Why did you Todd's Road Grace Church would
like to invite you to listen to a sermon by our pastor, Todd
Nyberg. 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 Nibbert. I've entitled this morning's
message, Have You Been Persuaded? Have You Been Persuaded? The text is Romans chapter 14,
verse 14. The Apostle Paul says, I know
and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus that there is nothing unclean
of itself, but to him that esteemeth anything to be unclean, to him
it is unclean." Now, Paul makes a very strong and dogmatic statement. I know and am persuaded by the
Lord Jesus. And I'm not going to really get
into what he knew and was persuaded about in this verse. I'll say
briefly, there's nothing unclean of itself. There's not sin in
things. This entire touch-not, taste-not,
handle-not type of religion is foolishness. There's no sin in
things. But if someone thinks something
to be sinful and does it, to him it is sin, even if It were
not sin to drink alcohol, for instance. If someone thinks it's
sin and he goes ahead and does it, to him it is sin. That's what Paul is saying. But
I want to deal with this thing of knowing and being persuaded. That's found in the scripture
a lot. I know and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus. Now, when
He persuades you, you know. And when you really know, it's
because He has persuaded you. Have you been persuaded? Now, the Gospel is a completely
objective message. It is what it is. When Paul said, moreover brethren,
I declare unto you the gospel, not a gospel, but the gospel,
he identified it thusly. It's how that Christ died for
our sins according to the scriptures. It's not Christ died for our
sins, it's how that Christ died for our sins according to the
scriptures. And when he said that the New Testament had not
yet been written, He's talking about the Old Testament Scriptures,
the Passover Lamb, the Day of Atonement. The Gospel is what
it is, it's how that Christ died for our sins according to the
Scriptures. Does somebody say, well here's
what that passage means to me? I don't want to be rude, but
I really have no interest in what it means to you. I want
to know what it means, period. You see, The Bible has a definite
message. And all this, here's what it
means to me, or here's what it means to you, that's foolishness.
What does it mean? The Gospel is an objective message. It's not subject to man's thoughts,
or interpretations, it is what it is, and the objective gospel
becomes subjective or experienced when I can say, I know, or we
know. Now, when I use that kind of
language, you know, Paul said, for I know and am persuaded by
the Lord Jesus Christ. When I use that kind of language,
I'm not talking about somebody saying, I know I'm saved. I've
heard people say that many times. I know I'm saved. You can't tell
me any different. Now, when someone speaks like
that, it's a pretty good bet they're not saved because they're
looking to some kind of experience they've had or something that
they're holding on to that they think proves it. And men in the
Bible didn't speak like that. Paul didn't say, I know I'm saved.
He said, I know whom I believed. And I'm persuaded he's able to
keep that which I've committed to him against that day. But
he didn't say, I know I'm saved. As soon as I say, I know I'm
saved, I'll have question marks. Well, what if you're not? What
if you're fooled? And I dislike it when soul winners come up
to people and say, do you know beyond the shadow of a doubt
you're saved and you'll go to heaven when you die? All that
is is scaring and manipulating people. That's not what I'm talking
about when I'm talking about knowledge. I know, I know, I
know. Now, we can only know something
if we've been persuaded. I mean really know something.
I'm not talking about just saying we know it. It's easy to say,
I know this, or I know that. I'm not talking about really
merely saying it, I'm talking about really knowing it. I can
only know something if I have been persuaded. You see not everyone
is persuaded. In Acts chapter 17 beginning
in verse 2 we read, And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto
them, and three Sabbath days reasoned with them out of the
Scriptures, opening and alleging that Christ must, needs, it was
absolutely necessary for Christ to have suffered, and risen again
from the dead. Now why was it necessary for
Christ to must, needs, have suffered? Because it was God's purpose
He's a Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. He took on the
sins of his people and the justice of God demanded his suffering.
He must needs rise from the dead because he completely satisfied
God's justice and satisfied for God the law of God and everybody
Christ died for God satisfied with him. And some, we read,
of them believed and it's actually were persuaded. Some of them
were persuaded. It's in the passive voice they
were acted upon. Some of them were persuaded,
and then we read in verse 5, but the Jews which believed not,
they were not persuaded. Now, every time the gospel is
preached, some are persuaded. Some believe, they're persuaded
by God to where they can say, I know, and some believe not. They are not persuaded. Now, I know, Paul said, I know
and am persuaded of the Lord Jesus. A lot of people can say
with their lips what they've never really entered into or
experienced. Some people can say, well, I
know I'm a sinner, but they don't really mean it. They don't really
believe that they're totally depraved before God. They make
a confession with their lips that's not in their heart. You
know, the Lord talked about those who draw nigh to me with their
lips, but their heart is far from me, teaching for doctrines
the commandments of men. It's one thing To say you know
something, it's another thing to be persuaded by Christ himself
so that you really know what you're saying. Abraham staggered not at the
promise of God through unbelief but was strong in faith, giving
glory to God. How come being fully persuaded? that what God had promised, he
was able also to perform. The reason why Abraham had this
faith that staggered not at the promise of God is because he
had been persuaded. Paul said in 2 Timothy 1.12,
I know whom I have believed and am persuaded. I've been persuaded. that He is able to keep that
which I've committed to Him against that day. Paul said in Romans
8, 28, and we know that all things work together for good to them
that love God, to them who are thee called according to His
purpose. Now, people quite often quote
the first half of that All things work together for good, but they
don't finish it. To them that love God, to them
who are thee called according to his purpose. Now we know this
is so because we've been persuaded. Paul goes on to say in that same
chapter, Romans chapter 8, he says, for I am persuaded, this
is why I know these things, I have been persuaded that neither death
nor life angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present,
nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature
shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is
in Christ Jesus our Lord." He begins that passage with a, we
know, because he had been persuaded. Paul said to the Philippians
in the opening of that epistle, being confident, which is the
same word, being persuaded of this very thing that he which
hath begun good work in you will perform it into the day of Jesus
Christ." Now this persuasion, when you're persuaded, it always
comes through the Word. It's not somebody just changing
your mind, it's being persuaded through the Word. Now perhaps
you're familiar with the story of the rich man and Lazarus.
You remember that the rich man went to hell. Lazarus was carried
by the angels into Abraham's bosom. And I don't know how this
is possible but somehow the rich man saw Abraham from the torments
he was in and he said in verse 27 of Luke 16, I pray thee therefore
father that you would send him, Lazarus, to my father's house. I have five brethren, that he
may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of
torment. I don't want them here.' And Abraham said unto him, They
have Moses and the prophets, let them hear them. And he said,
Nay, father Abraham, but if one went unto them from the dead,
they'll repent. And he said unto him, If they
hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded.
Though one rose from the dead." Now you're only persuaded of
something when you see it's taught clearly in the Word of God. And if the persuasion comes from
anything other than the Word of God, it's a false persuasion. The only way you can truly say,
I know something, is if you've been persuaded by the Word of
God. Now quite often when people say
they have full assurance of their salvation, I know that I'm saved. I know this. Well, if you are,
perhaps you are, perhaps you're not, I don't know. But if you
are, you will be in complete agreement and will enter into
the I knows of the scripture. That's the test. Somebody says,
I know I'm saved. Well, if you enter in with the
I knows of the scripture, are saved. And the first Scripture
that came to my mind with this thing of, I know, is Romans chapter
3, verses 19 and 20 where Paul said, for we know. We know. The we is every believer having
been persuaded by God. But we know that what thing soever
the law saith, It saith to them who are under the law that every
mouth may be stopped, and all the world stand guilty before
God. Now if you've been persuaded
By Christ Himself, here's something you know. You know that you personally
stand guilty as charged. You agree with God with everything
He says concerning you. Your mouth has been stopped.
You no longer have excuses, extenuating circumstances. You don't try
to justify yourself or vindicate yourself. You stand guilty before
God, guilty as charged. If he condemns me, he's right. You take sides with God against
yourself. You understand the next verse,
therefore by the deeds of the law, there shall no flesh be
justified in his sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin."
Now let me give you a test, and I'm giving myself this test to
see if we really believe and our mouth has been stopped, if
we can say, I know this. Paul said in Romans 7, 14, for
we know, we know that the law is spiritual. But I am carnal,
sold under sin, under the control of sin as its slave. Now, if you ever find out who
you are, you're going to find out that you are a slave to sin. You cannot not sin. Everything you do is sin. If
you ever have a new nature, that's what recognizes that. It recognizes
the old nature. Paul said in Romans 7, 18, For
I know that in me, that is, in my flesh dwelleth no good thing. Now if God teaches you You know
this. Has He ever persuaded you that
you stand guilty before Him, that you're a slave to sin, that
in your flesh is no good thing? Now, if you're persuaded by God,
you know what I'm saying is true. And if you buck against it, if
you say, I just can't go that far, then you've never been persuaded.
because if God ever persuades you, the first thing you'll be
persuaded about yourself is that you stand guilty before God and
you're nothing but a sinner. And this is the way you feel
present tense. I'm not talking about the way
you used to be until you straightened out your life. I'm talking about
what you are right now, in and of yourself. If God ever persuades
you, you'll be persuaded of that. And then we read in Romans chapter
8, verse 28, I've already alluded to this, and we know We know
that all things work together for good. them that love God,
to them who are called according to His purpose." You see, we
have been convinced by God that God is God. He's a God of purpose,
and He's in control of everything and everybody. We believe in
the absolute sovereignty of God because that's who He is. Anything
less than an absolute sovereign is not God. And we know because
of this being persuaded of who He is, we know that all things
are That means everything. Everything that happens in my
life, seeming good things, seeming bad things, all things that happen
in my life are working together for my good. It's all good because
God is good and God's on the throne and He brings good out
of evil. He's in absolute control, we
know. that all things work together
for good, to them who love God, to them who are called according
to His purpose. And then we read in 1 Corinthians
chapter 2 verse 12 of knowing of the things that are freely
given to us of God. We know the things that are freely
given to us of God. Let me read the scripture, 1
Corinthians chapter 2 verse 12, now we have received not the
Spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God, that
we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Now I know that whatever God
has given to me, He's given it to me freely. It was not in response
to something I did or did not do. He gave it to me freely. He justified me. And He didn't
justify me because I asked Him to or because I deserve it. He did it freely by His grace. He didn't have to find a reason
in me to do it. He elected me. He chose me before
time began, and He did so freely. He didn't foresee that I would
do something. That's the way many people explain
away election. Well, God foresees the future.
He knows what you're going to do, and then if He sees you're going
to choose Him, then He chooses you. That's foolishness. No,
He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, and
He did so freely. It's free elections, the election
of grace. He redeemed me, and that redemption,
that full payment for my sins, free. freely by His grace. You see, you know, you know,
if you're a child of God, one thing you know, you know everything
you have is the gift of His grace. It wasn't given to you because
of your works or because of anything you do. It was given to you freely
by His grace. Everything you have is His free
gift. That's why you can keep it. It
wasn't given to you in response to your works and you can't lose
it by your works. It's absolutely And all who have
been persuaded are overwhelmingly convinced that everything in
salvation from election to glorification is all of His free grace. Paul made this statement in Galatians
chapter 2 verse 16, knowing, I love the way he says this,
knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by
the faith of Jesus Christ. Now, if you know, if you've been
persuaded by the Lord, here's something you know. You know
you're not justified by the works of the law. You know salvation
is not dependent upon something you do. You know that because
you know you can't do anything. You can't do anything that God
could accept. You can't do anything that God could be pleased with.
God's holy. You can't do anything to help
save yourself. You know that you're a sinner.
You know you can't be saved by the works of the law, and you
know you're saved by the faith of Jesus Christ. This is one
of the reasons why I love the King James Version. Every other
version says you're justified by faith in Christ, but here
we read of being justified by the faith of Christ. I'm justified by the faithfulness,
by the obedience, by the righteousness, by the merit of the Lord Jesus
Christ Himself. His righteousness is my justification
before God. Now, if I know anything, if God's
taught me and I've been persuaded, I'm persuaded that I can't be
saved by my works, And I'm persuaded that I'm saved by the faith of
the Lord Jesus Christ. And then I love what Peter says
in 1 Peter 1 beginning in verse 18. For as much as you know,
you know, every believer knows this. For as much as you know,
you see you've been persuaded by God, you know, Forasmuch as
you know that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver
and gold from your vain conversation, received by tradition from your
fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ." You know that
Christ redeemed you with His precious blood. He didn't make
you redeemable. He didn't make you a potential candidate for
salvation if you do anything. He actually redeemed you, put
away your sin, made it to where it's no more. And He did so by
the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without spot, without
blemish, that was verily foreordained before the foundation of the
world. You know that He's the Lamb slain from the foundation
of the world, and His precious blood is eternal. It's always
been your only standing before God, and always will be your
only standing before God. You know that. And then Paul
said in 2 Timothy 1.12, I love this verse of Scripture, he said,
for I know whom I have believed. Not what I believed, but whom. I have believed. And I am persuaded,
I've been persuaded, literally, I've been persuaded that He is
able to keep that which I've committed to Him against that
day. Now, what we believe is determined
by who we believe. He said, I know whom I have believed. The glorious Son of God, the
Lord Jesus, the God-Man, the Eternal Creator, the Second Person
of the Blessed Trinity, He whose goings forth have been of old,
the wonderful, mighty Counselor, the mighty God, the Everlasting
Father, the Prince of Peace. I know whom I have believed,
and I am persuaded, I've been convinced that He is able to
keep that which I've committed to Him. What did you commit to
Him, Paul? I committed to Him the entire
salvation of my immortal soul. My hands are off. I've burned
my bridges. I've got no plan B. Here's my
only hope. When He said, It is finished,
my salvation was finished. If anything else is required,
I won't be saved. I look to Him only. I've made
this commitment to Him. You know when you really commit
to a plane is when you get on it. And you may stand outside
of it and think it will probably get me to the destination, but
you don't commit yourself to it until you get in the plane. The only time you really believe
on Christ is if you commit the entire salvation of your soul
to Him. Jude put it this way, now unto
Him that's able to keep you from falling and to present you faultless
before the presence of His glory, with exceeding joy. Now that's
what Paul was relying on. He was relying on Jesus Christ
to keep him from falling and to present him faultless before
the throne of his glory with exceeding joy. Now I know whom
I believed and I'm persuaded, I'm convinced he's able to save
me with no help from me. Hebrews 1, 3 says, When He had
by Himself purged our sins, He sat down on the right hand of
the Majesty on high. Why did He sit down? Because
the sins were purged, they were put away. I am relying on Him
only for everything in my salvation. And then John said in 1 John
3, verse 5, And we know that He was manifested to take away
our sins. And in Him is no sin. He came for this purpose, to
take away our sins. And that's exactly what He did. If He died for you, your sins
have been taken away. They're gone. You don't have
them anymore. And in Him is no sin. That means if I'm in Him, I have
no sin. Now, if you've been persuaded
by God, you know that He came to take away our sins. Christ didn't come to condemn
the world. It was already condemned. He came to save the world. He
came to take away sin. And you know He did it. If you
know Him, you know He's no failure. He didn't make a stab at it.
He didn't make salvation possible. He didn't make salvation available.
He actually put away sin to where it's there no more, and if you're
in Him, you have no sin. Now, I'm not asking you if you
know you're saved. I'm not asking you if you know
you'll go to heaven when you die. But I am asking you this,
do you know that you stand guilty before God and that all you are
in and of yourself is sin, sold under sin? Do you know that about
yourself? Do you know that God is God and
all things work together for good to them that love Him? Are
you convinced of that? Do you know that all you have
in salvation was given to you freely? It's by grace and not
by works. Do you know that your only redemption
is with the precious blood of Christ? Do you know whom you
have believed? Are you persuaded He's able to
save you? Do you know that He was manifested
to take away sin and in Him is no sin? Now if you know these
things, you've been persuaded by God. To request a copy of the sermon
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