Okay, well my text this morning
is Matthew's Gospel chapter 5 and verse 16. Matthew chapter 5 and
verse 16. And I've given this message the
title, Let Your Light Shine, because we have to give them
titles because they go on to Free Grace Radio. Now, over the
last two weeks we have been looking in some detail at the gospel
of particular redemption, the gospel of the Bible. the true
gospel, the gospel that is so rarely preached and at its core
is this, the two titles of the last two messages, whose sins
and whose righteousness and we saw two weeks ago that when the
psalmist in for example Psalm 69 speaks of my sins that that
is Christ speaking and the reason why he's talking about his sins
even though he knew no sin was because he was made my sin and
the sins of all of his people were placed upon him and he bore
them and he bore the guilt of them he didn't just pay the fine
for them you know I had an illustration of a motoring offense but you
end up still with the guilt and the points on your license even
if somebody else pays the fine Christ didn't just pay the fine
for our sins, He took our sins. He bore them and He paid for
them. And the answer to that question, whose sins were His
people's sins? They became Christ's sins. And then we saw last week, whose
righteousness? Because it talks about righteousness. It talks about His people being
clothed with righteousness. It talks about His people being
fitted for heaven as a bride for the marriage supper of the
Lamb. coming down prepared, dressed in white linen, which is the
righteousness of the saints. What, their own righteousness?
No, their own righteousness is filthy rags in his sight. The
righteousness that his people have, his set-apart ones, his
saints, is his own righteousness. They will be exalted in my righteousness,
says the Lord. And we saw that clearly, that
everything is about federal headship. Who are you in? As a human being,
you are either in Adam, our first parent, the first man, the first
created man, or you're in the second Adam, who is Christ. If
you're in Christ, then God judges you completely in Him. God looks
at His children as He looks at Christ. He judges us in Christ,
and He says, there's no sin. I've searched for sin in Israel,
in Judah, and there was none to be found. Why? Because He's
put it away, as far as the east is from the west. And he looks
at us and he rewards us in Christ for righteousness, for Christ
earned all of that righteousness. And so, we fear nothing. We do
not fear death. You see, this is where Paul wanted
to be found. I want to be found in Him, in
Christ. Not having my own righteousness,
which is of the law, but that which is through faith. in Jesus
Christ, that which is through the faith of Jesus Christ, the
faithfulness of Jesus Christ, who earned it, who purchased
it, who procured it on behalf of all of his people. And so
the result is this, when you look at death, that last great
enemy, that thing that men and women all over the world however
much they may try to deny it they're terrified of it through
all their lives are kept in bondage through the fear of death when
you look at that and you think that there's a judgment to come
for there is a God who has made all things and he holds us accountable
there is a judgment to come but his people are judged in Christ
therefore what does Romans 8 verse 1 say no condemnation now I dread
I don't dread any condemnation. If you're outside of Christ,
dread some condemnation. For it is a terrible thing, a
dreadful, a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living
God who is a consuming fire. But we're judged, if we're in
Christ, in Christ! And we're rewarded in Christ.
There's no degrees of reward for that I've been a better Christian
than you. We're judged in the Lord Jesus Christ. And so what
is the result of this? The result is assurance, is it
not? Marguerite was asking me, she
said some words of a hymn. It's the one that goes, it is
well, it is well with my soul. My sin, oh the bliss of this
glorious thought, my sin not in part but the whole, is nailed
to his cross and I bear it no more. It is well with my soul. It's assurance. We have a confident
hope. It's not just that I hope the
postman will deliver that thing that I'm expecting tomorrow morning
but he well may not do. It might turn up several days
down the line or it might get lost or my luggage in the flight
or whatever it might be. It's not that kind of a hope.
It's a confident hope. It's a certain hope. Why is it
certain? Because Christ on the cross said, it is finished. Not, I've done most of it, now
there's a bit to do, let's see how that turns out. It is finished. And it produces such, what I
would call, deathbed peace of soul. You know? You think about
it. You think about it. You know,
we're all mortal. We're all going to die one day.
But you look at the testimony of those that have believed this
gospel. You look at the glorious testimony of those that have
believed this gospel and gone into eternity their deathbed
peace of soul. Nobody wants to die. No human
being wants to die. It's a thing that you physically,
humanly, shrink back from. But for the Christian, for the
believer, for the one who's in Christ, there's no fear in death.
It's just an opening into a glorious existence in eternity. and you
read this in the lives of people like Augustus Toplady 38 years
old I think he was when he died but what a glorious testimony
not being not being piously religious but just saying how he had no
fears of judgment for he knew he'd been judged in Christ how
he was just relaxed going into the presence of the Lord even
though he was only 38 years old this was the will of his God
at the time obviously doubts arise Satan comes and tries to
shake us. Satan comes and sets our hearts
and minds on the things of this world, on temporal things. We
have doubts, we wonder, are these things really true? All around,
Satan assails us, but despite it all, if we're in Christ, if
we're believing in Him, we have such assurance, such peace, such
confidence, such a hope, That's a glorious thing. That's the
glorious results of a gospel that is able to save to the uttermost
those who come to God by Christ. And so we want to witness it.
We want to make it known. We've got a gospel to declare.
We've got good news to be shared. This is why we're going to be
going out with leaflets just announcing to the people of Nebworth
that there is a company of people who believe and preach the gospel
of grace and it's life transforming. come and hear for yourself, come
and get involved, come and join with us. We want to share it,
but this is my question for this morning. If we believe the gospel,
how will you and I testify to its truth? Doesn't it concern
us all the time, work colleagues, neighbours, unbelieving relations
and so on and so forth, how will we testify to the truth of the
gospel? Well, the answer I believe is
here in our text in Matthew chapter 5 and verse 16 well we'll read
verses 15 and 16 verse 14 even we'll read those
three verses you are the light of the world a city that is set
on a hill he's speaking to his people he's speaking to his believing
people you are the light of the world a city that is set on a
hill cannot be hidden you know it's obvious it's a clear target
there it is you can see it Neither do men light a candle and put
it under a bushel, under a big thick basket, but on a candlestick. Why do you light a candle? You
want it to give light, so put it where it will give light.
Don't cover it up. And it gives light to all that
are in the house. And so he says to his people,
let your light so shine before men that they may see your good
works and glorify your Father which is in heaven. Let your
light so shine before men let your light shine first question
is what is this light and do you have it do you have this
light that is being spoken of so that it might shine remember
we're talking about witnessing to others we're talking about
proclaiming the gospel to others if you turn to John chapter 8
and you get into the I am statements of our Lord Jesus Christ in John
chapter 8 and verse 12 John chapter 8 and verse 12 then
spoke Jesus again unto them saying I am the light of the world he
that follows me shall not walk in darkness but shall have the
light of life have you got this light of life which is the Lord
Jesus Christ he says he is the light of the world those that
follow him shall have that light of life which is him for He will
come and dwell within. He says He is that light of the
world. Turn over to 2 Corinthians chapter
4 and verse 6 where we have this statement
that is reminiscent of creation of the beginning of Genesis for
God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness when He
said in the beginning let there be light and there was light
this God has shined in our hearts not just in the emptiness of
space, he shined in our hearts to give what? the light of the
knowledge of the glory of God and where do you find it? in
the face of Jesus Christ in all that he is not in some artist's
picture not in some visible visual impression In the face of Jesus
Christ doesn't mean that. It doesn't mean the traditional
shape of a face that they say you can see on the Shroud of
Turin. We're not talking about that. We're talking about the
person and works and character and nature of Jesus Christ. If
you want to see God, if you want to see the glory of God and the
knowledge of it, if you want to have that light of the knowledge
of it, You look at Christ and everything that he is. Have you
got that light? Have I got that light? If we
haven't, then we've got nothing to testify of. This is what we're
testifying of. It's the light of the gospel
of God's grace. And we experience it as believers
shining in the heart. Despite all of the other doubts
and things that go on, nevertheless, you know this light of the gospel
of grace, this light of the truth of Christ shining in your heart,
and you know it to be true, don't you? Whatever doubts Satan comes
and brings, you know it intrinsically to be true, and he's made you,
if he's one of your people, willing in the day of his power. He's
made you willing, whereas the natural inclination of man is
to reject any such thing. The natural inclination of man
is to say that this is foolishness, or to stumble over it, to say
this is not the way religion is, this gospel of grace. Yet
he makes his people willing to believe that which human logic
and human reasoning and human tradition would deny. He makes
you willing to believe it. And He gives spiritual enlightenment
by it. He says of His Word, and it's
not just the words on the page, but it's that enlightenment that
comes through God's Spirit as He speaks to your heart. He says
in Psalm 119, verse 105, He says, Your Word. And who is the Word?
Christ. In the beginning was the Word.
The Word was with God. He is the Word of God. And He
says He is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path. I
might have got those the wrong way around, but you know what
I mean. It's a guide through life. if it is in you, you will
want it to shine because he says in Matthew 5 and verse 15 men
don't light a candle and put it under a bushel you'll want
it to shine, you don't hide it under a cloak of darkness this
is what I believe that this is teaching us we've been focusing
very much on the gospel of particular redemption that God in Christ
chose a people a definite number before the foundation of the
world to be saved out of all humanity who would exist and
Christ the Son covenanted with the Father that he would be their
surety their substitute and he would come for them and he would
pay for their sins and he would earn their righteousness that
those people might be taken to be with him in glory and he says
no man can come to me unless the Father in heaven draws him
but whoever comes to me I will in no wise cast out." It's a
gospel of particular redemption, of accomplished redemption. Not
a gospel of possibilities that you're never sure whether they've
been achieved, but a gospel of particular, accomplished, finished
redemption. Be unashamed of it. Let it shine. Put it on a candlestick. Don't
be ashamed of it. I'm saying this to myself as
well. Don't be ashamed of the gospel of particular redemption.
Do you know There are so many who call themselves reformed
Calvinistic preachers up and down this country but they think
this doctrine is too hard for people to hear. They think Yes,
I believe it, but I believe it in secret. I better not stand
up and say it to anybody from the pulpit because they'll get
the wrong impression. I don't want to give the impression
that God is a God of electing sovereign particular grace. I
don't want to give the impression that God is a potter who has
power over the clay. I don't want to give that, even
though I secretly believe it. No! He says, don't hide it under
a bushel. Put it on a lampstand. Let it
give light. It's what God has revealed. It's
the power of God unto salvation. There's no other gospel that's
the power of God unto salvation. The gospel that saves people
absolutely because they're in Christ is the power of God unto
salvation. No other. It's the only one that
answers the question with a satisfying answer, how can a man be just
with God? There's no other gospel. Not
the one that says, Oh, Jesus died for every sin that was ever
committed but it only becomes real for you when you believe
it. No, that's not true. That's not true. He died for
his people absolutely and paid for their sins. Yes, you're only
aware of it when you believe it. Yes, you only come to apprehend
it by faith when you believe it. But it's always been the
case if you're one of his people. So it's only in this way. So
don't be ashamed of it. So, what do I mean by that? Do
I mean that you go to work and you take your soapbox with you?
I don't know if people have soapboxes these days but you know what
we mean. A little platform that you can stand on so that every
morning in the office at coffee time you do your I'm the religious
person piece and you stand on your soapbox and you give them
a potted sermon of particular redemption. Well of course I
don't mean that. I don't mean it at all. People
like Daniel taken away into captivity to Babylon. Do you think he was
constantly standing on a soapbox preaching? Absolutely not. he
was just being honouring to his God and to the truth that had
been revealed and when he was asked he gave a reason so if
and when we're asked if and when Don't be ashamed of it. Tell
them plainly. Don't try to hide the truth of
particular redemption. Tell them. God chose a people
and He paid for all of their sins. And who knows, you might
be one of them. If He brings you to believe Him,
trust in the Lord. He said He will not cast you
out if you come to Him. If you want this salvation, you
believe Him and come to Him. Plead with Him to come to Him.
We must. As Paul did in 2 Corinthians chapter 5, I plead with you,
I exhort you, be reconciled to God. So we plead with them, but
we give them a sure basis of it, which is that redemption
has been accomplished. Tell them plainly. Don't shroud
this truth. God's Holy Spirit has revealed
it. His Word declares it as plain as the nose on your face, that
it's the truth, and that all these other distorted man-made
Gospels are not the truth. So, don't always be preaching
at people and particularly we must think of this as we look
to go out into this world you know as Christ sent out his disciples
two by two the seventy that he sent out you know as we go out
don't always be preaching at people in social situations or
in family situations or in work situations it's not right if
you're at work I'm sorry, you're in a contract of employment with
your employer. Your employer does not pay you to preach the
gospel to people. Your employer pays you to do
a day's work. However, in the process, if while you're getting
a cup of coffee or whatever, somebody asks you, why do you
do such and such? Why do you think so? Then tell
them. But don't take up too much of your employer's time telling
them. Just tell them. And don't be ashamed of this
truth. You see, We mustn't, as believers,
go out of our way to cause offence, to be an aggravation to people,
to be an annoyance. You know, the picture that society
has of the Jehovah's Witness knocking on your door. Oh no,
it's them again. Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear. You know, it's
such a negative thing. You know, the whole teaching
of this Sermon on the Mount, I think it was Don Fortner told us a
couple of years or so ago. If you summarise it, you know
what Jesus is teaching? Don't be religious. Don't be
religious. Don't go around like the Pharisees
being religious. But if somebody asks you, don't
be ashamed of the gospel of particular redemption. You see, Jesus said
he sent them out, his believing people, as sheep amongst wolves. That's what we are, sheep. You
know sheep? We walked through a field of sheep yesterday and
some of them actually looked quite fierce because they had
big horns on but in fact one of them, its eyes were sticking
out of its head as if it was going to come and charge us.
but it looked at us weighed us up and down and then it changed
its mind and it turned around and went away because it was
a sheep it wasn't a wolf it was a sheep but he sent us out as
sheep amongst wolves so he tells us how we must be as wise as
serpents you know the serpent is regarded as cunning as subtle
as quick as sharp but as harmless as doves you know imagine a dove
Joan might disagree with this, but it's an utterly harmless
bird. An utterly harmless bird. He sends us out and he says,
be wise as serpents, but harmless as doves. So to summarise, don't
always be preaching at people in social situations, in work
situations, in family situations. Don't. It just brings a negative
effect. It just produces the wrong, it
doesn't achieve what you want it to. But if they ask you, why
are you different? give them a reason for the hope
that's in you and don't be afraid of particular redemption it's
the truth of God it's the gospel that saves and then he says this
this is the second thing let your light so shine before men
that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which
is in heaven let the fruit of the indwelling of God's Spirit
be evident is what he's saying Let people see good works. Let them see the fruit of the
doctrine that you believe. Because you see, if that doctrine
is in your heart, I think it was Henry that said, it will
leak out. It will leak out in ways that
you probably won't know. In ways that you probably won't
understand. I mean, I've been in work situations
where I've never really, where I've not been conscious of particularly
making a fuss about my beliefs. To the extent that in some situations
I've wondered whether they really knew I was a believer at all.
Until they come to invite you to certain things. And there's
certain things they'll invite you to because they know that
they're pretty harmless. But if they're going for a raunchy
night out, they don't invite you to it. You get to find out
about it after the event. I don't know if any of you have
experienced that. But it's true. And it's because the fruit of
the Spirit has been leaking out in your attitude. And you can't
help it. You know? Just like the flower smells with
its nice perfume. It doesn't do it on purpose.
It just does it. It just does it. It leaks out. So, Proverbs
says this. Proverbs 23 verse 7 says, As
a man thinks in his heart, so he is. If that Gospel of Grace
is in your heart, you'll be it. You will be like it. You will
act like it. And do you know something? it's
the most effective evidence of the truth that we claim to believe.
If we believe this message is what this town needs, the people
of this town, do you know the most effective evidence of that
is that our lives show it, that our lives exhibit the truth of
it. New creatures, new creation as believers. 2 Corinthians 5,
17. If any man is in Christ, he is a new creation. All things
have passed away. All things have become new. In
Christ, when somebody becomes a believer, they become a new
person, a new creature. There's a new man inside. There's
a new manager. There's a new set of desires,
the things of God. Yes, the old one is still there
and must be fought against and must be resisted. but there's
somebody new within. Turn over with me to Romans 6.
This is where I want to spend the rest of our time in this
message. In Romans 6 we see another one
of these situations in the scripture where you've got worldly religious
logic set against God's revelation. Worldly religious logic set against
God's revelation. I've heard people say there are
no contradictions in the Bible. Well, let me put a rider on that. It depends what... You see, a
contradiction is something which goes against a system of logic. So, mathematics is very logical.
And you can write it down and you can say, oh no, there's a
contradiction here because it defies the logic of mathematics. Now
then, as far as human wisdom is concerned, it's perfectly
true. The Bible has got contradictions
in it because you cannot understand it with human logic. There are
things in the Scriptures and the Gospel of Grace that you
cannot understand with human logic. It's only by spiritual
discernment, the light of the Spirit of God, that you can understand
and believe these things. And in the end, some of them
It's faith alone that believes. In the face of human logic, against
human logic, faith believes these things. You see, the Scriptures
teach us quite clearly that believers are not under law, but under
grace. This chapter says it over and
over again, the bits that we read earlier. You're not under
law. In fact, the only law that the
Scriptures tell us that we as believers are under is the law
of Christ, who is As Romans 10.4 says, Christ is the end of the
law for righteousness to everyone who believes. In Him, we are
not under law, we are not under obligation, we are not accountable
to keep the law because He has kept it for us. This is the clear
statement. You cannot get clearer statements
than are in here. Christ is the end of the law
for righteousness to everyone that believes. So human logic
says, What Paul asks in verse 1 of chapter 6, what shall we
say then? Against this thing that it doesn't
matter who you are or what you do, in Christ everything is settled,
what shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that
grace may abound? And of course he quickly comes
back with God forbid. How shall we that are dead to
sin live any longer therein? You see, somebody has said, and
I think it's a very good statement, that what I as a believer do
or do not do makes absolutely no difference to my standing
with God in Christ. That is true. If you're in Christ,
what you do or you do not do makes absolutely no difference
to your standing with God in Christ. If you're in Him, you're
saved for all eternity. But, if you're in Christ, it
makes a world of difference, an enormous difference to the
things that you do. and the things that you would
countenance. And if there are certain things that you would
do habitually, it's a sure and clear evidence that you're not
in Christ and you never were in Christ. You see, another man
said, when a man believes Christ, his dog is one of the first to
notice the difference, because the dog experiences that relationship
all of the time. that the difference, the good
works flow out in terms of the attitude towards the dog. Even
that is different. Now look at verse 11 of chapter
6 of Romans. Likewise, he says, he's gone
through where you are in Christ and there's the picture of baptism,
buried with him in baptism, raised to newness of life, just as Christ
has died and has risen never to die again, so are his people
in him. Death has no more dominion over
him. he died to sin once but he lives to God and then he says
because of that you're in him therefore likewise reckon you
yourselves to be dead indeed to sin but alive to God through
Jesus Christ our Lord and verse 12 let not sin therefore reign
in your mortal body that you should obey it in the lusts thereof
you're dead to sin as a believer because you were crucified with
Christ Galatians 2 verse 20 you're dead to sin because you were
crucified with Christ it doesn't have dominion over you anymore
because in Him you were crucified with Him but you're alive to
God through Jesus Christ our Lord and there's a therefore
in verse 12 therefore don't let sin reign it will lust in your
body it will all the time you have a mortal body sin will lust
in your mortal body in attitudes and actions and thoughts and
it will try to get you to obey it in those attitudes and actions
and thoughts. But what Paul is saying here
is don't let it. Don't let it do that. It's clear
that there's a choice. He's saying you will find situations
where you have the choice. Don't do it. Don't do it. And
you say, well, where do I get the strength for that? Where
am I going to get the strength from not to let sin reign in
my mortal body? throughout the script, throughout
the New Testament walk in the Spirit says Galatians 5.16 walk
in the Spirit and you will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh
walk in the Spirit by faith go on in faith how did you start
with Christ? by faith you believed Him, you
trusted Him you came to Him as the One who was everything you're
all in all go on in that way go on in faith the new man planted
by God's Spirit within go on with Him It's the mind of Christ
that's within us as believers. Now look at verses 13 to 18.
I'm just going to read these verses now. Chapter 6 verses
13 to 18. Neither yield ye your members
as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin, but yield yourselves
unto God as those that are alive from the dead, and your members
as instruments of righteousness unto God. In other words, there
are two potential masters. in the life of a believer. There's
the sin principle, and there's Christ, and the gospel principle. And he says, don't yield to that
one, yield to this one. You can't serve two masters. Yield to one or the other. And
if you're a believer, you must and can only yield to the one.
Yield to God. Yield your members as instruments
of righteousness unto God. For sin shall not have... it
will not be your boss. Sin shall not have dominion over
you, for you are not under law, but under grace. You know, you're
not under a strict regime of legal do's and don'ts and obligations. You're under grace. You're children
of grace. That relationship is broken.
It's finished for all time. Remember my illustration many,
many weeks ago of my headmaster and the cane for throwing a brick
through the greenhouse windows at Heversham Grammar School.
I mean, I wouldn't go and do it now, but he couldn't cane
me now for that. The relationship's broken. But
that isn't the reason I don't go and throw a brick through
the greenhouse windows at Heversham Grammar School. It's not because
I'm not going to get caned anymore that I don't go and do it. I
don't go and do it because I have no desire to go and do it. There
was a time when I was a naughty little boy when I did have a
desire to go and do it. So what then? Shall we sin? See
the logic, worldly logic. Shall we sin because we're not
under law but under grace? God forbid. Verse 16, know you
not that to whom you yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants
you are whom you obey, whether of sin unto death or of obedience
unto righteousness. I've seen situations in work
where it's not clear as to what the line of command is. And you
just look as to who jumps and who jumps highest when a certain
order is given by whom and then you'll see what the line of command
is. You see, if we submit to sin, we're saying that there
isn't really this principle of gospel truth within. Book 17,
but God be thanked that you were, as we all are by nature, the
servants of sin. But you have obeyed from the
heart because the Spirit of God has come within. That form of
doctrine which was delivered to you, Being then made free
from sin, in Christ we're made free from sin, you became servants
of righteousness. Examine ourselves, we need to.
The scriptures tell us to. Which are we serving? The principle
of sin or the gospel? You see, if the Holy Spirit has
shined into our hearts, if he has, And if we're trusting in
Christ completely for salvation, for acceptance, for everything
with God. If that's the case, it's impossible for you to be
unjust. You won't be unjust. You won't be. Because you've
seen what true justice is in Christ. It's impossible for you
to be unmerciful to others. Because you know what it is to
be shown mercy. You know what it is to be forgiven.
the greatest debt of all, that great eternal sin debt. So how
can you be unmerciful to others? You'll be kind, as Ephesians
4, read the end of Ephesians 4, you'll be kind, you'll be
considerate, you'll be tender-hearted, you'll be forgiving, you'll be
generous-spirited, you won't deceive, you won't lie. Yes,
you'll fail, but it won't be the tenor of your life. You won't
seek pleasure at the expense of others in terms of your money,
of your possessions, of your time. You won't. You won't be
a selfish person who is only after pleasing and delighting
self. And you'll be slow to take offense.
You know how easily most people get offended and bear grudges.
But as a believer, you won't. For you know what you are by
nature. and you know what you've been forgiven. You'll be slow
to take offence. You'll do as Christ says in the
Sermon on the Mount, you'll turn the other cheek, as it were.
You'll go the extra mile. When you're compelled to go one
mile, you'll go the extra mile. If somebody asks you for a coat,
you'll not only give him the one, but you'll give him another
one as well. Don't worry, this is not an instruction to go and
strip your wardrobe out, but it's to be generous spirited.
To be generous spirited, knowing that he showers blessings upon
us. And you'll esteem others more
highly than yourself. It's maybe this, this not false
humility, but a spirit of true humility that leaks out in the
child of God. You see, even when you're successful
and things are going well, you say, well, yes, it's good that things are
going well, but you don't blow a trumpet and make such a fuss
about the fact that it's you that's had much to do with it.
You fail and you fall regularly whilst in this flesh, but the
tenor of your life will be one of living for Christ and his
glory. And it's such a powerful witness
to the truth of the doctrine that we believe as believers.
You know there are those who are legalists. I believe the
church in this country is absolutely riven with legalism. They don't
believe that we're not under law but under grace. They think
that that's some figure of speech but in actual fact they teach
believers to reckon it in some esoteric way that we're not under
law but under grace, but to live in this life as if you are under
the legal covenant of law that the Jews lived in under the Old
Testament regime. and they have rules and regulations
that are just made up half the time. They distort the true law
of God and they make it into all sorts of sets of traditional
things that you must do in a certain way. You know, it's a good thing
to go for a walk on a Sunday afternoon so long as it's not
a walk of greater than a certain length. You'll come across churches
where all of this applies in this country even in these days.
And they say of people who believe the Gospel of Grace, they're
antinomians. They're against law. They live
profligate lives. They live sinful lives. They openly sin. They talk about
us being practical antinomians because we don't believe that
we're under law but under grace. I'm telling you, you just look.
My experience is this. I've seen a lot of these legalistic
reformed churches and I've seen a number of true sovereign grace
believing churches and the evidence stands out a mile. The evidence
is so powerful. The sweetness and character of
the people under sovereign grace to me I'm not saying they're
without fault but it's just on a different plane to the hard-hearted
situation that you get in these reformed legalistic Baptist churches
in this country and others I'm not just pointing the finger
at them the evidence speaks for itself and remember we're talking
about how will we witness it's such a powerful witness you see
there's a biblical conundrum I've got very little time left
but I must finish with this there's a biblical conundrum in this
chapter 6 here and it's down towards the end and especially
in verse 23 you see it's this the scriptures teach this salvation
is all of God's grace. It's none of my works. It's nothing
to do with me. It's all of grace. I didn't even
do the believing to be saved. God took me. He took me. He made
me His own. It's all of grace. But do you
know something? Reprobation. You know what reprobation
is? It's the condemnation of God. It's being outside of Christ. Reprobation is all of works. That's what the Scriptures teach.
Reprobation is all of works. It's all in God's sovereign predestination,
but reprobation is all of works. When it comes to the judgment,
every man who is judged outside of Christ will know that his
judgment is just, because reprobation is all of works. I know it contradicts
human logic, it does completely don't try to make out that it
doesn't it contradicts human logic but it's true it's what
the scriptures teach you see see what it says in verse 23
well verse 22 but now being made free from sin and become servants
of God you have your fruit unto holiness and the end everlasting
life for the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is
eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord if you claim to be a
child of grace but you bear no fruit of the Spirit and only
the works of the flesh, you will earn, earn, earn the wages of
sin in eternal death. And what is that? What is that
eternal death? It's a conscious, I don't know,
I can't put it into words, but the Scriptures reveal it's a
conscious, timeless state of agony for your rejection of the
gracious rule of God in the Lord Jesus Christ. The wages of sin
is death. We can't say We can't say that
we're the objects of grace and those who believe grace and yet
consciously, deliberately live with the tenor of our lives being
to sin and selfishness. We can't. But if by grace you've
received the gift of eternal life, it will produce fruit unto
holiness. And the end? Everlasting life,
not death. And that will speak louder than
many words as we seek to witness. This is what we're seeking to
be. You know, God has saved his people to say to this fallen
world, to say to Satan and all of his hordes, that there is
righteousness established in the Lord Jesus Christ. And it's
a righteousness that bears fruit in people in this life now. And
I'm saying to you this morning, and I'm saying to myself, that
as we go out and seek to take the gospel to this area, It must
be part and parcel. We must let our light of that
gospel of sovereign grace shine, but we must let men see our good
works, that fruit that comes from the Holy Spirit, the Spirit
of God within, that they may glorify our God who is in heaven. Amen. Well, we'll get a