I was sitting there thinking when Brother John B. Flaming was reading the Word
of God. One of my favorite portions of
the Word of God, the seventeenth chapter of John, our Lord's great
high priestly prayer. that John, it's been almost exactly
one-third of a century, thirty-three and a third years ago, that I
sent out from this place here in Ashland a call to all the
people whom we knew in this country who believed in the sovereign
grace of God and invited them to come to Ashland and have a
Bible conference presenting those glorious doctrines of grace. And Brother John and two of his
friends drove from California. Brother Stark, Brother Bierbauer,
and Brother Flaming drove from California and came over here. rejoiced in the gospel of God's
redeeming grace. And that's the same gospel that
I'm preaching today, a third of a century later. And by God's
providence, here John is camped to enjoy and rejoice in that
gospel with us. Oh, how marvelous is the good
providence of our Lord. You see, my friends, I have no
new gospel to preach. Somebody said last week in the
Bible conference, here Brother Mahan, who's been preaching this
gospel for thirty-seven years, and he's preaching it again tonight,
but I'm content with my gospel. I'm totally content with my gospel. I'm not seeking any new gospel.
You see, my gospel is the gospel of God. To whom shall I go? It's his gospel. It originated with him. It's
of the Lord, not only its origination, but it's of the Lord in its execution. It pleased God to bruise him.
It's of the Lord in its application. It's God that saved the sinner.
Salvation's of the Lord. It's of the Lord in its sustaining
power. We're kept with the power of
God. It's of the Lord in its ultimate perfection. So my gospel
is the gospel of God. I need no better foundation,
I just need more faith in Him who is the foundation. This gospel that I preach is
the gospel of God's free grace. It's not only God's gospel, but
it's the gospel of His free grace. I don't need another gospel,
I just need more of that grace. I don't need a better covenant.
I need more confidence in that covenant, his covenant. That's
what I need. That's what you need. You don't
need a better gospel. There is no better gospel than
the gospel of God. You don't need a better foundation.
You don't need a better covenant. You need more faith, grace, and
confidence in him who is the chief cornerstone. Is that not
right? And this gospel that I preach
is the gospel concerning his son. That's what this message
is all about tonight. I don't need another righteousness.
The one that Christ perfected is quite sufficient. I just need
to rest in that righteousness. Now that's what I need. I need
to rest in that righteousness. There's no better righteousness.
There's no better robe. I just need to wear it and rest
in it. That's right. That's right. This gospel is concerning His
Son. I don't need I don't need another
way, I need more help along the way. Christ is the way. Christ is the way, not a way,
the way. He is the truth and the life. And my question tonight is this.
This is my question. And I believe this message is
of vital, vital importance, and I wish that you'd hear it tonight,
and I wish you'd get a tape from Ronnie and hear it again. Because
I'm going to express some things that I feel quite deeply. And
by God's grace, I've proven. I've proven. My question tonight
is, what think ye of Christ? I appreciate this billboard out
here, and I appreciate my son Paul's diligence in putting powerful
scriptures out there. And Saturday morning, I didn't
have my message for tonight. I went downtown and I drove back,
and that just jumped out at me as I passed the church. What
think ye of Christ? What think ye of Christ? And
as I went on down 13th Street, I said in my heart and mind,
that's it. That's the whole thing. What do you think of Christ?
Now, this question has to do with thoughts. I'm not talking
about your denominational ties. I'm not talking about your theological
position. I'm not talking about your family
tradition, now. I'm talking about your thoughts.
Your private, personal, individual thoughts. That's what I'm talking
about. What think ye. Not what profess ye. What think
ye. What really think ye. Think ye. As a man thinketh in his heart,
so is he. as he thinks in his heart. What
do you think? Really, sincerely think. And
you know this question not only involves your thoughts, it involves,
this question has to do with you. What do you think? Not what
did your mama think. That's got nothing much to do
with it. This question has to do with your thoughts. And it's
not, well, I've got Dr. Gill's commentary, that's not
the matter right now. But I got Spurgeon's works. It's
not what did Spurgeon think, it's what do you think? See what
I'm saying? What do you think? Well, I've
read all the writers. I'll have you know that I've
been to school. It's not what your professors thought. I'm
not asking that at all. I'm saying this question has
to do with thoughts. Secret, personal intent of the
heart. What do you think? What do you think? of Jesus Christ. That's the question. I'll tell
you this. You get a hold of this. I got a star by this. A man's
salvation, a man's redemption, a man's relationship with Almighty
God, a man's future, his eternal well-being depends on what he
thinks of Jesus Christ. Did you know that? I'm telling
you the truth. A man's salvation, his eternal
well-being, his relationship with God depends on the relationship
he has with Jesus Christ, what he thinks of Jesus Christ. Did
you know that? That's right. What think ye of
Christ? He that seeth the Son, and believeth
on him, hath eternal life, and shall never come into condemnation.
He that believeth not the Son, the wrath of God abideth on him.
If any man love not our Lord Jesus Christ, let him be anathema,
accursed. The Lord's coming. That's right.
Now stay with me. And what I'm asking now, this
is so important. Thoughts. Not tradition, not
theology, not your catechism or creed. I'm saying your thoughts,
your personal, your thoughts. What think you of Jesus Christ? Not of me. Not of his messenger. Well, I think preachers are no
good. I agree with you. Most of them aren't. But I'm
not asking you what you think of preachers. Well, I could never
be a Baptist. I couldn't be the kind most of
them are either. I don't have any use for 99%
of the Baptists in this world. They're a shame to the name.
But that's not the question. I'm asking you your thoughts
about Jesus Christ. He's the issue. And I'll tell
you this, your salvation, your redemption, your relationship
with God, he that honors the Son, my Father will honor him.
That's right. No man cometh to the Father but
by me, Christ. Your salvation depends on what
you think of Jesus Christ. And let me tell you this, what
you think of Jesus Christ Your thoughts about Christ depends
on your understanding of who Christ is. Now come on, I'm getting
to it now. Your salvation depends on what
you think of the Christ, the Christ, the Lord Jesus, the one
whom God sent. He said eternal life is to know
thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent,
not the one who's preached, the one God sent. Not the one the
world celebrates his birthday next month, that's not the one.
I don't care what you think of him. He's a phony. I'm talking about the one God
sent, the Jesus God sent. Do you know that's always clarified
in the Scripture? That they might know thee and
Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent. There are other people named
Jesus, but there's one the Father sent. And your thoughts of him
depend on your view of him, depends on your understanding of him.
One time he said to his disciples, he said, whom do men say that
I am? Well, they said, some say you're John the Baptist, some
say you're a great prophet, some say you're Elijah, some say you're
this, that, and the other, but whom do you say that I am? Oh,
thou art the Christ, thou art the Son of the living God, and
we believe and are sure the fire of the Son of the living God.
Oh, he said, blessed are you. Blessed are you. Flesh and blood
didn't reveal that to you. My Father revealed that to you.
Blessed are your eyes, you see. You have an understanding. You
have a view of Christ. Blessed are your eyes, you see.
Blessed are your ears, you've heard. Not the wranglings of
men, but you've heard the voice of God. And you have a saving
view of Christ. You with me? A man's relationship
with the Father, his salvation, depends upon what he thinks of
Jesus Christ. What he thinks of Jesus Christ
depends on his view of Christ, his understanding of Christ,
and thirdly, his view of Christ. And his understanding of the
person and work of Christ depends on what he's heard about Christ. That's right. What he's heard. You know why people have a warped
view of the ministry of Christ and the person of Christ and
the work of Christ? Because they've heard a warped
Christ preached, a perverted Christ. It depends on what you've
heard, depends on what you've learned, depends on what you've
been taught. Turn to John 6, and I'll show you that. In John
chapter 6. Now, come on. I'll show it. Are
you with me? Do you know what I've said? This
is heavy. But it's true, a man's relationship
with the Father, with God, depends on his thoughts of Christ. And his thoughts of Christ depend
upon his understanding of Christ, his view of Christ, and his view
of Christ depends on what he's heard. Faith comes by hearing. It's the ear games. Because he's
not going to send you any visions. You're going to hear it. Now
listen to John 6, verse 41. The Jews. These are religious
folks. These are intelligent people.
These are religious leaders. These are folks that went to
seminary, a few other places, got tradition. The Jews murmured
at him because he said, I'm the bread that came down from heaven.
And they said, is not this Jesus? Now they've got a view and an
understanding of him. Let's see what it is. See what
their view is of Jesus. The son of Joseph? Oh, whose
mother and father we know? How is it then that he says,
I came down from heaven? Who does he think he is? See
their view, their understanding of Jesus? And our Lord therefore
answered and said to them, murmur not among yourselves. Don't murmur
about me and my claims and my gospel. Murmur not among yourselves. There's a lot of murmuring. Murmuring. We can get up and preach the
sovereignty of Christ, the elective grace of Christ, the efficacious
death of Christ, the atonement of Christ, and there's murmuring.
Christ the bread, Christ the water, Christ the life, and there's
murmuring. You say, don't murmur. Murmur,
murmur, murmur. That's what folks do. Murmur.
Don't know anything, but you sure can murmur. You say, don't
murmur among yourselves. No man can come to me. Me, the
Saving, the Savior, the Redeemer. No man can come, can believe,
can receive, can come to Me, except the Father, which hath
sent Me. Draw Him. Gotta draw Him out
of darkness. Draw Him out of darkness. Draw
Him out of ignorance. Except the Father, draw Him.
And I'll raise Him up on that day of eternal glory. And I'll bring Him out of the
grave. It's written in the prophets, this is not a new declaration,
this is an old declaration. It's written in the Old Testament,
and they shall all, they shall be all taught of God. You've
got to be taught to know who Christ is. If you have a saving view of
Christ, if you have an intelligent, spiritually intelligent understanding
of Christ, you've got to be taught. Did you know that? taught of
God. That's right. These folks murmuring
over here and say, well, he's just the son of Joseph, he's
just a great healer, he's just a great preacher. They've been
taught by somebody else, not by God. And most of my religious
generation have been taught too, but not by God. Not by God, you
see. For he said, every man that hath
heard and hath learned of the Father, You come to me. You come to me. Turn to John
16. Let me show you that again. John
16. This is the problem. My generation's trying to figure
out God in their own wisdom. Natural wisdom. And the riches
of God's purpose and providence can't be found out by natural
wisdom. It's higher than heaven. What
can you know? It's deeper than hell. What can you know? His
judgment's a past finding out there. It has to be revealed.
It has to be revealed. And he said in John 16, verse
13, "'Howbeit when He, the Spirit of truth, is coming, He'll guide
you into all truth. For He shall not speak of Himself,
but whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak. And He'll
show you things to come. He'll glorify Me. The Holy Ghost
will glorify me, he'll receive of mine, and he'll show it to
you. That's the only way you can find out who Christ is, for
the Holy Ghost to show you who he is. The Father's got to teach
you, the Holy Spirit's got to show you. All things that the
Father hath are mine, therefore I've said to you, he'll take
of mine, and he'll show it to you. He'll show it to you. A man's salvation depends on
his thoughts of Christ. Who is he? What did he do? Why did he do it? Where is he
now? Where did he come from? Who sent
him? What was his work all about?
Is he the Passover? Is he the smitten rock? Is he
the high priest? Is he Melchizedek? Is he the
promised seed? Is he the son of death? Who is
this man Jesus Christ? What do you know about him? Well,
your thoughts about Christ will determine your relationship with
God, and your thoughts about Christ depend on your view of
Christ. Have you seen Him? Have you seen Him? Have you seen
Him? He that seeth the Son hath everlasting
life. But the only way you can see
Him is for the Spirit of God with the Word of God to reveal
Christ to you. Christ to the Bible. Now, here's
Paul's fear. Turn to 2 Corinthians 11. Here's
Paul's fear, and this is my fear, and this is what troubles me
so. This is what troubles me so. If men hear of another Jesus,
another gospel, and another spirit, there's no way they can think
rightly of Christ. In order for your relationship
with God to be real and genuine, your saving relationship, It
depends on your thoughts of Christ, your personal, inward thoughts
of Christ. They've got to be Christ-glorifying.
They've got to be God-glorifying. They've got to be true to the
Word. It's got to be the Christ of God sent, the Christ of the
Bible. Is that not right, Cecil? Your thoughts of Christ. And
you can't think rightly of Christ if you haven't had a God-given
view of Christ. If you haven't seen Him, I'm
not talking about with these eyes, I'm not talking about...
That's the worst thing that could happen to you. I'm talking about
seeing Him in the Word, seeing Him in the covenant, seeing Him
in the fulfillment of His suretyship, seeing Him as the mediator, seeing
Him in His glory, power. And the only way you're going
to see Christ is for God to teach you through His Word. That's
right. And Paul says, here's what scares
me about this preaching business. In 2 Corinthians 11, 1, with
the God, he said, with the God, you could bear with me a little
in my folly. Indeed, put up with me, bear
with me, do bear with me. Paul said, I'm just an earthen
vessel, I'm just a human being. But God put me in the ministry
and God sent me to you with the message of His grace. For I'm
jealous over you, I'm jealous with a godly jealousy. I have
espoused you to one husband that I may present you as a chaste
virgin to Christ, with pure love for him and a pure devotion to
him, not enamored with the works of the
flesh and the deeds of the law and robbing him of his glory,
but with a pure love for Christ. For," he said, "'I fear I am
greatly concerned, lest by any means, as the serpent in his
subtlety through his subtlety and his craftiness, beguiled
Eve, deceived her, led her astray, told her a lie, that your mind
should be corrupted from that singleness and simplicity that's
in Christ. Everything's in Christ. It's
the singleness and simplicity of Christ, and directness of
Christ, and fullness of Christ. Your mind must not be directed
away from that. Why? If he that cometh, and they
do come, they come in droves. They come covetous, seeking their
own way, and seeking their own gain, and seeking their own glory. They come preaching another Jesus. They use the word Jesus. They
use the word Son of God, Son of Man. They use the word Savior. It's another Jesus. It's another
Jesus, whom we have not preached. Or you receive another Spirit,
or they talk about the Holy Spirit, and you get the Holy Spirit,
you're baptized by the Holy Spirit, and you jump up and down, you
speak in tongues, and you wave your arms, and you do all these
things. The Holy Ghost gives you enthusiasm and excitement
and emotionalism. But the Holy Ghost our Lord talked
about over here doesn't glorify himself, he glorifies Christ.
He doesn't call attention to himself, but to Christ. He doesn't
call attention to his gifts, he calls attention to the glory
of Christ. He'll glorify me. Another spirit, which you've
not received, and another gospel. Another gospel. It's not the
gospel. He said, you might well bear
with me. That's what that word hymn in italics is meant. Oh, I'm trusting Jesus. My question
is, which Jesus are you trusting? That's the question. Or think
ye of the Christ? Or think ye of God's Christ?
You see, my friends, and this is what a lot of people right
now are having some problems with. You mean I wasn't saved back
there when I came down the aisle, and it doesn't matter what kind
of preacher it is, just so a fellow accepted Jesus. I'm saying, which
Jesus did you accept? The question's not when were
you saved, it's by whom were you saved. That's the question.
That's the question. The question's not when were
you saved, the question is by whom. The question is not do
you believe, it's whom do you believe. That's the question. What think you of Christ? Who
is He? Who is your Savior? They said
to David, where's your God? That's a good question. He said,
our God's in the heavens. That's where our God is. What's
He like? He hath done whatsoever He pleased.
You tell me about your Jesus. Is He the helpless one? Is He
the defeated one? Is He the frustrated one? Is
He the one that wants to and can't? Is He the one standing
outside that door trying to get in and none of us will let Him
in? Is that your Jesus? It's not this one. When he got
ready to bring the walls of Jericho down, he brought them down. He
didn't even knock. The question is not, do you have
a reason for the hope? The question is, is it a valid
reason? See that, Ronnie? That's what
I'm asking. The Bible, we quote it out to be able to give a reason
for the hope in you. All right, give me your reason.
Is it a valid reason? Is it one God or me? Is it one
God, like Sarah? It's not enough just to have
a reason. Is it valid? Will God accept it? I'll tell
you this. I'll tell you this. Everybody
sitting here, me included, you tell me. You tell me what you
truly think of Jesus Christ. What you truly think of Jesus
Christ. And I'll tell you. And I'll tell you what you think
of the character of God. I will. I'm no genius by any
means. I can't look into people's minds.
I can't tell you who your doctor is, because Darcy ain't on the
line yet. But if you'll tell me what you
truly think of Christ, I'll tell you what you think of the character
of God. And I'll tell you, secondly,
what you think of the condition of sinners by nature. And I'll
tell you, thirdly, what you think of salvation by grace or works,
if you tell me what you think of Jesus Christ. You tell me
right now what you think of Jesus Christ. You say, he's the issue. What do I think of Christ? Now, stay with me. I'm telling
you the truth. You may not like it, or everybody
may not like it, but it's so anyway. You tell me what you
think of Christ, and I'll tell you your opinion of the character
of God. You see, because Jesus Christ,
Jesus Christ is the revelation of the Father. He said, no man
has seen the Father, save the Son, he to whom the Son will
reveal. And if you tell me about your Jesus, I'll tell you about
your God. I'll tell you about your Jesus,
his Father. And I'll tell you about my Christ. I'll tell you about the one,
what I think of Christ. Number one, in Christ, Jesus. I see God's eternal, unchangeable,
infinite love revealed. I see in Jesus Christ God's deliberate,
eternal covenant and purpose fulfilled. I see in Jesus Christ
God's grace to sinners bodily presented. Emmanuel, God with
us. God so loved that he gave. When
I see Jesus Christ, Mike, I see the love and mercy and grace
of God embodied in human flesh. That's right. My God loved me. I didn't love Him. I didn't go
to heaven and bring Christ down. He sent Christ down on purpose,
fulfilling a covenant. That Christ is the surety and
ransom and redeemer of that blessed covenant, and it shall be fulfilled. He cannot fail. That's what I
think of God. That's my God. You can tell who
my God is by who my Christ is. Secondly, I see in Jesus Christ
God's sovereignty. God's purpose, God's eternal
will is revealed in Christ Jesus. Jesus Christ is the surety of
an everlasting covenant. God said, my purpose shall be
accomplished. I've spoken, I'll do it. I've
purposed it, I'll bring it to pass. Mine elect in whom my soul
delighteth, he shall not fail nor be discouraged. Turn to Isaiah
53. Isaiah 53. Listen to this. I
see my God when I see my Christ. And it's the only way I can see
God. It's the only revelation I have of God. What's God like?
Christ. What does God do? What Christ did. What does God
say? What Christ said. You tell me
about your Jesus and I'll tell you about your God. Look at Isaiah
53. Now you're familiar with verse
4 through 5. Surely he hath borne our griefs
and carried our sorrows. But look at verse 10. It pleased
the Lord to bruise him. He hath put him to grief. When
thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin. Who did all this? Well,
wicked men with wicked hands nailed Christ to the cross. They
did what God determined before to be done. My Lord said, no
man takes my life from me, I lay it down. Peter drew his sword
to defend Christ. He said, put up your sword. Why,
he said, I could call from heaven and a legion of angels would
come down here right now. He walked towards that gothic
hill, bearing his own cross, and as they wept and lamented,
he turned and said, don't weep for me, weep for yourself and
for your children. My Lord's death was not an accident,
it was a deliberate carrying out of the Father's eternal will.
The appointed Savior dying the appointed death at the appointed
hour for the appointed people fulfilling the appointed prophecies. Tell me about your Jesus. And
if he's a weakling, your God's a weakling. And if he's a failure,
your God's a failure. And if he can't do what he set
out to do, your God can't do what he set out to do. Show me
your Christ, and I'll show you your God. It's exactly right. Read on. He shall see his seed,
he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall
prosper in his hand. And if it would not prosper,
the Lord wouldn't have put it there. That's right. The Father give it all things
into the hands of the Son, because he'll accomplish it. That's my
Christ. That's what I think of Christ.
the conquering Christ, the victorious Christ, the willing Christ, the
successful Christ. Fourthly, or thirdly, God's righteousness
and holiness is revealed in Christ. Jesus Christ came down to this
world. He didn't become a man by accident. He became a man by design. You
see, the law of God, the holy Unchangeable, perfect law of
God was binding on us. And in order to redeem us, our
representative had to do all that the law required of us.
Acting in the flesh as a man. And he became a man. God became
a man. God to satisfy man to suffer. And he was subject to every jot
and tittle of God's perfect holy law, and for thirty-three and
a half years, our Lord fulfilled perfectly his God's holy law. He did it on purpose. And he
went to that tree and he died on purpose. And when I see Christ
as a man, thirsting, hungering, sweating, weary, earning his
bread by the sweat of his brow, tested, tempted in all points. I don't become angry with God
who subjected his son to this misery. The man of Saul was acquainted
with grief. I seek God's holiness. I seek
God's righteousness. I see that my God cannot be righteous
and holy unless toward me and redeem me unless my substitute
does what Christ is doing. It raises God in my esteem to
see Christ suffer. You see what I'm saying? God
spared not His own. When I see Him hanging on that
tree, I see the holiness of God. I
see the justice of God. God must be just if He's going
to be justifier. I see that when we stand in the
last days and God sends men to condemnation, they're going to
get justice. See what I'm saying? Justice.
When God takes his children into his kingdom, they're getting
justice too. Because Christ fulfilled justice
on their behalf. And God can bring them into his
kingdom justly and righteously because they don't owe anything.
Their debt's been paid. You see what I'm saying? Tell
me about your Christ. I'll tell you about your God.
I tell you about your God. I tell you about what you believe
about the condition of man. You see, Christ paid it all,
all the debt I owed. I don't make a contribution to
what Christ did because I'm not able. I don't have anything to
contribute. In my hands no price I bring,
except for the cross of Christ I cling. Let me tell you this.
It was because of our inability that Christ had to come. It was
because of our insufficiency that God had to send such a great
gift, such an unspeakable gift as His Son. It's because of our
absolute inability that Christ had to fulfill and suffer and
die all that was required of God. Our inability. So when I
see Christ, I see the love of God. I see the sovereignty of
God. I see the purpose of God. I see
the holiness of God. I see the righteousness of God.
I see the truth of God. I see the inability of man. He
did it. I couldn't do it. He did it all.
I couldn't. He and his sovereign insufficiency
fulfilled it. And I'll tell you this. God's
justice and truth in Jesus Christ, in God's wisdom and power is
revealed in Christ, in God's acceptance. of Christ is his
acceptance of us. You see, when our scapegoat went
to the grave and lay there and they rolled the rock, it's all
open. The life is over and the death
is over. And he's in the grave. On the
third day, first day of the week, the angels of God came down,
rolled away the stone, and our Lord came out of the grave. You
know what that says? It says the Father is satisfied Justice
is honored, the law is satisfied, and God has accepted all believers
in Christ. That's right. When He accepted
Christ, He accepted us. When He accepted His work, He
accepted it as our work. He accepted His righteousness,
He accepted it as our righteousness. When He accepted His sin offering,
He accepted it as our sin offering. And it's finished. Now then,
let me tell you this. You listen to this. So it's not
the doctrines of grace that men are rejecting, it's the Christ
of grace. That's what it is. You say, I
just don't care for the doctrines of grace. No, that's not your
problem. And you who are listening to this tape later on, your problem
is the Christ of grace. Because the doctrines don't mean
a thing apart from the person. In fact, there is no doctrine
apart from the person. Our gospel is not the doctrine,
it's the doctrine of Christ. So I'm telling you, if the Christ
of free grace is seen, the rest is easy. If you ever see God's
holiness, God's requirements, and man's insufficiency and inability,
and you see the Christ of free grace and the free gift of Christ,
the doctrine's easy. And I'll tell you something else.
It's not the doctrine of imputed righteousness that men hate.
That's not it. I hear them saying the imputed
nonsense, imputed righteousness. That's not it. You know what
it is? It's the Christ of righteousness they hate. You can't hate a doctrine. A doctrine can't touch you. A
doctrine, the word is more or less a theory, or a statement,
or a writing. But it's not the doctrine of
imputed righteousness men hate. It's the Christ of imputed righteousness.
That's exactly right. Once it is admitted, once it
is admitted that God's holy, perfect, immaculate law is binding
on this sinner, and without a complete fulfillment of that law, this
sinner can have no relationship with that God. And so Christ
came and did what this sinner can't do. He fulfilled that law
and gave to his Father that perfect obedience. God can accept me
clothed in His righteousness, that's imputed righteousness.
Who did it? The doctrine didn't do it, the
Christ did it. That's right. It's not the doctrine of limited
atonement and being hated. That's not it. You can't hate
a doctrine. You can hate a person that believes
in it, but you can't hate a doctrine. The doctrine's intangible. What
do you hate? Where is it? You hate that Christ
of the atonement. That's what men hate. They don't
hate the doctrine. They hate the Christ of effectual substitution. That's exactly the point. Did
he die? Yes, he died. Did he put away sin? Put it away? Come on now. Did he put it away?
Well, no really he didn't. There's some people for whom
he died that he didn't put away their sin because they've got
to meet him at the judgment and pay for him in hell. Then he
failed. So the Christ is the one you've got the problem with.
Did he die? Did he pay the debt? Then I don't
owe it, do I? Oh yeah, you still owe it. Then
he didn't pay it, did he? You're confused. Because your
Jesus is confused. That's right. Did he die? Yes,
he died. Did He put away sin? Yes, He
put away sin. Did He pay the debt? Yes, He
paid the debt. Did He redeem our souls? Yes,
He redeemed our souls. That's my Christ. That's my Christ. And that's a revelation of my
God. Can God pay me twice? Payment God's justice twice to
man? Once at the bleeding shirt, his
hand, then again at mine? Not the God of justice and righteousness. Can't do it. So it's not an atonement. People needn't give me that.
It's not the doctrine of limited or particular redemption. It's
the Christ of redemption. They're not going to let Him
be the full, free, abundant Savior. They're not going to do it. And
then last of all, It's not the doctrinal election that men despise.
That's not it. It's the crown rights of King
Jesus. Does He have the right to do
with His own what He will? That's your problem. If anybody's
wandered in here who does not believe in the electing grace
of God, it's not election you hate. It's the right of Christ
to save whom He will. That's where it is, Paul. They
hate the king. Can I not do with my own what
I will? John, you know what he said? Can I not do with my own? Is he God? Does he have a right
to show mercy to whom he will? That's what he said to Moses,
says, show me your glory. He said, all right, I'll cause
all my goodness to pass before you. I'll be gracious. And what
a wonder that he should be gracious. What amazing grace it is. What
astounding, unexplainable mercy it is that God should be gracious
to anybody! But, he said, I'll be gracious
to whom I will, and I'll show mercy on whom I will. Can I not
do with my own what I will? Is God a man? Does He have the
right to show mercy? Does the Son quicken whom He
will? Our Lord said that, by the flaming red that thou hast
given to me power over all flesh, that I should give eternal life.
to as many as thou hast given me. I tell you, we're on the
solid foundation here, and we're dealing with essential matters. Tell me about your Christ, and
I'll tell you about your God. Tell me about your Christ, and
I'll tell you about the condition of the sinner. Tell me about
your Christ, and I'll tell you whether or not you're trusting
His grace or your works for salvation. Have you seen Christ? What do
you think of Him? I mean the Christ of God. Have
you seen Him? What do you think of Him? What do you think of
Him? What do you think of Him tonight?
I'm talking about the sovereign, electing, redeeming, sufficient
Christ. What do you think of Him? Well,
Abraham saw Him, Abraham saw Him and took His most treasured
possession at the command of that God. And would it flew Him? Moses saw him, and Moses walked
away from the rank and honor and greatness and power and treasures
of Egypt and went out in the desert for forty years. Job saw
him, and under the heaviest burden of persecution by his friends
and desertion by his family and attacks by the archenemy of hell,
in the weakest voice He cried out, though he slay me, I'll
trust him. Isaiah saw him, and he said when
he saw his glory, he spake of him. By his stripes I am healed. Simeon saw him and took him up
in his arms and lifted his eyes to heaven and said, I'll die
now, thank you, Lord. I've seen thy salvation. Thomas saw him and fell at his
feet. and cried, My Lord and my God."
And I want to read you something in closing from Revelation 1.
John saw him. John saw him. If you'll turn
over to Revelation 1, John saw him. He said in verse 10 of Revelation
1, I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and I heard behind me a great
voice as of a trumpet. saying, I am Alpha and Omega. I am the first and the last.
And what thou seest, write in a book and send it to the seven
churches which are in Asia, Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, Taratara, Sardis,
Philadelphia, and Laodicea. And I turned to see the voice
that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven
golden candlesticks." That's those seven churches he's just
named. And in the midst of those seven churches, one likened to
the Son of Man. He didn't see the crown of thorn,
but he knew the brow. He didn't see the nail, but he
knew the hands. He touched them, handled them.
One like to the Son of Man. And he was clothed with a garment
down to the foot. That's the robe of the priest
and the king, who wore the robe all the way down to his feet.
He was clothed in his kingly robes, in his priestly robes,
and girded about the paps with a girdle of gold, signifying
majesty, strength, and glory. Brother man, you know how they
picture him. Yeah, I know how they picture
him, and I know how John saw him, too. Yeah, I know what the average
person thinks when they say they see Jesus. Not this one. And he says here, his head and
his hairs were white like wool. That signifies purity. You know,
Song of Solomon, Bob, she said his hair was black and bushy.
But to her, that was his youth and strength. But here John sees
him in his eternality, in his wisdom. And in his purity, his
hair white as snow, white as wool, the ancient of days, and
his eyes was a flame of fire, he sees all. He sees the heart,
he sees the intent, he sees the motive. Those burning, fiery,
piercing eyes can pierce right into the very secret, innermost,
dark chambers of a man's soul. He sees, he knows. This ain't that little weak feminine
Jesus I hear preached today. This is the King, girded about
the paps with a golden girdle, and his kingly robes, and those
piercing eyes of flame of fire, and his feet like fine brass. Strength for his church and judgment
for his enemies. He'll walk all over you. Fine
brass is burned in a furnace. And his voice! I hear people
talk about that still, small voice. All right. But let me
tell you this. I heard one with a voice like
a trumpet, John said. And the sound of Niagara Falls. Wonder how far you can hear that
fall. Many waters. His voice is heard. There's not
any language in which his voice is not heard. Boy, it's as many
waters. And as you heard his right hand,
seven stars. Those are his ministers. That's
his ministers. Not these fellows that enter
the ministry. It's the ones he put in the ministry. Not these fellows that go to
school to study to be a preacher. It's these folks that are taught
in the school of the Holy Ghost to present the gospel. He had
them in his hand. Most preachers today are in the
hands of the associational missionary. Or they're in the hands of the
district superintendent. Or they're in the hands of a
board of deacons. Or they're in the hands of the woman's missionary
society, scared to death of some skirt. Or they're in the hands
of covetousness. But he said, my seven ministers
in my hands. That's right. Talk about a sovereign
Christ now. And he had in his right hand
seven stars, and out of his mouth was a sharp two-edged sword.
That sword is the word of God. It's the gospel to heal. And
it's also God's quickening word of judgment. It cuts both ways. That's right. If he's not the
Savior of life unto life, he'll be death unto death. We're not
playing games. Everybody sits around and argues
about the Bible. They're fools. That's what they are. But you're
arguing fools. This gospel is nothing to be
argued about. It's to be bowed to and believed and received
and loved. That's right. God cuts you off
with the other side of that sword. That's right. It has a healing
side and it has a judging sign, and His countenance as the sun
in its strength. You talk about power. You ever
looked at the sun? Oh, well, you can look at the
sun. This sun is for your eyes to be anointed with the eye salve
of grace so you can see Him. He's so glorious and magnificent
and wonderful, a natural man can't see Him. Put his eyes out. No man looked on God and lived.
When a man's eyes have been anointed with the grace of God and the
eyesalve of grace, he can look at the Son in His full strength,
the countenance of His Lord, because he has a heart that's
tuned to Him. He's willing for Him to be Lord.
He's willing for Him to reign. He's willing for Him to have
the crown right. He's willing for Him to do with
His own what He will. He can look unto the very glory
of Christ and not back off, because He's honest. These religious
hypocrites have a twisted vision. Can't look at him. Just like
your little kid can't look at you when he's done something
wrong. He comes around like this, you know, he'll glance up there
once in a while. But when that innocent heart can look in the
full glory of a parental stare, I ain't done nothing. You're
boss. That's right. And you can look
at his glory when he's boss. Do with me what you will, but
be merciful." That leper that came to him said, Lord, if you
will, you can make me clean. He could look him right in the
eye. If you will, you can make me clean. Bet your Nicodemus
couldn't look him in the eye. He had other fish to fry. And
when I saw him, I shook hands with him, and I said, I'm on
your side. I'll be a friend to Jesus." But
when I saw him, John said, in all of this glory, I fell at
his feet as dead. Have you seen him? Well, thank
you, Christ. That's right. I fell at his feet as a dead
man. But think ye of Christ. But think ye of Christ. Not what you think of my doctrine,
it's what you think of Christ. And your relationship with the
Holy God is going to completely ride on, depend upon, rest upon
what you think of Christ. And I'll tell you, what you think
of Christ depends on your view. Did you have John's view? He
said, I saw him. I heard his voice. He wasn't shifting around hoping
somebody would let him in a door. Man, the glory of it, the glory
of it, the majesty of it, the glory of it. But I tell you,
and I feel sorry for this generation, because a man's view of Christ
depends on what he's heard and what he's learned. In my generation,
like I grew up this way, I never heard nothing. The Jesus I heard
preached, I felt so sorry for him. Didn't you? Couldn't worship him. This is the Christ of the Bible.
I'll tell you, our eternal redemption and salvation is in somebody's
hands, not mine. And I sure want them to be strong
hands, don't you? I want them to be invincible
hands. hands that cannot be defeated.
And he said, No man is going to pluck them out of my hand.
My Father which gave them is greater than all. No man will
pluck them out of my Father's hand. My hope is built on nothing
less than Jesus' blood and righteousness. I dare not trust the sweetest
flame. I wholly lean on Jesus' name. Spend the evening and the
week Considering this question, what
do you think of Christ?