therefore being justified. Romans 3 says that we have been
justified by grace, being freely justified. That is, we have been
justified by God, declared not guilty, not because of something
that God saw in us, but unconditionally, without a cause. If you are here
today and know Christ, it's not because God saw something good
in you. You have been justified freely. And so we sing, amazing grace,
how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me. We've been talking about a perfect
love and a knowledge of that love that casteth out fear, that
casteth out fear, according to 1 John. Fear is such an enemy
of the saints. It paralyzes our progress in
life. And there's only one cure for
it. And that is to know the love of God. The love of God, knowing
the love of God. Here is the perfect love of God. This perfect love of God that
you have a knowledge of will cast out fear. And here it is
in Romans 8. For whom He did before love,
He also did predestinate. And whom He predestinated, them
He also called. And whom He called, them He also
justified. And whom He justified, them He
also glorified. Full circle, right? From my depravity
and sinfulness to the halls of glory, into the presence of God,
all by his amazing grace, all because of his love. So today, I want to take up the
subject, justification. I want you to know that word
and to know and understand what it means to be justified. You really are going to have
fear until you know and understand that you've been justified, and
how that has taken place, and who justified you, who declared
you not guilty, just as if you had never sinned. Isn't that
something? How did God do that? So we talk
about it. It's the heart of the gospel.
This is the heart of the gospel. This is the heart of the gospel. How God justifies sinners. It's important that you know
that. Because how God justifies sinners is the message that removes
all of your fear. It removes all of condemnation. That's another word. Condemnation. Let's look at condemnation. Condemnation comes from an investigation
and then a pronouncement of a decision on the basis of the investigation. My friend, you have been investigated
and you have been found guilty. You and I. Condemnation means
that there is a coming sentence. And in the case of Almighty God,
it means a sentence dooming you or I to everlasting punishment
because an investigation has taken place and we have without
doubt been found guilty. Now, I have Mr. Ron Grana, who is here as a representative
of each one of us. He is a no-good-for-nothing sinner. And I asked him if it was all
right just before service. This has been unplanned by Ron
at any rate. And God, I asked God to give
me someone that would give an okay right at the first. And
I asked Ron just as I was coming in and he said he would be glad
to represent all of us. So. Now I today will represent the
offices of law and justice. So to some degree, I am a prosecutor. And I am going to prove Ron guilty
beyond any shadow of a doubt by using the word of God. So
Mr. Grana, Have you heard the reading
this morning by Mr. Guidus of the Ten Commandments? Yes, sir. You heard the reading
of the Ten Commandments. Well, have you broken any of
them? Yes. Yes. Would you say you've
probably broken all of them? Yes, sir. Do you know from the oracles
and the book of the law that even if you kept nine of them
but broke one of them, you'd be guilty of breaking them all?
Is that right? Yes. Have you ever known you were
to do something that was good but didn't do it? Yes. Do you
understand that when there is something that you know to do,
something good, and you don't do it, do you clearly understand
that not to do it is sin? Yes, sir. That's what James 4.17
says. Omission, Mr. Rana, omission. Are there things
that you have taken action to do that were wrong? Yes. That's called commission. Commission, Mr. Grano. James
3, 4. Are you aware that when you commit
sin, you are breaking God's law, that sin is the transgression
of God's law? Yes. So, Mr. Grano, you have committed all
of these illegal acts, have you not? Yes, sir. And have you admitted
to be conscious of your actions? So you surely had knowledge that
this day was coming, that there was a judgment day coming. That's
correct. So most of your life you have
lived, maybe not acknowledging it, but under condemnation, that
you were guilty. Yes. Are you aware that from
the Bible, that God has said that every sin you have ever
committed must receive a just recompense of reward. In other
words, your sin carries a penalty with it. So in essence, you must have been
carrying around a consciousness that, and maybe a fear of facing
God. It's an interesting verse, Hebrews
2.2, every sin, every disobedience must receive
a just, get it church, a just, it must get exactly what it deserves
because God is just. The law is just and holy. A just recompense of reward,
not what's fair. Not icing over the cake, but
a just recompense of reward. Are you getting it? So, Mr. Grana, you deserve the reward
you're going to get. Is that right? Yes. Unless... But I'm not going to go there
yet. Mr. Grana, I don't suspect that
you have anything to pay, do you? I mean that you could render
to God that would maybe bring some satisfaction to God's holy
justice. You have anything to pay? Nothing. So you're bankrupt, is that right?
Yes. Do you know that God isn't interested in you trying your
hardest to save yourself, that God is not interested in you
being pretty good or real good. Do you clearly understand that
God demands perfection? Yes, yes. He doesn't care about
your claims of a partial obedience. He's not asking you to keep five
of the 10 commandments. Right? Right. You understand
that? Yes. He's not even asking you
to be sincere. He's demanding perfection. That you be perfect inside and
out. To those of you who are witnessing
this trial, clearly understand this and wake up if you're sleeping.
Because you'll sleep yourself right into hell without hope. Jehovah knows no righteousness. Do you hear me and hear me well? Jehovah knows no righteousness,
save his own righteousness, which is perfect righteousness. You,
like Mr. Ghana and myself, do not have
a perfect righteousness. To go to heaven, you have to
be perfect. And I know you're not. You may be hiding here today,
and you may be claiming some kind of self-righteousness, but
God knows better. You have to conform to the law
in word, thought, and deed. In fact, God says this, all of
your righteousnesses are as a filthy rag. That's what God says. All
of you church-going people who are trying to get right with
God through going to church, going to mass, hearing the preacher,
doing religious things, hanging a cross around your neck, giving
to the poor, that won't cut it. God demands a perfect righteousness. So he doesn't accept your best. In fact, your best is a filthy
rag. Would you agree to that? Yes.
Have you ever cried over your mask? I mean, have you, you know,
when you've been using and you just wore out and give out and
you're sick and tired of being sick and tired and sick of yourself,
have you ever cried over it? Yes. Yeah. You do know that God
doesn't accept your tears, right? Yes, sir. Yeah. Sincerity. Have you ever thought yourself
to really be sincere? Last time, Have you ever thought
that? Yes. You really meant it this
time, right? Right. This is getting real. And have you ever promised God
that you were going to reform? You were going to turn over a
new leaf, and this was your last time to use, ever? Many times. How many times you've been over
to Grace Centers of Hope? Three or four. Three or four. And went back? Yes. So you really
lied to God. You made promises, you didn't
keep them. That's right. You know what condemnation means,
Church? It means cut off from God. To be condemned without
a righteousness means you are cut off from God. Unless something happens, you're
going to be thrown into the black hole of outer darkness. Bottomless
darkness. Condemnation. You see, Mr. Grana means eternal companionship
with the devil and his angels. That means if you die in a state
of condemnation, you will spend eternity with the crack man. So, after this life, you spend
eternity with those who used and abused you. Condemnation
means never finding any satisfaction. There'll be weeping and wailing
and gnashing of teeth because there is no satisfaction. So,
Mr. Grana, do you plead guilty? Yes. Guilty, you say? Yes, sir. You admit then being
a sinner, do you? I do. Do you admit that you were
born a sinner and therefore you committed sins? Yes. So sin is
what you are. That's correct. Then I assume
that in that state, you have had fear. Because that's what
condemnation brings. It brings fear. You want some
relief, Mr. Rana? Please. Perfect love. Me too. Perfect love casts out fear. To know perfect love is what
gives us boldness. in the day of judgment. And here
I have tried to bring you, along with myself and Ron, right into
the judgment hall of God Almighty. Then how on earth, after all
of these admissions, can Ron approach this holy God with boldness? Ron Grana, here! I'm here! Not, I'm here. How can Ron have boldness in
the day of judgment? He's guilty, he's admitted his
guilt. 1 John 4, herein is love. Not that we love God. but that
God sent his son to be the propitiation. Propitiation. The question of the Old Testament
was if a man sent against the Lord, who shall entreat for him? And the answer is almighty God
himself. God sent his only son into the
world to be the appeasement, the atonement, to render satisfaction
to God's holy justice and to drink Ron's damnation dry. And there is therefore now no
condemnation. And Ron, I want you to know this.
I think you do. You've been here. I think you
know the gospel. Romans 3, 24 says, being justified
freely. It had to be free, right? God
declaring you not guilty because you had no good works. That's
right. So it was without a cost. Anybody getting happy here? I'm
almost through. without a cost. Do you clearly
understand that you are heaven-bound because of what God did in Jesus
Christ? That you'll never sit before
Almighty God and be grilled like I have grilled Ron Grana today.
That isn't going to happen. When it's time for you to die
and stand before God's judgment throne, the old songwriter wrote,
will you stand in Christ or will you stand alone? When God says
to Kent Clark or to Ron Grana, what right do you have to be
in my heaven? The answer is this, I'm not here,
your honor, on my own rights. I'm here on the rights of the
nail-scarred son of God who sits at your right hand with five
wounds. The declaration of the gospel
is that God is just, God doesn't sweep your sin under the rug.
I wrote this book a couple of years ago, Foreknown. And some
of you, I know haven't understood completely yet what this book
is about, but what it's really about, and we're about to make
a film, we're writing the film story version of it. What it's
about is how Foreknown, the whore, foreknown the drug user, foreknown
the one who dabbled in lesbianism, foreknown who had affair after
affair after affair. And she didn't have full assurance
until she stood before God and the blessed mediator, her lawyer,
Jesus Christ, pleaded her case on the basis of his own doing
and dying. And she was found not guilty,
justified. Today, when you leave here, this
passage ought to mean so much more to you. Romans 8.1, there
is therefore now, not tomorrow, not next year, right now. Right
now. Oh, I know you've had abortions.
Oh, I know you've wallowed in the stables of sin. I know you've
lived a life that makes you black as all hell. I know you're guilty. I know you've been drunk. I know
you've used heroin. I know you've sat in church and
tried to produce a righteousness that would please God rather
than bowing to his son and submitting to God's righteousness. You've
been in rebellion against God and have not believed on the
Lord Jesus Christ until one day God and the power of the Holy
Spirit quickened you and gave you life and you embrace Jesus
Christ as your Lord and Savior. I want you to listen to some
passages, 2 Corinthians 5, 21. God, God hath made Christ to
be sin for Ron Grana. That Ron might become the righteousness
of God in Christ. You want the righteousness of
God? You have to be in Christ. He said, well, I just don't know.
I don't know so much. I don't know, you know, I don't
know why God would love me. I understand all of that. By
faith, we have peace with God. You want to have peace with God?
Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. I guarantee you, I guarantee
you, peace comes with that. Being justified, being justified. Let us have peace with God. You
want to leave here knowing that all is well, that it is well
with your soul? Leave here this way. My sin not
impart, I'm getting happy now. My sin not impart, but the whole
is nailed to his cross and I bear it no more. It is well, it is
well with my soul. You have no sin. He bear the
sin of many. Isaiah 53 says, it pleased the
Lord to bruise him. Somebody had to pay. That was
Christ. Give it. He paid it. Quit trying to pay yourself.
God doesn't accept your dungy works. There's another word for that
that makes it clear, but that's about all you can handle this
morning. Your works are filthy rags in the sight of God. Stop
it. You'll never find any peace there.
You'll be like Ron. You'll quit and then you'll start
again. Everybody in here has relapsed. Amen. Maybe this morning already. The Bible says he shall see of
the travail of his soul and be satisfied. Jesus drank your damnation
dry, Ron. There is no damnation for you.
There is no hell for you. There is no condemnation for
you. That's good news. That's glad tidings. I know.
I know Ron is sitting there and
I know he's thinking because I like him. And can it be that
I should gain an interest in the Savior's love? Died he for
me who caused his pain? You see, perfect love casts without
fear. Some of you don't like to go
to church because it brings things up. And besides that, even when
you go to a works church where they're preaching works, you're
such a liar. You sit there and try to think
of all the things. You've been to mass so many times.
You've been to confession. You never have confessed entirely
your sins. Oh, I'm prayed up and fessed
up, and you're a lying. You're not fessed up. There's
things that you've done already this morning. When you got up,
you didn't say, thank you for waking me up this morning. I
got a blankety-blank headache. And I got to go over there and
hear that screaming preacher who isn't going to make it any
better. Omission commission. Think about
all the things you should have done. Ms. Pam and I, we met a
guy in one of the lounges there who plays the piano. You remember a few years ago,
several Russian spies were poisoned. He was one of those guys. He
was poisoned and he just gave she and I little pieces. He actually
came over to where we were sitting. And I don't believe in accidents.
And you know that on these trips, we look for people that God will
send to us. I mean, we have met some rounders
on these trips. But he came over and talked to
us. And Miss Pam said to him, he
seemed very confused about life. And Miss Pam said to him, well,
what's your purpose? You know, you could tell he began
to search and search and he couldn't come up with a purpose. And this
is what I believe too. You see, I believe that God has
an elect people and I believe they're all over the world. And
I believe that you meet those people for a purpose to comfort
them. See, you're here today and it
may be your first time that you're here today. And you've never
heard such a thing as you heard today. You are here on purpose
for a purpose. All of your life. all of your life, maybe you were
raised in church, and you know, you've been going to Mass or
to some Protestant church, you just, you know, all of your life,
and you kind of fell away, but every time somebody died, you
thought about, you're going to die, and I better get back in
church. And some of you here want to
be baptized, and I won't baptize you because I don't think you
know Christ yet. It's when you come to know Christ, that I will
baptize you, because you said, I'm trusting in the Christ who
lived, walked the Judean acres without sin, represented me,
went up on Calvary and died in my room, in my stead and in my
place, and paid my penalty, went down into the grave, and on the
third day up from the grave he arose, with a mighty triumph
or his foe he arose a victor hallelujah christ arose and he
sits at the right hand of god as my intercessor as my lawyer
pleading my case and that's a comfort to you some
of you've been comforted today have you been comforted today
And I just want to say to Ron, thank you, buddy, for being up
here and being put on this spot. And you know what? I believe
God has a special blessing for Ron today. I do. I believe he
found comfort today. I believe he was amazed at God
saving him. Like we, many of us here today,
stand amazed in the presence of Jesus the Nazarene and wonder
that he could love us. a sinner condemned unclean. Oh,
how marvelous. Oh, how wonderful is the Savior's
love to me. Oh, what a wonder that Jesus
found me. Out in the darkness, no light
could I see. He put his great arm under, and
wonder of wonders, he saved even me. Amen. Amen and amen. Let's stand together and praise
our God.