I'm going to preach to you this
morning on this subject, Four Faithful Sayings, and my text
today is found in 1 Timothy 1, verse 15. Paul said, this is
a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Jesus
Christ came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the
chief. The Apostle Paul uses this same
term, this is a fateful saying. That's the way he started this
verse. This is a fateful saying. And he uses this term four times
in the scriptures. This is a fateful saying. And what he's saying is, this
saying is certain. It's sure. It's dependable. It can be perfectly relied upon
and believed by all men. This is a faithful saying and
worthy of acceptation by all men. Now let's look at these
four statements. The first one is found here in
1 Timothy 1 chapter 15. This is a faithful saying that
Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners of whom I am
the chief. Who is this that came into the
world? Who is this that left the Father's
throne and came into this world? It's Jesus Christ, the Messiah,
the God-Man. Jesus Christ, the Prophet, Priest,
and King of our salvation. Jesus Christ, the only Mediator
between God and men, came into this world. Jesus Christ, wonderful,
Counselor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, and the Prince
of Peace. That's who came. Well, why? Why did he come into this world? Well, he didn't come into this
world to set up an earthly kingdom. He didn't come into this world
to condemn the world. He said the world was already
condemned. He tells us exactly why he came
into this world. In Luke chapter 4, he said, the
spirit of the Lord God is upon me because he has sent me into
the world to preach the gospel to the poor. He has sent me into
the world to heal the brokenhearted. He has sent me into the world
to set the captive free. He has sent me into the world
to comfort all that mourn. For the Son of Man is come to
seek and to save that which was lost. For Christ Jesus also hath
come to suffer for sin. the just for the unjust, that
he might bring us to God. Jesus Christ was put to death
in the flesh, but raised to life by the Holy Spirit. And Peter
declared at Pentecost, Be it known unto you, be it known unto
you all, that by the name of Jesus of Nazareth, whom you crucified,
whom God raised from the dead, that there is none other name
unto heaven given among men whereby we must be saved. This is a fateful
saving and worthy of all acceptation that Jesus Christ came into the
world to save sinners. Now here is the second fateful
saving. In 2 Timothy 2.11 Paul wrote,
this is a fateful saving If we be dead with Christ, we shall
live with Him. If we suffer with Christ, we'll
reign with Him. But if we deny Christ, He will
deny us. What does all this mean? Well,
let me tell you one at a time. If we be dead with Christ, our
Lord Jesus Christ was made sin for us. He bore our sins in His
body on the tree. He was wounded for our transgressions. He was bruised for our iniquities.
But by His stripes we are healed. We are forgiven. We are made
alive in Christ. Never ever to die. Because I
am crucified with Christ. Nevertheless I live. And the
life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of
the Son of God who gave himself for me. If we be dead with Christ,
we live with Christ. If we be dead with Christ, we
live because He lives. This is a faithful saying. If
we suffer with Christ, we reign with Him. But, if we deny Christ,
He also will deny us. You know the people who have
heard this gospel, this glorious gospel of salvation by the grace
of God, the people who are truly saved by this gospel, they love
Christ, they love the Lord Jesus, they believe Him, they trust
Him, they walk with Him daily. The people who love Christ, though,
sometimes are called upon to endure persecution. Sometimes
they're called upon to endure reproach, loss of friends for
the sake of the gospel. And some people have even died
because they believed on Christ. But our Lord, He declared this. He said, be you faithful unto
death and I'll give you the crown of life. But if we recant, if
we disown Christ, if we deny Christ because of the gospel,
If we deny Christ because of the fear of men, if we denied
Christ in order to win the favor of men, if we deny Christ in
order to avoid persecution for the truth, there is no remedy
for apostasy. There is no remedy. If we deny
him, he'll deny us. That's what he said. Matthew
chapter 10 verse 32. Our Lord said, whosoever shall
confess me before men. Him shall I confess before my
Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before
men, him will I deny before my Father. Yes, sir, he that believeth
on the Son hath life. and he that confesseth Christ
shall live for ever." Now here's the third saying, the third faithful
saying. In Titus chapter 3 verse 8, this
is a faithful saying, and these things I will that you constantly
remember affirm that those who believe in God be careful to
walk in godliness and holiness and to maintain good works. Every believer knows we're saved
by grace. Every believer knows that we're
saved by grace through faith. And that's not of yourselves.
Salvation is a gift of God. It's not of works, lest any man
should boast. But the word of God here encourages
all believers to walk in obedience. To walk in obedience to God and
to maintain good works. That's right. This is a faithful
saying. And these things I will that
you constantly remember. Be careful to walk in holiness
and godliness and maintain good works. The Word of God encourages
all believers to walk in obedience to God and to do good works. Listen to Matthew chapter 5.
Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good
works and glorify your Father which is in heaven. You know
and I know a person cannot separate faith and conduct. As a man thinketh
in his heart, so is he. You cannot separate faith and
repentance. You cannot separate belief and
obedience. These words are clear. The fruit
of the Spirit of God is love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness,
goodness, faith, humility, moderation. That's right. You can't separate
faith and conduct. So the Lord tells us here, every
believer to walk in obedience to God and maintain good works. I preached a sermon several years
ago on the subject of love, love and forgiveness. And a person
took my hand at the door and then said this, I just can't
love and forgive like that. What did I answer? I said, well,
perhaps not, but you can try. You can try to love people, you
can try to forgive people, and God will give you the grace.
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Now here's
the fourth and final saying. In 1 Timothy chapter 4 verse
8, this is a faithful saying. Bodily exercise profiteth little,
but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of
the life that now is and that which is to come. Bodily exercise
profiteth little, but godliness is profitable unto all things.
What does that mean? Well, bodily exercise here is
not jogging. It's not physical exercise. It's
not an effort to exercise and lose weight. What Paul is saying
here is this. Bodily exercise, that is outward
actions undertaken for the sake of worship and religion in form
and ceremony is not profitable at all. That's right. The Lord
Jesus Christ said this when he told that story about the Pharisee
and the publican. He said as a Pharisee stood in
the temple, that is a certain place, he said, I thank you God
I'm not like other men. And then he began to tell all
the things that he did in the flesh. I fast twice a week. I give alms to the poor. I tithe
my income. I keep the Sabbath day. I abstain
from certain meats." He put on a show for the benefit of God
and went home condemned. But the publican did not list
any of these bodily exercises. He would not even lift his eyes
to heaven. But he said, be merciful to me,
a sinner." Now friends, bodily exercise and form and ceremony
will not profit us before God, but godliness will. Godliness
is profitable in all things. Godliness, faith, trust, submission. Somebody said this one time,
bowing the head is fine, but a broken heart is necessary. Rituals and ceremony will not
take the place of repentance and faith. Count your many blessings,
name them one by one, but don't count your beads. Our Lord Jesus
Christ said this, and our Lord has many blessings to give to
his people who believe on him, but he said this, listen, come
and I'll give you rest. Just come to me. That's right. Look, look unto me, and be ye
saved. Bodily exercise profiteth nothing. Godliness does. Ask, and it shall
be given you. For he that seeketh, findeth. Seek, and you shall find. And
it shall be open to you. Wait on the Lord, and he will
strengthen your heart. Wait, I say, on the Lord. So bowing the head is fine, but
a broken heart is profitable in all things. And bodily exercise,
all the exercises of religion, will not profit you much, but
bowing before God in faith, hope, and trust will profit plenty. Join us again next Lord's Day
for this program and until then I bid you a very pleasant good
day.