Our scripture reading for this morning is Psalms 118 verses one through twenty nine. Psalms 118 Oh give thanks unto the Lord for he is good because his mercy and dearth forever. Let Israel now say that his mercy and dearth forever. Let the house of Aaron now say that his mercy endured forever. Let them now that fear the Lord say that his mercy endured forever.

I called upon the Lord in distress. The Lord answered me and set me in a large place. The Lord is on my side. I will not fear. What can man do unto me? The Lord taketh my part with them that help me. Therefore shall I see my desire upon them that hate me. It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man. It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in princes.

All nations come past me about, but in the name of the Lord, I will destroy them. They come past me about, yea, they come past me about, But in the name of the Lord, I will destroy them. They come past me about like bees. They are quenched as the fire of thorns. For in the name of the Lord, I will destroy them. Thou hast thrust sword at me that I might fall, but the Lord helped me. The Lord is my strength and song, and he has become my salvation. The voice of rejoicing and salvation is in the tabernacles of the righteous. The right hand of the Lord doeth valiantly. The right hand of the Lord is exalted. The right hand of the Lord doeth valiantly.

I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord. The Lord hath chastened me sore, but he hath not given me over unto death. Open to me the gates of righteousness. I will go into them, and I will praise the Lord. This gate is this gate of the Lord, into which the righteous shall enter. I will praise thee, for thou hast heard me, and art become my salvation.

The stone which the builders refuse has become the headstone of the corner. This is the Lord's doing. It is marvelous in our eyes. This is the day which the Lord hath made. We will rejoice and be glad in it. Save now, I beseech thee. O Lord, O Lord, I beseech thee. Send now prosperity.

Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the Lord. We have blessed you out of the house of the Lord. God is the Lord, which hath shooed us light. Bind the sacrifice with cords, even unto the horns of the altar. Thou art my God, and I will praise thee. Thou art my God, I will exalt thee. O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good, and his mercy endureth forever.

Amen. May the Lord, may the Holy Spirit grant us understanding of the scriptures. What a great reading that was, Mike. Thank you. Thank you. What a good reading the Lord has given us to look at for our Scriptures this morning. His mercy endureth forever. Did you notice... I could use that for a little bit of an energy.

Did you notice in verses 2, 3, and 4 it says, Let Israel... Now we know that Israel, spiritual Israel, throughout all the earth, throughout all the world. Let Israel now say that his mercy endureth forever. Let the house of Aaron, you know what that is?

That's the preachers. That's the men of God who stand before Israel and preach the word of God. Now say that his mercy endureth forever. Let them now that fear the Lord say that His mercy endureth forever. Oh, what peace our God gives us through His Son, the Lord Jesus. That is mercy. That's what Christ coming to this world and being manifest in the flesh in a body that was prepared is all about. God's mercy to His people. I'd like to ask you to turn over to the seventh chapter of Romans with me for a moment, would you?

Many believe that the Ten Commandments, so much so that they want to make sure that the Ten Commandments are posted in schools. They want to make sure that the Ten Commandments are posted in public buildings. They want to make sure that the United States is held under the rule of the Ten Commandments.

Many say that that's the rule of life. Some go as far as saying the instructions of God, the instructions of our godly walk in this life are the rules of life. What they're truly saying is this, our walk can be used as a measurement of whether we are saved or not. Now, I did not say that our walk can be used to measure whether we are saved. It's to measure... Yes, I did. I did say that. I lost myself for just a moment.

What it boils down to is this. What it boils down to is this. My faith is so weak that I need something physical. That's what that's all about. I need something physical. God's salvation and his word according to salvation through scriptures is not sufficient. We've heard our brother Norm Wells speak on that very thing just recently. It's not good enough. I need something more. The pride of this flesh tells me that I need to go do something.

Scripture is so clear in Ephesians chapter 2 verses 8 and 9, for by grace you're saved through faith, through believing. Not through your walk in this world, not through following after the Ten Commandments, not through anything of coming down to the front, getting in the waters of baptism, showing up on a Sunday to worship. That's not what you're saved through. You're saved through faith. It's by God's grace that any are saved, but it's through believing what He's saying in the Word of God. The covenant of God made with man, giving them the Ten Commandments, was to do this and live. That's what the Ten Commandments say. Do this and live. But man cannot do any of that.

What are you talking about? I've never killed anybody. Really? I had a conversation yesterday with Gladys Kent. You folks who know Gladys know that she's one of the sweetest people who have ever walked this earth. She admitted to me that just the thought of somebody you don't like, remove them from me, is the same as killing them. Did you know that?

Just the thought. If in your heart you're thinking to yourself, this guy disgusts me. Remove him from me. May he be gone and out of my world. That's the same thing as killing them. God don't want to put them in your world for you to think that they should be out of your world is the same as killing them.

And I'm talking about this with, like I said, one of the sweetest ladies I've ever known to walk this earth. I've never experienced or seen her angry or upset. She would do anything to help anybody. And she knows what it means to murder. The problem with the Ten Commandments is that no man can do them to the satisfaction of God. They may think that they are doing them, but when you examine your heart, when you look deep in your heart, as Gladys did yesterday, this sweet little lady, and understands what it means to murder She understands what it means for her heart to sin against God? To doubt God's Word? She understands in her heart what it means to forget and think that it's something that she must do? Her pride? When you examine your heart, you find that in truth, you fall short. Do you realize that that's the mark of the beast?

That's what 666 is. Everybody wants to think that it's some kind of a, in today's world, they think it's some kind of a chip, a computer chip that they might put in your skin or something like that. Folks, 666 is one mark short of 7. And according to God's Word, everywhere where you see the number 7, it's referring to something that's already perfected, something that's perfect. We can't do a number 7. We always come up short with 666.

That's the mark of the beast. That's what man is. We have the mark of the beast when we come into this world. We're born in sin. We come from our mother's womb, telling, speaking lies. That's what the word said, doesn't it? Oh, no, I've never lied. Yes, you have. Gladys knows that she's lied in her heart. I can't wait to tell her. Actually, she's going to get this CD. I can't wait for her to listen to it. She's going to call me up and say, John, you used me? Oh, I love that lady. She's so wonderful.

In truth, folks, the Ten Commandments are death to men. No man can do it. And because of that, we have earned death. That's what it means to me. born and dead in trespasses and sin. Listen to these words from Romans 8 verse 24. I'll get to Romans 7 in just a moment. But I want to start with this. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. What is he talking about here? He's talking about the Ten Commandments. If you do this, you'll live. Paul, writing to the Romans, is very aware that he cannot do this.

For what the law could not do, it says, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us. How are we fulfilling the righteousness of the law? By the way we walk in this world?

Absolutely not. I don't want anybody to ever hear that, oh yeah, you could be a little righteous in this flesh, from this pulpit, because that's just not true. The righteousness of the dogma, listen to this, might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

Do you understand? the depth of your sin. Paul, who declares himself an example for us, did. Look with me here at Romans chapter 7. Now, I was going to just read the whole chapter, but I think... No, I need to go ahead with that. Let's begin at verse 1.

Know ye not, brethren, for I speak to them that know the law? Paul's writing, he says, I know you know the law, I'm speaking to you. I'm speaking to you who know the Ten Commandments. I'm speaking to you who know what God has instructed His people to do. Folks, this is the law. Everything God has instructed, you think it's just the Ten Commandments? It's everything God has told us to do. Everything in His Word that He has told us to do.

We're not capable of doing any of it in this flesh. That's why we need a substitute. That's why we need to have Him who knew no sin, made sin for us, made our sin. He said nothing Himself. He never sinned. But we needed Him to be made sin, made our sin, that we would be made the righteousness of God. That's perfect. That's not this little puny righteousness that you and I think we can do. It's the perfect righteousness of God. We would be made the righteousness of God in Him. This is the law, the whole book of the law.

Paul writing, he says, No ye not, brethren, for I speak unto them that know the law, that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth. It's never gonna get any better. You can't fulfill the law now, and you won't be able to when you become a Christian. You can't fulfill the law then, you won't be able to fulfill the law until the Lord takes you out of this world, as long as you liveth, it says.

Verse 2, for the woman which hath a husband is bound by the law to a husband so long that he liveth, but the husband is dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband. This is talking about Christ, the one who loosed his wife, loosed his bride from the law of death. Verse 3, so then if while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she is called an adulteress. But if her husband be dead, she is free from the law, so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man. Wherefore, brethren, because of that, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ. Did you notice that? How is it that we fulfill the law? How do we become dead to the law? How does the law no longer rule over us?

By the body of Christ, that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God. For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sin which were by the law did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death. But now, Now we are delivered from the law that being dead wherein we are held, that we should serve a newness of spirit and not the oldness of the letter. What shall we say then?

Is the law sin? God forbid. Folks, our God has never produced anything that is fallible or shortcoming or wrong. Everything God has done, including His law, including His instructions, are perfect and good. If we could just walk in them better, we'd have less trouble in this life. But now, Or what shall we say, I had not known, Paul says, nay, God forbid, I had not known sin but by the law, for I had not known lust except the law had said thou shalt not covet.

But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of conspicuence. For without the law, sin was dead. For I was alive without the law once, but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died. And the commandment which was ordained of life I found to be unto death. For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me. Wherefore, the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just and good. Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin that it might appear sin worketh death in me by that which is good, that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful. Verse 14, for we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin.

For that which I do, I allow not. For that I would that I do not, but what I hate that I do. For then I do that which I would not. I consent unto the law that it was good. Now then, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. For I know that in me, that is in my flesh, dwelleth no good thing. For to will is present with me, but how to perform that which is good I find not. For the good that I would I do not, but the evil which I would not, that I do. Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. I find then a law that when I would do good, evil is present with me, for I delight in the law of God after the inward man.

I don't know of one single one of God's people that proclaim to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ according to His sovereign mercy and grace that has ever said anything other than that. I've never heard anybody come into church on a Sunday and say, You know, I ran a guy, I got so mad at a guy today, I gave him the finger in a bragging way. I've never heard that. I've heard people come in with their head down and ashamed of what they've done, say that very thing, but they weren't happy about it.

Now, I use that as an example. That's what sin is to God's people. Would you not agree with that, Mike? When sin happens in your life, are you jumping up and down for joy for it? Absolutely not. But it happens, doesn't it? More than we want it to, that's absolutely sure.

Verse 22, For I delight in the law of God, after the inward man. Oh, folks. You know, I've heard this statement. I'm thankful nobody's ever said that to me, but if somebody came to me and said, well, you're a lawless people. You can just go out and live any way you want. No. God's people, if we could live the way we wanted to, we'd live the richest life that God has given us to live. But we can't. We stumble at it all the time.

Pride rears up its ugly head. 23, but I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. Oh, wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from this body of death?

And then Paul closes this section with these words, I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with my mind, I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh, the law of sin. Now turn over to Galatians chapter 6 if you would. Folks, the wonderful law of God, and by the way, as I mentioned a moment ago, that is every word that has come from Him. Every word in what we call the Holy Scriptures is the law of God. thinks, purposes, ordains, gives as instructions, is right and good for his people, and man in sinful flesh cannot keep any of it. If God does not provide a way, then all mankind are doomed to suffer for our sins, to pay the price, the wages of sin, which is death. to stand in the judgment of God and find ourselves with the mark of the beast instead of in mercy, in grace, and in love of God the Son. If God does not provide a way, then we are doomed. Without a sufficient sacrifice to stand in our stead, we will face judgment for eternity. But God. Isn't that wonderful? Does that just not make your heart leap? What? What? You mean I'm not going to get what I deserve? You know, you mean I'm not going to get what I've earned?

But God. who is rich in mercy for His great love, wherewith He loved us even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened, made alive us together with Christ. By grace ye are saved, and hath raised us up together, and made us to sit together in heavenly places in Christ.

Folks, let me read an article for you from Pastor Henry Mahan. He says, the law manifests what is in men, sin. Grace manifests what is in God, love. Law demands righteousness from men. Grace brings righteousness to men. Law sentences men to death. Grace brings dead men to life. Law speaks of what I must do. Grace tells me what Christ has done. Law gives knowledge of sin. Grace puts sin away. Henry Mayhem.

In John 14, verse 6, we read these words, Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man cometh unto the Father but by me. That great love mentioned in Ephesians 2 is an everlasting love as we read in Jeremiah 31 3. The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love. Therefore, with loving kindness, I have drawn thee. That's what our text in Galatians 6 is talking about. Look with me if you would at verse 12. Galatians 6 verse 12.

As many as desire to make a fair show in the flesh, they constrain you to be circumcised. There are those in the world who say Christ and His mercy and His grace are not enough. It's not sufficient. There must be something more. At that day and time, it was you must get circumcised. Now you can take that out and put anything you want in there. People say that if you don't get baptized, you can't be saved. Am I wrong? Have you not heard that yourselves? People say if you don't come down to the front, and turn yourself over to God, you can't be saved. Am I wrong?

As many as desire to make, what? A fair show in the flesh. You see? Now I don't care if you're doing it in front of others to show them, or you're doing it just to measure yourself. This is the way I'm going to walk, because this is how a Christian walks. They make a show in the flesh and they constrain you to do the same, to be circumcised, only lest they should suffer persecution for the cross of Christ. Look at verse 13, for neither they themselves who are circumcised keep the law, but desire to have you circumcised that they may glory in your flesh. You see, if you keep the law of God and walk a certain way, then I know that I'm walking that way, I'm saved too because of that. Now look at verse 14.

But God... There's that word again, that phrase, but God, here's the line. Oh, I'm so thankful that God has things in charge. Brother Mike Gialotti, I'm glad you're not in charge. Me too. Pastor Gene used to say that, and he still does, to Judy. And she turns right back to him, I'm glad you're not in charge either.

But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me. All those things that you say I have to do to be saved, all those things that you say must be seen in me as I walk through this world, I am dead to that. Because I live in the grace of my Savior. I live in the belief that He has fulfilled it all. Our God did not say, you must believe, and do this, and do that, and do this. He said, you must believe. And then he told us his son did it all. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature. The true people of God no longer look to our flesh for a measurement of salvation.

Philippians 2, 3, verses 2 and 3, we read these words, beware of dogs. This is what God calls those who would try to put the yoke of bondage upon you. Those who would come to you and say, you gotta do this or you're not saved. Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision, for we are the circumcision which worship God in spirit and rejoice in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh.

Jude chapter 1 verse 4, for there are certain men crept in unawares who were before of old ordained, predestinated, sent of God, To this condemnation, did you know that Judas of Iscariot was here for one purpose, and that was to betray his Lord? That's what the Lord is telling us here. Through the Apostle Jude, that there are men who will come into the churches and speak lasciviousness about God's Word. They are ordained unto this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace I pause there because I want you to grasp this. Anything outside of the grace of our God is another gospel, which is not a gospel. Turn the grace of God into lasciviousness. That means wickedness, weakness, and denying the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ.

When men begin to feel their faith is weak, It's because they measure it by their deeds. Oh, how often I've heard men say, my faith is so weak, I don't even know if I love the Lord anymore. I don't think the Lord hears me crying unto Him. That's how weak my faith is. You know why? It's because you're looking to this. If you were looking to the one who is faithful, you'd be looking to Christ. And you wouldn't be putting yourself in that position. Don't tell me some of you haven't. Don't tell me I haven't. I do it way more, Mike, than I wanted to admit to.

Do we not read four by one offering? He hath perfected forever. When your faith gets weak, When you start looking at the flesh and you say, I don't think I'm saved because thoughts go into my mind. I did something today. Maybe I gave the finger to somebody and I wish I hadn't of afterwards. Remember this. Christ paid for that sin.

Instead of being worried and concerned about how, how am I saved? Folks, it says to examine yourself whether you be in the faith. Not whether you do this or whether you do that or whether this is part of your life. It's whether you be in the faith. Do I believe God?

The more it sinks into us that He has perfected us forever, the better we will walk this earth. Coming from experience, I had every reason to hold something against somebody for the rest of my life. Not her. I had every reason to be nothing but condemning to one who was in my life a long, long, long, long time ago. I can truly say from my heart, the only reason I was forgiven was because God forgave me.

When we see the depth of our love for Him who first loved us, we don't walk without the law. We just know it can't do us any good or any worth. You know, I didn't really say that very well. I just know, we just know, that it doesn't change one iota of what God has done for me. How's that? That's a little better, wouldn't you say? For by one offering he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified. If his offering perfected us, why go back to measuring ourselves in the flesh? Folks, there's one rule of life to a poor saved sinner. God's grace found only in Christ. Read 15 again. For in Christ. You see that? It didn't say in you. It didn't say what you do in this flesh. It says for in Christ. And here's the flesh.

Neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision. Do you see what I'm saying? It was the law for God's people to be circumcised. And here, Paul is telling the Galatians, it doesn't matter whether you are or not. The love of God is what constraineth us. I can declare this with confidence. Look at verse 16.

And as many, we just read there, for in Christ neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature. And as many as walk according to this rule. There's our walk. That's our walk before God, putting all of our trust, all of our hope, all of our faith in Him. Peace be on them and mercy. and upon the Israel of God. This is the title for today's message. This rule.

In Christ Jesus, the flesh is dead to the law, Christ died for his people. Folks, the moral law is good because God is the author of it. And it contains good and excellent things. It is good if a man use it for the purpose for which it is designed. But if it be used to obtain life, righteousness, salvation, or acceptance with God, it'll only serve to condemn you.

A lawful use of the law for unbelievers is the knowledge of sin, the conviction of sin, and to shut them up to Christ. A lawful use for the believer is to obey it in the hands of Christ, from a principle of love to Him who first loved us. Listen to 2 Corinthians 5 verses 14 and 15. For the love of Christ constraineth us, because we thus judge that if one died for all, then we're all dead.

And that if he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them and rose again. If you look at me, As I walk through this world, you're going to say, how could that man be a godly man? And I can tell you, I believe in Christ, and that's the only thing I can tell you. Do I do good things? Folks, I try to walk good all the time. And I know you do as well. We try. We do the best that God allows us in this flesh to be.

Thankfully, He reminds us through our weakness. Remember what it said when Paul was talking about the thorn? And he said, the Lord said to him, my grace is sufficient. Through weakness, I am made strong. Through your weakness, through my weakness, we see the strength of God in saving us from what we are. I guarantee you that if the Lord allows me to walk in a righteous way at all, anytime, for very long, my pride will build up and say, see how good I am?

You may not have that kind of problem, but I would. Why? Because I am steeped in sin in this flesh. Do I want to be? No. That foolishness that because we're lawless, we would live any way we want. As I said a moment ago, I want to live God's way. I know that that's the best way for me. I know that there's all kinds of benefits if I could just follow God's law, His instructions, walk the way that would be pleasing in His sight.

But I can't. Which makes my Savior even greater. Makes Him strong. Stronger than I can be. Knowing this, 1 Timothy 1 verse 9. Well, before I read that, our actions have changed us, yes. But it's because of our love for the One who gave Himself for us. We act upon our love for Him because He first loved us. Now listen to 1 Timothy 1 verse 9.

Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient. for the ungodly and for the sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers. and fathers and murderers of mothers and manslayers, for whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for men-stealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and for there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine. Brother Henry Mahan wrote this, he said, No man is righteous in himself. The righteous man here intended is the man who believes in Christ with the heart unto righteousness. and who lays a hold on Christ's righteousness by faith, in consequence of which he lives soberly, righteously, and godly, though not without sin.

The law of God does not lie as a weight or a burden on him. He delights in the law of God, and God's commandments are not grievous to him. It is a curse and penalty Its curse and its penalty do not lie on him as a punishment to be born every time. It is not to him a terrifying law, bringing him into bondage and fear. It is not a despised law, forcing him to a way of life that he detests.

The law is enacted for ungodly, the evil and the profane, for it is against such persons as an accusing, condemning, and terrifying law. Locks on doors are not made for honest men, but for crooks. Do not steal, kill, lie, etc. are not rules needed by righteous men, but laws enacted to control and convict ungodly men. Do you catch that? Does that grasp a hold of you?

I know my sin is ever before me, and it troubles my soul when I stray from it, and I strive not to, but our fleshly walk is why the gospel is such good news. You know, if I only had to hear it once and I thought I could walk righteously at all, then I wouldn't need to hear the gospel over and over and over again. Isn't that why we come to the table? To remember that there's only one righteous one. To be reminded that it was his body that God sent here for his son to dwell in and be shed and bleed for you and I. That you and I would never have to bleed.

I heard a, I was listening to a little bit of a message From Don Fortner, as a matter of fact, yesterday in the car when I was driving with Kathy, and it was about God Left Him. I think was the title of it. Yeah, you're the one who sent that to me, didn't you? I heard that message before. It was a very good message. But I listened to a little bit of it again yesterday.

God left His Son that He would never, never leave us. So when He says, I shall never leave you, forsake you, He was telling the truth. He turned His back on His Son so He would never turn His back on us. Do you see the Gospel? Do you see why we need to have the Gospel all the time?

In my humble opinion, you know, there was a day when I thought Sundays were good enough for me to get through the week. And Kathy told me, one night, she goes, you know what? We could use it a little more around here. Let's go on Friday nights. So we started coming Friday nights. I've got to be honest with you. If you guys wanted to have the services just five days a week, I'm sure you'd come up with something. Every day. Every day, Mike, I'm reminded I need it. Every day! Let's see if I can wrap this up for you.

That last scripture I was reading there, it says, the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless, the disobedient, the ungodly. and any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine. Listen to 1 Timothy 1.11. According to the glorious gospel of the blessed God which committed to my trust. What is it that I need to preach to God's people? What do you need the most? Good news. If you're a sinner, you need good news, don't you? Paul is instructing anything that takes our eyes off of Christ and Him crucified, give no heed to it. Turn from it. Beware of those who seek to bring such things into us. Amen.