Now let's turn to Revelation
17. I'm taking the title. I always
try to look at the Scripture we're going to deal with and
try to come up with a title. And I could have used different
titles, but what I'm going to use is found from the words in
verse 9. Here is the mind which hath wisdom. The mind that has
wisdom. And we're not talking about the
wisdom of this world, we're talking about the wisdom of God wherein
the gospel is revealed. When the Lord is pleased to reveal
and teach us the gospel, He gives us the mind of Christ. He gives
us the mind of wisdom, the mind of understanding how God saves
sinners in, by, and through the Lord Jesus Christ crucified for
our sin. We read a moment ago in 1 Corinthians
chapter 1, we preach Christ crucified unto the Jews, a stumbling block,
unto the Greeks, foolishness, but unto them which are called
both Jews and Greek, Christ, the power of God. and the wisdom
of God. How God can be just and justify
the ungodly only through the Lord Jesus Christ. In Christ
crucified, all the attributes of God are magnified and glorified,
are they not? When God was in Christ, reconciling
us unto Himself. We studied Wednesday night, last
Wednesday, from Psalm 85, 10. Remember? Mercy and truth are met together.
Righteousness and peace have kissed each other. That's reconciliation
accomplished. All the attributes of God satisfied
in the Lord Jesus Christ and Him crucified. He is the only
just God and Savior. The mind that's given wisdom,
that's taught of God, understands these things. How God can be
just and the justifier of them which believe in the Lord Jesus
Christ. John in his epistle, 1 John,
same man that had this revelation here, he said, We know the Son
of God has come, and He has given us an understanding that we may
know Him that is true. We are in Him that is true, even
in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and this
is eternal life. That's wisdom. Our Lord writes
and prays in John 17, this is eternal life. that they might
know thee the only true God, Jesus Christ, whom thou hast
sent." To know the Lord Jesus Christ is to have salvation. To love and believe the Lord
Jesus Christ is to have salvation. That's the wisdom and that's
the understanding that we need. By nature we're foolish. The
fool has said in his heart there is no God. God must give us spiritual
wisdom that we might see Him, and know Him, believe Him, and
trust Him, and rest in Him. Now over in the book of James,
chapter 1, verse 5, I often quote this verse to myself. If any
man lack wisdom, let him ask of God that giveth all men generously,
liberally. I pray often, Lord, give me wisdom. Give me understanding that I
might know the true God. James again says, you have not
because you ask not. So I'm going to ask for wisdom,
aren't you? Wisdom to know God, how God saves
sinners. Our Lord said this, ask and it
shall be given you, Matthew 7, 7. Ask and it shall be given
you, seek and you shall find, knock and it shall be opened
to you. And those verbs are in the present continuous tense. Keep asking, keep seeking, keep
knocking. Keep coming to the Lord. Ask
Him. Ask Him for mercy. Now, in this
chapter 17, we see God has given to His people the mind that has
wisdom. And Christ is that wisdom. I wrote in my Bible, and it's
okay to do that, in Revelation 17 verse 9, I underscored the
word, here is the mind which hath wisdom, and I underscored
that word wisdom and wrote below it, Christ. He is our wisdom. Christ, the power of God. Christ,
the wisdom of God. He is made unto us, remember
we read in the same chapter, He is made unto us. But of Him
are you in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us, wisdom,
righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. Believers who
have been taught by the Spirit of God are taught that Christ
crucified is all the wisdom of God. He also has taught us with
that wisdom by the Spirit of God revealed to us, not only
that Christ is the true Messiah, the true Savior, but he also
writes to beware of false prophets, beware of false religion, beware
of false Christianity. Everything that calls itself
Christian is not true Christianity. We are to beware of false Christianity. Beware of the Antichrist that
appears to the natural man and what seems to be right. Our Lord
again writes in Matthew 7, Beware of false prophets who come to
you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly ravening wolves. Ravening wolves. John, again,
in his epistle, 1 John, chapter 4, writes, Beloved, believe not
every spirit, but try the spirit. He's talking about the preachers,
whether they are of God, because many false prophets have gone
out into the world. 1 John 4, 1. Now, we should prove
everything we believe by the word of truth. Don't you believe
anything I say unless it is according to thus saith the Lord. We should prove everything we
believe by the Word of Truth. That is the only standard, what
is right and what is true, and that which is false. What is
the standard of what's right and wrong? The standard is the
Word of God. The Word of God alone. That's
the foundation of faith. We are to search the Scriptures
daily. What the Apostle Paul said of
those Bereans. They were more noble than those
in Thessalonica in that they searched the Word of God daily
to see if these things be so. We're to prove all things. Paul
writes this in 1 Thessalonians 5.21. We're to prove all things
and hold fast. to that which is good. So I want
you to take what I tell you and prove it by the word of God.
Don't believe it just because the preacher said this, the preacher
said that, well the preacher may be wrong. Now it's my aim
and my desire to tell you the truth the best I can But prove all things. Prove all
things. I don't mind you taking the Word
of God and take chapter and verse and book and see if that's so.
See if that's so. Prove all things and hold fast
to that which is good. Now, we learned last week in
Revelation 17, the woman that's described here in verse 2 and
following, and it's very offensive language, is it not? The Lord
uses almost, he uses this graphic language to kind of get our attention. This woman called the great whore,
the great harlot, that sits on this scarlet sinful beast, she's
arrayed in all her costly garments, scarlet gold robes, she's decked
with costly stones, holding forth a cup. full of empty promises, but it's
a cup full of abominations and blasphemy, nothing but filthy
abomination of lies and deceit. And this woman is highly motivated,
inspired by Satan, the devil. He's called the great red dragon
who deceived the hearts of the simple. And all of his allies
are sent to deceive us. They parade as angels of light
but they are monsters of the deep. Now, we know from the Word of God
that many people are going to be deceived and they'll die in
their sin. We know the elect of God cannot
be deceived. But our Lord says this in Matthew
24, For there shall arise false prophets, shall show great signs
and wonders, insomuch that if it were possible, they would
deceive the very elect of God." Now, let me read this to you.
You can turn if you want to, but it's not necessary. I'll
try to read it to you accurately, but you can prove this if you
want to turn and read with me. 2 Corinthians 11. Paul warns
about this in 2 Corinthians 11, in the same chapter that he warns
about those 2 Corinthians 11 I want, I turn to chapter 4. Why did I do that? 2 Corinthians
11, verse 1, Would to God you could bear with me a little in
my folly, And indeed, bear with me, 2 Corinthians 11 verse 2,
for I'm jealous over you with a godly jealousy, for I've espoused
you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste version
of Christ. But I fear, lest by any means,
that the serpent beguile thee through his deceitfulness, so
your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in
the Lord Jesus Christ. So, I pray God would give us
the mind of wisdom, and that the devil wouldn't come with
his subtlety and corrupt the simplicity, and that word simplicity
there is oneness, singleness of the Lord Jesus Christ. For
he that cometh and preacheth, watch it, verse 4, another Jesus, whom we've not preached, or another
spirit, which you've not received, or another gospel, which you
have not accepted, you might bear with, well, might bear with
me, with the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. So we need to beware. We need to have the mind of wisdom
that we might spot a phony. Now those people who work in
the bank, Nona can tell you, she was a banker for 30 some
years. Those people who work in the
bank, when they see a counterfeit dollar, They know it right away. They're trained to spot a counterfeit,
but the reason it goes by the hands of so many before it's
spotted is it looks like the real thing. But if you have the
mind of wisdom, you can spot a counterfeit. You know a phony
right away. This woman we know that's pictured
here as a great whore, and I know that's offensive but the Lord
uses these words to show how offensive it is to Him. This woman represents false religion,
and sadly, it's the message of most churches in our day. Christian
churches, they call themselves, who promote the lie of Satan.
What is the lie of Satan? Do you want to know what the
deception of lie of Satan is? Here's what they say. They say
salvation depends upon you. They say God does all He can
do. Now it's really up to you. You make the difference. They
say salvation is dependent, determined, and accomplished by the sinner
rather than determined, dependent, and accomplished upon the Savior.
Now do you have the mind of wisdom to see the difference? I can spot a phony just like
that. I can listen to him two or three minutes, two or three
sentences. And I know when he starts talking about things that
sinners must do in order to be saved, he's a phony. He's a deceiver. And sadly, that's what goes in
mainstream Christianity. That's what passes for the truth. And it's a counterfeit. It's
another gospel. The Lord Jesus Christ alone accomplished
our salvation, salvation by the grace of God alone, salvation
by the mercy of God alone. Peter puts it this way before
that most self-righteous religious Jewish council. Neither is there
salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven
given among men whereby we must be saved. And then he writes,
Paul writes in 2 Timothy, it's God's purpose and grace, and
then he writes to Titus and says, it's not by works of righteousness
which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us. Now
I told you last week, and I looked this up, And this is a subjective
number, but it's a number that was given on the internet. There's 4,300 religions in this
world. Known religions in this world.
Google it on your phone or you can ask Ceres. Ask Ceres on your
phone. How many religions are in this
world? It'll come back 4,300. 4,300 religions exist today. You can all boil them down to
two. Two. Grace works. or Christ plus what you bring
to the table. It's either the way of Cain or
the way of Abel. One is true, the other is false. Now, if it's of grace, now I
want you to turn to this one. Turn to Romans chapter 11. There
is an election according to grace, right? Romans 11 verse 5. Even so, then, at this present
time, there is a remnant according to the election of grace. There's
God electing. That's God's choice who will
be saved. The election of grace. And if
by grace, then it's no more of works. Now, that's pretty clear,
isn't it? If it's of grace, it cannot be
by works. Otherwise, grace would no longer
be grace. But if it be of works, Then it's
no more grace. You see, you can't have both.
You can't have a convoluted mixture of grace and works. It's either
justified freely by the grace of God or justified by the deeds
of the law. Now, why did those Jews get so
mad at Paul? Why did those Jews get so mad
at the Lord Jesus Christ? He said, I'm the way. Everything
else is wrong. The Apostle Paul said, salvation
was justified freely by His grace through the redeeming work of
the Lord Jesus Christ. Now, back in Revelation chapter
2, in Revelation chapter 3, the Spirit of God revealed to John
those assemblies of the Jews who were going about to establish
a righteousness of their own. Do you remember what he called
them? Synagogues of Satan. who transform themselves into
the apostles of Christ, who parade as angels of light and ministers
of righteousness, whose end will be destruction and eternal damnation. As it says there in verse 8,
the beast that you saw shall ascend out of the bottomless
pit and shall go into perdition, perdition, perdition. They parade
as angels of light, but they are those that have the message
of damnation, no life, no life, whose end will be according to
their deeds. The Lord Jesus Christ, while
ministering the gospel among the Jews, had the sharpest rebukes
for those most Jewish Jews who are going about to establish
righteousness by the deeds of the law. Our Lord said to them
in Luke 16, 15, You are they which justify yourselves before
men. Now that looks pretty good, doesn't
it? You go about to justify yourselves before men, to establish a level
of morality and self-righteousness and self-glory. We have that
today, everywhere. You are they which justify yourselves
before men, but the problem is God knows your heart. That which
is highly esteemed among men, uh-oh, is an abomination in the
sight of God. When our Lord said to those Jews,
if Abraham were your father, you would do the deeds of Abraham,
for Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness.
And they said, whoa, wait a minute, wait a minute, wait a minute.
Abraham is our father. The Lord corrected them. And
he said, you are of your father the devil, and the works of your
father will you do. He was a murderer from the beginning.
He was a liar from the beginning. He told Eve, he said, Eve, you
won't die, you'll be like God. God said, the day you eat, you'll
die. What happened? She died. Adam died. Spiritual death, sin was passed
upon all men, all men. Now, if you go back to verse
6 in Revelation 17, and I saw the woman drunk with the blood
of the saints, with the blood of the martyrs, of Jesus, and
when I saw her in this vision, John is greatly terrified. The harlot, the false religion,
has blood, the blood of martyrs, or the witnesses of Christ, the
saints of God, upon her hands. The religion of Rome, back in
John's day, back in Paul's day. The religion of Rome, the Roman
Empire. They considered Caesar to be
God. They had many religious idols. And they put many believers
to death. And they made a sport of it.
It was a blood sport. In the Colosseum, who were those
people who died? Believers. John says that he
was astonished with great terror, great horror. the site of the
harlot false religion, murdering believers. John knows this story
personally. For Herod the king reached forth
and took hold of James, the brother of John, and took his head off.
killed John's brother, and then he arrested Peter, and would
have that evening killed the apostle Peter. He was put in
prison, but what happened? God sent an angel and broke him
out of jail, and Herod couldn't touch him. But John knows well
what having a dear brother killed, killed for the gospel. Look at
verse 7, the angel said to me, Wherefore didst thou marvel?
I'll tell you the mystery of the woman, and the mystery of
the beast that carried her, that supported her, that helped her,
which had the seven heads, power, ten horns, power, political heads,
civil heads, governmental heads, the beast that thou sawest, ungodly
heads, which was and is not, shall ascend out of this pit
of darkness, the bottomless pit, and shall go into everlasting
condemnation." Perdition, perdition, perdition, perdition. Now, this word perdition is used 19
times, I looked it up, 19 times in the Scripture. It means waste. It means to perish. It means destruction. Our Lord
prayed in John 17, Father, I've kept those that You've given
Me. I've lost none but Judas, who is the son of perdition.
Condemnation that the Scripture might be fulfilled. In 2 Thessalonians
2, 1 through 4, when it describes the Antichrist that will come,
the Antichrist is described as the son of perdition. So there
are sons of perdition. We studied this morning about
those who have a reprobate mind, seducers who are deceived. Now, look at verse 8 again. And they that dwell on the earth
shall wonder, Those who go after the beast whose names are not
written in the book of life from the foundation of the world when
they behold the beast that was and is not and yet is. All those
whose names are not written in the book of life, we're talking
about the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world, shall
wonder and worship at the footstool of the beast, and shall be eternally
lost in their sin forever as sons of perdition, as reprobates. Turn back to Revelation 13. You remember what we read here?
In Revelation 13, we first met this monster that comes up out
of the sea, having these seven heads and ten horns. Look at
verse 4, Revelation 13, "...and they worshipped the dragon which
gave power to the beast." The dragon there is a great red dragon,
Satan, who is allied with the beast. "...and they worshipped
the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? Who is able to
make war with him?" And there was given unto him a mouth, speaking
great things in blasphemies, evil speaking against God. And
power was given him to continue these forty-two months, a definite
period of time, when God said, you will have this period of
time. And he opened his mouth in blasphemies
against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and
them that dwell in heaven. And it was given unto him, that
is the beast, to make war with the saints, and overcome them.
And power was given unto him, and all kindred, and tongue,
and nation, over all kindred, tongue, and nation. His power
is universal, widespread. And those that dwell upon the
earth shall worship him, that is the beast. whose names are
not written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation
of the world. If any man hath an ear, let him
hear. Here is the mind that has wisdom."
Now, what is this Lamb's Book of Life? that's given here in
the Scripture, whose names are not written in the Book of Life.
They'll go after the beast, after the woman. They'll be deceived
with false religion. They'll be sons of perdition.
Now, this Book of Life is mentioned eight times in the Word of God. Eight times it's mentioned in
the Word of God. One time in the book of Philippians chapter
4 verse 3, where Paul talks about those fellow laborers, fellow
believers, whose names are written in the Book of Life. The Book
of Life. God has a book, and He's written
the elect of God in this book. Now, it's not a physical book.
God doesn't need a physical book, but it's right, it's written
in the decrees of the unchanging, almighty, sovereign God. He's
written that way. Seven times in the book of Revelation,
we read about the book of life. Let me show you two other places.
Revelation 20, turn there. Revelation 20, verse 15. when
the great white throne judgment takes place, and the sea gave
up the dead which were in it, verse 13. This is Revelation
20, verse 13. And the grave delivered up the
dead which were in them, and they were judged every man according
to his works. And death and hell were cast
into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And
whosoever was not found written in the book of life, uh-oh, cast
into the lake of fire." Now, here's another reference. So,
it's something that's real. Seven times it's given to us
here in the Revelation. Look at chapter 21, verse 27. Revelation 21, 27, "...there
shall in no wise enter in that glorious city," that's talking
about here, heavenly glories, anything that defile it, nor
whatsoever work of the abomination, or make of the lie, but they
which are written in the Lamb's book of life." Now, who is this
Lamb? We know the Lamb is the Lord
Jesus Christ. Twenty-seven times in this Revelation,
in the book of Revelation, we read about the Lamb. He's described
in his sacrificial character as the Lamb of God that takes
away our sin. The Lamb, the Lamb, the Lamb. What is this book of life? It
is God's book of sovereign, eternal, immutable decree of God's electing
grace, His electing love. That means God, from the beginning
of the world, chose a people unto salvation and predestinated
them to be conformed to the image of the Lord Jesus Christ. Now,
preacher, show me that in the Scripture, okay? Let's turn to
Ephesians chapter 1. I can make good on that. God
chose a people unto salvation. Now, if you're a believer, you
can't bucket this. You bow to it. Ephesians 1, verse
3, Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who
has blessed us with all spiritual blessings, and heavenly places
in Christ, according as He had chosen us in Him before the foundation
of the world, that we should be holy without blame before
Him in love, having predestinated us unto the adoption of children
by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will,
to the praise of the glory of His grace, in whom we have redemption."
So there is God electing love and sovereign choice. Now, is
there another Scripture? Let's see if we can find another.
In the mouth of two or three witnesses, let's turn back over
here to Romans 8. Romans 8. Verse 28, Romans 8, 28. And we
know that all things work together for good to them who love God,
to them who are called according to His purpose, purpose, purpose,
for whom He did foreknow, He also did predestinate, to be
conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn
among many brethren. Moreover, whom he did predestinate,
them he also called. Whom he called, them he also
justified. Whom he justified, them he also
glorified. What shall we say to these things?
I know what most people say. That ain't right. That ain't
fair. Well, who makes you the judge? Or shall we say these things?
If God be for us, who can be against us? So, this land book
of life has to do with God's eternal choice of a people unto
salvation. You mean, turn to 2 Thessalonians. Can you find that? 2 Thessalonians
2, verse 13. That means God, from the beginning,
has chosen a people unto salvation. He's going to save those people
by His grace. None can be lost. 2 Thessalonians 2 verse 13, We
are bound to give thanks always to God for you, brethren, beloved
of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you
to salvation. Now who did the choosing? God
did. When did He choose? Before the
foundation of the world. From the beginning, chosen you
to salvation through sanctification of the spirit and belief of the
truth, were to be called you by our gospel to the obtaining
of the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ. And what about those
whose names, I know you're thinking about this, what about those
whose names are not written in the book of life? They're sons of perdition. They're
reprobates. What about those whose names
are not written in the book of life? They're born in sin, they
die in their sin, they die in rebellion against God, and it's
exactly what they want. They don't want Christ. I don't
want Christ. Our Lord said, you will not come
to me that you might have life. They find their hope, their happiness,
They die in their sin, they die in rebellion against God, they
find their hope and happiness in the kingdom of this ungodly
world, this beast, the false religion of this great harlot,
the woman of free will works religion. They are where they
are, where they want to be, and are satisfied with what they
believe and who they believe. Don't bother me! Okay? You remember the disciples came
to the Lord and said, you know those Jews were offended by what
you said? Well, let's go back and help
them. Leave them alone. They'd be blind, leaders of the
blind, and they're all going to wind up in perdition, in the
ditch. Perdition. Now, that's not being
hard. That's being true. Now, I desire
the salvation of everyone. And I preached to all men to
come to Christ, to believe on Him. And those who are chosen,
God will. He said, My sheep hear My voice,
I know them, and I give unto them eternal life. Our Lord said
to those Jews, You shall die in your sin. If you believe not
that I am, you'll die in your sin. Now turn again to the book
of Romans chapter 9 this time. Can you find Romans 9? Romans
9. Verse 16. Verse 15. He said to Moses, verse 15, Romans
9, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy. I will have
compassion on whom I will have compassion. God will love whom
He will. He chooses whom He will. Do you have a problem with that?
God's people don't. So then it's not of him that
willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy.
For Scripture saith unto Pharaoh, even for this same purpose have
I raised thee up, That I might show my power in thee, who was
Pharaoh, a son of perdition. God raised him up for one purpose,
to kill him in the Red Sea, that he might get glory to his name.
That I might show my power in thee, that my name might be declared
throughout all the earth. Therefore have thee mercy on
whom he will have mercy. Romans 9.18, and whom he will,
he'll harden. Thou wilt say then unto me, why
dost thou find fault? For who hath resisted his will?
But nail, man, who art thou that replies against God? Shall the
thing formed say to him that formed it, why have you made
me thus? Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same
lump to make one vessel unto honor, and another unto dishonor? What is God willing to show his
wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering,
the vessels of wrath fitted, made up to destruction, that
he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of
mercy which he had aforeprepared unto glory." That's pretty plain,
isn't it? God will have mercy on whom he
will have mercy. Those who trust the beast, those
who trust the great harlot, the whore, who look to the mother
of harlots for comfort, relief, and righteousness and salvation,
shall be terribly disappointed in that day when he says, depart
from me, I never knew you, you workers of iniquity." Now, I've
used my time, but I'm going to take a little, a little, a little
here, ask for your patience. I want us to consider a few minutes
here, a few minutes about this election of grace. Just one page. the election of grace. God's
church, the blessed doctrine of election, God's church, his
elect in this world, have been forever sealed in her forehead
by the work of God the Holy Spirit. They shall be eternally saved
because of the redeeming blood of the lamb of the Lord Jesus
Christ. Remember, we are redeemed with the precious blood of Christ.
It's the blood of Christ that puts away all our sin. The blood
of Christ satisfied God's law and justice on our behalf. While
others perish justly in their sin, the elect of God are secured
in the Lord Jesus Christ. My sheep are safe in my hand. While others are deceived by
the great harlot of false religion, the elect of God are taught of
God and they come to the Lord Jesus Christ. Remember our Lord
said, no man can come to Me except the Father which sent Me. Draw
him, and I'll raise him up at the last day. All those who have
heard and learned of the Father, they come to the Lord Jesus Christ,
while others are left to perish in their sin. While others justly
suffer the judgment of God against their sin, for those in the Lord
Jesus Christ, there is therefore now no condemnation to those
who are in Him. While believers are eternally
secured in the Lord Jesus Christ on Christ's solid rock, I stand,
others are left to hide in the refuge of lies and they perish
in their sin because that's where they choose to perish. They choose,
that's their choice. None for whom the Lord Jesus
Christ can perish They are saved with an everlasting salvation
by the sovereign grace of God. Our Lord said this in John 6.
All that the Father giveth to me shall come to me, and those
that come to me I will in no wise cast out. For I came down
from heaven not to do my own will, but the will of Him that
sent me. And this is the will of Him that sent me, that all
that the Father giveth me I will lose nothing, but raise Him up
again at the last day. There is no one in hell for whom
the Lord Jesus Christ died. That cannot be. If He died for my sin and I perish
anyway, what does His death have to do with salvation? Those for
whom Christ died cannot perish. Their name has been written in
that Lamb's book of life. They are secured eternally in
the Lord Jesus Christ. This land book of life, how can
I know, how can I know if my name is written in that book?
How can you know? I know if I had access to that
book, and again, it's not a physical book, but if we had access to
that book, and we turned over to, whose name would you look for? You'd look for your own name,
wouldn't you? I don't have access to that book
and no man has access to that book. How could I know if my
name is written in that book? Do you want to know? Do you want
to know if your name is written there? Turn to 1 Thessalonians. Knowing, brethren, beloved, your
election of God, 1 Thessalonians chapter 1 verse
4, Knowing brethren beloved your election of God. Oh, he's talking
about those written in the land book of life. Knowing brethren
beloved your election of God. For, because our gospel came
not to you in word only, but in power and in the Holy Ghost,
and in much assurance, as you know what manner of men we were
among you for your sake, and you became a follower of us and
of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction with
joy of the Holy Ghost, and you were examples unto us, from you
sounded out the word of the Lord. in Christ with God word spread.
Verse 9, how you turn to God from your idols to serve the
living and true God. How is this electing love known? By your calling of God's grace,
giving you faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. You were turned
to God from your idols to serve the living and true God, and
to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead,
even Jesus, who delivered us He delivered us, don't forget
this, from the wrath to come. Why did He do that? Because Christ
took our judgment. Christ took our sin.