Now back in Mark 16, our Lord had fulfilled every
requirement of God's law in perfect obedience in the flesh. Our Lord had gone to the cross
of Calvary, and there he had died under the judgment of our
sins. Our Lord had been buried and
risen again. And all of these things he taught
his disciples, all of these things he preached to them, taught them
and promised them. And it says in verse 11 of Mark
16 that, and they, when they heard that he was alive and had
been seen of this woman, Mary Magdalene, they didn't believe,
they didn't believe. And verse 12 says, After that
he appeared in another form unto two of them, as they walked and
went into the country. And they went and told it to
the others, and they didn't believe them. And then he gathered them together,
verse 14. Afterward he appeared unto the
eleven as they sat at meat. They sat together. And he upbraided
them for their unbelief. Now, my message this morning
We're not going to talk about decisions, experiences, and all
these things, our customs and religions and so forth. I'm going
to talk about right down here, this place where it's all settled,
this parent grace, believing God, this initial grace, believing
God. If this is not present, if this
does not possess us, you can forget the rest now. You can
forget the rest. You can forget all the play pretties
and all of the toys of religion. You can forget hope of life and
hope of resurrection and tell mother I'll be there and all
that stuff. You can forget it. You can forget when we all get
to heaven. And when the rose call up yonder,
I'll be there. Here's where it is, believe in
God. I'm telling you, it's believe in God. And these men, though
they'd been with Christ all this time and they'd listened to him
and they'd suffered and they'd been persecuted and they'd been
mocked and they'd been ostracized and kicked out and excluded and
all these things, but when it came down to it, they just didn't
believe. When it came right down to it,
they didn't believe. And it says in verse 14, he upbraided
them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they
believed not them which had seen him after he had risen. And he
said to them, now you go into all the world and preach the
gospel to every creature and he that believe it, he that believe
it, this is where it is, not he that join it, not he that
work it. It says he that believe it. and
is baptized shall be saved. He that believeth not shall be
damned, though he joineth and worketh and all these other things. He that believeth not shall be
damned." Now, let's bring out several things here and let's
look at this, see if I can help us with it. I'm not just shooting
out in the air this morning. I'm trying to establish some
things. First of all, I know this. This gospel, he said, you
go preach the gospel and he that believeth will be saved. This
gospel of God's mercy and grace to sinners through Christ is
as eternal and unchanging as the God who purposed it. If we can light upon whatever
this gospel is, if we can find out what it is that we're required
to believe, we'll find out this, that this gospel is as eternal
and unchanging, immutable is the word, as the God who designed
it and purposed it. He said in Malachi 3.6, I won't
ask you to turn to all these, but in Malachi 3.6, he said,
I am the Lord, I change not. There is no change with God.
I change not. Whatever God purposes, decrees,
promises is without change, without any alteration whatsoever. God
doesn't change. God is infinitely, everlastingly
perfect in all ways and in all things. He doesn't change. He
says in Hebrews 13, 8, Jesus Christ is the same yesterday
and all the yesterdays, and the yesterdays before the yesterdays,
and today and forever and ever and ever. He's the same. He's
the same. Romans 11, 29 says the gifts
of God, the callings of God are without change. No change. There's no change with God. You
can put your little sign on the wall, prayer changes things. And whatever that means to you,
it better not mean it changes God. Now, whatever that means,
it might change you and bring you into submission to God's
will. And prayer may be a means that God uses to accomplish his
purpose, but it don't change God. Now, God doesn't change. He said, I do not change. He
is the same. His gifts and calling are without
change. Now I want you to turn to this
verse. Numbers 23. Numbers 23. Two reasons I want
you to turn to it. A little humor never hurt anybody.
One is I want you to read it. Two, I can't quote it. Numbers
23, 19. Now listen. Numbers 23, 19. God
is not a man that he should lie. neither the Son of Man, that
he should repent. Hath God said, and shall he not
do it? Hath he spoken, and shall he
not make it good?" Now, that's enough. So what I'm saying to
you is this, that this gospel, whatever I'm to believe, whatever
I'm to believe, whatever God has purposed or promised, whatever
God's designed, whatever is set forth for me to preach and me
to believe, It's as unchanging and eternal as God who designed
it. Now one other verse, I do want you to turn to this one
too, James chapter 1. Now listen to this, James chapter
1, James the first chapter, and the verse is 17. Now listen to
it. And we quote the first part of
this often. Don't you say every good gift
and perfect gift comes from God. I do, I quote it all the time.
But there's some more to that verse, James 1, 17. Every good
gift and every perfect gift is from above. And it's a gift and
it's from above. And it cometh down from the Father
of lights. Who is that? That's God. With
whom is no variableness. need a shadow of turning." You
know what that's saying? With God there's not even a shadow
or a shade or an appearance of change, not even a thin shadow. Every good gift and every perfect
gift cometh from above, from the Father of lights with whom
there isn't even a shadow, Cecil, of a change, not even an appearance. Not even a fleeting shadow or
shade of change with God. What he has decreed, it's done. It's done. Now, this gospel,
let's look at something else about it. Strictly speaking,
strictly speaking, this gospel which God decreed, which God
purposed, which God designed, that's as eternal and unchangeable
as God, Strictly speaking, this gospel is a word of promise. It's a word of promise. And believing
the gospel is believing the promise whatever generation or age you
live in. Now, that's just believing God.
It's believing God. Somebody says, well, I believe
Jesus died personally for me. That's not required, that you
believe Jesus died personally for you. What's required is you
to believe God. And God said Jesus Christ died
for sinners. Believe God. Whatever God said,
I believe God will do all that he promised. God Almighty, from
all eternity, has decreed to have a people. He said that.
I believe him. He chose that people from Adam's
race. He said in his word he made Christ
their surety. All the way through the Old Testament,
He gave types and pictures and shadows and prophecies of the
coming Redeemer. In the fullness of time, He sent
His Son into the world. I don't understand how God can
become a man and how a man can be God any more than those Jews
to whom Christ said that. And they said, you can't be God,
you're a man. I don't understand anything, but God said it, I
believe it. And that man died on the cross,
was buried and rose again, and God said he's at God's right
hand. And all who trust him, believe on him, receive him,
God will save. The basis of that, the foundation
of that, is believing God. Not understanding it. Believing
God. And not even thinking that I
personally have an interest or a part in it, selfishly, to the
exclusion of other people. I just believe God. I believe
that his wisdom, that his justice, that his holiness, that his righteousness
were all met and satisfied in the person of Jesus Christ. I
believe God. And it's a promise. And whether
you live in the days of Abel or the days of the millennium,
if you believe in God, whatever amount of light you have, You
just believe, you walk in the light God has given you, believe
in God. Let me show you some things about
Hebrews 4. Basically, strictly speaking,
the gospel is a promise. It's a promise. It was promised
before by the holy prophets in the holy scriptures. In Hebrews
4, listen, verse 1. lest a promise being left us
of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short
of it." What's that promise? What is that promise? That's
the gospel, that's Christ. For unto us was the gospel preached
as well as unto them in the Old Testament days, but the word
preached didn't profit them, not being mixed with faith in
them that heard it. Now let me tell you something
here. Let's go all the way back here before God made the world. before God made the sun, moon,
stars, whatever, and the earth and the planets and all these
other things, before he made man, before the foundations of
the world. That's what scripture says. Almighty
God purposed, designed, and promised a Redeemer. He promised a Redeemer. The angels who live in his favor,
who live in his presence, enjoy his glory, believe God. They
believe him. When man came and fell, And God
said to Adam and Eve, the seed of woman will bruise the serpent's
head, they believed God. They're just as saved as anybody
out here who believes God in 1983. They believed God. Salvation
was given to them, imputed to them on the basis of faith. Not
understanding, but faith. Not even seeing the fulfillment,
but faith. When Abel brought the blood sacrifice,
he was saying, I believe God. I believe God. And then down
here, when Moses put the blood on the door, he said, I believe
God. When Moses lifted up the brazen serpent, they looked to
the serpent, I believe God. And down here, when Christ came,
the disciples finally came to believe him. And then we preach
the gospel down through the years and we believe God. But it's
the same gospel, whether it's in purpose Prophecy, promise,
in person, fulfilling, in actual sacrifice, and Christ rising
and seated from there, eternity future, eternity past, it's all
the same program. It's all the same God at whatever
stage He's pleased to reveal Himself. Salvation is believing
Him. It's not doing or giving or going
or working, it's just resting and believing God. And at any
place in here, Christ doesn't have to actually come and die
in order for that to be in operation, in order for it to be in effect.
His blood is in effect when God purposed it. His cleansing power
was in effect when God promised it. It was in effect when they
were living under types. You see, that's the reason. When
the Jews brought the blood and put it on the altar, it wasn't
that animal blood that saved. They were saying they believed
that this would actually be done by the Redeemer when he came,
and it was their faith that saved. It was their faith that was imputed
for righteousness. And so you say, why don't we
bring something, because it's already been brought. Christ
brought it, his own blood, and went into the Holy of Holies
and put his blood on the mercy seat, and no longer do we have
to use types and pictures, because he is the fulfillment of all
of it. So it doesn't matter at what state, or what dispensation,
or what generation a person is. Faith is to believe God, walking
in the life you have. Now, we've got a whole lot more
life than they had back here. We've got the fulfilled Word,
we've got the fulfilled prophecies and promises, and Christ has
come. But the gospel is a promise. God promised it, God promised
it, God promised it, Christ has died and was buried and rose
again, and God still promises life in Christ. And I believe
Him. Let me show you some more. Turn
to Romans 4. This is, I'm telling you, I don't
know whether you can, whether I'm making it clear enough and
you can enter into the fullness of this, this is it. It's believing
God. It's believing God. Whether I'm
an Old Testament Jew or I'm living in a millennium, whether I'm
back here under the day of Titus or whether I'm under the day
of the fulfilled, revealed gospel in the person of Christ, this
faith is believing God. And I'm no more commended for
what I believe than they are for what they believe. It's the
gift of God. Now let me show you Romans 4.
Talk about Abraham. Verse 20, he staggered not at
the promise of God through unbelief. What did he stagger? He didn't
stagger at the what? Promise of God. He believed God's
Word. He was strong in faith, giving
glory to God. He hadn't seen it, he hadn't
experienced it, but he believed God was able, fully persuaded
that what God promised, he was able. And brother, therefore
it was imputed to him for righteousness. He never believed Christ died
personally for him. He believed God. He believed
God. He didn't accept Jesus as his
personal Savior. He believed God, whatever God
did. He believed God. And if God said
you're going to have a son, he was going to have a son, and
he knew the gates of hell couldn't keep you from having a son. God
set it. Now, you can come to that point and that place. You
don't need to have any feelings. How do I, somebody says, well,
how do I see Christ on the cross? Or how do I do this? Or how do
I do, it's not how I do anything, it's, but God does it. I believe
God. I believe God. Now read on. Now
this wasn't written for his sake that it was imputed to him, but
for us also, to whom it shall be imputed if we believe on him,
not on an event, on a person that raised Jesus our Lord from
the dead. My friends, I just tell you,
I believe God. Let me show you another scripture
in 1 John 5. This is important here. I don't believe like I want to
believe. Don't believe like I ought to believe. But I believe that
I can say this morning, I believe God. I don't understand all the
workings of God and the mysteries of God, godliness and these things,
but I believe God. Now, there are three that bear
record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost,
and these three are one. And there are three that bear witness in
the earth, the Spirit and the water, I believe that's the Word,
and the blood, and these three agree in one. Now, if we receive
the witness of men, and you do, you do, the witness of God is
greater. This is the witness of God which
he hath testified of his Son. And he that believeth on the
Son hath the witness in himself. And he that believeth not God
hath made God a liar, because he believeth not the record God
gave of his Son." That's the whole record, too. And this is
the record. This is it, that God had given
us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. You see, this
is the reason that Paul condemned those that preached any other
gospel. He said if you preach any other gospel, let it be a
curse. This gospel which we preach is as eternal and immutable,
unchangeable as the God who designed it, who purposed it, who decreed
it, who fulfilled it, and who applied it. So what I'm saying
is this, from the fall of our parents in the garden to this
day, salvation from sin and eternal life is promised to those who
believe God. And this is what I'm saying,
who believe God as Jehovah, God my Savior. Not just believe that,
watch this. He said, you believe there's
one God, Elohim, an absolute creator and being, you do well. The devil believes that and trembles.
But this believing God is believing Jehovah, God my Savior, God in
redemption through Christ. It's believing God. Abel believed
that when he brought the sin offering. Abraham believed that.
Job, I know my Redeemer living. Isaiah, he was wounded by transgression. Moses put the Passover with blood
on the door, the blazing serpent, the rock. Now let me show you
two scriptures here. Turn to 1 Corinthians 5 first.
1 Corinthians chapter 5. 1 Corinthians chapter 5 verse 7. The last part of verse 7, chapter
5, "...for even Christ our Passover sacrificed for us." That Passover
was Christ. Now, I Corinthians 10, let me
show you another verse here, I Corinthians 10 forward. It
says, "...and did all drink the same spiritual drink, they drank
of that spiritual rock that followed them, and that rock was Christ."
Christ is our Passover and Christ is that rock. Salvation is in
Christ. I read this the other day, I
thought it was very good. Salvation is not in the law. Salvation is not in deeds or
works of religion. It's in Christ. The law is a
word of wrath. The gospel is a word of peace.
The law says you're a sinner and you will be damned. The gospel
says Christ came to save sinners. The law says pay what you owe
or be condemned. The gospel says Jesus paid it
all, all the debt I owe. The law says continue in all
things written in the book of the law or be cursed. The gospel
says Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law being made
a curse for us. The law commands all. It requires
all. The gospel promises all and fulfills
all. Paul says when he stood on the
deck of that ship that was about to sink, Sirs, I believe God
that it shall be exactly as he said. Do you believe God? All
right, let me give you one thing before I quit. Here's what we're
saying in this gospel. Eternal gospel, unchangeable
gospel, sufficient gospel. Here's what we're saying. All
that God requires from eternity past through eternity future,
all that the sinner needs, any sinner, all sinners, all that
the sinner needs, all that the law requires, all that justice
demands, is fully met and fully supplied in Jesus Christ our
Lord. And I ask five questions. Number
one, do you seek a ransom? Do you seek a ransom before the
justice of God? Well, Job said this, deliver
him from going down into the pit, I have found a ransom. Matthew wrote, he gave himself
a ransom for many. Turn to 1 Timothy 2. I want you
to read this one. 1 Timothy chapter 2. 1 Timothy
2 verse 5 and 6. Do you need a ransom? before the justice of God. Do
you need a ransom before the throne of God? 1 Timothy 2 beginning
with verse 5. For there is one God and one
mediator between God and me and the man Christ Jesus who gave
himself a ransom for all to be testified in due time. Secondly,
do you need healing from disease? I'm talking about the disease
of sin. Well, the scripture says he was wounded for our transgressions,
he was bruised for our iniquities, all our diseases and sicknesses
were laid upon him. Our Lord calls himself Jehovah
Rapha, I am the Lord that healeth thee. And then in Psalm 103,
listen to David, Psalm 103 verse 3, the Lord forgiveth thine iniquities
and healeth thy diseases. and healeth thy diseases. Thirdly,
do you want a robe of righteousness to cover your nakedness? In Revelation
chapter 20, turn over there, Revelation chapter 20, Revelation
chapter 3, verse 17, Revelation 3, 17. He says, talking about the church
at Laodicea, you say, I am rich and increased with goods and
have need of nothing. And you know not that you are
wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked. I counsel thee to
bow thee gold-tide in the fire, that thou mayest be rich, and
white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, that the shame of
thy nakedness do not appear, and anoint thine eyes with eye-shade,
that thou mayest see." Do you want that covering? I'll tell
you where it's found. Turn to Isaiah 61, and I would
like for you to read this one. Verse 10, this is where it's
found. This is where it's found. Isaiah 61, you've heard us talk
about the robe of righteousness, the white clothing, that you
may not be found naked. Isaiah 61 10, I will greatly
rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God, for
he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered
me with the robe of righteousness. There it is. All right, fourthly,
quickly. Do you seek a city of refuge?
Do you seek a city of refuge? Can you hear the thundering heels
of the Avenger behind you? Can't you just imagine that fellow
standing out in the field and he lifted his axe and the head
flew off and hit a man in the head and killed him and there
weren't any witnesses? It was accidental, there weren't
any witnesses. And the man's brother heard about it, that
his brother was out in the field working with this man, and the
brother's dead with a blow to the head, so he comes after him.
And the law of God says he can flee to the city of refuge, one
of the seven cities, and if he gets inside that city, this avenger
cannot touch him. Under law, cannot touch him.
And I'll tell you this, do you want a city of refuge? I'll tell
you, our sins are not accidental. Our sins are willful and deliberate.
And the avenger has every right to lay hands on us. But I'll
tell you, if you can flee to Christ and find refuge in Christ,
there is no condemnation to them who are in Christ. There's none
that can condemn those who are in Christ. It's just not that.
Now, one other scripture, Genesis 28. Genesis 28. And this I want
to find within my heart, not just religion. I want to find
within my heart, not just an agreement with some Bible
facts. I want to find within my heart
a God-given settle. Belief in God. I believe God. Abraham believed God. He believed
God. He believed God. He rested in
God. When God told him to get out
of his father's house and go to land, he showed him. He went,
not knowing where he was going. When God told him at a hundred
years of age he'd have a son, he believed God, not knowing
how it would take place. When God told him to take that
son up on the mountain and kill him, he believed God, not knowing
why. He just believed God. He believed God. He couldn't
explain all these things, but he believed God. Why did God
take this route? Why did God take this path? Why
did God require this? Abraham never owned a foot of
land, though God promised him all things. But he believed God.
Now then, what's this? Genesis 28, verse 11. It's talking
about Jacob. And Jacob lighted upon a certain
place, and tarried there all night, because the sun was set. And he took stones of that place,
and put them for his pillows, and lay down in that place to
sleep. And he dreamed. And behold, a ladder set up on
the earth." Now, you're with him? That ladder, the foot of
it, was on this earth. That's where it was standing.
And the top of it reached to heaven, to the throne of God. And behold, the angels of God
ascending and descending on it. And the Lord stood above it and
said, I am the Lord God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac,
the land whereon you lie, to thee will I give it to thy seed.
And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt
spread abroad to the west, the east, the north, and the south.
And in thee and thy seed shall all the families of the earth
be blessed. Behold, I am with thee, and I'll keep thee in all
places whither thou goest, and I'll bring thee again into this
land. I'll not leave you until I've done that which I've spoken
to thee of." And Jacob awakened out of his sleep and said, Surely
the Lord's in this place, and I knew it not. And he was afraid,
and he said, How dreadful is this place! This is none other
but the house of God and the gate of heaven." If you were
preaching on that Now, you lay hold of the vastness of it. Here's a man, a God in heaven, and there's a ladder that's a
foot of. It's right down here on the earth
by this man, and it ends up right there in the presence of God.
Now, you know what a ladder is for. In other words, a ladder
is to take you from where you are to where you want to go.
And without a ladder, you can't get on top of the house. But
if you've got a ladder sitting there, if I walk up and there's
a ladder sitting there at the bottom of us here, top of us where I'm
going, I can get up. And this is what God is saying. Here's a man down here named
Jacob, supplanter, chief, whatever. He's a man. But God loved him. And God showed him there's a
way from there to the throne of God. And, my friends, that
ladder is Christ. That ladder's Christ. I know
that all the way through this book. That ladder's Christ. Christ
in promise, Christ in prophecy, Christ in picture, Christ in
person, Christ in preaching, Christ ascended, Christ seated. That ladder's Christ. He said,
I'm the way, the truth, and the life. No man cometh to the Father
but by me. Other foundation can no man lay
than that which is laid. Now that's it. That's Christ
right there. And every promise, Jacob said,
this is the house of God, this is the gate of heaven, this is
the way to heaven. Now, I believe God. And we can
go through all that you want to go through, but this is where
you want to work, this is where you want to aim. You young people,
everybody else, you want God, whatever He asks for. Chiefly
ask for faith, ask to believe God. Everything else will fall
in line, everything else will fit in if you can believe God.
You're saved if you believe God. Believe God, but believing God
is believing God in His redemptive character, Jehovah. Jehovah Rapha,
Jehovah Sidkenu, Jehovah the Lord my righteousness, the Lord
that healeth thee, Jehovah my banner over me, Jehovah present,
the Lord will provide That's Jehovah, God present, all of
this faith toward God is believing him whatever, whenever, however,
is believing God. And he says it's in Christ. And
this is the thing about elections. Somebody said, I can't see election.
You don't have to see it, but you have to believe it. You're not required to see, understand
anything. You're required to believe God.
If that's what God has said, that's the way it is. That's
the way it is. I don't understand why God permitted
Adam to fall when he could have stopped it. I don't either. But
I tell you this, if Adam hadn't fallen then, I'd be in danger
of falling now. I'm kind of glad he fell and
got it over with. If it hadn't been a fall, it wouldn't have
been a song of redemption. It wouldn't have been an assurance
of confidence. So these things, now we see through a glass dimly. We know in part, we prophesy
in part, but when that which is perfect is come, that which
is in part shall be done away, and we'll know even as we're
known. I'm going to know the purpose and plan and way and
will of God like God knows me now. I'm going to be pleased
to reveal it. And then, I won't have to tell
you, you'll be telling me. But I'll tell you where we better
start. Believe in God.