It was fixed in God's eternal mind, when his dear son should mercy find, from everlasting he decreed, when every good should be conveyed. Oh, she's in God's eternal mind. When is it such a mercy? I, forever lost in thee dreaming, I'll never be You should be honoured. Determined was the man of power, Eternal, eternal, seek me, Sorrow, and give me peace, the very place where the earth shall triumph and reign. Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave ♪ So bring up to now ♪ ♪ Shine thy happiness ♪ ♪ May be tender ♪ I hold thee tethered in my lap close. O swell the sentiments of grace, O give us, O God, a human face, that every day we are richly paid. And from her I deeply commemorate. In every birth, she born and created, Has no grave, God, I wish to see. Since He found grace, He graces me. ♪ Every blessing be of thee ♪ ♪ Yes, heaven's Lord is my peace now ♪ ♪ My, my, Lord ♪ Point hence to that rock, And raise the footsteps of my foe To the peak of the entire world.

Let us read together from the Holy Word of God in the second epistle of Paul to the Thessalonians, chapter 2. The second epistle to the Thessalonians, chapter 2. Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, that ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.

Let no man deceive you by any means, for that day shall not come, except there come a falling way first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition, who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God or that is worshipped, so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. Remember ye not that when I was yet with you, I told you these things, and now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. For the mystery of iniquity doth already work, only he who now letteth will let until he be taken out of the way. And then shall that wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming. even him whose coming is after the working of satan with all power and signs and lying wonders and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved and for this cause god shall send them strong delusions that they should believe a lie that they all might be damned who believed not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

But we are bound to give thanks always to God for you, brethren, beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the spirit and belief of the truth, whereunto he calls you by our gospel to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, brethren, stand fast and hold the traditions that you have been taught, whether by word or our epistle.

Now, our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and has given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts and establish you in every good word and work. May the Lord bless the reading of his own precious word and grant unto us a spirit of real prayer. Holy, holy, holy. Lord God Almighty, we come to bow before thy glorious majesty, Father, Son and Holy Ghost. We desire a spirit of true worship. We desire the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God our Father and the sacred fellowship of the Holy Spirit as we gather together around thy word at this evening hour.

We pray that we might know those divine drawings of our Heavenly Father. For none come except the Father draw, and we pray that we may be drawn. Even as thou hast said in thy word, I will draw thee with the cords of a man, with the bands of love. We pray that that may be so as we gather in the sanctuary tonight. we may be drawn into the truth, we may be drawn unto Jesus Christ, that we may behold his glory, that we might see him as the altogether lovely one, as the chiefest among 10,000, as the very centre, sum and substance of all our desires, and that we may be determined to know nothing among men, save Jesus Christ and him crucified.

Lord, grant that it may be so. Grant that the Lord Jesus may be exalted as a Prince and as a Saviour, for to give faith and repentance and remission of sins. Oh, do hear us, Lord, we humbly beseech thee, and do bless us, guide us into thy truth, graciously open thy word to our heart and to our understanding. Come and graciously give us ears to hear, eyes to see, hearts to receive, hands to handle, feet to run. Oh do hear us Lord and grant us these spiritual attributes that we may behold wondrous things in thy holy word. We pray that that wonderful grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, his love, his power, his mercy, may be shed abroad in our hearts, that we may lay hold of that hope that is set before us in the gospel. Lord, we pray for grace to lay aside every weight and the sin that doth so easily beset us, and that we may run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before us endured the cross, despising the shame thereof, and is now set down at the right hand of the majesty on high.

We thank thee for that glorious revelation, Such an high priest have we, who is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God. We thank thee, Lord, that we have indeed a great high priest, and we can unburden our hearts to him. Touched with the sympathy within, he knows our feeble frame. He knows what sore temptations mean, for he has felt the same. Lord, we do thank Thee for this precious Saviour, for this glorious Redeemer. We do thank Thee for the holy life He lived and the holy law He fulfilled. We do thank Thee that in that holy life and in that fulfilling of the law, everlasting righteousness has been brought in for Thy people.

We pray that we may lay hold of that tonight, unless the shadow of a spot should on my soul be found. He took the garment he had wrought and cast it all around. We think of those poor sinners that came to thee on earth, Lord Jesus. Many sins, many wanderings, uncleanness, unrighteousness, And yet they heard that beautiful word, thy faith has made thee whole. We pray that it may be so among us, that poor sinners may come to living faith in Jesus Christ and may be true followers of thee and of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

We've read in the hymn, we've sung together, that determined was the place when divine mercy should be known and felt. And Lord, we thank thee that all things are ordered, that thou art the sovereign ruler of the skies, ever gracious, ever wise. All my times are in thy hand, all events at thy command. And with heaven and earth at thy command, They'll just wait to answer prayer.

We pray that we may be favoured to feel the divine power and the heavenly unction of the Holy Ghost as we gather round my word at this evening hour, that the Spirit of God may be present, his power, his divine influence. We pray that we may know more of the fullness of that spirit in our own hearts, even the spirit of Christ, the mind of Christ. Grant that our hearts and minds may be enlarged, that we may have clear views of the glory of Christ and the wonders of redeeming love and the fullness of that salvation that comes through Calvary, through the empty tomb, through the precious blood of the Lamb, through that risen and exalted Saviour at thy right hand. This, Lord, is all our hope. This, Lord, is all our desire that I may know Him in the power of His resurrection, in the fellowship of His sufferings. And, Lord, when we come into times of spiritual coldness and hardness and lukewarmness, We pray that our hearts may be stirred up. And if needful, we might know thy chastening hand to bring us closer to thee, that we may drink more fully of the wells of salvation and know more deeply the fullness of that precious gospel that comes to us through the cross of Christ.

Oh, we do pray, most gracious Lord, then, that thou would remember us as a church and as a congregation, that thou would work mightily, powerfully, effectually among us. Precious souls may be gathered in, prodigals may return, thy wonderful mercy may be seen, that sinners may come and tell what wonders they have received, and wonders they have seen, and tasted, and handled, and found.

Lord, there is nothing too hard for thee. There is none beyond thy power. And thou hast promised in thy word, I will bring thy sons from far, and thy daughters from the ends of the earth. O most gracious Lord, they shall come from the north, and from the south, and from the east, and from the west. Lord, we believe thy word, we believe thy promises. We believe that thou wilt work, and who shall let it?

Lord, we pray that thou would remember our brethren, the deacons, and give them grace, wisdom, and help in all their responsibilities. That remember each one of our brethren and sisters in church fellowship. Remember our brother and sister in Holland and grant thy blessing upon them, Lord, we remember all those not only among us but among the churches that at this time walk the path of bereavement and loss.

Remember those that are in need. Remember those, O Lord, that are in darkness and bring them into light. And those that are in bondage bring them into liberty and those that are far off make them nigh. Remember at those among us, O Lord, that know thee not.

We pray that thou wouldst put forth thy quickening power. Lord, quicken souls and make them cry, give me Christ or else I die. Lord, do hear us, we humbly beseech thee. Bring poor sinners from death unto life. Thou hast said in thy word, blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection. upon such a second death hath no power, O that thou wouldst be gracious, that thou wouldst hear us and bless us in this way, that we may see signs to follow the preaching of the word, and that poor sinners may come and tell what a dear Saviour they have found, and point to thy redeeming blood, and say, Behold the way to God. Lord grant that it may be so. Put forth thy mighty power, we do humbly beseech thee, and grant a day of prosperity. Grant that the glory, light, and power of gospel truth may shine into this village and the surrounding villages and hamlets, that many, many, many precious souls may yet be gathered in, that this little house of prayer may be filled with hungry, longing souls, pressing into the kingdom of heaven, Let thy work appear unto thy servants and thy glory unto their children.

O Lord, we do beseech thee. Lord, we do pray that thou wouldst remember the little ones and the children as they're brought into the sanctuary. Remember them with the favour that thou bearest unto thy people and visit them with thy great salvation. We think of those lovely words of our Lord Jesus Christ. Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not, for of such is the kingdom of heaven.

Lord, we pray that we may know these rich blessings to be poured forth. We pray for our young friends that they may be found seeking thee. We pray that thou would bring them to living faith in Jesus Christ, be with them in all the paths of providence and guide and direct them in all matters. We think of those in the midst of the journey of life and pray that thou would grant them thy rich blessing, thy divine guidance, and that they may with wonder view wonderful love, mercy, and grace of God in Jesus Christ. Lord, we do pray that thou wouldst thus have mercy upon us, give wisdom to parents, to bring our children the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

Lord, we remember we do humbly beseech thee, those of us that are now in the evening time of life's journey, Grant, O Lord, at the appointed time an abundant entrance into thy heavenly kingdom. Lord, we pray that thou wouldst remember us. Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. All we do, humbly beseech thee. Be with all those that are walking the path of affliction and sorrow and sadness. Help, support, sustain, and strengthen.

And Lord, remember the churches up and down the land. Remember all thy servants that labour in word and doctrine. Remember those of thy servants at this time that are on a probationary period with a view to the pastor. Grant that they may dip their foot in oil and be made acceptable unto thee, brethren, and that the word preached may be in power in the Holy Ghost and with much assurance that there may be a confirmation that this indeed is the will of the Lord. Do hear us, we humbly beseech thee and remember the churches and remember thy people. Remember the pastoralist causes and raise up servants that shall stand there to preach the everlasting gospel of Jesus Christ. May we see a reviving, may we see a renewing, may we see a replenishing, may we see an engathering, May we see a building up.

Lord, wherever thy servants stand, wherever thy people gather, oh, that thou wouldst have mercy upon them. We think of thy people in other lands that suffer for the name and witness of Jesus Christ, persecuted, imprisoned, even unto death. Remember them, Lord. Thou art the Lord God, the omnipotent reign, and there is nothing too hard for thee.

We pray that thou would send them help from the sanctuary and strengthen them out of Zion. Remember those that go forth from among us as a group of churches to labor in the nations of the earth. Remember Ian Sadler, Lord, and the great work he's doing in the distribution of holy scriptures, tens of thousands of them throughout the world. what wonders thou hast wrought. We pray that thou wouldst help him as he goes to expound the word in those remote places in the earth and sometimes very dangerous places.

Remember the Savannah Education Trust and the wonderful work that they're doing in Ghana. Oh that it may read down to the great glory of thy holy name. Remember, O Lord, the Mombasa mission and thy servants that labour there. Grant them the anointing of thy Spirit. Grant that they may see signs following the preaching of the Word, that they may see the work of the Spirit of God and feel his power in their own hearts.

Hear us, O Lord, we beseech them. Lord, we do pray that thou would remember our nation, We live in exceedingly solemn days when the spirit and power of Antichrist is so prevalent in those that rule over us. Lord, we pray that thou wouldst give wisdom and guidance and direction unto those that rule over us. We read in thy word that thou didst set up one and put down another. Lord Jesus, thou hast said, by me, king's reign, and prince's decree, justice.

Lord, everything is in thy hand, and we thank thee that it is so. Our God over all, blessed for evermore. Lord, we do thank thee, most gracious Lord, for all thy tender mercies, thy loving kindnesses, and thy great goodness that has passed before us in the world. We thank thee, most gracious Lord, for the glories of Christ, for the wonders of redeeming love, for the fullness of that salvation that is in Jesus Christ. We do thank thee that we have the liberty to meet around the world.

May we highly prize these privileges. Come and touch one's lips with a live coal from off the heavenly altar we ask for Jesus Christ's sake. Amen. Let us now sing together hymn number 78. The tune is Silver Hill 411. Fixed was the eternal state of man ere time its rapid course began, appointed by God's firm decree to endless joy or misery. Hymn number 78, Dune, Silver Hill, 411.

♪ Heaven and earth are full of your glory ♪ ♪ Heaven and earth are full of your glory ♪ ♪ Heaven and earth are full of your glory ♪ O say can you see, by the dawn's early light, What so proudly we hailed ♪ It was the first eternal morning ♪ ♪ Fixed in the garden by the tree ♪ ♪ And I give Him that very praise ♪ ♪ Which makes the world a better place ♪ Would her image break the chafing, And shine to closer appreciation? O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave? ♪ All for which you have ready come ♪ ♪ Whom you'll declare the Master and Master of all ♪ Fill us, O Lord, with your grace, Alleluia, God's peace be to thee.

♪ Turn in love ♪ ♪ Knowledge and record ♪ ♪ Strong to hold ♪ ♪ Love brings me to life ♪ ♪ Strengthens me ♪ Greatly feeling to need the Lord's gracious help, I direct your attention to the second chapter of the second epistle to the Thessalonians and we'll read verses 13 and 14. for our text. Second Epistle of Thessalonians, chapter two, verses 13 and 14. And we are bound to give thanks always to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God has from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the spirit and belief of the truth, whereunto he called you by our gospel to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. How beautifully in these verses does the dear Apostle open up the sovereign and eternal grace of God. is something in the human heart that resents the doctrine of election.

It's natural to our fallen state. We like the people in Ezekiel's day when they said the ways of the Lord are not equal and they said it because he has chosen some and he has forsaken But of course, my beloved friends, God would have been eternally just. It would have been to the glory of his justice if he had damned the whole of the human race. When Adam fell into sin, God would have been eternally just to cast him and all his posterity into eternal perdition. that God might show forth the wonderful glory of his divine attribute of mercy. The eternal God chose a people from the Adam four.

He chose to redeem them and to deliver them from sin and Satan's power. And that was a sovereign act of the eternal God. And this is what we have in our text. We are bound to give thanks always to God for you, brethren, beloved of the Lord, because God has from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the spirit and belief of the truth. It's a sovereign act of God.

When we feel that mercy and that grace of God, in our hearts, when we feel reconciled to God, when we feel union to the Lamb, when we feel the love of Christ shed abroad in our hearts, then we say, why me? Oh, blessed God, why me? Why such a wretched man that must forever lie in hell were not salvation free? It's a question we can't answer, can we? It's answered in the Word of God. It says, because he would. Because he would. Because he decreed. He purposed to save a people that he might show forth that wonderful attribute of divine mercy. And that wonderful attribute of divine mercy is seen in the glorious person of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Now before we come more closely to the text we need to just look a little at the context.

The apostle was writing to the Thessalonians because there were those obviously teachers among the church there that were teaching that the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ by that I mean the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ was imminent and that he would soon appear now the apostle he says it wasn't to be so not yet now we beseech you brethren by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and by our gathering together unto him that you be not soon shaken in mind or troubled neither by spirit nor by word nor by letter as from us as that the day of Christ is at hand let no man deceive you by any means for that day shall not come except there come a falling away first and that man of sin be revealed the son of perdition the last great antichrist there are those there are still those around among the Protestant churches that believe there is only one Antichrist and that is the Pope of Rome. I do not believe that for a moment, my beloved friends. The Pope of Rome is an Antichrist, but he's not that last great Antichrist. And it says, who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, that is worship so that he be as God sitting in the temple of God showing himself that he is God that's the wicked one it's written with a capital W because it was already working in the day of the Apostle says in verse 7 for the mystery of iniquity doth already work only he who now letteth, that means hindereth, will let until he be taken out of the way then shall that wicked be revealed whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth.

It's very clear in holy scripture that the last great antichrist who were universal And that Antichrist has been working for many years. Many, many years. We see it in many different ways. We see it in our political establishment. We see it in the whole of the establishment. It's an anti-Christian spirit.

And that Antichrist, you see, What convinced me of this is that in the book of the Revelation in chapter 17 we read of the woman riding the beast. The woman riding the beast I believe is the Church of Rome, the harlot church as it's called in scripture and it is a spirit of Antichrist and the beast political power. Now it's well known that the Roman Church, the Pope of Rome and all that he represents, they ride and they influence political power and they do it throughout all the nations of the earth. But we read in the Revelation that the beast will consume the woman and this is before the end of the world. The beast that the political power will turn and consume the harlot and it speaks in that chapter 17 of the destruction of Babylon which of course is the Church of Rome.

But this wicked that shall be revealed it is something completely different to that. We don't know how it's going to manifest itself We know that there is a tremendous move, as it were, to globalization. The United Nation grows stronger and stronger, and the United Nation is inherently extremely anti-Christian, anti the word of God. We don't know, but maybe that is what the Lord will use to bring all these anti-Christian forces together.

And it says in the book of the Revelation that he gathered himself against the church. They surround the church on earth. And they gather together to destroy the church on earth. But then it says in that great day of Armageddon that the Lord Jesus will come and they will be consumed and destroyed. the end of the world shall come. I'll just give you these few thoughts really and it says in verse 9 even him whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and wonders.

I mean look at the way things are in our society today as it's developed over the last 70 years and the acceptance of homosexuality and of same-sex marriage and abortion. They're all anti-Christian things. And now going through Parliament, what they call it, the Assisted Suicide Act. Assisted death it's called, but of course it's suicide. These are anti-Christian things that are developing among the nations of the earth.

We see it all around us. It's the beginning of that last and we cannot but feel. Again, in the book of the Revelation, it says very clearly that towards the end of time, that Satan will be loose for a season. You know, we look back and wonderful periods of blessing in the Victorian times, back in the 1700s, the Great Awakening, back in the Puritan times, the wonderful truth of God was manifested back in the time of the reformation and these things were wonderfully fulfilled and the gospel spread throughout the nations of the earth. But then as we read in the revelation and here in the word of God and it says in verse 10 and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish because they receive not the love of the truth that they might be saved.

All coming under the same umbrella of Antichrist is the theories of evolution. The rejection that God created the heavens and the earth. The rejection of the word of God. And in verse 11 it says, for this cause God shall send them strong delusion that they should believe a lie. And that's exactly what we see in the day in which we live. that men are highly intelligent, professors etc. and they believe a lie. They believe something that can't even be proved. But in it is the spirit of Antichrist. That is what is underneath it. That they all might be damned who believe not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness. It's a very solemn thought, isn't it?

And then we come to our text, but we are bound to give thanks all the way to God for you, brethren, beloved of the Lord, because God has from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the spirit and belief of the truth. What a wonderful thing that to have the Spirit of God, whereunto he called you by our gospel to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. So we have these points then, that because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth. What a wonderful thing, my beloved friends, know this sanctifying work of the Spirit of God.

When He, the Spirit of Truth, is come, He will convince the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment. That glorious third person in the Trinity, the Holy Ghost, when He comes, the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are spiritually deserved, but the spiritual man And how do we become a spiritual man or a spiritual woman? But by the Holy Ghost entering our hearts. By the Holy Ghost quickening our souls.

When the Lord, and I guess that I was particularly impressed upon me in my own personal spiritual experience, that it's not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy. I went to London to, I got a job there and in my mind I was going to have my fling. I was going to do what I wanted to do. But it was there that the Lord began with me. It was there the Lord quickened my soul. It was there the Lord began to, as it were, agitate my heart. to feel such discomfort, there was something wrong.

I've often told you, it was brought to a head. One day when I was at the hospital, I was in charge of all the gases, and I stood out in that compound, all alone, and I had such a sense of the holiness, of the majesty of the God of Heaven. It made me tremble. It rooted me to the very spot.

This is what I mean, the Lord taught me in those early spiritual days, it's not of him that willeth. I had my own office and I went from that gas compound into my own office. And such enmity You would have thought that a sense of the holiness of God would push down all that pride, but it rose up with terrible enmity. I literally shouted, I will not have this man to rule over me. The terrible enmity that rose up in my heart against God.

And I look back and I see so clearly, especially since I've been in the ministry, that the Lord was then teaching me. It's not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy. See, that terrible enmity that rose up in my heart against God, and the following two years after that, the Lord so convinced me of my sin, I didn't know it, but I know it now because I can look back and I know from personal experience, Satan was tempting me.

Terrible temptations. I didn't know it was Satan. I thought I was losing my mind. I nearly went to a psychiatrist because of these awful temptations. But the Lord used that to humble me. and conviction of sin, it humbled me. Until I came to that place where I couldn't possibly see how this holy God could ever have mercy upon such a wretched rebellious sinner as I was.

I proved experimentally the truth of that word in the Romans, the carnal mind is enmity to God, is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. That is our fallen condition. That is the condition that we're found in. Enmity to God. Enmity against His Holy Word. Enmity against His Holy Law. Enmity against the Lord Jesus Christ. Enmity against the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It's a terrible enmity that is in our heart.

And it's when the Spirit of God enters into the heart that we begin to realise it. When the spirit of truth has come, he will reprove the world of sin, of righteousness, of judgment. And he convinces us. Now the word reprove in the text, if you look into the marginal reference in John 16, it says convince. I actually prefer that word. He will convince the world of sin. of righteousness. He will convince you that you're a sinner. He will convince you that God is holy. Righteousness. And he will convince you that there's a day of judgment.

On one occasion, friends, during those two years, I used to come on the underground through to St Pancras station to go home to Westerly and one day in such turmoil in my mind and I heard the underground train coming along the tunnel and then a voice said to me, I realised now it was Satan, I didn't at the time, this little voice said to me just John just finish everything and then I remember looking the other way from where the train was coming looking into the tunnel the other way and it was darkness and blackness and it seemed to come so forcibly to them and that is where you'll be if you jump in front of that train.

You see, the turmoil when we're under that conviction of sin and when Satan afflicts our soul but eventually by God's wonderful grace, Christ was revealed. Christ was made precious. Christ became the altogether lovely one, the chiefest among 10,000. But we are bound to give thanks all the way to God for you, brethren, beloved of the Lord, because he hath from the beginning chosen you. You don't realise it at that time when you're under conviction of sin. You don't probably even realize it when Christ is first revealed and made precious to you. But the reason that you were convicted of sin is because God sent his spirit into your heart. And the reason that Christ was revealed is because the Holy Ghost brought you as a poor wretched sinner and revealed unto you the glorious person of our Lord Jesus Christ as the way, the truth and the life. And when Christ is revealed, darkness departs. darkness departs. There's liberty instead of bondage. There's light instead of darkness. There's peace instead of torment. Where? In Jesus Christ.

And he becomes so precious to us all. And the Apostle, he'd seen this in the Thessalonians. And he could testify couldn't he, to the Thessalonians, for our word came unto you, our gospel came unto you, not in word only. You know, friends, it's a solemn thing to have a religion that is in word only. Our gospel came unto you, not in word only, but in power, in the Holy Ghost, and with much assurance. The power of the Holy Ghost, in bringing the truth into our hearts, in convincing us of acid, in revealing the wonderful glory of Christ as the way, the truth and the life, and shedding abroad His love in our hearts.

You know, I do often look up the words that the Lord used to bring me into a knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and we find them in Ephesians chapter 3 and verse 17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith that ye being rooted and grounded in love may be able to comprehend with all saints What is the breadth and length and depth and height?

To know, this is something we know. John says, doesn't he? We know that we are passed from death unto life because we love the brethren. But here, and to know, it's a knowledge that is given to us, a spiritual knowledge. And to know the love of Christ that passeth knowledge, what's it mean?

It's beyond our comprehension. that you might be filled with all the fullness of God. And they were the words that the Lord used to open my eyes and to reveal Christ. And Christ became so very precious, so very precious. He became the center, the substance of all my hopes and of all my desires.

I know the apostle, he says, but we are bound to give thanks always to God for you, brethren, Beloved of the Lord because God has from the beginning chosen you as I say When that first revelation of Christ came you you probably didn't realize this But it's as the Lord deepens the work of grace in your heart and you become more acquainted with the word of truth that you you realize that you were chosen Not because of anything in you You can't possibly see why God should choose you.

Poor, sinful, wretched worm of the earth. Because God has from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the spirit. The word sanctification is a long word, isn't it? Very much misunderstood as well. Fundamentally the essence of the meaning of the word sanctification is separation. Sanctified. Sanctified. Separated. By the Spirit of God.

Because God has from the beginning chosen you to salvation. Through sanctification of the Spirit. first work of the Holy Ghost in the heart and belief of the truth. God, when we're under conviction of sin, he brings us to realise that God would be just if he was to damn ourselves forever.

That we're a poor guilty sinner, that we're in darkness, we're in bondage and everything is hopeless. But when Christ is revealed, It's like the hymn I just said, the door of hope is open, why? In Jesus' bleeding hands and side, a door of hope. That's a wonderful thing, to a poor lost sinner, where there is no hope. You know, when Christ was revealed to me at that time, I can honestly say there was no hope. I remember standing in the living room of Weston, all alone, no hope.

I hit the buffers. I was finished. It's the only way I can explain it. I was finished. I didn't feel I could take another step. This utter sense of despair. And then I read that sermon. from my father's bookshelf. And that was the text, what was just quoted. And as I read that text, it was as if scales fell off my eyes. Light flowed into my heart, peace into my soul.

The love of Christ was shed abroad. Oh, the wonderful glory of the revelation of Jesus Christ to my soul. It's the abounding love, mercy and grace of God in Christ. Because God has from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the spirit and belief of the truth.

You believe the truth that you're lost. You know it, you feel it, you experience it. And then when Christ is revealed, you believe that there is a door of hope that there is a way of salvation. And when your light, your darkness turns into light and your bondage into liberty, you know it then, you taste it, you handle it and feel it.

That's the way that the Apostle John speaks in his epistles, isn't it? In the first epistle of John, he speaks there so beautifully, that which was from the beginning which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled of the word of life. For the life was manifested, that means revealed, and we have seen it and bear witness and show unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father and was manifested unto us. And then the fruit of that manifestation, that which we have seen and heard declare we unto you that ye also may have fellowship with us.

And truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ, our fellowship. And that fellowship and communion comes from the divine indwelling of the Spirit in the heart and the revealing of Christ to the soul because the Holy Ghost works faith in our hearts and we believe. It's a divine act of God. Faith is the gift of God. And when that faith is wrought in the heart and Christ is revealed and made precious, there's a change.

That's what conversion is. whereunto he called you. He called you. In the 8th chapter of Paul's epistle to the Romans, we have that divine order that is set before us. In verse 29 of Romans 8, for whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover, whom he did predestinate, them he also called, and whom he called, them he also justified, that means to be declared to be without sin, and whom he justified, them he also glorified.

What shall we then say to these things? If God before us, who can be against us, he that spared not his own son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea, rather that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ, Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sore? You see, this wonderful work of grace in the heart of a poor sinner. He says in the last two verses there of Romans 8, for I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." What a precious gospel, isn't it?

Whereunto He called you. See, them He called, He justified. Them He justified, He glorified. Therefore being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. There's this divine order. He has justified, he also will glorify. They will go to heaven. They will go to everlasting glory. Eternal salvation. Their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more. what it means to be justified.

Says in Hebrews chapter 9, as it is appointed unto man once to die, so after death the judgment, but unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation. I'd never seen it before, but I was reading Thomas Goodwin, the Puritan one day, and he was just dealing with that text. He will appear the second time without sin unto salvation. And he said this, there is your justification, child of God. He will appear without sin.

That your sin that was laid on him in the Garden of Gethsemane, he was crucified for that sin. He suffered and bled and died for that sin. And he rose again for our justification. Declare that our sin had been dealt with. He rose again for our justification.

It's been dealt with. Salvation work is done. It's finished. I love those two words. On the cross, our Lord Jesus, it is finished. He cried with a loud voice. and said, it is finished. And in the book of the Revelation, it is done. Salvation's work is done. The Lord's people are redeemed and saved eternally.

They can never be lost. All that the Father giveth me shall come to me, and him that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out, whereunto he called you by our gospel to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, brethren, stand fast and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word or our epistle. Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God, even our Father, which hath loved us and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts and establish you in every good word and work. See this wonderful grace of God. Oh, that the Lord would indeed establish us, establish us in the faith that is in Christ Jesus, establishes in those fundamental and principal doctrines of our most holy faith, just like Jonah was established in those doctrines. He said salvation is of the Lord. He was brought to realise it by experience. Salvation is of the Lord. It's entirely of his own sovereign mercy. Oh that the Lord would grant that these things may be made precious unto us.

But we are bound to give thanks all the way to God for you, brethren, beloved of the Lord, because God has from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth, whereunto he called you by our gospel to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. May the Lord Let us now sing together hymn number 76. The tune is Eden 327. There is a period known to God when all his sheep, redeemed by blood, shall leave the hateful ways of sin. turn to the fold and enter hymn number 76 tune Eden 327.

♪ When o'er his chambers ♪ ♪ Thee had gone ♪ ♪ Tell me the way ♪ ♪ The way so strange ♪ ♪ And children grow up into men ♪ ♪ The King is with them ♪ ♪ With God at home ♪ ♪ In spirit of grace ♪ ♪ They come and go ♪ ♪ In hearts and minds ♪ ♪ And still the soul ♪ ♪ That's far from home ♪ ♪ Of Persia come now ♪ ♪ O say can you see ♪ ♪ By the dawn's early light ♪ Her tender calling, fair and kind, Still on earth, fair and kind, We pray thee, O Lord, to enter mayday. Mayday! Mayday! Mayday! Mayday! Mayday! Mayday! Mayday! Mayday! and the end of all eternal period.

Judgements no more seated and seated, Where'er we lead to wisdom's light, ♪ Glory to God ♪ ♪ Amen and woe ♪ ♪ We know the limits of His love ♪ Dance with Jibaru, and shout the rails, from the mountains that never knelt in view. The Lord, the righteous God, knows all our faith. God to the world, and all thy grace. to change our hearts, bring you the wind, and tell the fields. Now may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God the Father, the sacred fellowship of the Holy Spirit, rest and abide with us each both now and for evermore. Amen.