All right, let's take our Bibles
and look in 1 John 3. If you've been following along
this week, we started off by looking at Christ's in redemption
from the standpoint of eternity, how God has purposed the salvation
of sinners through his Son. And then the second lesson, we
looked at how he set forth in the scriptures, particularly
Old Testament scriptures. I remember before the Lord taught
me the gospel, the Old Testament scriptures seemed to be just
a closed book. I go to it every once in a while
like an index. I want to look up what it has
to say about lying, maybe cheating and stealing and adultery, but
that was pretty much it. And when the Lord taught me the
gospel, I saw Christ everywhere, and I still look to see him.
Those are eyes that have been made whole, you see, and so we
looked at that together from creation to the cross. It's all
about Christ. It's his story of redemption. And then Wednesday, we looked
at Christ at the cross and what he accomplished there. And a
lot of people will just try to pull you off of that. If you
want to start a fight in this world, just put the emphasis
on the cross. You say, well, why is there such
a fight? Well, that's the essence of God's glory right there. You
know, when they went up to Tora Bora to try to smoke out Osama
bin Laden, the closer they got to where he was, the biggest
firefight broke out from the enemy. Why? Because you're getting
close. And when you, the more a preacher
will stand, and a church will stand for the truth of God as
it is in Jesus Christ, and the cross is God's only glory, and
salvation there, you can expect a fight from the world. You can
expect a fight. But that's just the way it is,
because God's not going to give his glory to another. So we looked
at that. how that there at the cross,
you think about what was accomplished. Redemption. When we talk about
accomplished redemption, justification, my sin put to Christ's account
and His righteousness simultaneously, immediately, upon the finished
work of Christ, put to the account of every one of God's elect.
I was justified before I ever believed in God's eyes. In God's
eyes, it has to be, because it was a finished work. He sat down. So, we looked at that. Our adoption,
the legal adoption of sons, was taking place right there at the
cross. Now, it was revealed unto us that we were sons, but the
transaction, the legal transaction, took place there in the death
of the Lord Jesus Christ. And then, yesterday, we took
a look at the work of redemption and regeneration. And there again,
I had to draw a line and quit. That's such a deep subject, but
I hope some of the things that we looked at together will help
you as you go through Scripture to see exactly what takes place
in regeneration, the work of the Spirit. The work of the Spirit
is one of revelation. There's not something new going
on when the Spirit comes by way of salvation to try to finish
what Christ didn't do. It's all about revelation. Christ
himself said that, didn't he? When he, the Spirit of truth,
shall come, he will what? Guide you into all truth. He
will take the things of mine, he said, and what? Reveal them
unto you. You want the greatest evidence
that the Spirit of God is in you? I would say it has to do
with how God has taught you of his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ,
and his finished work. And you bow there in submission
to his righteousness alone, and you own no other, because there
is no other. There is no other. I don't care,
you know, people always like to look at the outward, as Brother
Richard has been bringing up. People like to judge you based
on character and conduct. But you can be the most moral,
upright person this world has ever known, but if you're not
submitted to the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished
there at the cross, that is evil in God's eyes. That's evil in
God's eyes. You see that? That's how you
can tell you've been taught of spirit. How can you? How can
you stand condemned for wanting Christ to get all the glory?
How can you stand condemned? Well, today I want to talk to
you about the history of redemption that we still look forward to.
Again, when we talk about history, it's his story of redemption. There's a there's a final salvation,
if you will, that we aspect of salvation that we look forward
to, and that has to do with the glorification of God's people,
those that he's redeemed. You know, here in 1 John chapter
3, if you start up there in verse
1, it says, "...behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed
upon us." This all has to do with the love
of God, doesn't it? But it's a particular love, if
you look at it. It says, Behold what manner of
love. Well, what manner of love is
it that the Father hath bestowed upon everybody? Is that what
your Bible says? Upon us. Us. There's a particular people that
are privileged to be called the sons of God. And it says that
right here, that we should be called the sons of God. There's that call again. What
does that mean? Named the sons of God. Put that back in with what we
saw back here in Romans chapter 8. I can refer to it now because
Richard's already done, so on that part anyway. I'm not tromping
on his territory anymore. But moreover, whom he did predestinate. Does that predestinate them he
also called? Now, there it's not talking about
their summons to Christ that takes place in regurgitation.
It's talking about their election, their naming in the Lamb's Book
of Life. Those he predestinated, he named. And that's based upon his love,
in love having predestinated us according to the purpose of
his will. And then whom he named, he justified. Where? At the cross. Whom he
justified, he glorified. When Christ rose, I rose with
him. When he sat down in glory, I sat down with him. He's my
representative, you see. So that's, you see how it's the
same message. As you begin to go through scripture
and link these things together, you say, well, why haven't I
seen this before? So plainly set forth. Look at here in verse one. Therefore,
the world knoweth not us. Now, who's the world? Well, those
still in darkness. Those to whom the Lord by his
Spirit has not yet revealed this blessed truth because it knew
him not. It's talking about the religious
world. It's talking about the religious world. In fact, it's
talking specifically about those that where Christ said in the
garden, I pray not for the world. but for those that thou hast
given me." You see, the same distinction is right here in
this particular verse. There are those that are God's
children. By election, he named them. By
redemption and justification, he bought them. And in time, by regeneration,
when it's manifest that they are the sons of God. But now
wait a minute, when I say it's manifest, it's manifest to those
that are also children, but it's not manifest to the world. But
I'm telling you, there's coming a day when it will be manifest
to the world. That's what we're talking about
in the final glorification. You know, one of the old writers
said there's going to be three wonders in heaven. The first
wonder is that there are going to be people not there that many
thought should be. The second wonder is going to
be that there are going to be people there that people thought
shouldn't be. But the greatest wonder of all
will be if I'm there. You stop and think about it.
That's what this is talking about. Behold what manner of love. You
stop and think about that, I do. Why me? Why me? There's nothing to boast of in
this. Yeah, when you begin to preach this with authority, people
say, well, there you go getting cocky, you know, it's just the
opposite. Why me? Some poor dead dog sinner, a
worm that God was pleased to name back there in eternity and
Christ died for me. I didn't even know him. I had
to find out about it, about his spirit. I was going headlong
the other way. I was raised a good moral boy. But all the while,
just in rebellion in that religion till God stopped me, taught me
of Christ, brought me to bow at his feet just like a poor
beggar. I'm thankful it's that way. But here it is in verse
2, you see, Beloved, and this is our hope of glory. This is
what I'm talking about, our final glorification. It's a hopeful
anticipation of what is yet to be. You know, we're going to
be kicked around in this world. But it says here, beloved. You stop and think about it.
It's talking about this specific people of God that he chose. It's talking about some of you
sitting right here. I hope the majority of you. Beloved, now are we the sons
of God. There's people that stand against
you because of the gospel you believe. And they say, You're
not the sons of God. But the Scripture says we are
the sons of God. It's not man that's going to...
Man might condemn us, but God's not. God's not. It says here, It doth not yet
appear what we shall be. Now, here's a point that I want
to make very plainly with you today. This is vital for the
hour in which we stand. I was talking to Brother Bill
this morning. You know, the more I listen and hear what men are
saying, I can see that they're confusing justification with
regeneration. Our justification took place
at the cross. Our regeneration, the giving
of the Spirit, is because we were justified there at the cross.
Justification demands life. Don't get those backwards. This
idea that Christ died but we're still under his wrath until we
believe and then we're justified is contrary to everything you'll
find in Scripture. Everything you'll find in Scripture.
No, if we've been justified, it demands life. Again, back
here in Romans chapter 8 and verse 10. It says there, and if Christ
be in you, by revelation, isn't it? How is Christ in me? By revelation, through his word,
through these eyes and ears. It's like Brother Bill talking
about these senses being open, giving life to know Christ. If
Christ be in you, through the revelation of his gospel, the
body is dead because of sin. We don't put any more confidence
in this flesh, but the spirit is what life is a state in order
to righteousness because of. That's just plain English isn't
it because of righteousness the spirit been given you what righteousness
Christ righteousness established and accepted and imputed there
at the cross. You say why did he ever give
me eyes to see I was justified there in his death. That's what
that's saying because of If it weren't already there and established,
the Spirit wouldn't be given. It's not an order to righteousness.
Now, here's the point I'm telling you, that you need to perk up
your ears on and listen carefully to men, because what's being
preached is that there is a Spirit giving life unto another righteousness. And that's not what the Scriptures
teach. They're saying if the Spirit gives you life, then there's
going to be infused or imbued or implanted into you another
righteousness that you need in order to make you fit for heaven.
And they're calling it a sinless, perfect, holy nature that's created. Decide what you are as a sinner. I don't find that anywhere in
Scripture, anywhere. The Spirit is life. What given
the Spirit of God. You can't create the Spirit.
Even by saying, well, it means Christ is formed in you, you
stop and think about how that's being interpreted. Christ is
eternal. How can he be created in me? He's the creator. He's the giver
of life. The first Adam was a... God breathed into his nostrils
and he became a living soul. The last Adam Scripture says
it's a quickening spirit. And when he's revealed, that's
what happens. It's the Spirit of God that's given. You read
it. The Scripture, you say, well,
aren't there two natures? Yes, there's the Spirit of God
who's holy, but he's not being created. You can't create the
Spirit. He's given. So there's the Spirit of God
in me, but then there's that old nature that is what it is.
All that has been won't change. All that has been. All right,
if you want to talk that way, fine. But don't tell me that
I need to look in here and see where there's this somehow sinless,
new, sinless, holy nature that's been created in me as if it's another righteousness,
you know, apart from that imputed at the cross. I keep insisting
on it, but dear friends, that's my hope. My hope is in that righteousness
established and accepted and imputed there at the cross on
behalf of this poor sinner. And it's the garment that covers
this nakedness until when? Just like it says here in 1 John
chapter 3, until it is manifest what we really are. In other
words, that transformation is going to be so full and complete
When Christ comes again in this body, the mortal shall be raised
in immortality, the corruptible in incorruptibility. Now, that's
what I look forward to. That's what I look forward to.
But just like men confuse justification and regeneration, they're confusing
regeneration and glorification. They're saying you have now what
you'll always have even when you die throughout eternity.
nature. The only thing that's going to
happen is the shell of this body is going to fall off and everything
else is going to be the same. Now, Scripture is talking about
being changed, being changed into the glory of his image. Here you see what it's talking
about in verse 2. It doth not yet appear what we
shall be, but when he shall appear we shall be like him. Well, if the spirit is already
given me the sinless nature now that's just like Christ. Why
does it say, when he shall appear, we shall be like him? What I have now is the spirit
which the scripture says has been given to me as a what? An
earnest. You that deal in business, you
know what an earnest is. It's a down payment. It's a token
that this belongs to you, but I wait the final fulfillment
of it when Christ comes again. That's glorification. That's
glorification. It says, "...we shall be like
him, for we shall see him as he is." Dear friends, as elect
and redeemed and justified and called out sinners, we now have,
by God's grace, that name as adopted sons of God. If I've got the righteousness,
you stop and think about that, if God chose me in his son and
redeemed and justified me by his blood and called me by his
spirit, I have all that's necessary to be identified as a son of
God. Am I what I will be? No. But
that's exactly the point. I've had people say, well, why
do you suppose God just doesn't give us this new holy nature
and do away with this old sin nature immediately? Well, because
he's purposed that that be manifest in the last day. But in the meantime,
by his Spirit, he's going to keep us looking to Christ and
looking to the cross and bowing to that righteousness and standing
as a testimony of his Son in that state of grace You stop
and think about it when the Scripture says, grow in grace and the knowledge
of the Lord. If you grow in grace, you're
growing in your need of it, aren't you? If I've got a sinless, holy
nature already in me, what more do I need of grace? I wouldn't
need it. What would I need to grow in
knowledge? People are saying, well, it's by that sinless nature
that you truly know Christ. Well, do I know him perfectly
in this flesh? Do you? I've never been able
to get anybody to answer me honestly that question. I don't. I speak through a glass dockery.
I continue to read. I continue to desire to know
him. But what does it say here in
1 John 2, 3? We shall be like him, for we
shall see him as he is, and then we'll know him perfectly. But what's God doing right now?
He's given us His Spirit, who's given us life, who's given us
light, who's given us eyes to see and to look for Him and behold
Him where? Right here in this Word. Right
here in this Word. And so, that's a hope of glory. You know, I have everything I
need in Christ right now. All my hope in Him. is exactly
according to what he says right here in this word. Isn't that
your hope? Isn't that your hope? It says
here, it does not yet appear what we shall be. Why? Because that won't be fully revealed
until he comes. If you look in 1 Corinthians
chapter 15, look with me in 1 Corinthians 15. You know, it says here in verse
50, "'Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit
the kingdom of God, neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.'"
So, automatically, you start and think, well, then how can
I hope to be rid of this corruption? Well, read on. It says, Behold,
I show you a mystery. We shall not all sleep. In other
words, there are going to be those who won't die. They'll
be alive when Christ comes again. But look here. We shall all be
changed. See, this is where I say people
are confusing regeneration and glorification. They're saying
we've been changed now. Scripture says we shall all be
changed. I still live in this mortal flesh.
I'm still as much of a sinner as I ever was. In fact, the more
I learn of myself by the Spirit of God and the Word, the more
I see myself as a sinner, more than I ever did. You see, I look
forward to when I shall be changed. Don't you long for that? I struggle
enough with this flesh. But you know what? I don't put
any confidence in it, and I don't try to change it. What does the
scripture say? Mortify. Disconsider it dead.
It can't help you in any way. You look to Christ. And how do
I look to my glorification? I look back to what he accomplished
there at the cross, because that's going to be the benefit. That
is the benefit of what he accomplished there. All this is the benefit
of what Christ purchased and accomplished and finished there
at the cross of Calvary. If you want to understand glorification,
you've got to first understand justification. and what Christ
accomplished at the cross. But here's what it says. In a
moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump, not at
regeneration, at the last trump, for the trumpet shall sound and
the dead shall be raised incorruptible. It's not in me right now. There's
nothing incorruptible in any nature that's in me right now,
but then it will be. raised incorruptible, and we
shall be changed. For this corruptible must put
on incorruption." When? Not in regeneration, in glorification,
a final glorification. And this mortal, that's all I
am right now, mortal. The only reason I have spiritual
life is the Spirit of God in me, and He keeps me. He keeps my eyes on Christ. to
him that says here, this corruptible, this mortal, must, I like that,
must put on immortality, then, then. So, when this corruptible
shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put
on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that
is written, Death is swallowed up in victory, O death where
is thy sting? O grave Where is our victory?
That's what I look forward to. That's what I look forward to.
It says there, coming back to 1 John 3, but we know that when
he shall appear, we shall be like him. Does that speak to
your heart? It does mine. Even so, come, Lord Jesus, come
quickly. That's what I see here. It's
revealed to us that then we shall be made like Christ. Right now,
he's been revealed to this soul. And right now, I look to that
work that he accomplished. But then I shall be made like
him. Made like him. That is, in the
bodies with which we shall be raised up, there'll be like him
in character. Not anything now. There's nothing
in me that's like Christ's character. Can you say that? Does anybody
want to stand up right now and tell me how you and your character
and conduct have been like Christ in any way, even in the last
24 hours? Well, don't you suppose if there
was a sinless nature, holy nature in you, that you could stand
up and say that? But I can't get anybody to tell me that.
It's not because it's not fair. I liken it to and I'm not making
fun. I'm just saying it's like somebody that that tells you
he has a little friend in his hand, and can't you see him?
And he's talking to him, but you can't quite see him, but
he's there. Let's be honest with the word. Again, let's use scriptural language. That's all I'm endeavoring to
do with you here, to talk to you about what this word says.
As long as we stick with scriptural language, we're going to be OK.
We're going to be OK. And I'm just telling you what
the scripture says. Then we shall be made like him. When we know
that when he shall appear, we shall be like him. That's the
fruit of having been chosen in him and redeemed and justified
by him at the cross, called right now to have that hope of glory. I couldn't have that hope of
glory without it. But then is when I shall be made like him
in character, in glory. That's what he prayed for, to
glorify them with the glory that he had with the Father. before
the world began. I can't. I'm talking about things
well beyond me, but I just know that's what I look forward to.
That's what I look forward to. If you look in Philippians chapter
3 in verse 21. Philippians chapter 3 in verse
21. You know, some will make you feel
like a second class citizen just for Because you can't say that
I've got this holy nature in me. But I'll tell you what, if
I've got the robe of Christ's righteousness, it's covering
all my nakedness. And by God's grace, that's all
I need. His Spirit's taught me of that. That's where I bow.
That's where I bow. Here in Philippians chapter 3
and verse 21. You notice how it's put here,
"...who shall change our vile body." Does the Scripture ever
speak like you've got two parts to you, one holy and one vile?
It just sums it all up. "...our vile body unto his glorious body, according
to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things
unto himself." And look at here in verse 20.
I love this. A lot of people saying, well,
our conversation's in here. Our conduct, our holiness is
in here. What does verse 20 say? For our
conversation is in heaven. You know what, dear friends?
That's where my righteousness is. That's where my holiness is.
It's in heaven. It's seated right there at the
right hand of the throne of God. From whence also we look. I'm
not looking in here. From whence also we look for
the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall change our bowed body."
Don't confuse. You say, well, hadn't there been
a change in regeneration? Yeah, I was brought from darkness
to light, from ignorance to the knowledge of the glory of God
in the faith of Jesus Christ, from unrighteous thinking being
submitted to my own works' righteousness, to bow to His righteousness alone. Sure, those are changes. That's
what's called repentance. It's a change of mind, will,
and heart toward Christ. Amen. But I'll tell you, this
body is still what it is. It's an old, vile body. I like
the illustration I heard one time. Someone said it's like
these engineers that go in and change the current of the river
for their purpose. There's different places where
they've done it. I know they've done it up around St. Louis. I know some
other cities where They're concerned about where that river flows.
So they've changed the whole direction of the river. The current flows a different
direction. It's still the same river, isn't
it? It's still got the mud and the rocks and everything else
in it. I like that. There's been a change in direction. The current of this heart now
is toward Christ and Him crucified. But you know what? That old river
still has all that mud, all those rocks all those old carps swimming
around in it. It is what it is. It is what
it is. But it says here, who shall change
our vile body. That's my glorification. That's
true glorification, when I'll be made like Him. You know, as
we approach unto death, that's the one thing I think that keeps
my heart in this aging body, to know that this isn't going
to continue like this. I shall be changed. I desire now to be like Him, but
I know then I shall be. I shall be. You see, that's what
we see here. We know that when he shall appear,
we shall be like him. Now, just in a few moments that
I have left, coming back here to 1 John chapter 3, here's where
I believe that we have to be careful in reading the scripture,
because you'll have different ones pointing these verses out
to you and say, What it says here in 1 John 3.9 is often quoted
as a proof text of a supposed sinless nature that's in the
believer, but I believe a careful study of the context will show
that this is not what it is teaching. Look at it. It says here, "...whosoever
is born of God doth not commit sin." Now, there's people that
are reading this and saying, It says, if you're born of God,
or when you're born of God, then you're given a nature that cannot
sin. Do you see the word nature in
there anywhere? That's not what it's saying. Whosoever is born
of God does not sin. Now, I have yet to find a professing
believer to tell me that they have ever lived one moment without
sin. Even those that claim to have
this, I can't tell you that they do. At least in that, there's
honesty. Can you say that? Has there ever
been a moment in your life, and I'm talking about since regeneration,
that you can say that was a sinless moment? Ah, I had a sinless moment
there. It's blasphemous. If we're honest,
and I hope we are, Even our best righteousness is still filthy
rags. That doesn't change with regeneration.
If that were the case, I could shuck off the imputed righteousness.
I could say, now I've got one of my own. How ludicrous. Now, if you look
at the context, whosoever is born of God, there it is, born
again, doth not commit sin. Now, there's a couple ways you
could look at that. You can look at it in your position. Because Christ has paid the full
debt of my sin, being born of Him, I can say that I am without
sin. Why? Because of His righteousness
imputed. There's my sinless perfection.
It's in the Savior. It's not in me. Because that
law has been satisfied. If the law has been satisfied
and sin has been put away, there is no more sin. I had somebody
tell me that. They were arguing with me and
I said, so you're going around just telling everybody they're justified.
No. What is the evidence that I've been justified before God?
The Spirit of God being born again. There's the evidence.
Just like an election. You don't go around telling everybody
they're elect. What's the evidence that I've
been chosen of God? When the Spirit of God is given,
and turns his heart to the Lord Jesus Christ, and I come in repentance
and bow to him. And that's why I say, would you
know the love of God? It's in Christ. Seek him. Would you know the forgiveness
of sins? It's not in your believing, it's in him. But when the spirit
of God regenerates, that's what he does, cause you to look to
Christ as your forgiveness, Christ as your righteousness, Christ
as your all. And whoever is born of God cannot commit sin, does
not commit sin. Why? Because the law is unsatisfied.
See, I believe that that can be understood there in a sense.
But practically, practically, if you go back to the beginning
of 1 John here and look at, and you can do this on your own,
take a concordance and look up the word sin. Because context,
context, context. What sin is he talking about
there? When you go back and start reading
how how John has been describing sin, he's talking about those
that commit sin by not walking in the truth. Walking contrary to the truth
of the gospel, as it is in Jesus Christ. seeking to live by their
own righteousness rather than submitting to the righteousness
of Christ alone. They're called sinners. They're
called people who love the world because they love the flesh.
They're called liars. And I believe if you'll understand
that in this context, in 1 John 3, 9, practically that is also
said. Whoever is born of God doth not
commit sin. just as he's been describing
it. You're not going to walk contrary to the truth. It doesn't
mean you're sinless, but you're not going to put any confidence
in your flesh. It's going to be in Christ alone. The world
walks in sin. Why? They haven't known it. But
one that's born of God is submitted to his righteousness alone. And
I'm telling you, dear friends, in that righteousness, there
is no sin in that righteousness. That's where our sinless perfection
is. It's in the imputed righteousness of Christ. You look over in verse 22, for
example, of chapter 2. Who is a liar? See, all these
descriptions of what's a sin. Is this not talking about immorality
and having evil thoughts? Even one born of God can't abstain
from that. But it's talking about what it
says. Who is a liar? Verse 22. But
he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ, and you know what
that means, he that denieth that Christ is all my righteousness,
period. He's the fulfillment of the law,
period. He put away sin, period. In fact, if you look up in just
verse 5 in the context, here we're down to verse 9, jump up
to verse 5, and you know that he was manifested to what? To
take away our sin. Well, if he took it away, then
it is no more. And he that's born of God then doesn't commit
sin. Why? He took it away. He took it away. And in him is no sin. In him
is no sin. It doesn't say in me is no sin. In him is no sin. In his righteousness. And then when it says, therefore,
his seed remaineth in him. This is where people like to
jump on the bandwagon. There is a seed in you that cannot
sin." That's not what it says. It says, "...for this seed remaineth
in him." What is that seed? Well, if you just go back into
the context, look in verse 24. Again, context, context, context. 1 John 2, 24. It says, "...let
that therefore abide in you." What's abiding in me? which ye
have heard from the beginning." There's a hearing. There's a
seed zone. Yes, it is, but it's not a sinless
nature. What's the seed zone? The gospel. The word. How do I know of Christ? The word revealed to this heart,
you see. If that which ye have heard from
the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in
the Son and the Father. but that incorruptible seed.
It's the word of God. Look over in 1 Peter. I'll be
done here. 1 Peter. Chapter 1. It says here, But being born
again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible But again,
what's he talking about? A sinless nature in us? No. By
the word of God which liveth and abideth forever. That means
the Spirit of God was pleased to take this word concerning
Christ, sow it in his heart. Now, here's a good example. These
are agricultural terms. It talks about being sown in
the heart. In fact, this word seed that's used here, it describes
a seed from which a plant grows. If the Spirit of God has sown
that word, that gospel in your heart, it's going to grow. It's
going to grow. But the life is in the seed,
isn't it? It's in the word. That's how
we think of Christ. That's how we know him. This world is under the curse,
isn't it? But you can still go out there and plant a beautiful
rose bud seed in the ground, this first ground, and what grows? A beautiful rose bush comes out
of it. You say, that's amazing, isn't it? I've traveled down
in Haiti. You talk about a desolate place.
You get up in the mountains and you feel like you've fallen off
the edge of the world. But I've driven around, bouncing
around on those old roads and come around a curve and there
sitting out in the middle of nowhere, out of the rocks, is
this beautiful plant that's been blooming. And you know what,
as I drive by it, I think, why on earth is that thing there?
The only reason must be for God's glory, because no one else is
even around to enjoy it. We're just passing by. I believe
that's a beautiful description of what the Spirit of God does.
Takes this gospel, takes this seed that Peter describes here,
which is incorruptible. It's incorruptible. It will never
lead you astray, dear friend. Everything it has to teach you
and tell you of Christ is true. And there's where my confidence
and hope is built as I wait upon the Lord, as I wait for my final
glorification, my hope of glory. It says here in verse 25, all
flesh is as grass. See, this is the contrast, if
you will, between the old and the new. All flesh is as grass. All the glory of man is the flower
of grass. Don't put any confidence in his
flesh. The grass withereth and the flower thereof faiths. But
the word of the Lord and do it forever. And this is the word
which by the gospel is preached unto you. How do I know that
I have any kind of righteousness before God? Well, it's the word
that tells me. But that righteousness is in
Him, in His death and what He accomplished. And there I rest,
there I wait in hope of that final glorification when I shall
be changed. and I'll be like you.