His Terms

Turn with me, if you would, to Matthew 7 again. Matthew 7, if you are one who has an interest in these things, If you are one who has an interest and a concern in the things of Christ and the gospel and salvation and eternal life, I want to encourage you to ask the Lord to help you pay special attention to this message.

If the Lord will give us special care for this, this will be a real help. And I don't say this accusatively, I say this among us. Our flesh is so weak, our minds wander. It's a struggle to stay focused on this. If we do not, we will get lost and wonder, what in the world is he saying? But if the Lord will bless us, this will be a real help.

All right? Matthew 17, verse 13, it says... No, no, no. Did I say 17? You knew what I meant. Matthew 7. The one thing my ears are, you know, babies cry and this and that, and I'm sorry, did you hear that? No, I didn't hear that. The one thing I am tuned into is pages. Okay, I did something wrong. All right, Matthew 7, verse 13.

Enter ye in at the straight gate, for wide is the gate, and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat. Because straight is the gate, and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. What that's saying is there is one very straight and very narrow way that leads to eternal life. And most people will not go into eternity that way. Most people will leave this world and enter in the common way that man does.

And that common way is false religion. That common way is the way of Man, the way that man thinks is the right way. And man sums it all up. If you want to know if you're in a false religion, it's focused on man. It's talking about man, doesn't even hardly mention Christ because it's talking about man the whole time. Talks about man, speaks of man, focuses on man, looks at man, man, man, man, man, man. Okay, that's false religion.

That's the common way. It's got people looking at man. Man, man. That's man. That's the way that man naturally thinks is the right way. The way of man. The worship of man's ability. That's what it is. The worship of man's works. Every soul that leaves this world looking to man Looking to man's will.

People love to say you have a free will. No, you don't. You have a bound will to sin, just like I do. There's only one will that can save us from our bound will, and that's the free will of God Almighty. If we leave this world looking to man's decisions, man's works before God, that's the broad way. Congratulations, you made it to broad way. The common, broad, religious way of man.

Every soul that leaves this world in that common, religious way will not leave this world and enter into life. Will not. Every soul who leaves this world in that way will enter into destruction. And this is a little bit hard, but I want to make it clear that that is the condemnation, the punishment, and the death of hell.

Verse 15 says, and this is our Lord Jesus Christ speaking. He said, beware of false prophets. That's what he's talking about right here. That's the whole context of this right here. Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing. They look like God's people, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. You shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns? Do you go to a to a thorn bush expecting it to get grapes off of it? Because that's what these false preachers are telling you to do. You go right here to all these thorns and you can get grapes from this. Or do you get figs from thistles?

Verse 17, even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit. Now this is speaking of people. He's talking about people. Let me ask this question. Which people are good people? Which trees are good trees? What does Romans 3 verse 12 say? It says, there is none that doeth good. No, not one. What does Matthew 19 verse 17 say? It says there is none good but God.

He is the only good tree that there is. He is the only tree of life that there is. Every other soul on this earth is a sinner. Every other soul on this earth is a corrupt tree that bringeth forth evil fruit. Verse 17. Even so, every good tree bringeth forth good fruit, but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.

What does that mean? That means man's works are no good. This whole thing comes down to man's works or God's grace. It's either man's works or God's works. Verse 18 says, a good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit. That's Christ. It goes on to say, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. That's us. Verse 19, every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire.

And I'm going to go ahead and tell you that that is what happened on the cross of Calvary for God's people. You want to get into it? Let's just go ahead and establish the glory of the cross, okay? That right there is exactly what happened on the cross of Calvary for God's elect people.

That's what is still to come for every soul that was not hewn down and cast into the fire of God's judgment and wrath on the cross of Calvary in the Lord Jesus Christ. Every soul on this earth is a corrupt, evil sinner who must be, according to the law of God, must be hewn down and cast into the fire. And either Christ came down, either Christ came to be the substitute for that sinner, to bear that judgment for that sinner, to be hewn down and cast into the fire for that sinner, or that sinner is going to have to bear that judgment alone. It's one of the two.

Either way, every soul must endure that judgment. Verse 20 says, wherefore by their fruits you shall know them. Everything about sinful man, all sinful men and women, everything about them is going to be made known. It's all going to be made known. Now, this is the reason why This is the reason why verse 21 says, this is the whole reason why, verse 21 says, not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name, and in thy name have cast out devils, and in thy name done many wonderful works? Do you by chance hear man in that? Haven't we done this? Haven't we done that? Didn't we? Look at us. What about us? Verse 23, and then will I profess unto them, I never knew you, depart from me, ye that work iniquity. What he's saying is, I do not care what you did.

It was all corrupt, evil fruit. Only Christ produced good fruit. Only Christ. Only Christ did the will of the Father which is in heaven. This law cuts man down and glorifies Christ. That's what this does. This law stops every mouth but His. It glorifies His Word. Only Christ did the will of the Father which is in heaven.

And that is why John 3.13 says only Christ is worthy to ascend back up into heaven. Only Christ is worthy to ascend back up into heaven. His elect people were chosen in Him, placed in Him, redeemed in Him, and they ascend back up in Him. That's the only way. That is the only way. Christ is the only one worthy to ascend back up into heaven.

And that's the very reason why John 14, 6 says, our Lord is the one speaking. He said, no man cometh to the father, but by me. Man cannot get to God by his own means, his own deeds, his own works, his own abilities. That's why Christ came. That's why Christ came.

Galatians 2.21 says, If righteousness comes by man's ability to obey the law, then Christ died in vain. If man could get himself to glory, then why in the world did Christ come to die on that cross? Just let the ones who did good go to heaven and let the ones who did bad go to hell.

Now, this is what man does not understand in his false religion. This is why our Lord so strongly warned us to beware of false preachers. He said, you're going to know a false preacher because that preacher will preach man's works to satisfy God and that false preacher will be lying to you. Because a corrupt tree cannot produce good works.

There's only one tree. There's only one man who can. And that's Christ Jesus the Lord. He is the way. He is the truth. He is the life. His cross, His body, His blood, His death, His resurrection, His salvation alone. Any other way but Him, it will lead to destruction. We must have Him. We must come to Him. We must enter into Him. Verse 13, look at verse 13 again.

It says, enter ye in at the straight gate. And let me just ask this, how does a person get in Christ? Of God are you in Christ? You don't put yourself there. God puts you there before the foundation of the world. This entering in is a heart of faith. It's a heart of belief that evidences the fact that God the Father put you there. It's not a work. This is a faith evidence.

Verse 13, enter ye in at the straight gate for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction and many there be which go in there at. Because straight is the gate and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it."

Few will enter into life by Christ. Isaiah said, except the Lord had chosen to save a very small remnant, very small remnant of people, nobody would have been saved. Now, by the time the end of the world comes, there will be a great number which no man can number. But throughout the course of time in every generation of this world, compared to how many people there are living on the earth at any given moment in time, it's just a few.

It's just a few. It's not crusades of people. It's just here a little, there a little. One from a family, two from a city, the scripture says. Okay, with that being said, is that clear? We good so far? All right, go to John 7. John 7, look with me at verse 37.

This is our Lord speaking. He said, In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive. For the Holy Ghost was not yet given, because that Jesus was not yet glorified. He wasn't talking about water. Any man thirst, let him come unto me. Wasn't talking about water, he was talking about eternal life.

And he said, whosoever will, let him come. Turn with me to Revelation 22. Revelation 22 verse 17, And the Spirit and the Bride say, and let him that heareth say come, and let him that is a thirst come, and whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely. Now let me tell you the point of this message, all right? And again, it's time to ask the Lord again to let you really enter into this. If you have an interest in Christ and in these things, you have a desire, then I pray the Lord will really let you enter into this.

In a world full of sinful people, few are going to find eternal life. That's so. That's just so. But any soul who wants to find it can find it. Listen very carefully to this. Listen, listen very carefully to this. Our Lord said in Matthew 7, he very strictly laid out how narrow the way was that led to life. But he said in John 7 and he said in Revelation 22, whoever wants to come can come. This is so. This is so.

The reason that the majority of this world will not find eternal life is because men and women do not want to find eternal life. The reason men and women will not come to Christ is because they do not want to come to Christ. That's the reason. Our Lord said in John 5, you will not come to me that you might have life. Now we know that man is dead in his trespasses and sins, and he has to quicken first, right? Man can't come. He won't come. He can't come. He's dead. He's sinful.

Our Lord said in John 3, all flesh naturally loves darkness rather than light, and it's because all flesh is sinfully evil. Right now. That's where election comes in. This is where election comes in. God chose for some sinful people out of this world to be made willing in the day of His power.

That is the only way that a sinner will come. It's the only way a sinner can come, but it's the only way a sinner will come. The only way a sinner will seek I've had people say to me before, I'm trying to seek the Lord. I just want to seek the Lord. I have yet to meet one of those people that didn't find him. The only way that a center will come, will seek, will find is if God makes that center willing to.

That's the only way. So if you are willing, God has made you to be that way. And you can come. And you can come, all right, whosoever will. According to his sovereign drawing, no no man or woman can come to Christ except the father draw that center to Christ. All right. Whosoever will come. according to the Father's drawing of mercy and grace, let him come. Let him or her enter in at the straight gate.

Is all that clear? All right, now, it's time to really, really focus. Years ago, a man made a statement, a very dear man made a statement that helped me a great deal. This helped me such a great deal. He, he said this and now I'm just going to repeat it, but it's, it's a way of looking at all of these truths and facts that God has set forth in his word from man's point of view.

All right. From our point of view, from somebody who's sitting here in flesh saying, I'm just sinful flesh. What do I make of all this? All right. This is from man's point of view. If you will give close attention to this, it will help you a great deal. It'll help you a great deal. All right, let me just repeat. Not every soul is going to enter into life. Not every soul is going to come to Christ.

If you want to. If you do actually desire to, you may. As long as you have been made willing to come to him and to enter into his eternal life on his terms. The statement is this is the statement that was made. The statement is any soul can come to Christ. As long as that soul is willing to come on his terms.

Now, I'm going to repeat, I want to tell you the whole time, if you are willing to come on his terms, he made you that way. He's going to get the glory for this. What did did we kill man's works in the beginning? Are man's works dead? Have we established that?

If you desire Christ, if you want union with Christ, if you want to come to Christ, I want to come to him. You may. You may. And it's because the only way you can desire that this flesh has a way of thinking, well, that's just me. I don't know what he wants. Yes, you do. He's the one who made you feel that way. You can't. You are a dead, wicked, wretched sinner who hates God by nature. Scripture calls it enmity. You're at enmity.

So if you deeply desire to come to him, you've been made willing. My people are willing in the day of my power. As long as you have been made willing to come to Him, and made willing to be joined to Him, and made willing to be saved by Him, on His terms, you may.

And that's the key. On His terms, you may. Now, what are His terms? What are His straight, narrow terms? We're going to look at them, and then you can ask yourself if you're willing to come and willing to enter into His eternal life on these terms. If you are, if you've been made willing, you can.

Here's term number one. Turn with me to Romans 9. Romans 9 verse 9 it says, for this is the word of promise at this time will I come and Sarah shall have a son and not only this but when Rebecca also had conceived by one even by our father Isaac For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth.

It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger, as it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated. What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid. For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy. And I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.

So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy. Number one. Term number one. He chooses who he wants to save. That's term number one. We do not choose him. He chooses us. He decides who he is going to be merciful and gracious to. That's his term. John 6, 44 again says no man or woman can come to Christ except the Father. Draw that center to Christ. That's His decree. A center coming to Christ for salvation. That is His decision.

Whether you are allowed to be saved or not, let's just talk about are you allowed to be saved or not? Whether you are allowed to be saved or not, that's His decision. Are you willing to come to Him on that term? Someone says, no, I don't like that term. I don't accept that term.

Then it's Broadway for you. But if you can honestly say in your heart, yes, I will come to Him on that term. If He will have me, if He will choose me, then I will enter into his eternal life on that term. If you can honestly say that in your heart, let's go to term number two.

Go to Luke 5. Luke 5 verse 29, and Levi made him a great feast in his own house and there was a great company of publicans, and we've seen what publicans are, and of others that sat down with them, but their scribes and Pharisees murmured against his disciples saying, why do you eat and drink with publicans and sinners? And Jesus answering said unto them, they that are whole need not a physician, but they that are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. Term number two, in order to come to him, you have to come as a sinner. You have to. You have to. You cannot come as a righteous person. You cannot come as a good person with right deeds who is right with God. He said, I did not come to call the righteous. He said, I will not accept the self-righteous.

Are you willing to come to him and willing to enter into his straight and narrow way as a wretched sinner before him? Are you willing to come before him believing in your heart that you are the chief of sinners, the vilest offender, the worst of the worst, the worst this world has ever seen? You say, no, I'm not willing to come that way. I'm a good person who's done good things, and I think everybody ought to know that. It's Broadway for you. If you can honestly say in your heart, God be merciful to me, the sinner. If you can say that, let's go to term number three.

First Corinthians one. First Corinthians chapter one. Verse 26, For you see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called. But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise, and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty. and base things of the world, and things which are despised hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nothing, not, things that are, that no flesh should glory in his presence. Number three, in order to come to Christ, you have to come as a fool. That's the word, that's the word to select.

You have to come as a fool. Let me tell you what self-righteous religious man does not want to be. Let me tell you the last thing he wants to be, a fool. Oh, the Apostle Paul said, we are fools for Christ's sake. A lowly, ignorant fool. Verse 20 right here says, God has made foolish the wisdom of this world. Therefore, you cannot come in the prideful arrogance of your own knowledge and wisdom.

You can only come as an ignorant fool. In Matthew 11, our Lord thanked the Father for hiding these things, his straight and narrow way of Christ that leads to life. He thanked him for hiding these things from the worldly wise and prudent and revealing it to babes. Can you come to Christ that way? Are you willing to come to him as an ignorant, foolish babe?

If you are, go to term four. There's five of them. I'm almost done. Go to Isaiah 55. Isaiah 55 verse 1, it says, Oh everyone that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money, come ye buy and eat, yea, come buy wine and milk without money and without price. Term number 4, in order to come to Christ you have to come empty. You have to come empty. You have to be thirsty. You have to be hungry. You have to be broke. You have to be famished, empty, broke.

Are you willing to come to him saying, in my hand, no price I bring? You say, absolutely not. I have a lot to offer him. Broadway for you. But if you can honestly say in your heart, that's the only way I can come to him. Empty begging. A beggar. Helpless, a helpless beggar. This is the only way I can come to him.

If you can say that, then let's go to the last term. Here's the last one for this morning, for this message. I'm not saying this is all the terms he's listed. For this message, go to John 6. John 6, verse 37. And I'm going to tell you before I read this, all the emphasis is on the word me. Okay? John 6, 37. All that the Father giveth me shall come to me. And him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. Term number five.

In order to come to Christ, You have to come to Him. You have to come to Him. You cannot come to self. This is what people are doing in false religion with their false salvation. They're coming to self. You cannot just come to religion. You cannot just come to ordinances. You cannot just come to doctrines. You have to come to Christ.

Is Calvinism enough? No. It's not enough. Eternal life is not in Calvinism. It's in Christ. It's in Jesus Christ. You must come to Christ. If you can honestly say, for me, eternal life is not heaven. It's Christ. I want him. I need him. Then you can come to him. You can come to him.

By His choosing of you and redeeming of you and calling of you and drawing of you, you can come as a foolish, broken, empty, begging sinner in need of mercy and grace through the blood that was shed on the cross of Calvary for sinners. These are the terms of his straight and narrow way.

No soul is willing to come to Christ on these terms. No soul is willing to come to Christ on these terms until the Lord God makes a soul willing to come on these terms. So if you're one of the few. One of the very few in this world that desires to come to Christ. And has been made willing to come on his terms. You may. You may. Whosoever will. Whosoever will come to him on his terms. Has been made willing. And that soul will not be cast out.

Broad is the way that leads to destruction. Straight and narrow is the way that leads to life. Lord. Lead us to life. Lead us to Christ. Lead us down this straight and narrow way. Draw us nearer. Draw us nearer to your way. Let us bow to your way. Let me bow to your way. Save our souls. Amen.

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