When you turn back to Matthew
Chapter 14, while you're turning there, tonight, the title of the message is,
The False and the True Contrasted. And it's from Matthew Chapter
23, if you can read that chapter this afternoon, The False and
the True Contrasted. And I've entitled this message,
Have You Been Persuaded? Have you been persuaded? Paul said in verse 14, 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 dogmatic
statement at the first of this verse. He says, I know. I know this 100% for sure. I know. And the reason I know is I have been persuaded by the
Lord Jesus. Now we're going to get next week
into what this is about nothing being unclean of itself and so
on, but I just want us to consider this one simple concept. I know, and the reason I know,
the reason I can speak with such confidence is because I have
been persuaded. Have you been persuaded by the
Lord Jesus? Now, I love the way Paul talks. I know. I perceive and see this
clearly. This is not my opinion, but this
is something that I know 100% for sure. I know. How can you speak with such confidence,
Paul? Because I have been persuaded
by the Lord Jesus Himself. Now, I want to be able to speak
like this, don't you? I want to say I know. And I want
it to be because I have been persuaded by the Lord Jesus Christ
Himself. Now, I know is in the active
tense. I know this. This is me that
knows this. And the persuaded is in the passive
tense. I know this because I have been
persuaded. I've been acted upon by the Lord
Jesus Himself. Don't you want to be acted on
by Christ? I sure do. I want Him to act on me. I don't
want Him to leave me to myself. I want Him to act on me. And
if He acts on me, if He persuades me, I'll be able to say in sincerity,
I know. When he persuades you, you're
persuaded. Not until then. The gospel is a completely objective
message. That means it's not subject to
my thoughts or your thoughts, my opinions or your opinions. my interpretation or your interpretation,
the gospel is a completely objective message. I love the way Paul
defined it when he said, moreover I declare unto you the gospel.
It's how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures. And remember the New Testament
had not yet been written. He's talking about according
to the Old Testament scriptures. You can't preach the gospel and
not preach the Old Testament scriptures. It's impossible.
Christ died for our sins according to the Passover. God said, when
I see the blood, I will pass over you. Just on and on through
the Old Testament Scriptures, it's an objective message. Does somebody say, here's what
this passage means to me. I don't want to be rude, but
I really have no interest at all in what it means to you. I want to know what it means.
Amen? I want to know what it means.
How that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures.
Now the gospel is an objective message not subject to man's
thoughts or interpretations. It is what it is and the objective
message of the gospel only becomes subjective when I can say I know. Or we know. That's a phrase that's found
over and over again in the scriptures. I know. We know. And the only way I can sincerely
say I know, and it be the truth, I'm not just trying to impress
somebody with my knowledge. The only time I can truly say
I know is because I have been persuaded by the Lord Jesus Christ. Now, not everybody is persuaded. That's why not everybody can
say, I know. Let me show you this in scripture. Turn with me to Acts chapter
17. Verse 2, Acts chapter 17 verse
2, 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 have suffered and risen
again from the dead. Now why must needs he suffer? Because the sins of God's elect
became his sins and he deserved the wrath of God. That's why
he suffered. He must needs have suffered.
He must needs have risen from the dead. Why was that necessary?
Because he made complete satisfaction. He put away those sins. His resurrection
is demanded because of what he accomplished in his death. And
this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ. And some of them believed. Now that word believed is the
same word that's generally translated were persuaded. Some of them
heard what Paul was saying and they were persuaded. They believed
this, having been persuaded by the Lord Jesus. They believed
it was necessary for Christ to suffer. They believed it was
necessary for Christ to rise from the dead. Why? Because they were persuaded. Have you been persuaded? And some, some of them believed
they were persuaded and consorted with Paul and Silas and the devout
Greeks of great multitude and the Jews not a few, but the Jews
which believed not. Some were persuaded and the rest
believed not. Turn to Acts 28, very similar
scripture. Verse 23, And when they had appointed
him a day, Acts 28, verse 23, And when they had appointed him
a day, there came many to him into his lodging, to whom he
expounded, and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them
concerning Jesus, both out of the law, and out of the Moses,
and out of the prophets, from morning till evening. Now when
I preach, I want to persuade you. I want you to believe what
I believe. Not because I believe it, but
because it's what the Word of God declares. I want to persuade
you. I'm not indifferent about this. I don't just come out and
spit out some facts and say, take it or leave it. No, I want
you to believe. I say what Moses said to his
father-in-law, Hobab, come with us and we'll do thee good. The
Lord has spoken good concerning Israel. You come with us. Now,
I want to persuade you to believe, but I know I can't persuade anybody
to believe. But if the Lord persuades you,
oh, you'll be persuaded, won't you? Let's go on reading. Verse
24, and some believed the things which were spoken. And that,
once again, is the word were persuaded. They were persuaded. God persuaded them. Christ persuaded
them. That's why they believed. They
were persuaded. Some were persuaded the things which were spoken,
and some believed not. Now, I can say I know a thing
and not really know it. A lot of people say with their
lips what they never really believed or entered into or experienced
in their heart. Here's an example. I believe
that the Bible teaches total depravity. I see that in Scripture. Men are totally depraved. I see
that. It's one thing to say that. It's another thing to believe
that you personally are totally depraved. All the difference
in the world. Now, when He persuades you, When
you're taught of God, and they shall all be taught of God, John
said in 1 John 2, 20, but you have an unction from the Holy
One and know all things. When he teaches you and persuades
you, you really know, see, and perceive what you're saying,
you know. Paul said, I know. I know. and am persuaded of the Lord
Jesus Christ. It said of Abraham that he staggered
not at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strong in faith,
giving glory to God. And here's why. Being fully persuaded. There it is. Being fully persuaded. that what
God had promised, he was able also to perform. 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. I know because I've been persuaded. Question, have you been persuaded? I think of Paul's confidence
in Romans 8, 28 when he says, and we know, we know that all
things work together for good to them that love God, to them
who are the call according to his purpose. How do you know
that, Paul? He speaks with such confidence.
Well, he goes on in that same passage of Scripture in Romans
8 to say, for I am persuaded, I've been persuaded, that neither
death nor life, nor 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. I know. I've been persuaded. You see,
I know who God is. And that's the only way it can
be. If God's God, of course all things work together for good
to them that love God. To them who are called according
to His purpose because He's God. It couldn't be any other way.
He's God over all, blessed forever. Paul said to the Philippians,
being confident, and that is the same word, having been persuaded. Having been persuaded of this
very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will
perform it into the day of Jesus Christ. Now this persuasion comes
through the Word. When you're persuaded, it comes
through the Word of God coming in power to your hearts. Turn
with me to Luke chapter 16. If I'm persuaded, it's always
by the Word of God. Any persuasion I have that doesn't
come from the Word of God is a false persuasion. Now, I want
to be persuaded, and I want to make sure this persuasion comes
from the Word of God. In Luke chapter 16, beginning
in verse 27, these are the words of the rich man in hell. Now,
he says to Abraham, verse 27, then he said, I pray thee therefore,
father, that thou would send him, Lazarus, to my father's
house, for I have five brethren, that he may testify unto them,
lest they also come unto this place of torment. Abraham saith
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 will 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 this persuasion always comes
from the word. Now usually, when people say
with seeming confidence, I know, I've heard people say this to
me on numerous occasions. I know I'm saved. I don't care what you think.
I know I'm saved. Don't try to make me doubt my
salvation. I know I'm saved. Well, perhaps you are. Perhaps
you're not. I don't know. Just because somebody
says, I know I'm saved, doesn't mean they are. But I do know
this. If you know you're saved, you'll
be, if you really are saved, you'll be at complete agreement
with the I knows and the we knows of the scripture. That's how
you can know. It's not because you say, I know
I'm saved, but it's because you really are at complete agreement
with the I knows and the we know of the scripture. Now, he knows. We say, I know. And the Bible
really is made of a, I guess you'd call it a series, but this
is the way the Lord spoke. The Lord said to the woman at
the well, woman, you worship you know not what, we know what
we worship. Because salvation is of the Jews. We speak what we know. and testify
what we've seen. And when the Lord says, we know,
He's not saying it because He's been persuaded like we've been.
It's because He's omniscient. He knows everything. He doesn't
need to... He's never informed of anything. He never discovers
anything. He's all-knowing. And when He says, I know, it's
because He knows. He's all-knowing. And the reason
we know, if we know, is because He Himself, by His Spirit, persuaded
us individually. If you really know the truth,
He did something for you, individually. When He teaches you, you are
persuaded, and you know. Now, I want to look at a few
of these knows. Would you turn with me to Romans chapter 3? Remember, you can only say, I
know, as you've been persuaded. by him. Now how do you... I can know if I really know,
if I'm in complete agreement with these I knows. Romans chapter
3 verse 19. Now, we, who's the we? Everybody that knows. Everybody
that knows. We know that what things soever
the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law, that every
mouth may be stopped, and all the world become guilty before
God. Now, if you've been persuaded, you know this, your mouth has
been stopped by the law of God. You know what that means? All excuses vanish. All self-justification and self-vindication
vanishes. All extenuating circumstances
are gone. You agree with what God says
about you. You stand guilty as charged before
God without any excuse. Now when you're persuaded by
God, you are persuaded. You are convinced that you personally
are guilty before God and you've got no excuses at all. And let me show you how you can
see whether this is true with regard to you. Turn to Romans
chapter 7. Paul says, for we, and I love
when Paul says we because he's speaking as the spokesman of
every believer. Now here's how we can know if
we've ever stood guilty before God, guilty before His law, and
if it's condemned us. Verse 14, For we know that the
law is spiritual, But I am carnal, sold under sin,
sold as a slave to sin under its control and dominion. That's how I feel about myself.
He said in Romans 7 18, I know, I know that in me that is in
my flesh dwelleth no good thing. Do you know that about yourself?
Well, if you've been persuaded by the Lord Jesus, you know this
about yourself. I've already quoted this passage
of scripture, Romans chapter 8, verse 28, and we know. I love the way he speaks this.
And we know this is not something we hope it ends up being this
way. We have some kind of vague desire for it to be this way.
And I, you know, I hear people say all the time, well, I think
everything works out for good. I think it all works out. I think
everything's got a reason. You know, they'll say that and
they won't continue with the rest of the scripture. And they say,
I think it's this way. But Paul says, we know that all
things work together for good to them that love God, to them
who are called according to His purpose. We know this. We know
this because we know who God is. It couldn't be any other
way because God is God. He's absolutely sovereign in
control of everybody and everything and it's not hard for Him to
be that way. We know because we have been
persuaded. Turn with me to 1 Corinthians
chapter 2. 1 Corinthians chapter 2, verse 12. Now, we have received. Now, if you haven't received
this, he never gave it to you. He never offers anything. If
he gives you something, you will receive it. And Paul says, we
have received. We have received not the spirit
of the world, but the spirit which is of God, that we might
know the things that are, what's that next word? Freely given
to us of God. Do you know that all that God
has given you has been given to you freely? It's not God's
response to something you've done or something you haven't
done. It was given to you without a
cause in you. It was given to you freely. Boy, I sure am thankful it's
that way, aren't you? If I had to come up with something to
pay, I wouldn't have it. It's given unto you freely. No reason in you, a boon of His
grace. Paul said, 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. He said in Romans 3, 24, having
been justified. And listen to this, this thing
of justification. If a man understands justification, he understands
the gospel. And if he's right on justification,
he's going to be right everywhere else, if he really understands
justification. Having been justified. When Christ died, I was justified. But you weren't born. I know.
I was justified. He was delivered for our offenses
and raised again for our justification. Having been justified. Now remember what justification
means. It means, I've never sinned. I stand before God without guilt. This is better than being forgiven.
Yes, I'm forgiven. That's a great blessing to be
forgiven. But this is better. To have nothing
to be forgiven for. To be justified. To be without
guilt before God. Having been justified freely
by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. All who have been persuaded are
overwhelmingly persuaded of this. All they have from election to
glorification is that which is freely given to them. And you know that's music to
my ears. Freely. Freely. He's not looking for
a reason in me. Thank God. I'm so thankful for that. Freely. And if you're ever persuaded,
this is what you'll know. Everything you have. Do you know
this? Do you know this? You know it doesn't have anything
to do with your works or your free will or something you've done or any
goodness in you. You know this if you've been persuaded. We
know the things that are freely given to us of God. Turn to Galatians chapter 2. Verse 16, he didn't say having
some vague hope, but knowing. Galatians 2, 16, knowing that
a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the
faith of Jesus Christ. Even we have believed in Jesus
Christ that we might be justified by the faith of Christ and not
by the works of the law. For by the works of the law shall
no flesh be justified. All who have been persuaded know
this. First thing we know is we know
we're not justified by our works. The works of the law represent
salvation being dependent upon you in any way to any degree. That's the works of the law.
Now, if God's persuaded you, you're persuaded of this, you
can't be saved by the works of the law. You know that. You've been persuaded. But you
also know how you are saved. And this is one of the reasons
why I love the King James Version. I prefer the King James Version
to all other versions because of this verse of scripture. But
there's several others like this. But I don't, you know, the King
James is a translation. It's a translation. I'm not one
of these guys that says if you don't read the King James, you're
not reading the Bible. The only original is the Greek. This is
a translation. But it's the best translation.
And here's why. Look at the way this verse reads.
In every other translation there is, it doesn't read it this way.
Galatians chapter 2 verse 16, knowing that a man is not justified
by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. Even
we have believed in Jesus Christ that we might be justified by
faith in Christ and not by the works of the law. Now if you
don't have a King James Version, It doesn't read that way. It reads
justified by faith in Christ. But look at the way the King
James Version reads, and this is so very important. I know
this. I'm not justified by my faith
in Christ. I'm justified by the faith, the
faithfulness of the Lord Jesus Christ. That's my justification
before God. And if God has persuaded you
of anything, you've been persuaded of this. You're not justified
by what you do. You're justified by what He did. Period. Justified by the faith
of the Lord Jesus Christ. I don't know this. Well, you've
never been persuaded then. Because if you were persuaded
by Christ Himself, This is what you would know. Now remember,
we're talking about when somebody says, I know, it's one thing
to say, I know, and it's just words. It's another thing to
say, I know, because I've been persuaded by the Lord Jesus himself. Turn to first Peter chapter 18.
Let me give you three or four more. First Peter chapter 18. Verse 18. He appeals here to what they
know. For as much as you know, 1 Peter
1.18, for as much 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. as of a Lamb without blemish
and without spot, who verily was foreordained before the foundation
of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you who
by Him do believe in God, that raised Him up from the dead and
gave Him glory, that your faith and hope might be in God." You
know, you know even that your faith is by Him, don't you? If
you have faith, I come. It's by Him, isn't it? It didn't
come from you, it's by Him. And you know that you were not
redeemed with corruptible things, anything human. You were redeemed. You were redeemed. Not your redemption
was made possible. You were redeemed by the precious
blood of Christ. And you know that. You know your
redemption didn't have anything to do with anything human. It
was from that blood that was from the Lamb slain from the
foundation of the world. You believe in eternal salvation. You can't believe in God and
not believe that. You believe in eternal salvation, that land,
that precious land, foreordained before the foundation of the
world. You know that. And you know, this is something,
I preach this, if God has persuaded you, you know it. And if he hasn't
persuaded you, you say, well, I don't believe that. Have you
been persuaded by Christ himself? Now, 2 Timothy 1.12, I've already
quoted this, but look at it once again. Paul said in verse 12, for the
witch cause I also suffer these things. Nevertheless, I'm not
a sane, for I know whom I had believed and am persuaded. I've been convinced. He himself
has persuaded me that he is able to keep that which I've committed
to him against that day. There's not a more important
verse of scripture in all the Word of God than this. I know
whom. Now what we believe is determined
by who we believe. I know whom I have believed and
I've been persuaded and here's what I'm persuaded of. He is able to keep that which
I've committed to Him against that great day of judgment. Now
I am persuaded that He is able to save me with no contribution
from me. All that He requires of me He
provides for me and I am persuaded that He is able to keep that
which I've committed to Him. Now here's what I've committed
to Him. And I'm doing this right now.
If I've never done it before, I'm doing it right now. All my
salvation is dependent upon Him only. I'm committing my salvation
to Him. If what He did alone is not enough,
then I won't be saved. I'm burning my bridges. I've got no plan B. My entire
salvation is committed to this. When He said it is finished,
it was finished. I know whom I have believed,
and I'm persuaded. This is why I know, I'm persuaded,
that He is able to keep that which I've committed to Him.
Against that day, 1 John chapter 3, Verse 5. And you know that he was manifested
to take away sin. That's why he came. He came to
put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. You know that. And
if you know that, here's what else you know. In him is no sin. And what that means
is, if you're in Him, you have no sin. Right now. In Him. You know He was manifested
to take away sin. You know the Father sent Him
for that purpose. You know that. You've been taught that. You've
been persuaded by that. And in Him is no sin. Look at 1 John 5 verse 18. We know. Now here's this language
again. We know. This is something we're
sure of. That whosoever is born of God
sinneth not. But he that's begotten of God
keepeth himself and the wicked one toucheth him not. Now let
me ask you if you know this. Do you know that anything that
comes from God, it's impossible for it to be sinful? And if you're born of God, if
your birth comes from Him, it's a birth that doesn't sin. You
know that. Nothing else even makes sense
to you. You don't think your old nature is improved. You think
you're given a new nature that does not sin. Because it's begotten
of God. Now, you know something about
your old nature. It's as bad as it ever was. It hadn't improved. It hadn't gotten any better.
It's just as bad as it ever was. And I am more aware of that now
than I've ever been in all my life. My old nature hadn't changed,
gotten any better. I still have all the same wicked
desires and problems that I've always had. They haven't gone
away. Somebody says, mine have. I don't
believe you. Don't believe you for a second. People lie so quick
in religion. But I know this. I also have
a new nature, a holy nature, born of God that does not commit
sin. That's the nature that believes.
That old nature doesn't believe. That's the nature that loves
the Lord Jesus Christ and adores Him and bows before Him. That
old nature doesn't do anything like that. You know that. You
know you've got something there that was not there before and
doesn't have anything to do with your works. That new nature begotten
of God. And look what he says next in
verse 19. And we know that we are of God and the whole world
lies in wickedness. Now John says we know our salvation
is of the Lord. We know we're of God. He wasn't
born in this earthly planet. We know that the whole world,
everybody that's against being of God, the whole world lies
in wickedness. We know that. Look what he says
next, verse 20. And we know that the Son of God
has come and has given us an understanding that we may know
Him that's true and we're in Him that's true. Now, isn't that
everything in salvation? Being in Him and knowing Him.
We know. Even in His Son, Jesus Christ,
this is the true God and eternal life. One final scripture. 2 Corinthians
chapter 5. Don't you love the we knows of
Scripture? Believing His ability. Now unto
Him that's able to keep you from falling and to present you faultless
before the throne of His glory with exceeding joy. Oh, the we
knows, the I knows of Scripture. But here's the last one. 2 Corinthians
chapter 5, and there's more. These are one time. In fact,
we'd be here all day if I got them all out, but so you all
can understand that. Chapter 5, for we know, 2 Corinthians
chapter 5, verse 1, for we know that if our earthly house of
this tabernacle were dissolved, we die. We have a building of
God and a house not made with hands, eternal. in the heavens. We know that when we die, we're
going to put these bodies in the ground, but we have a house
of God. A building not made with hands.
Eternal. Eternal. I love what Greg Elmquist said.
When we get to heaven, we're going to find out we've always
been there. eternal in the heavens. If I have been persuaded that
I'm a sinner, and if I've been persuaded that
He is able to save me, then I'm persuaded I have a house made
without hands eternal in the heavens awaiting me. Lord, would you be pleased to
persuade me? And would you be pleased to persuade
everybody in this room? If I'm persuaded I can say, I know. Let's pray. Lord, in Christ's name, I ask
that every one of us might be persuaded by You. So we can say, I know whom I
have believed, having been persuaded that he is able to keep that
which I've committed to him against that day. Now, Lord, bless this
message for your glory and for our good. In Christ's name we
pray. Amen.