One of the things that distinguishes
this small congregation from a lot of others is that there
are certain principles taught in God's Word about himself,
about his son, about the Holy Spirit, and about salvation that are principles. take it or leave it ideas. They're
principles. And I'm not boasting in that
we're different. I've heard a lot of people do
that. A lot of churches do that. Preachers do that. It's no secret. We are different, but I boast
in that I trust the distinction is only concerning the truth. It's not that we necessarily
want to be different from other people. Certainly don't think
we're better than other people, not at all, but we must stay
with this. And I'm going to talk about some
of these things this morning. Some of these distinctions that
are very disturbing to some people, but I trust you will listen and
that the Lord would be pleased to make these things meaningful
to us this morning. And John. Chapter 10. There's an emphasis. In this
chapter placed on the exclusive relationship between Christ and
his people. The terms used are the shepherd
and the sheep. In verse two, he's called the
shepherd of the sheep. Christ is not a goat farmer. He's the shepherd of the sheep. Verse three, he calleth his own
sheep by name. Psalm 147, four said that he
called all the stars by their names, plural man. has counted a few thousand or
a million, I don't know. And men have named a few of the
stars. But Psalm 147, four said that
the Lord called all of them by their names, which he'd give.
So certainly he calleth his own sheep by name. Verse four, he
goeth before them. And the sheep follow him for
they know his voice. Verse five, a stranger they will
not follow, but will flee. Verse seven, he says, I am the
door of the sheep. It's never open to goats or wolves
or wild beast. Verse 11, the good shepherd giveth
his life for who? The sheep. Verse 14. I am the good shepherd
and know who. Verse 15. I laid down my life
for who. Verse 16. He is informing. The Pharisees to whom he's speaking
in the presence of, he says, other sheep I have, which are
not of this fold. He's referring to Gentiles. Them also I must bring. Not I'd like to, I hope to, or
I'm wishing, hoping I can, but I must bring. And they shall
not ought to, or wish they would, or hope they will, but they shall
hear my voice and there shall be one fold and one shepherd. One fold and one shepherd. About every preacher I know in
this part of the country insists that Jews are distinct. They're God's pet children. And
the rest of us are God's stepchildren. What does Jesus say? There shall
be one fold and one shepherd. Paul said it like this in Ephesians,
the middle wall of partition is broken down to make of twain,
meaning two, Jew and Gentile, one new man, one body. So that's very clear. People don't believe that. And
they'll tell you they don't believe it. They tell me a lot. Now,
verse 26, he tells these unbelievers where they are and
why they don't believe. But ye believe not because ye
are not of my sheep. As I said unto you, my sheep hear my voice. You guys
don't. And I know them. They follow
me and I give unto them eternal life and they shall never perish. There's no if in that verse.
I give unto them eternal life and they shall never perish.
Neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My father, which
gave them me is greater than all. And no man is able to pluck
them out of my father's hand. I and my father are one. And then the Jews began to praise
God for this wonderful truth. Is that what verse 31 says? Then the Jews took up stones
again to stone him. That is a, that's a capital crime. We'll kill you for these words.
So the emphasis of this chapter. is that Christ died for his people. Or the doctrine of a definite
atonement. Definite in the sense that Christ
never died to make salvation possible for everybody. He died
to make it certain for those for whom he died. It's a definite
atonement. Another term, particular redemption,
definite, redeemed. Now on last Sunday afternoon,
Pat and I left about five o'clock and we drove for five hours from
here to Ashland, Kentucky, way up in the country, all the way
over the mountain to Johnson City and then right on up through
Kingsport and up 23 all the way right to the Ohio border, Ashland,
Kentucky. And we arrived there about 10,
got a room for the night finally. And the purpose of our trip was
to attend a memorial service on Monday for a dear preacher, dear servant of the Lord, who
went home to be with the Lord Friday a week ago. He was 92
years old. He preached all over this country.
and abroad, the very gospel I believe. And I believe this book teaches
the gospel. I wish I could preach as he did.
His name was Henry Mahan. I met brother Mahan in 1990 and
was around him for just a few days in a Bible conference that
we preached in together. And since then, through the years,
I've spent many hours listening to him on tape. To have been around him no more
than I was, just a brief time, he made an impact or the Lord
did it through him in my heart, like very few people ever have. He was greatly loved by God's
true children. and very much hated by the religious
world. He preached God's free and sovereign
grace very clearly and boldly. He felt it was the duty of God's
preachers. And he, and he said in his own
words to draw a fine line between God's gospel, the gospel of Jesus
Christ, And the so-called gospel that's preached today. That is a so-called gospel that
is not offensive to the natural man. Well, I want to talk about
some of these things. I gleaned from a message where
the may hand preached years ago that clarified some of these
things in my heart, not just my mind, but God put it in my
heart. And so I don't claim that these
thoughts are mine originally, but I'd honor that dear man today
and his memory by repeating some things that he said that honors
the Lord. He said, there are four things
taught today by so-called fundamental Bible believing churches and
preachers. and especially in our part of
the country, for things that are not so. And yet people will
affirm these things adamantly. And I'd like to try and draw
this line, not to be smart, not try and make anyone mad. There's
just a few of us here. I don't want to lose any of you. but to make clear how foreign
these things are from the truth of God's word. Four things. Number one, it is preached pretty
much everywhere around our part of the country that God loves
every person without exception. And the text most often used
is John 3, 16. but just part of it. For God
so loved the world. And they interpret the world
to mean all Adam's race. God loves everybody. But a careful study will teach
you that the word world is used in numerous ways in the Bible. But that's the first thing. God
loves everybody. without exception. Now, how does
that line up with God's word? Well, if they're right, he loved
Moses and he loved Pharaoh. He loved the Virgin Mary and
he loved Jezebel. He loved Peter and he loved Judas
Iscariot. He loved Jacob. And he loved
Esau. How does that add up? So that's
the first thing. God loves everybody. Isn't that
the popular message? All right. Number two, it is
preached that God wills the salvation of every human being without
exception. God wants to save everybody. And the text they most often
use is second Peter three nine or part of this part of it again.
They're good at just using parts of verses. God is not willing
that any should perish. Number three, this is preached
constantly that Christ died on the cross, shed his blood for
all mankind, every man, woman, boy, and girl. that's ever lived. And one of the main texts for
that is in first John, that he is the propitiation for our sins
and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.
And they take that out of context. And the fourth thing that's preached
constantly, the Holy spirit knocks on the heart's door of every
person. and strives to convince and save
every person if they'll just let him. And one of the main texts that
you hear quoted is from Genesis six, that God will not always
strive with man. He's going to give up after a
while and let you go. God will not
always strive. Well now, in light of those four
things, now we'll ask four questions. Four questions. Number one, if
God loves all people without exception, if he loved Peter,
whom we believe to be in heaven, and he loved Judas Iscariot,
whom we believe to be in hell, if he loved Mary, the mother of Christ, whom we
believe to be in heaven. And if he loved Jezebel, whom
we have every reason to believe is in hell. He loved everybody. Some went to heaven, some went
to hell. Then what does the love of God have to do with our salvation? Absolutely nothing. Absolutely nothing. If God loves me and I go to heaven, God loves me and I go to hell.
What does God's love have to do with it? Nothing. Nothing. I told you, I warned you, buckle
your seatbelt. If that be true, the love of
God has no distinction. It has no power either to save
or to keep. If it has nothing to do with
whether a person goes to heaven or hell, what's the love of God
worth? Has no effect whatsoever. All right. Question two. If God
wills to save all people without exception, what does the will of God have
to do with our salvation? If God wills for a man to go
to heaven and he doesn't, then God's will has failed. If God's will is not done, then
what's it worth? Absolutely nothing. There's no
certainty in it. There's no power in it. It has no part in salvation,
no power to save. If there's people in hell that
he wanted in heaven and couldn't do it, Then what does the will
of God have to do with our salvation? Absolutely nothing. Question three. If Jesus Christ. Shed his blood
on the cross. For all people. Without exception. If he paid the sin debt for all
humanity and people still go to hell.
What does the blood of Christ have to do with our salvation? Nothing. Nothing. You have an atonement in Christ's
blood that does not atone. You have a redemption that does
not redeem. You have a sin offering that
did not satisfy God. If Christ died for all people
without exception, some of whom go to heaven, some of whom go
to hell, then the blood of Christ does not enter into the matter
of salvation at all. Question four. At least you're
thinking. Question four. What does the
Holy Spirit have to do with salvation if He calls all men and pleads
with all men to be saved and yet many are not? Absolutely nothing. He's without
power. He's pleading but without power
to save. What is all this saying? God
loves everybody, but can't save them. God wills the salvation
of everybody, but can't save them. Christ died for everybody, but
can't save them. The Holy Spirit knocks on the
heart's door of all people, but can't save them. That's saying
salvation is not of the Lord. The prophet Jonah said salvation
is of the Lord. It's not just from the Lord,
but of the Lord. In other words, if there is any
salvation, it's His doing. Jonah was in a good shape to
say that. Had been in a fish's belly in
the bottom of the sea for three days and three nights. You say,
boy, I don't see how he survived. He didn't survive. You don't
stay underwater for three days and three nights when you live
by breathing air and there is no air. You say, well, did he
die? Jesus said, as Jonah was in the
heart of the earth, I was in the fishes valley three days
and three nights. So shall the son of man be in
the heart of the earth three days and three nights. Did Jesus
die? Jonah died. God raised him up. He was in a good position to
say salvation is of the Lord. There was no I to it. I did this. I did that. No. Salvation is of the Lord. If
I get out of this mess, it'll be God's doing. That's what he
was saying. David said the same thing. It's not my decision. It's not
your decision. It's God's power. David said
salvation belongeth unto the Lord. The salvation of the righteous
is of the Lord. What is salvation? A ticket to
heaven? That's what most people think.
No, no, no. It's God's Spirit taking God's
Word, revealing God's Son. in quickening power to a dead
sinner's heart. And if you're God's child, that's
what happened to you. If that hadn't happened, you're
not. So what does the scripture really
say about these four things? Give you that in just a few moments.
What does the scripture really say about these four things?
The love of God, the will of God, the blood of Christ, and
the Holy Spirit's word. First, the love of God. We know the love of God is the
very foundation of our redemption. I'm not saved because I love
God. I'm saved because He loves me. Herein is love, John said in
the first epistle. Where? Where's love? Herein is
love. Don't look anywhere else. Herein
is love. Not that we loved God, but that
He loved us. And gave His Son. I John 3. Behold what manner of love. What quality of love? The Father hath bestowed upon
us. I can't remind you too often.
The us and the we in the New Testament is believers. Behold what manner, John is talking
to believers when he writes this. What manner of love? The Father
hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the sons of
God. For God so loved the world. What
world? Not Adam's race, but he loved
his elect in this world and gave his only begotten son that whosoever
believeth. Now that's a definite action. a God-given act, whosoever believeth,
them that do. It's not a proposition. A lot of perversions of the Bible
have it reading, whosoever decides to believe. That's not what it
said. It said, whosoever believeth, that is them that do. And they
don't do it on their own. They do it by gift. Philippians
chapter one, it is given you to believe. The ball's not in our court.
It never has been. God will impute saving faith
or you'll perish. He loves his people. He says
with an everlasting love. John 13 having loved his own
which were in the world, he loved them unto the end. He loves his
people. It's the holy, infinite love
of God that's purposed from eternity the salvation of his people. And for Highland preachers to
give that kind of love, that quality of love, to people in
hell is blasphemy. Christ said in John six, no,
John, uh, 17 said it several times, by the way, I've come
to give eternal life to as many as the father at given me no
more, no less. John 6, 37, all that the father
giveth me shall come to me, shall. And when they come, I will in
no wise cast them out. I won't refuse a single one of
them. I said last week, I guess y'all missed it. People God loves
don't go to hell. He's bigger than that. He is
bigger than that. People God loves don't go to
hell. The trouble with modern religion
is that all my lifetime, in church all my lifetime, they've tried
to peddle a cheap Jesus. He loves everybody. He's at your mercy to accept
him. No, no, look, look at John chapter one, I want to show you
this right quick, not too quick. John chapter one. In verse 11, he came unto his
own. Talking about his own nationality
of people, the Jews, Israelites, and his own received him not. But as many as received him,
now they didn't say accepted him, said received him. To them gave he power to become,
that word power meaning authority, right, the right to become the
sons of God, even to them that believe on his name. You say, well, that's, that's
anybody and everybody that decides to believe. Just hold on now.
Hold on. Even to them that believe on his name. And if you look
at that word name, there's a colon. It's not a period, it's a colon,
meaning not the end of the statement. But then men won't go on and
read verse 13 about how we received the Lord and why, and how we
even could, because beforehand we were dead in trespasses and
sin. But we receive him because we were born. Born again. Not of blood. Had nothing to
do with your DNA. Nor the will of the flesh. Had
nothing to do with your free will. Nor the will of man. Nobody talked
you into it. God. That is how and that only
is how we receive the Lord Jesus Christ is having been born quickened
of God. Does a baby cry to be born? Or
does it cry after it's born? It cries after it's born. One of the old classic arguments
Among preachers, I've heard it for 50 years. Does faith precede regeneration?
They're trying to read freewillism in it. You exercise your faith,
you have faith, you believe, and then you'll be saved. No,
no, no, no. Regeneration is first. Faith is part of the package.
You've got to be quick in the life before you can believe.
That's the order of God's word. So he loves his people, but the
love of God is in Christ outside of Christ. God could not love
us. Not and continue to be Holy God. He couldn't John three 36, turn, turn a little
over page. John three 36 is, is there no
wrath? Is there no wrath? Listen to this verse, John 3,
36. He that believeth on the Son
hath everlasting life. True. And he that believeth not
the Son shall not see life. True. What kind of shapes that
fellow in? The wrath of God abideth on him. People say, well, God loves him
anyway, preacher. That's not what this says. The wrath of
God abideth on him. Is there no wrath? Did he not say he's angry with
the wicked every day? Did scripture not say God hates
the workers of iniquity? Did he not say, depart from me,
I never knew you? cast them into outer darkness,
eternal punishment, where the fire is not quenched,
the worm dieth not. Is that love? That's judgment. God hates the
workers of iniquity. His love is not universal to
Adam's race. That's judgment. These scriptures
I just read you, this is not the impotent God of today's religion
that loves everybody. This is the God of the Bible
who loves and saves and keeps and disciplines his children. And he plainly said in Hebrews
12, 8, that if any be without chastisement, without correction,
without discipline, the same are without his love, And they're
bastards and not sons. That's a good Bible word, bastard. Wrath is not love. He destroyed,
God destroyed the human race with a flood, except for eight
people. Was that love? That was wrath. That was judgment. He rained
fire and brimstone down on the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah.
Was that love? That was wrath. That was judgment. And the unbelieving world today,
I just read you in John 3, 36, abideth under the wrath of God. All right, I got to hurry. Second thing. What about the
will of God? Does God's will, does he will to save all people? Well, I could give you any number
of scriptures on this. Ephesians 1, 11 says that he
worked at all things after the council of his own will. Isaiah 46, 10, my council shall
stand and I will do all my pleasure. Isaiah 14, 27 for the Lord of
hosts has purpose and who shall disannull it. His hand is stretched
out and who shall turn it back. None can stay his hand, or say
unto him, What doest thou? His will is done. James 1.18,
Of his own will begat he us. 2 Thessalonians 2.13, God hath
from the beginning chosen you to salvation. I read over and over and over
that God does his will. He has his way in the army of
heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth. He has his way
in the whirlwind and in the storm. God saves all he wills to save. He said, I will have mercy on
whom I will have mercy. And I will have compassion on
whom I will have compassion. It's not your decision. It's
mine. Now the verse men use second
Peter three, nine, God is not willing than any should perish. Peter is writing to believers.
That's the epistle of second Peter. And if you go back to
the first chapter, the first verse, he is writing to them
brethren and saying, you who are of like precious faith, you
have been born again. You who are my brothers in Christ. And the subject is not salvation,
not willing that any should perish. The subject is perseverance.
God is not willing that any of you should fall out along the
way. And then the next line, and they
never quote this, he is long suffering to usward, not themward,
but usward, his people, us who believe. Well, what about the
blood of Christ? If it's precious, if it's sinless,
if it's holy blood, as the Bible teaches it is, God would be unjust
to put anyone in hell for whom Christ shed his blood. Or either
it's not as powerful as the Bible says it is. Read my lips. He'll get all he
paid for. He did not die in vain. Finally, what about the striving
and the efforts of the Holy Spirit? Will he fail to draw and to quicken
and to bring everyone to Christ that the father gave him? No,
no, he will not fail. He'll not lose a one. This was
what was agreed on in eternity. before he hung the stars, the
determinate council met. Peter talked about that at Pentecost,
Acts 2.23. The determinate council and foreknowledge
of God. Who was on that council? The
Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. They all said, we'll do this.
We'll do this. We'll accomplish this. We'll
get it done. Now, someone may ask, why is
all this so important? Because the religious lies that
God loves everybody, wants to save everybody, Christ's blood
paid for the sins of everybody, and the Holy Spirit's doing his
best to convince everybody. Those four lies have left God
at our mercy. And that's why the religious
world is in the mess it's in today. With a God that needs us more
than we need him. No, we're at his mercy. It behooves
us to make our calling and election sure, not sure to God, but sure
to ourselves. Do you have a saving interest
in Christ this morning and in Christ alone? Are you banking? Are you banking in any measure of morality or faithfulness to be accepted of God? Are you absolutely sure your
hope is built? on nothing less than Jesus blood
and righteousness. Do you dare trust the sweetest
frame or do you wholly lean on Jesus name? So all God's love is in Christ and only his elect are in Christ.
He don't love anyone else. He don't will to save anyone
else. And everybody that goes to hell
belongs to go to hell along with all the rest of us belongs to
go to hell. So God hadn't done wrong in that
he don't will to save anybody else except those he chose in
Christ. Christ's blood was not shed for
anyone else. And the Holy spirit is not struggling
to convince anyone else. Hence back to the small congregation
here. Hence. We do not preach as many
do give God a try. We preach that if God don't show
you mercy. I don't care if you've been here
every Sunday for 40 years. And I have set for a few. God don't show you mercy and
give you a new heart. What do you do? You dabble in
religion and you laugh and you'll entertain yourself all the way
to hell. And that's how it is. And that's
the whole story. God has a people. He chose in
Christ before he hung the stars. And he's running right on schedule.
He's still on plan A and he don't have a plan B. There'll be no empty seats at
the marriage supper. the Father's house will be filled.