Paul, not Dr. Paul, not Pastor Paul,
not even the Apostle Paul. Paul and Apostle. Apostle is
not a title, it's an office. Just Paul. Just Paul. Paul and Apostle. Paul, he says, first of all,
a servant of Jesus Christ. That means a bond slave of Jesus
Christ. Paul was saying, I'm a servant.
I'm a willing bond slave. Every believer is this. Paul,
a servant. A willing bond slave. Of Jesus Christ. Called to be
an apostle. Paul says, I didn't wake up one
morning and say, I think I want to be an apostle. No, not at
all. He was called by God to be an
apostle. Now, what is an apostle? An apostle
is one who was taught the gospel directly by the Lord Jesus Christ. He had seen Christ in the flesh. Christ appeared to all the apostles. They were taught directly by
the Lord Jesus Christ himself. Their doctrine has divine authority. It's found in the scripture.
There are only twelve apostles. Judas lost his apostleship through
his fall and Paul took his place. We read of the twelve apostles
of the Lamb in the book of Revelation. There were only twelve apostles
and When Paul says, I'm an apostle sent by God, he means there is
divine authority behind what I say. This is God's word, not
mine. This is God's doctrine, not mine. This is not my opinion. This
is not my view. This is the very truth of God.
And that's what he's establishing when he's saying, I am an apostle. I'm a servant of Jesus Christ.
I'm called by God to be an apostle. And next he says in verse 1,
I'm separated unto the gospel of God. That reads literally, I have
been separated. Not I separated myself, but I
have been separated unto the gospel of God. And I want to
say a few things about this first. Here we have a summary of God's
work for us and God's work in us. He said, I was separated
unto the gospel of God. That's God's work for us. He
says, I've been separated. This is actually in the passive.
I have been separated. God separated me. I've been separated
under the gospel of God. I've been called to be an apostle. This represents God's work in
a separation. If you're a believer, God separated
you. You didn't separate yourself. God separated you. He separated
you in eternal election when he chose you to be his. He separated
you in redemption when he paid for your sins on the cross. And
he separated you in regeneration when he gave you life, when he
gave you spiritual life. You've been separated. If you're
a believer, you've been separated by the God of glory. And you've
been called. That's his work in us. You know,
that deserves a sermon in itself, doesn't it? Separation and calling.
But that represents his work in us. He called us by his grace.
Now, Paul, he says, I'm separated. I've been separated unto the
gospel of God. Paul says, by that, that's my
only interest. That's my only interest. I'm
separated under the gospel of God. I've been separated under
the gospel of God, and I'm really not interested in anything else.
Are you interested in the gospel of God? The gospel of which he
is the author? Not the gospel of men, but the
gospel of God. Paul said, I have no other interest.
He said over in 1 Corinthians chapter 2, I determine not to
know anything among you, save Jesus Christ and him crucified.
I determine not to even esteem anything as worth talking about
or important, save Jesus Christ and him crucified. Paul said,
I'm separated unto the gospel of God. And I want you to pay
particular attention to the little word, the. Definite article. Please listen carefully. This
is so important. Every word is important. This is God's Word.
Don't let anything fall through the cracks. He said, I'm separated
unto thee. Thee. The gospel of God. Not a gospel, but the gospel. Not even a higher or more pure
form of the gospel, but the gospel. Now, here's where men stumble.
Nobody has problems with a gospel. Here's my view, here's your view.
Nobody has problems with that. Where men start stumbling is
when they're confronted with the gospel. The gospel that excludes
all other gospels. That gospel that is the way that
excludes all other ways. The gospel in its very nature
is not exclusive, it's inclusive. It doesn't exclude people who
would have been saved, it includes people who would have been damned.
Isn't that so? Where would you be without the
gospel? In its very nature, it's not exclusive. It doesn't keep
people away, it brings people in. Thank God for the gospel.
The reason I can come into God's presence is because He included
me. Not he excluded me, he included
me. The gospel in its very nature
is inclusive. But this inclusive gospel excludes
all ways but the way of Christ. Our Lord said, I am what? The way. The truth. and the life no man cometh to
the father but by me the gospel now if I have a gospel or a perversion
of the gospel nobody's going to have a problem with that a
gospel you know because if I've got a gospel you've got your
gospel we're all going to the same place we just might be taking
different routes that's the way people look at a gospel but the
gospel The gospel of God. Now, when notice, he says the
gospel separated unto the gospel of God. Now, that would be meaningless
if there were not such a thing as the gospel of man. Isn't that
so? That statement would be meaningless
if there were not such a thing as the gospel of man, the gospel
of which men are the author. Paul said this in Galatians 1,
verses 10 and 11, he said, I certify you, brethren, I assure you that
the gospel which was preached of me was not after man. It was not derived from any human
source. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught
it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ, the gospel of God,
as opposed to the gospel of men. Do you know there are other gospels?
Doesn't Scripture say that? Paul said, I marvel to the Galatians. I marvel that you're so soon
removed from him that called you unto the grace of Christ
unto another gospel. Which is not another, but there's
some, be some that would pervert, would change the gospel of Christ.
The gospel of God is the gospel of which he is the author, of
which he is the subject. Now that's the gospel I'm interested
in knowing, the gospel of God. Not the gospel of men, not men's
perversions of the gospel, not my opinion or my idea, but God's
gospel. That's the gospel I want to know.
Paul said, I'm separated unto the gospel. The only gospel, the gospel of
divine authorship, the gospel of God. Well, here's how he defines it.
The following verses, he's going to tell us exactly what he means
by the gospel of God. Now, Paul, verse one, a servant
of Jesus Christ called to be an apostle. separated into the
gospel of God, and here is the first mark of the gospel of God. Here's how it's identified. The
gospel which he had promised to form by his prophets in the
holy scriptures. Now, what's that a reference
to? That's a reference to the gospel of the Old Testament. People call the Old Testament
called the Old Bible or the Old Testament, you know, most churches,
I think, well, it can give you character studies and interesting
stories and so on. But do you know that the Old
Testament? Is the New Testament concealed? The doctrine of the Old Testament
is precisely the same as the New Testament, and all the stories
in the New Testament illustrate the doctrine Or all the stories
in the Old Testament illustrate the doctrine of the New Testament.
Every single one of them are given. So when I'm going to define
the gospel, I'm going to have to have something that proves
this is the gospel. And it's proven that this is
God's gospel because it lines up perfectly with the stories,
the types, the events of the Old Testament. If it doesn't,
it's not God's gospel. The Old Testament's so important, you
can't preach the gospel, not preach from the Old Testament.
Can't do it. Have you ever been on a plane, and you get off the
plane, and somebody's holding up a sign with somebody's name?
And they're waiting, they don't know what they look like, and
they're saying, well, if you're the one, you'll fit this name.
This is what you'll fit. Well, that's what the Old Testament
is. It's the sign, the gospel you hear. Does it fit the Old
Testament? Now, what do I mean by that?
First, let me show you another scripture back this up. Turn
to 1 Corinthians 15. Verse 1. Moreover, brethren, I declare
unto you. The gospel 1 Corinthians 15 verse
1 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel, not a gospel,
not some gospel, but the gospel. which I preached unto you, and
which also you have received, and wherein you stand, and by
which also you are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached
unto you, unless ye believe the name. For I delivered unto you,
first of all, the primary importance, that which I also received, how
that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures."
Now, this is so important. The gospel is not that Christ
died for our sins. I can stand up and say that until
I'm blue in the face and never preach the gospel. The gospel
is how that Christ died for our sins, according to the Old Testament
scriptures. Go into Isaiah 53, he shall see
the travail of his soul and be satisfied. By his knowledge shall
my righteous servant justify many, for he shall bear their
iniquities. Go into the Passover. If there
was blood over the door, did God smite? Absolutely not. Was the blood over everybody's
door or just Israel? Just Israel. Now, is the gospel
you're hearing, does it fit the pattern of the Old Testament
scriptures? What about the day of atonement, the way the high
priest came in with blood for the Israelites and was accepted? What about the morning and evening
sacrifice? All these stories, all these types in the Old Testament
are given to identify the gospel. This is the side. What you're
hearing doesn't line up with the Old Testament scriptures.
Now, when Paul defines the gospel, this is where he begins. He said,
I'm separated under the gospel of God. Well, what are you talking
about? The gospel that is identified by the Old Testament. What is the gospel? It's the
gospel of the Old Testament scriptures. Now, I want you to understand
this, according to the Old Testament scriptures, the sacrifice of
the lamb. represented the children of Israel. It represent everybody represent
children of Israel and where that sacrifice was there was
acceptance. And the point of making when
we're identifying the gospel you're going to hear a message
preached in this day please listen I'm not giving a misrepresentation
of the facts the basic message of this day is God loves everybody. Christ died for everybody and
wants to save everybody. He's made salvation available
for you. He's made salvation possible
for you, but it's up to you as to whether or not you'll be saved.
Salvation is ultimately conditioned upon man's obedience. That is
not the gospel of God. Amen? That's not the gospel. It's not the gospel of the Old
Testament scriptures. You won't find that in the Bible. That's
the gospel of man. So when I want to define the
gospel, when you want to define the gospel, we want to measure
up what we're hearing to the Old Testament scripture. So when
he says I'm separated into the gospel of God, his first point
is it's the gospel of the Old Testament scriptures. Back to
our text in Romans one verse two, which he the gospel of God,
which he promised before by his prophets in the holy scriptures. Now, here's the here's the next
mark of defining the gospel. He says, I'm separated under
the gospel of God. Verse three, I'm separated under
the gospel of God concerning his son. I'm separated under the gospel
of God concerning his son. Now, there's the definition of
the gospel. It's concerning his son. Now, this is going to come
as a surprise to some of us, but this is not about you. It's not about you. It's about his son. It's concerning
his son. It's concerning the glory of
his son. That's what the gospel's about.
It's not about me. It's not about you. It's about the Lord Jesus Christ. Now, man's gospel. Here's the
emphasis of man's gospel. Man and the help that's available
to him through God. Isn't that so? and the help that's available
to him to God. Old things can go well for you
if you can just tap into the power source. If you can just
tap into God and if you can, all your life will get straightened
up and everything's going to be fine. If, oh, there's so much
help of man and what you can be. That's the emphasis of a
false gospel. Man. Here's the emphasis of the
true gospel. It's concerning his son. Concerning his glory. God's got
an agenda Now, you can write that down. God's got an agenda.
You know what that agenda is? The glory and the honor and the
exaltation of His Son. The gospel is the gospel of God
concerning His Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord. As a matter of fact,
the gospel is called the gospel of the glory of Christ. I love
that parable our Lord gave that He Opened it by saying the kingdom
of heaven is like a new liken them to a certain king, which
made a marriage feast for his son. I think. The emphasis in weddings in our
day tell us something about the direction things go in a wedding
who's glorified in our day is glorified the bride. I understand
you. I'd rather look at the bride
than the groom, too. I mean, I understand that in some respects. But you
got this everything about the pictures in the paper, the bride.
Generally speaking, my picture didn't get in the paper. I don't
think. I don't remember. I guess no it didn't because
I've got a picture of my study where we had the engagement lens
pictures in the paper. Not mine, hers. I mean, it's
all about the bride. In the Bible, who's glorifying
the marriage? The groom. The Lord Jesus Christ, this is
about his glory, this is about his honor, this is about his
exaltation. Now, in the remainder of these
verses and the following verses, Paul deals with the person of
Christ. Remember, it's the gospel of
God concerning his son, Jesus Christ, our Lord, and he tells
us exactly who Jesus Christ is. And this is so important to understand
this, who he is, is what determines what he did. The issue is who
is Jesus Christ. That's the issue of all issues.
That's what's got to be settled, who he is, because who he is
is going to determine what he did. And so he lets us know in
these opening verses who Jesus Christ actually is. Now remember,
the gospel's about him. It's concerning his son, Jesus
Christ, our Lord. Now let's keep reading. Concerning his son,
Jesus Christ, our Lord, which was made of the seed of David
according to the flesh, and declared to be the son of God with power,
according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection of the dead.
Now, in this verse and a half, he identifies us clearly who
Jesus Christ actually is. Who is he? Who is he? You hear
his name. Really, who is Jesus Christ?
Well, first of all, he's the one that God made of the seed
of David. He talks about the humanity of
Jesus Christ. Yes, the deity. We're going to
get to that in a moment. But he talks about the humanity and
deity of Jesus Christ. He was made of the seed of David. He came through the line of David.
That's why such attention is given in the scriptures to the
genealogy. He came in a certain way. He came through the seed
of David. Christ Jesus. Now listen to this. Christ Jesus
is the son of God. I'm going to get to that in a
minute. But do you know, he's a real man. He's not 50% God and 50%
man. He's not half God and half man. He is the man, Christ Jesus. He is a real man. Got flesh and bones, just like
me. He is a real man. Now there was
a time when he did not have flesh, and he became flesh, and he's
always going to be flesh. God was manifesting the flesh,
is what the scripture says. He's a real man. And he's God. Not half man and half God. He's
all that God is. Jesus Christ is. He's the eternal
God. He's the one who created the
universe. He's the one who's the absolute sovereign over everything.
He is the God-man. That's who he is. The second
person of the Trinity, fully God and fully man. Now, why is it necessary to bring
this out? Why is it important for me to
understand that Jesus Christ is man and he's God? He's the
God-man. Why do I need to know this? Here's
the first reason, because God's holy. God is holy. What do the cherubims cry out?
Holy! Holy! Holy! It's the Lord God of hosts. The
whole earth is full of His glory. God's holy. Man is sinful. Me, you. Man is sinful. Now, how can a
holy God accept a sinful man like me? That's what our brother
read out of Job 25. How can man be just with God?
How can he be clean that's born of a woman? How can a holy God
accept a man like me? You see, man sinned. Man sinned. So man must die. Is that so? Man sinned. Man must die. But do you know the death of
a man doesn't satisfy God? There is such a thing as hell.
There is a place called hell, and in that place, those who
don't believe on Christ suffer eternally the wrath of God, the
wrath of God against sin. It's because a man can never
satisfy the justice of God. Man must die, but man can't satisfy. Who can satisfy God? Only one
who can satisfy God, God Himself can satisfy God. Man must die
Man cannot satisfy. Only God can satisfy. Yet, we're
given another problem. God can't die. God can't die. He's life. He's
the eternal. He can't cease to be. He never
began. He'll never end. He's God. He
can't die. Now, we've got a problem. Man
sinned. Man must die. But man can't satisfy. Only God can satisfy. But God
can't die. What's going to happen? The God-man
did great. The God-man fully satisfied the
claims of God's justice. The God-man satisfied and the
God-man died. That's why it's so important
for us to understand who he is. Who is he? Jesus Christ, the
Son of God, the Son of David. The God-man who satisfied God's
justice. God proved it when he raised
him from the dead. You see, this is concerning his son, Jesus
Christ, our Lord. And somebody says, does it really
make any difference? Is that big a deal? Yes, it is.
Yes, it is. It's who he is. Who he is is
what's going to determine what he did. Now, somebody says, do
you expect me to believe that? Do you expect me to believe that
Jesus Christ is man and is God? Do you really expect me to believe
that? Do you expect me to believe that God was manifested in the
flesh? Yes, I do. I do. I expect you to believe
it. And, you know, he gives three
proofs in this passage of scripture concerning who he is. Now, look
with me again in verse three, this the gospel of God is the
gospel concerning his son, Jesus Christ, our Lord. which was made
of the seed of David, according to the flesh, he became flesh. He took upon him the form of
a servant. He became man, bone of our bones
and flesh of our flesh. But he was declared to be. He
wasn't made the son of God. He was declared to be the son
of God. Now he was made flesh. He declared to be the son of
God. Isaiah 9 6 says unto us, a child is born unto us. The
son is given. The son was never born. He's
the eternal son that's always been. Unto us a child is born,
but unto us a son is given, and the government shall be upon
his shoulders, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor,
the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. That's who he is. Now, he gives
three proofs that this is who he is. Because somebody says,
now, how do you expect me to believe that? Well, here's the
first proof Paul gives. Look in verse 4. Declared to
be the Son of God with power. And here's the first proof. The
power of the Son of God. The power of the Son of God.
Now, the Lord Jesus demonstrated that he's very God and very God
by his power. Now, you say, well, how can we
believe the accounts that are given in the scriptures? How
do we know they really happen? Well, if you don't believe that,
you might as well forget it. I mean, just go ahead and be an atheist,
because this Bible is either the word of God or this is a
complete waste of time. I mean, there's no in-between
here. But if this book is the word of God, and I know it is,
you know it is too. But I know this Bible is the
word of God. It gives us proof concerning who Jesus Christ is.
And the first thing is his power, his authority. Do you remember
how demons couldn't make a move without his permission? Demons,
wicked spirits, they couldn't go from one place to another
unless he said, you can go now. He demonstrated his power and
his authority. He had power over providence.
He had power over what happened in time. How many times did he
tell about an event that would take place tomorrow or in the
next minute? Now, how is it that he could
tell what was going to take place tomorrow? You and I can't. I
don't know what's going to happen when I walk out of here. I don't
know what's going to happen the next minute. God might strike me down
dead. I don't have any control of what
will happen, but he does because providence is in his hand. He's
in control of everything. He could tell about what was
going to take place in the next minute. Remember when When he
told Peter, he said, you go cast a hook into the sea. And the
first fish you bring up, you're going to find a piece of money
in its mouth. Pull it out and give it to them for taxes for
me and you. How'd the Lord know there was money in that fish's
mouth? How'd he know? How'd he know Peter would catch
that fish? Because he's in control of all of it. He has power over
Providence. He's God. He has power over the
elements. The disciples said, what manner
of man is this that even the wind and the sea obey him? He could tell the wind to stop
it and stop blowing. He could tell the raging sea
to be still, and it was still. He demonstrated who he is by
his power over the elements. He demonstrated who he is by
his power over men. I love that passage of Scripture
when those soldiers come up to arrest him, and he said, Whom
seek ye? And they say, Jesus of Nazareth. He said, I am. And
the Scripture says they were knocked backwards. He was letting
them know that you're not taking me. The only reason you're getting
to me is I'm letting you. You see, even those soldiers
who drove the nails in his hands and feet. Who gave him the strength
to do it? He did. And he's in control of
you right now. You're in his hands. He can do
with you whatsoever he's pleased. Thou has given him power over
all flesh. that he should give eternal life
to as many as thou hast given him. Thou hast given him power
over all flesh. He had creative power. He brought
into existence that which was not there before. He had power
to raise the dead while he raised himself from the dead. Now, here's
the first proof of his... who he is. His power. He even has the power to forgive
sins. He's got the authority to forgive sins. He's got the
authority to forgive you of all your sins right now, so is there
no more if he says so. Now that's authority, isn't it? The first proof of who he is,
is his power, his omnipotence, his authority. God gave us proof,
clearly demonstrated in the word of God, that he is who he says
he is. Now what's he say next? He's
declared to be the son of God, verse 4, with power according
to the spirit of Now, this refers to him having the Holy Spirit
without measure, and it was demonstrated by a perfectly holy life. And
you know that this proves to me, as much as anything, he never
sinned. Who else could do that? The only holy man to ever live. The only man to never sin. Christ
Jesus never sinned. He could say, which of you can
convince me of sin? Can you imagine me saying that
to you? If anybody here convinced me of sinning, it won't take
very long to do that. And I can do the same with you. But he
could say, which of you convinces me of sin? He said, the prince
of this world has come, the devil looking for a foothold. The prince
of this world has come, and he found nothing in me. Not one
thing that he could grab onto. Holiness! There's the proof of
who he is. First, his power, and then his
holiness. He never sinned. He kept the
law of God perfectly. He never had a sinful thought
pass through his mind. Now, we can't grasp that, but
it's so. He's holy. And here's the third
proof of who he is. Verse 4, he's declared to be
the Son of God with power according to the spirit of holiness by
the resurrection from the dead. Now, here's the proof that he
is who he is. God raised him from the dead. Now, remember, what he did, he
did as a representative man. When he walked on this earth
and kept the law, he did it for somebody. When he died, he died for somebody. When he was raised from the dead,
he was raised from the dead for somebody, and oh, how I love
to think of the resurrection. We talked a little bit about
this last week. The resurrection of the dead. Our Lord was nailed
to that cross. The sins of His people were placed
upon Him. He suffered and He died under
the wrath of God. They put Him in that tomb. What
went with Him? My sin. He died because of my
sin. My sin went into that tomb. They
sealed the grave. Three days later, the angels
say to the woman, See the place where the Lord lay. I come, I
look in, I look into that, and what's there? Nothing. I have no sin. How's that? Because of the greatness of His
person, He could actually put away my sin. He satisfied God
so much. God was so satisfied with what
He did that sin is now non-existent with the believer in the sense
that He put it away. He put it away. I'll never stand
before God and give an account for my sin because of what he
did. He put it away, and the resurrection proves who he is.
Who else? What good would it do me? What
good would it do you if I died for you? Would it do you any
good at all? Would it satisfy God's justice
if I died for you? Wouldn't do a thing for you.
Oh, but if he dies Who shall lay anything to the
charge of God's elect? It's God that justifies. Who
is he that can condemn? It's what? Christ that died. Yea, rather that's risen again,
who's even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession
for us. The resurrection of the dead
proves that he is who he says he is. He did not stay dead.
Romans 4.25 says he was delivered for our offenses, and he was
raised again for our justification. When were you justified? When
Christ was raised from the dead. God said, I'm satisfied with
him. I'm satisfied with everybody he represented. Now that's the
proof of who he is versus power. Now remember who he is. He's
the son of God. The gospel of God is the gospel of the Old
Testament scriptures. The gospel of God is the gospel concerning
his son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Who is he? Well, he's the son
of God. He's the son of man. He's the
son of God. He's the son of Mary. He's 100%
God, the mighty creator. He's 100% man, just like me and
you, sin accepted. Well, how do I know he is this?
Well, because of his power, because of his authority, because of
his omnipotence, whatever he will, he had the power to make
sure it came to pass. I know that he is who he said
he is because of his holiness. The Father gave not the Spirit
by measure to Him. He never sinned. Perfectly holy. Obeyed God's law perfectly. How
do I know that He is who He says He is? Because God raised Him
from the dead. God got such infinite satisfaction
out of what He did. He was pleased with it. And He
proved that when He raised Him from the dead. Yes, I believe
that Jesus Christ is the Son of Man, the Son of God, the Son
of Mary, the Eternal Son, the God-Man Christ Jesus. That's
who He is. The Gospel of God. is the gospel
concerning Jesus Christ, our Lord, and he gives the proof
of that also. Now that's the gospel defined.
Now look what he says in verse 5. By whom we have received grace
and apostleship. Now, it seems to me that grace
would be the easiest thing in the world to receive. Doesn't it to you? Unmerited
favor? I mean, the fellow's an idiot
that doesn't love grace. I mean, spiritually speaking, it seems
like it ought to be the easiest thing in the world to receive.
But did you know that you and I are so helpless and sinful
that we cannot even receive grace except by Him? By whom you've
received grace. Now, this gives us how depraved
men by nature really are can receive grace. But by whom you
receive grace and apostleship, that's where Paul's doctrine
came from, sent by God, by whom we receive grace and apostleship
for what? We've received grace and apostleship
for obedience to the faith among all nations for his name. Now,
we receive grace for obedience to the faith, and I like this
phrase, the obedience to the faith. That's talking about the
faith of God's elect. It's stated in the apostleship.
There is such a thing called the faith. There is an actual
content to the gospel that a man believes. And we've received
grace to be obedient to the faith. If I believe, it's because he
gave me the grace to believe. I know that. I know that while
I'm talking to you, the only reason I believe is because of
His grace. He gave me the grace to believe.
Do you want to believe? Do you want to believe? Come
on now, do you want to believe? You can't just up and believe,
can you? You can't just make yourself believe. That's right.
You've got to believe. You can't make yourself believe.
The only way you can believe, the only way you can actually
rely on Him is if He gives you grace to do it. Do you know what
I'd do if I was you? I'd start saying, Lord, give me grace to
believe. You come to Christ, you don't come to Christ with
your faith. You come to Christ for faith. Lord, give me faith.
Give me grace to believe. Give me grace to come to your
Son. Oh, the Son of God by whom we've received grace and apostleship
for obedience to the faith. Oh, that's what I want. Verse
6, we're just going to go to verse 7, and we're going to stop
real quickly. Among whom are you also the called of Jesus
Christ? The called are those who believe. They believe because they're
called by God. Now, where does salvation begin
in our experience? With us calling on Him or Him
calling on us? Now, where does it begin? It begins with him
calling on us. Now, what's the evidence of him
calling on me? How can I know if he's called
my name? The called do what? They call. They call upon the
name of the Lord. If you're somebody who's calling
on the name of the Lord right now, Lord, save me. Lord, do
something for me. Lord, let me be found in your
son. Oh, save me by who you are. If
you're calling on his name, it's because he called you. among
whom ye also are the called of Jesus Christ, verse seven, he
identifies who he is writing to, to all that be in Rome, beloved
of God. Whoever is beloved of God in
Rome, that's who I'm writing to, the elect of God, the beloved
of God, to all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be
saints. How do you know if you're beloved
of God, you're called to be saints? Called by God to be saints. Now,
what you say, to you. Grace, unmerited favor. Oh, this is something I can sink
my teeth in. The only way God will have anything
to do with me is because of grace, and I really believe that. When
I come into His presence, I don't come saying, Lord, hear me, because
of the sincerity of my confession and my sincerity and the straightness
of my faith and my doctrinal understanding or because I'm
a preacher or because I'm sorry and I intend to never do it again
and I'm going to do great things. No, the only way I come into
His presence is by His grace. Grace to you and peace. The only thing that gives this
sinner peace is what? Grace. grace to you and peace
from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Ephesians 1 6 says
he hath accepted us in the beloved, and that word accepted is literally
he hath graced us. He hath graced us in the beloved. And what peace I have from knowing
that my acceptance before thrice holy God is in the beloved. It's
not anywhere else. It's in the beloved. Oh, what
peace there is in that message. Grace to you and peace from God
our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Now, the gospel defined.
It's the gospel of God. Remember this, this is so important.
If you want to hear what you're hearing is God's gospel, it's
the gospel of God, not the gospel of men, the gospel of God. It's
the gospel that fits the Old Testament scriptures. It's the
gospel concerning the Lord Jesus Christ. His deity and his humanity
and the proof of his power, his holy life and the resurrection
from the dead, that's the gospel. And the gospel that gives grace
for obedience, that is the gospel of God, the gospel that gives
peace based upon his Let's break it.