I've entitled the message for
this morning, Only. Only. Look at our text once again in
verse 17. Now under the king, eternal,
immortal, invisible, the only. Wise God, the honor and glory
forever and ever. Amen. Reading this glorious passage,
my mind was drawn to this word only. Only. I do not remember if I've
ever preached this message, but I've always wanted to preach
a message on Only. I can't remember if I've done it. Maybe I have,
but if I have, it's been years, because I can't remember it.
Somebody says, what'd you preach on last week? I don't remember.
After you preach several thousand times, the lines start getting
blurred a bit. But I've always wanted to preach
this message, Only. Four points only with regard
to men, only with regard to God, only with regard to what we are
to do, only with regard to what we are
to say. Those are the four points. only. And the first point is only with
regard to man. Every one of us have experienced
this. Have you ever been around somebody
who does not have anything good to say about anybody? Nothing but continual criticism. Why, even if they do something
good, they'll question their motives. They have nothing good
to say about anybody, nothing but a critical spirit. You've been around somebody like
that. Perhaps you've been the person. Perhaps I've been. As
a matter of fact, I know I have been before. And that's a very
ugly way to be, isn't it? To just be critical, to be condemning,
to find fault with anything anybody says. You've been around people
like that. Well, when the Bible speaks of
man, that's the way the Bible speaks. Not in a critical way, the way
you or I would do, because we're trying to make somebody else's
star shine dimmer so that we might look brighter. That's just
not what this is about. This is about an accurate representation
of man. I'm going to read four different
scriptures. First turn with me to Genesis chapter six. Only with regard to what God
says concerning man. Verse five. Genesis chapter six. And God saw that the wickedness
of man was great in the earth and that every, not mostly, but every imagination
of the thoughts of his heart was only evil nonstop. continually. Now that's God's
testimony of me. That's God's testimony of you. Every imagination of the thoughts
of your heart is only evil continually. Believe that. I'm not asking
you to figure it out. I'm asking you to believe that.
This is God's testimony. And if I do not believe that
regarding myself, I'll never look to Christ. God saw that the wickedness of
man was great in the earth and that every imagination of the
thoughts of his heart, I talk about my heart, is only evil
continually. Now would you turn to Ecclesiastes
chapter seven? Right after the book of Proverbs,
Psalms, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes. Ecclesiastes chapter seven, verse
29, the wise man makes this statement. Lo, this only, there's that word. This only have I found that God
hath made man upright. But they sought out many inventions. I cannot blame God for my state
of being. Yes, every imagination of the
thoughts of my heart is only evil continually. Somebody says,
well, that's God's fault. He could have kept that from
happening. Well, half of that's true. He could have kept that
from happening. The fall is all a part of his purpose. There's
no question about that. But that doesn't take away my
personal responsibility for my sin. I was treated upright. Adam was created upright and
man sought out many inventions. You can't blame God for your
sin. Your sin is all your fault. Amen. It's all your fault. You're not a victim. You can't
blame your upbringing. You can't blame God's sovereignty.
You can't blame anyone but yourself. This have I seen only, the wise
man said. God created man upright, and
man sought out many inventions. Psalm 62, verse four. They only, Psalm 62, verse four,
they only consult to cast him down from his excellency. They
delight in lies. They bless with their mouth,
but they curse inwardly. Here is what the Lord says regarding
me and you. Every imagination of the thoughts
of our heart is only evil continually. It's all our fault. And here's
the nature of our sin, seeking to cast him down from his excellency,
from his glory. Every sin, every act of unbelief,
every thought of unbelief, every attempt at salvation by works
is an attempt to cast the glorious one down from his excellency. John chapter five, John chapter five. I want you
to look at these with me. I could quote them, but I want
everyone to see this is the word of God. Verse 44. How can you believe? These are the words of the Lord
Jesus Christ to the Pharisees. How can you believe which receive
honor one of another and seek not that honor that cometh from
God only? The fact of the matter is you
and I cannot believe. We lack the ability to believe
as long as we're seeking honor from one another and not that
honor that cometh from God only. Now there's the state of man
with regard to this word only. Every imagination and thought
to your heart, my heart, only evil continually. It's all my
fault. I can't blame God. God has made man upright. Man
has sought out many, many inventions. And here's the nature of sin.
It's seeking to cast him the glorious one down from his excellency
to exalt the flesh over him. It's seeking honor from men and
not from God, which makes faith impossible. In our text, in 1 Timothy 1,
verse 17, what a stream of praise, I love
it when The Apostle Paul is writing and all of a sudden he just interrupts
himself and he comes out with some stream of praise right in
the middle of what he's saying. He's thinking about what he said.
Now, look in verse 17. Well, first let's read verses
15 and 16, which led up to verse 17. This is a faithful saying
and worthy. With all acceptation, everybody
ought to jump for joy at this statement that Christ Jesus came
into the world to save sinners. I love the absence of an adjective.
Doesn't say he came to save believing sinners or repentant sinners
or elect sinners or sorrowful sinners or sensible sinners or
no adjective. just sinners. Would that describe you? Well,
Paul says regarding himself, of whom I am the chief, albeit
for this cause, I obtain mercy that in me first, Jesus Christ
might show forth all longsuffering for a pattern. I'm the pattern. Christ Jesus came into the world
to save sinners of whom I'm chief. I'm the pattern. This is how
God works. To them which should hereafter believe on him to life
everlasting, me and you. And then he comes out with this
stream of praise. Now unto the king eternal, immortal,
invisible, the only, only wise God. How infinite is the wisdom of
God? The world by wisdom, by its own
wisdom, knew not God. That's all it could come up with.
The world by wisdom knew not God. But oh, the infinite wisdom
of God. And I want you to think about
this. God only wise has made a way to be absolutely just and
justify clear of all guilt And I don't know what else word to
use but to clear of all guilt a scumbag, a sinful man like
me. What wisdom that God could find
a way to take somebody like me. as sinful as I am, drinking iniquity
like water, as the scripture says. Somebody who every imagination
of his thought of his heart is only evil continually. Someone who has sought to cast
him down from his excellency. Someone who's blamed my sin on
somebody else. God has found a way to be just
and say, Todd Nybert has never sinned. Now that's glorious, isn't it?
That's glorious. And that's done through the cross
of our Lord Jesus Christ. Oh, the wisdom of God that he's
made a way for me to be just, him to declare me to be just.
And it's really so. It's really so. It's not just
changing ledgers. It's not just saying one thing
and it being another. It's really so. What wisdom on
God's part. John chapter 17 verse 3 says,
this is life eternal. This is the Lord speaking. This
is life eternal that they might know thee. What? The only true God. As opposed to the many false
concepts of God. There's so many of them, but
there's only one true God, the God of the Bible. And only this
God is God. All other gods are false. The God of free will is a false
God, a non-existent God. A God who is not the God of predestination
and election is a non-existent God. It's a figment of man's
imagination. But what a blessing it is to
know. I mean to know him. I know the
Lord. He knows me. He knows my name
through the gospel. To know the only living God. And his son, Jesus Christ. whom thou hast sent." You know,
I love to think of the Lord Jesus Christ in this light. The Father
sent Him. He sent Him. I love that passage
of Scripture when they said, what must we do that we might
work the works of God? And He answered, this is the
work of God that you believe on Him whom He hath sent. Now, the Father sent Him for
a specific purpose. He said in John 6, 38 through
40, this is the will of Him that sent me, that of all which He
hath given me, I should lose nothing, but raise it up again
at the last day. And this is the will of Him that
sent me, that everyone that seeth the Son and believeth on Him
might have everlasting life. And I'll raise Him up at the
last day. Jesus Christ, whom thou hast
sent. Turn with me to 1 Timothy chapter
six. We have two only's in these two
verses of scripture. First Timothy chapter six, verse
15, which in his times, he shall show who is the blessed and what
only potentate. The King of Kings and the Lord
of Lords. When I hear people speak of powerful
men and women, there's no such thing. There's nobody that has any power
at all. Power belongeth unto the Lord. Christ said, all power is given
unto me. Now, if he has all power, if
power belongeth unto the Lord, what kind of power does any man
have? Zilch, zero. They are God's pawns doing God's
will in his hand. Don't be afraid of men. They
have no power. I love what the Lord said, be
not afraid of them that have power to kill the body. But after that, they have no,
there's nothing else they could do. I tell you to be afraid of
fear, who him, who after he had killed the body had power to
cast the soul into hell. Yeah. I say it to you, fear him. He is the one to fear. He is the blessed and only potentate,
power, that's what that means. The Lord of Lords and the King
of Kings. Now look in verse 16. Remember, we're talking about
only with regard to God. He's the only one who has power.
Look in verse 16 of 1 Timothy 6, who only hath immortality. He's the only one. You know,
I hear people say, Jesus is alive and doing well. That's blasphemous. He's life. He's not alive. He's life. He has life in himself. And if you have any life, it's
because he gave it to you. He has life in himself. He only hath immortality. I love it when Paul says, when
Christ, who is our life, shall appear. Listen to me, his life, his perfect
obedience, his life before God is the life of every single believer. And when my name is called up
on judgment day, someone's going to answer for me, present and
accounted for with a perfect life. He only hath immortality,
dwelling in the light that no man can approach to, do no man
can see, has seen, nor can see, to whom be glory. Turn with me to Matthew chapter
eight, verse five. And let me give you
a hint before I start reading this passage of scripture. This
is what the Lord Jesus Christ said was the greatest faith he'd
ever seen. He said, I've not found so great
a faith, no, not in Israel. Now this gives us some idea of
the importance of this. Verse five, and when Jesus was
entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching
him and saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home, sick of the palsy,
grievously tormented. Now here's wisdom. This man doesn't tell the Lord
what to do. He just states his case before
the Lord. And Jesus saith unto him, verse
seven, I will come in healing. The centurion answered and said,
Lord, I am not worthy that thou should
come under my roof, but speak the word only. and my servant shall be healed. You don't have to move from one
geographical place to another. You're God. All you have to do
is speak it and it takes place. All you have to do is will it
and it takes place. Lord, speak the word of Speak
the word only. Lord, speak the word only concerning
my salvation. Will my salvation. Speak the
word only. And my servant shall be healed
from a man under authority. I understand authority. I have
soldiers under me. I say to this man, go, and he
goes, and to another come, and he comes, and to my servant do
this, and he does it. I understand authority, and I
know you have all authority, and all you have to do is will
it. comes to pass. Speak the word only. I don't need an experience. All I need is for you to say
it. When Jesus heard it, he marveled.
He marveled. Stop there for just a second.
We just read in Galatians chapter one, where Paul said to the Galatians,
I marvel, I marvel that you're so soon removed from him that
called you to the grace of Christ to another gospel. Now, I remember
hearing Henry Mahan say this once to a congregation, and it's
something that always has stuck with me. He said, anything I
hear about anybody here, including me, doesn't make me marvel. I
mean, I hope it doesn't take place. I pray by the grace of
God it doesn't take place. But anything I hear of anybody
in this room, I'm not amazed by it. But here's something I
would marvel at. If any of you would leave grace
and go to another gospel, now that's something to marvel at.
And that's what Paul said, I marvel. But here we have the Lord marveling. And what did he marvel at? The
simplicity and the power of this man's faith. He gave it to him
in the first place. And he marveled at his faith. Speak the word
only and my servant shall be healed. And he said, I've not
found so great a faith. No, not in Israel. And then in Matthew chapter 15,
verse four, I won't ask you to turn there. You can write it
down, but it said only Thou art holy. Only. Anybody else? Only. Thou art holy. Does your heart
respond to that? That's the truth. That's the truth. What about
believers who have a holy nature and are called holy brethren,
partakers of the heavenly calling, chosen to be holy? Aren't they
holy? Yes, they are, but whose holiness is it? Wasn't theirs. When the seraphims
were flying around the throne saying, holy, holy, holy, wasn't
talking about me or you, was he? talking about the glorious Son
of God. Only He is holy. Only He is other. And any holiness
that you and I have is His. He's made unto us wisdom and
righteousness and sanctification and redemption. Only He is holy. that I love in this, this passage
of scripture. In Luke chapter five, you can, you can look this
up. There's some men that had a buddy
that was crippled and they, they wanted to get him in to, to see
the Lord. They wanted the Lord to heal
him. That was their great desire for their friend to be healed.
And the place was packed. They couldn't get in. They got
up on the roof, knocked a hole in the roof and lowered him down
into the Now, I would have loved to have been there to see that.
Can you imagine how strange that would have been when the Lord
was preaching and all of a sudden you see stuff falling out of the
roof and this man being brought down by rope? And you know what
the Lord did? He looked at him and he said,
son, be of good cheer. Thy sins be forgiven me. He didn't
say you're healed. That's what they brought him
for, but he gave him something better. Thy sins be forgiven
me. Oh, don't you want the Lord to
say that to you? Be of good cheer. Thy sins be
forgiven me. And the Pharisees that were there
said, who is this that speaketh blasphemies? There's one only
that can forgive sins, God. That's true, isn't it? What would
it mean if I said to you, your sins are forgiven? You know what
it would mean? Absolutely nothing. I don't have
the power to forgive sin or to say somebody's sins are forgiven.
My own side, I've got nothing like that. Neither do you. There's only one who can forgive
sins, God only. Here's what they didn't know.
They were right about that, but here's what they didn't know. This was
God only speaking to them. He has only authority to forgive
sins. And beloved, if he forgives your
sins for his own blood's sake, for his own name's sake, you're
forgiven. And then in Matthew chapter four,
verse 10, we read where the devil was trying to tempt Christ and
he promised they would give him all the kingdoms of the world
if he would only bow down and worship. Now I've thought about
that scripture over the years many times, how Satan had the
authority to say something like this to the Lord. And he said,
all this is given to me. And he was true. It was true.
All of this was given to me. But that being said, what he
didn't know, it was all Christ's anyway. It all belonged to him. Satan
says, I'll give this to you if you worship me. It's not yours
to give. It's already mine. But how did
he answer him? He answered him with the scripture. Him only shalt thou worship. It is written. Him only shalt
thou worship. The last only I want to speak
with regard to God, it's found in Genesis chapter 22, verse
two, where the Lord said to Abraham, take now thy son, thine only son, whom thou lovest. Now, wait a minute. Was Ishmael
his son? He's not acknowledged as such.
Ishmael was the child of the flesh. God never acknowledges
the product of the flesh as a son. Take now thy son, thine only
son, Isaac, the child of promise, whom thou lovest, and offer him
up as a burnt offering to me. Now, only with regard to what
we're to do. Would you turn with me to Matthew
chapter 17? Matthew chapter 17. After six
days, Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John, his brother, and bringeth
them up into an high mountain apart, and was transfigured before them. And his face did shine as the
sun, and his raiment was white as the light. And behold, there
appeared unto him Moses and Elias talking with him. And we don't
have to wonder about what they were talking about because Luke's
account tells us they speak of the deceased, which he should
accomplish. And there Peter and James and
John are looking at what's going on. Verse four, then answered Peter,
I don't recall anybody asking him anything, but then answered
Peter. You know, when you hesitate to
say something for fear, it shall be real stupid. Peter didn't have that filter. He now says, I believe the most
stupid thing any human being has ever said. Then answered Peter and said
unto Jesus, Lord, it's good for us to be here. If thou wilt,
let us make three tabernacles, three places of worship. One for thee, one for Moses and
one for Elijah. He's putting these sinful, finite
men in the same place of the Lord Jesus Christ? What could
be more stupid, ignorant, wicked than that statement? And that
was Peter that made that statement. While he yet spake, behold, a
bright cloud overshadowed them. And behold, a voice out of the
cloud which said, This is my beloved son, in whom I am well
pleased. Hear ye him. Can you imagine how Peter and
they felt at that? I think they knew the enormity
of the foolishness of that statement when the Lord speaks from glory. This is my beloved son, not Moses,
not Elijah. This is my beloved son in whom
I'm well pleased. Hear him. What did they do? They
hit the dirt. They were sore afraid, the scripture
says. Look in verse 6. And when the disciples heard
it, they fell on their face and were sore afraid. And Jesus came
and touched them and said, Arise and be not afraid. And when they
had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man, but Jesus only. Now there are two words that
go so well together, Jesus only. Not Jesus and, not Jesus and
my faith, not Jesus and my repentance, not Jesus and my sincerity, not
Jesus and my works, Jesus only. You have not seen the Lord Jesus
Christ unless you have seen him only as everything in your salvation. When Paul spoke of fearing The
Corinthians being corrupted from the simplicity that's in Christ.
Second Corinthians 11 three, that word simplicity is the onlyness
of Christ. He only is everything in this
book. He only is everything in my salvation. He only is why God does everything
he does. They saw no man save Jesus. only. Turn with me to Luke chapter
eight, verse 49. Now remember this point is only
with regard to what we are to do. Well, we see him only. We
see him only. But look at this in Luke chapter
eight, While he yet spake, there cometh one from the ruler of
the synagogue's house saying to him, thy daughter is dead. Trouble not the master. The Lord
was going to heal her and somebody comes ahead of him. She's already
dead. It's too late. Nothing can be
done. She's dead. Don't trouble the
master about this anymore. Verse 50, but when Jesus heard,
he answered him saying, fear not, believe only, and she shall be made whole. Believe only. Don't you dare add anything to
that. believe only. We have a song in our hymn book
entitled Trust and Obey. You know why we don't sing that
hymn? The Lord did not say, believe
and obey. He said, believe only. Now, I realize that some people
will hear that and say, well, he's an antinomian. What's an
antinomian? It's someone who thinks that
grace is an excuse, a license to sin. And well, believe only. You don't need to worry about
anything you do. Just believe only. Well, that will lead to
sin. That will lead to disobedience. Well, if you don't have any grace,
I guess it will. You know, I'm nothing, you know, I like what
Spurgeon said. He said, because somebody will
hang themselves with a rope, do we get rid of rope? No. No. I mean, if somebody hangs himself
with that, that's what they wanted to do, and they'd find an excuse
any way you looked at it. But the Lord said, believe only,
not believe and. Believe only, because as soon
as you put the word and in there, believe and, you've missed faith
altogether. Faith in Christ is faith alone. You look to Him alone. Believe only, and thy faith shall
be whole. Now, like I said, some people
will charge me with antinomianism, but you know, I don't care as
long as I know I'm not one. I don't care if somebody calls me that.
As a matter of fact, I'm concerned if somebody doesn't call me that. I really
am. I mean, that means the gospel
hadn't been preached very clearly. I don't want to be one, but I
want to be called one because they called the Lord that. Behold,
a gluttonous man, a winebibber, the friend of publicans and sinners.
In other words, you're saying you're an antinomian. So I don't
mind being called an antinomian as long as I know I'm not one.
I'm not. I'm not. But the call of the gospel is
believe only. What must we do to work the works
of God? This is the work of God. Not
one of the works of God, the work of God. That you believe
on him whom he has sent. Now let me remind you, I've said
this a lot in the last several months. I'm going to say it again.
Faith doesn't have anything to do with what you believe about
yourself. Somebody says, I believe I'm saved. Doesn't mean you are.
Doesn't mean you are. Somebody says, I'm afraid I'm
not saved. That doesn't mean you're not.
Faith has absolutely nothing to do with what you think about
yourself. It has wholly with what you think concerning Him. God's view of you right now is
seen in how you view His blessed Son. Do you believe that He is
all in salvation? Yes, I do. That's how God sees
you. Completing Him. Last point only with regard to
what we are to say. And we've considered only with
regard to what we are to do. Now this last point only with
regard to what we say. Now here's a place, a good place
to begin. Turn to Psalm 51. Psalm 51, verse four. David says, against thee, thee
only have I sinned. Now, wait a minute, David. What you did with Bathsheba was
wrong. You sinned against her. What about Uriah? You had him
murdered. What about him? Well, think of
what he's saying. Against thee and thee only have
I sinned and done this evil in thy sight, that you might be
clear when you speak. and that thou mightest be justified
when you speak and be clear when you judge." Now, what does that
mean? That means that I am to take sides with God against myself. I confess my sin. And whatever
you judge is right, you're clear with whatever you speak. If you
pass me by and send me to hell, just and holy is thy name. Now that's what it is to confess
your sins. You take God's side against yourself. Against thee and thee only have
I sinned and done this evil in thy sight. You ever done that?
Have you ever taken sides with God against yourself? That's a good place to begin. While you're in Psalms, turn
to Psalm 71. Well, I've got the wrong scripture
down. Where does it say, I will make,
I've got Psalm 71, 16, I thought it was, but somewhere it says,
I will make mention of thy righteousness, even thine only. Can somebody
look that up on your phone or something real quick for me?
I want everybody to see it. That's right. Oh, I just read the first
sentence. Okay. Okay. Psalm 71 16. I will go on in the strength
of the Lord. I will make mention of thy righteousness. What next? Even of thine only. If I make mention of my righteousness,
it is a self-righteousness composed of filthy rags. In other words, when David said,
I'll make mention of thy righteousness, even thine only, it's because
his righteousness is the only righteousness there is. and the only righteousness I
have is his righteousness. I will make mention of thy righteousness
even thine only. Now if I speak of my own righteousness,
I'm afraid I'm showing a whole lot of similarity to those people
that Paul warned about in Romans 10. He said, my prayer to God
for Israel is that they might be saved. I bear them record.
They have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For
they being ignorant of God's righteousness and going about
to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves
to the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the
law for righteousness. everyone that believeth." Still
in the Psalms, turn to Psalm 62 once again. Just let me read
these real quick and I'll stop. David says regarding the Lord
Jesus Christ in Psalm 62 verse 2, He only is my rock and my
salvation. He is my defense. I shall not
be greatly moved. He only is my rock and my salvation.
Now, if I said he's my rock and he's my salvation, it'd be true,
wouldn't it? But I like this better. He only. He only is my rock. He only is my salvation. Turn to Psalm 4. Verse eight, I will both lay me down in peace
and sleep. Now, I don't know how many times
I've thought about this verse of scripture when I'm wide awake
at night and think, how come, why can't I just go to sleep
in peace? I don't know. People have trouble sleeping.
But at this time, David didn't. He said, I will lay me down in
peace and sleep, and here's why. For thou, Lord, only, only, makest
me to dwell in safety. Now, if it said, thou, Lord,
makest me to dwell in safety, I couldn't get that much confidence
from, well, I could, I hope, I don't know, but that's not
the way David said it. He said, thou, Lord, only. And that word
safety is carelessness, carefree. And if he only is my salvation,
I'm carefree. Nothing for me to worry about.
If he is my rock and my salvation only, thou Lord only, make us
meet well in safety. Let's pray together. Lord, how we thank you and praise
you for your onlyness. Now, according to your will,
bless this word for your glory. Reveal yourself to each heart
here according to your will. In Christ's name we pray. Amen.