A gulf is spanned when The Gospel
becomes My Gospel. That's what I've entitled this
message, My Gospel. What an infinite gulf is spanned
when The Gospel becomes My Gospel When the gospel becomes gospel
to me. When the gospel, the gospel,
becomes good news to me. Now understand this, the gospel
is a completely objective message. What do I mean by that? It means
it's not subject to what me and you think. The gospel is a completely
objective message. It has a definite content, a
specific content that is not subject to what you and I believe. It's not subject to what you
and I think, and it's not subject to what you and I experience.
If my experience runs contrary to the objective message of the
gospel, what does that say about my experience? It tells me my
experience is no good. Needs to be trashed. That's one
of the hardest things in the world to do. Apart from God's
grace, it won't be done. But the gospel has a completely
objective message. Now, Paul's already laid that
out in Romans chapter one. Look what he says in verse one.
We'll look at a couple of scriptures that demonstrate the objective
message of the gospel. Paul says in verse one, Paul,
the servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle separated
unto the gospel of God. It's God's gospel, and it's the
gospel. It's not a gospel. It's the gospel. Most folks don't have a problem
with a gospel. That's your view. Here's my view.
Where people have a problem is when we talk about the gospel.
Paul spoke of the gospel of God, the gospel of which he is the
author. He is the subject. He said in verse two, which he
had a promise to for by his prophets in the Holy Scriptures, the gospel
is the gospel according to the Old Testament scriptures and
the New Testament scriptures, but it's the gospel according to
the scriptures. That's where the objective content is found,
the scriptures. It's not subject to this denomination
or this church or this preacher. It's. The gospel, the scriptures,
and what is this gospel, he says in verse three, it's the gospel
concerning his son, Jesus Christ, our Lord, it's about him. The
gospel, he's the subject. Look in verse 16 of Romans chapter
one. Paul says, for I'm not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, this
gospel, which is the gospel of God, which was promised in the
scriptures, which is concerning his son, Jesus Christ, our Lord.
He says, I'm not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it, the
gospel, is the power of God unto salvation. Now this is the gospel
Paul's talking about, the gospel that saves. It's the power of
God unto salvation to everyone that believeth, to the Jew first
and also to the Greek, for therein in the gospel is the righteousness
of God revealed. From faith to faith as it's written,
the just shall live by faith. Now, right here is a very simple
defining of the gospel. The gospel of God, the gospel
of the scriptures, the gospel of Christ, the gospel of the
saints. This is a very simple defining of the gospel. This
gospel he's speaking of is the one that reveals the righteousness
of God. It reveals his righteous character.
How holy do you have to be to come into God's presence? Ask
Christ on the cross and you'll find out. When sin is found on
his son, God won't have anything to do with it. A righteousness
is needed. I see a righteousness required. But bless God, I see a righteousness
worked out. The perfect obedience of Christ
is imputed or charged to everybody He died for. I see a righteousness
accepted. When Christ was raised from the
dead, God said, I accept what He did and I accept everybody
He did it for. Somebody says, won't you accept
Jesus? That's not the issue. Will He accept you? That's the
question when people ask that question, that's a foolish question.
Will you accept Jesus? Big deal. Will he accept you
is the question. And in the gospel, we see how
he can accept the sinner for Christ's sake. Now that's the
gospel he's speaking of. It has an objective content that's
not subject to my thoughts, feelings or experience. Somebody says,
well, I don't agree with that. If I say the sky is blue, and
you say, well, I don't agree with that. Does that mean it
ain't blue? Doesn't work that way, does it?
The truth is the truth, whether you and I believe it or not.
The gospel has a content, and I've just given it here in Romans
chapter one. Paul gave it. I didn't give it.
This isn't me. This is Paul. That's why it counts. If I just
said, here's my opinion, what difference would it make? This
is what God says. the objective content of the
gospel. There is such a thing as the
gospel. Amen? Amen. When I say so, however, the gospel
will not save me unless it becomes my gospel. Did you notice how
Paul spoke of my gospel? The personal, possessive pronoun
my. is used. And what a gulf is spanned
when the gospel becomes my gospel. Have I heard, have I heard the
gospel as my gospel? Is it not true that what is good
news or gospel to one may not be good news or gospel to another. Isn't that true? There are some who will not find
what I'm saying to be good news, perhaps even irritating or offensive. There are some who will find
it to be good news, gospel. There were some who will find
it to be annoying. I realize that. You see, what
is gospel to you is dependent upon what you need. Now, isn't
that so? What is good news to you is utterly dependent upon
what you personally need. I mean, this is a very personal
thing. When I talk about the gospel, I'm talking about what's
gospel to me. You can't preach the gospel if you don't believe
it. You can't preach the gospel if you haven't been saved by
it anymore and you can come back from a place you've never been.
It can't be done. We're going to be talking about what is gospel
to me. Now, it's gospel whether I see it or not. There's an objective
content to the gospel, but it has become my gospel. And what's
gospel to you is totally dependent upon what you need. For instance,
if you have the power to quit sinning, if you have the power of your
own free will to start doing whatever it is you want to do,
a free will gospel is okay for you. You'll take that. If you think you have that kind
of power, you'll accept that. You'll like hearing it. But if
you're somebody who Is a sinner. And you can't change
that. The free will gospel won't do
you any good at all, will it? You need another message all
together. What is good news to you is going
to be dependent upon what you need. Now, let's look at our
text again in Romans 2 16. Paul speaks of a day coming.
In the day, this day is coming. Now, this is a great day. Every
day the Lord makes a great day. I realize that. But all these
days, they're just passing by. And then eternity is going to
begin. And eternity is going to begin with a certain day.
Now, there's a day coming when the Scripture says God will judge
the secrets of men. A day is coming when the secrets
of my heart, that which only God sees, will be exposed. You can't see into my heart.
That's true. You can't. And I know what to
say in order to fool you, too. And you know what to say to me
in order to fool me. In that sense, you can't see in my heart. Now, I realize out of the abundance
of the heart, the mouth speaketh. I said that last week, so it
almost sounds like I'm contradicting what I said last week. I'm not.
I hope I'm not anyway. I know that what's in your heart
is going to come out in your speech. But as far as what's actually
in my heart, you can't see it. There's secrets there that you
don't know anything about. And there are secrets in your heart
that nobody knows anything else about but God Himself. But do
you know on Judgment Day, all of the secrets will be exposed? What you really thought, what
you really believed, your hidden motives, your hidden desires,
everything about you, your secrets. What a scary proposition, isn't
it? The day is coming when the secrets of men will be judged
by Jesus Christ according to my gospel. What's really in your
heart, your motives, your secret desires are going to be judged.
Now, if that's the case, and it is, now you can write this
down, it is, one of these days, me and you are going to be seen
to be what we really are. Now, if that be the case, and
it is, what will be gospel to you on that day? Now, that's
a good way to see what you think about the gospel is, what will
be gospel to you on judgment day? when everything is seen
as it really is. Now, before we begin this exposition
of Romans 2, 1 through 16, I want to give you a statement that
will summarize this whole passage, and here it is. God is just. Simple, isn't it? God is just. Absolutely, inflexibly just,
and that's seen throughout this passage of Scripture, and that's
what's going to be the The line of judgment, the justice of God. Now, Paul had begun a process
in chapter one that ends up in verse nine of chapter three,
where he says, Are we better than they? Are we Jews better
than those Gentiles? No and no wise, for we have before
proved both Jews and Gentiles that all are under sin. Now,
he'd made this proof. All are under sin. Needs to be
quite a bit of time developing his thought to prove that every
one of us, by nature, choice, and practice, are under sin. Now, I want you to forget about
yourself just for a moment, if that's possible. I want you to
forget about yourself. Forget about where you fit in
in what I'm getting ready to read. Just drop it. Drop it. Beginning in verse 28 of Romans
chapter 1, remember, forget about yourself Forget about yourself. And let's talk about these people.
Let's talk about them. Don't talk about us right now.
Let's talk about them. I like to talk about them. OK. Them. Them. Even as they. That's who
we're talking about. Them. They. Even as they did
not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over
to a reprobate mind to do those things which are not convenient
Being filled. That means you're plumb full.
Plumb full. Being filled with all unrighteousness. And he goes on to describe, filled
with fornication, filled with wickedness, filled with covetousness,
filled with maliciousness, just flat out meanness, full of envy,
full of murder. full of debate, full of deceit,
full of malignity, full of whispering, full of backbiting, full of hatred
toward God, full of despise and violence, full of pride, full
of boasting, full of inventions of evil things, full of disobedience
to parents, disobedience to all authority, full of no discernment,
no understanding, full of being a covenant breaker without natural
affection, implacable, that means unreformable. Unreformable. Unmerciful. There's no way they're
going to be changed. Who, knowing the judgment of
God that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not
only do the same, but they actually have pleasure in other folks
who do them. Question. Question. Is God just to condemn them? Is God just? Is God righteous
to condemn these people? being that i just read you know your own conscience
is he is everybody here everybody here i have no doubt about that
your own conscience is yes he just to condemn me well three-part
one chapter two therefore Thou art inexcusable,
O man, whosoever thou art that judgest." Did you say, yes, he's
just to condemn those persons? Of course you did. You know where
that leaves you? A hypocrite without excuse. Because you have done, I have
done everything mentioned in that passage of scripture. I
just read. Not one sin there that I read
that you and I are not personally guilty of. Somebody says, I don't believe
that. Well, God says you are. Who am I supposed to believe?
God or you? God says you are. And that's enough for me. I believe
the testimony of God. He says that regarding me. He
says that regarding you. That horrible list of sins that
I just mentioned in Roman chapter one, 28 to 32, I have committed
every one of them. And now all of a sudden, I'm
going to stand in judgment. What do I do? I condemn who? Myself. Therefore, thou art inexcusable,
O man, whosoever thou art that judgest, for wherein thou judgest
another, you condemn yourself, for you that judge doest." Doest! You know, that's talking about
present tense. Not what you used to do. I'm
talking about your natural heart right now. Right now. And if you don't agree with it,
you're going to take it up with God, because that's what God says. You do
the same things. Verse 2 of Romans chapter 2. Now, we're sure that the judgment
of God is according to truth against them which commit such
things. And you know that those fellows that do that stuff we
just mentioned, Romans 1, God is just in condemning them. Verse
3, do you think this old man that judges them, which do such
things when you do the same thing, that you're going to escape the
judgment of God? Do you think somehow that you're going to
kind of fall through the cracks and things are going to be okay
with you? I'm amazed. Now, one thing that I'm amazed
about, when I look at a passage of scripture like this, I'm amazed
at what hypocrites every one of us are. Somebody says, I'm
no hypocrite, then you're the biggest one of the bunch. Don't want to go to church. Too
many hypocrites there. Well, you fit right in. You know, I've
heard that so many times, you know, I mean, y'all feel comfortable
there. That's the case, you know. Hypocrisy. Hypocrisy. I mean,
judging those ought to be convened when you're practicing it yourself.
And if you're not doing it outwardly, it's going on in the heart. Somebody
says, I've never murdered anybody. You ever spoke ill of their character?
You ever murdered their character? You ever brought somebody down
in order to bring yourself up? You ever been mad at somebody
without a cause? Been jealous of them? Been envious? Wished
what they had was to you and wished ill on them? That's murder
in God's sight. You see, God doesn't look like
you and I do. He doesn't think like you and I do. Aren't you
glad it's that way? He's so glorious. But he looks
upon the heart. He sees the secrets. He sees
what's going on. If you think, old man, that judges do such
things and you do the same thing, that you're going to escape the
judgment of God. Or do you despise, verse 4, do you count as unimportant
the riches of His goodness and forbearance and longsuffering,
not knowing, are you ignorant of this, that the goodness of
God leadeth thee to repentance? Here's the case, you and I are
in it by nature. We can't even change our mind
unless God causes us to. It's the goodness of God that
leadeth thee to repentance. You can't even repent. You can't
even change your mind about something unless God in his mercy is pleased
to lead you to that. That's what God's word says.
Don't you know that it's the goodness of God that leads thee
to repentance? How much do you need God? Let
me ask two questions. How much does he need you? How much does he need you? How
much do you need him? It's the goodness of God that
leads thee to repentance. Verse five, but after thy hardness. He's speaking to man in his hypocritical
state, Jew or Gentile, but after thy hardness and impenitent,
a heart that doesn't repent, you treasure up to yourself wrath
against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment
of God. Remember, This is what gospel
preaching, what the gospel reveals, the righteous judgment of God.
This is what this is all about. God's righteous judgment. And
here's what God's going to do in verse six, who will render
to every man according to their deeds. God is just. He will give
everybody exactly what they deserve according to what they've done.
Now, God's impartial. You're not going to get any brownie
points for anything. He's going to judge you for what
you've done, not for what you've professed. But what you've done,
he's going to judge you for the secrets of your heart. What's
really there? He's going to judge you. You
see, God is just. He's going to render to every man according
to his deeds. Verse seven. Now, to them who
by patient continuance and well-doing. Seek for glory and honor and
immortality, eternal life, where do you fit in there? Have you
had patient continuance in well-doing? Now, if you've messed up here,
you've had it. He's going to give you exactly what you got
coming. You're going to be judged. I'm going to be judged with strict,
impartial justice. Now, to those folks who, by patient
continuance and well-doing, seek for glory and honor and immortality,
he's going to give eternal life to, but unto them that are contentious. The word contentious means self-willed,
self-seeking, self-promoting, self-ish. That's what the word
means. Refusing to submit, ambitious. To them who are contentious and
do not obey the truth, what God says, but they obey unrighteousness. Here's what's coming to them.
Indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish upon every soul of
man that doeth evil, whether Jew or Gentile. God is just. He's going to give everybody
exactly what they have coming. But, verse 10, glory and honor
and peace to every man that worketh good. Now if you work good, hey,
you got a mate. You're going to get exactly what
you got coming to you. If you work good, I love that
passage of scripture and we're going to see this in a minute
when that fella came up to the Lord and he said, what's the
greatest commandment in the law? You can find it in Luke chapter
10. And the Lord said, well, to love God with all your heart
and all your soul and all your strength and to love your neighbor
as yourself. He said, now this do and thou shalt live. He didn't
say no to the right answer. He didn't say, have the Ten Commandments
memorized. He said, this do. Not know the right answer, but
this do. And thou shalt live. God is just. He's going to render
every man according to their works. Glory and honor and peace
to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first and also to
the Gentiles. Verse 11, for there's no respect of persons with God.
Somebody says, well, I'm a Jew. What's that going to do for you?
Somebody says, I'm a Gentile. That's not going to do anything for you. God's going
to judge you according to your works, according to the secrets
of your heart. 4, verse 12, as many as have
sinned without the law shall also perish without the law.
What about those fellas who never had the law? What about those
fellas who never had a revelation from God? What about those fellas
that are in heathendom and have never heard anything? What about
them? Well, the scripture says they're without excuse. The light
of creation renders all men without excuse. Every man knows the difference
between right and wrong. The work of the law is written
on everybody's heart. There isn't anybody in here.
For instance, I've seen this happen several times. I've seen
instances where there was sexual sin being committed in a church.
I mean sexual sin, adultery, fornication, and so on. And then
when the person was exposed, they said, well, if the preacher
would have preached against that, it wouldn't have happened. Baloney. You know that's wrong. Everybody
knows that's wrong. We know that. And everybody knows
it's wrong to steal. Everybody knows it's wrong to
covet. Everybody knows that the work of the law is written in
everybody's heart. We're born with a conscience. Everybody's got
an excuse. The light of creation lets us know that. For as many
as have sinned without the law, they'll perish without the law.
And as many as have sinned in the law, they'll be judged by
the law. Talking about the Ten Commandments. For not the hearers
of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall
be justified. That's what counts. What have
you done? What have you done? That's what
God looks at. Verse 14, for when the Gentiles,
which have not the law. He's talking about the Greeks,
the Gentiles that never had a revelation from God, but when the Gentiles,
which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in
the law, they know it's wrong to steal and kill and disobey
parents and so on. They do, by nature, the things
contained in the law. These, having not the law, are
a law unto themselves. They don't need a written law,
which show the work of the law written in their hearts. And
here's what happens. Their conscience also bearing
them witness, and their thoughts, that meanwhile, accusing one
another, they walk around with a guilty conscience, feeling
bad about themselves, or else excusing one another. And they
go to a psychotherapist to find a reason to think, well, it's
not my fault. I mean, it's my mom's fault. It's the government's
fault. It's my raising's fault. I mean, it's not my fault. They're
either accusing or excusing one another. Isn't that what's going
on in this day? That pretty much sums it up. In the day, verse 16, in the
day when God shall judge the secrets of men. My secrets will be judged. What if, oh I've said this before,
but what if the secrets of your heart were put on a big screen
right now for everybody to see? How quick would you be headed
out that door? You'd never walk in here again, would you? You
know you wouldn't. I wouldn't either. Oh my, I don't even like
to think about that, but that's going to happen on Judgment Day.
The secrets of the heart are going to be revealed. Do you mean to say to me, if
you're a believer, the secrets are all going to be revealed?
No, no, I'm not saying that. You stay with me. Stay with me.
If you're an unbeliever, it is. If you're a believer, no. You
see, God's going to give you what you've got coming if you're
a believer. If you're a believer, that means you have perfect salvation
coming to you because of what Christ did for you. No, I'm never
going to be exposed. I remember one time I was hearing
a preacher say, He was talking about the judgment of believer's
sins. He said, he said, now on Judgment Day, believer's sins
will be judged. They'll be brought up, but it
won't bother them. And I thought, it'd bother me. I wouldn't want
anything like that. I mean, why would he say something
like that? I mean, that's not, ain't no gospel that for me. Well, at any rate, he says, the
day is coming when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus
Christ. Jesus Christ is the judge. And
listen to this. Now you listen real carefully.
Me and you are going to be placed beside Jesus Christ. And if you and I are not just
like Him, God will send you to hell. Is that true? If you and I are not perfectly
conformed to the image of Christ, just like Him, Send him to hell
and there'll be no tears shed. No tears in heaven. Now, here's my question. This
is what I want to close with. That day is coming. God's just. Your secrets will be revealed.
Things nobody else knows about you right now. Paul says all
men will be judged by Jesus Christ according to And here's the phrase
that I love so much. My gospel. Now, in light of what I just
said, here's the question I want to deal with. It's what we're
going to close with. Give me a few minutes. My gospel. In light of what I
just said about what's going to happen, and it's going to
happen, you can write it down, it's going to happen. This is
for sure. What is My gospel. Look once again at verse one
of Romans chapter two, therefore. Thou art inexcusable, O man,
whosoever thou art that judges. I read that passage of scripture
from Romans 28, Romans 128 to 32. I said, is God just to condemn
these people? And you rendered your judgment.
Yes, he is. And he is. You put yourself in
that place. You've hung yourself. That's
what he's saying. You're inexcusable. Whosoever
you are, the judge, for you, the judge, you do the precise
same things. And if you say you don't, God
says you do, and that settles it. That settles it. I'm going to believe what God
says and not what I say and what you say. I'm going to believe
what God says. That settles it. You and I are guilty of everything,
everything mentioned in that passage of Scripture I just read. And then he says in verse two,
but we're sure that the judgment of God is according to truth
against them which commit such things. And do you think, old
man, that judges them which do such things and do the same,
that you'll escape the judgment of God? Do you even dream that? Now, what this passage of Scripture
teaches is what is called the doctrine of total depravity. Total depravity. I've heard said, I've even said
men aren't as bad as they could be. But yeah, they are. Yeah,
they are. Total depravity. That means everything
about me. You see, my love, my whatever
you want, totally depraved. Is that what that scripture teaches?
It says everything we do right there. Okay. My dear friend,
Have you ever stood, have I ever stood before God totally depraved,
guilty as charged, no excuses, no extenuating circumstances,
no loopholes, guilty, guilty, Now if that's the case regarding
you, what is your gospel? What is good news to you? Now,
let me tell you what's good news to this sinner. Now what's good
news to me? I'm talking about it in a subjective
way now. This is what is good news to me. But it's objective.
You see, gospel truth is objective. That means it's not subject to
whether I believe it or not. But bless God, it becomes subjective.
This gospel is my gospel. It's the gospel, but this is
what is my gospel. Here's the first part of my gospel.
My gospel. This is what's good news to me.
What's good news to me is the fact, and this is a fact from
the Word of God. This is good news to me, the
fact that God, before time began, unconditionally elected a people
to salvation. That's good news. Somebody says,
that isn't fair that God would choose some and reject others.
Now, wait a minute. Wait a minute. What's the fair
judgment of God? The fair judgment of God is sitting
in your head right now. No questions asked. No. That's
what's fair. But it's good news to me. It
opens up the door of mercy to know that God, in mercy, elected
a people to salvation. I love that scripture, Romans
9, 11, for the children being not yet born, neither having
done any good or evil, that the purpose of God, according to
election, might stand out of works. But if you call that open
the door of mercy to me it gives me some. He chose some people
not according to their work to have anything to do with any
goodness in a marine badness in him he did it simply because
he would and open to the door of mercy. Why not me? I love
to say this so much as what if I'm not elected? What if you
are? Why? Why? Why? I'm as negative
as they come. I realize that. I mean, you know,
I'm always the glass is never half full. It's always half empty.
But I would, you know, I might be negative, but still
election positive. Election doesn't keep people
from being saved. It opens up the door of mercy. That's good
news to me that God elected a people. It's part of the gospel. It's
part of the gospel. It is to me. This is my gospel.
What's gospel to me? If I'm described here in Romans
chapter 2, no excuses. Here's what's gospel to me. First,
God elected a people. Put scripture to Jesus. Somebody
once argued against that. You don't have to let him stand
on it. It's what the Bible teaches. It's what the Bible teaches. Here's what's good news to me.
That Christ Jesus came into this world as a representative for
these elect ones and kept the law for them. We talk about keeping
the law. He kept it. He never sinned. He kept God's law perfectly.
He worked out a perfect righteousness as the surety, as the representative
for those people. And on Calvary 3, He was made
to be sin. The sins of God's elect were
charged to Him, and He was made to be sin. He suffered the wrath
of God. God killed Him. He went to the
grave three days later. He came out of that grave because
God accepted what He did. Just as satisfied, I have a perfect
righteousness now. I stand before God's law without
sin because of what He did. I stand before God's law perfect
because of what Christ did. His obedience is charged to me.
My sin was charged to Him. He put it away. It's good news
to me. Good news! You know, people talk
about particular redemption and limited atonement. they kind
of swirl around with it and try to save in such a way as not
to offend anybody. I'm not going to try to do that.
It's good news to me. Christ accomplished redemption
for everybody he died for. He's God. How could he do anything
less? We're not talking about, we're talking about who he is.
Who died, that's the issue. He put away the sins of everybody
he died for. That's good news to me. What's
my gospel? Well, my gospel is that God elected a people. Christ
died to the elect and accomplished their salvation. Here's my gospel,
that God the Holy Spirit comes irresistibly and invincibly and
creates life where there was deadness. And He causes me to
see the beauty of Christ and the beauty of His way of saving.
He gives me faith. He gives me repentance. He causes
me to persevere all the way to the end. That's my gospel. That's my gospel. If you really believe you're
totally depraved. Here's where folks say, well,
I don't believe limited atonement, I don't believe here's if you
know, they deny some point, here's what they don't believe. Right
here. If you don't believe you're totally
depraved, why, you know, these things are foolishness to you.
But if you believe you're totally depraved, if you believe that
about yourself, if you believe you were described here in Romans
chapter 2, that's me, the only gospel you'll know anything about
is that gospel where God actually saves. He saved us and called
us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according
to His own purpose. And grace which was given us
in Christ Jesus before the world began. That is my gospel. Amen. Let's pray. In heaven, don't even ever rejoice
in what God does through you. You rejoice in what He's done
for you. Now that's what Paul says, God forbid that I should
glory save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ where my salvation
was accomplished. God forbid that I should glory
save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. By whom? Not by
which. By whom? The world. I see it as a crucified thing. I see it as a dead thing. I see
it as not even attractive, not even something to be desired.
Now, do you see the world in that light, in the light of the
cross of the Lord Jesus Christ? The world, all of its glories,
it's a soap bubble. In light of the cross of Christ,
in light of what He accomplished on Calvary's tree, what He did
for me, this world loses its attraction. Now, that's the only
way you'll be unspotted from the world. by glory in the cross. He says, by whom the world is
crucified into me and I unto the world, the world views me
the same way I view the world. And you know, anybody who glories
in the cross, the world's going to view you as worthless as a
dead, crucified thing. That's okay, isn't it? That's
okay. If we glory in the cross, we
will visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction. and
all that that means. And we will keep ourselves, guard
ourselves, keep ourselves from being contaminated by, unspotted
from this world, this world's religion, this world's way of
salvation by works. And that way is done by looking
to Christ only. Oh, may God enable us truly to
be doers of the Word and not hearers only, deceiving our own
selves. Let's pray together.