our sins in his own body. He said, I lay down my life for
the sheep. Husbands, love your wives as
Christ loved the church and gave himself for it. And all that
God declared concerning them, verses 12 and 13, the iniquity
of Ephraim bound up his sins, hid sorrows. What happened? God knew. All of the iniquity,
he knew, he knew. What happened? Says, he laid
it on him. He bore the guilt. And now that
which Almighty God said was bound up against us, he nailed to the
cross. Bore in his own body and God
said, I'll remember him no more. I'll remember them no more. Not
in judgment. All the guilt of God's people
were washed away by the crimson fountain of his blood. And now,
the Lord speaks to his people who were in bondage. And he said,
oh death, I ain't gonna talk to death. Death, I will be your
plague to them. for them. O grave, I'm going
to be your destruction. The Spirit of God moved upon
the Apostle Paul to quote that passage right there and give
perfect understanding to exactly what the Lord said back in Hosea.
This is what he said. For this corruptible must put
on incorruption and this mortal must put on immortality. So when
this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, whenever the
Lord is pleased to take one, as He did our dear brother, put him in the ground. When this
corruptible shall put on incorruption, when Almighty God is pleased
to raise him and all just like him out of the grave, This mortal
shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass
the saying that is written." And here's what God says. Death
is swallowed up in victory. And the exact quote of what the
Lord said in Hosea, the Spirit of God moved upon the Apostle
Paul. Here's the way it was said back in Hosea. O death, I will
be thy plagues. O grave, I will be thy destruction. And here's what the Holy Ghost
told Paul to write. O death, where is thy sting? Where's your sting now? O grave,
where's your victory now? For these that deserved death,
For these that would not come to me, those that destroyed themselves,
this spiritual Israel that I've always loved, this Ephraim that
I chose, those that in themselves, sinners, and all of that sin
remembered and known, God knows, I bore all of it. I ransomed
them. I ransomed them from the grave. I redeemed them from death. And
now, death and grave, where's your sting and victory for them
now? He who changes not, he who changes
not, said this in closing, remembrance shall be hid from mine eyes.
What does that mean? He said, I'm not going to change
my mind. I won't. Do we deserve judgment? Yes sir, we deserve it. Are we
really sinners against God? Yes. But what's the hope for
a sinner, one everlastingly loved of God, one that has made his
heart confession of Christ having done
something for him he hadn't done for himself. What's the hope
that he's God? Here's my only hope. He ransomed
me. He redeemed me. He loved me. He gave me life in himself. And I owe all that I am to him. By the grace of God I am what
I am. May the Lord bless these words
to our heart for Christ's sake. Alright Let's take our Bibles and turn
with me to the book of Psalms chapter 18 Psalms 18 Psalm chapter
18 Again as we saw the words of the Lord
Himself. These too are the words of the
Lord. I know Psalms are penned by men,
but these are the words of Christ Himself. Listen to what the word
of the Lord says. Psalm 18 verse 43-44, Thou hast
delivered me from the strivings of the people. And thou hast made me the head
of the heathen, a people whom I have not known shall serve
me. As soon as they hear of me, they
shall obey me. The strangers shall submit themselves
unto me. I'd like to preach for a few
minutes now on this subject. How sure, how sure is salvation? Now here's one thing I know.
All the religions of this world set forth one false doctrine. There's only two doctrines, two
messages being set forth. It's either salvation is by man's
work or salvation is of the Lord. That's the only two messages
that's being preached. So all of these religions, and
here's the bottom line, what we are called to do is to proclaim
What saith the Lord? What does the Lord say? This
is all I'm interested in. This is the only thing that matters. There's one universal lie that
is born through all false teaching. It is the universal lie from
the mouth of Satan, who is the prince of lies, And that message
gives mankind nothing but an empty hope. There is no hope. It's an empty message of security. Now, men may attempt, and I'm
telling you something from experience. I told you, many of you here,
I'm sure, some of you may have always come up unto the truth.
And until the Lord opened your eyes to the truth, you still
didn't believe it. He had to give you life, even
sitting under the gospel. But I came up under false religion,
under free will, false man honoring religion. And I'm telling you
that whenever you say to someone, if you said to me, while I'm
in Arminian free will religion. It doesn't matter. I mean, there
was two or three different denominations there, but I mean, it's all the
same message. Same thing, you know. Now, you may say to me,
you believe in salvation by works, and I would adamantly tell you
that is not true. I don't believe in salvation
by works. I believe in salvation by grace. But all you'd have to do is listen
to what was being said and you would realize that what it was
was an offer that was being given to me and
to anybody else that was sitting there listening to it. And what
was being said was all you have to do is accept it. Now my friend,
That's works. That's works. If someone is offering
you something and you offer me a $100 bill, I can tell you right
now, I'm going to take it. If you offer it to me and I take
it, the reason I got it is because I decided. I could have said
no, but I decided to take it. That's works. That's the bottom
line. And the irony of this whole thing
is that all the religions of this world, they speak of salvation. They use that word, salvation.
Now, here's what word salvation means. Deliverance, welfare,
prosperity, victory. Salvation. And the problem is, the irony
is, there is no deliverance. There is no victory or salvation
by man's works. It's not there. They're telling
you that it is. If you will accept this, you
will be saved. And the scripture says, not by
the works of righteousness which we've done, not by our decision,
not by our free will, the exercise of faith, but according to His
mercy. His compassion. Now listen to
this. Someone says, I got saved. I got saved. That's not scriptural
language. Here's scriptural language. He
saved us. That's scriptural language. He
saved us. He delivered us. He preserved
us. He made us whole. How? By the washing of regeneration.
and renewing of the Holy Ghost by the regenerating work of the
Holy Spirit. Life was imparted. A dead man,
life is imparted to him. And the terminology is, he saved
us. I didn't have anything to do
with my salvation. You say you believed, now that
was just an effect. I believe because he gave me
faith to believe. He saved us by grace. And while these different denominations
proclaim this salvation, they always set forth man to possess
the ability to resist or to accept. So it's always work. Now let's just look for just
a minute. What does the Lord have to say?
Psalm 18. Here's the Lord speaking and here's biblical salvation. This is what this is. Verse 43. Thou has delivered me from the
strivings of the people. Now here's the cry of the submissive
servant of Jehovah. This is the cry of the blessed
Lord Jesus Christ as He praises the Father for the Father's goodness
and mercy in the salvation and deliverance of His sheep. Listen to the voice of His thankfulness
unto the Father. Thou hast delivered me from the
strivings of the people. Now the amazing thing about this
is in 2 Samuel. I'll just turn there for you.
2 Samuel chapter 22. This is almost quoted verbatim. But there's one change. 2 Samuel chapter 22. And verse
44, listen to this. Hold it. I'll read it back in
Psalm 18.43. Thou has delivered me from the strivings of the
people. Now here's the Holy Spirit giving
that verse in 2 Samuel 22.44. Thou has delivered me from the
strivings of my people. Do you notice any difference
in that? One of them said the people. but the Spirit of God
clarified that in 2 Samuel 22. Thou has delivered me from the
strivings of my people. You've delivered me from the
complaining and the grappling and the contention and the controversy
of my people. The Lord, as we've said, has
a people. How does he treat his people? John 17, John 17, I'll tell you
how he treats them. Here's John 17, listen to how
he treats his people. Thou has delivered me from the
strivings of my people. You delivered me from that. Listen,
here's what he, what does he do for them? John 17 too, thou
has given him power over all flesh that he should give eternal
life to as many as thou has given him. How does he treat them?
He gives them life. That's how he treats them. How
does he treat them? Look at John 17, 9. I pray for
them. I pray not for the world, but
for them which thou hast given me. They're thine. How does he
treat them? He gives them life. He prays
for them. Look at 17, 14. He gives them
God's word. I have given them thy word, and
the world has hated them because they're not of the world, even
as I'm not of the world. How does he treat them? He gives
them life, he prays for them, he gives them the Word of God. God has a people. And he said to the Father, you've
delivered me from the strivings, from the rebellion of my people. Here the Spirit of God reveals
that marvelous work of God Almighty in removing that hatred and resentment
of God's elect toward the Lord Jesus Christ. And how do you
know when they've been delivered? When the Lord said, you delivered
me from their strivings. Isn't that marvelous terminology? Marvelous thought. Father, you
delivered me from their rebellion. How do you know when they've
been delivered? It's an amazing thing. They believe
God. They just, one minute, they didn't
believe. And then, I believe that. I believe that. In regenerating
grace, the Spirit of God removes a heart of stone and gives a
new heart, a heart that was enmity against God, against His Christ,
and now by grace, the striving is gone. It's over. In the day of God's power, His
people are made willing and spontaneously made to seek Him who is their
only hope. The Lord's conquest by the Spirit
of God in regenerating grace, the Lord's conquest of His people
is said to be His deliverance from their strivings against
Him. He who has everlastingly loved
His own now beholds them loving Him. Coming out of it, the victory
over their rebellion is nothing less than their absolute and
total salvation from themselves to His honor and His glory. He
says back in Psalm 18, 43, Thou has delivered me from the strivings
of the people. Thou has made me the head of
the heathen. He is the surety of His people. God the Father gave him a people,
everlastingly loved. He said, you made me the head
of the heathen. He's the head of the body, right? He's the head of the church.
Who is the church? It's his sheep. It's his people. Not Jews only, but Jews and Gentiles. Out of every blood and kindred
and nation, People, people, he said, who I've not known shall
serve me. Not that the Lord didn't know
them at all, for He's always known His people. But according
to the everlasting covenant of grace, here the Spirit of God
speaks of those strangers and heathens from the commonwealth. They were alienated from the
commonwealth of Israel. Ephesians 2. Ephesians chapter
2. Verse 11, here's what the scripture
says. 2.11, wherefore remember, Paul's writing
to Gentiles. He said, you remember something.
You being in time past Gentiles in the flesh who are called uncircumcision
by that which is called the circumcision in the flesh made of hands, that
at that time you were without Christ. Now were they without
Christ God's everlasting covenant of grace? Oh, no. No, no, no,
no, no. They were always in the Lord.
But in regenerating grace, being brought into fruition, being
brought out and revealed to be who they are. He said, at that
time, you were without Christ. Aliens from the commonwealth
of Israel, strangers from the covenants of promise, having
no hope. Without God in this world. according to God's purpose, always
there. But as far as regeneration, they
were strangers. And the Lord says, you've made
me head of the heathen, a people whom I've not known. They'll
serve me. Oh, and concerning these, concerning
those given him, his people, his church, his bride, now listen
to what's going to happen. When it pleases the Lord, to
call them by power and grace. This is what happens. Now you
write this down. Amazing thing. The scripture
declares in verse 44, Psalm 18, 44, as soon at the hearing of that new ear,
as soon as they hear of me, Now it doesn't mean as soon as they
hear about me, it means as soon as they hear from me. When I
speak, is it not amazing how long one might sit under the
gospel and hear and hear and hear and never hear. And then all of a sudden, Wait a minute. Are you saying that God everlastingly
set His affection on me? Are you saying that Christ died
in particular for me? And that the Spirit of God powerfully
called me out of darkness? Is that what you're saying? Yeah,
I've never heard that before. And I'm thinking, I've been preaching
that since I got here. He said, as soon as they hear
of me, not merely with the natural ear, not just a nominal hearing
by the ear, but when a heart is given, a new ear. He said,
my sheep hear my voice. And until they hear, they don't
believe. They just hear, they'll hear what I'm saying right here.
I guess that sounded okay. When they hear, as soon as they
hear. I love the straightforwardness
of God's word. Saul, Saul. Who are you, Lord? Matthew, follow me. That thief on the cross, Lord,
when you enter into your kingdom, Zacchaeus, come down. I must, as soon as they hear. The Lord told His disciples when
they were so thankful that the demons and devils were in subjection,
He says, you know, He said, blessed are your eyes, for they see. You want to know a blessing?
He said, not that these, you know, be glad your names are
written in heaven. But He told them, He said, blessed
are your eyes for they see and your ears. Blessed are your eyes
and ears. They see and hear. And what do
those who hear His voice do as soon as they hear? Well, according
to the Scriptures, as soon as they hear of Me, they shall obey
Me. the strangers shall submit themselves unto
me. As soon as they hear, they obey. Obey how? Listen to this. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ
and thou shalt be saved. Believe on Him, as I've said
before, not believe that He is in existence. Demons believe
that, but rest your soul on Him and not on yourself. Believe
on Him, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, that salvation is of
the Lord, and not by your work of righteousness that you think
has saved you. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ,
and thou shalt be saved. His Word that comes in power,
quickening grace, is quick, powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword,
piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, joints
and marrow, is a discerner of the thoughts and the intents
of the heart. As soon as they hear of Me, they
obey. They obey. The called-out ones,
They don't find the commands of their Lord to be grievous.
Now listen to this command. Follow me. How do you follow
him? Wherever he leads. Hear the word
of the Lord. Come unto me, all you labor,
heavy laden, I'll give you rest. In the day of God's power, they
gladly, willingly, they forsake all hope, all false refuges for
him. You that believe, how long would
I have to try to convince you to go back to believing free
will? How long would I have to talk?
You say, well, but for the grace of God, I'll never believe that.
By God's grace only, I'll believe. Mark, how long would it take
you to go back to a confessional and talk to an idiot that thinks
he can absolve you from? That's what I was told. that
that man on the other side of that box, that little... He could
absolve me of my sins. He lied to me. As soon as they
hear of me, they obey. He is the rock of our salvation. It's upon Him we call, we submit. He that's begun a good work in
us shall perform it until the day of Jesus Christ. Oh, how
sweet the thought. Strangers. Strangers by nature. Not strangers to him, but strangers
as far as we're concerned. Strangers to the common. Strangers
shall submit themselves unto me. Strangers as far as our knowledge
of him at one time. Oh, but thanks be unto God. When
He calls, we obey, we follow. How sure is salvation? As sure
as God's Word. I shall save my people from their
sin. Call His name Jesus. Shall. All that the Father giveth me, I love the positiveness of the
gospel. May the Lord bless these words
to our heart for Christ's sake and for our eternal good and
comfort. Amen.