If not that I did choose thee,
Lord, for, Lord, that could not be. 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 Nyberg. After hearing the Apostle Paul
preach, we read in Acts chapter 28, verse 24, And some believed
the things that were spoken, and some believed not. Now that's the way it always
is. When the gospel is preached, there are some who believe. And
there are some who do not believe. The Lord Jesus Christ said concerning
himself, I am the truth. He did not say, I'll teach you
the truth, though he does. He did not say, I'll guide you
along the truth, although he does. He said, I myself am the
truth. No other man could say that.
You and I, by nature, are liars. But he never lied. He said, I am the truth. I love that statement. Now, in
John chapter 8, verse 46, the Lord asks this question, and
if I say the truth, Why do you not believe me? It's a good question,
isn't it? The Lord says, if I say the truth,
and He does. Let me say this about our Lord
Jesus Christ. He's either who He said He is,
the God-man, absolute truth, or He's the biggest liar and
deceiver to ever live. There's no in-between. Now, He
said, I am the truth. And then he says, if I tell you
the truth, why don't you believe me? I've entitled this message,
Why Men Don't Believe. And the Lord didn't ask this
question because he did not know the answer. But this is an issue
the Bible addresses very plainly. Why men do not believe. Now, there are some who are listening
who believe, who believe the gospel. They've been given faith.
And there are some who do not believe. Now, to those who do
not believe, they're divided into two groups, people who know
they don't believe and people who think they believe, but they
don't believe. I say to those people, I want you to believe. I want to persuade you to believe. I want God to cause you to believe. I desperately want you to be
a believer. But if you go on in unbelief
and die in unbelief, the Bible tells why. Now, when our Lord
said, if I say the truth, why do you not believe me? He then
answers his own question. He that is of God, heareth God's
words. You, therefore, hear them not,
because you are not of God. Now, if you go on in unbelief,
here's the reason. You are not of God. And everything else I'm going
to say is an amplification of that. Now, look in verse 45 of this
same chapter. If you can get out your Bible
and open it up to John chapter 8, we're going to be looking
at several passages of scripture in John. It would be helpful.
In John chapter 8, verse 45, the Lord says, Because I tell
you the truth, you believe me not. Now, did you hear that?
He said, Because I tell you the truth, you believe me not. Now, how am I supposed to understand
that? Verse 43. The Lord says to these
same people, why do you not understand my speech? Even because you cannot
hear my word. Now, they heard the word audibly,
but they couldn't hear the word spiritually, they couldn't hear
the word with hearing ears. How many times did the Lord say
he had half ears to hear? Let him hear. Not everybody has
ears to hear. Look what it says next. Verse
44, these people that did not believe. He said, You are of
your father, the devil, and the lust of your father you will
do. He was a murderer from the beginning
and abode not in the truth, because there's no truth in him. When
he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own, for he is a liar
and the father of it. Now, if you go on in unbelief, If
any man goes on in unbelief, it's because they're a child
of the devil. Now, they're children of God
and they're children of the devil. They're those who believe grace.
They're those who believe works. There's only two kinds of people,
the wicked and the righteous, children of God and children
of the devil. And if you do not believe, it's
because you're showing that you're in league with the devil. Now,
you may not know it, but that's what the scripture says. You
are of your father the devil. All who do not believe are children
of the devil. Men do not believe because they're
children of the devil. Men do not believe because they
don't really believe the Bible. They may claim to believe the
Bible, they may even fight for the inspiration of the scriptures,
but they don't really believe the Bible. Now let me show you
this in John chapter 5. The Lord is speaking to the Pharisees,
the religious fellows. And he says in John chapter 5,
verse 44, How can you believe which receive honor one of another,
and seek not that honor that comes from me only? Do not think
I'll accuse you to the Father. There's one that accuses you,
even Moses, in whom you trust. For had you believed Moses, you
would have believed me. For he wrote of me. Now, the
fact that they did not believe Christ tells that they didn't
really believe the Bible. Now, they would have fought over
believing the Bible. They would say, I believe the
Bible is the Word of God. But it's one thing to say you
believe in the inspiration of the Scriptures. And it's another
thing to believe what God's Word says. He says, you don't believe
what God's Word says because if you did, you'd believe on
me. Men do not believe because they
really do not believe the Bible. It would do no good to merely
say you believe the Bible. You must believe what it says. You know, men go to the Bible
to try to prove what they believe. That's not the way a believer
goes to the Bible. I don't go to the Bible to prove
what I already believe. I go to the Bible to find out
what to believe. The Bible claims to be the inspired
word of God. All scripture is given by inspiration
of God. And if you don't believe, it's
because you really do not believe what the Bible says. You see,
if you really believed it was the word of God, you'd believe
it exactly as it's stated. Third, men do not believe because
they do not want to believe. In John chapter 5, verse 38,
the Lord says, and you have not his word abiding in you, For
whom he hath sent, him you believe not. You search the scriptures,
for in them you think you have eternal life, and they are they
which testify of thee, and you will not come to me that you
might have eternal life. Men do not believe because they
do not want to believe. In Luke chapter 22, verse 68,
Are thou to Christ? Tell us plainly. And he said
unto them, if I tell you, you will not believe. Men do not
believe because they do not want to believe. Now, why is that?
Why do not men want to believe? Because they don't like what
it is they're called upon to believe. You know, the Lord talked
about men hating the light. Let me read a passage of Scripture
to you in John chapter 3, verse 19. This is the condemnation.
that light is coming to the world and men loved darkness rather
than light because their deeds were evil. For everyone that
doeth evil hates the light. Neither comes to the light lest
his deeds should be reproved or exposed. But he that doeth
truth cometh to the light that his deeds might be made manifest
that they are wrought in God. You see, the natural man This
is what we all are by nature. Me, you, all men. By nature,
we have no love for the truth because of what the truth tells
us about ourselves. The light of God's Word tells
me that I'm nothing but sin. Somebody says, I won't have that.
Which is what God's Word says. I'm nothing but sin and the only
hope I have is Christ. Now, if you're hoping in your
works in some way, This is taking away your hope because you're
hoping in something you do. Therefore, you'll hate the truth.
Why do men not believe? Because they do not love what
the truth has to say. Why don't men believe? Here's
another reason. Because they're more concerned
about what men think than what God thinks. The Lord said in
John chapter 5, verse 44, how can you believe? How can you
believe, which receive honor one of another, and seek not
that honor that cometh from God only? It was said of the Pharisees,
though they believed intellectually, they wouldn't confess Christ,
because they loved the praise of men more than the praise of
God. The reason men do not believe
is because they're more concerned in making men happy than believing
what God says. They're more concerned about
what men think than what God says. That's why they don't believe.
Here's another reason. Men do not believe because God
has not revealed himself. You see, for me or you to believe,
God's got to make himself known. We can't just up and come up
with faith. Listen to this scripture, Isaiah 53 verse 1 says, Who hath
believed, I report, and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? The only way you will believe
is if God is pleased to reveal Himself to you. The only way
I'll believe is if God is pleased to reveal Himself to me. We're
totally dependent upon revelation. I can't figure this thing out.
I can't just up and come up with the goods. I'm totally dependent
upon Him to reveal Himself to me. And when He reveals Himself
to me, I will believe. You see, faith is the gift of
God. It's not something you work up. It's not the product of man's
free will. It's the gift of God. Ephesians
2, 8, 9 says, For by grace you say through faith, and that not
of yourselves, it's the gift of God, not of works, lest any
man should boast. Men do not believe because they
will not receive the love of the truth. And notice what I
said, the love of the truth. In 2 Thessalonians 2, verse 10,
Because they received not the love of the truth, for this cause
God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie,
that they all might be damned, who believed not the truth, but
had pleasure in unrighteousness. You can't believe unless you
love what you believe. Now, listen to me. I love the
fact that the Bible is the Word of God, the inspired Word of
God. I love that because I've got something I can find out
what God actually has to say. What if you were dependent upon me
or some other man to know what you knew about God? You'd be
in trouble, wouldn't you? But thank God, God has given
us this revelation of Himself. And I love the way God presents
Himself in His Word. I love the God who's holy, who's
just, who's completely sovereign, who controls everything. I love
God as He's revealed in His Word. I love the truth concerning man
being a sinner, because I know I'm a sinner, and that gives
me hope that Christ came to save sinners. Now, I'm not saying
I enjoy being a sinner, but I enjoy being a sinner in this sense.
Christ came to save sinners. I'm glad that the Bible teaches
that God chose who would be saved before time began, because I
know that if He didn't choose me, I wouldn't choose Him. I'm
thankful, I love the truth that when Christ said, it is finished,
salvation was actually accomplished. He didn't just make salvation
possible for some people. He actually saved by His death.
My salvation is accomplished, and that makes me happy. I'm
glad that God's grace actually saves, that it's irresistible
and invincible, that it won't take no for an answer. I'm glad
God's grace is relentless. I'm glad God enables His people
to persevere. I love the truth. Now, where somebody doesn't love
the truth, they don't believe the truth. You can't really believe
the truth and not love the truth. Men do not believe because they're
not sheep. They're goats. Goats don't believe,
sheep do. Somebody says, what in the world
are you talking about? Well, let me read a passage of scripture to you.
John chapter 10, verse 24. Then came the Jews, rammed about
him, and said unto him, How long dost thou make us to doubt? If
thou be the Christ, tell us plainly. Jesus answered them, I told you,
and you believed not. The works that I do in my Father's
name, they bear witness of me, but you believe not, because
you are not of my sheep. As I said unto you, my sheep
hear my voice, I know them, and they follow me. Now notice he
does not say, You're not a sheep because you do not believe. He
says you believe not because you're not of my sheep. You remember
the judgment day in Matthew, chapter 25, where the Lord divided
the nations. As a shepherd divides the sheep
from the goats. The sheep are those who believe
the sheep are God's elect. He says, my father which gave
him me is greater than all. No man can pluck him out of my
father's hand. The sheep are those that Christ died for. He
said, I lay down my life for the sheep. He didn't die for
goats, he died for sheep. And what do sheep do? They believe,
every single one of them. He said to these people, you
believe not because you're not of my sheep, as I said unto you. Men don't believe because it's
not given to them to believe. In John chapter 6, verse 64,
But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from
the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should
betray him. And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man
can come to me, except it were given to him of my Father. Men
don't believe because faith was never given to them. And men
do not believe Because they can't. You know that by nature, you
are unable to believe. I know that if God leaves you
to yourself, if he leaves me to myself, and does not do something
for us, we will not be able to believe. In John chapter 12,
we read these words, though he had done so many miracles before
Him, yet they believed not on Him, that the saying of Isaiah,
the prophet, might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath
believed our report, and to whom is the arm of the Lord been revealed?
Therefore, they could not believe." Unless God gives you faith, unless
He gives you a new heart, you can't believe. You're commanded
to believe, but you can't unless God does something for you. Why
don't men believe? Because they are unable. to believe. Men do not believe because they
have been blinded by Satan. 2 Corinthians 3, verses 3 and
4 says, If our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost,
in whom the God of this world hath blinded the minds of them
that believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ
should shine unto them. They have been blinded by Satan. Now, if you don't believe, and
I pray you do, I sure want to believe. I want to be a believer.
I want to believe what God says. I hope you do believe. I hope
God gives you faith. I pray that God gives you faith.
I hope God gives you faith in this message where you're made
to understand the gospel and believe. But if you don't believe
and you die in unbelief, let me tell you why. It's because
you're not of God. It's because you don't believe
the Bible. It's because you're a child of the devil. It's because
you don't want to believe. It's because you love darkness
rather than light. It's because you love the praise
of men more than the praise of God. It's because God hasn't
revealed himself to you. It's because God has sent you
a strong delusion because you received not the love of the
truth. It's because you're not Christ's sheep. It's because
you've not been given faith and are under the judgment of God.
It's because you've been blinded by Satan. Now that is why men
do not believe the gospel. My friend, you can turn all that
around and find the reasons that men do believe. Now I do believe. I am a believer. I believe the
gospel. I'm somebody who's relying on
the Lord Jesus Christ. I'm a believer. Now, regarding
every believer, here is why men believe. If you believe, it's
because you're of God. He that's of the truth, heareth
my voice, the Lord said. He that's of God, heareth God's
words. If you believe, it's because
you're of God. He's had his hand on you from
eternity. You're of God. If you believe, it's because
you really believe that the Bible is the Word of God. All scripture
is given by inspiration of God. Now, I know people will argue
over that, and they'll say, well, what about the contradictions
in it? There aren't any contradictions in it. I mean, something that
appears to be contradictory, I don't know what to say about
it, but I believe the Bible is the Word of God. It claims to
be, and if it's not, it's nothing but a bunch of phoniness. But
we're so dependent on God for revelation. How can we know God
unless He makes Himself known? And He's done that in this book.
I believe because I believe the Bible is the Word of God. I believe
because I'm a child of God. That's what children of God do.
They believe. I'm united to the Lord Jesus Christ. I have a new
nature, a new heart in me that causes me to believe. I am a
child of God. That means I'm a partaker of
the divine nature. That's what happens in the new
birth. When God gives you a new heart, you're set in 2 Peter
1.4 to be a partaker of the divine nature. And you believe. That's
what believers do. They believe. You've got a heart
to believe. You've got a nature to believe.
You believe because you love what you hear. You believe because
you want to believe. What you hear is perfectly suited
for you. Now, when I hear the gospel,
how that God chose Who would be saved? That comes as good
news to me because I know myself enough to know that if God doesn't
choose me first, I will not choose Him. I'll go away from Him. I
know that about myself. I'm thankful that God chose who
would be saved. I love hearing the truth of Christ's
successful redemption. Oh, it is finished, it's music
in my ears. I don't have to look for anything
else. I'm complete in the Lord Jesus Christ. I find this totally
suited for me. I'm thankful that God's grace
actually saves. It is not just an offer, but
it's invincible and irresistible. And everybody He gives grace
to, He saves. I'm thankful for that, because
that's what this sinner needs. This is a faithful saying and
worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world
to save sinners, of whom I am the chief, Paul said. Who's that
good news to? Sinners. If you're a sinner,
this is good news to you. Oh, thank God for His grace. You believe because you're not
afraid of the light. You'll bring your faith to the
light because you know it's the gift of God in the first place.
And listen to this, I'm not afraid of the light. Let the light expose
me, let it expose my innermost thoughts. If all my life was
put on a screen for you to see, you'd see nothing but perfection. And somebody says, how can you
say that? Because the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ is my
righteousness before God. If you want to know the truth
about me, read Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. And so I'm not
afraid of the light. I have perfect righteousness
before God. Christ is my righteousness before
God, and I'm not afraid of the light. Bring it on. Bring on
the searchlight of God's holiness. It's not going to condemn me
because I have no sin if I'm in Christ. He put away my sin. It's been paid for. It's gone,
separated from me, and I have His very righteousness. I'm not
afraid of the light. You know, that woman that was
taken in adultery. You remember what happened? The
Lord said, after He said, "...ethus, without sin among you, let him
first cast the stone at her." And they all, with shame, left.
And He said, "...woman, where are those thine accusers? Hath
no man condemned thee?" She said, "...no man, Lord." And He said,
"...neither do I condemn thee. Go and sin no more. I am the
light of the world." Christ Jesus is the light as to how that woman
who was guilty, caught, can yet not be condemned because her
sin was placed upon Christ and his righteousness is hers. I'm
not afraid of the light. You believe because God has revealed
himself to you and given you faith. Faith is not the product
of your free will. You don't decide to believe.
You believe because God makes himself known and he gives you
that faith. And you believe. You believe because God has revealed
himself to you. He's drawn you. You believe because
you've received the love of the truth. And you believe because
you're a sheep. Listen to this scripture. Acts
chapter 13, verse 48 says, as many as were ordained to eternal
life believe. Did you hear that? Who believed? As many as were ordained by God
in eternal election. As many as were ordained to eternal
life. What did they do? They believed. Somebody says, if you believe
election, you don't believe anybody has to preach the gospel. You
don't have to believe. You don't have to believe. Yeah, you do.
Yeah, you do. God's sheep will. As many as were ordained to eternal
life. You believe because you're a
sheep. You believe because God chose you. You believe because
Christ died for you. You believe because God, the
Holy Spirit, has given you life. He's given you a new heart. That
is why you believe. You believe because you're not
under God's judgment. Romans 8.1 says, There is therefore
now no condemnation. to them that are in Christ Jesus,
who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. You believe
because you're not blinded by Satan. God has delivered you
from that. God has given you eyes to see
and ears to hear. You believe, listen to this,
you believe because you can. You know, there was a time when
I couldn't believe. Didn't even know what it meant. And I'd think,
well, I believe in God, but what does it mean to believe? I didn't
have any assurance. I tried to believe, but see,
you don't try to believe. If you try to believe, you're
not believing. You believe. There was a time when you found
yourself believing. There was a time when you found
yourself relying upon the Lord Jesus Christ, really believing. Now, you believe. If you believe,
you believe because you can believe. Lord, I believe. Help thou mine
unbelief, wherever you have faith, you always have unbelief with
it because you always have the flesh. The new man believes,
the old man never believes. Lord, I believe. Help thou mine
unbelief. Now, the Lord asked this question. If I tell you the truth, why
don't you believe? Now, here's the answer. He that's
of God, heareth God's words. If you believe it's because you're
of God. If it's not of God, hear not
God's words. If you believe it's because you
are of God. Now we have this message on cassette,
CD and DVD. Call the church or write and
we'll send you a copy. This is Todd Nyberg, praying
that God will be pleased to make himself known to you. Amen. To request a copy of the sermon
you have just heard, send a request to messages at podsroadgracechurch.com. Or you may write or call the
church at the information provided on the screen.