Right if you wish to follow along
turn to Galatians chapter 1 Galatians chapter 1 I will not
go back as I have done on a few other occasions and Read over
a few verses that we've dealt with. I just want to read my
text for this morning Galatians chapter 1 verse 13 14, 15, and one phrase, the first phrase
of verse 16. Verse 13, Paul was continuing,
of course, but he wrote these words. For ye have heard of my
conversation, that is, my way of life, in time past in the
Jews' religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church
of God and wasted it, and profited in the Jews' religion. I won't
say nothing else about this now, But I don't know that he's talking
about monetarily, though that certainly may have been true
as well. But he had profited through being
very respected. And profited in the Jews' religion
above many mine equals, we might say those of his own age, that's
probably what he's talking about. In mine own nation being more
exceeding zealous of the traditions of my fathers. But here it is, here's my title,
But When It Pleased God. And he said, but when it pleased
God, think of who he was. More zealous than anybody else
around him of his own age. But when it pleased God, who
separated me from my mother's womb and called me by his grace
to reveal his son in me. Consider the total juxtaposition
of these two extremes. There's two extremes. It's from
Paul, or that is Saul of Tarsus, who is later known as Paul the
Apostle, went from one extreme to the other. He was not just
caught up in his Jewish religion. but he ended up turning around
and believing and preaching the very same person that he despised
so much. He went from a life of family
religion, and that's what he was in. That's what the Jewish
religion was, and sadly, in many cases today, amongst those who
are at least natural Jews, it is their family religion. He went from a life of family
religion, hating, even persecuting and wasting, or you might say
ravaging or sacking, God's dear called out ones. He wasn't merely
against a theory. He wasn't merely against some
talking points. He was against actual people. People. It's not like one denomination
kind of belittling a little bit another denomination. This is
a man caught up in his own family religion and willing to destroy
this other religion. And he ended up being called
into that very religion he once sought to destroy. He excelled
in the family religion to the extreme. I done read it. but when it pleased God. Now
the waster of the called ones is made to be a called out one
himself. God be praised. He wasn't educated
into this. He wasn't taught into this. He
wasn't argued into this, which lets me know all of my attempts
to do those things toward other people, useless. though I have
done it and still find myself trying to do it today. Thinking
that you can debate with someone about the truth of Christ and
somehow the logic of the words will somehow arrest them. This man went from one extreme
to the other. to the other. And I'm up to jump
ahead another message, probably on this same passage. All of
us have experienced this one extreme to another in some way
or another. All of us went from, we didn't
even know it at first, went from hating the very man, the God
man, Jesus Christ of Nazareth, to finding out, I love him. I believe him. Think about it,
God be praised, but when it pleased God. Now even that statement, any person that had a true reasoning
spiritual mind would read that and say, okay, look at the extreme. If it pleased God to call a man
from that extreme to this extreme, then it takes God to do it. It's
not dependent upon the person. He was extreme. But when it pleased
God. You see, I'm gonna give you,
this is gonna be so simple, yet so foreign to profess Christianity
today. You see, when God saves a sinner,
God is the one saving the sinner. That's so simple. But it's so
foreign to most people that even profess to believe in Jesus Christ. We've already heard that. I don't
even really need to go into examples. It's so clear. It's so clear,
yet it is so despised by free will religion. But when it please
God, A man or a woman will go from this extreme to that extreme. And it's all based upon the pleasure
of God. So if God's pleased to save everybody,
guess what? I don't care how bad they are,
everybody would be saved. Clearly, it does not please God
to save everyone. And I'm not gonna argue with
men and women about that, I used to. Believe me, I used to, but
I'm tired of arguing. It's about preaching the truth
of God, and it's not even turning it over, because even our preaching,
you're witnessing, you're preaching. If you proclaim Christ, you're
preaching, male or female. It's not about how we say it,
it's about how God uses it. And he can even use our faulty
language in expressing it. and still decide to bring a person
from one extreme to the other. And I've had the pleasure not
to witness it personally, not in person, but I've had the pleasure
of understanding that God has just taken two people that I
care about, but that someone I really care about really cares
about, and bringing those two people from one extreme to the
other. bringing one who had made a profession
of faith in this very assembly, and I baptized that person. And
40 some, 50, whatever it is, Joe, I don't know the exact time,
didn't count it up, it don't matter. Years and years later,
God brings that person from one extreme, a professor of true
free reigning grace, and reveals to that person you've been blind
all these years. Opens the rise. Another is caught
up in such confusion of mind. And I'm not going into details.
This is not a session to bring the skeletons out of the closet.
I don't want my skeletons out of the closet, and you really
don't either. But here's one of such confusion
of mind. And Joe, this is a metaphor, but all of a sudden God turns
the lights on. God turns the lights on. And then I find myself,
Joe, in the midst of that rejoicing, say, well, I hope that's real.
Can you tell me how corrupt we are? That we may be witnessing
a very act of when it pleased God, and yet we say to ourselves,
well, I hope it's real this time. I scare myself sometimes. Look at chapter one, look at
verse 22. And he's talking about himself
now, Paul. He's continuing. We'll look at
this more, God willing, later. And was unknown by face unto
the churches of Judea which were in Christ. But they had heard
only that he which was persecuted us. Do you see that? Not just
our denomination, not just our church, us. God's called out
ones, the church. Paul confesses that I persecuted
the church, not the Baptist church, not the church at Rome, God's
church. But they had heard only that
he which persecuted us in time past now preaches the faith which
he once destroyed. They hadn't even seen him, all
they'd heard it. And I can imagine most of them
just like me and just like you. You know how people are prone
to exaggerate? They seen this little spark and
all of a sudden, oh, maybe God's doing something for him. God
had done something for him, all right, brought him from one extreme
to the other. But what does it say? And they glorified God in
me. Oh, God help me. No, won't even
go there. Now, Paul, listen, think about
it. Paul, this man Paul, who was
Saul of Tarsus, this waster, this persecutor, Paul now not
only identifies with Jesus of Nazareth, he is now consumed
by a living union with that very Christ. It's not just he changed
his mind and decided, you know, the way I'm on is just not right
and I need to start another direction. Look at how he puts it in, and
you know the past, you know the Philippians chapter three. And
let me just begin for the sake of time in verse four. Though
I might have confidence in the flesh, because he said we have
no confidence in the flesh, we rejoice in a person, Christ Jesus. And though I might have confidence
in the flesh, if any man thinketh that he might trust in the flesh,
I more, circumcise the eighth day of the stock of Israel of
the tribe of Benjamin. and Hebrew of Hebrews, as touching
the law of Pharisee, concerning zeal, persecuting those who claim
to be these called out ones of Jesus Christ. That's what he's
saying, the church, you see it? Touching the righteousness which
is in the law, blameless. But what things were gained to
me, those, you see it, those I counted loss. But what things
were gained to me, those I counted loss for Christ. He didn't just
change denominations, did he? Uh-huh. Yea, doubtless. I've been accused of, well, he
just changed to another denomination. That ain't what happened to me.
And that ain't what happened, well, I can say this this morning,
I got every reason to believe that ain't what happened to anyone
here, but there might be some out there that do. Counted lost for Christ, yea,
doubtless. And I count all things but lost,
all. Nothing else matters, but Jesus
Christ Now Paul let me hold my spot Paul here is not saying
when it comes to your marital relationships, it don't matter
Just let it go to the wind. No, but we're talking about compared
to Christ. They're way down here Christ
is preeminent If every relationship you have in this world, I don't
care what it is, doesn't honor Christ, we're in the wrong. We're in the wrong. Look, they
doubt us and I count all things but lost for the excellency of
the knowledge of Christ Jesus, my Lord, for whom I've suffered
the loss of all things. And he was talking about his
family religion and his zeal. And do count them but dumb. How
many people are willing to say that about their family religion? Can't offend mommy and daddy
now, can we? Can't offend papa and grandpa,
can I? They don't compare to Christ.
Christ said, if a man doesn't hate his mother, father, brother,
sister, not worthy of me. that I may win Christ and be
found in him, not having mine own righteousness, what kind
of the law? But that which is through the
faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith, that
I may know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship
of his sufferings being made conformable unto his death if
by any means, now that's any means in Christ, Not these other
means he had with his family religion. He's not changing the
story now. That if by any means I might
attain unto the resurrection of the dead, not as though I'd
already attained, either were already complete or perfect,
but I follow after, if that I may lay hold of, that I may apprehend
that for which also I am arrested, laid hold of, apprehended of
Jesus Christ. You know what happened on the
road to Damascus? Paul wasn't just blinded. He was arrested
by Jesus Christ. And this ain't like we see in
the movies, or it's not like we see in our society today,
where a man is, you're under arrest, throw your hands up,
get out on your face, put your hands behind your back. And then
they struggle and fight. No, sir, what he says, you're
arrested. Bless God, you're arrested. You will go from one extreme
to the other. Consider these words just from
our text. I will not go into a lot of scriptures, just gonna
make some statements. It's basically four statements, and then the
fifth is a summary, and then I'll close. Number one, salvation
is not a decision by men. It is an act of God's pleasure.
You hear me? Salvation is not a decision by
men, it is an act of God's pleasure, but when it pleased God. You see, nobody can really ever
confess this until it happens to them. But when it happens
to them, they cannot but confess this. Salvation is not a decision by
men, it is an act of God's pleasure. And let me just say this, this
act of God's pleasure began in God's mind and purpose before
the world began. But this wording lets me know,
I know I'm very capable of stating this wrongly, so I'm trying to
be careful, but I wasn't gonna take days and days trying to
figure out exactly how it's supposed to be said, because I still don't
know for sure. But this act of God's pleasure
was in the mind and purpose of God before the world began. But
the word he does, but when it pleased God. That's a statement
of time, of something that happened to him in time. Think of it,
here's the God, the eternal God who, Joe, he never has a new
pleasure. Bless God all of his old pleasure,
if I could, again, I could say this wrong, all of his old pleasure,
he's ordained for it to be manifested in time. But when it pleased
God. Secondly, salvation cannot be
confined to a date or a time in a man's public confession
of Christ. There is a date and a time, although
you don't have to remember the date and the time. Bless God,
I hope we always remember the experience of it, but it's not
based upon our experience either. It's but when it pleased God.
Salvation cannot be confined to a date or a time in a man
or a woman's public confession of Christ, but it is an act ordained
by God even when in the womb. Somebody says, prove it to me,
preacher. No, I'm just proclaiming it. I'm tired of trying to prove
it to people. I used to try to prove it to
people. And you'd argue, go from this
passage to that passage. You'd have this point, and they'd
have another point against your point. And all you did was argue
back and forth. Ever been there? God didn't,
what was it? Art Neuenschwander said, splantify,
it ain't about splantify. It's about proclaiming. Preach
it, testify to it, witness to it, and when it pleases God,
something will happen. Something will happen. This thing God ordained, now
look, remember, it's eternal with God, but even when you have
an individual in their mommy's womb, And again, I can say this
wrongly, so don't, this is my thoughts about this matter. I'm
not saying this is dogma. I can just, I picture him like
I said, I got you. He's right here. He's right here
in that belly. I separated you even then. He comes out of the womb and
he's tribe of Benjamin. And I just take it, Joe, I don't
know all of this, but I just take it his parish probably gave
him over to the Pharisaical order. Here, make him a great Jew. Make him a great man of God. Number three, salvation is an
act of God calling the individual by grace. It's not God offering
grace to anyone, it's an act of God in grace. God calls. When I was in my family religion
years ago, calling was always relegated to service. A place
in the church. Pastor, deacon, piano player,
Sunday school teacher, pew filler, whatever it was. That's a calling. No, calling is when somebody
preaches the gospel and God Almighty says, all right, now you're gonna
believe that. Now you're gonna bow down to that man, Jesus of
Nazareth. And it is, in the Greek, called out. Not just summoned,
but summoned out. When God calls in this way, in
this way. I know, Proverbs says, God said,
I called you refused. Those people are in trouble.
These people will say, well, I refused, I refused. Well, you're
in trouble, because God said, I will laugh when your day of
calamity comes. I'll mock when you perish. Somebody
says, that ain't God. No, it's not your idea, God,
but it is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. It's when God
calls, he calls out, and it is from one extreme to the other. Now, that's not my title, Paul,
my title, but would it please God? But that may be my next
title, from one extreme to another. And you know what I may do? I
may just preach this message over again next time. No, that's
probably not what happens. See, preachers lie even behind
the podium. That was for effect. It's what
Earl used to call artistic license. Number four, salvation. Listen, oh, God help us. Because
as I said this, and the recent events just brought, I'd already
had this in my mind, and some of the notes made, but all of
a sudden, but when it pleased God happened. We miss it, don't we? We've got
people we love and care for, we'd like to see it, but wouldn't
it please God happen to them? It will, if He separated them
from their mother. We might not see it, but it ain't
for our pleasure, it's all according to whose pleasure? God's pleasure. Salvation, listen to me, salvation
is not coming to know about Christ. Salvation is Christ invading
the called one within their very own person. And I want to read
that again. Let's read the whole thing. For
ye heard of my way of life in time past in the Jews' religion,
how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God and wasted
it, and profited in the Jews' religion, above many my equals
in my own nation being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of
my fathers, but when it pleased God. who separated me from my
mother's womb and called me by his grace to do what? To reveal his son to me. Is that
what he said? No. It is to reveal his son in
me. Millions have had Christ revealed
to them and accepted him. Even as he is revealed in this
book. but he's never been revealed
in them. And therein is the danger, the
scary thing. It makes me wonder, Lord, is
it I? You remember the disciples all sitting around, one of you
shall betray me. And they all said, is it I? I
don't even know if no if no if Judah suspected it yet Even because
it says after Satan then entered into him and that what the book
says oh God keep me Now I'm not gonna try to explain
this so that all of our doctrines is all in a neat little row Judas
Iscariot was an apostle of preached the gospel, performed miracles,
cast out devils, and was one himself to the end. As Penny
and I have often talked, that scares me. That scares me. Here's my summary. This is number
five. Then we'll conclude. Sadly, this is not only foreign
to today's professed Christianity. In most places, it's absolutely
unknown. I mean, they really don't even
care about, do you need to know you're a sinner? It's just, well,
I know I'm not the best I should be. I know I'm not near as bad
as most folk, but I need to straighten up, live a little better, need
to believe in God and believe in Jesus and join the church.
Isn't that what most people in Christianity, they just decided
to start being better, believe in Jesus. But then you have others,
they hear preaching. They hear preaching about Jesus,
but it's not the truth. And sadly, they may fully commit
to Him all their life, but if you don't know the Christ of
God, you're a goner. You're a goner. Sadly, this is
not only for today's professed Christianity, it's unknown. It's
not being experienced. And I'm not complaining against
God. It's not being experienced. People's eyes are not being opened.
They're not being given new hearts. They're not being given ears
to hear. But when God does do that, guess what happens? From
one extreme to the other. Christ rocks your boat. He kicks you out of your boat
and casts you into the sea of absolute corruption and absolute
helplessness. And then he gets a hold of you Now listen, pulls you to himself,
enters into you, and reveals that to you. You see, if all
I know is that he's revealed himself to me, and he hadn't
revealed himself in me, I am still deceived, even as I stand
here this morning and preach to you. And I can't settle that
question for myself, let alone help you with that question.
All's I can do is by God's grace do what? Believe God. I don't
even want to look back on that experience, because Joe, that
experience, even if it seems so real, if it's still not a
reality in my life today, I don't know Christ. Think about this, not only that,
in many places this is flat out denied. Even ridiculed and malked
by some folks. Bless God when God moved this
man to right, but when it pleased God, that's enough truth. I won't call it gospel, but that's
enough truth to make any person, if they have a spiritual mind,
say, whoa, wait a minute. I need to reconsider everything
about what I think. Now let me wind it up. When I
was in my family religion, we acknowledged these words were
in the Bible. We didn't ever, I don't ever remember anybody
flat out denying them. But Paul wasn't inspired when
he wrote that, that's just his personal experience. You know
what I'm saying? Just trying to give an example. We never,
when I was in my family religion, we never, we acknowledged these
words. But we were always clearly informed
that Paul was a special case. Because you can't hardly deny
the words unless you just want to deny the word itself. And
we said, we were always told, informed, now listen, now don't
take this too far. Paul was a special case. Also,
there was a grace for some folk and a better grace for other
folk. Paul, God Almighty would take this rebel who was hurting
his own people and we pleased him to save him, but yet he did
all he could do and left it up to me. If that's the kind of religion
you want, then take it. Swallow it up and go with it But when it please God suits
me well It suits me well And I just asked
you I'm not asking you to give me the answer you have to deal
with this before God. What about you? Does it suit
you? Well Heavenly Father We thank
you for this time together. We thank you for your word We
thank you for your spirit Lord It opens our blind eyes and our
deaf ears and our cold, stony heart. Does a work of grace in
us and sends us the gospel and bless God by your grace we believe
it. Lord, we thank you for the food we're about to partake of.
Give us fellowship in the gospel and with one another in Christ's
name, amen.