is not that I did choose thee. Todd's Road Grace Church would
like to invite you to listen to a sermon by our pastor, Todd
Neiberg. We are located at 4137 Todd's
Road, two miles outside of Manowar Boulevard. Sunday services are
at 1030 a.m. and 6 p.m. Bible study is at
945 a.m. Wednesday services are at 7 p.m. Nursery is provided for all services.
For more information, visit our website at toddsroadgracechurch.com. Now here's our pastor, Todd Nyberg. In James chapter 1 verse 16,
James says to those he's writing to, do not air my beloved brethren. That's what I've entitled this
message, do not air my beloved brethren. Now this word air is
found 39 times in the New Testament. 24 of those times, it's translated,
be not deceived. Five times, it's translated,
do not go astray. Twice, it's translated, don't
be seduced. Once, it's translated, don't
be wondering. And once, it's translated, don't
be out of the way. So we see this as a warning. Do not be deceived. Do not be led astray. Do not wander out of the way,
my beloved brethren." And what's very interesting about this passage
of Scripture, on either side, we find the two places where
men will go wrong and be led astray and be deceived. One is
with regard to human responsibility, and one is with regard to God's
sovereignty. If men are going to go bad, they're
going to go bad in one of these two places. So you listen real
carefully. Beginning in verse 13, now this has to do with human
responsibility. James says in verse 13, let no
man say when he's tempted, I'm tempted of God. For God cannot
be tempted with evil. Neither tempteth he any man."
Now, James is speaking of the temptation to sin. Other times in this first chapter
when he uses temptation, he's talking about trials and troubles. Like when he says, count it all
joy when you fall into diverse temptations. That's not talking
about temptation to sin. That's talking about troubles
you're facing that God has sent your way for your good and his
glory if you belong to him. He's talking here in verse 13
about the temptation to sin. Let no man say when he's tempted,
I'm tempted of God. Now, who would say such a thing?
Someone who blames God for what's going on. They're blaming God's
sovereignty. It's exactly what Adam did in
the garden when he was made to confess his sin. He said, the
woman that you gave me She gave me of the fruit, and I did eat. The obvious implication is, this
is not my fault. If you wouldn't have given me
this woman, this would never have taken place. It's your fault,
ultimately, and not mine. Now that's what the man says
when he says, I'm tempted of God. He fails to take personal
responsibility for his sin. He is thinking things, well,
God in his sovereignty could have stopped me from it. He did
that with Abimelech. You can read about it in Genesis
chapter 20. He said, I withheld you from sinning against me.
He could have withheld me from sinning against him. He didn't
do it. He didn't give me the grace to not commit that sin.
He didn't give me the grace to stop doing that sin. If he would
have, I would have, and it's therefore his fault. He's tempting
me. He's bringing this on. And James
says, don't say anything like that. God can't be tempted with
evil, neither tempteth he any man. We can't blame God for our
personal sin. It's true God is sovereign, absolutely
in control of everything. But I'm not there to use that
to give a reason for my personal sin. It's God's fault. He could have kept me from that
sin, but he didn't. He brought that temptation to
me. If he wouldn't have tempted me, if he wouldn't have let that
temptation come my way, I would have never sinned. What that
is is a failure to take personal responsibility for your own personal
sin. Now it's only when I take full
responsibility for my sin that I'm going to cry for mercy. If
I don't take full responsibility, I'm going to be vindicating myself.
I'm going to be justifying myself. I'm going to be blaming God.
I'm going to be like the man in Romans chapter 9, where we
read where God said, whom he will, he hardens, and whom he
will, with Pharaoh. Let me turn there. I'm not quoting
it right. Romans chapter 9, I want to quote
it exactly right, and this is an example of what we're talking
about, failure to take responsibility. Verse 17, for the Scripture saith
unto Pharaoh, even for this same purpose, have I raised thee up?
that I might show my power in thee, and 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 hardens. Thou wilt say unto me, why does
he yet find fault? If he hardens my heart, how can
he hold me responsible for the things I do, if he's the one
who hardened my heart? Thou wilt say then, why doth
he yet find fault for who hath resisted his will? He's absolutely
sovereign. I can't do anything about it.
Therefore, I shouldn't be held responsible because he hardened
my heart. And Paul's reply is, Nay, but,
O man, who are you to reply against God? Since when do you have the
ability to sit in judgment on God and claim God as being unfair
with you or it would be wrong for him to judge you? Now this
idea of not taking responsibility for my sin and blaming God, all
it can be called is evil. It's a failure to take personal
responsibility and it's utter corrupt reasoning. Now let's
go on reading. He says in verse 14, here is
the anatomy of sin. Here's the origin of sin, but
every man is tempted when he's drawn away of his own lust. Now, you and I were born into
this world sinful. Adam died spiritually and we're
born with evil natures. sinful natures that have the
lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. The lust for pleasure, the lust
for popularity, the lust for power, born of a fallen human
nature. We are born bad. David says the wicked are estranged
from the womb. They go about as soon as they
are born, speaking lies. He said, Behold, I was shapen
in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me. So I'm born
with an evil nature that has these lusts, these evil, wicked
desires. Keep that in mind, but every
man is tempted when he's drawn away of his own lust and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived,
it bringeth forth sin. Now here's where sin comes from. Lust, when it's conceived, it
brings forth sin, and sin, when it is finished, bringeth on death. And he's talking about hell at
that time. He's talking about eternal punishment. He's not
just talking about the physical act, but this is where sin will
lead, death, eternal death. The wages of sin is death. And
the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
So don't let anyone say, when he's tempted, God's tempting
me. No, if I'm tempted to sin, and what a horrible thing that
is. If I'm tempted to sin, it came from the lust that dwells
within my fallen heart that I have given into. I can't blame God. He says, do not err. Right after
that, he says, do not err. My beloved brethren, do not be
led astray. Don't think that God is the cause
of your sin. You are the cause. Don't blame your sin on God,
your circumstances, your genetics, your DNA, your upbringing. It's
only when we take full responsibility for our sin that we'll cry out
for mercy, and if we don't take full responsibility for our sin,
we will think God owes us something. We'll vindicate ourselves. We'll
justify ourselves. We'll blame God. Don't do that. Take full responsibility for
your sin. Own it. Confess it before God.
That's the only time you're ever going to call on him for grace
and for mercy. Only when all your sin is all
your fault and you take full responsibility for it. Let no
man say when he's tempted, I'm tempted of God. Do not air my
beloved brethren. Now, he goes on to say after
verse 16, every good gift and every perfect gift is from above. Now, when all your sin is all
your fault, you're interested in God's gifts. Every good gift
and every perfect gift is from above. It's not going to be found
in the soil of corrupt human nature. It's not going to be
found in something that you do. But thank God, oh the goodness
of God, that He saves people that are guilty, that He saves
people that are sinners, that He saves people whose sin is
all their fault. That's the only kind of people
He saves. This is a faithful saying and
worthy of all acceptation that Christ Jesus came into the world
to save sinners, of whom Paul says, I am the chief. Thank God for this. If your sin
is all your fault and you can't blame anybody but yourself, you
say with David against thee and thee only have I sinned and done
this evil in thy sight. that thou mightest be justified
when you speak and clear when you judge. When your sin is all
your fault and you stand before God guilty, you're ready to hear
the gospel. You're ready to hear of God's
free gifts, God's perfect gifts. Now, do not air my beloved brethren
every good gift And every perfect gift is from above. And look how the Lord is described. It comes down from the Father
of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. Now, these good gifts and perfect
gifts They're good because they come from God. They're perfect.
That means they're complete. They're complete. You don't need
to do anything to make them work. When they come down from Him,
you can't mess them up. These good and these perfect
gifts, the gifts of salvation, they come down from the Father
of light. God is light. And in Him is no darkness at
all. Oh, this glorious light, the
light of how God saves sinners by Christ. God is light. And
in Him, there is no variableness. neither even a shadow of turning. Now what this is a reference
to is the immutability of God. This is why He can give these
gifts to someone who is so guilty and so sinful because he is immutable. He's incapable of change. If he purposed your salvation,
you must be saved. His purposes never change. He
said in Malachi chapter 3, verse 6, I am the Lord. I change not. Therefore, you sons of Jacob
are not consumed. Now, if I could change, you'd
be consumed. I'd say, I'm not going to put
up with that anymore. But that's not the way God's grace works
because He never changes. Hebrews chapter 13, verse 8,
speaking of the Lord Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ the same yesterday,
today, and forever. Now however He was, He is, and
however He is, He always will be. We read in Hebrews chapter
1 verse 12, Thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail. The songwriter said, Change and
decay in all around I see, O thou that changest not, abide with
me. Now, he doesn't change in his
essence. Now, when I'm talking about these
things, I realize that I only know them by faith. I don't know
what the essence of God is. He's spirit. And I can't describe
to you exactly what spirit is because I'm physical. I'm bound
by time. I'm bound by space. And God dwells
outside of all of those things. But He is infinite in His existence. And what can I know about that
other than say it to you? I know what infinite is supposed
to mean, but I can't really grasp it. But He's infinite in His
existence. He never changes. He never changes
in His substance. Whatever He was, He is. Whatever
He is, He always will be. He doesn't change in His attributes.
Thank God we're given the Bible where He tells us what He's like.
He's always been just. He's always been holy. He's always
been all-wise. He's always been all-powerful.
He's always been gracious. He's always been immutable. He's
always been independent, having no needs, self-existent. He's always been who he is. He
never changes in his attributes. He doesn't change in his purposes.
He said, I have spoken it, I will bring it to pass. I have purposed
it, I also will do it. Romans 9 and 11, I love this
scripture for the children, being not yet born, neither having
done any good or evil, that the purpose of God, according to
election, might stand. Not of works. Salvation is not
of works. Thank God for that, because if
it was works, no one would be saved. Not of works, but of him
that calleth. 2 Timothy 1.9 says, He saved
us and He called us with a holy calling, not according to our
works, but according to His own purpose and grace, which was
given us in Christ Jesus before the world began. God doesn't
change in His promises. All the promises of God in Him
are yea and amen. They're not conditioned upon
us doing something to make them work. They're eternal promises. He doesn't change in the objects
of his affection. He said in Jeremiah 31, 3, and
this is true with regard to every believer, Behold, I have loved
you with an everlasting love. Therefore, with loving kindness
have I drawn thee. For whom he did foreknow, Then
he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his
son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover,
whom he did predestinate, them he also called. And whom he called,
them he also justified. And whom he justified, them he
also glorified." What should we say to these things? If God
be for us, who can be against us? Now, someone that is completely
guilty and all their sin is all their fault, that cannot prevent
God's good and perfect gifts coming down from above. Now, I love these words in Matthew
chapter 7, verse 11. where the Lord said, if you then
being evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much
more shall your heavenly Father give good gifts to them that
ask him? Oh, this glorious one who never
changes. He never increases. He never
decreases. He never evolves. He is infinite,
absolute, self-existent above all the causes or even the possibility
of change. He is the Father of lights, in
whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning." Every good
gift that comes from Him, every perfect gift, complete, is from
above and comes down from the Father of lights, in whom is
no variableness, nor shadow of turning. Now let's think of this
thing of God's gifts. Now his gifts are what he freely
gives. You don't earn these things.
You don't pay for them. His gifts are what he freely
gives. I think of what the Lord said
to the woman at the well, if you knew the gift of God and
who it is that saith to thee, give me to drink, you would have
asked of him and he would have given you living Oh, if you knew
the gift, the free gift of God, no strings attached, absolutely
free. If you knew the gift of God and
who it is that said to thee, give me to drink, you would have
asked and he would have given thee living water. Now, we read in the scripture
of the gift of His grace, and we read that He giveth more grace. Why, righteousness is even called
a gift, the gift of righteousness. There's not something you do
to become righteous. It's a gift given to all who
believe. Why? Faith and repentance are
called gifts of God. They're not something you come
up with. If you believe, it's because He gave you that faith.
And if you're in a state of repentance, it's because He gave you that
repentance and caused you to do it. By grace are you saved
through faith, and that not of yourselves, it's the gift of
God. Not of works, lest any man should boast. Him hath God the
Father exalted at his right hand to be a prince and a savior,
for to give repentance to Israel and the forgiveness of sins.
The forgiveness of sins is a gift. There's not a process you go
through in order to achieve forgiveness. It's something he freely gives.
Salvation doesn't end with the forgiveness of sins. It begins
with the gift of the forgiveness of sins. Why, even coming to
Christ is his gift. He said, No man can come to me,
except it were given him from above. He said, My peace, my
peace, the peace he has with God, my peace I give unto you. Not as the world gives, give
I unto you. He said, I've given them thy
words. He said, The glory that thou
gavest me, I have given them. Sting of death is sin, the strength
of sin is the law, but thanks be unto God which giveth us the
victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. He has given us an everlasting
consolation and a good hope through grace. Paul even said, there
was given to me a thorn in the flesh. But what we have has been
given by the Father of lights in whom is no variableness, neither
shadow of turning. Now let's read this 18th verse
of James. And here is just as strong a
statement as you're going to find anywhere in the Word of
God about the absolute sovereignty of God. It says in verse 18,
of his own will begat he us with the word of truth that we should
be a kind of first fruits of his creatures. Now, don't err
with regard to this thing of your responsibility. If you sin,
if you're tempted, it's all your fault. But don't err with regard
to this thing of God's sovereignty. Don't believe in salvation by
works in any way. Of his own will, beget he us
with the word of truth. Now, what is meant by the sovereignty
of God? Well, to say God is sovereign
is to say God is God. It really is that simple. Anything
less than an absolute sovereign God is no God at all, but the
figment of man's imagination. There's only one God, and that
is the sovereign God. Now, His sovereignty means that
He has a will. He's a being, a perfect being,
an infinite being, an independent being, and He has a will. Not only does God have a will
and a purpose, He has the power to make that will come to pass
all the time. It is not possible for the will
of God to be thwarted. Not only does he have the power
to make his will come to pass, he has the right to make his
will come to pass. He's God. He doesn't answer to
anyone. There's no law over his head.
He's in absolute control. I love the way the Lord said,
I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because
you've hid these things from the wise and prudent and revealed
them unto babes. Even so, Father, for so it seemed
good in thy sight. That's why God does what He does.
It seems good in His sight. And if it seems good in His sight,
it's good. He doeth according to His will
in the armies of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth,
and none can stay His hand or say unto Him, What doest thou?
Give an account for yourself. Now, not only does God have a
will, not only does God have the power to make His will come
to pass, Not only does God have the right to make His will come
to pass, God always does make His will come to pass. Everything
that happens, He is in absolute, complete control of, the first
cause behind all things, of His own will. Nothing prompted Him,
but His own will. Of His own will begat He us. Now, this is talking about the
new birth. This is what every believer experiences. They're born from above. They're
born of God. They're born of the Spirit. Of
His own will begat He us. A man must be born again, or
he cannot see the kingdom of heaven. He must be born from
above, or he cannot enter the kingdom of heaven. Now, what
is it that makes a man see he's nothing but sin? He's been begotten
of God. If you see that you're nothing
but sin and that all of your sin is all your fault, it's because
you've been begotten of God. A lost man does not see that.
He always holds on to salvation by works in some way, but it's
only the man who's been born from above that sees He's nothing
but sin. It takes the new birth. It takes
a holy nature to see that. Of His own will begat He us,
birthed He us. John 1, 12, and 13 puts it this
way, but as many as received Him, to them gave He the power
to become the sons of God, even to them which believe on His
name, which were born, not of blood, not of the will of man,
not of the will of flesh, but of God. And look what he used
to give us this birth of his own will, beget he us with the
word of truth. Now there is no new birth apart
from the word of truth, the gospel, the doctrine of the cross, the
truth concerning how God saves sinners by Christ. Someone who
has not heard the truth is not saved. They may be religious,
but they've not been begotten of God because all God uses in
this divine begetting is the word of truth. Christ said, sanctify
them through thy truth. Thy word is truth. There's no salvation apart from
the truth of the gospel. Of his own will, beget he us
with the word of truth that we What a blessing that we should
be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures. What a blessing it
is for God to save you. You become His firstfruits, the
work of God. Now, don't err. Don't err. Don't err concerning your own
responsibility. Don't blame God's sovereignty
for your sin. Your sin is all your fault, but don't err Concerning
God's sovereignty, if you're saved, your salvation is all
of God's fault and you look to Him only. To request a copy of the sermon
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