But if you wish to follow along,
turn to Romans chapter 11. Romans chapter 11. Now, of course,
as everyone has seen when I preached through the first five books,
the books of Moses, and as I began preaching through Paul's epistle
to the church that was at Rome. I'm not trying to deal and parse
every single phrase and all of that. I don't want this simply
to be some history. I didn't want, I didn't want
my preaching in the old Testament simply to be some long protracted
historical lesson, though history certainly important. Don't get
me wrong on that. And as we begin here, in Romans,
as we begin here, I don't want this to simply be just some spilling
forth of doctrine. I want this to be about what
Paul's message was about in this epistle, the person and work
of the Lord Jesus Christ. and what he does for his people,
to his people, and in his people, and with his people. So, Romans
chapter 11, he's still continuing with this thought of Israel,
their dilemma. In Romans chapter 11, verse one,
I'll just read the first six verses. I say then, Hath God
cast away his people? And he's talking about Israelites,
Jews. Has God cast away his people?
God forbid. Now we know he's talking about
the physical descendants that are called Israel. For he says,
for I also am an Israelite of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe
of Benjamin. So then he goes back to the original
question and answers it again, but then he puts some insight
to it. God hath not cast away his people, which he foreknew. All of Israel nationally were
a part of an elect nation, but not every Israelite was an elect
individual. And this is something that especially
this dispensational premillennialism that's so prevalent in our day
does not seem to understand. They think God has these two
peoples. He has the Israelites and he saved them one way, and
he has the church and he saves it one way, and the church is
made up of Jew and Gentile both, and then one day God's gonna
turn back to the Jews and start working with them again. It's
just not so. There has never been any mercy
from God outside of the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ. But let me go on. God hath not
cast away his people which he foreknew. In other words, every
Israelite was chosen as an Israelite. They were chosen, not chosen
in Christ, but chosen as an Israelite. But not every Israelite was foreknown
in Christ Jesus the Lord. God hath not cast away his people,
which he foreknew, what he not, what the scripture saith of Elias,
or that is Elijah, how he maketh intercession to God against Israel,
saying, Lord, they have killed thy prophets. This is serious
charges. And the charges were true, they
were true. The Lord they have killed thy
prophets and dig down thine altars and I am left alone and they
seek my life. Partly true, partly not. He felt alone. He knew of no
one else yet. And they did seek his life, there
is no question. But in Elijah there's a little
bit of self pity. Oh poor me, I'm the only one. Well let me just say this, we're
not the only ones. God has his people, he's always
had his people, and he always will have his people. Lord, they've
killed thy prophets, dig down thine altars, and I am left alone,
and they seek my life. But what saith the answer of
God unto him? I have reserved to myself. And
let us think about this. The purpose of God is for his
honor and glory. Now we benefit from it, we are
greatly benefited from it, but the purpose of God is ultimately
to bring honor and glory to himself through the person and work of
his son, the Lord Jesus Christ. I have reserved to myself, that's
what matters. Mack, whether we see all these
others out there or not, that's not the point. I thank God when,
and knowing there are some others, but there are more than what
we know. There are people all over this world and when things,
when we begin to get the internet and live streaming, you begin
to find out God has his people scattered all throughout this
earth. It's just amazing. But what saith the answer of
God unto him? I have reserved to myself 7,000 men who have
not bowed the knee to the image of Baal. And then here's an amazing
statement now. Paul was referring back to Elijah's
time, but now look what he says. Even so then, at this present
time also, there is a remnant according to the election of
grace. And if by grace, then it is no
more of works. Now, see, you got a lot of people
out here that want to say they believe in grace, but they deny
the election. You can't separate those two.
It's the election of grace. Apart from the election, there
is no grace. Apart from the election, there
is no love of God. God's love is in Christ Jesus
and in Christ Jesus alone. Everything and everyone outside
of Jesus Christ is under the wrath of God. So he says, even so then, At
this present time, there's also a remnant according to the election
of grace. God's got his elect people in Christ amongst the
Jews. Then he says, if by grace there's no more works, otherwise
grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then it's
no more grace. Otherwise work is no more work. So remember, remember Israel's
dilemma. Last week I mentioned that in
my title. But here's my title for this
morning. Israel's Dilemma Solved by Electing Grace. That's it. That's the only thing to solve
their dilemma, was the election of grace. Had it not been for
the election of grace, not one single Israelite would have been
saved, ever, ever. So remember Israel's dilemma?
They had a zeal, but it was without true God-righteousness knowledge.
They had no submission to Christ. Think of it now. They believed
in the coming of the Christ. but they had not submitted themselves
to Christ. How many do we see in this world
today? They believe in Christ. They've given their heart to
Jesus. They believe that Jesus is the Christ, the son of the
living God. They say these things, but they have not what? Submitted
themselves to the righteousness of God, who is Jesus Christ.
He is. God's actual righteousness, and
to reject him, to not submit to him, is to reject God's actual
righteousness. Gentiles, by nature, are no better. They're no better. They are,
by nature, they seek to favor, they seek the favor, think of
this, they seek the favor of the gods, right? Especially in
Paul's day. Now, it still exists today. Maybe
it's not as widespread today, you know, this outward idolatry.
It still exists. think of it? Here are these Gentiles,
they were seeking the favor of the gods, but how did they all
think it came? By their own action. What they
do determines how the gods would react, correct? Whether they
would find his favor through doing what a particular male
or female god desired, or If they disobeyed, then the ire
or the anger of that God or gods would be upon them. Here's the
thing, all mankind, whether it's Jew or Gentile, whether it's
Israelite or whether it's a Gentile dog, we're all culpable. We're all guilty. We have all
sinned and come short of the glory of God. Now, Let me make
a couple more statements, read a couple passages here, we've
already read one of them, and then I'll give you eight things,
and I'll try to move them fairly quickly, but I don't want to
rush over them. Is being an Israelite a spiritual death sentence? Absolutely
not. Now think of it, Israel as a
nation, even today, Mac, they've been regathered back in the land
over there. but they are no Christ-believing
nation. As a whole, Israel now, as a
nation, as a whole, is not looking for the Messiah to come. Even
if they don't believe Jesus of Nazareth is the Messiah, they're
still not looking for a Messiah. Now, some of the Zealots may
be, some of the Zionists may be, but they're not even looking
for the true Christ. They think that it's all about
them having a kingdom on this earth in Jerusalem. And you remember,
Abraham looked for a city whose builder and maker is God. And it wasn't a physical city,
it was a what? Spiritual, spiritual. So is being an Israelite a death
sentence? Paul says, absolutely not. And
we read it, but let's read it. It's God's word that matters,
not what I say about it. I say then, hath God cast away
his people? And I love the way the Spirit,
he just puts it right out there. He says, absolutely not. God
forbid. I'm also an Israelite, okay?
I am of the seed of Abraham. I am of the tribe of Benjamin. And God saved me. That's what
he's saying. God save me. God hath not cast
away his people, and this is it. This is the qualification
which he foreknew. Of course, we know about that.
We've already went through this. Romans 8, 28, and we know all
things. Work together for good to them
that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate. The ones
he predestinated, those he also called. The ones he called, those
he also justified. Those he justified, those he
also glorified. These are the elect of God. These
are the elect of God. Being an Israelite is not a spiritual
death sentence. But here's another thought. Is
being an idolatrous Gentile a spiritual death sentence? Absolutely not. Look at, we've already looked
at it, but look at Romans 10, go back a couple verses. Verse
19, but I say, did not Israel know? First Moses saith, I will
provoke you to jealousy by them that are no people. And by a
foolish nation will I anger you. But Esaias is very bold and saith,
I was found of them that sought me not. I was made manifest unto
them that asked not after me. Aren't you glad? Aren't you glad? We were strangers and aliens
from the commonwealth of Israel. Didn't Paul actually say that?
He wrote that strangers, but in Christ, were brought together. But were not brought to become
Israelites, were brought to become one new nation. He took of the
two and made the two one new man. Now, here's these eight
things. And there'll be more of statements. I'm not asking
questions here so much, although I may have a question or two
in this. These are statements, things to consider. Never consider
Israelite salvation as improved by or hindered by natural genealogy. A person's genealogy, no matter
how great it might be, does not improve or hinder the salvation
of God. Abraham had many children. and
many were never called Israelites. They were called other, Moabites,
Midianites, right on down the line. He had four children through
Keturah after Sarah had died, remember? So these are the seed
or the offspring or the children of Abraham. But just having Abraham
in your lineage doesn't improve, but neither does it hinder. Remember
a Moabite called Ruth? Ellen down in the midst of idolatry. And God suffers a rebellious
Israelite to sell out all of his property, all of his goods,
and move down to Moab. Why? Why? Because there was one
Moabite woman down there that was the true spiritual seed of
God Almighty in Christ Jesus. God will move mountains. Yea,
God will even use the rebellion of men and women to the ultimate
salvation of His people. That's something you're not going
to hear by most of these people out here preaching today. Again,
let me read it. Hold it. I have reserved to myself
7,000 men that have not bowed to the idolatrous worship of
the Gentile nations. There's a second thing. Never
consider Gentile inclusion in salvation as a spiritual, superior,
Gentile position. Now let me show you what I mean.
Turn to Acts chapter 13. And we begin to read the verses
I'm going to read from Acts chapter 13. I'll begin in verse 44, but
I wanna give a little background. Again, never consider Gentile
inclusion in salvation as a spiritually superior state of Gentile spiritual
perception. Somebody says, well, those old
Jews, they rejected Christ, but the Gentiles received him. Not
by nature, they did not. Lights come into this world and
men, that's all men, men love darkness rather than light. So
look at it. I'll begin in verse 44, but Paul
went into this town and he preached the gospel of Jesus Christ, but
he preached it first to who? The Jews, preached it first to
the Jews. And most of them did not believe
what Paul was preaching. Look at verse 44. And the next
Sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word
of God, not just the Jews now. And when the Jews saw the multitudes,
that's the Gentiles, and when the Jews saw the multitudes,
they were filled with envy. Now isn't that exactly what the
prophet said God was going to do to the Israelites? They were
moved, they were filled with envy and spake against those
things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming.
Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold and said, it was necessary
that the word of God should first have been spoken to you, but
seeing you put it from you and judge yourselves unworthy of
everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles. For so has God
commanded us, saying, I've sent thee to be a light of the Gentiles.
This is a quote from the Old Testament, that thou shouldest
be for salvation under the ends of the earth. And when the Gentiles
heard this, they were glad. glorified the word of the Lord.
So they were better people than these Jews, right? They were
spiritually, more spiritually perceptive than these Jews, right? Not apart from the grace of God,
they were not. Do you see it? Look at what Luke
wrote, I'm sorry. Look what Luke wrote. And when
the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and glorified the word
of the Lord and as many as. So that's not one less. Not one
more. An exact, precise number. And
as many as were ordained to eternal life believed. And that order
can never be reversed. And it be God's salvation. Because
if you believe thinking you're believing will then ordain you
to salvation, you are making it an effort of your own. And
grace comes by what? Grace, by election, by God's
love, not by works or human effort. So never consider Gentile inclusion
in salvation as the Gentile somehow being or having some superior
spiritual perception. We're all under sin. We're all
dead in trespasses and sins. Here's a third thought. Rebels
should rightfully be opposed. Elijah, let me turn back to Romans
11. Elijah was not wrong in declaring
the rebellion of the Israelites. Just because somebody's close
to you and you love them don't mean you don't tell them the
truth. It doesn't mean you don't expose their true error, their
true state. Elijah's problem was pity, self-pity. He didn't pity the people of
God, Israel, as he understood it then. He didn't pity the people
of God. He was having a pity party for
who? For himself. And it was as though all of this
work, God hinges on who? Me. And God says, I have reserved
to myself. Elijah, you didn't have nothing
to do with any of this. It's all up to God. But that
does not mean, as I said, that rebels are not rightfully supposed
to be opposed. Now you know this passage. Turn
to Galatians chapter one. Remember what Paul wrote. Galatians
chapter one. Speaking to the churches of Galatia,
he says in verse six of chapter one, I marvel that you're so
soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ
and to another gospel. And then he quickly adds, which
is not another, but there be some that trouble you and would
pervert the gospel of Christ. Well, but we need to just live
and let live, right? Well, let me tell you something.
You cannot legislate to keep them quiet. That don't work. That's never the way to do it.
Never the way. But look, but though we, or an angel from heaven,
preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached
unto you, let him be accursed. That's strong language. Again, as we said before, so
say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than
that you have received, let him be accursed. You see the rejection of, the
offense toward, The person and work of God's dear son is the
one thing in this world that dishonors God Almighty the most. You could be the most moral person
that walks. You don't bow down and submit
to Christ. You're a rebel in God's sight. You can be a religious
person and be very faithful and zealous and devoted, but if you
reject the Christ of free, sovereign, reigning grace, you are looking
more to yourself for salvation than you are to God. Salvation,
as a matter of fact, comes only by God. Remember what Jonah was
forced to say. I mean, he was forced to say
it. Salvation is of the Lord. So again, rebels rightly should
be opposed. Here's the fourth thought. But
rebellion, oh, I like this. Rebellion, man's rebellion, Jew
or Gentile, doesn't matter. Man's rebellion should never
dictate our perception of God himself. Romans 11 again, look at it,
Romans 11, latter part, what ye not, what the scripture says
of Elias, how he maketh intercession to God against Israel, saying,
Lord, they killed your prophets, they dig down your altars, they
seek my life, all that is true. But that didn't stop God, did
it? Folks, in the time in which we live, And even in this country,
a country that I thank God for, the freedoms that we have, I
thank God for. Not everybody on the face of
this earth has the freedoms. Some people are not allowed to
do what we're doing this morning freely. They have to do so at
the threat of their own lives, Mac, if they gather together.
And yet, this nation and this world, God is just starting to
lift his restraint a little. Every time you turn around, you
find somebody going into some public place and killing people.
You find a young woman, I don't remember the exact age, 17, 18,
or 19. She was pregnant. Her parents
didn't even know. How does that happen? I guess
it does. But something's wrong even with that scenario. The parents don't know. Pictures
of her taking her little newborn baby, wrapping it up in a trash
bag, throwing it over in a dumpster. And some dumpster divers happen
to come along by the providence of God. looking for just whatever
they could find in them two or three dumpsters sitting there.
It's all right there on camera. And here's a little whimpering and
cry to that plastic bag. You think that man's not depraved?
But listen to me, you and I are capable of the same thing. The
only reason we haven't ever stooped that low, as we would say, is
because of God's restraining hand. All's he's got to do is
start lifting a little and we'll pick up a pistol or a rifle or
what or a shotgun or a knife and we'll go somewhere and just
start murdering our fellow human beings for no good reason at
all. You know what's still even sadder
and tougher? That even our righteousnesses
are as filthy rags in God's sight. That's hard to swallow. Because
if you think, but I'm not like that. I don't do those things. Okay, maybe you don't, but you're
still an ungodly sinner in God's sight. We may not be. There are people in this world
that are far better than some other people, but that's not
the point. The point is we got to stand
before a thrice holy God that even the holy angels, angels
who have never sinned, have to cover, they got three sets of
wings, have to cover their faces, Jack, when they're in his presence.
How much more us creatures, like us, that's under the fall and
under the curse. Now, you know this one too. Turn
to Psalm 76. It's just one verse, but I want to read it. Psalm
76. This is my fifth point. Men's
rebellion should never dictate our perception of God himself.
Somebody says, I don't understand a lot of this stuff. You can't.
We are a finite creature trying to understand an infinitely holy
and immense and immutable God. It can't happen. And even the
new man, as we are now, is stifled sometime by the old. We can't
comprehend even the truth of God to its full extent. Look
at it. Psalm 76, this one verse, you've
heard it before. Surely, in other words, there's
no question about this. This is not a debate. We're not
trying to argue this point. Mac, we're not trying to reason
it out. This is a statement of truth. Surely the wrath of man
shall praise thee. Can you see that? Now look at
it. See it? Surely the wrath of man
shall praise thee. The remainder of wrath thou shalt
restrain. Isn't that amazing? But look
at all the evil in the world. Look at all the evils in Israel.
But God is still in absolute sovereign charge. I can't comprehend
it. Don't comprehend it. Believe
him. Trust him. Bow to his son. Reverence him. Serve him. That's what it's all
about. And I'm glad it says the remainder,
the rest of wrath, he will restrain. There is no doubt. Myriads of
things that men would do. But if they're not in God's ordained
sovereign purpose, they will not occur. There are many things
that if God just lifted his restraint, held it off of me for a moment,
I'd become a stark, raving lunatic. But he restrains it. And I'll
tell you this, if he don't restrain it, it's for his sovereign purpose. Because surely the wrath of man
shall praise this. The remainder of wrath thou shalt
restrain. All right, number six. God is
not hamstrung. You know what I'm talking about,
right? God's not hamstrung. God is not hindered by. God is
not held over a barrel by men. God is not limited by man's rebellion. I have reserved to myself 7,000,
7,000. Now when you're alone, If all of a sudden you had back
7,000 around you, it'd be a little comfort, wouldn't you? But I
never read anywhere. Now maybe you correct me if I'm
wrong, Hitter. I don't read anywhere, Elder, where God showed Elijah
that 7,000 people. He just said, I got them. I've
reserved them to myself. Chapter three, look at chapter
three. We've dealt with this before. Chapter three. Verse
one, what advantage then hath the Jew, or what profit is there
of circumcision? Much every way. Chiefly, or that
is mainly, because unto them were committed the oracles of
God. That means the inspired scripture. That's what it's talking
about. Four, let's look at it now. For what if some did not
believe? Shall their unbelief make the
faith of God without effect? In other words, does that hold
God over a barrel? Does that hinder God? Does that
limit God? And Paul cries out, God forbid. Now look at it. I quoted this
to a fellow at work. Now he doesn't work where I'm
at anymore, but anyway, I quoted this to him and his jaw dropped
open. I mean literally, here's what it is. God forbid, yea?
Let God be true. but every man a liar. In other
words, men are liars. Don't try to stop them from lying.
Mackie can't stop them all from lying. We're born liars. We don't become liars when we
lie. We go astray as soon as we're
born. Speaking what? Even before we can articulate
language, we're still speaking. That baby will cry like it's
dying and it's just mad about something. It's a little hungry,
and it screams bloody murder, huh? To the top of its lungs.
Go in another 15 minutes, they gonna kill that child. You get
the anger. If I don't get what I want, I'm
going to lash out. Go forth speaking lies as soon
as we be born. So, let's also look at chapter
nine. What Paul says there, just back
a chapter from chapter 11. Chapter nine, verse six. Not
as though the word of God hath taken none effect, for they are
not all Israel, which are of Israel. How can God's promises
and purpose for Israel be true? Look at all the Israelites that
do not believe. They're not all chosen of God
in Christ. They're not all loved of God
and chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world. Somebody
says, I don't like that. Tough. Tough. If you ever experience the love
of God, it will be through the election of grace, or you'll
experience God's wrath, and nothing else. Nothing else. Isaiah 46,
turn there. And I just get tickled, but I
don't hear it all the time. It's not, I'm not saying this
happens every day to me, but I just get, it kind of amuses
me. Somebody said, well, you quote
that verse all the time, or you say that phrase all the time.
It's like, well, it's God's word. It was true before it was even
given to me and written down, and it'll be true when all of
this is passed in his life. Look at Isaiah 46. Let's begin in verse eight. Remember
this. Show yourselves men. Bring it again to mind, O ye
transgressors." In other words, put your pants on and be what
you're supposed to be. That's a loose paraphrase. Stand
up, be somebody. Listen to what the Lord of Glory
is saying. Remember the former things of
old, for I am God, and there is none else. I am God, and there
is none like me. How are you supposed to explain
something or someone or a being that there's nothing to compare
him to? Sandy, how do you do that? We could illustrate different
things by other things, right? How do you illustrate God when
he says, there is none like me? It's amazing he's told us how
much, or told us as much about himself as he has. We don't deserve
to know it. But look, declaring the end from
the beginning. and from ancient times the things
that are not yet done, saying, my counsel shall stand, and I
will do all my pleasure. When you read something, especially
if it's something about God, and they said God wants or God
wishes, write it off. Don't try to find the good in
it, write it off. God don't wish, God don't want,
God does. And he says, I do all my pleasure,
but look, call it a ravenous bird. Pam, not just good birds,
not just pretty birds, not just decent birds, not just help for
birds, a ravenous bird. Do you see that? Calling a ravenous
bird from the East. And I think this is probably
a reference to one of the rulers in Babylon or wherever it was.
calling a ravenous bird from the east, the man that executeth
my counsel from a far country. Yea, I have spoken it, I will
also bring it to pass. I have purposed it, I will also
do it. Why don't people believe that?
Because they hate God. If God was anything other than
that, they'd love him. But they will not bow. Jack, that's a person you gotta
bow to. That's a person you can't control.
That's a person I can't manipulate. That's a person I can't hide
my feelings and trick them into giving me what I want. This is
a God who knows all things and has determined all things and
is in sovereign, absolute control of all things. But I'm glad he
didn't stop with that rigidness of sovereignty, right? That's
rigid. That's tough. I'm not denying that's not tough.
That is tough, but God is tough. He's severe. Paul calls him severe.
We'll see that later. But look at this, hearken unto
me, ye stout-hearted that are far from righteousness. I bring
near my righteousness. Ain't that good, huh? In other
words, in spite of your being far from righteousness, I bring
my righteousness near. It shall not be far off, and
my salvation shall not tarry, and I will place salvation in
Zion for Israel, my glory. But just remember this, they
are not all Israel, which are of Israel. So, number seven,
moving right along. The only hope for any Israelite
or any Gentile is the election of grace. That's it. There is
no salvation apart from God's election. And people who reject
it are rejecting salvation. It's just that plain and simple.
Somebody says, well, let's read it. Read it again. Romans 11.
Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant
according to the election of grace. And somebody says, I can
hear it now, but Paul's talking about Israelites. He's talking
about Jews. He's talking about Hebrews. Yes, he is. That is
the context. but God chose all of his people
in Christ before the world began. This book is, I'm not even gonna
go back, try to quote another verse from it. Apart from the
election of grace, there is no hope. All right, here's the eighth
point, and this is, I'll just sum it up. God's grace and human
effort are diametrically opposite. They do not, they do not, mix. Men have tried to do it. I know
most of you know probably this story or this illustration rather.
You take oil and water and you can see it in some of the vinegars
you have for dressings and stuff, and it'll separate. You can shake,
shake, shake, shake, and you think, oh, it's mixed up. But
if you look closely, it's still separate. You might have dispersed
some of the molecule, or the various molecules, or they're
up a little, but you just set that thing down on the counter,
let it sit for a while, guess what? It all starts to congeal
back to its own kind, does it not? Grace is absolutely separate
from man's works. Now grace is not absent of works,
but all the works were done by the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace
is not the repudiation of all work, but it's the repudiation
of our work, That's where it's at. Somebody says, you don't
believe in works. Oh, I believe in the best works in the world,
the works of the Son of God himself. That's my only hope. So they're
diametrically opposite. And if by grace, then it is no
more of works. Otherwise, grace ceases. That's
a proper way to put it. Grace ceases to be grace. But
if it be of works, then it is no more grace. Otherwise, work
would cease to be what it really is, work. God's grace or my going
about, hmm? God's grace or my ignorance. And that's what going about,
Paul calls it what? Ignorance, right? For they being
ignorant of God's righteousness and going about to establish
their own righteousness have not submitted themselves unto
the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the
law for righteousness to every one that believeth. So again,
it's God's grace or my going about. God's grace or my ignorance.
God's grace or my disobedience. It's sad, but a man or a woman
with all of this religious error in us, and it's not the false
teaching that's caused us to believe it. That's what we are
by nature down inside. We are a false religion down
inside, and we just love to hear people confirm it to us. That's
why some of these churches are filled. And while we have so
many seats, even in a small place so empty this morning, people
want to think they're doing something of some kind of merit before
God. I'll take 99% of Jesus, but at
least give me 1%. No, God gives us no percentage
of the merit. It's God's grace or my unbelief,
no matter how much I believe. You hear what I said? I said,
it's God's grace or my unbelief, no matter how much I believe.
Because remember, James says there is a faith, but he calls
it dead faith. That's scary. That's scary. God, rule over me in my way. Yeah, I have a will. Somebody
say, you don't believe man has a will. Oh, yes I do. I just
believe it's as corrupt as the man or the woman themselves.
We always will to do and choose and be the wrong thing. It's
always I, I, I, I. Somebody said, but I care about
my family more than me. But do you care about Christ
more than your family? That's an honorable thing to
care more about your family than yourself. But if you care about
your family more than Christ, Christ said you'll perish. You
know what he said? He that hateth not, he uses strong
words. Mother, father, brother, sister. God, God overrule me in my way. God graciously, mercifully, lovingly
force me to bow to Christ, to bow to Christ. Somebody said,
you believe in serving Christ? If I bow to him, I will serve
him. Red is when I try to stand up on my own. That's when I start
to rebel against Christ. When you're on your face before
Jesus Christ, everything will be good, even if your circumstances
are shot full of difficulty. Bowing at the feet of Christ,
and I'm talking about in here, not some physical getting on
the ground. Bowing in here, there is peace, even when everything
else around you is turmoil. Do you understand that? I think
most everyone here does. You've been there long enough.
You do.