Let's take our Bibles and turn
to Romans 16. Romans 16. This has been a blessed book. The book of Romans is one that
has been such a message of the truth of God's sovereign, saving
grace. Paul the Apostle now has come
to the end of writing through to Titus, verse 22. He penned
it. Paul the Apostle, under the inspiration
of the Spirit of God, dictated this letter. And he says now,
as we conclude in verse 25, now, to Him that is of power to establish
you. Now, to Him that is of power
to render you constant. Now, to Him that is of power
to set you fast and to keep you. where you are. Only by the power
of Almighty God that a man or a woman is established, kept
by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Brother Scott says, where God
places a man, He keeps him. Right there. Jude verse 24, Now
to him that is able to keep you from falling, Isn't that a good
thought? Now to Him that's able to keep
you from falling and to present you faultless, faultless, holy, pure. To Him that's able to present
to Himself you. He's everlastingly loved. Before
the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, to the only wise
God, our Savior, be glory and majesty, dominion and power both
now and forever." This is where the regenerate finds great comfort. He keeps me. He keeps me. There's nothing that I or any
other believer can do. to fall. I cannot fall. I cannot fall. Why? Unto Him who is able to
keep you from falling. If I could, I would. But I'll tell you this, a believer
will never take advantage of that. A believer realizes he
is the one that has kept me establish me, sustains me, and how thankful
I am for that. Now to him that is of power to
establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus
Christ." The gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, same message.
Not an offer, as I've said before, held out for man's acceptance
or rejection. The gospel is not an offer where
men might buy their own free will. How do men that are dead in trespasses
and sins exercise a free will to become saved? If you're dead,
Mitch, if you're dead and life is offered to you, if you're
dead, How do you exercise a free will to become alive? You think about it. That absolutely
makes no sense whatsoever. God offers men life if they'll
accept it, and they're dead in trespasses and sins. No, I'll
tell you what makes sense. God Almighty imparts life and then tells a man what he's
done. And a man believes Him because God gave him life and
faith. And he brings that man down to
see himself. And he says, Lord, as You say
I am, that's the way I am. Lord, as You say You are, that's
the way You are. Now to him that is of power to establish You
according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according
to the revelation of the mystery. Mystery. You know, this is a
mysterious, mysterious salvation. The Scripture says in Ephesians
1, 9, Having made known unto us the mystery of His will according
to the good pleasure which He purposed in Himself. Since man first walked on this
earth, the gospel of God's free grace has been undiscoverable
to man. Never has it entered into the
heart of man. I think that God loved the people
before the foundation of the world. I think that God chose
a people before the foundation of the world. Some He chose to
show mercy to. Some He chose to leave to themselves. And He did this according to
His own will. Man never thought that. This is a mystery. Great secret. Matthew 11, 25,
at that time Jesus answered and said, I thank Thee, O Father,
Lord of heaven and earth, because I have hid these things from
the wise and the prudent." Those that think themselves to be so
wise. And has revealed them unto babes. Even so, Father. So it seemed good in thy sight. These things are undiscoverable. according to the revelation of
the mystery." The revelation of the mystery, which was kept
secret since the world began, the actual appearance of the
Lord Jesus Christ, that was the revelation of the mystery. Great
is the mystery of godliness. Here is the great mystery, God. came in the flesh. God was made
flesh. In the beginning was the Word.
And the Word was with God. And the Word was God. And the
Word was made flesh and dwelt among us tabernacled. John says, we saw Him. We touched Him. Our eyes beheld
Him. Who do men say that I am? Some
say Jeremiah, Elijah, some of the other prophets. Who do you
say I am? Peter said, You're the Christ.
You're God. You're God in the flesh. He said,
Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Jonah. flesh and blood didn't reveal
that to you, but my Father, which is in heaven." The great mystery
unfolded. The Scripture says over in Hebrews
11, talking about these Old Testament saints, Hebrews 11, 13, it says,
"...they all died in faith, not having received the promises,
but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and
embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and
pilgrims in this earth." You know, here you are, you that
believe. A few minutes ago, we were talking
about Armageddon and how Satan's going to be loosed. But you read those passages of
Scripture, but it says that when they encompass the city, the
beloved city, you think to yourself, you know what? I know this. I
know He loves me. I know He does. How do you know? He said He does. He said, I've
always loved you. I've loved you with an everlasting
love. How is it manifested? I chose
you. I chose you in My Son. To stand
before Me, you must be holy. Be ye holy, for I am holy. How am I going to be holy? A
wretched sinner by birth and practice and choice, how am I
going to be holy? He has made Him, God has made
Him, Christ, to be unto us. Wisdom, righteousness, sanctification,
redemption. God Almighty has revealed the
Lord Jesus Christ Verse 26 says, But now is made manifest, and
by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment
of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the
obedience of faith. The Lord Jesus, the open manifestation
of that which the prophets set forth, prophesied according to
the Old Testament scriptures. according to the commandment of the everlasting God, and made
known to all nations for the obedience of faith, Jews, Gentiles,
black, white. Here he is. Paul said, Just warned that I've
been writing about this whole epistle. He's made manifest. by, through the Scriptures, according
to the commandment of Almighty God, made known to all that God
Almighty has everlastingly loved and chosen. Before God Almighty set the foundations,
before there was ever An earth that was void and without form. I thought about that. Void and
without form. Void means there's nothing. Without
form. When I think in pictures, I think
in art and colors and stuff. Without form. Everything that I can think of
has a form. Everything that I can think of
I can see. Before there was any foundation, anything. Before
the foundations were laid. Before Almighty God spoke anything
by His blessed Son into existence. Before the Spirit of God moved
upon the waters of the deep. Everlastingly. Everlastingly. my mind lost in the wonder of
that. Before the foundation, I've loved
you with an everlasting love. You think that there's no end
to when He began to love me. He never began to love me. He's
always loved me. Made known to all the nations
for the obedience of faith. to God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ
forever. Amen. Jude says in Jude 25, to the
only wise God, our Savior, be glory and majesty, dominion and
power both now and forever. To Him who in wisdom, in mercy,
and compassion to Him, to God only wise. You know what
I think of when I read this, when I read that right there,
to God only wise. I had a friend of mine that asked
my son one day. This boy was reading a little
bit of Scripture. And he asked this question. How
can God be just and justify a sinner? How can
God be just? I thought, you know what? That's
a pretty good question. I commend you. I commend you
for asking that one. I've heard a lot sillier questions,
believe me. But that's a wise question. How
should God be just? How should God Almighty, who
is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity, how can God Almighty
be just? The soul that sinneth is going
to die. It's going to die. The soul that
sinneth is going to die. Now, how many here? would find themselves in that
spot being a sinner. How should God be just and justify
a sinner? Only one way. He, that is God, hath made Him,
the Lord Jesus Christ, sin. How can God justify this sinner. Christ must be made what I am,
sin. And God Almighty who is just
must in absolute justice deal with him as my substitute. He was made me sin. He hath made him sin, who knew
no sin, the spotless Lamb, who had nothing to answer for of
himself. And he could pay the debt that
I couldn't pay, that I might be made the righteousness
of God in him. I still, I quote that Scripture,
and I try so hard to enter into it. And it's just too wonderful
for me, Jeff. I just... He hath made Him sin. I understand
something of myself. And by faith, I believe it. I
believe it. But oh, the wonder! to God only wise. How is the wisdom of God who
has said, I will have mercy on whom I'll have mercy. I'll have
compassion on whom I'll have compassion. How, Lord? How? How? How can you have mercy and
show compassion and be dust? the Lamb, the Mediator. He made Him sin. To God only
wise be glory through Jesus Christ forever. Amen. Our Father, how thankful we are
for the privilege that we've had to be able to look into not
only this blessed book, but all of your scriptures, and to behold
the wonder of absolute mercy and compassion that has been
justly given. You said that You're faithful
and just to forgive us our sins. When You forgive us, You do it
in absolute justice. Lord, we realize we are the recipients of Your grace
and mercy. And how thankful we are that
we can look into the Scriptures and be taught of God. Lord, You said that we'll all
be taught of You. All taught of God. Cause us to muse upon these blessed
truths. Cause us to remember. Cause us
to think. And Lord, that we might be thankful
for Christ's sake. Amen.