This morning I want to set before
you six stubborn statements, six statements that must be dealt
with from God's word, six stubborn statements that cannot be ignored
and must be faced if you would know the God of the Bible and
how he saves people. And with each statement, I want
to give at least two verses of scripture which declare the answer. But first, let me give you a
key to understanding the truth, understanding the scripture.
When there appear to be two sides to an issue, it seems like there
are two opposing views. There are never two opposing
views in the scriptures. The problem is with our understanding. But if there appears to be two
opposing views, or there are two sides of an issue, the way
that you may know which view is at least closest to the truth,
which view is closest to what God's word says about it, which
one? Here's the answer. Here's the
key. Which one? Examine both sides and which
one gives God all the glory? Not part of it or some of it,
but all of the glory. You can count on it from the
word, whichever gives God all the glory is closest to the truth. For he said, I will not share
my glory with another. not with man. All right, here
are six stubborn statements. The first one, God Almighty is
sovereign or He isn't. God reigns and rules and controls
all things, all human beings, animals, elements, principalities
and powers, that is, either good or evil spirit, or He doesn't. God is sovereign or He isn't. If He isn't now, that means there
is something out of His control. There are some things He cannot
do anything about. Some persons He has no control
over. Alright? God is sovereign or
He isn't. What saith the Scripture? That's
the answer. What does the Scripture say?
Well, in Daniel chapter 4, Verse 35, it reads this way, "'All
the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing, and he
doeth according to his will in the army of heaven and among
the inhabitants of the earth, and none can stay his hand or
say unto him, What doest thou?' He said, He doeth according to
his will in heaven and earth. Isaiah 46, verses 9 and 10 reads
this way. I am God, and there is none else. I am God, and there is none like
me, declaring the end from the beginning, from ancient times
the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand,
and I will do all my pleasure." Over and over and over, the Scriptures
declare by God reigneth. That means he is absolute ruler
and controller over all persons and things and circumstances
and events. Now, if the God you believe in
tries and fails, or he has done all he can do and now it is up
to you, or his plans are spoiled by men and devils He's not God
at all. You're worshiping an idol. Well,
someone may argue, I don't understand this or that in light of God's
sovereignty. If God is sovereign, then why
this? Why that? Sure we don't understand. If
we could understand God, He wouldn't be God. He'd be like us. He'd be like a man. Alright,
here's the second one. The second stubborn statement.
Man is spiritually dead by nature. or he's not. Man is either spiritually
dead by nature or he's not. What happened in the Garden of
Eden? Did our parents, Adam and Eve, did they die or did they
just get sick? Did they lose everything or did
they retain something? What saith the Scripture? What
does the Scripture say? In Genesis 2, where that story
is, Genesis 2, verse 17, God said this, "'In the day that
thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die.'" God, speaking of
that tree that He planted in the garden, He expressly told
that man and woman, "'In the day that thou eatest thereof,
thou shalt surely die.'" Now, Adam and Eve disobeyed and partook,
didn't they? Well, did they die? Well, Adam
lived 930 years altogether on this earth. But let me tell you
now from the Scriptures, that day, that very day, he and he
who represent all of humanity, when they sinned, they died spiritually. They lost the life of God. That's death. God is life. They lost the life of God. Which
is? The life of God is holiness,
truth, righteousness, love. Adam began to despise his wife. Sin had filled him. Light is
the life of God. Understanding. Adam thought he
could hide from God. His understanding was gone. Goodness. Listen to these scriptures. 1
Corinthians 15, 22 says, And Adam all died. Romans 5.12 says, By one man
sin entered into the world, and death by sin. And so death passed
upon all men, for all have sinned. What does that mean then? If
man is dead, what does that mean? Well, if man is dead, that means
only God can give him life, doesn't it? That's exactly what Jesus
Christ said when he came. He said, I am come that they
might have life. And just like he called Lazarus
from the tomb who was dead, Lazarus couldn't do anything. He was
dead. Christ had to come for him. Christ had to choose him
over the rest of the dead people and call him forth from the grave.
Ephesians 2 verse 1 says of some people, Ephesians 2 verse 1 says
to some people, you hath he quickened or made alive who were dead in
trespasses and sins. That brings me to my next stubborn
statement. God elected or chose who he would
save or he didn't. Now, God either chose who would
be saved or he didn't. They chose him. Which is it? Now, if the second statement
is true, that man is dead, a dead man can't vote, can he? Do dead people vote? No. Why, a dead man can't do anything,
can he? No, he can't. I want you to listen to the Scripture.
What sayeth the Scripture? Romans 9, verse 11 through 13,
concerning this thing of God's electing grace. Romans 9, verse
11, says, "...the children being not yet born, neither having
done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election
might stand." It's not of works. But of him that calleth, it was
said unto her, that is, Rebekah, the elder shall serve the younger,
as it is written in Malachi 1, 2, and 3, Jacob have I loved,
but Esau have I hated." That does not mean love less. God's
love is perfect. He can't love anybody less than
another. Oh, no. Hate means hate. Love means love.
And God said He loved Jacob and hated Esau, that He chose the
one. and pass by the other one. Now, before someone argues that
that's not fair, remember, there's none good, no, not one. Scripture
says there's none righteous. Scripture says all flesh is vanity
to God. No human being is worth saving.
God doesn't need anybody. Well, but God in mercy chose
to save some, yea, many. many. If he had only chosen one,
that would have glorified his mercy, but he chose many. Who chose who? According to the
Scriptures, who did the choosing? Ephesians 1 verse 4 says, According
as he hath chosen us, or that is, believers, he hath chosen
us. Well, when did he choose these
people? After they believed? No, sir. Scripture says he chose us in
Christ before the foundation of the world. Before the world
began, He made this choice. And here is another question.
Why? Why did He choose us? Because there is some good in
us? No, there is nothing good. But the Scripture says He chose
us to the praise of the glory of His grace, according to the
good pleasure of His will. Just because He decided to, that's
why. If anyone chooses Him, and all God's people do make a choice,
choose you this day whom you may serve, the Scripture says. Well, if anybody chooses Him,
it is because He first chose them. It is because He made them
willing. But here is the next statement.
The Lord Jesus Christ died for His elect, only His elect, and
everyone He died for shall be saved. His blood put away their
sin, or it didn't. Either Christ's blood put away
sin, or it didn't. People love to sing the song,
Jesus paid it all, all the debt I owe. Well, did He? Or didn't
they? Well, if he did, if Christ died
for every single human being like most people say, if he paid
for the sins of all people, he died for everybody like most
preachers say, why is there a hell? Jesus Christ paid for men's sins,
why are they paying for them? Why are they being punished for
what he was punished for? Well, someone will say, well,
they didn't accept him. Well, not only is that not in
the Bible anywhere except Jesus, but let me tell you this. When
Jesus Christ paid the penalty, if He paid the penalty for your
sins, they cannot go to hell for them. The law was satisfied,
justice was carried out, and it demands that we go free. No
jail on earth is taking in boarders. If a man's crime has been paid
for, if the sentence has been carried out, no jail will keep
him on as a boarder. He's got to go free. But what
saith the Scripture? Listen to this in Matthew 20,
verse 28. It says, The Son of Man came
to give His life a ransom for many. Yes, many. John, not all, but many. John
10, verse 15, he says, I laid down my life for these sheep.
Not goats, the sheep. Hebrews 9, 12 says, By His own
blood He entered into once into the holy place, having obtained
eternal redemption. Now, whoever Jesus Christ did
that for, whoever Christ died for, their sins are gone. And
because God said the blood makes atonement, whoever the blood
was shed for, they are atoned for. God said, when I see the
blood, I will pass over you. Well, whoever has blood on them,
God passes over them. They are justified. Faith is
not what makes the blood effectual. The blood is what makes faith. Faith is the effect, not the
cause. Here is the next statement. The Holy Spirit gives new life.
He sovereignly gives new life, or He doesn't. The Spirit all-powerfully
lays hold on a dead sinner and gives him a new heart, new eyes,
new ears, repentance, faith, or He doesn't. A man can stop
him from it. Now, remember, which gives God
all the glory? Listen to this scripture. Psalm
110 verse 3, Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy
power. When will man be willing? When
the Spirit makes him willing. Philippians 2 verse 13, It is
God which worketh in us both to will and to do of His good
pleasure. It is God the Holy Spirit that
does that. That is what the Scripture says. Now here is the last statement. Everyone whom God chose, Christ
died for, And the Spirit gives life to, will be eternally saved. They will persevere in the faith.
They cannot fall away. You say, I don't believe that.
Once in grace, always in grace. Let me tell you something. It
depends on who does the saving, whether or not you are saved.
In 1 Peter 1, I mean, verse 5 says that we are kept by the power
of God through faith. unto salvation." That faith is
not of yourself. Ephesians 2 says it is the gift
of God. We are kept by the power of God
through faith unto salvation, ready to be revealed in the last
time. That is what he is going to say
about his people. Here they are. I have kept them all. Not one
of them is lost. Those are six stubborn statements
that demand our attention. Until next Sunday, good day.