Sovereign Grace Chapel, located at 135 Annabel Lane in Beaver, West Virginia, invites you to listen to a gospel message concerning Jesus Christ our Lord. I'm gonna go ahead and get started. I have no text to start out with this morning, but I will be going to some text. My title is this. What must I know to be saved?

When this kind of question comes up, and a lot of the answers that people usually give when you give a question like this, it reminds me of these passages. Proverbs 18, 13, he that answereth a matter before he hears it, it is folly and shame unto him. And then of course in the New Testament we have swift to hear, slow to speak. But let me ask this question a little bit different way.

What must I know for God to save me? That sounds a little bit different, don't it? We can answer this question from the preponderant testimony of Scripture. But let's look at this today, and may God by His grace enable us to see Jesus Christ in this. Now the question I ask is, what must I know? There's a difference between saying what I know as opposed to saying who I know, as others have pointed out. But think about the question as it is asked. What or who must I know for God to save me? That makes us think a little bit more on this. I do want to be clear.

There are things that God's people know. We'll look at that to some extent this morning. We have some examples in scripture where Christ met them and it is clear what and who they knew. And we will take a look at a couple of scriptures for that. There's nothing new here. We've looked at them before, but let's look at them again in light of this question. We have examples in scripture where Jesus Christ did something for some, and let's see what they have said.

Then we have what God does, and the knowledge he possesses, and see how that has a relationship to us. Joe just kind of went through it. Then we'll wrap it up with how do we know anything? Then from that we can draw our conclusion from what God says in His Word. So first, things God's people know. Let's go through some of these.

Just a few that I've come, went through in Scripture and found, but Romans 7, 8 says, 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. So we see here that the believer knows that their flesh has nothing good to boast in and will never have anything to boast in. We are not to boast in this flesh because this flesh can produce nothing good. How can a good thing come from a bad thing? It cannot happen and it does not happen.

But this is something we know. We know these things as believers who have been taught of God. Because of what God has taught us, we know that there is nothing in this flesh that we can boast in. We find this out or we learn or we know this more and more every day, don't we?

So what about this next one, Romans 3.19?

Now we know that what thing soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped and all the world may become guilty before God. It is said right here that we know that the law speaks to those who are under the law.

We learn this or we know this for the purpose of shutting our mouth. God puts his law before our eyes and it tells us in this flesh that we are guilty before him. So it causes us to shut our mouth knowing that there is no boasting in ourselves. We are guilty before God. But this says that because the law says what it says, we become guilty before him. This is something we know when we are taught of God.

One more I will use. John 17, 3 says, and this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent. This says that they might know. To know Jesus Christ is life eternal because that's what it says right there. But we have not always had eternal life.

We are born dead in trespasses and in sin. But as we have seen from the scripture, there are some things that believers know, and I've just covered a few, and there are more. I know we say sometimes, and it's true, and I'm not disputing that it is, but it is not what you know, but who you know. What I am looking at specifically, though, is what must I know to be saved, or what must I know for God to save me?

Well, we've read it here several times before, what man is by nature. What are we as we're born from Adam? Man and his knowledge by nature, Romans 3.11.

There is none that understandeth. There is none that seeketh after God. We by nature do not understand God and we do not understand ourselves. We do not know how God does what he does, nor do we understand who God is, both, both of those. We do not know that we should seek God, nor are we seeking God as we are born from it. We in our natural state cannot know God.

Natural man cannot know God. Joseph already said it this morning. 1 Corinthians 2 14 says, but the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him. Neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. So by nature, I can neither know anything about God nor know God at all. What do you think is encompassed in the things of the Spirit of God? I would say it encompasses God and all those things pertaining to God.

We cannot know them. So what do we know? And yes, even who do we know as we are born in Adam? We know nothing. And we know no one, not even ourselves. Our problem is we cannot know God nor the things of God, save by His Spirit. So really the question we ought to ask is this, does God know me?

He does know some, but not all. Because we've read that before, that there will be some who will say unto Him, Lord, Lord, in that day. He will profess to them, depart from me ye that work iniquity, I never knew you. I'm concerned about what I know and who I know, but it is more important that he knows me.

I pray God Almighty knows me. So what does God know and what does Christ know? Just one place I'm gonna give you here from John 7 verses 28 and 29. Then cried Jesus in the temple as he tall, saying, you both know me and you know whence I am, and I am not come of myself, but he that sent me is true, whom ye know not. But I know him, for I am from him, and he hath sent me.

Jesus Christ is the Son of God. Simply put, that means Jesus Christ is God. But Jesus Christ knows God the Father and he has always known God. But he has also known his own. Those to whom God the Father gave him from before the foundation of the world. In fact, he has loved them with an everlasting love and proved it by redeeming them on that tree.

I am more concerned with what God knows than what I know. As Joe has said before, we forget, God remembers. So even if I do know something in this flesh, I may forget what I know. Listen how this is said in 2 Peter 1.12, and this is not the only place that we read something like this, but 2 Peter 1.12 we read, wherefore, I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them. and be established in the present truth. We might know some things, but it's always a good thing to be reminded of these things, because the fact is, we do forget. God has meant it for us to be reminded of all these things constantly. But what about this? Not only may I forget, But I may know, I may deny what I know or who I know. So turn with me to Matthew 26. I'm sure you all are very familiar with this, Matthew 26. And I'm going to read 69 through 74, Matthew 26. Matthew 26 verse 69.

Now Peter sat without in the palace. Now this is after Christ was talking to him and he said, you're going to deny me three times. Now Peter sat without in the palace and a damsel came unto him saying, thou also wast with Jesus of Galilee. But he denied before them all saying, I know not what thou sayest. And when he was gone out into the porch, another maid saw him and said unto them that were there, this fellow was also with Jesus of Nazareth. And again, he denied with an oath, I do not know the man. And after a while came unto him they that stood by and said to Peter, surely thou also art one of them for thy speech, but bereath thee. Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man, and immediately the cock crewed.

We do know some things. but we are not to think too highly of ourselves. We may be shown that we will deny Him if we are left to ourselves. Knowing things is important because we are told that the Scripture is profitable. So it's profitable for us to know what His Word says.

In 2nd Timothy 3.16 we read, Knowing Jesus Christ is important. We must know Him. If we do not know Him, we will not see eternal life. Because as we've already read, to know Him is eternal life. But even when we do know some things, we know nothing yet as we ought to know it. 1 Corinthians 8 too. And if any man think he knoweth anything, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know it.

How many times in Scripture, and this is very well said of me, I am discovering over and over again, but how many times do we read in Scripture, do ye not know? You can look that up in scripture, it's in there quite a few times. I would venture to say it's said more times than we know. I didn't check, so I could be wrong about that. The fact remains that we really, even as believers who have been around for some time, do not know much. And what we do know, we don't know as we ought. And we forget what we know and may even deny what we know at times. But we know God knows all things and in fact has purposed all things.

1 Corinthians 2 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. If we know anything in part And the scripture is clear that we do know some things. We know by the Spirit of God. If we know anything, in part, it's by the Spirit of God. His Spirit confirming to His people what God has said in His Word. We know it because God said it, and He recorded it in His Word, and His Spirit seals that to our hearts. but we know that even God can withhold things from us so that we do not know them. So that tells me we must be given it by Jesus Christ to know both things and him.

Luke 24, 15, and 16, we read, and it come to pass that while they were communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near and went with them, but their eyes were holding that they should not know him. Then in verses 25 through 31, we read this of that same account.

It says, then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken, ought not Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into his glory? And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.

And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went, and he made as though he would have gone further. But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us, for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with them. And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and break, and gave to them. And their eyes were opened, and they knew him, and he vanished out of their sight. If Jesus Christ is pleased to withhold something from our eyes, from a brother or sister's eyes, and he will do as he pleases. We have to do with him and we pray for his will to be done.

We must pray to him to give us understanding. What is the reason or a reason why Christ would withhold something from our seeing or our understanding? What do we read in Luke about these two men in verse 32? And they said one to another, did not our heart burn within us while he talked with us by the way and while he opened to us the scriptures? So that when we hear God's word proclaimed, it will cause us to burn to know him. We will learn when Christ opens the scripture to us. But let's get back to this question.

What must someone know to be saved? What must someone know for God to save them? And I could have made this really short, and I think I've already given the answer. But the answer is nothing, and no one, not even themselves. It is only because of who God knows that anyone will ever be saved. If God can only save us once we know something or someone, then we will never be saved. Thinking that I must know some things or know him before he can save me is like saying God has done all he can do and now it's up to you.

But we know the scripture is clear, that salvation is of the Lord and it is up to him. And whether he has been pleased to know us and because of that, if he does know us, and that's what determines whether or not we will know Him. What do we read? We love Him, and we do. We love Him because He first loved us. We know Him, yes, we do know Him, but we only know Him because He first knew us. When He comes to us in power, then we begin to know Him and ourselves.

And I did say we begin to know. But what about some examples of those who Christ did something for in scripture? What kind of things did they know? And I'm talking about those that he did something for them spiritually. These examples are where Christ did something physical to them. But the scripture is clear that he did something for these spiritually.

The man bore blind. So turn with me to John nine, John nine. John 9 and verses 1-7 for right now. And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth. And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man or his parents, that he was born blind? Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sin, nor his parents, but that the works of God should be made manifest in him. I must work the works of him that sent me while it is day. The night cometh when no man can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.

When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay, and said unto him, Go wash in the pool of Siloam, which is by interpretation sent. He went his way therefore, and washed, and came to see. We have here a man that was, from what I can tell, was not seeking Christ at all. It was Jesus Christ who came to this one.

And Christ even tells us that he was like this so that God's works might be made manifest. And I know something physical was done to this man, but it was also spiritual because Christ said, but that the works of God should be made manifest in him. But let's read further, verses 11 and 12. Verses 11 and 12. He answered and said, a man that is called Jesus made clay and anointed mine eyes and said unto me, go to the pool of Siloam and wash. And I went and washed, and I received sight.

Then said they unto him, where is he? He said, I know not. He tells of what was done and who it was by name that did this to him. But read verse 17. They say unto the blind man again, and these are the Pharisees in the temple. They say unto the blind man again, what sayest thou of him that he hath opened thine eyes? He said, he is a prophet. This man who was born blind but was one who could now see by the power and working of Jesus Christ, this caused him to say, this blind man said to them, he is a prophet. Verse 24 through 27. Then again called they the man that was blind and said unto him, give God the praise. We know that this man is a sinner. He answered and said, whether he be a sinner or no, I know not. One thing I know, that whereas I was blind, now I see.

Then said they to him again, what did he to thee? How opened he thine eyes? He answered them, I have told you already and you did not hear, wherefore would ye hear it again? Will ye also be his disciples? He answered these Pharisees and told them that he did not know whether Jesus Christ was a sinner or not. He was not lying necessarily, but I do think he was being a little bit smart aleck with them, these Pharisees, because of what we read next. Did he know some things now? He did know some things, read 29 through 33.

We know that God spake unto Moses, as for this fellow, we know not from whence he is. The man answered and said unto them, Why, herein is a marvellous thing, that ye know not from whence he is, and yet he hath opened mine eyes. Now we know that God heareth not sinners, but if any man be a worshiper of God and doeth his will, him he heareth. Since the world began, was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind?

If this man were not of God, he could do nothing. This man knew, and he knew this because of what Jesus Christ did to him. But this man knew that Jesus Christ was of God. I don't think he knew all there was to know, nor do we know all there is to know. Although he has given up most of us sight for years. But there's one thing that all those Jesus Christ does something in that they will be brought to know, and that by Jesus Christ through his gospel, verses 35 through 38.

Jesus heard that they had cast him out, and when he had found him, he said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God? He answered and said, Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him? And Jesus said unto him, Thou hast both seen him, and it is he that talketh with thee. And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him.

Christ will come to us and he will teach us of himself. One may know more than another one does at any given time, but it will be Jesus Christ through his gospel and by his spirit that will teach us of himself. We will begin to know some things when God begins his work. Let's look at one more, and this is very familiar to you, so turn with me to Acts 9, Acts 9. Acts 9, verses 1 through 6. Acts 9, verses 1 through 6.

And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, and desired of him letters to Damascus, to the synagogues, that if any be found this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem. And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus. And suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven.

And he fell to the earth and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And he said, who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest. It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. And he, trembling and astonished, said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.

Saul, who Jesus Christ called by the name given him of Jesus Christ, which is the apostle Paul, is made so by the will of God. But this Saul, when Jesus Christ was doing something in him, did not know who it was that was Lord. And he had been persecuting this one for a long time.

But when Christ asked him, why persecutest thou me? He said to Christ, who art thou Lord? You mean the apostle Paul saw what this time? Did not know who Christ was when Christ did something for him? Not at first. Now the whole point of Jesus Christ doing something in us is for the purpose that we might know Him. But by nature, we do not know anything that is of God and we cannot know anything unless Christ does something in us. When Christ calls someone, they will hear His voice and they will respond.