Nine Stubborn Statements

Q: What does the Bible say about the sovereignty of God?

The Bible teaches that God is absolutely sovereign, controlling all things at all times. The sovereignty of God is a fundamental doctrine in Scripture, asserting that God is in total control of all events in the universe. Psalm 135:6 states, 'Whatsoever the Lord pleased, that did he in heaven, and in earth, in the sea, and in all deep places.' This view includes the belief that nothing happens by chance, and God’s purposes cannot be thwarted by human will. A God who is not sovereign is not truly God; such a notion reduces Him to an idol, dependent on humanity's choices. For salvation to be meaningful, it must be understood that it originates from God's sovereign decisions, not from human effort.

Q: How do we know that total depravity is true?

The Bible clearly states that all have sinned and are in need of salvation due to our total depravity. Total depravity means that every part of man is affected by sin, leading to a complete inability to achieve righteousness on our own. Psalm 14:2-3 states, 'The Lord looked down from heaven to see if there were any who understood, any who sought God. All have turned aside, they have together become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one.' This condition affirms that without the intervention of God's grace through Christ, no one can come to Him or desire righteousness. Understanding total depravity reinforces the necessity of grace—affirming that salvation must come solely from God, not from human effort.

Q: Why is the doctrine of election important for Christians?

The doctrine of election assures believers that their salvation is secured by God's sovereign choice. Election is a crucial doctrine as it emphasizes that salvation is solely the work of God. Romans 9:13-16 clearly states that it is not based on human will or effort but on God's mercy. Understanding election fosters humility in believers, recognizing that we do not earn our standing before God but are chosen by Him. This doctrine also offers comfort and assurance, as it affirms that God's grace is unchangeable and that those whom He has chosen will persevere until the end. It reminds us that our hope rests not in our own faithfulness but in God's eternal purpose and grace.

Q: What does the Bible say about the role of pastors in preaching?

The Bible teaches that pastors are called to faithfully preach the Word of God. The role of pastors is vital in the life of the church as they are entrusted with preaching the gospel and teaching sound doctrine. Ephesians 4:11-12 indicates that God has appointed pastors and teachers for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry. Pastors bear the responsibility to accurately represent the Scriptures, ensuring that they bind up the testimony and seal the law among God’s people. The preacher is to deliver God's Word with integrity, aiming to establish believers in their faith. This calling emphasizes the importance of sound teaching, rooted in biblical truth, for the growth and preservation of the church.

Q: How do we know that salvation is by grace alone?

The Bible clearly states that we are saved by grace through faith, not by our works. The principle of salvation by grace alone is foundational to the Christian faith, as outlined in Ephesians 2:8-9, which states that we are saved by grace through faith, and that not of ourselves; it is the gift of God. This doctrine underscores human inability to earn salvation through good works, reinforcing that reconciliation with God must originate from His unmerited favor. The grace of God, revealed through Christ's redemptive work, assures believers that their salvation is secure and solely dependent on God's initiative. This understanding liberates believers from the burden of works-based righteousness and leads to a deeper appreciation of God's mercy.

I so much appreciate you having
these meetings. We've been looking forward to
being with you. The trip for me is going to be a little faster
than for Lance and Robin. Shelby and I will be flying out
of Sydney and coming back Monday week. And my grandson
is a bit of a mathematician. And my granddaughter, they're
not like me. They're like Nana and their daddy. They're sharp
with math. So I gave him a math problem today. I called him and
I said, I told his brother, I said, you tell Will we're going to
leave on Monday night at 9 o'clock and get back on Monday morning
at 10 o'clock. So you figure out how fast that
plane's got to be going. I am so glad that Lance and Robin
and Jennifer are going to be able to be with us down in Nora,
Australia. It's about 80 miles south of
Sydney. It's a congregation that I started. Shelby can date better
than I. She keeps up with dates better
than I do. Five or six years ago, meeting, watching our videos
like many have around the world and in this country as well,
just like folks down in San Diego, having preachers when they could,
and they called one of their own to be pastor about three
or four years ago with Angus Fisher. God's raised up an assembly
there and they've been wanting me to come down and I think This
is the time to go, so you pray that God will make his word effectual
as the gospels preached. Not only there, but wherever
God raises up his people and his servants, let us have a heart
for the cause of our Redeemer around the world. Pray for one
another as God enables us, for the glory of our Redeemer and
for the increase of his kingdom. Alright, turn with me if you
will to the 8th chapter of Isaiah. 8th chapter of Isaiah. This is Isaiah's prophecy whereby
he gives every prophet and every preacher the instructions that
God had given him as his prophet. Standing as I do now in the pulpit
to speak to you in God's name as God's ambassador It is my
responsibility to faithfully deliver to you the Word of God. Without addition, without subtraction,
without adornment, with simplicity and plainness of speech, I'm
responsible under God to tell you what God says in His Word. To give you thus saith the Lord. In verse 16, we read God's commandment
to every preacher. Bind up the testimony, seal the
law among my disciples. Now God's testimony is what you
have in your hands right now, this book, His Word. It specifically
here refers to the word that God had just given to his prophet
concerning his son, the Lord Jesus Christ. In chapter 7, verse
14, we read this prophecy, Therefore the Lord himself shall give you
a sign. Behold, a virgin shall conceive,
and bear a son, and thou shalt call his name Immanuel. Then
in chapter 8, beginning in verse 1, down through verse 3, the
prophet speaks about the word God gave him concerning Meher
Shalahashbaz. And he went in to the prophetess,
that's the prophet's wife. He went in to his wife and she
conceived and bear a son, and they named him Meher Shalahashbaz. Now, with a name like that, it
better mean something. If you have a marginal reference
in your Bible, you'll notice that the name Meher Shalahashbaz
means, in making speed to the spoil,
he hasteneth to the prey. This child of Isaiah and his
wife, Meher Shalahashbaz, is a type and representative of
our Lord Jesus Christ that one who hastens to the spoil that
one who hastens to the work God has given him by which he will
redeem his people and gather the spoils out of the nations
and look at verse 14 and he shall be for a sanctuary the Lord's
our rock in him we stand a shelter in the time of storm He shall
be for a sanctuary, but that's not all, but for a stone of stumbling
and for a rock of offense to both houses of Israel. That is,
the Jews, going about to establish their own righteousness, not
willing to submit to the righteousness of God by faith in Christ Jesus,
stumble over this stumbling stone and go to hell. And that's according
to the purpose of God. This one who is a sanctuary for
God's elect, this one who is a sanctuary for all who take
refuge in Him by faith, He is a rock of offense to both the
houses of Israel for a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants
of Jerusalem. And many among them shall stumble
and fall and be broken and be snared and be taken. The testimony of God is the gospel
of our Lord Jesus Christ. The testimony of God, this book,
is that which by the gospel is preached unto you. Hold your
hands here and turn over to 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, chapter 1. Now, God, the Holy Spirit, by
his apostles, defines the gospel in many places. Never differently,
but always giving us different lights concerning the same revelation
of the gospel. Here in chapter 1 of 2 Timothy,
the apostle Paul is writing his last letter to his beloved son
Timothy, he knows this is the last time God will use him to
write a word of inspiration to his people. He's writing to Timothy,
he's writing to you and me, his very last word of inspiration. You can be sure it was a matter
of immense importance to him. He says in verse 8, Be not thou
therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner,
but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel. So it tells us
the testimony of God, the word of God, is the gospel he preached. The gospel according to the power
of God, who hath saved us and called us with an holy calling. Not according to our works. The
Apostle Paul sings every time he says, we're saved by grace.
Now just in case you don't understand that, your works don't have anything
to do with it. Not according to our works, but according to
his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus
before the world began. but is now made manifest by the
appearing of our Savior, Jesus Christ. This grace, this salvation
was given to us before the world began in Christ our surety. So
that with Him we were redeemed and justified, accepted from
everlasting. But this grace that was given
to us in Christ Jesus is something about which we did not know anything
and could not know anything until Christ is revealed in us. But
now, dog, when he calls you by his grace, it's manifest by the
appearing of our Savior, Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death
and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.
That dying thief of whom Mike just spoke in his poem. heard
things preached. It didn't matter who was preaching
them. He heard them preach to him as he hung on the cross.
He heard a crowd say, this is Jesus, the king of the Jews.
He says he's the king. Let's see if God will have him.
And the thief found out God has him. He heard he saved others,
himself he cannot save. No man ever preached the gospel
more clearly than that. And that thief had the light
of God's grace brought to his soul in the experience of grace
by the revelation of Jesus Christ in him by the gospel. Read on. Whereunto I am appointed a preacher,
and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles. For the witchcalls
I also suffer these things. Nevertheless, I am not ashamed.
For I know whom I have believed, and I am persuaded, I am fully
convinced, that he is able to keep that which I have committed
unto him against that day." All right, back here in Isaiah chapter
8. The preacher is responsible to bind up the testimony. How
do I get a picture of that for you? Have you ever seen any of
those pictures, television shows or movies where somebody's got
a bag full of diamonds and they're maybe trying to sell them on
the black market but they're valuable and they kind of secretly
dump them out and let you start examining them and then they
gather them up real carefully, make sure they get every diamond
and tie the bag tight, stick it back in their pocket. That's
the idea. The gospel is a treasure. The treasure that we have in
these earthen vessels with which God has entrusted us, he's trusted
to you and me, to his people, his church, to this pastor and
this pastor. He's trusted to us the treasure
of his free grace. The gospel of His grace. Now
it's our responsibility to bind it up so that nothing is lost. To bind up the testimony by careful
prayer and preaching and study so that nothing is neglected
or lost. preparing to minister the gospel,
seeking God's word for his people, bind it up in our own hearts
and minds, and then deliver it to his people, seal the law,
not just the Ten Commandments, not just the ordinances of the
ceremonial law, but the whole revelation of God, to seal the
law to his disciples, to his people. So it's my responsibility,
every gospel preacher's responsibility, to establish God's saints in
the doctrine of Christ. You might say, well, I don't
like to hear Fulton, he's a doctrinal preacher. If he's a preacher,
he's a doctrinal preacher. It is not a doctrinal preacher
just making fun of you, making fun of God, and making fun of
the business of this Word. You see, doctrine, that's not
a cuss word, that's a good word. The word means teaching. It is
our responsibility and privilege to seal the teaching of God to
you by preaching the Word in the power of His Spirit. Turn
to Ephesians chapter 4. Ephesians 4. I want you to see
this. Hold your hands in Isaiah. Ephesians chapter 4. Gospel preaching is not an option
that is nice to have. The pastors, pastor-teacher,
that's not something that, well, we get along without that. I
know people all over this world, all over this country that have
their home Bible studies and they meet together in this group
and that and they get together and yak about Scripture. And
that's what they do. They get together and yak about
Scripture. They get together, well, let me tell you what this
means to me. Well, I don't give a hoot what it means to you.
I want to know what it means. Doesn't matter what it means
to you, what does it mean? And God has ordained that that
be declared by a man with God-given authority and gifts and ability
to declare His Word to you. And you won't get it any other
way. You thank God, Lee, I know you
do, for sending a man to tell you His Word, to bind His Word
and seal His doctrine to you. Read this, Ephesians chapter
4, verse 11. And he gave some apostles, and
some prophets, and some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers.
That word is pastors who are teachers. Pastors who are teachers. There's one teacher, an angel
of God, given to rescue Baptist Church and rescue California.
Just one. Just one. In our congregation
at home, there are a good many men who are gifted of God, who
teach the word, who preach the word regularly, both in our pulpit
and in other places. But there's only one pastor teacher
there. Brother Lindsey Campbell teaches our adult Sunday school
class every Sunday morning, just like Stephen does here. And I
would never tell him, now this is what you must say. I would
never tell him, this is what I want you to deal with. This
is how I want you to say things. I wouldn't presume to do that.
But I'll tell you what he would never do. He would never stand
in the pulpit and say, I know Brother Don doesn't believe this,
but this is what I believe. Not more than once he would.
Not more than once. Well, how come? Because there's
one man responsible for the teaching of that congregation. One man
responsible here. And God's people submit to their
elders. Those who are given the rule
over them by the Spirit of God. We know. They're given for the
perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for
the edifying, the building up of the body of Christ. Till we
all come in the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of
the Son of God unto a perfect man. unto the measure of the
stature of the fullness of Christ, that henceforth we be no more
children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every
wind of doctrine by the slight of men and cunning craftiness
whereby they lie in wait to deceive." Brother Don, we've got these
modern means of communication now. We've got the internet.
People have web pages and theological blogs. I can't think of a better
name for them. Theological blogs. Stay away
from them. All of them. All of them. Folks, well, they let us offer
our opinion. You know what I think of your
opinion, don't you? God thinks less of it. Stay away from it.
You want to learn from God, you gather with God's people in God's
house and hear the preaching of the gospel, asking God as
you have been doing this hour, from the first prayer to the
last, asking God to speak by his spirit, through his servant,
by his word to your heart. That's how God ministers to his
people. That's how God teaches them.
That's how God calls them. That's how God comforts them.
That's how God directs them. And you will get nothing but
being tossed to and fro with every wind of doctrine when you
start chasing out opinions and ideas and theories and debating
and arguing with folks about things of God. Bear faith for
witness and leave it. Bear faith, tell men the truth,
and leave him. But don't lower God's word to
the standard of political opinions. We're going to debate these issues.
That's making a mockery of the Word of God. It's a denial of
the authority of Scripture itself. The pastor, he's called of God
and gifted of God to be the teacher of his people. Now, standing
before eternity-bound sinners. Speaking in the name of God as
I now do, it is my responsibility to deliver to you the Word of
God. When I do, I claim for myself
the right to be heard. I claim the right to be heard.
I don't preach without preparation. I don't come here and preach
off the cuff. That which I give to you in 40,
45 minutes has taken hours of labor in study and prayer. Labor
spent for your soul. Jim, that gives me the right
to be heard. I claim the right to be heard. But it doesn't give
me the right to be believed, obeyed, and followed. I don't
claim that right for myself, for your pastor, or for any other
man. Blind allegiance is foolish allegiance. No matter how sincere
the man may appear, he is not to be followed blindly, myself
included. But rather you're to try the
spirits, whether they be of God. Now let me tell you what that
means. You can read it for yourself in 1 John 4, verse 1. That means,
Bill, you pick up everything I had to say, everything I had
to say, check it by this book. Check it by this book. Follow
me through the book. If what I'm preaching to you
is what God has written in this book, then you must hear it,
you must heed it, you must obey it. No question about it. And
if what I'm preaching to you is not what's written in this
book, don't you ever hear me again. Don't ever hear me again. So try the spirits, whether they're
of God. It's your responsibility to test
what's preached by the Word of God. In verse 20 of Isaiah chapter
8, to the law and to the testimony, that is to the doctrine of Christ
revealed in the testimony of God given in the book of Holy
Scripture. If they speak not according to
this word, it is because there is no light in them. It is because there is no light
in them. I've come here this hour to bind
up the testimony, to seal the law, to bind the precious treasure
so that nothing is lost, and to seal the doctrine of Christ
to you. And I believe God's given me the message just to do that,
if God the Holy Spirit will speak by me. I want you to look with
me at nine portions of scripture, very briefly. I want to make
nine statements. The title of my message is nine
stubborn statements. Nine stubborn statements. They're statements about which
you will not be indifferent. They're statements that you must
either accept outright or reject outright. There's no middle ground.
There's no wiggle room. I like to preach and declare
things in such a way with such dogmatism that it leaves you
no choice except to believe it or reject it. Except to rejoice
in it or to go away denying it altogether. All right, we'll
begin in Psalm 138 verse 2. Psalm 138 verse 2, and I say
regarding every man who claims to be a prophet or preacher sent
from God, that which the Lord God said to Isaiah, to the law
and to the prophets, to the testimony, if they speak not according to
this word, it is because there is no light in them. All right, here's the first of
these nine statements. You see what you got here in
your hand? See what it says on the spine
right here? Holy Bible. Holy Bible. His first statement. Either this book, what you hold
in your lap, is the inspired, inerrant, infallible Word of
God as it claims to be. or it is altogether a lie by
which the souls of men and women are damned. There's no in-between
ground. If there's error here, the whole
thing's false. If there's any contradiction
here, the whole thing's a lie. If there's any place here where
something is just not exactly correct, the whole thing's a
fabrication. But God claims in His Word that
this book is entirely, infallibly, perfectly inspired of God written
by holy men of old who were moved, carried along by God the Holy
Spirit as they wrote the letter of Holy Scripture. Know what
the book says? Look here in Psalm 138, verse
2. Psalm 138. I will worship toward thy holy
temple and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy
truth. Now here is a statement I can't
begin to get my mind around. For thou hast magnified thy word
above all thy name. Thou hast magnified thy word
above all Thy name." This much I am sure it means, this much
I am sure. God's name is His character. God's name, like Meher Shalahashvaz,
meant something specific. Whenever you read God called
by Jehovah-Jireh, or Jehovah-Raphael, or called by any of the names
by which He reveals Himself in Scripture, His name is always
a revelation of His character. It's a revelation of who He is. How can you know God's name?
He magnified his word above all his name. You want to know who
God is? Find out how he reveals himself
in this book. You want to know who God is? Read this book. Hear
His word proclaimed. You want to know who God is?
Study His word. He's magnified His word above
all His name. Therefore, the psalmist said,
I will esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right. All that you've written here
is right. Doesn't matter what creed it
speaks against, doesn't matter what philosophy it destroys,
doesn't matter what opinion it nullifies, all thy precepts in
all things are right. Either that's so, or take the
book, throw it away, and go do something else. Either this is
God's Word, totally, in its entirety, perfectly, infallibly inspired
of God, or it's worthless, and it's a fake, and it's a fraud.
All right, turn to Psalm 135. Psalm 135. Here's the second
statement. Either God Almighty is absolutely
sovereign, That is to say, in total control of all things at
all times, or there is no God. Either God is absolutely sovereign,
or there is no God. To speak of a God who is not
sovereign is nonsense. To speak of a God who is not
sovereign is to speak of a God who cannot save. To speak of
a God who is not sovereign is to speak of a God whose plan
may be defeated, whose purpose may be overturned, whose will
may be thwarted. Well, that's not God. That's
not God. That's not even a big man. That's
not God. That's not God. That's idolatry.
To speak of a God who is not sovereign is to deny that God
is. Atheism makes more sense than
Arminianism. It's exactly right. Look here
at Psalm 135, verse 6. I know that the Lord is great,
that our Lord is above all gods. Their rock is not like our rock,
Moses said. They're not the same, not even
similar to each other. How come? Whatsoever the Lord
pleased, that did He. Where? In heaven, in earth, in
the sea, and in all deep places. Do you know some other place? Whatever the Lord pleased, that's
what He did in heaven. In the earth, in the sea, and
in all deep places, in heaven, in earth, and in hell, God looms. He always has his way. with everybody
all the time. The king's heart is in the hands
of the Lord. Like rivers of water, he turneth
it whithersoever he will. Nebuchadnezzar said, I blessed
the most high, and I praised and honored him that liveth forever
and ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion. And this
kingdom is from generation to generation. And all the inhabitants
of the earth are reputed as nothing. And he doeth according to his
will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the
earth, and none can stay his hand or say unto him, What doest
thou? And he said, My reason return
to me. And he said, Now I, Nebuchadnezzar,
praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, all whose works
are truth, and his ways judgment, righteousness. And those that
walk in pride won't walk that way long. He's able to abase. the one true and living God. He who is God alone is absolutely
sovereign in his eternal purpose of predestination. Before the
world began, God Almighty determined Absolutely everything that will
come to pass in time. And in the execution of that
plan, this thing we call providence, God's absoluteness offered, so
that he brings to pass exactly what he purposed from eternity
in the ages of time. This world is but a stage upon
which God works out the wonderful drama of redemption accomplished
from eternity according to His purpose so that He created all
things exactly as He would. I've been reading recently about
some of the early fellows being terribly distraught over what
they thought was just unanswerable Darwinian evolution. How can we reconcile these things
to the word of God? Well, hang on for about two years
and Darwin will change his mind. Well, it's been going on now
for 150 years. You've got just about 150 different
opinions concerning it. Just about 150. Well, but the
Earth's got to be so old. Do you reckon God made Adam look
like a baby? He brought Adam to him and brought
Eve to Adam and married them when he created them. Full grown.
He looked like me. Maybe better looking, but he
looked like me. Looks like you. Full grown. Full grown beard. I don't know anybody that ever
had one. Full grown. Brilliant. Brilliant man. Most brilliant man who ever lived.
Created him like that. I guess he could do that with
worms. But why would he do that? To
confuse unbelieving men. To give a gin and a snare by
which they may trip up and go to hell. God's sovereign in creation. He made things just the way he
intended to. And if he is of a mind to do so, he will one
day show us why. If not, that's all right. He's
God. He's God. and is sovereign in
the saving of his people. He has mercy on whom he will
have mercy, and whom he will, he hearteneth. Now look at Psalm
14, the third statement. Either man is totally depraved,
utterly dead in trespasses and in sins, or there's nothing wrong
with him, and he needs no Savior. Either man is totally depraved,
utterly dead in trespasses and in sins, or there's really nothing
wrong with him and he needs no savior. There's no such thing
as partial depravity or partial goodness before God. Either we're
totally sinful, totally depraved, or we're totally righteous and
totally good. No middle ground. What do you
mean, preacher? I mean utterly dead. Dead. Well, man not as dead as this
pope is. No worshiping that. He's morally,
spiritually dead. He has no awareness that's right
about anything concerning God. He has no perception of anything
spiritual. He has no understanding. He has
no ability. He's dead. He's dead. When Adam sinned in the garden,
that man created body, soul, and spirit, died. And until God
gives his spirit in the new creation, he will not live. He's dead. And he is corrupt. Now, I early on began to get a little
agitated with fellas trying to mullify the gospel and make it
appeal to folks who despise God. And you've heard fellows say,
now when we talk about man's total depravity, I don't mean that
you're as bad as you could be. Really? Oh, yes, you are. Just as bad as you could be.
God fixes so you can't act it out. Thank God for that. Otherwise,
you'd have shot God a long time ago. Well, we laugh at that, but it's
so. It's so. You ladies here have
the same heart as any harlot, and you men here have the same
heart as any rapist, any pedophile, any homosexual, any pervert of
any kind in the world. That's just fact, John, and you
know it. That's just fact. I'm not that
bad. I hope God will make you find
out for this night so will you are. Hope he'll make you find
out for this night so will you are. Just that bad. Totally depraved. Look in Psalm 14 verse 2. The
Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men to see
if there were any that did understand and seek God. They are all gone
aside, quite literally, all at one time with our father Adam
went aside. They are all together, all at
one time, in one man become filthy. There is none that doeth good. No, not one. The heart, the heart. How many times have you heard,
well, the Lord knows my heart. He does, probably you don't.
The heart's deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked. Who can know it? Who can know
it? Oh, I thank God I know the evil
of my heart. I thank God I really don't. I really don't. I haven't begun
yet to grasp how wicked I am. But I know this, there is no
good thing in me, and no good thing in you. Well, brother Don,
if that's the case, Salvation's got to be altogether the work
of God. If that's the case, salvation's
got to be altogether a matter of pure, free grace. If that's
the case, if righteousness is to be had, we've got to have
it from somebody else. If redemption's to be had, we
must have it from a sovereign Redeemer. And that's Christ Jesus
our Lord. All right, turn to Romans chapter
9. Here's the fourth statement. Either God chose some of Adam's
fallen race to salvation and eternal life in Christ Jesus
before the world began, as the Bible says he did, or there's
no possibility of salvation for anyone. You see, salvation is
God's prerogative, not man's. Grace is God's gift, not man's
choice. If God doesn't choose to save
and choose whom he will save, no sinner can ever be saved.
Romans chapter 9. Romans chapter 9. I'll tell you
what I'll do. I'll give you an assignment for
Monday morning. You get on the phone and start calling preachers.
Get up early tomorrow morning and call preachers. Call everyone you can call tomorrow
morning. For everyone you can find who's going to be preaching
from Romans chapter 9, verses 13 through 18, I'll give you
$5. And I promise you, I won't go away with any less money than
I came with. When was the last time you heard
preaching? Other than this one, or somebody in this pulpit even
talk about Romans 9. You couldn't even get folks to
read it when I was in Bible college. Couldn't even read it, not out
loud. Had to be against the rules because it was talking about
election. When we could talk about election, that was a forbidden
word on campus. Romans chapter 9, verse 13. As it is written,
Jacob have I loved, but he shall have I hated. Oh, what does that mean? I'm going
to tell you Now this is deep theology. Have you got your pencil
handy? This is deep theology. I promise
you, it's so deep, they're not one in a thousand who gets it.
Whatever you think this book means, first time you read it,
that's just about what it means. Whatever you think it means,
first time you read it, that's just about what it means. Jacob
have I loved. What does that mean? Jacob have
I loved, but Esau have I hated. That's what it means. Nobody
has any trouble understanding that. If it were written anywhere
except in this book, nobody would have any trouble understanding
it. But here, men refuse to bow to what God says in his word.
Well, you'll either bow or you'll go to hell. Jacob have I loved,
but Esau have I hated. Why shall we say then? How many
times have you tried to talk to somebody about election, God's
sovereignty in Israel? That's not right. Paul anticipated
that. Is there unrighteousness with
God? Perish the thought, 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. What about man's will? It's not
of him that willeth. But what part does man's will
play? You'll read it again. It is not of him that willeth. But I've always heard I have
a chance. I've always heard I have a choice.
I've always heard that God's done all he could, now the rest
is up to me. You've always heard wrong. You've been hearing about
the wrong God. Their rock is not like our rock.
It's not of him that runneth, nor willeth, nor of him that
runneth, but of God that showeth mercy. For the scripture saith
unto Pharaoh, just in case you have trouble understanding, Jacob
have I loved, and Esau have I hated. Just in case you have any trouble
understanding, it's not of him that willeth, nor of him that
runneth, but of God that showeth mercy. The scripture said to
Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up. That is,
Pharaoh, the only reason you live, the only reason you sit
on the throne in Egypt, the only reason your mama ever gave birth
to you, is because I chose to show how I'll save my people
sovereignly through you and the way you treat my people. Read
on. I raised you up that I might show my power in thee, that my
name might be declared throughout all the earth. Therefore hath
he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth. What does the book say? Read
Exodus. Just sit down sometime and read
it at one reading. And read how many times the scripture
says, God hardened Pharaoh's heart. The Lord said, I know
he will harden his heart, because I will harden his heart. God
hardened Pharaoh's heart, Pharaoh hardened his heart. God hardened
Pharaoh's heart, Pharaoh hardened his heart. How come? Because
God was determined to dump his carcass in the river, because
God hated Pharaoh, and he brought Israel out of Egypt by destroying
Pharaoh, and because God loved Israel. That's free grace! That's free grace! Look at Isaiah
53. Here's the fifth statement. Either the Lord Jesus Christ,
the Son of God, is altogether and alone the effectual Redeemer
and Savior of His people, or He's a fraud, a fake, a failure,
and a charlatan. Either Christ is Himself alone,
the solitary, effectual Redeemer and Savior of His people, or
He's a fraud. A fake, a failure of charlatan,
Isaiah 53. Again, there's no middle ground,
no wiggle room. Either Christ did what he came
here to do, or he's a fake. He's a failure. And if it's a
failure, he's not God. To talk about Christ trying to
do something He didn't do and talk about Him being God are
two contradictory statements. They can't both exist. It's like
talking about Him and saying, well, I don't believe He's virgin-born
and talking about Him being God. It can't both be so. Can't both
be so. If he's not virgin born, he's
not God. If he's a failure, he's not God. People talk about Christ
dying for folks who go to hell. Trying to save folks who go to
hell. Shedding his blood, making satisfaction for folks who go
to hell. Dying for folks to redeem them who are not redeemed. Well,
that's blasphemy. That's blasphemy. The cross of
our Lord Jesus Christ shall never be discovered a miscarriage.
Read Isaiah 53, 10. It pleased the Lord to bruise
him. He hath put him to grief. When
thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed. He shall prolong his days, and
the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his head." What does
that mean? He shall see of the travail of
his soul and shall be satisfied. Every sinner for whom he bled
and died shall be with him at his side, justified and sanctified. Look at John chapter 6. Here's
the sixth statement. Either we're regenerated and
called to life, given faith in Christ by the irresistible power
and grace of God the Holy Spirit, or there's no such thing as salvation. We already talked about sinners
being dead. Well, how's a dead sinner going
to live? You can tell them all the stories you want to, it won't
change anything. Have you ever seen a dead corpse stretched
out in a funeral home? Ever seen one? And you've seen
folks just break down and bawl? Just break down and bawl? I mean,
just bawl. Did you ever see any response
from that dead corpse? Or no, preacher, he's dead. You could
walk over there and pour scalding hot water on him, he wouldn't
burn. He wouldn't flinch. You could
pour a bucket of ice on him. He wouldn't shiver. Or brother
Don, that's sinner, he's dead. Sinners are D-E-A-D, dead. Dead. Plumb dead. Graveyard dead. That means you
can't do anything. If they have life, it's got to
come from outside there. It's got to come from God. John
6, 63. It is the Spirit that quickeneth.
You hath he quickened who were dead in trespasses and in sins. The flesh profiteth nothing. If this quickening of the spirit
somehow depended on something you do, then you've got every
reason in the world to pop your suspenders and say, look at me,
I've made myself to differ. But, Scott, the quickening of
the Spirit is not your work. It's God's work. If you have
life, He gave it to you. If you have faith, He creates
faith in you. If right now you believe God, He creates faith
in you. It's continual work of God. Blessed
is the man whom thou choosest and causes to approach unto thee.
Alright, Romans chapter 6, verse 14. Romans 6, verse 14. I'll come back to this another
time, Lord willing, but I can't leave it out. In this sixth chapter of Romans,
the Apostle Paul is writing to us about how believers ought
to live in this world in the resurrection life, having been
baptized in the name of Christ. Buried with him in baptism, because
we were crucified in Christ when he died and we died. And now
we're risen with him to walk in the newness of life. And he's
going to tell us about how to live as believers. If there's
any place on this earth In the book of God, where somebody would
talk about believers being under the law, it'd be Romans chapter
6, wouldn't it? How do you live? Oh, Brother
Don, what's the believer's relationship to the law? Well, skip over just
a page to chapter 7 for just a second. Verse 4. Wherefore, my brethren, ye also
are become Oh, that can't read like that.
Let's get another translation. Dead to the law. Dead to the
law. Look at Romans 6, verse 14. Ye
are not under the law, but under grace. But he didn't mean to
say that. He meant to say, you're not completely
under the law. You're not under the ceremonial
law. You're not under the law of circumcision. But you're under
the law. Well, let's see. Look at verse
15. We are not under the law, but under grace. Well, Brother
Doc, do you mean God's people in Christ Jesus have nothing
to dread from the law? Have no covenant with the law?
Have no commitment to the law? Well, that's exactly right. The
love of Christ constrains us, not the law. I'm not here because
I'm afraid God's going to get me. I'm here because I'm glad
God got me. I don't spend my life doing what
I do because I'm afraid God's going to rob me of a crown. Oh,
no. I'm here because I'm thankful
God crowned me in Christ Jesus. Made me a king and a priest unto
God. I'm not here because somehow I'm afraid I won't measure up
in God's love. I'm here because I know He loved
me with an everlasting love even as He loves His Son. Well, what
motivates you? You still got to ask. You still
got to ask? The love of Christ constrains
us. Well, Brother Don, if you preach
that, that means I can go out and live any way I want to. Oh,
now I know what you want. Now I know what you're getting
at. Now I know what it is. You see, the legalist really
doesn't want to do what he feels compelled to do. He's got to
do it. I've got to get him. Therefore
he has to tithe and keep the Sabbath day and not pretend to. Otherwise he could live like
he wanted to. Would to God, Don, I could live
like I want to. Would to God, I could live like
I want to. Soon I shall. For I will live utterly without
sin in the perfection of Christ Jesus, my Redeemer. Number eight,
Matthew chapter 11. I'll be talking to you now about God's
grace and God's salvation. Will you hear this? Either every sinner who comes
to Christ is saved by Christ are none are saved by Christ. Verse 28, the Savior says, Come
unto me, all you that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give
you rest. Come to Christ and rest. He says in John 6, 37, Him that
cometh to me I will in no wise cast out." Now preachers will
try to hogtie you and they'll say, now, tell me about your experience. How did you come to the Lord?
If you start to explain it, they'll start to, oh, I didn't really
think you knew him after all. How did you come to the Lord?
Now hear me, sir. Come to Christ, any way you can
get to Him, and He won't test you out. But I didn't feel what you felt.
I didn't experience what you experienced, and I didn't go
through what you went through. Come to Christ, not to die. Come to
Christ, not to my experience. Come to Christ, not to what some
preacher tells you you ought to do. Come to Christ. Believe
on the Son of God, and he that believeth on the Son, or the
book says, hath everlasting life. He that believeth on the Son
hath everlasting life. This is what I'm saying to you.
Some of you here, I doubt not, came in here without Christ.
Right where you sit, without bowing your head, without closing
your eyes, without lifting your hand, without saying the prayer,
without walking down to the front here, Come to Christ. Come to Christ. You see, Steve,
this is an act of the heart, not of the foot. It's an act
of the heart, not the lip. Come to Christ. Him that cometh
to me, I will in no wise cast out. What does it mean to be
saved by Christ? It is to be completely forgiven
of all sin, fully justified before God, perfectly perfectly holy,
utterly secure forever. Come humble sinner in whose breast
a thousand thoughts revolve. Come with your guilt and fear
oppressed and make this last resolve. I'll go to Jesus though
my sin hath like a mountain rose. I know his courts, I'll enter
in whatever may oppose. Prostrate, I'll lie before his
throne, and there my guilt confess. I'll tell him I'm a wretch undone
without his sovereign grace. I'll to the gracious king approach
whose scepter pardon gives. Perhaps he will command my touch,
and then the sinner lives. Perhaps he will admit my plea.
Perhaps he'll hear my prayer. But if I perish, I will pray
and perish only there. I can but perish if I go. I am
resolved to try. If I stay away, I know I must
forever die. Remember those four lepers over
in 2 Kings 18? They said, let's go over there
to the Syrians. If we die, we die. If we're going
to die, we stay here. I can but perish if I go. I am
resolved to try. For if I stay away, I know I
must forever die. But if I die with mercy sought,
when I, the king, have not tried, This were to die delightful thoughts
as sinner never died Come to Christ and life is yours Come
to Christ salvation joy come to Christ and God Almighty has
saved you by his grace and one more one more statement Philippians
chapter 1 verse 6 Either every sinner Saved by
God's grace shall persevere to the end, being preserved and
kept by God's infallible, immutable grace, or none shall." Folks
ask me, do you believe in once saved, always saved? Well, that
depends on who does the saving. If you've got something to do
with it, nah. You won't last till you get out
the door. If it's all God's work, of course I do. Whatsoever God
does, he does forever. Nothing can be put to it, nothing
taken from it. God does it, the means should fear it. Look in
Philippians 1.6. I'm confident of this very thing,
that he which hath begun a good work in you shall perform it
until the day of Jesus Christ. I've known Gene Hardman now for
what, 30? There are some years that when God gets done with
you, He will present you faultless before the presence of His glory
with exceeding joy without spot or wrinkle or any such thing. And that's His work. Altogether,
His work. For His glory and our everlasting
happiness. Amen.

Nine Stubborn Statements

What does the Bible say about the sovereignty of God?

How do we know that total depravity is true?

Why is the doctrine of election important for Christians?

What does the Bible say about the role of pastors in preaching?

How do we know that salvation is by grace alone?

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Nine Stubborn Statements

What does the Bible say about the sovereignty of God?

How do we know that total depravity is true?

Why is the doctrine of election important for Christians?

What does the Bible say about the role of pastors in preaching?

How do we know that salvation is by grace alone?

Sermon Transcript

About Don Fortner

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