Now according to the book of
Acts chapter 11 verse 26, it says that the disciples or
believers were first called Christians at Antioch. Do you see that?
Acts 11 verse 26. At Antioch, that's the first
time that the disciples were called Christians. That's a common
name today all over the world. We talk about Christian, Christians,
Christians. We've even taken it a little
further. We've got Christian television. The disciples were called Christians.
We've got Christian schools. We've got Christian churches. Prior to the time they were called
Christians, what were they called? We talk about salvation and following
Christ. What was it called prior to Antioch? They were called Christians first
at Antioch. Do you know what this life of
faith was referred to prior to Antioch when they were called
Christians? It was called the Way. W-A-Y. The Way. That Way. Or This Way. Let me show you that. Turn back
to Acts 9. Acts chapter 9 is called The
Way. Acts 9, 1 and 2. It is called This Way. In Acts 9, 1, And Saul, yet breathing
out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples, the followers
of the Lord, went unto the high priest, and desired of him letters
to Damascus, to the synagogues, that if he found any Christians,
no, that if he found any of this Way, The way these people believed,
the way they walked, the way they talked, the way they lived
was a totally different way from everybody else. If he found any
of this way, whether they were men or women, of this way, that
he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem. Turn to Acts 19, a
couple of other places, it refers to this way. in verse 9 of Acts
19. Now look at this. But when divers
were hardened and believed not, but spake evil of that way, they
spake evil of that way. Same thing Saul was talking about
if he found any of this way, of this way. Look at verse 23
of that same chapter. And the same time there arose
no small stir about that way. the way they worship God. You
know, Paul said, after the way they call heresy, that's how
I worship God. That way. That way. Here's another one, Acts 22.
Acts 22, verse 4. And Saul is giving his testimony,
and he said, I persecuted this way unto death. This way. Brother May, why are you making
so much about that? Well, this way. is more than
a profession of religion. This way is more than a doctrinal
system. This way is more than an emotional
experience. This way is the way of life. It's the way of spiritual life. It's totally opposed, opposite,
to the way of death. It's the way of life. In our
text, he said they pass from death to life. It's a new way.
It's a way of spiritual life. And then it's the way of Christ.
He said, I am the way. We have entered into Christ.
And then it's the way of repentance. Let the wicked forsake his way
and his thoughts. For your ways, God said, are
not my ways. They've entered God's way. You
see that? And it's the way of peace. talking about unbelievers,
says the way of peace they've not known. They know the doctrine,
but not the way. They know religion, but not the
way of peace. It's a way. And then he calls it the way
of righteousness. He said better not to have known
this way of righteousness than to have known it and turned it
down. It's a way. And then he called it the way
into the holiest. He called it the new and living
way. He called it the way they call
heresy, and he called it, I show you a more excellent way. You hear what I'm saying? It's
a way. New direction, new way, new life. And my message this
morning is simply this, that once by the grace of God, a person
has truly entered this way. this new way, this way of life,
this way of peace, this way of righteousness, this way into
the holiest, that he will continue in this way. He will not only
be preserved in this way, but he will persevere in this way. Now let's look at some Scripture,
John chapter 10. This is what our Lord is saying.
This is what our Lord is saying in John chapter 10. He says in
verse 27, My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow
Me a new way. The Lord's not walking the way
of the world, He's walking another way. It's the narrow way. And they follow Me, and I give
them eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any
man pluck them out of My hand. This is what Paul is declaring
in Philippians 1. Turn to Philippians chapter 1.
If you're taking notes, just write it down. If not, turn to
the Scripture. And Paul says this in Philippians
1, verse 6, I'm confident of this very thing, that he which
hath begun a good work in you will perform it. He will finish
it. That's what the word is in the
center reference there. He'll finish it. He'll complete
it. If he begins a work in you, he'll complete it. until the
day of Jesus Christ, until the day of coming of the Son of God.
Turn to Jude, verse 24 and 25. Jude 24 and 25, listen to this. The man who has entered that
way by the grace of God, who has truly entered that way, will
continue in Jude 24, now unto him that is able to keep you
from falling. not only from falling, but actually
to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with
exceeding joy, to the only wise God our Savior, be glory, majesty,
dominion, and power, both now and forever. Amen. So this is
what our Lord is saying in John 10, My sheep will never perish.
And Paul said in Philippians, He that hath begun a work of
grace in you, a work of righteousness will finish it. And Jude said,
glory to him who's able to keep you from falling. But Job perhaps
stated it best in Job 17, and that's where I want you to go
now, Job the 17th chapter. And be sure and turn to this,
because we're going to look at it for a few moments. Job chapter
17. Job says in Job 17.9, now listen,
the righteous And nobody here claims to be righteous in yourself.
Our righteousness is in Him. It's found in Him. It's supplied
by Him. It's perfected by Him. We're
righteous. The Lord is our righteousness. He's made unto us wisdom, righteousness,
sanctification, and redemption. We're righteous in Christ. Imputed
righteousness. Also, there's an impartation
of holiness, too, to the believers. A new life. There's a new creature
in Christ. But the righteous also shall
hold his way, and he that hath clean hands shall be stronger
and stronger. The righteous shall hold his
way. He'll not always travel with
equal speed. He doesn't say he'll hold his
pace, it says he'll hold his way. He may not always travel
with equal zeal and enthusiasm, Job didn't say he'll hold his
excitement or his emotional level, but he'll hold his way. He may
not always hold his temper, but he'll hold his way. He may not
always hold his confidence, but he'll hold his way. The way. He's entered into the way, and
he'll hold that way. He may not always hold his assurance,
but he'll hold his way. Turn to Jeremiah, chapter 32.
Now listen to how Jeremiah states it. He will hold his way. Now listen to Jeremiah, chapter
32, and verse 38 and 40. And our Lord here is talking
about his covenant of mercy, his covenant of grace. Verse
38, and this is repeated over in Hebrews. In Jeremiah 32, 38,
And they shall be my people, and I will be their God. and
I will give them one heart and one way." One heart and one way. They've
entered that way. All right, read on. "...that they may fear me forever
all their days." For the good of them, and of their children
after them, and I'll make an everlasting covenant with them."
This is what David talked about on his dying bed. He said, "...the
Lord hath made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things,
and sure." And this is my, this is all my salvation and all my
desire. I'll make an everlasting covenant,
that I will not turn away from them. God Christ said, I'll never
leave you, I'll never forsake you. I'll never turn away from
them to do them good. Who is he that condemned Christ
to die? Who can lay anything to the charge
of God today? Who will separate us from the
love of God? Now watch it. I'll never turn away from them.
That's preservation. God will keep his own. And I'll put my love and fear
and grace in their hearts. And they'll not depart from me.
They will not. They will not. I'll tell you
what I'm preaching and teaching. The scriptures do not teach that
a person is saved, redeemed, born again, and will reach heaven
because he made a profession of faith. It doesn't teach that.
It does not teach that a person is saved and will reach heaven
even if he leaves the gospel, even if he leaves the Church
of Christ, even if he leaves the way of faith, even if he
leaves the way of Christ. It's just not true that one act
of faith is sufficient to save a sinner. No, sir. Faith is a state of being. I
have believed, I am believing. If I am believing, I shall believe,
and I shall die in faith. It is not true that one act of
faith and one profession of faith is all that is needed to be saved,
and that there's no need of daily faith and daily prayer and daily
obedience and daily repentance and daily works of faith. My preaching is the opposite.
I'm saying that the true believer loves Jesus Christ, and that
love is the gift of God. and shed abroad in his heart
by the Holy Spirit. I'm teaching that the true believer
has a heart of repentance, and that heart of repentance is the
gift of God. It's the goodness of God that
leads you to repentance, and he will keep repenting. I'm teaching
that the believer has the faith in Christ that is God-given. For by grace are you saved through
faith, and that not of yourself, if the gift of God not of works,
lest any man should boast. For here we are his workmanship
created unto good works, which God hath ordained that we should
walk in them." Not admire them, walk in them. The true believer
has a love for Christ, a repentance toward God, and a faith in Christ
that will continue in dedication, in consecration, in love, and
shall not only continue, but grow. The righteous shall hold
his way, and he that believeth his hands made clean by the blood
of Christ will grow stronger and stronger in Christ." That's
right. He will grow in grace and in
the knowledge of Jesus Christ. And true believers literally
detest any doctrine which implies that a person who has walked
an hour or made a profession of religion is saved forever,
even if he forsakes the worship of God, the people of God, the
gospel of God, and the path of faith. This is just not true. Turn to Hebrews chapter 3. Here's
what's true. Here's what's true. And we're
not kept by our own strength, we're kept by the power of God
through faith. He will preserve us, and we will
persevere. He said, I'll never depart from
them, and they'll never depart from me. It's not a one-sided
love. In Hebrews chapter 3, listen,
verse 6, Christ is the Son over His own house, His kingdom, whose
house are we. if we hold fast the confidence
and rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end." Verse 14, "...for
we are made partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our
confidence steadfast unto the end." Now Hebrews 10, verse 38,
Hebrews 10, 38, "...now the just shall live by faith. That's how
we live, by faith. But if any man draw back, my
soul shall have no pleasure in him. But we're not of them that
draw back. That's not our nature. We have
a new nature. That's not our way. We're on
a new way. But we are of them that believe
to the saving of the soul. The righteous shall hold his
way. He'll hold it. He'll cling to
it. He'll continue in it. He'll treasure it. He'll grasp
it. He'll value it to the point of letting everything else go.
And when something comes in conflict with this way of life, I didn't
say he'd travel at equal speed or with equal assurance or equal
zeal or equal excitement, but he'll hold his way. And when
something comes in that way, instead of diverting off this
way, he'll let that thing go. He may struggle with it and have
a conflict with it, but he'll continue his way. Now listen
to what John said in 1 John. 1 John, chapter 2, I believe
it is. 1 John, chapter 2, verse 19. And some people did leave. They
didn't leave this way, they left the profession. Thee must have
forsaken me, Paul said, having loved this present world. Did
he just begin to love it? He loved it all the time. In 1 John 2, 19, John says they
went out from us. They left us. They left the gospel.
They didn't only leave us, they left God. They left the gospel.
They left the testimony. They left the witness. They left
identification with the gospel. They left us. But they were not
of us. What, John? They were members,
but they were not of us. But they attended the services,
but they were not of us. They were not of this way. They were not of this way. They
were of this profession, but not of this way. For he said,
if they had been of us, if they had been of us, he said they would no doubt have
continued with us. But they went out, and their
going out simply manifested that everybody is not of us. See, that is so clear. They're
not of us. They were in our midst, but they
were not of us. The person who does not hold his way, the way
of Christ, the way of life, the way of righteousness, the way
of peace, the man, the person who does not hold his way, but
is content to let it go, to let it pass with indifference, never
really knew it. He never really understood it.
Couldn't have, because it's too glorious. The person who lets
it go in indifference or exchange for something else, there's nothing
better than Christ. How could you change? It was
never in that way. What did our Lord say to the
people in Matthew 7? Now think what he said. There
they stood, the religious crowd. They said, we preached in your
name and we cast out devils in your name. We did many wonderful
works. We served on boards. We attended church. We taught
Sunday school. We preached. got people to quit drinking and
drugs and heal people, built hospitals and did many wonderful
works, cast out demons. What did Christ say? He said,
I never knew you. He didn't say, I once knew you
and left you. He said, I never did know you.
Didn't know you when the thing started. Didn't know you when
it ended. Didn't know you from the beginning. Didn't know you
now. Never knew you. Never knew you. He said, I know
my sheep. But I never knew you. Never did. This is the major teaching of
the book of James. What I'm trying to say is that
the true believer who loves Christ, who loves the Word of God, who
loves the Gospel, will continue in that Gospel. He'll continue
in faith, he'll continue in obedience. He can't leave the Gospel. That's
what James is teaching. That's the major That's the major
emphasis and major teaching of the book of James. You see, Paul
and James have no conflict, but first you said salvation was
by faith alone. It is, but not by faith that
is alone. That's what James said. Let me
give you an illustration. The Apostle Paul in Romans says
this. Now, look at this. Paul says
we're justified by faith apart from works. That's what Paul
said. Isn't that right? We conclude
that a man is justified by faith apart from works. James says,
a faith that does not work is dead. He tells us the kind of
faith. Paul tells us that salvation
is by faith, and James tells us what kind of faith. Believing
faith, obedient faith. Paul presents the fact that faith
alone saves, James presents the kind of faith that saves. Paul
declares this. Paul declares, our faith justifies
our souls. And James declares, our works
justify our faith. He says, show me your faith.
Paul opposes self-righteousness. James opposes no righteousness. Paul says, a man's not saved
because he prays. And James says a man who does
not pray is not saved. Isn't that right? Paul says a
man is not saved because he's honest. And James says a man
that is still dishonest is not saved. God makes him honest. Paul says a man is not saved
because he works. James says a man who does not
work is not saved. It's very clear. Saving faith
is obedient faith. Saving faith is loving faith.
Saving faith is willing faith. Saving faith is continuing faith. And that faith grows. Now I want
you to turn back to the text, or rather to Job. Turn to Job
chapter 17. I want to look at this for a
few moments, just briefly, Job 17. And I would like for you
to write these five things down. I want you to study them later.
I'm going to give you five reasons why all of God's sheep will persevere. I'm going to give you five reasons
why every true child of God, chosen of the Father, redeemed
by the Son, called by the Spirit, every true believer, I'm going
to give you five reasons why they'll persevere, why they'll
be preserved, why none of them will ever be lost. I guarantee
you from the Word of God, not one true believer will be lost.
Not one. Not one. I've showed you that
in the scripture. I'm going to give you five reasons.
Now here's the first one. The first reason why every, every
person who is truly believing on Christ, because of the nature
of the life imparted in regeneration. What happens when a man's born
again? What happens when a man is born
again? The scripture tells us that there
is given to him the life of God. The life of a new nature in regeneration. The life of God. That's what
happens when a man is born again. He receives the life of God.
He's passed from death to life. Believers have two natures. Before they say they got one
nature, a nature of sin, a nature of evil, a nature of evil will,
when they're born again they have the new nature, the nature
of God. Now then, when you view salvation
as an act of man, everybody who views salvation as an act of
man, a decision or an acceptance of facts, then you must conclude
that that man, if he makes a decision to be saved, can make one not
to be saved. Isn't that right? If he decided for Christ, he
can undecide for Christ. Of course, that's logically why
you have this in the church and out, saved and lost, in grace,
out of grace, in the church, backslide, He's lost today, he's
going to get saved again. Yeah, if salvation is an act
of the human will, an act of the mind, an act of man, then
he can open the door, he can go back out again. But now wait
a minute. When you view salvation as an act of God, now this is
different, an act of God, a work of God, whereby he quickens a
dead sinner, whereby he gives life from the grave. whereby
he himself comes in on purpose and drives out the strong man
out of his palace and spoils his goods, and God himself dwells
in that man and gives him a new heart. Not the same heart patched
up, a new heart. A new heart. Not the same heart
with laws to Keep him in line. But a new heart. I write my law
on a new heart. Huh? Come on now. A new heart.
And God gives him a new nature. And God gives him spiritual life,
making him a new creature on a new way. There's no way to
erase the work of God, an act of God. Now let me show you something
in Ecclesiastes. Hold the text there and turn
to Ecclesiastes. Ecclesiastes, I believe it's
chapter 4 or 5. right after Proverbs, Ecclesiastes,
verse 3 it is, chapter 3. Chapter 3. And watch this, verse
14. I know that whatsoever God doeth,
it shall be forever. Now salvation is an act of man.
No, it's not forever. If it's a decision of man, it's
not forever. If it's a If it's a profession
of the mind where he weighs certain things and logically comes to
this conclusion, he may—somebody talks him into it, somebody talks
him out of it. But I know that whatsoever God doeth, it'll be
forever. Nothing can be put to it or anything
taken from it. God doeth it that men may fear
before him. This is what I'm saying. Listen
to—I'm going to quote John 1. As many as received him. And
to them gave he the right to become the sons of God, which
were born, not of blood, not of the will of the flesh, not
of the will of man, but born of God. Born of God. I have four
children. I'm the father. I conceived them,
sired them, begat them. There's no way anywhere in the
universe they can cease to be my children. No way. No way. Now, if one of them moved into
the house and decided he'd come live with us, he can move out.
You see what I'm saying? But these children have my nature. My nature. You see what I'm saying?
They're my children. And when a man is born from above
and born of God, he's God's child, bless your heart. He's God's
child, is he not? And if he's God's child today,
he was God's child from all eternity, because God says, I don't change.
I'm the Lord, I change not. And the gifts and calling of
God are without change. All right, here's the second
reason. The righteous shall hold his way because of the nature,
the nature of life imparted and regenerated. Secondly, the righteous
shall hold his way because God said he would. God said He would. I'm tired of preachers overriding
the Word of God. God said He would. This is what
He said. And God's able to do what He
said. That was the basis of Abraham's faith, that God will do all that
He promised. He is able to keep you from falling.
My Lord Jesus said this, as Moses lifted up the serpent
and the wilderness, Even so must the Son of Man be lifted up,
that whosoever believeth in Him should never perish, but have
everlasting life. For God so loved the world, He
gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should
never perish, but have eternal life." If I perish, He told a
lie. That's just that play. I believe. He said, believe. I believe. Our Lord said this, listen, all
that my Father giveth me will come to me. and him that cometh
to me out of no wise cast out. I came down from heaven, not
to do my will, but the will of him that sent me. And this is
the will of him that sent me, that of all he hath given me
I lose nothing, but I raise it up at the last day." If he loses
one, that's a lie. He told a lie. If one of them
perishes. Just that plain. In John 10,
he said, My sheep hear my voice, I give them eternal life. My
Father which gave them is greater than all, and no man can pluck
them out of my Father's hand. I and my Father are one. If one
of them is plucked out of his hand, that's a lie. Huh? Come on now. Our Lord said,
False Christ shall arise, and if it were possible, they'd deceive
the elect. But it's not possible. It's not possible. Oh, I know
where this doctrine of falling from grace, that is, falling
from salvation and backsliding and leaving the gospel, I know
where all that started. It started when we made salvation
an act of man instead of an act of God. That's when it started,
John. That's when it was born, and
that's natural. That's when this thing was born, in the day and
out tomorrow, when we made it possible for a man to come in
without God's will. God chooses his children. Here's
the third reason why they'll never perish. The righteous shall
hold his way because of the character and work of Christ. The character
and work of Christ. You know, Paul said this, who
is he that condemneth? It's Christ that died. Who is
that that died for me? That's Christ. That's God in
human flesh. I can't perish till he perishes.
Now listen to me, the angel said to Joseph, thou shalt call his
name Jesus, for he shall save his people from their sin. Did
he? Yes, he did. 1 Timothy 1.15, this is a faithful
saying and worthy of all acceptation that Jesus Christ came into the
world to save sinners. Did he? He did. I preach a redemption
that redeems, a salvation that saves, an atonement that atones. Romans 8 says this, Whom he did
foreknow, he predestinated to be conformed to the image of
his son. Whom he predestinated, he called, and he called it justified.
Whom he justified, he glorified. What shall we say to these things?
Well, if God be for me, who can be against me? He that spared
not his own son, how shall he not with him freely give us all
things? He was wounded for our transgressions.
He was bruised for our iniquities. The chastisement of our peace
was upon Him by His strikes. We're healed, are we? Maybe. Maybe about it. We are healed. So maybe about it. The very character
and work of Jesus Christ assures the redemption of all for whom
He suffered. His righteousness is lacking
nothing. Fourthly, And no less important is this
reason. The righteous shall hold his
way, they shall be saved, because Jesus Christ is praying for them,
interceding for them. Did you know that? I tell you, if it weren't for
him, I'd perish. One day he said to Peter, he
said, Satan hath desired thee that he may sift thee as wheat.
But I pray for you. I pray for you. And not a one for whom he prays
shall perish. Wherefore he is able to save
to the uttermost them that come to God by him, seeing he ever
liveth to make intercession for them. If any man sin, we have
an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. Now
turn to John 17 and listen to the Lord pray for his people.
John 17. Verse 9. Now listen to it. John
17, 9. John 17, 9. I pray for them. I pray for them. The Lord Jesus
Christ never prays a prayer that's not heard and answered. Never
asks for anything that's not given. I pray for them. I pray not for the world. I pray
not for the world in general. I pray for them which thou hast
given me. for they are thine, and all men are thine, and thine
are mine, and I am glorified in them." Now look at verse 15,
"'I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but
that thou shouldest keep them from the evil one.'" That's my
prayer, Christ said. Now verse 24, "'Father, I will,
that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I that
they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me, for thou
lovest me before the foundation of the world." All right, here's the last reason.
The righteous shall hold his way. Every true believer will
be saved. Now, what I'm talking about is
true saving. Tonight I'm going to preach on true saving faith. No, they're candidly and Plainly,
I say unto you, I don't believe most religionists have saved
in faith. I don't believe they've been
born of God. I believe most religionists... I believe the greatest mission
field in the world is the church, churches of our day. Greatest
mission field in the world. But people who've been born of
God have the life of God, and it'll never die. I know that. And it'll never die. And the
fifth reason is this. The righteous shall all persevere. They're not going to be dragged
into heaven by the hair of their heads. They're going to enter
willingly and lovingly and triumphantly. Like Paul said, I have a desire
to depart and be with Christ, which is far better. For me to
live is Christ to die is gain. I labor, whether present or absent,
that I may be accepted and healed. Most people have just enough
religion to make them miserable. True faith is not miserable,
it's joyful. True faith finds its peace in
Christ, its rest in Christ, its contentment in Christ, its treasures
in Christ. That's the life of true faith.
It's not just an insurance policy. Most people are in church this
morning to get them an insurance policy. They're going to die
and go to judgment, and they're scared. They're flat hell scared,
and that's why they're in church. That's exactly right. Everything
about it's miserable, too. And if it wasn't hell, they wouldn't
be there. That's exactly right. They wouldn't be there. But people who know God are in
the way. They're citizens of a holy nation. They are a peculiar people. They
are a royal priesthood. They are a chosen generation.
They have a new weight, a new weight. Everything about them
is new. All things have become new, and all things are of God,
who hath reconciled us to himself in Christ. Those things are of
God. And most preachers today are
not preaching, they're arguing. They're not preaching. And the righteous shall persevere
because of the nature of the covenant of grace. God made a
covenant. God's a covenant God. We were
down in Mexico recently, and there's no place like Mexico
for a full rainbow from one end to the other. You don't just
see the tail end of it, you see the whole thing. Every time I
look at a rainbow, it tells me something. God is true to his
covenants. That's right, his covenants.
That rainbow, one day Noah, that old ark, came down out of the
water, settled on earth. And God said, Noah, I'll never,
never, never, never destroy the world again by water. Never. And as a sign that I'll never
destroy it, I'll put my bow in the sky. And you can bank on
it. Never. Now it will be destroyed
by fire, never by water. God made a covenant with Abraham,
kept it. God made a covenant with David,
kept it. God made a covenant with Moses,
kept it. Before this world ever began,
God made a covenant with his son, Jesus Christ. He made him
the surety of the everlasting covenant, everlasting both ways. His blood is the blood of the
everlasting covenant. He is the great shepherd, chief
shepherd, good shepherd of the everlasting covenant. Hebrews
13, 20. Everlasting covenant. He gave him a people. And that
covenant that we kept, it's exactly right. Now won't you turn to
John chapter 6, and I'll close. And if you can make this mean
anything in the world, but a sure, certain, definite covenant. I'd like to hear it. John 6,
John 6, John 6, 37. I'll read several verses, and
then I'll just close. All that my Father giveth me
shall come to me. And him that cometh to me I'll
in no wise cast out for any reason in the world. For I came down
from heaven not to do my own will, but the will of him that
sent me. Will established in that covenant. And this is the
Father's will, which is sent me, that of all which he hath
given me I lose nothing, but raise it up again at the last
day. This is the will of him that sent me, that everyone that
seeeth the Son, that spiritual eyes, eyes of faith, sees the
Son, who he is, what he did, why he did it. You see it and
believe it. may have everlasting life, and
I will raise him up at the last day." The Jews then murmured
at him because he said, I'm the bread that came down from heaven.
They said, well, this is Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father
and mother we know. How is it that he said, I came
down from heaven? Jesus therefore answered them
and said, murmur not among yourselves. Now, these were religious men.
These were murmuring religious folks. They went to synagogue
on a Sabbath day, gave their tithes. One of them said, I'm
not an adulterer, not an unjust, not an extortioner. I tithe,
I fast, I give alms to the poor, I go to church, I pray, I read
the Bible. These are the men he's talking
to. And he says, don't murmur among yourself. No man, no man,
whoever he is, whatever his background, can, has the ability, the power
to come to me. Now he said a while ago, all
that he gave me will come. And he that comes, I won't cast
out, but he says, they can't come to me except my Father which
sent me draw, woo, bring them. And I'll raise him up at the
last day, everyone my Father draw. Now listen, it is written
in the Word of God, in the prophets, it's written in the Old Testament,
Genesis to Malachi, and they shall be all taught of God. Special school. Every man, therefore,
that hath heard and learned of the Father cometh unto me, and
him that cometh to me I'll never cast out." Huh? Oh, that's, I
tell you, that's precious. That's precious. Salvation's
an act of God. It's not of him that willeth
or of him that runneth. It's of God that showeth mercy. And
that's what we need. We need an act of God. the work
of God in our souls and hearts. If you want to, come back tonight
and hear the message on saving faith. What is this faith that
saves? What I'm going to deliver is four things I gave up in Pikeville
this past week. There are four things that false
faith cannot produce. False faith can produce a whole
lot of things, but there are four things it can't produce.
And these are evidences of a work of God.