Well, I'm thankful to be here. We had a wonderful time to rest
and it was very, very pleasant. I'm gonna ask you to take your
Bibles and turn with me to the book of Galatians chapter one. Galatians chapter one. the Spirit of God moved upon
the Apostle Paul to pen a letter to the churches that were found
in Galatia. And in this opening, in the opening
sentences or verses of this letter, the Spirit moved upon Paul to
set forth the proclamation of the foundation of truth of every
believer's hope in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. He
says in verses one to five, Paul, an apostle, not of men, neither
by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised
him from the dead, and all the brethren which are with me unto
the churches of Galatia. Grace be to you and peace from
God the Father and from our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself
for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world,
according to the will of God and our Father, to whom be glory
forever and ever. Amen. Now, Paul received his
commission from the Lord, Almighty God, the covenant God of all
grace, God the Father, who raised his obedient and submissive son,
obedient and submissive in life and death, who raised him from
the grave, having finished the work of redemption for his people. That's what he said. Paul, an
apostle, not a man. I'm not here to please men. I wasn't called by men, but by
God himself. I was called by the mediator
by his father, who raised the redeemer and mediator from the
grave. But when he made that opening
statement, he also made another proclamation. I'm gonna go back
in just a minute and touch on these scriptures, but he made
another proclamation, and it was a word of Paul's disappointment
of how quickly those in Galatia were found to be taken in by
some who were preaching what Paul referred to as a perverted
message. He says in verses six and seven,
I marvel that you're so soon removed from him that called
you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel, which is
not another, but there be some that trouble you and would pervert
the gospel of Christ. Now, we know this. No true believer, no man, no
woman called of God, shall ever fall away eternally, completely,
from resting, being found in Christ. When Almighty God calls
a man, calls a woman, they are kept by the power of God. Turn to John chapter 10, John
10, 27, 28. They're kept by the power of
God. We know that. And if we weren't
kept, we would fall. We would leave. John 10, 27,
28 says this, my sheep hear my voice. And I say this so many times
and I mean it. If you want to know the voice
of the Lord, listen to the scriptures being faithfully preached and
blessed by the spirit of God. and you're hearing the voice
of the Lord Jesus Christ. This is his word. This is his
word. My sheep, they hear my voice
and I know them. He's eternally known us. He's
eternally loved us. I know them and they follow me. And I give unto them eternal
life And they shall, now look at this word here. They're never
going to perish. They're never gonna perish. Neither
shall any man pluck them out of my hand, my father, which
gave them me is greater than all, and no man is able to pluck
them out of my father's hand. I and my father are one. So the Apostle Paul is telling
these churches, these people in Galatia, I marvel that you're
so soon backsliding. Backsliding. He was talking to
those that he believed and set his heart upon believing that
these were God's people. But he was marveling at them
being taken back. Now one might ask, is it possible
for a believer to appear? Is it possible for a believer
to appear? To be fallen away? Can a believer be gravely swayed
that would give the appearance of one that is without Christ? Can that happen? Well, let me
ask you this. Whenever Peter was tempted three
times after the Lord told him, he said, before the cock crows
twice, you're going to deny that you know me. And how many times did he deny
the Lord? Three times. One of the accounts says he cursed.
I don't know the blankety-blank man. I don't know him. Don't lay that charge to me.
I'm not his. One account says they did that,
the cock crew, the second time the Lord looked at him. That very verse, me thinking,
and the Lord looked at him. Don't you know, broke his heart,
Neil? What have I done? What have I
done? When David took Bathsheba, had
Uriah, her husband, killed, took her, Nathan came to him and said,
you're the man. Spirit of God, move. David, write
that 51st Psalm. Against thee and thee only have
I sinned. And I've done this evil in your sight. Whenever Abraham told Sarah,
he said, don't tell them that you're my wife. Tell them you're
my sister. He did it twice. You'll kill me. Brethren, there is an old man
in every one of us that know him, an old man that's ever ready,
ever waiting, ever longing to draw us the way. And the only
reason that we're not is because of what I just said a moment
ago, kept, kept. Whenever Peter said, after the
Lord was raised from the dead, whenever Peter said, you know
this answer, I've said this before, I go fishing. I told you he wasn't
going that afternoon just to rest, just get a little relaxation. I quit, I quit. I'm going back, I'm going back.
Is it possible for a man or a woman to give the appearance of having
fallen away? Absolutely. Is it possible? Is it possible for them to fall
away? No, no. Brethren, remember the prodigal. Remember the prodigal. There's
nothing that is beyond the capability of a believer unless the Lord
restrains him. And oh, how we need to hear and
to understand the seriousness of what it is that God has been
pleased to use to keep God direct his people. His word, blessed
by his spirit, is our God. Turn with me to Psalm 119, 105. Psalm 119, 105. Psalm 119, verse
105. What is the means of God to keep his people, guide his
people, direct his people? The Spirit of God moved the psalmist
to write, Psalm 119, verse 105. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet
and a light unto my path. The whole of scripture is a shining
light in a dark world. This is it. This torch of illumination
that's carried in the heart of a believer the preaching of the
gospel, the preaching of the grace of God in the person of
the Lord Jesus Christ, sitting and hearing the message of Christ
himself. By that, a believer is led. Do we need to hear the truth? Absolutely. 2 Timothy 3.16. 2
Timothy. Second Timothy 3.16. All scripture. How much of it? All of it. All of it. Why do we go verse
by verse by verse by verse? Why do we preach out of Ecclesiastes?
Why do we preach out of Proverbs and Genesis? Why? All scripture
is given by inspiration of God. It's God-breathed, and it is
profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for
instruction in righteousness that the man of God may be perfect,
throughly furnished unto all good works. Perfectly furnished.
We need to hear the gospel preach. We need to hear these line by
line by line by line. It was so good to sit while I
was away and turned on. Just hearing the gospel, my heart
was blessed. Singing praises unto our God. I was there, I was just there
with you. Hearing hearing the truth, so
it's it's important. It's so important It's it's life
to God's people To concerning what we hear what's being preached
you hear look at Paul said in verses 8 and 9 He said but though we or an angel,
I'm sorry, I marvel, verse 6, 7. I marvel that you're so soon
removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ
unto another gospel, which is not another, but there be some
that trouble you and pervert the gospel of Christ. But though
we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto
you than that which we've preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say now,
again now, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than
that which you've received, let him be accursed. The gospel is
the message that alone is blessed of God to the quickening, to
the guiding, directing, teaching, approving, of God's people, sinners,
saved by the grace of God. James 1.18, this is how God begets,
by His own will, begat He us with the Word of God. First Peter 1.23, being born
again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible by the word
of God, which liveth and abideth forever. Does it matter what
comes out of this pulpit? Does it matter? Absolutely. Why do I not just permit, you
know, anybody gets off the street, come and stand here? I wanna
know what you're gonna preach. I wanna hear what you got to
say. This alone is the message by which the Lord opens spiritually
blind eyes. 2 Corinthians 4, 2 Corinthians
4. 2 Corinthians 4, verse three
to six. If our gospel be hid, is hid to them that are lost,
in whom the God of this world hath blinded the minds of them
which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ,
who is the image of God, should shine unto them. For we preach
not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves, your
servants, for Jesus' sake. For God who commanded the light
to shine out of darkness has shined in our hearts to give
the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face
of Jesus Christ. We have this treasure. What treasure
is that? The light of the knowledge of
the glory of God in the face of the Lord Jesus Christ. We
have this treasure. Where is it? It's in earthen vessels.
that the excellency of the power may be of God and not of us. Does it matter what is being
set forth? Does it matter what's being preached?
Absolutely. This alone is that message that
God's gonna bless and he's gonna bless it through preachers. Preachers, frail creatures of
dust God had been pleased to raise it up. So knowing that
there were some that had preached a perverted gospel, a gospel
that was not, it wasn't a gospel. Paul says it's not gospel. It's
that message they call the gospel. Well, I'd like to consider what
is then the unperverted gospel? That's what I entitled this.
the unperverted gospel. There's a perverted message that's
called the gospel, and it's not the gospel. What is it? It's
the mixing of works. It's mixing of works with what
they call grace, which is not grace. It's not by works of righteousness
that we've done. The unperverted gospel, does
it matter? I'm telling you, your eternal
soul depends on what this book says. The unperverted gospel
is the only message which truly sets forth grace and peace for
needy sinners. Verse three of Galatians chapter
one, grace be to you. and peace from God the Father
and from our Lord Jesus Christ. Now, notice that grace and peace
has an origin. What is the origin? Well, it's
from God the Father and from our Lord Jesus Christ. It is
the honor and the glory of God to show mercy and compassion
to whomsoever he will. This is not, I've said so many
times, I'm not offering you something to accept or reject at your discretion. I'm telling you that there's
a people that God's gonna show mercy to. Show me your glory,
Moses said unto the Lord, I'll cause all my goodness to pass
before you, and I'll have mercy and compassion on whomsoever
I will." Grace to you. Grace. That which is shown to
undeserving sinners and then the experience of that grace
in the heart is peace. Peace with God. A believer is
settled on the fact that my peace before him is not wrought by
my obedience, by my works, because I know me well enough to know. I have not measured up to this
book. This book tells me I have it.
We've all come short of the glory of God. But I know something
about it too. I know my thoughts. I know the
violence, I know the inconsistency, I know something, and I don't
know anything compared to what I really am. But I know this,
peace is wrought in the heart when by faith, not by feelings,
because again, sometimes I just don't feel. Faith is the gift of God, which
a believer, The Lord said, when he says, I'll never leave you,
I'll never forsake you, you know what I believe? I believe he's
telling me the truth. And there I can rest. Grace is
shown, experienced, a peace is experienced. That peace is not
earned by man, it's given. It has nothing to do with my
works, my peace. Romans 11. Romans 11, five to
seven. Romans chapter 11, verse five
to seven. So then at this present time,
and you know when this was penned, it was at that present time that
this was relevant. And you know what? This is relevant
right now. This is right now. Here it is. Today is October the 9th, 2022. At this present time, there is
a remnant according to the election of grace. There's a remnant.
Some the Lord's called out and obviously some he hasn't as yet,
but they're still here. There's a remnant according to
the election of grace And if by grace, unmerited favor, unmerited
favor. What does unmerited favor mean? It means that you didn't merit
it. God was pleased to give it on the merit of another, the
Lord Jesus. And if by grace, it is no more
of works. What does that mean? It's not
based on something that you did or could do. You're never going
to be sincere enough. You're never going to do enough.
Otherwise, grace is no more grace. If grace has something to do
with what you do in order to earn something, then it's not
grace. You can call it grace. You can
call it anything, but it's not grace if it's based on something
you think that you've done. But if a bill works, then it's
no more grace. Otherwise, work is no more work. What then? Israel hath not obtained
that which he seeketh for, but the election hath obtained it,
and the rest were blinded. According as it is written, God
hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should
not see, and ears that they should not hear unto this day. Do you know what that means?
That means salvation is of the Lord. That's what it means. It
means that God's going to save whom He will, and He's going
to save them through the preaching of this book, these scriptures
right here. That's the only way. So does
it matter if someone is listening to a perverted gospel? Yes, it matters. It gravely matters. All that has been done for God's
people has been done according, turn to Ephesians 1, according
to the riches of His grace. Ephesians 1, 4 to 9. What has He done for us according
as He's chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world?
That's such a peace-establishing thought. You mean to tell me
that if I know Him now, that I was always found in Him, found
in Him before the foundation of the world? That's what it
means. You mean that God Almighty loved
me with an everlasting love, even when we were dead in trespasses
and sins? Yeah. And Christ died for this
sinner, even as I was a child of wrath against Him, hating
Him, hating Him. Hating Him, yeah, yeah. You want
to know some peace? Listen to what this book's got
to say. Chosen in him for the foundation of the world that
we should be holy and without blame before him in love in Christ
predestinated us unto the adoption of children. How? By Jesus Christ
to himself according to the good pleasure of his will. To the
praise of the glory of his grace wherein He hath made us accepted. You know what? We're not made
acceptable. We're accepted. We're accepted. In the Beloved, in whom we have
redemption through His blood, He's paid the debt. The forgiveness
of sins because the debt's paid. according to the riches of his
grace, wherein he has abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence,
and having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according
to his good pleasure, which he purposed in himself." Do you
realize the blessing of knowing this, and having faith to believe
it, and having peace to rest in it? A believer's not looking
for any reason to disobey God. He knows he does, but he's not
looking for any reason. God saved him, kept him. So the
unperverted gospel is the only message that truly sets forth
grace and peace for needy sinners. Secondly, the unperverted gospel
declares the finished work of the Redeemer, not his attempt
to redeem, declares His finished work. Look at verse 4, back in
Galatians 1. Gave Himself. Who gave Himself. Now that's the strongest declaration
of Christ's death upon the cross. Who gave Himself. He didn't give His angels. He
didn't, he didn't give, he didn't give the world, he gave himself. Gave himself. You know, a man, he's not, he
doesn't, he doesn't want, he doesn't want the stuff that belongs
to his wife, he wants his wife. I want her. Vice versa. A wife, It's a husband. I want
him. What if you don't have anything
else? I got him. I got her. He gave himself. And he gave himself for a specific
people and for a specific reason. Look at verse 4. Who gave himself
for our sins. that he might deliver us from
this present evil world according to the will of God, our Savior. You know, someone may try to
rest that. He said, well, it means he gave
himself for us. He gave himself for everybody.
But you know, John 10, 15 refutes that. The Lord said, I lay down
my life for the sheep. I lay down my life for the sheep.
Husbands, Love your wives as Christ loved the church and gave
himself for her, for it. He died to deliver us
from this present evil world. He didn't come and die upon Calvary's
tree to make it possible. Turn to John 10. I'm gonna read,
I quoted John 10, 15 just then. I'm gonna read John 10, verses
15 to 18. Let's see what the Lord said. John 10, verse 15. As the Father knoweth
me, even so know I the Father. I lay down my life for the sheep. And of the sheep I have, which
are not of this foal, them also I must bring. They shall hear
my voice, there shall be one foal and one shepherd. Therefore
doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might
take it again. No man taketh it from me, but
I lay it down on myself. I have power to lay it down,
I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received
of my Father. You know what is so settling?
The God that we serve is God. He's omnipotent God. He said, I can lay down my life,
I can take it again. This I've received of my father. Here's the mediator. This is
God who has submitted himself. Covenant mercy, covenant submissiveness
unto his father. came into this world, and what
did he do? He said, I laid down my life,
who gave himself, the scripture says, gave himself to deliver
us from this present evil world. Men are born into this world
in bondage. Spiritual death, spiritual to
do, dead to do anything for himself, left to himself, he's gonna die.
And Christ came to this world made in the likeness of sinful
flesh and for sin to bear the sin of his sheep, his people.
He hath made him sin. I've said before, that cannot
be said strongly enough. What was he made? He was made
sin. He was made sin. Sin. He was made sin for us. He knew no sin. And He was made
what we are, took what we are, and suffered and died, redeemed
us, delivered us from this present evil world, paying the debt owed
to the law, gave Himself according to the will of God. That's what
it says. Who gave Himself for our sins that He might deliver
us from this present evil world according to the will of God.
Do you know the unperverted gospel has to do with the will of God?
Period. It has to do with the will of
God, not the will of man. Man's will is dead. It has to
do with God's will, according to the will of God. Thirdly,
the unperverted gospel is the only message which doesn't trouble
a believer. Six and seven, I marvel that
you're so soon removed from him backslidden, from him that called
you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel. Now listen
to how Paul's speaking to them. A marvel that you so soon removed
it called you into the grace of God and to another gospel,
which is not another. There be some that trouble you and would
pervert the gospel of Christ." Now Paul's disappointment was
founded upon the Galatians being removed. Backsliding by a perverted
message that some claimed to be the gospel, a message that
could do nothing but stir up and agitate and just quiet. Turn with me to Acts 15, verse
24. Acts 15, let me show you what
will unnerve, agitate, disquiet, trouble a believer. Acts 15, verse 24. For as much as we have heard
that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words,
subverting your souls, saying, you must be circumcised and keep
the law, to whom we gave no such commandment. Do you know what
will trouble a believer is when that believer Here's someone
saying it's by the addition of works to grace. We're saved by
grace, we're saved by grace, but we're sanctified or we grow
by our works. We do grow in grace, but we have
no confidence. We put no confidence. The Lord
puts no confidence in our flesh and we don't either. We don't.
One call of God cannot hear and be satisfied with a message that
denies electing grace based totally upon God's will. Nothing, someone
said, well, he looked down in time. No, he didn't. He chose whomsoever He would. I'll tell you what troubles a
believer when they hear someone talking about the Lord Jesus
Christ died for everyone's sin. And we love you. We love you. No, you're lying. You're lying. You're lying. You're calling
the Savior of sinners a failure. You're saying, He's trying to
do something. That's troubling to a believer.
They're troubled. They hear that and they're troubled. Particular, redeeming, ineffectual,
regenerating grace. Here's what settles a believer's
heart. You tell me about him who loved me in spite of me and
chose me in Christ. Put me there from the foundation
of the world. Tell me about him who predestined, who ordered
my steps, brought me out of the swamps of Louisiana, caused my
path to cross here and cross this and cross this preacher
of the gospel, and teach me the truth. Tell me how God brought
me right here, right here, to stand in this pulpit, an unworthy
nobody, to preach the unsearchable riches. of the glory of God in
the face of the Lord Jesus Christ. You tell me about that God. Tell me about that God that keeps
me, is not gonna leave me. Fourthly and closing, the unperverted
gospel is the only message that's not gonna be cursed. Verses eight
and nine. But though we are an angel from
heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we've
preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before,
so say I now again. Paul's saying, now you listen
to what I'm saying. You listen to what I'm saying. I know what
the world says. Go to the church of your choice.
It doesn't matter where you go, as long as you go, we're all
working for the same place. Here's what God has to say. If
any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received,
let him be anathema. Let him be accursed. Let him be cast out. Let him be under the judgment
of God. The churches at Galatia had started
to listen to some that were perverting the gospel. They were perverting
the gospel. They were adding works to the
message. And whatever those works are,
they'll get on something. Oh, be careful here. They're gonna get on something.
And they're gonna make that the issue. It's gonna be a perversion
of truth, and it's gonna be works, and you're how faithful, and
he expressed the seriousness of their error. He was saying
that if any man preaches any other way of salvation except
in the full, sufficient, finished, redemptive work and accomplishment
of the Lord Jesus Christ on the behalf of the sheep of God, whether
it was a man or an angel, Let him be excommunicated of God. Destroyed. Listen to me. Don't hear it. Don't support
it. Don't patronize those that preach
it. They're wolves in sheep's clothing. They're wolves. If any man preaches or an angel
from heaven, don't hear it. God's gonna judge
it. Verse 10 and 11, I'll stop. For
do I now persuade men or God? Do I seek to please men? For
if I yet please men, I should not be the servant of Christ,
but I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was priest
of me is not after man. Who convinced Paul of that? God, are we trying to win favor
of men, or are we going to obey God? If we seek the pleasure
or approval of men, then we're not bond slaves of the Lord Jesus
Christ. Our aim is to be true to this
Word. This is the only thing that matters.
It's the only thing. Nothing else matters. What God
has to say. Hearing the gospel is the only
hope. that any sinful, corrupt, hell-deserving sinners have. For if righteousness comes by
obedience to the law, what does that mean? That means if you
think that there's something that you do in order to do it,
if righteousness comes by obedience to the law, if salvation is based
on something that I have to do to be saved, listen to this,
Paul said, then Christ died in vain. He's died in vain. It has to do with something I
have to do. I'm gonna perish. And I'm not, I'm not long, humanly
speaking, I know this. I'm not long for this world,
I know that. I'm at least savvy enough to
realize, well, you know, I don't think, well, how do you know?
What if it's a day? What if it's 20 years? Linda and I have almost been
married 20 years. I'm thinking it was gone at like
that. It's gone. It's gone. I pray God bless this
to our heart. Pray for the preaching of the
gospel here. Pray for the preaching of the
gospel in those places that God's raised up the gospel. Pray for
the preachers. They're men. They're men that
struggle. Struggle to seek the message
of God. Pray that God blesses it. They're frail creatures of
dust who have been called and commissioned to preach the only
message that God's gonna bless, and it's serious to them. May
the Lord bless this to our hearts, for Christ's sake.