All right, if you want to follow
along turn to Ephesians chapter 1 Last week I read the first six
verses I want to read chapter 1 verses 7 through 14 this morning
In whom that's in the beloved In whom we have redemption through
his blood the forgiveness of sins according to the riches
of his grace, wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom
and prudence, having made known unto us the mystery of his will,
according to the good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself. that in the dispensation of the
fullness of times he might gather together in one all things in
Christ both which are in heaven and which are on earth even in
him. in whom also we have obtained
an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him
who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will,
that we should be to the praise of his glory who first trusted
in Christ. in whom also ye also trusted,
after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your
salvation, in whom also, after that ye believed, ye were sealed
with that Holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance,
until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of
his glory. We have seen that there is order. There is arrangement. Or I might
say that there is structure to God's eternal purpose in the
salvation of a people. This order is like a chain, so
linked together in all of its various parts that it forms an
unbroken, but I must add, an unbreakable, unified whole. In other words, you cannot pick
and choose what parts you want and what parts you don't want.
You cannot. You cannot. Now men may do it
with their mouths, but they cannot change God's order. You cannot
pick and choose what you want, and you cannot change the order
or the arrangement or the structure of God's eternal purpose. I want
to give you four things this morning, and four things actually
two of which have to do with my title. My title is The Church's
Organization Gospel Conversion. Now last week we looked at Paul
speaking of, he's an apostle by the will of God. He's writing
to saints, the faithful in Christ. How did they get there? And then
Paul begins to ascend up into glory. But now, Paul, without
forgetting and constantly reminding us of that throne in glory, Paul
now comes back down in verse seven. in whom we have redemption
through his blood. Now we know this is according
to the eternal purpose of God, but Christ did not shed blood
before the foundation of the world. He was as a lamb slain
from the foundation of the world. Redemption took place in time. In time. But there is order here. Now remember, Paul begins in
the first six verses and he actually takes the order backwards and
it takes us, ascends back up into glory. But now he has come
back down. First of all, the highly favored,
remember accepted and the beloved. The highly favored, the predestinated,
the chosen people have I say they have redemption by Christ's
blood. Redemption, when it comes to
Christ's blood work on the cross, redemption is done. God is not
redeeming a people. He has redeemed a people. According to The Hebrew epistle,
that Jesus Christ hath obtained eternal redemption for us. It's eternal because God purposed
it before the world began. But it actually took place in
time. But notice the forgiveness of
sins. Not even, and especially not
and. Do you see it? Every word is
important. In whom we have redemption through
his blood, the forgiveness of sins. Not and. It's not two separate things
he's talking about here. This is one equal thing that
he's talking about here. What has been wrought by blood,
redemption. What's the effect of that? Forgiveness
of sins. And this is according to the
riches, the riches of His grace. So again I say, those highly
favored, those predestinated, and that's the proper order,
those chosen, have redemption by Christ's blood, the forgiveness
of sins according to the riches of His grace. In other words,
the legal barrier to predestination's goal And the legal barrier to
election's goal, the legal barrier to these goals has been crushed
by Christ. Sins have been dealt with. Now what do I mean by that? I
said the legal barrier to predestination's goal. What is predestination's
goal here in the text? Having predestinated us, what,
unto heaven? unto eternal glory? No. That is true. But that's not
what Paul says. Having predestinated us unto
the adoption of sons by Jesus Christ to himself according to
the good pleasure of his will. But how could that be done toward
such a people as us? Right? Now in chapter two, he
begins to deal with the foundation of that problem. Dead in trespasses
and in sins. But thank God, grace always begins
with God and not with us. He begins with redemption through
his blood, the forgiveness of sins according to the riches
of his grace. What is election's goal? Election's
goal is that we should be holy and without blame before God
Almighty in love. But our sins were a barrier to
those things. They were a barrier to those
things. They stood in opposition to those things. Predestination's
goal is adoption, but what is adoption? He doesn't deal with
it here, but in Galatians chapter three and four, he does. Adoption
is what? Where we cry. Where we cry, Abba,
Father. That's what adoption is. Where
we cry. The spirit of adoption has been
sent into our hearts. Now when does that take place? When does that take place? After
that ye believed. That's what it says. That's what it says. This is
the order. So first of all, I say the highly favored, the predestinated,
the chosen people were not just predestinated and chosen just
to go to heaven. They had to be redeemed first.
They must have forgiveness of sins. This is an accomplished
fact. sin has been dealt with. But here's number two. This eternal
purpose breaks forth from God into time in conscientious revelation
to the redeemed, forgiven people. Now let's read it again. In whom
we have redemption through his blood. That's Christ, of course.
the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace, wherein,
that is in this very grace of forgiveness of sins and redemption
by blood, take it, wherein, it's in that, wherein he has abounded
toward us in all wisdom and prudence. This is not simply God being
wise and prudent, but God abounding toward us in all wisdom and prudence. Having made known, see the order? You see the order? Having made
known unto us the mystery of His will. Now how many people
has He made it known to who don't know it? Think about this. Now that may
seem simple enough, yet we have some people out there that believe
there are those who are predestinated, chosen, redeemed, maybe even
regenerated, but never ever know about it. And they just wind
up in heaven. That is not the order Paul establishes,
being inspired by the Spirit of God to write. This redemption, which brings
forgiveness or brought forgiveness of sins, which is based upon
the election of God the Father, the predestination of God the
Father, all of this is going to what? Be made known. As a matter of fact, Paul is
writing to people to whom it's already been made known. Again, in whom we have redemption,
wherein, wherein. Never forget that, having made. Do you see that? Having made
known unto us the mystery of his will. Why? According to the
good pleasure which he purposed in himself. Why is it that way?
Because God wanted it that way. That's why. That's why. So the eternal purpose, as I
said, breaks forth from God into time in a conscientious revelation. What Paul is talking about here
does not happen in the subconsciousness. Regeneration takes place in the
subconsciousness, but conversion takes place in the consciousness
of a person. They are conscientious in it,
and to it, and because of it. I probably said that in the wrong
order, but nevertheless, that's the truth. This eternal purpose
breaks forth from God into time in conscientious revelation to
the redeemed, forgiven people with final in-gathering as its
overall goal. Verse 10. This is all done because
in order for, you might say that, in the dispensation of the fullness
of times, he might gather together in one all things in Christ.
Now, that does not mean all things will be gathered into Christ,
but everything that is in Christ will be gathered in. That's what
he's saying. that in the dispensation of the
fullness of times he might gather together in one all things in
Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth, even
in him. in whom we have obtained an inheritance
being predestinated now here's the word again remember now he's
come back down but Joe he'll never gonna let us forget go
all the way back to the throne as the source of all these things
having or being same thing being predestinated according to the
purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his
own will Now, now Paul details this conscientious revelation. You see it? There's order here.
Now Paul details this conscientious revelation. He says that we should
be to the praise of his glory who first trusted in Christ. Who's the first person that trusted
in Christ? God the Father did. God, all
of this is in Him. The election's in Him. The predestination
is by Jesus Christ to Himself. Redemption is by Him. He's the
one that brought forgiveness of sins. It is the riches of
His grace. It's all in Him. Everything's
gonna be finally gathered together. That's in Him, is it not? that we should be to the praise
of His glory, God's glory, and God first trusted in Christ.
Now here it is, in whom ye also trusted. Now trusted is not bad
there. Actually good, it's meant there. In whom ye also, after
that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation,
in whom also, after that ye believed, you were sealed with the Holy
Spirit of promise. See the order? See the order,
which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased
possession. Now here redemption is spoken
of the whole thing, the whole man, the whole person. Not just
in light of forgiveness of sins, but here of the whole individual.
which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased
possession. And then he must quickly run
back to the throne unto the praise of his glory. So there we have
it, Paul detailing this conscientious revelation. So here's number
three, gospel conversion. Somebody says it doesn't mention
gospel conversion. That's what it is. If you've ever experienced
it and you read that, you know that's when God Almighty converted
me. Gospel conversion is no less
a part of God's eternal purpose than any other part. Now the reason I emphasize that
is because there are those who accuse us of not teaching that
because we teach election and predestination. And there are
those who teach election and predestination who do that. You have error on both ends of
the pole. Those who accuse us of not including
it, or saying it doesn't matter, and others who actually preach
it really overall don't matter if you're one of the elect. Some
may be converted by the gospel, others may not be, or at least
if they are, it's in their subconsciousness. It's never a conscientious revelation. Well, that's not the way the
Apostle Paul puts it here. Yeah, I must add. It's not just
no less a part of God's eternal purpose. It is just as much an
integral part of God's eternal purpose as the rest of it is. In other words, Let me put it
this way. None are predestinated. None are chosen. None are redeemed. None have forgiveness of sins
who are not in time converted by the gospel. Because predestination,
election, and redemption have the very idea of gospel conversion
in mind. They are not the end in themselves. They are He chose us unto. Do you see it? Look at it. Look
at it. Look at it. Look at redemption's goal. In
whom we have redemption through His blood, we see one thing,
the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace, wherein
He hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence, having
made known. Do you see that? It's not just
His made known here. It's made known here. God abounded toward not the book,
but us in all wisdom and prudence. Redemption's goal is that we
might see the Redeemer, that we might honor the very one who
redeemed us, that we might trust Him. That we should believe Him. That's the whole goal. What is
election's goal? Love for God in Christ. You see
it? Verse 3, or verse 4, I'm sorry. According as He has chosen us
in Him before the foundation of the world. And many want to
stop right there. But it says that we should be.
You see it? We're chosen for a reason. Choosing itself is not the end
goal. Choosing was for an end goal. And the end goal here is that
we should be holy and without blame before Him. Now, who does
the holiness apply to? Us. Who does the without blemish
apply to? Us. And it's before Him. So who
does the in love apply to? Us. God's people will be brought
to love Him. That's the election's goal. Even as Paul said, you're beloved
of the Lord, he told the Thessalonians, wasn't it? And why? Because God
has, from the beginning, chosen you to salvation through sanctification
of the spirit, which is what Job preached on this morning.
And what else? Belief of the truth. And what
else? Where unto he called you by our
gospel to the obtaining of the glory of Jesus Christ. Predestination's goal is what?
Having predestinated us unto the adoption of sons. And remember,
adoption is this. Paul said you're all in Galatians
3.26, you're all the sons of God. That's the proper translation
of that word there in Galatians 3.26. You're all the sons of
God by what? How does the adoption come to
pass? We're the children of God by
election. We're born of the Father by the Spirit of God. But how
are we adopted? How are we placed as sons? By
His Spirit coming into us whereby we cry. We cry conscientiously,
knowingly, willingly, lovingly, Abba, Father. And Christ made
it quite clear, you do not know God as your father unless you
know him through the son. You can't have a father without
a son. Can you? Not in that respect. Now you may have a father with
a daughter, but in that respect, Mason, you don't have a father
unless you've got a son. And you don't approach the father
apart from the son. No man knows God as Abba, Father,
apart from knowing the Son. That's number three. Now here's number four. In gospel conversion, there is
this order. We'll see you later, Mac. Take
care. In this gospel conversion, there is order. You cannot mix
this order up. You cannot match this order as
you please. Take what you want. Leave out
what you want. It's all established and ordained
by God. And how does he put it? In whom,
and notice that. This is not, we don't just believe
the system. We don't just believe the order.
We don't just believe the arrangement or the structure. We believe
him who is center and substance of all this order and structure
and arrangement. In whom ye also trusted. We trust a person, not a system. But there is a system there there
is struck, but we don't just trust the structure we trust
the person a Lot of people believe in the doctrines Sadly I don't
think they trust the Sun In Gospel conversion there is
this order no one can mix or match as they please why in whom
he also trusted How after that? And not until. Not until. In whom you also trusted after
that. Well, I trusted before. No, you
didn't. No, you didn't. Because that's
not the way God ordained it. Therefore, it never takes place
that way. You trust only after. In whom ye also trusted, after
that ye heard the word of truth, the good news, the gospel of
your salvation. In whom also, after that ye believed,
ye were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise. And that is
your guarantee. You're earnest. The earnest of
our inheritance. Our, not just His inheritance
in us, but our inheritance. Which is the earnest of our,
well as long as I'm God's inheritance, it don't matter to me. Then you're
playing games with God. God wants us to know our inheritance. You see it? That's the way he's
ordained it. That's a part of it. Which is
the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased
possession. Joe, once I'm actually there,
and finally there, it'll all be over with and settled. Mona,
won't be no wonderin', I wonder if I really am one. Well, you'll
know if you really are one. But even now we're given what?
An earnest. An earnest until the redemption
of the purchased possession. What? Unto the praise of His
glory. The order given here. The order given here, I'll give
this and then I'll do some splantifying as I think it was Art Newman
Wanderer used to say. The order here is gospel preaching,
gospel hearing, Christ trusting, and spirit sealing. And that's the order. First of
all, It is, what is it that we heard? Now somebody said don't
say gospel preaching. You don't hear something that ain't preached.
That ain't at least proclaimed in some way or another. Now whether
it's verbally, whether it's through written, written down somewhere,
whether you're reading this Bible and reading a message preached
by someone 2,000 years ago and the Spirit of God has recorded
it down. But some way or another, God Almighty's gonna call you
to hear that gospel. And you will not trust Christ
until after you've heard that gospel But that's the whole point
what I just said Paul. Why didn't he just say? In whom
he also trusted after that you heard the gospel of your salvation
Wouldn't have been just as true Certainly it would, but the Spirit
of God calls us, Paul, to make sure that there is no doubt here
as to what Paul's talking about, in whom you also trusted after
that you heard the word of truth. Now let me explain what that
is, the gospel of your salvation. You see that? The word of truth.
The good news of your salvation. Now some ask the question, you
read some of the commentaries, maybe many of the commentaries,
I don't have them all so I can't say all, but I know many of them
I have, you read the commentaries, their question is, well it's
the good news of your salvation. Is it the fact that God had saved
us? Or is it the fact that God is
saving us? Or is it the fact that God shall
save us? My answer is yes. My answer is yes, because that's
the preponderant testimony of the good news of our salvation.
God did save us, God is saving us, and God shall still yet save
us. If God hadn't saved you from
the beginning, you ain't gonna be saved in time. But if God
saved you from the beginning, you will be saved in time. And
if God saved you in time, it means he saved you in the beginning,
and in the end, it will finally come to pass. It's all a unified
whole. Some people don't go partway
through it and then don't make it. Some people don't not experience
any part of it, but yet get to the end part. It all is true,
and it all takes place in its proper perspective. It is the
word of truth. You see, the word of truth that
God has saved a people, God is saving a people, and God shall
save a people, but who is it? Here's the point we often miss. and whom you also trusted, after
that you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation."
Who's the your he's speaking to? You can go all the way back,
the ones that God was pleased to bring praise and honor and
glory to his grace through. The ones that God predestinated,
the ones that God chose, the ones that God's blessed, that's
the ones that the gospel is concerning. Right here, Paul clearly teaches
that the only people who are redeemed and have forgiveness
of sins is who? The elect and the predestinated.
It is the good news of, not salvation, of your salvation. A particular people, right? A particular people. They're
saved by Christ. And let me say, they're saved,
they're converted, and I want to put it that way for a reason.
They're converted by that gospel and that gospel only. You hear me? Now let me ask you
a question. How much error is allowed before
truth begins to be distorted? How much? I know that our flesh
is prone to philosophize and say, but if, or what about? But again, I ask the question,
how much error is to be allowed before truth begins to cease,
even begins to cease to become truth? According to John in John
chapter 2 first John chapter 2 verse 20 and 21 and turn to
that one But I want you to see something here first John chapter
2 The Apostle John being inspired by the Spirit of God sums up
these two verses this way no lie no lie is of the truth and But notice what he has said before.
Verse 20, but ye, now this is that particular people we're
talking about. But ye have an unction from the Holy One. And
what? What's that say? And know all
things. You do. You do. It's not you ought to. It's not
you might. You know all things. If the God
of glory has saved you according to His order, you've experienced
the truth of God in your soul. And when you hear that truth
preached, you will know that's the way God does it. That's the
way He's done it for me. You'll know that. It's not you
have to hear it all at once. But you will be able to detect
the lie when you hear the lie. Why? Because you know. The word
here, know, is much more than you've just been schooled in
the truth. You know it. It's talking about experiencing
it. It's talking about like Adam knew his wife Eve. You've got
an integral, intimate part in it because God Almighty's laid
it on you in Jesus Christ. But ye have an unction from the
Holy One, and know all things. I have not written unto you because
you know not the truth, but because you know it, and that no lie
is of the truth." That's deep words. That's profound language,
but truth nonetheless. Think of it. How important is
it? You remember that Paul said to the Galatians, he said, you
remember there were some men that come down from Jerusalem
and they weren't preaching the truth. They were adding something
into the truth. Now, wait a minute. They were
adding in something into it, Joe. So what's that do? That
makes the whole a lie. Paul said, I didn't withstand
them for a moment so that the truth of God might continue with
you. But it's more than just what
we say. It even has to do with how we
conduct ourselves. Because Paul says a little bit
later, There were some Jews that came down and Peter was eating
with the Gentiles. And when those Jews showed up,
Peter removed himself from the Gentiles and went over here and
buddied up with the Jews as if he had had no relationship with
the Gentiles before. That's what he's talking about.
And what did Paul say? I withstood him to the face.
Because there were other people carried away with his hypocrisy. You see it? And I withstood him
to the face. Why? Because he was to be blamed.
Why? Because no lie is of the truth. Any lie allowed to enter in will
eventually destroy the truth altogether. Altogether. Now somebody said, it has been
said, well the people, the chapel don't have everything right.
Well we got concerning the personal work of Jesus Christ right. We
got that right. You know why? Right here. No, it's right here. I know the
truth. That's not boasting. God Almighty showed me His truth
in this book and by experience in my soul. I know the truth
of the person of work of Jesus Christ. And that ain't boasting
on me. That's boasting on Him. But of God in Christ Jesus. And Paul says brag about God
on that. Brag about God. You want to boast? Boast in the
Lord. So how much error is allowed
before truth is distorted? Any error distorts the truth
and must be confronted immediately and directly. We won't have that
because it's a lie. Right? Paul said, I was stood
in the face because he'd be blamed. You're blamed. You see, The gospel
must be preached for the gospel to be heard. And this gospel
is said to be your salvation, a particular people's salvation,
and it's said to be the word of truth, right in our text. Is that not correct? And this
is why God says through Paul the apostle, it pleased God by
the foolishness of preaching. But preaching what? Jesus Christ
and him crucified That's what it's about The gospel must be
preached for the gospel must be heard God's ordained it that
way and thank God God's not dependent upon me and to do it all the
men do it God sends them to do it Say well, what if they rebel
ask Jonah how long it'll last? Oh If God Almighty sends somebody
to preach the gospel because somebody's supposed to hear it,
that person's going to go preach the gospel to them. Even if in
the end they sit and bellyache and complain about their gourd
being withered. You ever had your gourd withered?
Some of us look like our gourd's withered. But you ever had your
gourd withered? You know why God does that? So
that all the excellence in the power may be of God, not of us.
That's why. That's why. Thirdly, trusting,
that is believing, Paul puts it both ways you could say here.
Trusting or believing must follow hearing. Right? It must follow
hearing. And trusting is trusting Christ. In whom ye also trust. I don't care if you believe in
election and predestination per se, if it's not pointing you
to Jesus Christ. You've just heard words. In whom
ye also trusted. So trusting or believing must
follow hearing. And trusting is trusting Christ. It's not human merit. You don't
trust human merit. Not if you've heard, really heard,
the gospel, the word of truth. You don't trust human merit.
You don't trust human effort. You don't trust human generation
or relationships. You don't trust human will. Why?
Because God says it's not human will. You read it, Joe, from
John 1. Romans 9 says it's not of him
that willeth. Scripture says positively, in
the day of thy power they'll be willing. It says it positively. It's God that works in you both
to will and to do of his good pleasure. Therefore, if you're
hearing a message about human will, you're not hearing the
gospel. You're not hearing the word of truth. If you've been
converted to that message, you've been converted to a false gospel. Somebody said, it can't be that
simple. It is that simple. But that leaves a lot of people
out. God meant to leave a lot of people out. Romans 9 says,
a short work will the Lord make on the earth. There's many that's
going down the Broadway, Mason. There's few that find that straight
and narrow way. Why? Because God Almighty revealed
it to them. It's not because they're lucky.
It's not because they're smart. It's because God Almighty hath
made known unto us The mystery of His will. You see it's not
religious zeal. I don't care how religiously
zealous a person is. There's a lot of people out there
that are really zealous toward this book. I know a few that
ask me questions constantly. What's this mean? What's that
mean? You probably know before I even quote it where it's at
in the Bible. I don't. They for some reason think I
do. Maybe I've given them that impression that I do. You know,
I'm thinking, they care so much about what the Bible says, but
never really seem to have it made known to them who the Bible's
really talking about. For instance, I had one, he started
to quote to me one of the Psalms. My first question, is that a
Messianic Psalm? He said, I don't think so. He didn't know. He didn't even have any idea. I don't think that's one of them.
I said, well, be careful. They all might be Messianic.
Just watch out. They said, well, but that passage is telling us
to be like Jesus. I said, Jesus was God, was he
not? He said, yeah. I said, is that not the lie of
Satan? You going to be like God? That's one of the first lies
we swallowed up, wasn't it? And his eyes got about that big
around. And you know what? He went and came back the next
day and said, I looked all through the Bible. You're right. I can't
find it anywhere where we're supposed to be like God. But
you know what? He just went on his merry way
with no big deal. Don't really matter. It's
not been made known unto them. You can't see it. They've listened.
They may have even been converted, but it's been by a false gospel. It's been by error. Now, this
is not morality. It's not trusting morality. It's
trusting Christ only. Rejoice in the Lord. We are the
circumcision which rejoice in Christ Jesus and have no confidence
in the flesh. If you've got confidence in anything
other than Christ, then you're trusting something other than
Christ. Right? In whom ye also trusted
after that ye heard the word of truth. Even if you've heard
the preaching of the gospel, if you're trusting something
else other than Christ, you haven't really heard the gospel, the
word of truth. Now, after trusting comes what?
Sealing. Isn't that what it says? in whom
you also trusted, after that you heard the word of truth,
the good news, the gospel of your salvation, in whom also,
after that you believed, believed who? Believed Christ. You were
sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise. Then, and then only,
does any person have the earnest. Well I believe there's an election.
I believe I'm okay because there's an election. You got it all.
You missed it. You missed it. There is no guarantee
until after that you believe. Isn't that what this says? Now the earnest is for our benefit,
not God's. God knows who He chose. God knows
who He predestinated. God knows who the Son redeemed.
God knows who He's forgiven. What's the earnest for? It's
for our benefit. Somebody says, but you can't
know. That's a lie. That's a lie. Then and then only
does any person have the earnest, and that means the pledge of
security. I do like, in modern Greek, it's actually the same
word for the most part. You know what it means? It means
that, and I forgot what it was, that engagement ring that a man
gives a woman. You know why he gives that to her? Well, here
I give this to you and maybe one of these days I might marry
you. Is that what she's expecting when she gets that engagement
ring? No, it's that I pledge myself to you and to you only.
And this is a guarantee that I'll go through with everything
else. Isn't that what it is? It's a pledge. It's a pledge
of security. God gives the earnest. He promised it because the earnest
is Himself. Right? The Spirit, a promise. He promised to give Himself.
Paul said, Christ in you, the hope of glory. God gives this
earnest. Now listen, I want to give you
three summarizing statements and I'm not going to say a lot
about them. I want you to, may God give us a mind to lay hold
of these things and chew on them and maul over them and suck all
the flavor out of the marrow or the bones of it. Three statements. No one trusts the Christ of God
until they have heard the truth about the Christ of God. It's
just that simple. I don't care how religious they
are, how moral they are. I don't even care how much doctrine
they believe. No one trusts the Christ of God
until they've heard the truth about the Christ of God. Secondly, Christianity is not
about changing doctrine or morphing in doctrine. There are those
out there that are teaching. Paul just printed me up a couple
things by a fellow. He says God saved him many, many
years ago and he was preaching free willism and doing all the
free willism works and then finally God sent somebody to him to kind
of correct him and straighten him out. But he's been saved
all those years. I'm telling you that man's wrong. God saved him when he sent that
fella to him to tell him the truth. And God called him out
of all that free willism. That's right. God don't save
you by a free will gospel and then teach you the true gospel.
It don't happen that way. This is a lie. Christianity is
not about changing doctrine or your doctrine morphing. You either
start in the truth or you ain't never started in the truth. You
either start under the truth or you've never even started
in the truth. That's why it wasn't long after
God began to show me the truth, that's why that place I used
to be in told me it's time for you to get out. And thirdly, Christianity is
to be converted by and converted to Jesus Christ in true doctrine. Christ said, he that is of God
shall know the doctrine, whether I speak of myself or something
else. He'll know. Why? Because God
Almighty makes him, having made known unto us the mystery of
his will. And you know what? None of it
depends on us. That's right. Amen. Somebody
said, you ever been wrong? Yeah. But God ain't never been
wrong. Amen. God ain't never been wrong. Exactly. And I say this with all the sincerity and the compassion
I can muster. If you think that God Almighty
saved you by a message that lies about God and lies about man,
here's all the sincerity I can muster, you're full of it. That's
all the sincerity I can muster. You're wrong. That's why it's
so important for us to go out and preach the gospel to every
creature. If it don't matter, why don't we just let the Gideon
send Bibles out there? Why? Because people can read
this Bible and lie. They do it all the time. They'll
read this Bible and lie about God. Lie right from the Bible.
Lie about it. May God help us. Father, teach
us these things in more than just doctrine. Teach us these
things, but oh God, may it be that they've been true within
our hearts and minds and souls. May it may it be that this is
the salvation that we've experienced the only salvation there is Joe
so adequately pointed out to us Lord this this one and Only
gospel the gospel of the truth of our Lord Jesus Christ. I thank
you in Christ's name. Amen