Kingsport Sovereign Grace Church,
located at 905 Yadkin Street in Kingsport, Tennessee, would
like to invite you to listen to a message of sovereign grace
by their pastor, Gabe Stoniker. And now, Pastor Gabe Stoniker. I am going to be speaking to
you today from Romans chapter one. If you would like to follow
along with me, Romans chapter one, and let's read verses 16
and 17. Verse 16 says, For I am not ashamed
of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation
to everyone that believeth, to the Jew first and also to the
Greek. For therein is the righteousness
of God revealed from faith to faith, as it is written, the
just shall live by faith. In verse 16, the apostle Paul
said that the gospel of Christ was the power of God unto salvation. The power of God unto salvation. And then he said to everyone
that believeth. to everyone that believeth, which
tells us there are some people on this earth who do not believe
the gospel of Christ. There are two types of people
in the world. It really just comes down to this. There are
two types of people in the world, believers and unbelievers. Jew, Greek, Believers, unbelievers. In verse 17, he said, the just
shall live by faith. And what that tells us is there
are some on this earth who are unjust, unjustified before God. You have the justified and the
unjustified. The scripture continually makes
a comparison between the righteous and the wicked. It mentions the
redeemed and the condemned. To put all this in simple terms,
it means the saved and the unsaved. That's what it means. Now, what
makes the difference in whether a person ends up being saved
or unsaved is whether or not a person has received mercy from
God. That's the difference. Two types
of people, believers, unbelievers. Saved, lost. What makes the difference? The mercy of God. It all comes
down to whether or not God has of his own will and purpose in
doing, if God has shown mercy to a sinner. If God has poured the blood of
his son all over a center. If a center has received the
gift of that covering, that's what an atonement is. This justification,
the scripture talks about this atonement. It's the covering
of the blood of Christ. That God, the father pours on
his people. Whoever is under that covering.
Whoever is under the blood, whoever is in the blood. Is saved. That's what it all boils down
to. If a person is outside the blood. Not covered in the blood. He's lost. He's unsaved. The scripture says he that hath
the sun hath life. And he that hath not the sun
hath not life. but the wrath of God abides on
him. What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of the
Lord Jesus Christ. That's the only thing that'll
do it. That is the only thing. We can see that in this right
here. Romans 1 verse 18, it says, for the wrath of God is revealed
from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who
hold the truth in unrighteousness. God's wrath is revealed from
heaven. He has revealed it in many ways. But nowhere has he revealed it
more clearly than in the truth of his word. Very, very clearly. His wrath is against all men,
meaning all men, all women, all boys, all girls, all of mankind. His wrath is against all who
are ungodly, ungodly, and unrighteous. Verse 18 says, for the wrath
of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness. and unrighteousness of men who
hold the truth in unrighteousness. Well, who is he talking about?
Who is included in, in the ungodly and the unrighteous category?
If you look with me at Romans three, it says in Romans three,
verse 10, as it is written, there is none righteous. No, not one. That's what Romans three, verse
10 says. None righteous. No human being is righteous in
his flesh. None righteous. Somebody is going
to say. Concerning a person that that
he or she thinks very highly of. Wait a minute, what about
him? What do you mean there's none
righteous? What about this person? Scripture says no. Not one. What about her? That's what many
people think about that. You know, the grandmother or
something like that. What about her? Scripture says, no, not
one. What about someone like mother
Teresa? Not even mother Teresa, not one. The scripture says,
not one. Why is that? Look right here
in Romans three, verse 23, it says for all have sinned and
come short of the glory of God. That's the reason why all, All
every soul born into this world is in himself and in his flesh. And we're going to use the word
naturally unrighteous. The way every man and woman comes
into this world is in an unrighteous way. That's what we are. If you'll
look at Romans five, it says in Romans five, verse six, For
when we were yet without strength in due time, Christ died for
the ungodly, the ungodly. He died for the ungodly. That
means if he died for us. And that's what I'm standing
here saying. And as you listen to this, this
is what we desire. This is what we believe. This
is what we preach. He died for us. That's the message
of the gospel. He died for us. If he died for
us, what that means is you and myself, both of us were ungodly. Christ died for the ungodly.
So if we're saying he died for me, what we're saying is I was
ungodly. In my flesh, naturally ungodly. So seeing that, go with me back
to Romans one. We're going to read down through
these verses. This is a very shocking, very eye-opening chapter
in the scripture. We're going to see what he has
to say about the ungodly and the unrighteous man or woman. As we read this, let's realize
that he's not talking about somebody else. A lot of times when we
read things like this, our mind says, I'm better than this. He
must be talking about somebody else. No, no, he's talking about
me. talking about you there's none
righteous none all right this is the ungodly man right here
that christ died for in our flesh in our sin and our wretched condition
before god if we get honest with ourselves as we read this if
we go into our our minds and into our hearts and i would encourage
you to do that then we're going to see that this is who we were. This is who he died for. All
right, as we read this, see if this applies to you. Any of this
right here, see if you can say, yeah, that's me. Verse 18, it
says, for the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against
all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who hold the truth in
unrighteousness. They hold God's word falsely.
They preach God's word. They believe God's word wrongly,
sinfully, not looking to entrusting in and glorifying the righteousness
that God has provided and declared in his word. Has that ever been any of us?
Has that ever been you? Has that ever been me? listening
to men rather than God holding the traditions of men rather
than the word of God himself. Verse 19 it says because that
when they because that which may be known of God is manifest
in them for God has showed it unto them For the invisible things
of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being
understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power
in Godhead, so that they are without excuse. God and his authority
over man and his sovereign order over all things, including his
law, this law that he has commanded of man. It has been clearly seen
by man. It has been openly seen. Even inwardly seen by man. This is. Much about God that
he has revealed. There's much about God that he's
revealed in in the open things in the inner things. But there's
much that God has. written on the conscience of
a man's heart so that man is truly without excuse. He knows
right from wrong. Man naturally does know that.
Man knows what he ought to do. He knows thou shalt not kill.
Man knows that. He knows thou shalt not steal.
But this is what has happened to man. Verse 21, it says, Because
that when they knew God, they glorified Him not as God. Neither
were thankful, but became vain in their imaginations, and their
foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise,
they became fools, and changed the glory of the uncorruptible
God into an image made like to corruptible man. and to birds
and four-footed beasts and creeping things. Man did not glorify God
as he deserved to be glorified. Man was not thankful to God for
all of his goodness to man. Man decided that he really didn't
need God after all. That's what man decided. He became
vain in his imaginations. His foolish heart was darkened. And he foolishly thought I'm
just as wise as God is. Therefore, man's view of God
came down. In his mind, in his heart, in
his message, man brought God down. That's what has happened.
And you hear it and you recognize it. You will hear men bring God
down in the messages that they preach. Man has brought God so
far down, not just to man's level, below man's level. And think
about this. This is the truth. Man has brought
God down lower than his own level. He's made himself in his own
mind above God. Somebody's going to hear that
and, and they're going to think, what are you talking about? What
do you mean man has put himself above God? Well, let me ask this
question to illustrate it and think about what is being preached
today. Okay. Here's the question. Is God able
to save man by himself? Is God able to save man by himself? I mean alone. alone, or does
he need for us to help him out? What does the natural mind, this,
this, this fleshly way of thinking, what does the natural mind of
man answer to that? Man says, oh, he needs our help.
That's what man says. Yeah. He needs our help. It's
bringing him down. It's not what the scripture says.
Is God able to save us how he wants to, when he wants to, where
he wants to, or is his saving work dependent on whether or
not we let him? Think about what is being said
today. Think about what is being preached today. What does the
natural mind say? The natural mind says it's in
our hands and now he's trying. Now he wants to, if you'll let
him, that's what the natural man says. If his hands are tied
until I say it's okay, then I'm above him. Think about that. If he can't do anything until
I allow it, I'm above him. Do we see how corrupt man's thoughts
of God and his message concerning God has become? Man naturally
says, this is on you. It's all going to come down to
you. You have the final power. You have the final say. That's
not so. That's not so. That is bringing
God down. Down. Verse 24, it says, Wherefore,
God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lust of their own
hearts to dishonor their own bodies between themselves, who
changed the truth of God into a lie and worshiped and served
the creature more than the creator who is blessed forever. Amen.
We live in a wicked time. We do. I know that there have
been many wicked times throughout the ages, but we live in one
of them right now. Verse 26 it says, For this cause
God gave them up unto vile affections, for even their women did change
the natural use into that which is against nature. And likewise
also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their
lust one toward another, men with men, working that which
is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompense of
their error which was meat. Our Lord is exposing all sin
before him. Man tries to make excuses for
himself. Man tries to sweep it under the
rug. Man tries to say, well, we're all sinners. That's exactly
right. God exposes all sin, sin of every
kind. He does not hide anything, nothing. Verse 28, it says, and even as
they did not like to retain God in their knowledge that describes.
Mankind of today, even as they did not like to retain God in
their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, a mind
void of judgment. To do those things which are
not convenient, not becoming, not fitting things that are not
fit to dwell in his presence. Verse 29, it says being filled
with all unrighteousness. And that means sin and being
filled with fornication. That's, that's union outside
of a covenant. That's what that is coming together
in union outside of a covenant that represents something spiritually
being filled. It says with wickedness and that's
wickedness, evil, maliciousness. covetousness, desiring what you
don't have. Full of envy, that's jealousy. Murder, murder begins with hate
in the heart. Deceit, a deceiver. Malignity, that means just a
bad character, a bad heart. Whisperers, false accusers. He goes on in verse 30 to say
back biters, haters of God, just haters of God, despiteful, just
doing something for spite, proud boasters, inventors of evil things. We don't have enough evil things.
Let's come up with some new ones. Disobedient to parents without
understanding, understanding of the truth, understanding of
Christ. Covenant breakers. You know,
there was a time when when a man could give his word and he was
good for his word. A handshake is all you need it. Without natural
affection. Implacable, that means unforgiving,
unsparing. Unmerciful, it says. Who knowing
the judgment of God that they which commit such things are
worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in
them that do them. We're in bad shape, aren't we?
We're in bad shape. Mankind is in a horrible, horrible
condition before God. What do we need? What is our
only hope? What is the only hope that sinners
in our condition have of being spared the wrath that God must
bring upon sin? We clearly see sin in ourselves. And what is the only hope that
we have of being spared the punishment that must come to ungodly, unrighteous
men? Here it is. We need the gospel
of Jesus Christ. We need the good news of the
Lord Jesus Christ. Paul said right here in verse
15, so as much as in me is, I'm ready to preach the gospel to
you that are at Rome also. I say the same to you, I say
the same to myself. We need the gospel. He said in
verse 16, for I'm not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for
it is the power of God unto salvation. to everyone that believeth, to
the Jew first and also to the Greek. Man is in a horrible condition
before God, a condition that will condemn him for all eternity. But there is a salvation from
this condition. There is a salvation from this
condition right here. There is hope, there is mercy,
there is forgiving, forgiveness. There is one living way. Paul
said, for that reason, I'm going to preach it to you. I'm going
to preach the gospel to you. I'm going to declare the declaration
that saves men's souls. And I'd like to do the same thing
right now. This declaration is the power of God unto salvation. Our God said, you just declared
this and I will quicken whom I will. I'll call out my sheep
to myself. If you want to look with me at
second Timothy chapter one, it says in second Timothy one verse
nine, who had saved us and called us with an holy calling, not
according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace,
which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began. Salvation is something that God
purposed for all of his people before this world ever began. Thank God. Thank God. We were saved in the mind and
the will and the purpose of God before he ever laid the foundation
of this earth. If Christ, the lamb, was slain
for us. If he died for us, the scripture
says he was slain from the foundation of the world. The lamb slain
from the foundation of the world. Our salvation goes all the way
back to the foundation of the world. Acts 15 says known unto
God are all his works from the beginning of the world. Everything
he was going to do every soul he was going to say save was
placed in Christ the Lamb. from the foundation of the world.
Over in Matthew 1 verse 21, it says, she shall bring forth the
son and thou shalt call his name Jesus, for he shall save his
people from their sins. In time, in God's appointed time,
Christ came. to physically fulfill all of
the will and all of the purpose that God his father had purpose
to be done. Everything we ruined. Christ
came to make it right. Everything he came and he physically
gave himself on a cross just outside of Jerusalem. as a sacrifice
to God to physically save us, physically make a payment for
us, to physically redeem, buy back what we had sold ourselves
into. All of his people that had sold
themselves into that horrible condition of sin He physically
saved them by laying all of that horrible Romans 1 sin, that you
and me sin, just wretched, filthy. He laid all of that on Himself. He pressed all of that into Himself
for every soul the Father gave to Him. He took every bit of
it, pressed it into Himself, stood before the judgment throne
of God. God condemned him and punished
him and slayed him for every bit of that. And in that moment,
he delivered his ungodly, unrighteous people. When he cried, it is
finished. God's judgment has been poured
out on me and it is finished. When he cried, it is finished.
It was finished. It was completely finished. His people were saved. They were
saved. Now we come. He said, I want
you to go tell My people, what I have done for them, it is done,
it is finished. And now we come preaching the
cross of the Lord Jesus Christ. We preach Christ and Him crucified. We preach the gospel of the Lord
Jesus Christ for each sinner that God the Father purposed
to save before the world began. And for each sinner that God
the Son physically saved in His death on the cross, for each
one, God said, I'm going to send my spirit to each one. I'm going to send it through
the preaching of the gospel. I'm going to notify that sinner
of what I have finished for them. That notification is going to
create life. I'm going to send faith. Faith
is going to believe. Believe on the sun, cast everything
on the sun, all hope on the sun. And I'm going to draw them back
to myself. I'm going to bring them back. I'm going to reinstate
everything they lost. Everything that they lost, that
final eternal state of glory is coming back to every one of
them. God's people were saved in the purpose of the father
before the foundation of the world. They were saved in the
blood of Christ on the cross of Calvary. They are saved by
the quickening call of the spirit through the preaching of the
gospel. And they all will be saved in that world to come.
One of these days, he's coming back to gather all of his people
to himself. and we'll all be gathered up
with him and we'll all cry, thank God. Thank God for the gospel
of the Lord Jesus Christ. Till next week, may the Lord
bless his word to our hearts. You have been listening to a
message by Gabe Stoniker, pastor of Kingsport Sovereign Grace
Church in Kingsport, Tennessee. If you would like a copy of this
message or to hear other messages of Sovereign Grace, log on to
our website at ksgctn.org. If you would like to come and
worship with us, our service times are Sunday morning Bible
study at 10 o'clock a.m., worship at 1045 a.m., and 6 o'clock p.m.,
Wednesday evening at 730 p.m. Please tune in next week for
another message of God's free and sovereign grace.