Perhaps it's providential, I
do not know, but I have prepared the message that I am to preach
this morning, especially for this television broadcast. I
want you to listen carefully, and I pray that the Holy Spirit
of God will be pleased to bless this message to your heart. The
preacher is here, but that really means nothing. God Almighty can
use any man to preach His gospel. And the truth is here, and that's
important. But we must have the Spirit of
the living God. The flesh profiteth nothing.
It's the Spirit that quickeneth. It's the Spirit of God that gives
light. And I want to speak to you this morning on this subject.
I believe, and therefore I speak. I do believe. I do believe, and
therefore I speak. Now here's our text. I'm reading
from 2 Corinthians 4, verse 13. Paul writes here in 2 Corinthians
4, 13, we having the same spirit of faith, according as it is
written, I believe, I believe, and therefore have I spoken.
We also believe, and therefore we speak. Several years ago,
I preached a message. I don't remember where it was.
But after the service, I was standing back by the door, and
the people were leaving the church building. And a man came by and
took me by the hand, and in all seriousness, looked me in the
eye, and he said, Do you really believe what you're preaching?
And I hesitated a moment, and then with the same seriousness,
And with the same strength of purpose, I said to him, yes,
sir, I do. I believe what I'm preaching. And this is what Paul is saying
right here in our text. He's quoting David from Psalm
116, verse 10. David said in Psalm 116, verse
10, I believed and therefore have I spoken. And Paul is saying
the same thing. He said, I believe. And that's
what the man was asking me. He said, do you really believe
what you're preaching? Do you really believe it? And
I said, yes, sir, I do. I really believe it. I believe,
and therefore have I spoken. I quote from David and Paul both. Now, that's from the Old Testament,
Psalm 116, verse 10. David said, I believe, and therefore
have I spoken. And the Apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians
4.13 says, We, having the same spirit of faith, having the same
spirit of faith, according as David wrote, I believe, and therefore
have I spoken, I also believe, I also believe, and therefore
I speak. Actually, a man who does not
believe God in his own heart A man who does not believe the
Word of God in his own heart has no right or reason to speak
on spiritual matters. He has no right to speak, no
cause to speak, no reason to speak. He should be silent. For the Scripture says, the things
of God knoweth no man. The things of God knoweth no
man, no natural man, but the Spirit of God. Now, we have received
the Spirit, which is of God, that we may know the things that
are freely given to us of God, which things also we speak. These things, we believe them,
but we believe them not because of natural wisdom, because the
natural man receiveth not the things of God. They're foolishly
understood. Neither can he know them. They're spiritually understood.
And the things of God knoweth no man but the Spirit of God.
But we have received the Spirit of God, and he has taught us
the things that are freely given to us of God, which things also
we speak. I believe, therefore I speak."
You say, what do you believe? But I don't want to frighten
you by telling you how many points I've got this morning, but I
want you to listen to each of them as they unfold. First of
all, I believe the Bible is the Word of God. And I'll tell you
how strongly I believe that. I believe the Bible's infallible,
and I know the meaning of the word. It's infallible, it's inerrant,
it's without error, it's unbroken, and it is the verbally inspired
Word of Almighty God. Holy men of God spake as they
were moved by the Holy Spirit, and all Scripture, all Scripture,
Old and New Testaments, Genesis to Revelation, all Scripture
is given by inspiration of God. In other words, it's God-bred. I believe that, and therefore
I speak. The Bible is the Word of God.
I've heard men say the Bible contains the Word of God. Well,
the Bible does contain direct quotations from God, direct commandments
from God, God Himself speaking, and Christ our Lord speaking.
But the Bible is the Word of God. It's the inspired Word of
God. And furthermore, the Bible is
our only rule of faith and practice. Every man must bow and submit
his wisdom to the Word of God, and I mean in all things. Isaiah
wrote in chapter 8, verse 20, if any man speak not according
to the Scriptures, it's because there's no light in him. If any
man declares and contends for anything that does not appear
in the Word of God, it's because there's no light in it. The heavens
and the creation declare the glory of God, and the power of
God, and the majesty of God. Listen to me. But only the Scriptures,
only the Word of God, and only through the Word of God can any
man know the redemptive character of God. You can't know who God
is. You can't know God's will, you
can't know God's character, you can't know God's purpose, you
can't know God's decrees, only as they're revealed in His Word.
The Word is imperative, absolutely essential. Apart from the Word
of God, no man knows God. I believe the Bible is the Word
of God, and therefore I speak. And then I believe, my friend,
that God created the heavens and the earth. I have no doubt
in my mind about that. I believe that God created all
things. Hebrews says in chapter 11, verse
3, through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by
the Word of God. In the beginning God created
the heavens and the earth. Now, you're welcome to the many
theories of evolution or whatever you want to believe, but I'll
tell you this, it's impossible for you to believe evolution
and believe God. You can't do it. I used to say
that you can't believe evolution and believe the Bible. Well,
I'll be a little stronger than that today. And I've thought
this through carefully. You can't believe evolution and
believe God. You make God a liar when you
believe that man came from an animal. Because God says plainly
that He created them male and female. And He created them in
His own image. And He said all things were made
by Him, and without Him was not anything made that was made.
That's the Word of God. I believe that, and therefore
I've spoken. And then thirdly, I believe that
God created man in His own image, holy and upright. The scripture
says, he God formed man from the dust of the earth and breathed
into his nostrils the breath of life and he became a living
soul and he created them male and female and he made them upright
and holy and they sought out many inventions. And God made
Adam not an infant but a full grown man, not an imbecile, not
a caveman. Adam was a genius. Adam was created
in the image of God. And God brought Adam the animals
and had him name each one of them, and the name He gave them
is the name they bear right now. God gave man great power, great
wisdom, and great dominion. Have dominion over the whole
earth, He said, over the fowls of the air, and the fish of the
sea, and the beasts of the forest. He made a covenant with man.
He made a law with man. He said, multiply and replenish
the earth. He said, subdue the earth. He
said, have dominion over the earth. But there's one tree in
the midst of the garden. Do not eat of it, lest you die. I asked my Bible school class
this morning, I said, what kind of tree was it? The little boy
said, an apple tree. I said, where'd you learn that? He said,
I don't know. I said, well, it's not in the
Scripture. We don't know what kind of tree it was. But we know
this. that that tree in the midst of
the garden, and here's what you must understand, that man was
great, but God was greater. That man was a king, but God's
king of kings. That man had power and dominion
and wisdom, but God is greater, and man is in subjection to God.
And that covenant was made with man to test his willingness to
remain in subjection to the living God. That tree was symbolic of
the fact that though man was great, God is greater. And though
man is powerful, God is more powerful. And though man is a
king, he's still in subjection to God. And God made a covenant
with him. Leave it alone. Do not eat thereof,
lest you die. I believe, and therefore I've
spoken. I believe that man fell, that
he abided not long in that perfect state. But like Satan of old,
his heart was lifted up with pride. Somehow, he was tempted
and tested by Satan. He listened to the voice of Satan,
and he listened to the voice of Eve. And here was the proposition. You'll be like God. You'll be
like God. Satan said, I'll exalt my throne
above the stars of God. I'll exalt my throne into the
sides of the north. I'll be like God. And that's
the way he appealed to Adam and Eve. He said, you'll be like
God. You'll be like God. And when
man saw that the tree was pleasing to the eye and to the taste and
desired to make one wise, he took the forbidden fruit and
he fell from his holy state. He fell into death and darkness
and sin. He died spiritually. And though
Adam continued to live for over 800 years physically, He still
died, nevertheless, spiritually. Adam knew fear. He never knew
fear before. A holy, perfect man knows no
fear. Perfect love casteth out fear.
And he ran from God. He knew shame. A perfect man
knows no shame. A holy man knows no shame. But
Adam knew shame. He was naked. Adam knew hate. A perfect holy man knows no hate. He's perfect love as his God
is. The woman you gave me, it's her fault. The king is now a
slave of sin. The prince is now a pauper. The
holy man is now unholy. The living man is a dead man
spiritually and a dying man physically. Adam fell. Adam fell. That's what the Scripture teaches.
Now your evolutionist teaches that man was created low and
he's climbing up. The Bible teaches, and God says,
that man was created in perfection, and he came down. And by the
Redeemer, and by the purpose of God, and the grace of God,
man is restored to perfection in redemption, in salvation.
Well, let's go on. I believe that Adam was not only
an individual person, or a private person. Adam was a representative
of all men. That's what Scripture teaches.
That his story is my story. What happened to him happened
to me. You see, God only created one
man, and He created all men in that one man. Even Eve was not
taken from the dust. She was taken from the side of
Adam. Adam was a representative of all men. When he stood, the
whole human race stood. That's what the Scripture teaches.
And when Adam sinned, the whole race sinned. And when Adam fell,
the whole race fell, and when Adam died, the whole race died.
Now listen to the Word, Romans 5. You read Romans 5, read 1
Corinthians 15. By one man, sin entered the world. And death by sin, so death passed
upon all men, for all sinned. All sinned. When Adam sinned,
we sinned. By one man's disobedience, many were made sinners. In Adam,
all died. By man came death. You see the
two atoms, two representative persons. There's a first atom
and the second atom. The word atom means man. It means
red earth. It means one taken from the red
earth. It means man. And the first atom is of the
earth earthing. The second atom, man, is the
Lord from heaven. In Adam we die. In Christ we're
made alive. By man came death. By man came
the resurrection. As we born the image of the earthy
Adam, we shall bear the image of the heavenly Adam. That's
what the Scripture teaches. Representation, imputation, substitution. And when Adam fell, the whole
race fell. And death and judgment and condemnation, read Romans
5, passed upon all men, from father to son, from father to
son, and on down the line. All darkness, disease, death,
and damnation were brought into the world and upon the sons of
Adam by Adam's fall. Being born of Adam, we were born
in sin. I believe, therefore I've spoken."
That's what Scripture teaches. You cannot reject imputed guilt
and have imputed righteousness. The Scripture says in Romans
5, 19, by one man's disobedience, the many were made sinners. So,
by the obedience of one, shall many be made righteous. Oh, here's
the good news. Here's the good news. But, God,
we have a black picture. We have a race plunged into darkness. We have a race plunged into death. We have a race plunged into a
broken will in bondage. We have a race plunged into helplessness
without hope, without God. But, God, here's the good news. But, God, the good news is eternal
life in Christ Jesus. This is the record God has given
us eternal life, and this life is in His Son, but God, but God,
even though we were wretched sinners and rebels and traitors
and shaking our fist in the face of God and lifting our hand against
God and seeking to dethrone God, but God, who is rich in mercy,
for His great love wherewith He loved us, even when we were
dead in sin, hath quickened us together with Christ. But God,
again in Romans 5, 8, But God commended His love toward us
in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. The good
news is not found in us, it's found in God. But God. But we
didn't do anything but remain in our dead state, remain in
our darkness, lie in our spiritual grave. But God, He did something. We didn't love Him, He loved
us. We didn't choose Him, He chose us. We didn't come to Him,
He came to us. We didn't call on Him, He called
on us. We didn't purpose a plan, God
purposed it. God purposed and determined to
have a new heaven and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness,
and it will be. It will be. He said, I purposed
it, and it will be. God has purposed to redeem a
people from this fallen race out of every tribe and kindred
and nation unto heaven. He's going to populate glory
with a people just like His Son. Every one of them are going to
be like Christ, and all of this work is going to be done in a
way that will glorify God and give Him all the praise and be
in keeping with His holiness and His justice and His mercy
and His love. I believe that, and therefore
I've spoken. There's no need to apologize
for God. God doesn't need my apologies, nor does He need my
defense. I need His defense. I believe,
therefore I speak. Now listen to me. I believe that
this purpose to redeem, this covenant of grace, actually preceded
that covenant of works. This purpose to redeem actually
was planned and purposed before man ever fell. Before God ever
created the old heavens, He purposed to have a new heaven and new
earth. Before He created Adam, He purposed to redeem the people
out of that fallen race. You see, this salvation in Jesus
Christ was in the heart and will of God before He made the world
and before man fell. That's what the Scripture says.
Listen, you say, where did you get that? Well, listen. Jesus
Christ is the Lamb slain before the foundation of the world.
before the foundations of the world were ever laid. Christ
was the Lamb slain in the mind and purpose of God. Listen, God
hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation. He said God
chose us in Christ before the foundations of the world were
ever laid. And again He said known unto
God are all His works from the beginning And again, God says,
I will declare the end from the beginning and from ancient times
the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel will stand,
I will do all my pleasure. Adam fell, nothing takes God
by surprise. Adam sinned, nothing takes God
by surprise. And before man stood on this
earth, And before he was ever tried and tested, as some say,
on probation, before he lifted his hand against God, before
he fell, God ordained to save a people out of Adam's race.
He took not on himself the nature of angels, but he took on himself
the seed of Abraham, or the nature of the sons of Adam. I believe
that. The Scripture teaches that. No
need to apologize for God. We're not in the business of
apologizing. We're in the business of proclaiming.
We're not in the business of explaining God either. You say,
explain that. God didn't send me to explain
Him. He sent me to proclaim Him and preach Him. I believe Adam
fell and Almighty God made the first announcement of redemption
that very day. That very day that Adam watered
in his sins and ran and hid from God and covered His nakedness
with a fig leaf apron of self-righteousness, God made an announcement. He
didn't have to call a council meeting in heaven, the council
had already met. And God said, the seed of woman
is going to bruise the serpent's head. Seed of woman, that's the
virgin-born Son of God. Then God flew an animal and covered
Adam with coats of skin. Innocent had to die to cover
the guilty. That's a picture of Christ dying
for our sins. And then all through the Old
Testament, God illustrated the person and work of Christ, the
Lamb of God. When those two boys, Cain and
Abel, came to bring their sacrifices or sin offering before God, one
of them brought the works of the flesh, one of them brought
the efforts and merits of his own accomplishments, and the
other brought the blood of the Lamb, the firstling of the flock,
and slew it and put the blood on the altar, picturing the Lamb
of God dying on Calvary's cross. God delivered Israel out of Egypt.
He told them to kill a lamb, put the blood on the door, and
when I see the blood, I'll pass over you. And then through the
book of Leviticus, God gave the tabernacle where He met man,
where man met Him. He gave the atonement as the
great old high priest took the blood of the lamb, went under
the veil into the Holy of Holies, and put the blood on the mercy
seat of glory, covering the broken law. That's Christ. all the way
through the Old Testament. He lifted up a brazen serpent.
He smote a rock. He sent a David. He sent a Melchizedek. He did all these things, picturing
to us the person and work of His dear Son, our great Substitute
and Savior, Jesus Christ, who was ordained of God to be our
Savior before the world ever began. Before there was a sinner,
there was a Substitute. Before there was a covenant of
works, there was a covenant of grace. Before there was a fall,
there was a Savior designated and ordained to restore man's
soul. Yes, sir, I believe that. That's
what God's Word teaches. And then I believe this, in the
fullness of time, in the fullness of time, at the exact time on
God's clock, God sent forth into this world His beloved Son, made
of a woman. Jesus Christ is God Almighty. He's the expressed image of God. He's the revelation of God. He's
the Word of God. He's equal with God. And He came
into this world, He who made woman was made of a woman. It
was His law under which He was made to redeem them that were
born under the law. He was born lowly, and He earned
His living by the sweat of His brow. He fulfilled every jot
and tittle of God's law. The Levitical law, the moral
law, the civil law, the law of the home, and every other law
God Almighty has in His Word. And Edward John Tittle, he said,
I didn't come to destroy the law, I came to fulfill it. You
see, this salvation, this restoration for men of Adam's race, purposed
and planned by God, has to be in keeping with God's holy character. And man, the law was given to
man, and to be accepted of God, man's got to keep it. And we
can't keep it. We do not have the ability to
keep it. We do not have the strength or
power to keep it. We do not have the life to keep
it. But Christ can. Christ can and did. And as a
man, He fulfilled it. And then in the body, He went
to the cross and all of our sins were laid on Him. And He died
as our sin offering and our sacrifice and our substitute. He paid all
the debt I owe. He honored God's holy law, and
he fully, completely satisfied God Almighty's justice. That's
what he came to do. He said, Thou shalt call his
name Jesus, for he shall save his people from their sin, effectually,
sufficiently, in keeping with and in honoring of God's holy
law and justice. Now, I believe this, and therefore
I speak. I believe it's salvation from
sin for any man. I don't care if you're drunk
or a gambler or a blasphemer or a harlot or what you are,
that salvation from sin and eternal life is yours by faith in Jesus
Christ, not by religion and not by works, but by looking to Christ.
That's what Scripture teaches. He that believeth on the Son
hath life. And he that believeth not the
Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him.
Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord out of distress and
out of need shall call on his name shall be saved." But how
are they going to call on him in whom they've not believed,
and how are they going to believe in him of whom they've not heard?
And how are they going to hear unless somebody tells the truth? I believe, and therefore I've
spoken. And I believe that Christ died for our sins, He was buried
and rose again, and His resurrection is the receipt that God gave
to this whole world, and this whole universe, that He accepted
what Christ paid. Christ paid it, and He was buried
as our scapegoat, and He rose again as our justifier, and that
resurrection says God's name is stamped on the receipt, paid
in full, and I'm satisfied. Come up here and sit down, He
said to His Son on my right hand. till I make your enemies your
footstool." He's the only mediator between God and men. And all
that the Father had given Him will come to Him. God's going
to have a people. He's going to save them out of
a sinful race. And He's going to free folks like me and you.
Why not you? Why not me? Christ's coming again. He's coming again. There's going
to be a new heaven and new earth. And unto them that look for Him
will He appear the second time without sin under salvation.
And every believer in Christ can stand and challenge heaven,
earth, and hell, and say, who can lay anything to the charge
of God's elect? It is God who justifies it. Who
is He that condemned it? It's Christ that died. Yea, rather
He's risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who
also maketh intercession for us. If God be for us, who can
be against us? Who can separate us from the
love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord? We can have confidence
in that gospel. That's good news, because it's
not something you're doing for God. God doesn't need anything
you can do. In the flesh, no man can please
God. It's something God does for you. God does for you. All right, this message is on
a cassette tape. I believe, and therefore I've
spoken. Along with another one I'll bring next week on the great
question. If you want it, $2 donation,
send it in, we'll send you the tape. I return mail until next
week. At this same time, God bless
you, everyone.