The notices for the coming week are God willing as follows. Pastoral preach here next Lord's Day at 10.30 and 2 o'clock. There will be a prayer meeting here on Thursday evening at 7 o'clock. There will be no service on Tuesday evening as it is Mattfield Thanksgiving services when Dr. Timothy Ramsbottom is expected to preach at 3.30 and 630. Let us commence our services today by singing together hymn 833, the tune is Mercy 46. Thy mercy, Lord, we praise, of judgment too we sing, for all the riches of thy grace our grateful tribute bring. Hymn 833, tune Mercy 46. O mercy of the earth, Thou judgementary Saviour, Lord of all the ages, of Thy great ? The wakeful trickling rain ? ? Mercy made justly plain ? ? As sinners and forlorn ones ? ? And judgment day will appear ? ? Which I will not rejoice ? ? For I have sinned against the Lord ? We believe the Lord to be selfless, and a kind, righteous Lord. Good can I expect, O grace, thy wondrous grace, Thou know'st best thy holiness, Thou dearly love'st. Thy goodness, how impress'd, Giveth and filleth thy name. Thine the service, O God's best ? And always is the same ? ? Thy judgments uttered me ? ? Thou bid'st as I did stand ? Let us read together from the Holy Word of God in the first chapter of Paul's epistle to the Romans. Romans chapter one. Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God, which he had promised to for by his prophets in the holy scriptures, concerning his son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh, and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the spirit of holiness by the resurrection from the dead, by whom we have received grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith among all nations for his name, among whom are ye also the called of Jesus Christ. To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints, grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world. For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers. May I can request, if by any means now at length I might have a prosperous journey, by the will of God to come unto you. For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end you may be established. that is, that I may be comforted together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me. Now, I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that oftentimes I purposed to come unto you, but was let hitherto, that I might have some fruit among you also, even as among other Gentiles. I am debtor both to the Greeks and to the barbarians, both to the wise and to the unwise. So as much as is in me, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also. For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth, to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith. As it is written, the just shall live by faith. For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who hold the truth in unrighteousness. Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them for God hath showed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse. Because that when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful, but became vain in their imaginations and their foolish heart was darkened, professing themselves to be wise, they became fools and changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man and to birds and four-footed beasts and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves, who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the Creator, the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. For this cause, God gave them up unto vile affections, for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature, And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another. Men with men, working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was meet. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient, being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness, full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity, whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things. disobedient to parents, without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful, who know in the judgment of God that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only to do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them. May the Lord Bless the reading of his own precious word and grant unto us the spirit of real prayer. Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which is an art, an art to come, we bow before thy glorious majesty and we desire to worship thee in spirit and in truth. and we desire that the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God our Father and the sacred fellowship of the Holy Spirit may rest and abide upon us in the sanctuary today, that we may indeed worship thee in spirit and in truth. Blessed Holy Divine Spirit, we do pray for thy inward teaching in our hearts, We do pray that they would convince us of our sin and lead to Jesus' blood and to our wandering eyes reveal the secret love of God. O most blessed spirit of truth, we pray that thou wouldst dwell in our hearts, that thou wouldst quicken our souls, and that as the sweet psalmist prays, quicken me according to thy word. And the dear apostle says, you hath he quickened who were dead in trespasses and in sins. And Lord, we pray that we may feel thy quickening power in our hearts even this day. We pray, most blessed spirit of truth, that thou wouldst take of the things of Jesus and reveal them unto us. that the eyes of our understanding may be enlightened, that we might know what the good and perfect and acceptable will of the Lord is. We pray that thy word may be a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path. We read in thy word, O Lord, that as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. May we have that mark and evidence in our hearts that we are the sons and daughters of the Lord God Almighty. And we do pray that thou wouldst graciously breathe into our hearts that sacred spirit of adoption whereby we may cry, Abba Father. For God has sent forth the spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, Abba Father. O that it may be so, even to die, to feel some measure of that spirit of adoption, and that we're loved with an everlasting love. Therefore, with loving kindness have I drawn thee, O to know that drawing power of the Holy Ghost, we do humbly beseech of thee. We pray that we may be favoured with the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ. For him hath God exalted as a Prince and as a Saviour, for to give faith and repentance and remission of sins. And we pray that we may have those precious gifts in exercise in our hearts even today. Faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. Faith in our Triune God. For without faith it is impossible to please God. For he that cometh unto God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. We pray, most gracious Lord, that thou, in thy great mercy, would grant that we may be favoured like those we read of in Holy Scripture that touch the hem of Jesus' garment. and drew from that sacred fullness that is in him, the fullness of his precious blood, the fullness of his glorious righteousness, the fullness of his everlasting love, all that we may draw from that fullness. We read in the word of God that he is full of grace and truth, May we be partakers of that grace and truth. And that we do pray, most gracious Lord, that thou wouldst make us more spiritually minded, that thou wouldst set our affections on things above, that thou wouldst draw us unto thyself even this day. For none come except the Father draw. May we know those divine drawings then. of our eternal Father and our sonship. And that Lord, we pray that thou would remember us as a church and as a congregation. We think of those that are away from us today for rest and change. We pray that thou would be with them and that thou would cause them to return at the appointed time and that they may be refreshed and strengthened for that time of change. We pray for our brethren, the deacons, that grace, wisdom, and help may be given to them, and they'll know it's their needs and their concerns, and we lovingly commend them to thee. We pray, O Lord, that thou would remember each one of our brethren and sisters in Christ, and remember us with the favor that thou bearest unto thy people, O Lord, we do beseech Thee, set our affections on things above. Draw my soul to Thee, my Lord, let me love Thy precious Word. Lord, we pray that Thou wouldst remember our brother and sister in Holland and be with them and graciously bless them, and Thou knowest their needs, their concerns, and we pray that their souls may be fed even this day. And Lord, we pray that thou in thy great mercy would look upon us as a church and the whole of our congregation and graciously bless us with those rich spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. Graciously guide us by thy counsel lead us into thy truth and open to us the sacred minds of gospel blessings. We do humbly pray thee and grant, O Lord, that thou wouldst bless the little ones and the children, that thou wouldst bless them with that rich grace that is in Christ Jesus, that thou wouldst bless the dear young friends and graciously bring them to living faith in Jesus Christ and make them true followers of thee and of those who, through faith and patience, inherit the promises. Oh, do hear us, Lord. We humbly pray thee for thy great namesake. And remember them for good. Be with them in life's journey. Be with them, Lord, in their education, in their employment, and graciously undertake for them in all things, and be with them regarding a partner in life's journey. We lovingly commend them to thee. Pray that thou wouldst be gracious unto each one that desires such a blessing. Hear us, O Lord, we do humbly pray thee, and graciously bless us then as a church, as a congregation, Remember parents and give wisdom and grace to bring up their children, the nurture and admonition of the Lord. And remember, Lord, we pray thee all in the midst of the journey of life and undertake for each one, deliver us from temptation, deliver us from the enemy of souls, whether he comes as a roaring lion to devour, or whether he comes as an angel of light to deceive, we need Thee, O Lord, to deliver us from his power and from his influence. Lord, we do pray that Thou wouldst graciously hear us and bless us. Lord, we pray that Thou wouldst remember the prodigals that have wandered and stretch out Thy almighty arm cause them to be in want, we do humbly pray thee, and graciously cause them to return. There is nothing too hard for thee, for thou art the God of all flesh. O Lord, thou art the creator of the heavens and the earth, and with God nothing shall be impossible. And so we pray for these impossible cases to us, for Lord, they are possible with thee, and we would lovingly commend them to thee. And O Lord, we do pray that thou wouldst graciously remember those of us that are now in the evening time of life's journey, and pray to be prepared. And now, my God, prepare my soul for that great day, and wash me in thy precious blood, take all my sins away. And, O Lord, we do pray that Thou wouldst graciously remember the village and the surrounding villages and hamlets, gather in precious souls, pull down the strongholds of Satan, set up the kingdom of the Lord Jesus in the hearts of sinners, Let thy work appear unto thy servants and thy glory unto their children, O Lord, we do beseech thee for thy great namesake. Lord, may we see the fulfilling of that word, for I am returned unto Jerusalem with mercies. And may we see the fulfilling of those wonderful gospel promises. I will abundantly bless her provision I will satisfy her poor with bread. I will bring thy sons from far, and thy daughters from the ends of the earth, and they shall come from the north and from the south, and from the east and from the west. O Lord, do hear us, we humbly beseech thee, and have mercy upon us, we pray thee. And be gracious unto us, and build us up a truly spiritual people. We pray for any in affliction and trouble and trial and perplexity. Do undertake for each one. Those in spiritual darkness, bring them into light. Those in spiritual bondage, bring them into liberty. Those that feel to be far off, make them nigh. Lord, work mightily among us. We pray for all thy servants as they labour in word and doctrine upon the walls of Zion, that thou wouldst graciously bless them this day and grant them that divine anointing of the Spirit, and that there may be signs that shall follow the preaching of the word. And we pray thee, the great Lord of the harvest, that thou wouldst send true labourers into the harvest, and that thou wouldst build the walls of Jerusalem and send real prosperity. Lord, we pray for those that go forth from among us as a group of churches that minister in the word of truth among the nations of the earth. We pray for that great work that is being done by the Savannah Education Trust in Ghana, that it may redound to the great glory of thy holy name. and to the good of thy church in Ghana. Remember the Mombasa mission and thy servants that labor there and do grant good success to their labors. And remember, Lord, the work of the Free Grace Evangelistic Association and thy servant that runs there to grant good success in the distribution of thy word in the running of the orphanages and in the exposition of thy word in some of the poorest places here on earth. Remember thy people, Lord, in those nations where the name of Christ is hated. Lord, remember them and send them help from the sanctuary and strengthen them out of Zion and bring deliverance unto them. Lord, remember our nation. We live in dark and solemn days when the power of Antichrist is very prevalent. We pray, O Lord, that thou would remember us again as a nation, that thou would pour out thy Spirit and build up the Church of God in this nation. We do humbly beseech thee, raise up in our judiciary in our civil service, in our parliament, men and women that stand for the truth, for the word of God, for righteousness. And Lord, we pray for our leaders that they would give wisdom and understanding, guidance and direction. And we pray for our king and the royal household that those wonderful rich blessings of thy grace may be manifest in the royal household, we do humbly beseech of thee. We pray that thou would put a stop to war and bring to naught the counsels of the ungodly. We do humbly beseech thee. We thank thee for every favour and every blessing. We thank thee for the glories of Christ, for the incarnation of the Son of God, for the holy life He lived as a man under the law. We thank Thee that He has fulfilled and honoured and magnified Thy holy law and brought in everlasting righteousness for Thy people. O Lord, we do thank Thee that He suffered and bled and died for our sins and rose again for our justification and has bodily ascended into heaven and now sitteth at thy right hand, tis he instead of me is seen when I approach to God. Oh, we do thank thee for the love of our eternal Father and for the wonderful gift of the Holy Ghost. Come now, Lord, and open thy word. Come and open our ears and our eyes and our hearts. Come and bless us with light and understanding in thy word. Come and touch one's lips with a live coal from off the heavenly altar. We ask for Jesus Christ's sake. Amen. Let us now sing together hymn number 352. And the tune is Baker, 292. The moon and stars shall lose their light. The sun shall sink in endless night. Both heaven and earth shall pass away. The works of nature all decay. Hymn 352, tune Baker, 292. ? When the sun is rising ? ? And heaven and earth shall prosper there ? ? The works of men shall prosper there ? ? The works of men shall prosper there ? In the deep, the home of God, Where shall I be, in whom I shall dwell? Just in the way, where I will dwell, ? Sancte Christo ? ? Venite ad nos ? ? Sancte Christo ? ? Venite ad nos ? ? Alleluia, alleluia ? ? Alleluia, alleluia ? ? Alleluia, alleluia ? Let not my soul forsake the Lamb, and nor shall the This is not a dream, but I am here you. Greatly feeling to need the Lord's gracious help, I would direct your attention to the chapter that we read, the first chapter of Paul's epistle to the Romans, and we will read verse 18 for our text. Romans chapter one, verse 18. For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness, and unrighteousness of men who hold the truth in unrighteousness. For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness. He opens this beautiful epistle, probably one of the most prominent of the epistles, clearly defining the doctrines of grace and also defining both the mercy and the judgment of God. Mercy and the judgment of God. By that I mean the eternal judgment of God and the eternal mercy of God. When I was sitting reading this morning and it seemed to stand out so beautifully to me that verses three and four where he speaks of the glorious person of our Lord Jesus Christ, concerning his son, Jesus Christ, our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh. See how it speaks so beautifully of his human nature. His son, Jesus Christ, our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh, concerning his son, Jesus Christ our Lord, you see, and declared to be the Son of God with power. So very beautifully he sets before us there that those fundamental doctrines of our most holy faith, that the church is built on the eternal rock of ages, our Lord Jesus Christ. And in that glorious person, of our Lord Jesus Christ is God and man in one person. The Son of God is the person and he assumed a human nature. I often try to emphasize to you because it is fundamental doctrine that there are not two persons in Jesus Christ. There's one person but two natures. There's the person of the Son of God, so there is his divine nature, and then there is a human nature. And that human nature never had any existence separate to the Son of God. The Holy Ghost overshadowed the womb of the Virgin Mary, and the Son of God immediately assumed the seed of the woman and became bone of our bone and flesh. of our flesh. It's the rock upon which we build. We've often pointed out to you that beautiful office of the daysman that is spoken of in the book of Job. The ancient office of the daysman was to act like an advocate and when there were two opposing parties and then the daisman would put his hand upon the shoulder of one and his hand on the shoulder of the other and he would seek to reconcile them together. But how beautifully that office speaks of our Lord Jesus Christ as God the eternal Son of God, he puts his hand on his eternal Father. And as man, he puts his hand on man, and he reconciles them together. We have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. Concerning his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh, and declared to be the son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness by the resurrection from the dead. The apostle, he says here in verse 16, for I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believing, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. In this verse 18, up until 18, is the section which is the introduction of the Apostle to the Epistle to the Romans, but now he begins to open the deep and profound truths of our most holy faith. For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness. Godliness means God-likeness. That's the meaning of it. It's to be like God. Now, none of us, of course, can come up to those standards of what God is, but to be a godly person is to be God-like in our spirit in our behavior. You know, even the disciples, they manifested the spirit of the flesh. When the Lord Jesus, they were with the Lord Jesus and somebody opposing the Lord Jesus and they said that it was the call down fire from heaven upon them. And he said, ye know not what spirit ye are of. It's very important, my friends, to know what spirit we are of. For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness. You think of those instances in the Word of God when the wrath of God was revealed in all its awful power. My mind in particular, it goes to the Sodom and Gomorrah. They were completely overcome with the lusts of the flesh. And we read of it here in this chapter. Verse 26, for this cause God gave them up unto vile affections for even their women to change the natural use into that which is against nature. And likewise also the men leaving the natural use of the women burned in their lust one toward another, men with men working that which is unseemly and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was meat. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind to do those things which are not convenient, being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness. The cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were completely overrun with this spirit of unrighteousness, of ungodliness. of a complete overwhelming loss of the flesh. And the God of heaven, he took notice of it. He informed Abraham. We know that from the word of God that Abraham was the friend of God. How did Abraham become the friend of God? Because God called him out of nature's darkness into the glorious light of the truth of the gospel. He was called of God. And the Lord revealed to Abraham that he was going to destroy the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. He said their cry has come after him, the cry of wickedness, The cry of ungodliness. And Abraham prayed for his nephew Lot who was in Sodom and Gomorrah with his family. Even that, my beloved friends, is a solemn thought, isn't it? There's no doubt according to the Word of God that Lot was a righteous man. When he parted from Abraham, because their flocks and their herds were so great, Lot chose the lush plains of Jordan. And that is the area around the Dead Sea. And that is an evidence to us of the solemn awful judgment of God. That used to be lush plains and now it's one of the most barren wildernesses on earth. Lot was delivered from Sodom and Gomorrah as he was delivered with his two daughters and his wife and his wife looked back and she was turned into a pill of salt, perpetual barrenness, solemn judgment of God. And once Lot was delivered by the angel of God out of Sodom and Gomorrah, we see the terribleness, we see similar things happening in the world in which we live today. The men of the city came and they wanted to know the angels that had come in. They were obviously angels in the form of men that came in to lock. And they stood at the door and they pressed the door. You see the terrible lust of the flesh that overtook them and that brought the awful judgment of God. says in the end of this chapter verse 32 who know in the judgment of God that they which commit such things are worthy of death not only do the same but just listen to this but have pleasure in them that do them have pleasure in them that do them it's a solemn thought isn't it how many people there are that look like worms coming out of the woodwork especially these celebrity types and they tell us that this sort of behavior is perfectly normal and there's nothing wrong with it. There is in God's eyes and it will receive the solemn judgment of God for the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who hold the truth in unrighteousness. We go back even further than Sodom and Gomorrah and we go back to the days of Noah before the flood And we read in the word of God that the earth was full of violence, full of violence, full of evil, full of wickedness. And we read that it repented God that he'd made man upon the earth when he saw the terrible, vicious evil that prevailed in Noah's day. But just as the Lord delivered Lot from Sodom and Gomorrah, so he delivered Noah in the day in which he lived. And we have there the first reference to the word grace. And we read that Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. It wasn't because Noah was any better than anyone else. Noah was born a sinner like everybody else but he was called by God and therefore he was delivered from that evil in the day in which he lived. Him and his sons and his daughters-in-law and his wife were all delivered in that day when God manifested his terrible wrath and anger against man. You see, my beloved friends, these things are recorded in God's word for our instruction. For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who hold the truth in unrighteousness. We cannot even begin hardly to describe what terrible that must have been. Noah was preparing the ark for a long long time and we read in scripture that Noah was a preacher of righteousness that he went among men and women and he warned them that the wrath of God was to come, that the wrath of God would be displayed. And he said to them, God has shown me that he's going to destroy the world with a flood. And God has instructed me to build this ark of wood. It must have been the largest vessel ever built at that time. And he said to men and women, he warned them that the wrath of God was coming, that the world was going to be destroyed with a tremendous flood. What do we read? They mocked and they laughed at Noah. They mocked him and they laughed at him. Noah continued to build the ark and at the appointed time we read that all the animals the Lord caused them to move into the ark and we read that Noah and his family went into the ark and the Lord shut him in. He was secure in that ark and then the rains came Tremendous rain. Before the flood, you do not read of any rain on the earth. There used to be a dew on the earth. So it would have been quite alarming that instead of this soft, gentle dew that covered all the earth, torrential rain pouring down. How many of those that have heard Noah preaching and warning them that God was going to destroy the world when all they'd ever known was a dew and now it was torrential rain pouring down upon them, rivers of water pouring down upon on the earth. And the flood began to rise. Not only that, we read the fountains of the great deep were opened and the flood came from underneath as well as from above. rapidly rose. There wasn't anyone laughing then. There wasn't anyone mocking then. Noah was secure in the ark. The Lord shut it in. That ark, my beloved friends, is a beautiful type of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. It was the only place of safety. And my beloved friends, the only place of safety in the day of God's great wrath is Jesus, the Ark. He is. Jesus Christ is the way, the truth, and the life. Jesus is the way to God. Jesus is the way to bliss. Jesus said, I am the way, the truth, and the life. We read that God so loved the world, as God our Heavenly Father so loved the world, He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should be saved. And my beloved friends, there is salvation in none other. There is none other name that is given unto heaven, whereby you must be saved, but the name of Jesus Christ. He's the way to God. He's the only way of salvation and God has appointed him as the way of salvation. See, we read here in these chapters, we read here that even those that do not have the word of God or do not have the law of God, says in verse 20, verse 19 because that which may be known of God is manifest in them for God has showed it unto them for the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen being understood by the things that were made even his eternal power and Godhead so they are without excuse sinner you're without excuse God The creation, the beautiful creation that we live in, speaks of the eternal power and Godhead. It does. Of course, we're told today, and our children are taught in our schools today, and in our universities today, that the world wasn't created, it just gradually, there was a big bang, and then it gradually evolved over millions and millions and millions of years. This is another fallacy from the pit of hell from Satan. God created this world and it speaks to us of his eternal power and Godhead. because that when this is man generally, because that when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful, but became vain in their imaginations. And their foolish heart was darkened. This is man by nature. Professing themselves to be wise, they became false and changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man. That's when they made birds, and like the children of Israel, they set up a molten calf. They bowed down and worshipped that molten calf. You see, my beloved friends, man is totally lost and totally ruined. You see we read as we go on, in fact this from where we are in verse 18 to the end of chapter three is all one message that the apostle is speaking. As we begin in chapter two he says, therefore thou inexcusable O man, whosoever thou art. You see verse two he says, but we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things. And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God? Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering? not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth to repentance. But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasured unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and the revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who will render to every man according to his deeds, God will. My beloved friends, every single one of us must stand at the judgment seat of Jesus Christ. As the apostle writing to the Hebrews in chapter 9, he said, it is appointed unto man once to die, but after death the judgment. It is appointed unto man once to die. And this appointment is by God. the soul that sinneth it shall die. It was said to Adam and Eve concerning the tree of the fruit of the of good and of evil in the midst of the garden thou can see of anything of any tree but thou must not touch the tree that is in the midst of the garden for the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die God's judgment. What did Adam and Eve do? Well, Eve, she listened to the voice of Satan. God had said, the day thou wittest of, thou shalt surely die. Satan said to her, but it will make you wise. It will make you like God to know good and evil. That's the lie. Christ said of Satan, he was a liar from the beginning. And we read this, that she saw that it was something to be desired. There's the first sin, thou shalt not covet. She saw that it was something to be desired. She coveted it, what God had forbidden. that first step and then she took it and they both did it and their eyes were opened and they hid themselves. Why? Guilty. They hid themselves. They were both naked and not ashamed of their nakedness but when they fell into sin they were ashamed of their nakedness. They were in fear of the wrath of God, they hid themselves in the garden. And we read that the Lord God walked in the garden in the cool of the day. Adam, where art thou? Adam, where art thou? Fallen into sin. And it was then, my beloved friends, that man died spiritually. Adam and Eve died spiritually. Adam and Eve are the federal head of the human race and we all come from them. And as Adam sinned, so all his posterity is born in sin and shaped in iniquity. Here in chapter three, we saw part of this same message that the Apostle is sending. And he says that, as it is written in verse 10, it says, as it is written, this is a quotation from the book of Psalms, there is none righteous, no, not one. There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They all gone out of the way. This is man, left to himself. They are all together become unprofitable. There is none that doeth good, no, not one. Their throat is an open sepulcher, with their tongues they have used to see. The poison of Asp is under their lips, whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness. Their feet are swift to shed blood. Destruction and misery in their ways, and the way of peace have they not known. There is no fear of God before their eyes. This is man left to himself. This is you and I left to ourselves. Now we know that what things whoever the law saith, he's now speaking of the law of the Ten Commandments, it saith to them who are under the law that every mouth may be stopped and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore, by the deeds of the law, there shall no flesh be justified in his sight, for by the law is the knowledge sin that's all the law can do for you it's the knowledge of sin we read in the first epistle of john sin is any transgression of the law of god we all have sinned we've all transgressed the law of god we've broken that boundary that god has put around man every one of us. You know the Apostle Peter in his epistle he speaks of this day of wrath. For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who hold the truth in unrighteousness. If we look at the second epistle of Peter and in the third chapter how solemnly does the word of God set before us this day of judgment. It reminds us. You see, it says at the beginning of that chapter three in the second Peter, the second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance, that you may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour knowing this first that there shall come in the last days scoffers walking after their own lusts. Do we not see that in the day in which we live? And saying where is the promise of his coming? That's the coming of Christ for since the fathers fell asleep all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation. Where is the promise of his coming? For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God, the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water, in the water, and this is speaking of the flood in the days of Noah, whereby the world that then was being overflowed with water perished. the heavens and the earth which are now by the same word are kept in store reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and petition of ungodly men. But beloved be not ignorant of this one thing that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day. What does that mean? It means time is nothing to God. God lives in one eternal now, and time is but a speck in eternity. A thousand years. This is one day in a thousand years, as one day the Lord is not slack concerning his promise. What promise? That he's coming again. as it is appointed unto man once to die, so after death the judgment, and unto them that look for him shall he come a second time, without sin, unto salvation. A second time. The Lord is not slack concerning his promises, some count slackness, but is long-suffering to us all. Who is he writing to? The church of God. long-suffering to usward, not willing that any should perish. What does it mean? It means those that were chosen by the Father and have been redeemed by the Son, they are yet to be born again by the Spirit of God. So his long-suffering allows this world to continue in sin and wickedness and evil until he has called everyone of his children by divine grace, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night. You know, my beloved friends, we read this continually in the word of God. The day of the Lord will come as a thief. Christ said it, the apostles said it. The apostle Peter is here saying, That day will come suddenly and without warning, that's what it means, as a thief in the night, when nobody's expecting it. This great day of judgment will come. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat. The earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up, seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved. What manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, looking for and hasting unto the coming day of God, wherein the elements, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat. Nevertheless, we, who is he talking to? Christian believers, the church. Nevertheless, we, according to his promise, look for new heavens under new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. Wherefore, beloved, seeing that you look for such things, be diligent that you be may be found of him in peace without spot and blameless. And they count that the long suffering of our Lord is salvation. All the time the Lord is extending the length of this world is because there are precious souls to be saved by grace. There are precious souls to be brought to Christ. And when all that chosen multitude have been gathered unto Christ then the archangels trump shall sound and the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved and the elements shall melt with fervent heat. My dear beloved friends we we speak these things to you because it's the word of God for the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who hold the truth in unrighteousness. We read to you from chapter three, therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight for by the law is the knowledge of sin. But then it goes on. beautiful words of grace, but now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets, even the righteousness of God, which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all then that believe, for there is no difference. For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God has set forth to be a propitiation, that's an atonement. Propitiation through faith in his blood to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are passed through the forbearance of God. the grace of God in Christ. There's a way been made, a way for poor lost sinners to be saved, and that way is Jesus Christ, his precious blood, the blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son, cleanseth us from all sin. To declare, I say at this time, his righteousness, that's the righteousness of Jesus. that he might be just and the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus. Oh, my dear, beloved friends, may it please the Lord to awaken us to our lost condition, every one of us, to awaken us to our sinfulness by the Holy Ghost and to awaken us to the need of Jesus Christ that He alone can save. Him hath God exalted as a Prince and as a Saviour for to give faith and repentance and remission of sins, sins that are past. Oh, that the Lord would be pleased to graciously guide us into His truth for the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who hold the truth in unrighteousness. We need the Holy Spirit to quicken our souls. We need the Holy Spirit to convince us of sin. We need the Holy Spirit to give us faith and repentance, faith in Jesus Christ and repentance toward God. That is what we need. Oh, that the Lord may grant it, that we each may come in all our need, in all our emptiness, in all our poverty, in all our insufficiency, all our unworthiness. We come if we confess our sins. He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. May the Lord add his blessing. Let us now sing together hymn number 698. The tune is Ulther, 693. Pause my soul and ask the question, aren't thou ready to meet God? Am I made a real Christian, washed in the Redeemer's blood? Have I union to the churches living head hymn 698 tune alpha 693 ? O come, O come, Emmanuel ? you That I, even by His merit, Will live the life of faith and prayer. Trust in God and do His merit, ? I'll sing of him, O my friend ? ? Day in, day out, day in, day out, day in ? ? Day in, day out, day in, day out, day in ? Let him govern the ages. Learn, my soul, the artists' melody. in the striking of his face. ? Love is still and true to Satan ? ? Truth is precious, faith and love ? ? Love atonement, ring of angels ? ? And shall face the Lord in awe ? ? Take the temple where is now our God ? Now may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God the Father, the sacred fellowship of the Holy Spirit, rest and abide with us each. Amen.