Abiding Faithful

Q: What does the Bible say about the resurrection of Jesus Christ?

The resurrection of Jesus is foundational to the Christian faith, affirming His victory over sin and death. The resurrection of Jesus Christ is central to the gospel message and is emphasized throughout the New Testament, notably by the Apostle Paul. It is stated in 2 Timothy 2:8 that believers are to remember Jesus Christ who was raised from the dead. This resurrection confirms that Christ's atoning work on the cross was effective for the redemption of His people. Furthermore, Romans 10:9 affirms that if one confesses with their mouth that Jesus is Lord and believes in their heart that God raised Him from the dead, they will be saved. The resurrection not only guarantees eternal life but also assures believers that they are justified before God, as indicated in Romans 4:25, where it states that Christ was raised for our justification.

Q: How do we know the doctrine of election is true?

The doctrine of election, which teaches that God chooses certain individuals for salvation, is affirmed throughout Scripture, particularly in Ephesians 1:4-5. The doctrine of election is a biblical truth rooted in God's sovereign will and grace. Ephesians 1:4-5 elaborates that God chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world, highlighting that election is based on His love and purpose rather than any foreseen merit on our part. Furthermore, 2 Timothy 2:10 speaks to the Apostle Paul’s conviction that he endures all things for the sake of the 'elect,' indicating a real, specific group that God has predestined for salvation. This election demonstrates God’s grace and sovereignty, ensuring that salvation is entirely His work from beginning to end, thereby glorifying Him alone. The entirety of God's plan for salvation can be seen as a radiant display of His mercy and justice.

Q: Why is perseverance in faith important for Christians?

Perseverance in faith is crucial because it reflects the believer's reliance on God’s grace and the assurance of His faithfulness. Perseverance in faith underscores the believer's commitment to God, even amidst trials and adversities. In 2 Timothy 2:12, Paul articulates that 'if we endure, we shall also reign with him,' presenting perseverance as a condition for experiencing the completeness of Christ’s promise. This endurance is not accomplished by human strength but is a product of divine grace; believers are sustained by the Holy Spirit, who ensures that they continue to trust in God through all circumstances. The assurance we have, as mentioned in 2 Timothy 2:13, is that even when we are faithless, God remains faithful because He cannot deny Himself. Therefore, perseverance is both a response to God's sustaining grace and a testimony to His unchanging character.

I want to ask you about that baby with the heart condition. Did you hear anything? They didn't do open heart surgery or anything. They still think about replacing the heart? They don't know if he's going to be able to go through that. That is the Harlow family? No. No, his name's Harlow. His name's Harlow. Harlow. Harlow. Harlow. OK.

Remember that family in your prayers. Seek the Lord's help for them. Let's begin our worship service this morning. I'll have your solid grace hymnal books. Page 14. Yes. Oh, my sister's also got to have kids from time to time. That's right. Tim. Tim. Pray for Dawson. We'll know these family. Dawson. We'll know the 27 years old. Not good. I'm sure folks told him. Dawson. D-A-W-S-O-N. Dawson. His parents were Michael and Savannah. Some of your kin Jew? Some are. Him number 14 in your handout.

And can it be that I should gain an interest in the Savior's Word? be that I should gain and receive my Saviour's blood, that He would be the cause of His pain, for me through Him ♪ Amazing love, how can it be ♪ ♪ That Thou my God just died for me ♪ ♪ Amazing love, how can it be ♪ In vain the firstborn cherub tries to sell out the world. ♪ The gifts of love divine ♪ ♪ Tis mercy on that earth of yore ♪ ♪ And angels' voices inquire no more ♪ ♪ Amazing love, how can it be ♪ His mercy on Amazing love, how can it be? Jesus died for me. I found Like I did years ago, the ray has gone, the dungeon's plain with light, my change will me.

Jesus. Amazing grace, what so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming? of Scripture reading and prayer will sing you number 61. Have your Bible turned to 2 Timothy chapter 2. I'm going to read the first 13 verses, and I'm going to take our passage this morning, verse 8 to verse 13. 2 Timothy chapter 2. Paul speaking to Timothy or writing to Timothy from prison. Thou, therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Jesus Christ. And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men who should be able to teach others also.

Thou, therefore, in your hardships or hardness as a good soldier, of Jesus Christ, no man that warreth and entangleth himself with the affairs of this life, he may please him who has chosen him to be a soldier. That a man also strive for masteries, yet he is not crowned, except he strive thought lawfully. The husbandman that laboreth must be first partaker of the fruits.

Consider what I say, and the Lord give thee understanding in all things. Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel. Wherein I suffer trouble as an evildoer, even unto bonds by the word of God, but the word of God is not bound. Therefore I endure all things for the elect's sake, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Jesus Christ with eternal glory. It is a faithful saying, for if we were dead with him, we also live with him. If we suffer, we shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He will also deny us. If we believe not, yet He abideth faithful, He cannot deny Himself.

That's correct. Our Father, we are thankful that Thou art God, who does not change. who cannot be altered, discouraged, or dissuaded. Who does all things after the counsel of your own will. We are thankful that you rule and reign in this world with absolute sovereign sway. We are not equipped to understand what you are doing at any given time. But we know, according to your word, the outcome will be sure And absolutely, all things will work together for good to them that love God, to live with a calling according to His purpose. And you will get glory, for you deserve glory for all things.

Father, help us to bow to your wisdom. Help us to plead to your word. Help us to believe and help our unbelief. We pray for those who are sick, these families who have been mentioned, the lost loved ones. We pray for Nancy Rice, the things she's going through. We pray you'd be with her, Lord. We pray for our congregation, that we might be a hospital for sinners, a lighthouse on a hill, a place where people can come and sit and hear the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Help us this day to worship you. To see your worthiness. To give praise and honor to you. To give all glory to your name's sake and unto ourselves. Help us to say right things concerning thee. Help us to bow in thanksgiving and praise for all you've done for us. We pray in Christ's precious name.

Oh, the deep, deep love of Jesus, that's love major, endless, free! For He has the mighty ocean in His fullness, Over me, underneath me, all around me, is the crown of Thy love. Leading onward, leading onward, to my glorious rest above. Oh, the deep, deep love of Jesus! With His praise from shore to shore! How He loved us, gave our love a change! I Oh Jesus is is is Let us pray.

Father, again we come in the blessed name of the perfect righteousness of Jesus Christ. We know that you have given us all things and all things are ours. We are Christ, and Christ is God. We know that it is you who make us to differ from another, not we ourselves. And it is you who have blessed us with all spiritual blessings in Christ and guaranteed that you would care for us in this world. As we return to you, that which belongs to you, let us do so with joy and thanksgiving. We pray in Christ's name, amen. so so you. invites your attention back to 2 Timothy chapter 2. Paul the Apostle left Timothy at Ephesus in 1 Timothy 1. He left it there to make sure that nobody preached any other doctrine than that which had been preached. Because there were those in Ephesus who were trying to get people to go under the law.

Paul made it clear that to do such a thing was to make the death of Christ to none effect. It is to say what God has made clean to be unclean. It is to say whom God has made righteous in Jesus Christ and forgiven all their sins and put away their sins completely, that they were actually manslayers and whores and whore-wanderers and such. But God has said they're not. And that's what Paul was dealing with.

And so he wrote these letters to Timothy to Titus from prison He was imprisoned for preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ clearly. They called him seditious, and they ultimately killed him for the gospel he preached. But throughout Timothy and Titus, he made one thing very clear over 17 times in these three short epistles to these young preachers.

He said, make sure what you preach is sound doctrine, sound words. Make sure that people understand clearly what you're saying. Most people in this day and age don't care for doctrine, they care rather for emotions and sentimentality in religion. They like to be made to feel better and to jump up and down for joy and do foolish things in the name of Christ. But the Bible is about teaching. word of God was given to us so it would be taught, and the preachers of the gospel are teachers of the gospel of Jesus Christ. I know today preachers come in all kinds of categories.

I remember many years ago when Brother Henry Husky began to attend here on Wednesday night and then Sunday morning and then Sunday night, but it took him a while to get here. He told Arlene or Loretta Warren that I was a pretty good teacher, but I wasn't And what he meant was I didn't get all excited and shout and carry on and jump up and down in the pulpit and get loud and that sort of thing. He was not used to that, but he came and became used to it and I baptized him over there in the creek several years later. And he loved the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Sound doctrine. Our Lord said, my doctrine is not mine, but him that sent me. The word doctrine is the Greek word didaktos. We get our word teacher from it. Marlene was a didaktician. My wife was a didaktician. They went and taught young people school things.

But did you know that unless God Almighty teaches a man didaktos, according to John 6, 45, unless the Lord teaches a man, he will not come to Jesus Christ. He's got to be taught by God. Got to be shown doctrine by God. Got to be revealed doctrine by God. And the fact is, we can't preach Christ without doctrine. And we can't preach true doctrine without Christ.

These two go hand in hand. His name is Jesus Christ, the Savior. That's such a doctrinal name. Jesus, Savior.

Deliverer comes from Joshua in the original Hebrew Jesus Christ the anointed the appointed the promised one from old scripture that what God would set on Zion's holy hill and give the heathen for his heritage The Lord That means he's in charge and he rules all things all of that is biblical doctrine And here Paul is giving some more doctrine to his boys, Timothy and Titus, as he sits in prison, waiting execution. This passage follows the admonitions that Paul gave in the first six verses, things that can draw a man's mind away from the simplicity of the gospel, which is the singular thing which the minister is to be occupied with, the gospel of Jesus Christ and also the believer. And in this passage, verses 8 through 13, Paul gives assurance of several things that will prove both cost and benefit to the preacher and the believer of the gospel of God's grace. Verse 8, he says this, let's read verses 8 through 13. Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David, that means he's the rightful king, hath raised up from the dead was raised up from the dead according to what I told you according to the gospel that I preach according to the good news the glad tidings of good things wherein in that gospel and because of the gospel I suffer as an evildoer people call me evil because I preach the gospel even unto bonds I mean he was bound in prison but the word of God is not bound I'm in chains, but the word of God is doing just fine.

Just fine. Therefore, I endure all things. For who? For the elect's sake. For those whom God has chosen from the foundation of the world, I do salvation, which he will bring to light with the gospel over time. Those whom he has chosen, they are his elect. The elect's sake. That's Paul says, that's who I preach for. I preach for God's glory.

There's a battle out there, but I preach Because I know out there somewhere in this world there's some sheep. They're here, they're there, and I'm going to preach the gospel because that's the only food they'll eat. They'll not follow another. They'll not hear the voice of another. But they'll hear the gospel of Jesus Christ. That they may obtain the salvation which is in Jesus Christ with eternal glory. And that salvation does involve that.

For whom he did pray last night, them he also called, whom he called, them he also justified, whom he justified, them he also glorified. Glorified. As far as God is concerned. any different than we are now, save that our flesh will be left behind. We're already glorified in Jesus Christ. Paul said that to the Thessalonian church when he said that they were elect of God, beloved of God. Brethren, we are bound to give thanks always to God for you, brethren, beloved of the Lord, because God has chosen you unto salvation through sanctification of the Spirit, believing through what he called you by our gospel to the obtaining of the glory. of the Lord Jesus Christ. This is about God's glory. Everything is about God's glory. And if you're thinking in your matter of salvation or anything you're having to do with providence or whatever, doesn't give God all the glory, but leaves some glory for man, you've missed the boat. Then you're going to sink. You're going to sink.

That means He's worthy of repeating over and over again, for if we were dead with Him, we also shall live with Him. What a simple statement. If when Jesus Christ died on Calvary's tree, you were in Him, you died before God. What are you saying? No, he was the one who bore your sin in his body. You died. God got punishment from you if you were in him. But if you were in him when he died, you were also in him when he rose from the grave. Alive unto God. Alive unto God.

If we suffer, he said, we also will reign with him. If we deny Him, He will also deny us. Now that's been used by religion a whole lot to get people scared, but I'll let you know what that really means. If we believe not, yet He abideth faithfully. What a joyous phrase that is! For us poor old believers who are so full of unbelief and live in our life in unbelief and so much that we take upon ourselves and we ought to lay at the feet of God, You think, well, hell just put us in hell.

Yeah, but he won't, because he's a man of faith. I am God, he said. I change not. Therefore, because I change not, you sons of Jacob, you are licked unto salvation. You sons of Jacob shall not be consumed. Why? How come you're not consumed? Because you don't deserve to be?

No, I deserve to be consumed. We deserve to go to hell. We deserve to be separated from God. Even as believers, we deserve that, naturally, to be cast out from God's prison. Why in the world aren't we? Because we've done some good things. No. Because we're believers? No. Why? Because he doesn't change. That's the whole shooting match right there. That's the whole ball of wax right there. God doesn't change. Because no telling what you and I will do before we die.

I know some dear brothers who ended up really bad. I mean really bad. And I still believe they're his brothers, but they got, they ended up bad. Is their hope gone? If it's in themself it is. But they were a believer. Like David committed murder. Like David committed adultery. Like Solomon. Married a whole bunch of women, had a whole bunch of concubines. Like Peter, who denied the Lord three times. Like Peter, who joined up with the Judaizers at Antioch. Like Barnabas also. We have record upon record the failures of the saints of God. according to most of religion at that end of their career. He didn't want it. He's got no chance. What a blessed thing. When we believe not, yet He abideth faithful. Why? He cannot deny Himself.

Paul here begins with a rehearsal of the personal work of the Lord Jesus Christ in verse 8. Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel. If you want a good study, if you've got a concordance and you can study it, if you've got a concordance on your computers, look up the phrase raised from the dead, raised up in the New Testament and see how many of God's essential doctrinal truths are tied to the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Everything we believe is tied to the resurrection.

It's no small thing. When Paul uses this, he's talking about essential teaching. It's as fitting as it's a reminder of the calling of the child of God. He admonishes Timothy to remember. This is a thing that is often repeated to the children of Israel, that they should remember. What do they remember?

They were once slaves. They were once without hope and without help in the world. Even those who hold them slavery had taken away the things that made it easier for them to do their job. They were tortured. They were tortured. He said, remember, you were slaves in Egypt, but I delivered you by my mighty hand. So they're called to remember their salvation, their deliverance.

It's not an indictment against Timothy, or believers suggest they might forget, though they often do. It's truth. But rather, because of the many things that attend the life of a believer, the gospel might slip. into a position of secondary importance. In fact, everything we do, what we're doing here today, as I stand here to declare the gospel of Jesus Christ to you, what I'm doing here today, I'm talking about things that are remembered.

You weren't there 2,000 years ago. You were there spiritually. You were there according to purpose, but you weren't physically there 2,000 years ago. You weren't there when you rose from the grave. How? God has given you recollection of the fact. He's put it in his book. Everything we do is about recollection, you see. It's about what God has done, not about what we do or can do or might do. It's about what God has done. It's remembrance. Son, remember. He told you.

The gospel itself, what is it? It's a repetition over and over, a redundant repeating of the fact. Jesus Christ actually redeemed his people by his blood. That God made his people righteous in Jesus Christ and they stand before him as perfect without spot of blemish or wrinkle or any such thing. Unreprovable in his sight because of what Christ does. And that happened a long time ago. Started even before God made the world. It's all about remembering. It's all about recollection.

Baptism. What do we do when we baptize? Put somebody in the water. What are we picturing? We're picturing the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. When did that happen? 2,000 years ago. It's a recollection. It's a recollection. We take the Lord's table and read that bread and drink that wine, talking about the body and the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. What is that? It's a recollection. Remember. What do I have to remember? What I did? No. I like to forget most of that. What do I remember? What God has done. What God has done.

Paul admonishes and remembers because it brings a believer back to the fundamentals. Namely that he is a sinner and that it was the death of Christ and is the death of Christ that is his entire hope. This reminds the believer to return to that fountain of grace, ever being reminded to take up his headquarters in the dust. And no matter the duties and obligations that attend his life, he will not perform them in his own power, but must always consider them in light of the fact that his help is found only in Jesus Christ.

By memory, by recollection. Man will never rise above his station. This is one of the reasons why we do not vary from preaching the gospel. We are human beings, and the cares of this world can cause us to forget. When we forget, we turn our eyes to ourselves rather than Christ.

So Paul says, remember, Timothy, remember. Remember it's a curse when the gospel is preached. He said, remember that Jesus Christ, the seed of David, was raised from the dead. How? According to my gospel. This is how we remind each other of the fact.

This is why we keep preaching and saying the same thing over and over and over again, centering all things on the senior thing that matters, and that is Jesus Christ. We remember in verse 9 Paul asserts that there is a cost incurred in preaching the gospel and believing the gospel. Wherein I suffer trouble as an evildoer, even unto bonds, but the word of the Lord is not bound. Paul has been named an evildoer and a transgressor. That's what they said over in Acts chapter 24. Acts 24 verse 5, he says, for we have found this man, this was the afternoon he was in the lane against Paul. What did Paul do?

Preach the gospel. Preach the gospel. Did he do it at the end of a sword where he threatened to do it, but he didn't believe he was going to kill him? No, he just preached the gospel. Sat down and talked with men and persuaded men. For we have found this man a pestilent fellow, a mover of sedition. among all the Jews throughout the world. Yeah, he traveled a lot, but he didn't travel throughout the world. A ringleader in the sect of the Nazarenes. What sect was that? Ask the believers. A ringleader, he had a ringleader and a seditionist. We want to put him, this is the one he was in jail for. He was now, as he wrote this letter, in prison for the truth, saved a child of God who will not go to heaven on flower beds of ease.

People think, a lot of religion thinks when you become a Christian, everything gets easy. No, if you ever do actually, God actually saves you. That's when your trouble begins. You never even knew you had a vile, wicked, hellish nature until God saved you. Seems weird, doesn't it? But that's what happens. you find out what you are. And it's not a pleasant thought.

Over in Hebrews chapter 11, it signifies how we're going to end up in glory, what we're going to go through for it to take place. In Hebrews chapter 11, verse 36, it says that others had a trial of cruel mockings Scourgings, yea, moreover, of bonds and of imprisonment, they were stoned. They were sawn asunder, means cut in half, were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented, of whom the world is not worthy. They wandered in deserts and in mountains and in dens and in caves of the earth. And these all, having retained a good report through faith, received not the promise, but they were looking for something. God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.

That's what people have suffered for Christ's sake. Don't think you're gonna get off easy, but here's the promise. Whatever you've said in reference to the glory of Christ told people about. And you get the opportunity. And I'm not talking about having theological arguments. That's a waste of time. You may be able to convince someone, someone theologically and logically that the gospel, the doctrines of grace are true. They're no better off. Our message is Christ. Christ did it all. Christ paid my sin debt. Christ is my righteousness. Christ is my hope in this world. That's it. That's our message over and over again.

Paul, in answering that accusation over in Acts, in the same chapter, said this. Acts chapter 24, verse 14, he says, but of this I confess. All right, I'm gonna confess now. This I confess unto thee, and he said this before the bar of justice that put him on trial.

And after the way which men called heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things that are written in the law and the prophets, which were Genesis to Malachi. He said, you call me a heretic because I preach only Jesus Christ. You say, I'm a heretic. Well, I confess, I'm a heretic. That makes me a heretic. I'm a heretic. Because I believe everything that the Law of the Prophets said about Jesus Christ.

And Scripture says the Law of the Prophets gave witness to Him. That's who the Law of the Prophets spoke about. That's who Moses spoke about in the first five books of the Bible. That's who Malachi was talking about in the last book of the Bible. of the Old Testament.

I believe all that, he said, as I confess that I'm a heretic. One time a lady came to Scott Rich, she had a notepad. She'd been in his church, had come many times. Come for a couple years, and then she quit coming. And he saw her on the street and asked where she'd been. She said, well, I can't come back anymore. He says, how come? She pulled out a little notepad and she says, here's, I wrote down your messages. The title of your message, took notes on it, it's a priest. Here's a message, it's about Christ only. Here's another, nothing but Christ. Here's another, Christ, it's Christ, Christ, Christ, Christ. All you do is preach Christ.

He said, put that on the gravestone. Well, what a testimony. Like they said about John the Baptist, he did no miracles. was the truth. What he said about Jesus Christ was the truth. The Word of God is safe. The universe is upheld by the Word of God according to Hebrews chapter 1. Chains and fetters of men cannot bind the Word of His power and the Word remains. I listen to these people on TV and these preachers and these atheists talking about this and that and I think You know, that's the way it is. In a few days, I'm going to be dead. We're all going to be gone, folks. What will be here when we're gone? And there'll be some poor old fellow God has called to stand up on his back legs and tell people about Jesus Christ when we're gone. This Word, God says He has magnified this Word above his name, this word. He said, the word of God is not bound. Our Lord made that clear in Isaiah chapter 55. My word shall not return unto me void. I will accomplish the thing I say to do.

In the heart of the ministry of the gospel, it's twofold. In verse 10 it says, therefore I endure all things for the elect's sake that they may also obtain the salvation that is in Jesus Christ. First he does what he does that God alone would be glorified. For the salvation of the elect. Men are willing to give God glory and creation. And they should. But creation does not reveal him as to the matter of salvation. It simply doesn't. Men glorify Him in providence, whether they want to or not. A tornado comes through the town, people say, well, that's an act of God. And it was, for His scripture says He's in the whirlwind.

So men look at providence and give God the glory. But in the thing that honors God the most, the thing He talks about the most, the thing He says glorifies His name. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will be gracious unto whom I will be gracious. This is my glory. The thing that glorifies and loves. Men don't want to glorify, but God's people do. That's the heart of the ministry.

Whenever, whether he sees results or not, the preacher or the person who tells others about Jesus Christ, whether they see results or not, God is glorified. It's sufficient to His calling with eternal glory. Secondly, in condition on the first thing, the preacher does what he does for the elect's sake. Unlike those whose hope relies on the will or decision of men, the preacher of the gospel knows that the Lord has a people, He said He did, a people that were chosen of God for the foundation of the world, a people who would hear the gospel and through it believe on the Lord Jesus Christ alone for their salvation.

They're out there. There's some more. Are there any left? Maybe not as many as there was before. There's still some out there, I don't know, because God ain't wound this thing up yet. Christ ain't come back yet. There's still some of those left out there. And that's what I'm looking for.

So I ain't going to tell no sad stories to get you down and out. I'm not going to give an invitation. I'm going to sing just as I am 50 times. I'm not going to do that. Why? You don't have to. This book, wonder as it is, is the voice of Jesus Christ. And when it's preached, the elect's ears perk up. They'll hear it. And they'll come. If you get in your way, they'll walk over you. You won't have to beg them to come down in front of you. You won't have to try to gang-say them. Just get out of their way. They'll come. I've been preaching here for 47 years. Is that right? 48 years. 48 years.

Never give an invitation. Never have. And I've buried almost every one of you. I mean, I've buried a lot of you, but I've baptized almost every one of you. And I've never asked you to do something. Why? Because that's not my business. And I'm not looking for results.

Say, don't you get down when people don't come? Well, no. On Wednesday nights, sometimes we had four or five people. We went down to two, I think, one time. And I'm like old Laverne saying, everybody's very supposed to be there. So I preach the gospel. I preach the gospel. We don't look for results. We preach Christ alone, whatever it takes.

Whatever it takes, be it persecution, imprisonment, or even death, the menace of the gospel, the belief of the gospel, we'll endure it gladly for the elect's sake, because he knows God's gonna save his people. That's why they named him Jesus, for he shall save his people from their sins. We know that they will be informed by their blessed estate through the unbound preaching of the word of God. They'll be informed, they will not be put online or ask to answer some questionnaire or do something. What happened when they hear the gospel is they heard that Jesus Christ actually saved his people from their sin.

And the sheep would say, I want me some of that. I want that. The ghost would care less. But the sheep will say, that's for me. He's talking to me. That word is my sheep hear my voice and they follow me and I give them eternal life. They shall never perish. Neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father which gave them to me is greater than all. No man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. I and my Father are one.

Verses 11 through 13 contain both warnings and promises of the preacher and the believer. It says, if a faithful sayeth, for if we are dead with him, we shall also live with him. If we suffer, we shall also reign with him. If we deny him, we shall also deny us. If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful. He cannot deny himself. Peter could not talk about being taught about physically denying Christ, because he denied Him three times, and Christ did not deny Him. So that can't be what he's talking about.

These are true and sound things that can be counted on as a faithful saying. The first thing is this. It is faithful and true. It relates to what Paul said in verse 8. Remember that Jesus Christ is the seed of David, according to my gospel. The death and the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ actually accomplish something.

That's not what you hear at Pulpits of American Day. You heard he did something, but you're going to have to do something to make that something he did affect you, to make it work. That's not so. When Jesus Christ died and was buried, and rose again the third day, and ascended on high, some days later, to sit at the right hand of the Father. In doing all that, he accomplished something. What did he accomplish? He accomplished the redemption of his people. He didn't die to make anything possible. He died to accomplish something, and accomplish it he did. What did it accomplish?

I owe God a debt. I'm a sinner. Born in sin, conceived in iniquity, coming forth from the womb, speaking lies as soon as I'm born. Drinking iniquity like water. I'm a sinner. God says the soul of the sinner must die. I owe God a debt. That debt's got to be paid. It cannot be unpaid. If it's not paid, I will pay for it eternally in hell. And never pay it off because it's eternal.

Jesus Christ paid my sin debt. How? He died for me. He died instead of me. He died in my room and in my place and therefore God says you don't owe me anything anymore. You're not obligated to me for the debt for your sin. That sin debt has been paid.

He died and all the elect died with us. As Father Paul said, when he died, we died also. His death was accounted as our satisfying the law's justice and demands for us. And when he arose, you arose with him, fully justified. He was raised for our justification.

In fact, this fact gives us confidence in the Declaration of the Gospel. We're not talking about something that might be or could be. We're not asking you to do anything. But we tell folks about the Gospel. We said, Jesus did something. Christ accomplished something.

Are you interested? Does that interest you at all? He said, no, well, I'm not talking to you then. I'm looking for somebody to talk to this might be an interest to. Paul said, ho, I mean, Isaiah said, ho, ho, that little word, ho. Isaiah 55, one. Ho, what does that mean? Stop. You're at the point, that's what that word means. Oh, everyone that thirsted, come to the water and drink. Come buy without money. Come to the water and drink. Are you thirsty? Is this interesting? If you do, if you are interested, I got something for you.

Something that God has done. Verse 12 is often used by religion as some kind of proof or evidence of salvation, a guarantee of reward. Verse 12 says if we suffer, we should also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He will also deny us. In this context, however, the first phrase is spoken in opposition to the second phrase. Suffering is opposite of denying. Suffering is not something you willingly do in order to gain something.

There are some people who believe that. And the whole thing is going on right now. It's still going on with 40 days of Lent in the Catholic Church, where they put a cross on their head. They're going to give up something for Jesus. They're suffering for the cause, they say. Deny themselves. That's not suffering. Suffering, according to this, in the hospital, suffering for Christ's sake. Suffering with Christ is suffering for what he suffered for while he was in the world.

Did he suffer for healing people? No. Did he suffer being kind and generous? Did he suffer for weeping for Lazarus? Did he suffer for feeding 5,000? Did he suffer for raising people from the dead? Did he suffer for turning water into wine? Why did he suffer? He opened his mouth and told the truth. And he suffered for that. You'll never suffer for being kind to people. You'll never suffer for helping people out. He didn't either. And if you could raise people from dead, you wouldn't suffer for that. If you could turn water into wine, you wouldn't suffer for that.

But I'm telling you what you'll suffer for. Look people straight in the face and tell them, the only hope for a human being in this world is the death of Jesus Christ. Nothing about them. Christ alone. If you deny Him, He will deny you. He will. That's just true. None of the elect will deny Him. Not in the Gospel. Peter denied Him. Why? Because he's scared. You get scared enough, you might deny Him too.

But remember, the last phrase of this passage of scripture is this. If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful. This is the gospel that's being addressed. And a professor of faith in Christ who preaches any other gospel is in trouble. That's denying Christ. Let's deny Christ by making salvation dependent on works we will or evidence of such suffering. I think one lady told Crow one time that she wanted to suffer because it would give her some hope in heaven. It won't. If someone seems to give it all up and Preaching the gospel discounts everything to Christ.

Even your philanthropy. Your kindness. Your generosity. Your love. All discounted. Salvation is by Christ. And Him alone. The last verse says it all. It assures us that we can and probably will fail and falter and be filled with unbelief because that's what we are. But that's not our salvation.

Can you point to any one moment in your life as a child of God which you can feel actually would merit God accepting you? Your best prayer? Church attendance? Undoing your wallet and giving money to the church? Reading your Bible? You think that's going to stand before God? What's going to stand before God? If Jesus Christ is your righteousness.

That's it. Marvin Steiniger. his dear wife, beautiful lady. He's married to another lady now because his wife perished. She died. She got cancer. And she laid dying on the bed. Marvin asked her, he said, I know, I don't know how I didn't ask you, but I know when people are dying, they seem to be able to think straight. anything you want to tell me before you die." And his lovely wife looked him in the eye and said,

Abiding Faithful

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What does the Bible say about the resurrection of Jesus Christ?

How do we know the doctrine of election is true?

Why is perseverance in faith important for Christians?

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Abiding Faithful

Key Quotes

What does the Bible say about the resurrection of Jesus Christ?

How do we know the doctrine of election is true?

Why is perseverance in faith important for Christians?

Sermon Transcript

About Tim James

Comments

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