Last week, Charlie and Denise
were asking me whether I get excited putting messages together
in my study and I sure do. You get really excited as you
put messages together and sometimes you wish you could preach them
right when you finish them. Sometimes I wish you could just
call service at 2 and have everybody gather together and get together
and just But we have to wait until the time that the Lord's
appointed for us to gather together and the message to be preached.
And this message today was one that just really blessed my heart
as I put it together. The name of the message is Confidence
and Assurance. Confidence and Assurance. 1 John
chapter 3 is where we found our text. We'll be reading verse
16 to 24. Confidence and Assurance. 1 John
3, verses 16-24, Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he
laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our
lives for the brethren. But whoso hath the world's goods,
and seeth his brethren have need, and shutteth up his bowels of
compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? My little
children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue, but
in deed and truth. And hereby we know that we are
of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him. For if our heart condemn us,
God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. Beloved,
if our heart condemn us not, then we have confidence toward
God. And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep
his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his
sight. And this is His commandment,
that we should believe on the name of His Son, Jesus Christ,
and love one another as He gave us commandment. And He that keepeth
His commandments dwelleth in Him, and He in Him. And hereby
we know that He abideth in us by the Spirit which He hath given
us. Now John chapter 3, in this wonderful
chapter of Scripture we've been looking at, John has been bringing
forth the believer in Christ loves the brethren, and tonight
we'll see that John will bring forth the cause and the effect
of this wondrous love. The cause for this love is our
great God. The cause for our love for the
brethren is our great God. The effect, the effect is that
we love the Lord Jesus Christ, we love the gospel, and we love
the brethren. Let's read verses 19 and 20 and
we'll see that when believers hear the word of God, when we
hear the gospel preached, it assures our hearts, it gives
us confidence in Christ. Confidence in Christ. Look at
verses 19 and 20. And He alone is where our hope
is found. Christ alone. We have no confidence
in the flesh. There may be a time when we used
to, Now we have no confidence in the flesh at all. Because
we know our utter inability. Look at verses 19 and 20. And
hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our
hearts before Him. For if our heart condemn us,
God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. So we
assure ourselves before God in and through Christ. Nowhere else. In and through Christ. Not in
ourselves, as Paul writes again, Paul says, and every believer
says this, I mentioned it earlier, we have no confidence in the
flesh, no confidence at all in our, because we have no ability,
do we? We know that, we've been shown that. We have no ability
to save ourselves, we have no ability to keep ourselves, but
we trust and rest in the one who has all power and all ability. So our hope is in our Savior.
Our hope is in Christ and what he's done for us. And we see
here that if our heart condemn us, as it often does, as it often
does, our God is greater than our heart. He is greater than
our heart. Listen to what Paul pens in light
of this verse here, verse 24. If our heart condemn us, God
is greater than our heart and knoweth all things. Paul writes
this in Romans 7, 18. For I know that in me, that is
in our flesh, dwelleth no good thing. We know that as believers. We know that. For a will is present
with me, but how to perform that which is good I find not, because
everything we do is tainted with sin. That's what basically Paul's
bringing forward, is that everything we do is tainted with sin. For
I know that in me, that is, in my flesh dwelleth no good thing.
So therefore, as a result of knowing this, again, the believer
has no confidence in the flesh. No confidence in ourselves. And
we also don't put confidence in the preacher, right? Because I can't save anyone,
can't even save myself. But I preach the one who can
save all who come to him. We don't have confidence in the
church, the church itself can't save. One thing you'll notice
about Catholics, they believe salvation's in the church. There's
no salvation in the church, salvation's in a person, the Lord Jesus Christ. And at a true gospel church,
the preacher will be preaching Christ, and Christ alone, and
Him alone. Salvation's only in Him. Our
confidence is in Christ. It's in our great God. And only
in Christ do we have assurance before the Father. Only in Christ. Outside of Christ, no assurance.
But in Christ, oh, what great assurance the believer has. So again, we see the cause and
effect. The truth of the word gives us confidence. Look at
verse 19. And hereby we know that we are
of the truth, and shall show our hearts before him. For if
our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart and knoweth
all things. So we see the cause and effect. The truth of the
word of God gives us a confidence and assurance with God. Even when our hearts condemn
us, And we see in this verse that our God knows all things.
He knows all things. And the one who knows all things
gives us confidence and assurance through the preaching of his
word by the Holy Spirit of God. Isn't that wonderful? It's absolutely wonderful. Again,
for if our heart condemn us, and it often does, God is greater
than our heart and knoweth all things. If you remember in past studies
in this book, I brought forth that the reason we love the brethren
is because it's fruit of the Holy Spirit of God. It's fruit
of the Holy Spirit of God. It's fruit of a work by him in
us. He's the cause. You see, he's
the cause, and the effect is we love the brethren. We love
the brethren. Turn, if you would, to Galatians
chapter five. Galatians chapter five, we'll see this. We love
the Word of God because we're born again by the Holy Spirit
of God and He reveals Christ to us. Before we were born again,
we did not love God's Word. Now we love it. We love the Gospel
of the Lord Jesus Christ. We love the preaching of the
free grace of God in Christ, that salvation is by Him and
in Christ alone, to the glory of God alone. And we won't put
up with anything else, will we? Because all we want to hear about
is Christ. All we want to do is hear about
Him, what He's done for us. Again, all this is the fruit
of the Holy Spirit of God. All that, He works in us. Look
at Galatians chapter 5. We'll start at verse 16 and we'll
go all the way to 26. This I say then, walk in the Spirit, and
ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts
against the spirit. There's that civil war in the
believer between the flesh, this body of flesh that we carry around,
and the Holy Spirit within us, and the spirit against the flesh.
And these are contrary to one to another. They're constantly
at war. So that you cannot do the things that you do. We desire
to be sinless, don't we? But we're sinners. Remember what
Paul wrote? in me dwelleth no good thing.
But we desire, we desire, we can't wait till we get home to
glory. We can't wait till the time when we're not gonna sin
anymore. It'll be wondrous. It'll be absolutely wondrous.
But for now, for now we have this battle within us. And these
are contrary, the one to the other, so that you cannot do
the things that you would. But if you be led by the Spirit,
you're not under the law. Magnificent scripture right there. You're not under the law. you're
born again by the Holy Spirit of God, washed in the precious blood
of Christ, saved by the Lord Jesus Christ, you're not under
the law. Then look at this in verse 19,
now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these, adultery,
fornication, uncleanliness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred,
variance, immolations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
envies, murders, drunkenness, revilings, and such. of the which
I tell you, as I have told you in time past, that they which
do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. Now listen
to this, though. But the fruit of the Spirit,
now there's the key right there, there's the key. The fruit of
the Spirit. Religion's always trying to get
people to muster these things up. You can't do it. I can't
do it, you can't do it, it's the fruit of the Spirit of God.
It's Him working in us, beloved. Look at this. This is wonderful.
Look at this. The Spirit is love. Love for
Christ, love for the gospel, love for the Word of God, love
for God's people. Oh my. And again, our love is
fickle though, isn't it? But this is talking spiritual
love. This is a love that God works
in us. Love. Peace. What peace the believer has in
Christ. Paul called it the peace that
passes all understanding, that keeps your hearts and minds in
Christ Jesus. Joy. I miss joy. Joy. The believer can have joy
in the midst of trials and tribulations. Because of Christ. Because of
Christ. We have a joy, joy unspeakable.
Long-suffering, the believer in Christ is long-suffering with
us. Because you know what? It's easy for us to be long-suffering
when we consider how long-suffering the Lord was with us before we
were even saved. And how long-suffering is he
with us even now after we're saved? Oh, he's long-suffering,
beloved. And this is the fruit of the
Spirit, though. This is the Holy Spirit works us in us. Gentleness,
gentle spirit, goodness, faith, which is a gift of God. And that
faith just keeps growing, doesn't it? It's a work of spirit. Meekness, quiet strength. That's what meekness means, quiet
strength. Temperance, against such there is no law. And they that are Christ have
crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live
in the spirit, let us also walk in the spirit. Let us not be
desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.
Now let's go back to 1 John 3. So we see through these verses
that our assurance, the assurance that the believer has comes from
God. And the only one who can give you confidence and assurance
before God is God himself. And he does this for his sheep.
They're born again and again to the Holy Spirit of God. And
then through the preaching of the word and the teaching and
reading of the word of God, God's sheep are directed to turn right
to Christ. So look right to Christ. Turn
if you would to Isaiah chapter 32. Isaiah chapter 32. Look at
this portion here. Isaiah chapter 32. The cause
of our great salvation that we have in Christ is God. He's the
cause of it. The effect of that great salvation
that He planned and purposed in eternity is we're saved. wondrously
saved by the shedding of the precious blood of the Lord Jesus
Christ. Look at this in Isaiah chapter
32, and knowing that our great God planned and purposed and
executed our salvation in and through Christ who is the Lamb
slain from the foundation of the world. And again, do you
know what the effect of this wonderful salvation is in Christ?
Well, let's take note here of Isaiah 32. The effect of this
wonderful salvation that we have in Christ. Look at verses 15
to 17. Isaiah 32, verses 15 to 17. Look at this. Until the Spirit
be poured forth upon us from on high. And he's being poured
out, isn't he? God's people are born again by
the Holy Spirit of God. And the wilderness be a fruitful
field. We're compared to a wilderness there. Now it's a fruitful field. Why? Well, they're free of the
spirit because of what God's done. And the fruitful field
be counted for a forest. Then judgment shall dwell in
the wilderness and righteousness remain in the fruitful field.
Look at verse 17. And the work of righteousness
shall be peace. The work of righteousness shall
be peace. And the effect of righteousness?
Quietness and assurance for how long? Forever. Forever! The work of righteousness
is that which Christ performed as a servant in obedience to
the law in the room and place of His people, beloved. A service
perfectly and completely done by Him. A service that is perfectly
well-pleasing to our great God. Perfectly pleasing to our great
God. And the believer in Christ knowing that Christ did this
for us, it produces, all by the work of the Holy Spirit of God
again, Not of us, it's all of our great God. It produces a
quietness of the soul under the mighty hand of God in the midst
of trial and tribulation. How can we go through things
when we look back and go, how in the world did I make it through
that? Well, it's because God carried you right through it. He carried you right. And even
look before you were saved and how he preserved you until you
heard the word of God preached. That's the part that makes me
marvel to be honest with you. How he didn't just leave me to
myself. He didn't leave you. He didn't leave us to ourselves,
beloved. He watched over us. And even
then he loved us with an everlasting love. So in the midst of all the calamities
in this world, amidst the judgments which fall upon man, as well
as when we face reproach for what we believe, amidst all the
charges and accusations of Satan, our confidence and our assurance
is only found in Christ. It's found in Christ, in Him
alone. And we dwell upon the love of
God for us, and the fact that God's our Father. God's our Father,
and Christ is our Savior. We marvel at that, don't we?
The fact of these things, that He's our Savior, that He's our
Redeemer, and the fact that we're born again by the Holy Spirit
of God. And the fact that the fruit of
the Spirit, we grow in grace and knowledge and truth of the
Lord Jesus Christ, all by the Spirit working within us. And what a glorious inheritance
we have waiting for us. In glory. It's all in Christ. And knowing all this gives us
boldness at the throne of grace, doesn't it? Turn, if you would,
to Hebrews chapter 10. Gives us boldness at the throne of
grace, beloved. And again, our confidence is
not in ourselves at all. Because we know in ourselves
dwelt no good thing. But our confidence is completely
in Christ Jesus our Lord. Completely in Him. And what a
wondrous Savior He is. What a wondrous Savior. And when
we dwell upon the fact of the love of God for us from eternity,
oh my, it'll fill your heart with joy. It'll give you peace
that passes all understanding. It'll give you confidence and
assurance before the throne of grace. Look at Hebrews chapter
10, verses 19 to 22. Having therefore, brethren, boldness
to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus. We only have
boldness to enter into the access of God in prayer by the blood
of Christ. That's the only reason that He
accepts us, beloved. is because of the blood of Christ,
because of the righteousness of Christ that we're clothed in.
Oh my, only through Christ, look at that, by a new and living
way which he, which he, Christ has done this, hath consecrated
for us, through the veil that is to say his flesh, and heaven
and high priest over the house of God, let us draw near with
a true heart in, look at these words, in full assurance of faith.
in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an
evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Look
at that, full assurance of faith. Now there's times when we doubt,
there's times when we are tossed to and fro, but the scripture
here says let us come with full assurance. Let us come before
the throne of grace. Our Father in heaven, he sent
Christ here to purchase us with his own blood. And it's because
of the blood of Christ that we can have access with the Father.
Let us come with full assurance, knowing that our Father hears
us. And we might not always get what we ask for, because we ask
amiss. Right? But He knows. He knows what we need before
we even speak the words, beloved. And He takes care of His sheep.
Oh my, let's go back to 1 John 3. We'll read verses 20 to 21
now. For if our heart condemn us,
God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. Beloved,
if our heart condemn us not, then we have confidence toward
God. So we see then that the word of God points us to the
one who is the source of our assurance. It says here, if our hearts condemn
us, and again, it does and it will, God is greater than our
heart. It points us to the one who is
the source of our assurance, our Heavenly Father and our Lord
Jesus Christ. And what a simple, precise statement
is here brought forth before us by the Holy Spirit of God who
had John pen these words. If and when our hearts condemn
us, We are to look to our blessed Savior. We're to look to our blessed
Savior, knowing that our great God is greater than our condemning
hearts. Wonderful. Turn, if you would,
to Colossians chapter 3. We are to look to He who is greater
than that which condemns us. This is very similar to what
Paul wrote in the book of Colossians chapter 3. He writes this in
verses 1 to 4. If ye then be risen with Christ,
seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right
hand of God. Set your affection, not your
heart, on things above, not on things on the earth. See Paul saying, get your mind
on Christ. Get your eyes on Christ. For ye are dead and your life
is hid with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life shall
appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory. Let's go back
to our text there in 1st John chapter 3. 1st John chapter 3. Look at verse 20, for if our
heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart and knoweth all
things. Take note of the word knoweth
there in that verse. For if our heart condemn us,
God is greater than our heart and knoweth all things. The word
there in the Greek does not mean that God knows mere information
like we do. The word is defined in the Greek
to know in a beginning or completed sense. It's Gnosko, which means to know
in an intimate personal knowledge. He knows us. He knows everything
about us. And he knows what he's given
us. And it is he who has given us
faith to believe on Christ. And the basis upon which it It
rests as an infallible word, beloved. That's why the scriptures
must be our final authority. Thus saith the Lord. And we look to Him, Christ, who
is the author and the finisher of our faith. And who's declared
all through this wonderful book. from Genesis all the way to Revelation
and everything in between. This book declares the Lord Jesus
Christ, the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. And it is there in the person
of Christ, proclaimed all through this book, that we find confidence
and assurance as believers. Only in Him. It is He who went to Calvary's
cross and bled and died in our room and place. It is He that's
done this. It's He who has redeemed us from
all our sins. It's in and through Him that
we have the forgiveness of all our sins. It's in and through
Christ that God remembers our sin no more. And it's Christ who we will one
day see face to face. and we'll be sinless. What a
glorious day that'll be. What a glorious day that'll be. Look at verse 21, it brings this
truth out even more too, that our confidence and our assurance
is in Christ and Him alone. Beloved, if our heart condemn
us not, then we have confidence toward God. We look to Christ
and Him alone, in whom we have confidence. We look at the Word
and what it's declared about we who are in Him. We're born
again by the Holy Spirit of God. We are washed in the precious
blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. Again, we have the forgiveness
of all our sins because of what Christ has done. And the Word
proclaims this truth, these truths. And we have, therefore, confidence
assurance before our great God because of what He has done for
us and what He's done in us. And that confidence assurance,
again, I'm going to cycle all the time right back to Christ,
because it's only in Him. It's only through Christ and
Him alone. Notice in verse 21, I'm going
to rephrase this, divinely loved ones, and think of this, you
who are the people of God, are divinely loved ones by God's
choice. By his choice. By his will. By his power. Let's read what it says. Beloved,
divinely loved ones. Beloved, if our heart condemn
us, not. You know, our heart won't condemn
us when we're looking to Christ. That's what he's bringing forth
here. Beloved, if our heart condemn
us not, it won't condemn us when we're looking to Christ. This
will only occur if our heart condemn us not. This will only
occur if we're looking to Christ. And look at this. Then we have
confidence toward God. And our confidence is not in
ourselves, but our confidence is in God. So let's read that whole verse
again. Beloved, if our heart condemn
us not, then we have confidence toward God. Confidence in Him. So John is bringing forth very
clearly in this section of scripture that we're looking at tonight,
that our assurance, that our confidence is found as our faith
looks to He who is the object of our faith. As we look to the
Lord Jesus Christ. Let's again turn to Colossians
chapter 1, and look at what Paul pens to the believers at Colossus.
And we see him, that he instructs them to look to Christ, just
as John does here. Because it's Christ who the Word
of God proclaims. It's Christ who the Word of God
proclaims. It's Christ who John proclaims. It's Christ who Peter
proclaims. It's Christ who Paul proclaims.
It's the Christ who every gospel preacher proclaims. We preach
Christ and Him crucified. That's who we preach. Look at
Colossians chapter 1, verses 28, and then we'll go to chapter
2, verse 4. We'll go all the way to that
portion. Paul writes, Whom we preach, being Christ, warning
every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may
present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. Whereunto I also
labor striving according to his working which worketh in me mightily
so he's ascribing all the power of His ministry all the success
of the ministry to Christ All to him It's God who works
in him mightily. It's God who works in every believer
mightily Not just the Apostle Paul every believer It's God
who works in us mightily We're born again. We're the fruit of
the Spirit. We grow in the grace and knowledge
and truth because the fruit of the Spirit, because the Spirit
working in us, beloved. For I would that ye know what
great conflict I have for you and for them at Laodicea, and
for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh. That their
hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, And again,
that spiritual love, that's the love that God puts in our hearts,
beloved. And unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding. Now, we don't understand everything
in the scripture, do we? But the believer has a full assurance
of understanding that Christ died for me, and that he paid
for all my sins, and I'm washed in his precious blood, born again
by the Holy Spirit of God, by the will, power, and planning
of our great God. Oh my. Now we do, we have a full
assurance, don't we, of understanding. To the acknowledgement of the
mystery of God, and we know the mystery of God is the gospel
of Christ, the free grace of God, and of the Father and of
Christ, in whom, being Christ, are hid all the treasures of
wisdom and knowledge." My goodness. And this I say, lest any man
beguile you with enticing words. Like we saw on Sunday morning,
that the Judaizers were doing to the Galatians. Saying you
had to be circumcised to be saved. That's what kind of enticing
words Paul's saying. Anyone who adds to the finished work of
Christ is coming to you with enticing words. Don't have anything
to do with them. Nothing at all. Just keep trusting
Christ and Christ alone. Let's go back to our verses in
1 John chapter 3. We'll read verses 19 to 23 to
get the context of verse 22, which is often ripped out of
context and used to promote self-righteousness. Listen 1st John chapter 3 read
verses 19 to 23 and hereby we know that we are of the truth
and shall assure our hearts before him For if our heart condemn
us God is greater than our heart and knoweth all things Beloved
if our heart condemn us not then we have confidence toward God
and whatsoever we ask we receive of him because we keep his commandments
and Do those things that are pleasing in his sight? And this
is his commandment that we should believe on the name of his son,
Jesus Christ, and love one another as he gave us commandment. So
again, we see in the context of our text that this verse is
speaking of when our hearts could damn us. So you always gotta
look at the context. People rip verses out of context
and make whole doctrines over them. But the context of this
verse is speaking of when we come to our Lord in prayer, when our hearts condemn us, what
do we do? We cry out to our great God,
don't we? We cry out to Him. We cry out to Him in prayer.
We ask the great physician, Christ, to apply the balm of Gilead,
Christ, to our hearts, don't we? To our souls. And who does this? The Holy Spirit
of God. Who directs us to who? The Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord
Jesus Christ. And we have relief when our hearts
condemn us when we look to Christ. Marvel at this truth set before
us then. And whatsoever we ask, we receive
of Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are
pleasing in His sight. Now we know that not one of us
could look at our lives and lay this truth at our door, because
we know we're but safe sinners. But always remember that this
is how God sees us. He sees us in Christ. He sees
us in Christ. And oh, how this assures our
faith. Working by love in Christ. Look at verses one to, or look
at verse one in this, in this chapter, look at this. This wonderful
truth set forth before us. See, the only way we keep God's
commandments is in Christ. Only in Him. He lived the substitutionary
death for us. Look at verse one now. Behold
what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we
should be called the sons of God. Therefore the world knoweth
us not, because it knew him not. Then look at verse six. Whosoever
abideth in him sinneth not. Whosoever sinneth hath not seen
him, neither knoweth him. Then look at verse nine. Whosoever
is born of God doth not commit sin. For a seed remaineth in
him, and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. But we know
that we're sinners. We're saved sinners though, aren't
we? We're saved sinners. We are but saved sinners. But
again, and this will be something you hear from every gospel preacher,
when God looks at us, he sees Christ. He sees his people robed
in the perfect spotless righteousness of Christ. Wonder of wonders
at the grace and mercy of God which has been given to you.
And oh, what assurance we find knowing this truth. in and through
the Lord Jesus Christ. Let's read verses 20 to 24 again
to see the context for verse 23 and 24. Verse 20, for if our heart condemn
us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. Beloved,
if our heart condemn us not, then we have confidence toward
God. And whatsoever we ask, we receive
of Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are
pleasing in His sight. And that's all through Christ.
That's all through Christ. Now, that's not a license for
the believer to go out the door and go crazy. It's not that.
Oh, no. Again, the love of Christ constrains us. But this is wonderful
news for the believer in Christ. And this is his commandment,
that we should believe on the name of his Son, Jesus Christ,
and love one another, as he gave us commandment. And he that keepeth
his commandment dwelleth in him, and He in Him, and hereby we
know that He abideth in us by the Spirit which He hath given
us." So let's read verse 23 on its
own. And this is His commandment that we should believe on the
name of His Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another as He gave
us commandment. So we see here bought forth,
and again remember that our love for Christ and our love for the
brethren is a fruit of the Holy Spirit of God working within
us. It's not based upon us, but it's a result of the fact that
we are born again by the Holy Spirit of God. And if he works
again in us, it's a result of the mighty work and power of
God. And the result of God-given faith
in new life by regeneration, which is given to us by the grace
of God and by the power of God, is that we keep his commandments,
the ones given here, which are that we love the Savior and we
love the brethren, those whom the Lord has purchased with his
own precious blood. See, context is so important,
beloved. Context is so vital when you're looking at these
scriptures. Turn, if you would, to 1 Thessalonians 1. And let's look at what's written
about the saints of God, the elect of God in Thessalonica. Look at this, 1 Thessalonians
1, verses 2 to 8. And we as God's people, we give
thanks for God's people, don't we? We give thanks. No matter
where they are, we give thanks to God for his people. It's wonderful. 1 Thessalonians chapter 1 verses
2 to 8. We give thanks, Paul's pending a letter to them, we
give thanks to God always for you, making mention of you in
our prayers. God's people give thanks to God
for his people and they pray for them. They pray for one another. Remembering without ceasing your
work of faith and labor of love and patience of hope, In our
Lord Jesus Christ, again focused right on Christ, in the sight
of God and our Father, knowing, brethren and beloved, your what?
Election of God. That means God chose them. That's
what the Greek means. It means He chose them. And we
as believers know He chose us. Not based upon anything in us,
just like the Thessalonians, not based upon anything in them,
but God, before the foundation of the world, chose the people
of Christ. You cannot get away from the doctrine of election
in Scripture. for our gospel came not unto
you in word only. You didn't just hear it with
your normal ears. See, if one hears just with their
normal ears the voice of the preacher, it has no effect. It
didn't just come in word, but it came in power. It came in
power, in the power of the Holy Spirit of God, beloved. And in
the Holy Ghost, and look at this, and in much assurance. There's
that word again. In much assurance. as you know
what manner of man we were among you for your sake. And ye became
followers of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much
affliction with joy of the Holy Ghost, so that ye were examples
to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia. For from you sounded
out the word of the Lord, not only in Macedonia and Achaia,
but also in every place your faith to God were to spread abroad,
so that we need not to speak anything. They went out and just
proclaimed Christ. Isn't that wonderful? Wonderful. But look at that. Look at verse 5. And in much
assurance. Much assurance. Who do we have much assurance
in? Only in Christ. Amen. Only in Christ. I'll turn,
if you would, to Romans chapter 8. Now think of this too. The
absence of faith in Christ and the absence of love for the brethren Indicates an absence of sonship Which the scriptures speak of
the believer heaven in Christ Again, I'll say it again the
absence of faith in Christ in the absence of love for the brethren Indicates an absence of the sonship
which the scriptures speak of the believer heaven in Christ
because we know faith is a gift of God we know that the love
that we have for Christ and for the gospel is a fruit of the
Spirit and So if that's not there, then no matter what the person
says, they're still dead in their trespasses
and sins. Look at this in Romans 8, verses
14-17. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are
the sons of God. Remember what the beginning of
this chapter said? Behold, what manner of love the
Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the
sons of God. Therefore the world knoweth us
not, because it knew him not. Beloved, now are we the sons
of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be. But we know
that when he shall appear, we shall be like him, for we shall
see him as he is. And look what it declares here.
For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons
of God. For ye have not received the
spirit of bondage, began to fear, but ye have received the spirit
of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit beareth
witness with our spirit that we are the children of God. And
if children, then heirs, heirs of God, join heirs with Christ,
so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified
together. My goodness. Let's go back to
1 John 3. We'll look at verse 24 now. Verse
24. God's saints have the Spirit
of God within us, beloved. Look at 1 John 3, verse 24. And
he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abided
in us by the Spirit which he hath given. which he had given us. So we
see here in this verse an explanation of the cause and effect as the
believer in Christ keeps those commandments because he dwells
in Christ. He dwells in Christ. And God dwells, the Holy Spirit
dwells in us. Again, it all goes back to the
Lord Jesus Christ. It all goes back to him. And
we know it is he who gave the spirit to us. Listen to what
Brother Tim James brings forth about this verse. He says, the
believer is one person who is at the same time both flesh and
spirit. Therefore, he can never do good
without evil being present. Exactly what Paul wrote in that
verse we looked at earlier. He was born in the flesh and
born again by the spirit through the word. The believer understands
what this means. He knows that this is not speaking
of some trance-like existence that enables him to live above
the world in sin. His spiritual life, the indwelling
of the spirit, is singular in its scope, and that by the purpose
of God. The spirit in us, spiritual life,
is in us to do and accomplish a single thing. And I love how
he finishes this. He is in us to cause us to look
to Christ. That's magnificent. He is in
us to cause us to look to Christ. Because remember, before we were
saved, we didn't look to Christ. Not at all. But the Holy Spirit
dwelling within us causes us to look to Christ. Because here
God is into what? All truth. Who's the truth? the Lord Jesus Christ. He's the
way, the truth and the life. Turn if you were the first Corinthians
chapter one again, the Holy Spirit guides the believer and all truth.
The Lord Jesus Christ is, is, is he is the way, the truth and
the life. No, no man cometh unto the father,
but by him and the Holy Spirit is our great comforter, isn't
it? And he's the great revealer of the scriptures to us. And we find confidence and assurance
in our great Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, as the Holy Spirit
illuminates the Scriptures for us, and teaches us about our
great Savior, teaches us about what we are, sinners, and teaches
us about who He is, our Savior, our Redeemer, our God. Oh my. And we, therefore, we find confidence
and assurance him, don't we? Look at this in 1st Corinthians
chapter 2, we'll read verses 9 to 16. But as it is written,
I have not seen nor your heard, neither have it entered into
the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for them
that love him. What a verse. But God hath revealed
them unto us by His Spirit, for the Spirit searches all things,
yea, the deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things
of a man save the spirit of man which is in him? Even so the
things of God knoweth no man but the Spirit of God. Think
of that verse in light of what we knew about Christ before the
Lord saved us. Amen. I didn't know nothing from
a scriptural point of view. I had in my mind who I thought
he was. It wasn't the Lord of the Bible,
let me tell you that. It wasn't. Now we have received,
look at verse 12, now we have received not the spirit of the
world, but the spirit which is of God. That we might know the
things that are freely given to us of God. That we might know
that Christ redeemed us at Calvary's cross. That we might know that
we're purchased by his precious blood. That we might know that
God planned and purposes from eternity. That he's loved us
with an everlasting love. And these are wondrous truths
to the believer. Gives us such confidence and
assurance in Christ. My. Which things also we speak
not in words which man's wisdom teaches, but which the Holy Ghost
teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man the man's
dead and trespasses and sins, receiveth not the things of the
Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him, neither can he know
them. No understanding. I just look
back again. Look back to where we were before
the Lord saved us. No understanding. Read this,
it was just like paper and ink. And then after the Lord saves
you, you're going, I didn't even see that. And even after you've
walked with the Lord 20, 30, 40 years, you're looking at the
scriptures some day, and you're reading, and you go, when did
that get put in there? Oh, my. Because the Holy Spirit
just lights it up, illuminates the scriptures, Spurgeon used
to say. And it fills us with joy and peace. Neither can he know them, because
they are spiritually discerned. But he that is spiritual judges
all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. For who hath known the mind of
the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of
Christ, born again by the Holy Spirit of God, and taught these
wondrous truths. Again, I'll ask you, and I know
you know the answer, but I'm going to ask the question anyways.
Where does the Holy Spirit of God lead His people to? The Holy Spirit of God will always
lead the believer in Christ to the throne of grace, to the place
where Christ the Lamb sits. The one who was slain for sinners.
That's right where the Holy Spirit will lead you. Right to Christ. Write to Christ. Listen to this
wonderful verse. Now the Lord is that spirit,
and where the spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. Freedom. Freedom. So what is there? Look into Christ
Jesus our Lord where we find confidence and assurance while
we are journeying through this world. He is the man Christ Jesus,
but not only a mere man, He is God incarnate in the flesh, and
it is He who gives grace, peace, life to His people. He is the
sinless, spotless Lamb of God, beloved. Perfect in all ways. And He is the giver of the Spirit.
And it is He who has emancipated us from the bondage of sin, beloved. He set us free. having paid for all that God demanded for our
sins, having satisfied the law of God, and having the penalty
for our sins poured out upon Him in our place. Beloved of God, if the Son shall
make you free, you're free indeed. Glory be to our great God. Glory
be to Him. Heavenly Father, we thank You
for a wonderful message of grace. Salvation in and through Thee
alone, Lord Jesus. And oh, what confidence and assurance
the believer can find only in Thee, Lord. Only in looking to
You. And we know that the Holy Spirit
guides us to You, Lord Jesus. Oh, may you be glorified and
magnified as this message goes forth, Lord. May you use it,
Lord, or we pray to draw in your lost sheep wherever they are.
And by chance, someone will listen to this, not by chance, but by
your providence, someone will listen to this. And Lord, that
you'd move in their lives so that they'd be born again and
that you would You would just grant them faith to believe upon
Thee, Lord Jesus. Oh, what a magnificent Savior
you are. What a wondrous Savior you are,
dear Lord. We love you because you first
loved us. In Jesus' name, amen.