Let me give you the title of
this message first. It's called, His Mercy to His
Sons. God's Mercy to His Sons. And I'm reading a verse of Scripture
taken from the book of 1 John, chapter 3, verse 2. John said,
Beloved, now, right now, are we the sons of God? We are right now the sons of
God. And it does not yet appear what
we shall be, but we know that when He shall appear, we shall
be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And then another passage over
in the book of Romans, chapter 8, verse 16 and 17, Paul writes,
The Spirit Himself beareth witness with our spirit that we, we,
are children of God. We are children of God. And if we are children of God,
then we are heirs of God and joint heirs with Jesus Christ. Now, my message today will consist
of five questions. I'm going to ask you five questions.
They'll be very simple. They'll be to the point. And
I pray that you'll listen. as God gives you, as God is pleased
to give you an interest and an understanding. Now, here's the
first question. Listen carefully. What would
it mean to you, personally, to know, what would it mean to you
to know that every sin, every transgression against God's holy
character, and sin is against God, David said, against thee,
and thee only have I sinned. Sin is a transgression of God's
law. Sin is coming short of the glory
of God. What would it mean to you to
know that every sin, every transgression against God's holy character,
His holy name, and His holy law was totally, completely forgiven? What would that mean to you?
Now, every person listening to me is a sinner. That's right. There's a sinner preaching to
you today. Because the Bible says, all have
sinned and come short of the glory of God. There's none that
doeth good and sinneth not. That's what God says. Isaiah
said, we all do faith as the leaf. Even our righteousnesses
are filthy rags in God's sight. And John said, if any man says
he has no sin, why, he deceives himself. And the truth's not
in him, whether he's a preacher or whatever he is. But if he
says he has no sin, there's no truth in him. No honesty. And again, he said, if we say
that we have not sinned, well, we make God a liar, because God
said all have sinned, and His Word's not in us. My friends,
going back to the beginning of this thing, we were born in sin,
shapen in iniquity, conceived in sin, brought forth speaking
lies, and we go astray from the womb. And God has declared, your
sins have separated you and your God. Now God said that. Your sins have separated you
and your God. And Christ our Lord said, if
you die and you sin, you can't come where I am. And the apostles
said, the soul that sinneth, it shall die. Now this, I said
this last week, this sin business is not just outward acts. Most
people have sin confined to outward acts. They think because they
don't drink or gamble or commit adultery or do these things,
lie, cheat, steal outwardly, that they're without sin. Sin
is an inward principle. Sin is a nature. It's an attitude. And these outward acts are but
fruits of the corrupt tree. You do what you are because of
who you are. Adam was the only man who ever
became a sinner by sinning. You sin because you're a sinner.
It's in you. And it comes out every once in
a while, doesn't it? It comes out pretty regularly, doesn't
it? What would it mean to you to know that every sin of thought,
word, or deed, every sin of omission or commission, every sin of the
past, present, and future, every sin was blotted out, blotted
out, cast into the depths of the sea, put away to be remembered
No more. He said, Preacher, I'm telling
you, you're talking about heaven on earth. Yes? Well, this is
the mercy of God to His sons. This is the mercy of God to believers
in the Lord Jesus Christ. That's what He said, the blood
of Jesus Christ, God's Son, cleanseth us from all sin. Not some sin, all sin. And He
said in Isaiah 118, Come, let us reason together, though your
sins be as scarlet, I'll make them white as snow. Though they
be red like crimson, they shall be as wool." Hebrews 9, 26 says,
he put away sin, put it away by the sacrifice of himself.
Listen to Hebrews 10, 14, by one offering he perfected, perfected
forever them that are sanctified. And he says in verse 17, and
their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. This is the
mercy of God to his sons. That's what I'm talking about.
His mercy to his sons. He that believeth on Christ hath
everlasting life. He hath already passed from death
to life. Who shall lay anything to the
charge of God's elect? Who is he that condemneth? Who
can separate me from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus? Don't deny your sins, confess
your Redeemer. Don't deny your need and your
sickness, look to the remedy. It's foolishness to try to find
acceptance with God by denying what you know and what God knows
is so. Don't deny the disease, look
to the remedy, look to Christ. Oh, here's the second question.
What would it mean to you, to you personally, to know that
the holy, eternal, living God, I'm not talking about the peanut
God that I hear preached in this day, who's frustrated and confused
and defeated and got about equal power over the devil, they kind
of offset one another and I make whatever plan I want to work,
but the holy, eternal, majestic, sovereign, living God. How would
you like to know? What would it mean to you to
know that that God who rules heaven and earth is totally reconciled
to you? You have peace with God. Now
listen to me. Will you listen? I know this
is contrary to what most people are saying. But the scriptures
declare, listen to me, that God is angry, angry with the wicked. Chapter and verse, Psalm 711,
God's angry with the wicked every day. David said, Psalm 5-5, God
hateth all workers of iniquity. John 3-36, he that believeth
not the Son, the wrath of God abideth on him. You want some
demonstrations of God's wrath? How about Adam's fall? God cast
him out of the garden. How about the flood that destroyed
the world? How about the death of the firstborn
in Egypt? Tell Pharaoh that God has no
wrath. How about the drowning of Pharaoh's
army? You want a demonstration of God's
wrath? How about the destruction of Jerusalem? 70 A.D. when everything was destroyed
and the people slain and the ground plowed up by Titus. And
a greater demonstration of God's wrath is on its way. That's what
the Word says. The New Testament, the book of
Revelation, the book of Peter. Almighty God, He says, will destroy
heaven and earth and the elements shall melt with a fervent heat,
the day of his vengeance cometh." How would you like to know that
God, that God, is not angry with you? To know that He's at peace with
you, that He has mercy upon you, that has to be the greatest thing
that a man can know, the greatest blessing he can enjoy. This is
the peace that passionate understanding, the peace that's in Christ Jesus.
Listen to this. Therefore, being justified by
faith, we have peace with God. Peace with God. Now, I've heard
people say, well, I'm going to make my peace with God. You didn't
make it. It's in Christ Jesus. Therefore,
being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our
Lord Jesus Christ, not through the decisions we made and the
religion that we profess and the good deeds that we do, this
peace with God was made by the Prince of Peace. The Prince of
Peace, Christ Jesus. God was in Christ, 2 Corinthians
5 says, reconciling the world unto Himself. Now listen, if
God wasn't angry, why'd Christ have to reconcile us? You don't
reconcile friends. You don't reconcile people in
love, you reconcile people who are at variance, who are divided. And Christ reconciled us to God,
because God was angry. And this peace is in Christ,
Colossians 1.20. Listen. And having made peace
by the blood of His cross, by Christ He reconciled all things
to Himself. Christ said to his disciples,
these things have I spoken unto you, that in me you might have
peace with God. In the world you'll have tribulation,
but be of good cheer, I've overcome the world. But in me you have
peace. My peace I give unto you. Let
not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. You're not
going to find peace in positive thinking. Not a lasting peace. You're not going to find peace
by getting busy. You'll find peace by resting
in Christ and looking to him. And this is the mercy of peace
that God gives to his son. That's what I'm talking about
today. His mercy to his son. Peace. Peace with God. Sons of
God. God's not angry with his sons.
He's angry with his enemies. Then the third question, what
would it mean to you? Now listen to this one. What
would it mean to you to have a new nature? A nature inclined
to holiness, inclined to righteousness. A nature and a heart which really
loves God. Didn't just profess to, but does,
and hates sin. A nature and a heart which delights
in the things of God. Not because you have to, but
you really delight in them. And you enjoy His presence and
His people and His promises and His Word. Of course, we have
an old nature. No one with good sense will deny
that. It's called the old manner. Been around as long as you have.
It's a nature of flesh. Yeah, you have a nature of flesh. You are flesh. That which is
born of the flesh is flesh. In the flesh no man can please
God. In the flesh dwelleth no good thing. Flesh and blood shall
not inherit the kingdom of God. You are flesh. And you have a
nature of flesh. And it loves darkness, and it
hates light. It's a nature that knows anger.
Yes, it is. It knows lust, it knows hatred,
it knows envy, it's well acquainted with it, jealousy, and all these
unfruitful works of darkness. Your old, sinful, wicked flesh,
nature, old man knows all about those things, and there's still
rumblings, and there's still the presence of those things,
and you contend with them, if you're honest, quite frequently.
But in regeneration, in what the Bible calls a new birth,
the sons of God, by the power of the Holy Spirit, are made
partakers of a new nature called the new man. The new man created
in Christ Jesus, a divine nature that really loves God. Just like
that old nature loves darkness, this new nature loves light.
Just like that old nature loves the world, this new nature loves
God. Truly loves God's people, doesn't
profess to, actually does, really does. This new nature truly delights
in the things of God. Really, really. There are people
that go to church, not because they have to, because they want
to. Like David said, I was glad when they said to me, let's go
to the house of the Lord. You go to church on Sunday morning,
Sunday night, Wednesday night, yeah, I go seven days a week.
Why? Love it. I'd rather be a doorkeeper
in the house of God, I'd rather be a janitor in the house of
God, than to dwell in the tents of the wicked as the king. He
says in Colossians 3, 10, we have put on the new man, which
is renewed in knowledge after the image of him who created
him. 2 Corinthians 5, 17 says, if any man be in Christ, he is
a new creation, a new creation. And 1 John 5, 4 says, whosoever
is born of God overcometh the world, and every one that loveth
is born of God. Prayer is not a duty for that
new nature, it's a delight. You know why prayer is such a
drudgery for most people? The old flesh does not love prayer. It just doesn't, and you can't
make it. You can try to reward it or threaten it or beat it
or coerce it, but you can't make it love it. But the new nature,
to the new nature, prayer is not a duty. Worship is not a
duty. It's a joy. Love is not a duty,
it's a fruit of grace. I delight to do thy will, O God. Our Lord said, take my yoke upon
you, learn of me. My yoke is easy. Who ever heard
of a yoke being easy? You ever see them put yoke on
a team of oxen? The oxen don't like it, do they?
It's not their nature to like it. But the yoke of Christ is
easy, and the burden of Christ is light. And His commandments
are not duties. They are delight. Paul said,
I delight in the law of God after the inward man. I find another
law warring, that old nature. You'll have a conflict with it
till you pack your bags and leave here. But that new nature loves
God, loves the people of God, loves the Word of God, loves
the presence of God, loves the promises of God, and does not
find worship and praise, just a responsibility or duty. And
he's not trying to work his way to heaven, and he's not trying
to get a reward in heaven by doing certain things prescribed
by a preacher down here, but he delights to do them. You know
the reason most religious people have to be required to, what
they call, tithe, and to keep a Sabbath day? and to read the
daily Bible readings and have all these assignments. You know
why they have to be forced to do those things? Just like rebellious
children in a home. But I'll tell you, when you get
a new nature, a nature conformed to the image of Christ, a nature
created in Christ Jesus after the image of Him who created
Him, you love the Word of God. You love the commandments of
Christ. You love the law of God. You
love the house of God. Love it. What would that mean?
Well, these are mercies to God's people. Now listen to this. This
is important to all of you. What would it mean to you to
know that every trial, every trial, we've had some severe
ones, haven't we? Every trouble, every sorrow in
this life, everything that happens to you, good and bad, successful
and failures, Everything that happens is ordained by your heavenly
Father and would result in your good and His glory. What would
that mean to you? Now, in this world you have tribulation. You know that. Everybody who
hasn't wept will. Everybody who hasn't suffered
will. Everybody who hasn't known real
sorrow will. It's given unto you not only
to believe on Him but to suffer. And they that will live godly
in Christ Jesus shall suffer. Man that is born of woman is
a few days and full of trouble. In this world you shall have
tribulation." You see, those are all scriptures that come
from the Word of God. The man who promises you health
and wealth and prosperity and two cars and every garage and
all these things doesn't know one thing about the grace of
God or his dealing with his children. Actually, the Lord said, if you
be without chastisement, you're bastards and not sons. He chastens
whom He loves. That's right. Every child of
God. And listen to me. One of Paul's
dearest friends was so sick he couldn't come to him one time
to visit him. And he left one of them in a certain place sick.
Why didn't Paul heal him? God heals whom He will, when
He will. And then, yet according to the
Scripture, there's no trouble and no trial that can befall
a believer, no trouble or trial or sorrow that is not purposed
and ordained of God for your good and His glory. Romans 8,
28, listen, and we know that all things in heaven and earth,
all things, past, present and future, all things, Father, Son,
Holy Spirit, all things, Angels or men, all things, even demons
and devils, all things. Sickness and health, all things.
Prosperity or poverty, all things. Life or death, all things. Sickness
or health, all things. Work together for good, for good,
for the eternal good of them who love God, who are called
according to His purpose. Our God's got a purpose. He doeth
all things well. He said, if you know how to give
good things to your children, don't you know the Heavenly Father
will give good things to His children? If your son asks for
bread, do you give him a stone? If he asks for fish, do you give
him a serpent? Well, neither would God. But God's good things
come sometimes disguised. He moves in mysterious ways His
wonders to perform. But it's all for your good, your
eternal good. Paul said, I've learned in whatsoever
state I am to be content. And again, he called himself,
when he was sitting down there in prison, called himself the
prisoner of Jesus Christ. Now listen to this, 1 Corinthians
chapter 3, verse 21, Let no man glory in men, all things are
yours. All things are yours. Whether
Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or
things present or things to come, all are yours. God created this
world for His elect. That's right. Everything that
has happened from the time He laid the first foundation stone
to the time that He will create a new heaven and new earth is
for His Son and the joint heirs with his Son." All things are
yours, and you're Christ, and Christ is God. Now, here's the
last question. And please remember that if you're
looking for a smooth, velvet road without any toil or trouble
or trial or suffering or sorrow, you won't find it in the faith
of Christ Jesus. Because, beloved, count it not
strange when fiery trials come upon you. God's going to try
faith. And faith untried is not faith at all. It's presumption. Now, here's the last question.
What would it mean to you to know that old age, some of us
are getting older, and even death would only serve your good and
your gain? That death itself, what we call
death, actually, he that believeth on Christ shall never die. He
may sleep, but he'll never die. He'll just leave this tabernacle
or tent and go to be with the Lord. But even what we call death
will only be the means of ushering you into a life of glory and
peace forever in the presence of the Lord. That's what Paul
said, for me to live is, to me to live is Christ and to die
is gain. That's what he said, again. I
have a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better,
to be with the Lord Jesus Christ. And then in Romans 8, 18, he
said, I reckon that the sufferings of this present
time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be
revealed in us. And King David, the sweet psalmist
of Israel, the son of Jesse, The king of Israel lay dying,
and these were his last words, the last words of David, man
after God's own heart. He said, although it be not so
with my house. And David was a man who had great
victories, but he had great sorrow and suffering. David knew something
about tears and something about wayward children. He knew something
about these things. And he said, although it be not
so with my house, God hath made with me an everlasting covenant,
ordered in all things, and sure, and this is all my salvation
and all my desire, although he make it not to grow." Now, several
months ago, I told you about a series of books that were being
published in England called Bible Class Commentaries. commentaries
on the epistles of the New Testament, which I have written for our
Bible classes at 13th Street. For years, I've looked for good
Sunday school literature. I've looked for a commentary
on the scriptures that the plain person could read in plain, simple,
everyday language in English that the ordinary person could
pick up and read, Bible-class commentaries. Well, I didn't
find them, so I began to write them. I took the best commentaries,
and I read all 21 epistles in the New Testament, and verse
by verse, word by word, I wrote these Bible-class commentaries.
They were printed over a period of a year. There are six of them.
I have six Bible-class commentaries here. And I'll tell you what
they are, they start with the book of Romans and they go verse
by verse, the first verse, the second verse, the third verse,
all the way through, through the book of Jude, all the way
through, every verse from Romans 1 to the last verse in the book
of Jude. And every verse is dealt with
simply and scripturally and plainly and briefly so that the ordinary
person can read it. And they're being printed in
England, and we're making them available here. And the set of
six, if you'd like to have it, you write to me. It'll cost ten
dollars. That's what it cost us to buy
them and mail them to you. I've been selling them for a
dollar and a half a piece, but we cannot sell the set for a
dollar and a half a piece. It has to be ten dollars to supply
the postage and all. So if you have some of them,
would like to have just one book, send a dollar and a half, and
I'll mail it to you. But if you want the whole set, volume 1,
2, 3, 4, 5, 6, Romans, 1st and 2nd Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians,
Philippians, Colossians, 1st and 2nd Thessalonians, 1st and
2nd Timothy, every verse, plainly, simply written, write to me.
If you want to give them as gifts, write, we'll send you as many
sets as you'd like. Ask for the entire set for $10
or one book if you want to complete the set you already started.
And also order this tape, this message I preached today and
last week. His mercy to his sons. You write,
send $2 and we'll mail you that tape. So send $2 for the tape. If you want the set of books,
they cost $10. You can have as many sets as you want. And so
next week at this same time, God bless you, everyone.