when the men of that place had
knowledge of Him. Wouldn't it be a blessing if
the Lord dispenses that saving grace and knowledge to us, to
where we actually have knowledge of Him? Now here's what happens
when people have knowledge of Him. It says in verse 35 of Matthew
chapter 14, when the men of that place had knowledge of him, they
sent out into all that country round about and brought unto
him all that were diseased. And that means all that were
diseased. You know, sin is a disease to
a believer, isn't it? David said, my loins are filled with a loathsome
disease. And they brought all who were
diseased, not most, not 99%, but all who were diseased. They
brought to him verse 36 and they besought him. And that's the
way you come into his presence. You don't tell him what to do.
You beseech. They besought him that they might
only touch the hem of his garment." Down there at the bottom. They besought him, oh, that we
might touch the hem of your garment. And look at this next statement,
as many as touched. Every single person in that group
that touched. As many as touched were made
perfectly whole. Now I'm drawn to this phrase,
as many as, or all. It's the same word. All that
were diseased, as many as touched him. And I want us to look at
six or seven scriptures that use this phrase, as many as. Turn to Galatians chapter 3. This is what initially drew me
to this message. Verse 10. For as many as, there's the phrase,
all in this group without any exception at all, no exception
to this rule, for as many as are of the works of the law,
Now, what does it mean to be of the works of the law? Does it mean trying to be saved
by keeping the Ten Commandments? Well, if it does mean that, that's
doomed for failure. The scripture says, for what
the law could not do in that it was weak in the flesh. There's
some things the law couldn't do. It couldn't save you. Your
flesh is too weak. All it can do is condemn. All
it can do is curse. All it can do is expose sin. Now, I look at the holy law of
God and all it does is pronounce a curse on me. Somebody said,
well, maybe it means that having the law is our rule of life.
Is that being of the law, having the law as our rule of life?
Well, if it is, we're in big trouble. Because if the law is
my rule of life, I failed. I haven't kept one commandment
one time. Somebody says, can't the law
be a guide for your life? All it does is curse. If it's the
rule of your life, if it's the standard of measurement, all
you have done, all I have done is broken it. Do you believe
that? Do you believe that about yourself? All you've done is
broken it. So no, the law is not my rule
of life. If it is, I'm of the law. Turn
to Galatians chapter four for just a moment. He said, as many
as are of the works of the law are under the curse. This gives
us some idea of what is meant by law. It could mean trying
to keep the Ten Commandments. It could mean having the law
as your rule of life. But I think this scripture is
so clear as to what this means. Paul says in verse 21, tell me
you the desire to be under the law. Do you not hear the law? For it is written, Abraham had
two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a free woman, talking
about Sarah and Hagar, Isaac and Ishmael. But he who was of
the bondwoman was born after the flesh. Now you remember what
happened. Sarah and Abraham have a promise, God's gonna give you
a boy. Years pass, it doesn't take place.
Sarah says, Abraham, God's promise won't take place unless we do
our part. Now, obviously it's not working with me. So here's
Hagar. You go into her and have a child
with her, and that's us doing our part. And that child was
born according to the flesh. There was nothing miraculous
about it. Now remember, Sarah had already
gone through menopause. It was impossible for her to
have a baby, but she had Isaac, the child of the promise, the
child of supernatural birth. And look what Paul says about
these things. He says in verse 24, which things
are an allegory for these are the two covenants, the covenant
of works and the covenant of grace. You doing your part. Hagar is Mount Sinai, is works. A complete miracle by God. Isaac
is the covenant of grace. Now, to be of the works of the
law is to have any part of our salvation, any aspect of our
salvation depended upon us in some way. You think about it. I'm not supposed to get away
from this thing. I don't have my thing tonight. Y'all give me some kind of signal
every time I move back and forth. It's hard too. Now when I said that, everything
dropped out of my mind. But to be of the works of the
law is to have any part of salvation, any aspect of salvation, dependent
upon you. You put a work in the beginning,
your will. You put a work in the middle,
I become more holy by the things I do. You put a work in the end,
I earn a higher reward because of what I've done. I make the
whole thing of works. And brother, that's a long road. Read verse 10 again of Galatians
chapter 3. For as many as are of the works
of the law are under the curse, for it is written, cursed is
everyone that continueth not in all things which are written
in the book of the law to do this. Now, I don't know how words
can be any plainer. As many as are of the works of
the law. Oh, I don't want to be in that
group. Do you? I want delivered from that group. As many as are
of the works of the law are under the curse. Turn to Acts chapter 13. If all we had was Galatians 3.10,
it'd be a depressing message. But let's go on reading. Verse 48. And when the Gentiles heard this,
they heard Paul preach the gospel, they were glad. Oh, it was good
news to them. It came as good news from a far
country and they glorified the word of the Lord. Oh, they loved
it. And as many as, there's that phrase, as many as were ordained
to eternal life, believed. I love that verse of scripture.
Now notice what it doesn't say. It doesn't say as many as believed
were ordained to eternal life. That's the way most people look
at that passage of scripture. God looks down through the telescope
of time. He sees that you'll believe, and he ordained you
to eternal life. That's foolishness. That's a
desecration of that verse of scripture. It doesn't say that
at all. It doesn't say as many as believed were ordained to
eternal life. It says as many as were ordained
to eternal life, believed. Our Lord said in John chapter
17 verse 2, thou has given him power over all flesh that he
should give eternal life to as many as thou has given him. That's who those people are who
ordained eternal life. Now, a real good place to begin
in a message is where God begins, divine election. You know, My
attitude about election, God's electing grace, God's choice
of his people before, if it rubs me wrong, it demonstrates whether
or not I look at things from the Lord's perspective or man's
perspective. Oh, so much is said about our
hearts with regard to how we respond to electing grace. Does it rejoice your heart to
hear that as many as were ordained to eternal life believed, Election,
quite simply, is this. It's God being God. He hath mercy
on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will, he hardens. And I'm not going to apologize
for that. Whatever God does is right. He's God. And we love
election because we love the God of election. And election
has a purpose. Listen to this scripture. Romans chapter 9,
verse 11. I love this verse of scripture.
I like to quote it every time I pray. being not yet born, neither having
done any good or evil that the purpose of God according to election
might stand. And here's what it is, not of
works, not of works, but of him that
calleth. My bad works, Can't disqualify
me, my good works can't recommend me. Salvation has absolutely
positively nothing to do with our works. Is that good news?
Is that something I rejoice in? Lexan secures these two things. It secures God getting all the
glory in salvation, and there will be a great multitude in
heaven. There's going to be a great number
of people saved. It secures that. If there were
no election, no one would be saved. Election doesn't prevent people
from being saved. God's electing grace saves people. We're bound to thank God always
for you, brethren, beloved of the Lord, because God has from
the beginning chosen you to salvation. through sanctification of the
spirit and belief of the truth. As many as were ordained, an
exact number, as many as were ordained to eternal life, believe.
Now turn to Matthew chapter 22. While you're turning there, does
this restrict our preaching? Knowing that God elected a people
and only they will be elect. Do we guard our words and narrow
our scope out of fear that one of the non-elect might get in?
Of course not. Listen to this passage of scripture
in Matthew chapter 22. I love this. Verse two. Kingdom of heaven
is likened to a certain king which made a marriage for his
son. And he sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden
to the wedding, and they would not come. And he sent forth other
servants saying, tell them which are bidden. Behold, I've prepared
my dinner. My oxen and my fatlings are killed
and all things are ready. You don't need to bring anything.
Come unto the marriage. But they made light of it. and
went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise. And
the remnant took his servants and treated them spitefully and
slew them. But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth and
he sent forth his armies and destroyed those murderers and
burned up their city. Then said he to his servant,
the wedding is ready, but they that were bidden were not worthy.
Go ye therefore into the highways and as many as you shall find,
bid to the wedding. Who do we call to this wedding?
As many as we find. We don't try to restrict things.
As many as we find. You see, this doesn't shut anybody
out. As many as you find. And you
know the great king knows how to take care of who gets in.
Let's go on reading. Verse 10, so those servants went
out into the highways. and gathered together all, as
many as they found. They did just what he said, both
bad and good. And the wedding was furnished
with guests. And when the king came in to see the guests, he
saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment. Now, perhaps
he was the only one who could see, but understand this, the
king can see. He recognizes who has the wedding
garment, which is the righteousness of Christ. And he saith unto
him, Friend, how came it, sowing hither, not having a wedding
garment? And he was speechless. Then said the king to the servants,
bind him hand and foot and take him away and cast him into outer
darkness. There shall be weeping and gnashing
of teeth for many are called, but few are chosen. The king
knows who should be there and who should not. Now, I love the
way Peter handled this on the day of Pentecost. After he preached
that message, the scripture says they were pricked in their hearts
and they said, men and brethren, what shall we do? Listen to Peter's
answer. Repent and be baptized. Every one of you. For the remission
of sins. Every one of you. and you shall
receive the gift of the Holy Ghost for the promises to you
and to your children and to all who are far off even as many
as, there's that word again, even as many as the Lord our
God shall call. Now how can these people be identified? These people who are not of the
law. these people who were ordained
to eternal life. How can they be identified? Well,
turn with me to John chapter 1. Verse 10. He was in the world. And the world was made by him
and the world knew him not. He came unto his own and his
own received him not, but as many as received him. There's that phrase, everybody
who received him. To them gave he the power to
become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name."
Now, I love the way the Bible frequently divides the world
into two categories. The righteous, the wicked. The
saved, the lost. The sheep, the goats. There's
not a third group. There's not an intermediate group.
It's always one of two. those who receive Christ and
those who do not receive him. Now, when we receive him, we
receive him as he is. And we receive all of him. And we receive him joyfully. I love when Zacchaeus was up
in that tree and the Lord passed by that way and he looked up
in that tree and he said, Zacchaeus, make haste, come down for today
I must abide in thy house. And you know what scripture says?
Zacchaeus made haste and he came down and he received him joyfully. Oh, what joy there was in this
reception. Now, I realize that a lot of
people make this act of reception as the act of salvation. I've
talked to numerous people in the past who, when I've tried
to preach the gospel to them, they said, well, there's something
you got to do. And I say, what? Well, you got to receive him
as if the act of reception is the act of salvation. You got
to receive him. Well, yeah, you do got to receive him. You won't
be saved if you don't. But a man can receive nothing. except it
be given him from above. You can't even receive unless
he gives you the grace to receive. Of his fullness have we all received. Grace for grace. Grace to receive
grace. Isn't that amazing? It takes
grace to receive grace. Won't even receive it unless
he enables me to do it. Now, what is this thing to receive
him? Look, let's keep on reading verse
12. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become
the sons of God, even to them. And here's what it is to receive
Christ. Here's what it is. Even to them which believe on
his name. Now his name is who he is. It's the person behind the name.
His name is His sovereignty, is His justice, is His grace,
is His holiness. It's all that He is. It's all
who He is, is His name. To believe on His name is to
rely on His name, who He is, to save me. You know, I'm relying
on who He is to save me. I'm relying on him right now
to save me as an act of his sovereign will to give commandment concerning
my salvation. Save him! Deliver him from going
into the pit. I'm relying on him to save me
by him giving me grace and mercy and forgiveness. I'm relying
on him to save me by his justice. I'm relying on him to save me
by his wisdom, his wisdom in saving sinners. Oh, believing
on his name. And let me say this. The only
way we'll believe on his name is if we're born of him. Go on
reading verse 13, which were born these people who believe
on his name. There's none other name given under heaven whereby
we must be saved, which were born, not of blood, not of the
will of the flesh, not of the will of man, but of God. Now let me tell you something
about these people who believe on his name. Would you turn to
Philippians chapter three? Now this is true of all of these
people who believe on his name. Verse 15 of Philippians chapter
three, let us therefore as many as, there's that phrase, everybody
in this group, let us therefore as many as be perfect. Be perfect. Be thus minded. Nobody's perfect. I beg your
pardon. As many as be perfect. Every single believer is perfect
in Christ Jesus. Absolute perfection. You know, the Lord said, Be ye perfect,
even as your heavenly Father is perfect. Same word. And the
only way you can be perfect is if you are perfect. Isn't that
so? Be ye holy, for I am holy. The only way you can be holy
is if you are holy. Be ye perfect. Now, some people
say, well, that's talking about maturity. Well, being more mature. Well, would you say, be ye more
mature as your heavenly father is more mature? No, you wouldn't
say that, would you? That wouldn't even make sense. As far as that
goes, does that mean if you're an immature believer, you don't
have to keep this commandment? No. Is it only the mature believers
that keep this commandment? No. He's talking about being
perfect. Now, we know our perfection is
in Christ Jesus, and we realize that we haven't attained. Paul
said in this same passage of scripture, it's not as though
I were already perfect or I've already attained. Our perfection
is in Christ Jesus. Now, listen to this scripture.
This is from Hebrews chapter 10, beginning in verse 12. But
this man After he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever
sat down on the right hand of God from henceforth expecting
till his enemies be made his footstool for by one offering
he hath perfected forever. Now that is in the perfect tense,
perfectly completed, never to be repeated. This isn't something
I'm waiting on. I already am perfect in Christ
Jesus. Well, what about your sins? Well,
they've been put away. And one of these days I'm going
to experience. But right now, every believer is perfect in
Christ Jesus. And you know, all these people
do have a rule of life. They've got a very specific rule
of life. Turn with me to Galatians chapter six, a few
pages back. This is the rule every believer
lives by. Verse 16. And as many as, there's that
phrase again, everybody in this group, as many as walk according
to this rule, peace be on them and mercy and upon the Israel
of God. Now, what rule? Back in verse 14, here's the rule of every believer's
life. Here it is. You want to know
how you walk? You want a rule to live by? And
people love to be told what to do. Well, here we go. Paul said, but God forbid that
I should glory. that I should have any confidence
in, that I should rest in, that I should have any hope in, anything
save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world
is crucified unto me and I unto the world. For in Christ Jesus
neither circumcision avails anything nor uncircumcision, but a new
creation, a creation of God. I'm only going to glory. I'm
only going to have confidence. And this is all right now. This
is all how I have confidence in Christ Jesus and his cross,
what he accomplished. And this is Paul speaking. And
Paul, you think of the things that he might have gloried in.
I mean, he was the greatest apostle. He had so many books in the New
Testament written by him. I think he's the greatest man
to ever live as far as men go, except for John the Baptist.
But he said, God forbid that I should glory. God forbid that
I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. And
this is interesting. There are three words that are
associated with walking according to this rule, peace, mercy, and
the Israel of God. Now, the only way that I have
peace, true peace, is really believing that everything God
requires of me, I have. And he looks to Christ for it.
What Christ accomplished on the cross is everything. Everything. I dare not add anything to it.
Now that's the only thing I get peace from. And if I start looking
anywhere else, my peace leaves. Mercy. The only hope I have in
mercy is the cross of Christ. But oh, what a hope of mercy
we have there. And then peace upon the Israel
of God. You know who the Israel of God
is? He's a prince. A prince who has power with God
and has prevailed. The only way I'm going to be
a prince with God, and that's what Israel means. As a prince,
you have power with God and you've prevailed. You've got the very
ear of God. God listens to what you've got
to say. How can that be? Only one answer. God forbid that I should glory
saving the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. And that's, that's
our rule of life, isn't it? Is that, is that enough to keep
you in line? Is that enough to keep you walking with Christ?
Sure it is. If you're a believer, that's the only rule you need.
And these people have a leader in this walk. Turn with me to
Romans chapter eight. Verse 14, for as many as are
led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. Now, everyone who glories in
Christ does so for this reason. They are led by the Spirit of
God. This is a holy, supernatural
thing. This isn't something you just work up. This is the work
of God the Holy Spirit in your life. You're led by the Spirit
of God. Now remember, if you be, the
scripture says in Galatians, if you be led by the Spirit,
you're not under law. Find me somebody who wants to
be under law and I'll find you somebody who doesn't have the
Holy Spirit. Turn with me for a moment to John chapter 16.
This is where the Lord has so much to say about God, the Holy
Spirit, and it's such a blessing. John chapter 16. Verse 7. Nevertheless, I tell
you the truth. It's expedient for you that I
go away, for if I go not away, the comforter What a name for
God, the Holy Spirit, the comforter. You know, every time you're comforted
by the gospel and you're comforted by the sound of the freeness
of his grace, you're comforted by the glory of Jesus Christ. You don't see him comforting
you. He's the divine comforter. What a name. But if I depart, I'll send him
unto you. And when he has come. He will
reprove, he will convince the world of sin and of righteousness
and of judgment. This is true Holy Spirit conviction.
Of sin because they believe not on me. You know, you've been
convicted of sin when you find out you can't even come up with
faith. That's when you've been convicted of sin. That's when
you've been convicted by the Holy Spirit. You can't even believe.
You are utterly without help. Now that's what happens when
you find out you can't even believe. You know, it's only when you
can't believe, that's the only time you do. I know that doesn't
make sense, but it's so. When you can't, only then do
you begin to believe. And what's he say next? Of righteousness,
verse 10, because I go to my father and you see me no more. You are convinced that the only
righteousness is that righteousness which he brings to his father.
Are you convinced of that? Are you convinced the only righteousness
you have is the righteousness of Jesus Christ? Are you truly
convinced of that? Then you've been taught of the
Spirit of God. And then he says of judgment because of the prince
of this world is judge, you know, the judgment, all judgments already
taken place. All judgment took place on the
cross. The elect were justified. Unbelievers were condemned. All
judgment has already been taken place. Now let's go on reading
verse 12. I have yet many things to say
unto you, but you can't bear them now. Howbeit, when he, the
Spirit of truth, I love his name, the Spirit of truth is come,
he will guide you into all truth. For he shall not speak of himself.
You ever hear somebody talking about the Holy Spirit all the
time when that's their main message? They don't have the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit doesn't speak of himself. He speaks of the
Redeemer. He's given to glorify Christ. Yes, he's God, he's God just
as much as God the Father and God the Son, but he doesn't speak
of himself. You know, God the Father speaks of himself. He
speaks of his greatness and his glory, doesn't he? God the Son
speaks of himself. He said, if you believe not that
I am, you shall die in your sins. Oh, the glorious things he says
of himself. He says, I'm the way, the truth,
and the life. Don't you love what he says about
himself, concerning himself? I love everything he says. But
God the Holy Spirit doesn't speak of himself. That's not his office. He says, he shall glorify me
in verse 14. He should not speak of himself,
but whatsoever. He shall hear that you speak
and he will show you things to come. I know the future. I really do. I know the future. I know, I know everything that's
going to happen. Everything's going to happen is God's will happening. I know I'm going
to be justified on judgment day. I've been shown things to come.
He shall glorify me, verse 14, for he shall receive of mine
and shall show it unto you. What a divine leader. Now the
last scripture I want to look at is Revelation chapter three. These ones who have this divine
leader have one who loves. And you know, all the things
I've said, not being of the law, being ordained to eternal life,
glorying only in the cross, our rule of life, being perfect in
Christ Jesus. Those things are all glorious,
but nothing is as glorious as this. Look in Revelation chapter
three, verse 19. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Be zealous, therefore, and repent. As many as I love. Now, I want
to be in that group, don't you? This is what I want more than
anything else. I want to love Christ. I love
it when I feel such love for him. Sometimes your love is cold.
Sometimes your heart is cold. You know that. You've experienced
that. But sometimes your heart bursts in flames of love for
the Redeemer. You see his glory. You see his
beauty. You love him. Oh, we love the
Lord. You know something that's better
than loving the Lord? Being loved by the Lord. That's what I want. This is the
hardest thing really that I have to get a hold of. I stand amazed
in the presence of Jesus the Nazarene and wonder how he could
love me, a sinner condemned unclean, but he says as many as I love.
Now that's not everybody. If somebody makes his love universal,
a love to everybody, they make his love meaningless. You see,
there won't be anybody in hell that he loved. No way. As many as I love. I want to
be in this group, don't you? As many as I love. He said, as he has loved me, I've loved you. That's what the Lord said. I want to have his love. But
look what he says. Having loved his own which were
in the world, he loved them unto the end. Scripture says he hates all workers
of iniquity. Everybody in that demographic he hates. That's
a big group, isn't it? He hates all workers of iniquity.
Somebody says, well, he hated Jacob. Well, no, he hates all
workers of iniquity. That's a large group, but he
loves a whole lot of people. And what does he say? As many
as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Now this presupposes a need to
be rebuked and chastened. And when I read this, I want
to be under the chastening hand of the Lord. I don't want to
be chastened. I don't want to be tried. But if those he loves, he rebukes
and chastens, I want to be under the rebuking, chastening hand
of the Lord. I'm sure you've heard this story,
Walter Groover and Betty. had adopted a little Mexican
girl, and he watched this little girl misbehave, and he didn't
want to make her feel bad, and she saw his biological children
getting spanked for things that she got by with, and he just
didn't want to hurt her. He saw her in his home, and he
wanted to make her feel welcome and everything, and she kept acting
up, acting up, and acting up, and finally said, I couldn't
take it anymore. He grabbed her and wore her out, and she started crying,
and she said, now I know you love me. Turn to Hebrews chapter 12. You know, you don't correct other
people's children, do you? You only correct your own. Why?
Because you love them. Now, I want the Lord's chasing
hand. I don't want to be left to myself. I want to be corrected. I want to be rebuked. I want
to be chastened by the Lord. Not that I want, it's not like
I'm coming up and saying I want to whip him. No, but I want him
to love me. I want to be one of his loved
ones. Now look what this passage says about his chasing. Verse
five. And you've forgotten the exhortation
which speaketh unto you as unto children. My son, despise not
thou the chasing of the Lord, nor faint when thou are rebuked
of him for whom the Lord loveth, he chasteneth and scourges every
son in whom he receiveth. If you endure chastening, God
deals with you as with sons. For what son is he whom the father
chasteneth not? But if you be without chastisement,
if you're not corrected, if you're not rebuked, if you're not chastised,
whereof all are partakers, then are you bastards and not sons. Lord, chasten me. Don't let me
go my own way. Chasten me. Verse nine, furthermore,
we've had fathers of our flesh which corrected us and we gave
them reverence. Shall we not much rather be in subjection
unto the father of spirits and live? For they verily for a few
days chastened us after their own pleasure, but he for our
profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. That's the end
of chastening. Now, no chastening for the present
time seemeth to be joyous but grievous. Nevertheless, afterward,
it yielded the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which
are exercised thereby. Now, the Lord says, as many as
I love, I rebuke and I chasten. And I have plenty to be rebuked
for. And I have plenty to be chastened for. And I don't want
to be left to myself. I don't want the Lord to leave
me alone and refuse to correct me and just leave me to myself.
Oh, I don't want that. I want his hand to be upon me. So he says, be zealous therefore.
You remember the church at Laodicea had become lukewarm. Lukewarm. And the scary thing about being
lukewarm, you don't even know when it's going on. He said,
you say you're rich and increased with goods, and you don't know
you're wretched and poor and naked and blind and have need
of everything. You just don't see it. You're
lukewarm. I would that you were cold or hot. Now, I don't want
to be like that. Be zealous, therefore, and repent. Change your mind. May God grant
us this repentance. Now, as many as are of the works
of the law are under the curse. As many as were ordained to eternal
life, believed. As many as we find, compel them
to come in. Preach to everybody we find.
As many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons
of God, even to them which believe on his name. As many as are led
of the spirit, They are the children of God. As many as I love, I
rebuke and I chasten. Be zealous, therefore, and repent.
What a privilege to be in this society. Now this is high society,
isn't it? This group, as many as. This is true high society. And this is the group I want
me and you to be in. This group called as many as. Let's pray together.