Luke chapter 3, and notice I'm
taking my title from verse 6. Luke 3, verse 6, "...and all
flesh," does that include you? Does that include me? "...all men everywhere, highborn,
lowborn, rich, poor, educated, uneducated, all flesh." shall
see the salvation of God." Who is the salvation of God? It is
the Lord Jesus Christ. The title of the message, The
Salvation of God. There's just one. The Salvation
of God. It's the same as saying that
salvation is of the Lord, isn't it? All of salvation is of the
Lord. He planned it. He purposed it. He executes it. He applies it. He sustains it. He keeps us. All of salvation is of the Lord. Now, everyone will, sooner or
later, everyone will see sooner or later, God's salvation through
the Lord Jesus Christ and Him crucified, through the shedding
of His blood to put away our sin, either as a believer or
as a rebel. But you will see it to the saving
of your soul or to the eternal damnation of your soul, but you
will acknowledge and confess that salvation is of the Lord. The Apostle Paul put it this
way about the gospel, 2 Corinthians chapter 2, the gospel of Christ
will be made unto you either a saver of death unto death,
which means an offensive odor, or a savor of life unto life,
a sweet fragrance, pleasing to your heart, but everyone will
bow, every knee shall bow, every tongue shall confess that Jesus
Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. Is that right?
Flip to chapter 2. God has highly exalted Him, given
Him a name which is above every name and at that name, At that
name, every tongue will confess, every knee will bow that Jesus
Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father, either sooner
or later. But all flesh shall acknowledge
and see that salvation is all of God. Now, having said that,
let's go back and look at verse 1 and 2 of Luke chapter 3. We
see when John's ministry started, it was in a dark, dark time. The wickedness of the times when
Christ's gospel was brought into this world, we see that in verse
1 and 2. In the 15th year of the reign
of Tiberius, he was a Caesar. Rome had invaded this country
of Judea. They had a death grip on them. Pontius Pilate, being the governor
of Judea, was appointed by Rome. He had a wicked reign over Judea,
Jerusalem. Herod, Pilate and Herod, being
the Tetrarch of Galilee, the ruler of Galilee, and his brother
Philip, Tetrarch of Aeturia, the region of Trachonitis, Lysanus,
the Tetrarch of Abilene. These were wicked, horrible men,
depraved men who ruled with a ruthless rule of Roman dominion, Roman
power. It was a dark day. God sent a
bright shining light, a preacher of the gospel. Notice verse 2,
Annas and Caiaphas being high priests, being high priests. in Judaism and the Word of God
came unto John. Now here we see the sovereignty
of God. Why didn't the Word of God come
to the high priest? He passed those people, those
sinners by, left them in their self-righteousness and raised
up this loner named John. When the Lord in great mercy
was pleased to send John who we know is a gospel preacher,
unto the land of Israel, things in that country were a very low,
low place, a very dark state. Rome, the government of Rome,
the army of Rome occupied everything, controlled everything, took taxes. You didn't go without asking
their permission. They controlled everything. They
had a death grip. Government, the government of
Rome was over everything. Not only that, the priesthood
and the religion of the Jews was reduced to a mere pagan shadow
of what it should have been. Did you notice verse 2, it says
that Ananias and Caiaphas being high priests. Now you see anything
wrong with that? There was supposed to be just
one high priest. Now they've got two. They perverted what
God had given to them. The priesthood and the religion
of the Jews had been reduced to a mere pagan shadow of what
it should have been. These priests were both trying
to dominate the people by their religious bondage, their religious
tradition, and doctrines of men. If you'll turn over here to Luke
chapter 16. Luke chapter 16. Remember our Lord said of these
same Pharisees in Luke 16 verse 15, He said unto them, You are
they which justify yourselves before men. But God knows your
heart, for that which is highly esteemed among men is an abomination
in the sight of God. Another scripture I want you
to look at if you turn to Matthew chapter 15. Rome had brought in their paganism,
but these Jews also were nothing but self-righteous hypocrites.
If you'll find Matthew 15, verse 7. You hypocrites, well did Isaiah
prophesy of you, saying, This people draw nigh unto me with
their mouth, they honor me with their lips, but their heart,
their heart, God looks on the heart. Salvation is a heart work. but their hearts far from me,
but in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments
of men." You see, it was a dark, dark day. At the very time when
things seemed so dark, so hopeless, God sent them a gospel preacher.
to prepare the way of the Lord, to identify the Messiah, the
Lord Jesus Christ, and to establish the kingdom of God through the
Lord Jesus Christ. It was a dark day in that day,
wasn't it? How about this day in which we
live? I mean, it sounds pretty familiar, doesn't it? Pretty
similar, doesn't it? Let us not despair in our day.
What God had done in the past, He's able to do it again, isn't
he? When darkness abounds, as it does in our day, we're surrounded
by idolatry, false religion is rampant everywhere, but it only
serves God's purpose that He might magnify His grace and that
the grace of God may shine more brilliantly. When you go to the
jewelry store and that jeweler hands out his precious jewels,
what does he put them against? Those brilliant, shining diamonds. He puts them against a black
cloth, doesn't he? Why does he do that? It makes
the brilliance of that diamond reflect greater, and that's the
way the grace of God is. It shines more brilliantly against
the black depravity of humanity, and the grace of God shines forth,
doesn't it? The Word of God, it says in verse
2, the Word of God came to John, the son of Zacharias in the wilderness. John was of the last Old Testament
prophets that God promised that He would send, specially called,
specially gifted, sent to declare the message of the Messiah concerning
the Messiah and to point Him out. Now hold your place here
and find John chapter 1. John chapter 1. Verse 6, John chapter 1 verse
6, there was a man sent from God whose name was John. The same came for witness, to
bear witness of the light. Notice that's capital. That's
Christ. "...that all men, that all through
him might believe, he was not that light, but was sent to bear
witness of that light, that was a true light, which lightneth
every man that cometh in to this world." What was his message?
Look at John chapter 1 verse 29. John chapter 1 verse 29. He pointed sinners to Christ.
The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and he saith,
Behold the Lamb of God, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh
away the sin of the world, or beareth away the sin of the world."
Who's this world here? His elect, His people. Same chapter, John chapter 1,
look at verse 35, And again the next day, after John stood, and
two of his disciples, looking upon Jesus as He walked, he saith,
Here's the next day and he has the same message. Behold the
Lamb of God. Behold the Lamb of God. That's
our message, isn't it? Behold Christ. Look to him. Salvation
is in the Lord Jesus Christ. John, as a young man, grew up
around the temple. His father, remember, was the
priest, Zacharias, remember? But John wasn't educated in the
things of God by the temple priest. nor by the religious Pharisees,
but rather he received his message directly from the Lord. He was in the wilderness. You
remember back in Luke chapter 1, turn over there, verse 76.
You remember the prophecy of Zacharias concerning his son?
And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the highest. Thou
shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his way, to give
knowledge of salvation unto his people, by the remission of their
sins, through the tender mercy of our God, whereby the dayspring
from on high hath visited us, to give light to them that sit
in darkness, in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into
the way of peace. And the child grew, and waxed
strong in spirit, and was in the desert, till the days of
his showing." He was out in the wilderness, and the Word of God
came unto John, back to the text, Luke chapter 3 verse 2. And the
Word of God, the living Word, the eternal
Word, Christ, came unto John, the son of Zacharias, while he
was out in the wilderness." He was in the wilderness. It reminds
me of this. Turn to Exodus chapter 3. He
was out in the wilderness, away from the religious Pharisees,
away from the temple and all those different things, much
like Moses. Exodus chapter 3. You remember
where Moses was when the Lord Jesus Christ was revealed unto
him? I am that I am, Exodus chapter
3. Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro
his father, father-in-law the priest of Midian and he led the
flock to the backside of the desert and came to the mountain
of God even to Horeb. And the angel of the Lord appeared
unto him in the flame of fire out of the midst of the burning
bush. He looked, and behold, the bush burned with fire, but
was not consumed." Now this angel of the Lord here is the Lord
Jesus Christ, the messenger of the covenant. And Moses said,
I will now turn aside and see this great sight, why the bush
is not burned. And when the Lord saw, he turned
aside to see. God called unto him out of the
midst of the bush, and he said, Moses, Moses. And he said, here
I am. And he said, draw He said, Draw
not nigh hither, put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for
the place wherein thou standest is a holy ground. Moreover, he
said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of
Isaac, the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face, for he
was afraid to look upon God. You see, John had a special messenger
sent to him just like Moses was sent to him. Now, I thought of
another time when we read about this. Turn to Galatians chapter
1. This is also similar to the way the apostle Paul received
the gospel and learned the gospel. In Galatians chapter 1, look
at verse 11. But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which
was preached of me is not after man. I neither received it of
man, neither was I taught of man, but by the revelation of
Jesus Christ. For you have heard of my conversation
in time past in the Jews' religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted
the church of God and wasted it, and profited in the Jews'
religion above many my equals in my own nation, being exceeding
zealous of the tradition of my fathers. But when it pleased
God, who separated me from my mother's womb and called me by
His grace to reveal His Son in me that I might preach Him among
the heathen. Immediately I conferred not with
flesh and blood, neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which
were apostles before me, but I went into Arabia, the wilderness,
where Moses was, where John was, and returned again to Damascus. Then three years later I went
up to Jerusalem to visit with Peter, and the others. Thanks
be to God that the Lord is calling men like John, like Moses, like
Paul, but thanks be to God the Lord is still calling men today,
men, and teaching them and sending them to preach the gospel of
God's grace unto His church. What a blessing we have! Turn
over to Ephesians chapter 4. When He ascended up on high,
it says here in Ephesians chapter 4, the Lord is still calling
men to preach the gospel, still sending out servants to preach
the gospel who have heard and have learned of Him. In Ephesians
chapter 4, wherefore He says, when He ascended up on high,
He led captivity captive and He gave gifts to men. He gave
some, verse 11, apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, teachers,
for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry,
for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come into
the unity of faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God,
and to a perfect man, a mature man, under the measure of the
stature of the fullness of Christ, that we henceforth be no more
children, tossed to and fro, and carried about by every wind
of doctrine, by the slight of men, and cunning tactiness, whereby
they lie and wait to deceive us, but speaking the truth, speaking
the truth in love." God's servants speak the truth in love, and
they grow up into Him in all things, which is the head, even
Christ. Now, Ephesians chapter 3, look back at verse 7. Paul
said, Wherefore I was made a minister, according to the gift of the
grace of God, given unto me by the effective working of His
power, unto me whom less than the least of all saints is this
grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable
riches of Christ. That's our message. Preaching
Christ. Paul said, I'm determined not
to know anything among you but Jesus Christ and Him crucified.
He pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to call out his
people. Thank God for the man that the Lord has raised up in
the past and in the present. to declare the gospel of the
Lord Jesus Christ. As Paul said, for as much as
in me is, I'm ready to preach the gospel of God unto you, for
the gospel of Christ is the power of God unto salvation to everyone
that believeth. I think of those men in the past
that God has blessed and raised up, not only Moses, not only
Paul, not only the Reformers, but Charles Spurgeon, Roth Barnard,
Henry Mahan. The church of God has been blessed
with his servant, sent of God, taught of God, to declare the
gospel of God in Christ Jesus. Now, back to the text. Luke chapter
3 verse 3. And he came into all the country
about Jordan, round about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance,
and the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. Now, this word here, for, can
be rendered because or concerning. Because or concerning remission
of sins. We must carefully bear in mind
that no repentance can make atonement for sin. Now did you get that? No repentance can make atonement
for sin. The blood of Christ, we sang
a moment ago, nothing but the blood of Christ. Nothing but
the blood of Christ, nothing else can wash away our sin. No
amount of repentance or faith can ever wash away sin. No amount of faith or repentance
can justify the ungodly before God. That is His doing, not ours. The blood of the Lord Jesus Christ,
God's Son, cleanses us from all our Neither baptism, now stay
with me, neither baptism nor repentance nor faith can justify
a guilty sinner before God. Salvation is always because of
Christ, His doing, His blood, His righteousness. All flesh
shall see the salvation of God, of God, justified freely by His
grace through the redemption that is in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth righteousness without
works, saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven.
Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin." Now,
let's look at these three things carefully today. Baptism, repentance,
and remission of sin. Baptism, repentance, and the
remission of sin. Those three things. believers
baptism represent. It's a picture of the death,
burial, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. In baptism,
a believer confesses that in salvation, Christ is all and
in all. Baptism does not wash away our
sin, nor does it give us spiritual life. Believers are baptized
because that's the way God has ordained for us to publicly confess
Christ as all of our hope in salvation. Peter put it this
way, it's an answer of a good conscience before God. It is a scriptural way to confess
Christ and to publicly identify with his death, his burial, and
his resurrection. That is believer's baptism. You remember when The eunuch asked Philip, he said, what does hinder me to be baptized? And Philip said, if thou believest
with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he said, I believe that Jesus
Christ is the Son of God. And he commanded the chariot
to stand still. They went down both into the
water, both Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him. And when
he came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught
away Philip, and the eunuchs saw him no more, but he went
on his way rejoicing in the Lord Jesus Christ." Baptism is how
we confess Christ publicly as all of our salvation. Who is
to be baptized? Believers. Not to be saved, but
because they have been justified in Christ. What is repentance? Repentance is a change of mind,
a change of heart by the sovereign will of God. It's a turning from
sin and self unto Christ. Repentance is a change. It's
a turning. And this is something God does
in us. We call that the conviction of
sin. The work of God the Holy Spirit
in convicting us. And revealing unto us, I want
you to find 1 Thessalonians chapter 1. What is true repentance? Well, we know it's a gift of
God that turns us from self and sin and idols to God. 1 Thessalonians chapter 1 verse
9, For they themselves show of us what manner of entering in
we have unto you, how you turn to God from idols. That's repentance. He turned
to God from idols to serve the living and true God, to wait
for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even
Jesus, the Lord Jesus, who delivered us from the wrath to come. He
delivered us. You see, believers have been
turned. If any man be in Christ, he's
a new creature. Old things are passed away. Behold,
all things become new. Now listen to this carefully.
It's not the wrath of God that causes us to turn. It's His goodness. We read in Romans 2, the goodness
and long-suffering of the Lord leadeth us to repentance. We're
reading the revelation of those men who were tormented in flames. They repented not to give God
the glory. Even their being tormented in
eternal condemnation didn't bring them to a repentant and changed
heart. They repented not to give God
the glory. You see, it's the goodness of
God. that turned our heart toward Him. My people shall be willing
in the day of God's power." Repentance is only granted to the elect
of God, and it produces in them a continual state of repentance
toward God. Now let me show you a couple
of Scriptures. If you'll turn to Acts chapter 5. Acts chapter
5. Repentance, like faith, is a
gift of God. It's a grant. Acts chapter 5 verse 29, Peter and the other
apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than
men. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you slew and hanged
on a tree. Him hath God exalted with his
right hand to be Prince and Savior, for to give repentance to Israel
and forgiveness of sin. So we know that repentance like
faith is not something that happens in here, in our heart, in our
mind, in our soul, naturally. It's the gift of God. Just like
faith, it is a gift of God. True repentance, I want you to
turn here, stay with me now, we're going to look at some Scripture. 2 Timothy chapter 2. True repentance, like true faith,
both love and acknowledge and believe the truth. Now find 2
Timothy chapter 2 verse 25, "...in meekness instructing those that
oppose themselves, if God per venture will give them repentance
to the acknowledging of the truth." A repentant heart acknowledges
and loves the sovereignty of God, His sovereignty in election,
His sovereignty in salvation, how He justifies the ungodly.
Now turn one page to Titus chapter 1. The same thing is true of
faith. Faith is the gift of God. Where you find a repentant heart,
you find a believing heart. It's like a piece of paper. A
piece of paper has two sides. Where you find a repentant heart,
you find a believing heart. And both are sovereign gifts
of God. For by grace are you saved through
faith, and that not of yourself, it is a gift of God, not of work
that any man should boast. Both. True saving faith also
loves the truth of God's Word and the truth of God's Gospel.
Titus 1 verse 1, Paul, a servant of God, an apostle of Jesus Christ,
according to the faith of God's elect, and the acknowledging
of the truth, which is after godliness, in hope of eternal
life, which God, that cannot lie, hath promised before the
world began, but hath in due time manifested his word through
preaching, which is committed unto me according to the commandment
of God our Saviour." So, what is baptism? Water baptism. Immersion. It's a confession of the death,
burial, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. What is true? Repentance. It's acknowledging. It's a turning from self to the
sovereign, almighty God. Now, thirdly, is this. It says
there, preaching the baptism of repentance for or because
according to the remission of sins. The remission of sins means
the freedom from sin, the freedom from the penalty of sin. It's
the forgiveness of sin. How is sin forgiven? How is sin
remitted? With the blood of Christ. He
put away our sin by the sacrifice of Himself. In whom we have redemption
through His blood, the forgiveness of sin according to the riches
of His grace. And we have pardon of sin because Christ paid our
sin debt. We have deliverance from sin,
its penalty, always by the grace of God through the Lord Jesus
Christ and Him crucified. Right? We are redeemed not with
corruptible things of silver and gold, but with the precious
blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. Now I want you to turn to Acts
chapter 2. When Peter preached at Pentecost, and he preached
the lordship of Christ, he preached the determinate counsel of God,
in Christ and Him crucified. He preached the Lordship, the
sovereignty of the Lord Jesus Christ in Acts 2 verse 36. Therefore
let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God had made that
same Jesus whom you crucified, God had made Him both Lord and
Christ. Now when they heard this, when
they heard what? The Gospel. They were pricked
in their heart, That's that converting, convicting of the Holy Spirit.
And Peter said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles,
Men and brethren, what shall we do? And Peter said unto them,
Repent. Now, repentance again is a gift
of God. And be baptized. confessing Christ
as all your hope of salvation, every one of you, and do it in
the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. And this word for here is because
sin had been put away, how? By Christ, by the Lord Jesus
Christ. And you shall receive the gift
or gifts of the Holy Spirit. Now, read on. For the promise
is unto you and to your children, to all them that are far off,
even as many as are called, many as the Lord our God shall call. And with many of the word did
he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourself from this untoward
generation. Then they that gladly received
the word were baptized, and the same day there were added unto
them about three thousand souls, and they continued steadfastly
in the apostle doctrine and fellowship and in breaking bread. Now I
want you to turn to a couple more places. Turn to Acts chapter
13. Here is Paul preaching. Acts chapter 13 verse 38. Acts 13.38, Be it known unto
you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached
unto you the forgiveness of sins. And by him all that believe are
justified from all things which you could not be justified by
the law of Moses. Now turn to Acts chapter 15.
You remember there was a question about circumcision. And some
of the Jews said and insisted that you must keep the law of
Moses in order to be saved. In Acts 15 verse 1, certain men
which came down from Judea and taught their brethren said, except
you be circumcised after the manner of Moses, you cannot be
saved. Peter, after hearing the arguments
of the Pharisees, he stood up and said, verse 9, Look at verse
8. And God which knoweth the hearts,
beareth them witness, giving them the Holy Spirit, even as
he did unto us, and put no difference between us and them, that is
Jew or Gentile, purifying their hearts by faith. Now therefore,
why tempt ye God to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples,
which neither our fathers nor we are able to bear? But we believe,
through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, we shall be saved,
even as others. Now, turn to one more place,
Acts chapter 20. Acts chapter 20. Paul said in verse 20 of Acts
20, I kept back nothing that was possible unto you, but I've
showed you and I've taught you publicly and privately, from
house to house, testifying both to the Jews and also to the Greeks,
repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.
Verse 27 of Acts 20, I have not shunned declaring to you all
the counsel of God. Take heed therefore unto yourselves
of all the flock, over which the Holy Ghost hath made you
overseer, to feed the church of God which he hath purchased
with his own blood. Now sin is never removed or remitted
or taken away by our faith, our repentance or our baptism. Taken
away by Christ. If that were true, If sin were
removed because of something we did, that would make salvation
by our works, not His grace. Both faith and repentance acknowledge
that Christ is all in salvation and that He is received by faith. Faith receives Him who accomplished
all of salvation, and faith is the gift of God. Faith knows
this, in Christ was all the fullness of a Godhead bodily, and in Christ
we stand complete in Him. Now, look back to the text again. John came preaching the baptism
of repentance for, or because, or concerning the remission of
sin. Having looked at everything we just looked at, let us never
diminish, let us never diminish the importance of faith, repentance,
and baptism. Let us never diminish the importance
of it. How about repentance? Is it that
important? Really? Let's see what God says. Turn to Luke chapter 13. You
see, let us never diminish the importance of what
God says about baptism, about faith, and about repentance.
In Acts chapter 13 verse 1, there were present at that season some
that told him of the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled
with their sacrifices. And Jesus answering them, suppose
you that these Galileans were sinners above all Galileans because
they suffered such things? I tell you nay, but except you
repent, except you repent, what does that say? You'll perish.
Or those eighteen upon whom the tower of Siloam fell and slew
them, thinking that they were sinners above all men that dwelt
in Jerusalem, I tell you nay, but except you repent, you'll all likewise perish. Now
how important is that? Repentance. It's vital, isn't
it? It's vital because true repentance
always acknowledges and looks to the Lord Jesus Christ. Same
with faith. Now faith doesn't accomplish
salvation. Repentance doesn't accomplish salvation. But faith
receives salvation. If you'll turn to John chapter
3. The lettuce never diminished
the importance of faith, the importance of repentance. Look
what it says here in John 3 verse 35. The Father love of the Son
has given all things into his hand. He that believeth on the
Son hath everlasting life. You see without faith it is impossible
to please God. Hebrews 11, 6. He that believeth
on the Son hath everlasting life. He that believeth not the Son
shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him. You see,
repentance, it's important, isn't it? Faith, it's important, isn't
it? Baptism, turn over here to Mark
chapter 16. Let us never diminish the importance
of baptism either. It's an ordinance that God has
given unto His church. Baptism is not essential to salvation. Christ is essential to salvation.
Baptism is essential to obedience unto the Lord. Look what it says
here in Mark 16, verse 15, the risen Lord instructs His church,
go into all the world and preach the gospel. Now it just doesn't
say go preach, go preach the gospel. That's the gospel of
God concerning Christ to every creature, he that believeth and
is baptized shall be saved. Now don't tell me you're a believer
and refuse, don't tell me you're a believer and then refuse to
confess the Lord Jesus Christ and believers baptism. That's
just, you're just revealing yourself You're just revealing yourself
and God knows your heart. He that believeth and is baptized
shall be saved. He that believeth not shall be
damned. That's pretty strong language,
isn't it? It's the language of Scripture. Now, both faith and
repentance, I want you to turn first of all to Acts chapter
17 this time. Faith and repentance are both
commands of God. Did you know that? Commands of God. In Acts 17,
this is Paul preaching at Mars Hill, remember? Acts 17, verse 28, and in Him
we live and move and have our being. As certain also of your
own poets have said, for we are also his offspring. For as much
then as we are the offspring of God, we do not think that
the Godhead was likened to gold or silver or stone or grave and
art by man's image. And in times of this ignorance
God winked at, but now commandeth all men everywhere." God commands
all men everywhere to what? Repent. Because he hath appointed
a day in which he will judge the world in righteousness by
that man whom he hath ordained, whereas he hath given assurance
unto all men everywhere that he raised him from the dead."
God commands all men everywhere to repent. You see, both faith
and repentance are commands of God. Now, turn to 1 John chapter
3. We had this in our Bible study
this morning. 1 John chapter 3. Because God commands all men
everywhere to repent, that means you are accountable unto Him.
That means you are responsible unto God Almighty, to His command,
not an option. And faith is also His command. 1 John 3 verse 23, this is His
commandment, that we should believe on the name of this Son, Jesus
Christ, and love one another as He gave commandment. You see,
repentance, His command. Faith, His command. Baptism,
at His command. Now, turn to Luke 24. Luke 24. When we wind up our
study in Luke 24, you remember what the Lord said? Luke 24. Verse 44, These are the words
which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all
things must be fulfilled, which are written in the law of Moses,
in the prophets, and in the Psalms concerning me. Then opened he
their understanding, that they might understand the Scripture,
and said unto them, Thus it is written, thus it behooved Christ
to suffer, to rise from the dead the third day. Now notice, that
repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name.
Without His suffering, His death, and His resurrection, we'd have
nothing to preach. There would be no reason to repent. We would have no remission of
sin. Thank God that Christ came and suffered and died, delivered
from our offenses, raised again for our justification, that we
might preach repentance, turning to God, that we might see in
turning to God a true repentant heart, see that sins are remitted
by the blood of Christ, and that we should preach in his name
among all nations beginning at Jerusalem your witnesses of these
things. So let us never diminish the
importance of faith, repentance, and believer's baptism. Okay.