Am I one of those people?

Now turn to Acts chapter 16. Verse 25, and at midnight, Paul and Silas prayed. Acts 16, 25. At midnight, Paul and Silas prayed and sang praises unto God. I love to think of that. They'd been cast into the inner prison. They'd been beaten bloody. Singing praises to God from the prison. Isn't that beautiful? And the prisoners heard them. And suddenly there was a great earthquake so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were open and everyone's bands were loosed.

And the keeper of the prison, waking out of his sleep, he didn't hear them singing and praising. He just wakes up and he thinks everybody's escaped. And the keeper of the prison, waking out of his sleep and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out a sword and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled. But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, do thyself no harm, for we're all here. Then he called for a light. I need light, don't you? He called for a light and sprang in and came trembling and fell down before Paul and Silas and brought them out and said, sirs, What must I do to be saved? What must I do to be saved?

Now, I understand I can't save myself. That is settled. I must be saved. I can't save myself. What must? What is absolutely necessary? What must I do to be saved? And I love Paul's answer. He didn't say, well, there's nothing you can do. He said, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. and thou shalt be saved. What must I do? Believe, rely, trust the Lord, the one who is Lord of all, the one whose will must be done. Jesus, his name is Savior. Thou shalt call his name Jesus, for he shall save his people from their sins. Christ, God's Christ, God's prophet. He's a prophet like no other prophet. He never said, thus saith the Lord. He said, I say to you, he is the word of God. He's the priest like no other priest. Every other priest brings the blood of an animal. He brings his own blood. He's a King like no other King. He's the King of Kings. He's the one who has all authority. Believe. on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.

You trust him only. You don't look to yourself, you look to him. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.

You know, when the Lord said, follow me, most of us, when we hear that, I know this is what I've thought before, that means walking in steps, imitating. That's not what follow me means. If I follow a man, if I look down at my feet, what am I going to do? I'm going to lose it. If I'm looking down at my walk, trying to examine whether it's right, I'm going to take my eyes off him. I don't look to the side at somebody else to try to compare my life to theirs. If I look to the side, I'm no longer following him. If I look behind me to try to figure out some evidences that I've got that I must be saved, I'm gonna lose Him. You keep your eyes only on Him.

One vital scripture, Acts chapter eight, am I saved? Verse 26, and the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south, and to the way that goeth down from Jerusalem into Gaza, which is desert. And there had been a glorious revival going on in Samaria. Great joy was in that city. And all of a sudden, the Lord tells him to leave there and go to the desert. And he rose and went. Behold, a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Condesa, queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, he'd come to Jerusalem for to worship." Now, he's leaving Jerusalem now. And I don't have any doubt that he's feeling emptier than he did when he came there. He wanted to worship. He felt like, I've not worshiped. He knew God was represented in Jerusalem. He'd gone there. He was a heathen. He went there hoping to find out something about God, something about what it means to be saved. And he's returning without question, emptier than he was when he got there.

But he was doing something that was good. He was reading Isaiah the prophet. He was reading the Bible. He was returning, sitting in his chariot, reading Isaiah the prophet. Then the Spirit said unto Philip, go near, and join thyself to this chariot. And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Isaiah, and said, understandest thou what thou readest? Now, most people would say, of course I do. Or here's what I think it means. How does he reply? Verse 31, how can I? Except some man should guide me. And he desired, Philip, that he would come up and sit with him. The place of the scripture which he read was this, Isaiah 53. He was led as a sheep to the slaughter, like a lamb done before a shearer, so openeth he not his mouth, and his humiliation, his judgment was taken away, and who should declare his generation? For his life is taken from the earth. And Eunuch answered Philip and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophetess? Of himself or some other man? Then Philip opened his mouth and began at that same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus. Would you have loved to heard that message? And as they went on their way, they came into a certain water. And I have no doubt that Philip had explained to him baptism in preaching that message.

Baptism. And he sees this water. Now, baptism is a beautiful, simple illustration of the gospel. When he lived, I lived. That's my righteousness. When he died, I died. That's my sin payment. When he was raised from the dead, I was raised from the dead. There's my salvation. There's my justification. Baptism is so beautiful. It's so simple. And he had told the Ethiopian eunuch what baptism means.

And they come up to a pool of water. He says, see, here's water. What hinders me from being baptized? Now that's another way of saying, am I saved? If I'm not, I want to know. Am I saved? What hinders me? What would prevent me from confessing Christ and believers baptism? Am I saved? And I love the simplicity of Philip's answer.

Verse 37, Philip said, if thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. Now, what's it mean to believe with all your heart? You know, this verse used to worry me. I think I believe with all my heart. Do I? Am I lacking somewhere? What does it mean to believe with all your heart? Well, it means to believe with all your understanding. I understand that Jesus is the Christ. I understand that. I understand that he's God. Do I completely grasp it? Of course not. But do I believe it? Yes, I believe he's God. I believe his salvation is everything. I believe his righteousness is the only right. I understand that. Not only do I understand it, I love it. I love being saved by him alone. And not only do I love it, this is what I want it to be. I want to be saved only by his righteousness. I want this.

If you believe with all your heart, you may. Look at his answer. Verse 37. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He didn't say, I believe I'm one of the elect. He didn't say, I believe that Jesus Christ died for me. He didn't say, I believe I've been born of the Spirit. He said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. Whoso believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God. Am I saved? Do you believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God? Do you? I do.

They were baptized then. Look at verse 38. And he commanded the chariot to stand still. And they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him. And when they were come up out of the water, the spirit of the Lord caught away Philip that the eunuch saw him no more. And he went on his way. What? Rejoicing.

The kingdom of God, according to Paul, Romans chapter 14, verse 17, it's not meat and drink. It's not do's and don'ts. It's not if I do this, I'll be good. If I avoid that, I'll be okay. It's not do's and don'ts. It's righteousness. The righteousness of Jesus Christ is my personal righteousness before God. It's peace. The only peace I have is knowing that all God requires of me, I have in Christ. I need nothing else. Joy, that makes me happy. Am I saved? If I look to Christ as my all, yes I am, amen.

We're going to sing two hymns and then have special music, and then Caleb will come. So if you need a break or to use the bathroom, now's a good time. Let's close that message with joy.