Now let's turn in our Bibles
to the scripture which Brother Payne read, 2 Timothy 2. Verse 11 begins, With these words, it is a fateful
saying. Let's pause there a moment. It
is a fateful saying. It is a true saying. Now this
is one of five fateful sayings which the Apostle Paul mentions
in his writings. All of them are weighty. All
of them are important. Let's go back and look at each
of them just briefly in introducing the message. The first one is
found in a very familiar passage of Scripture in 1 Timothy 1,
verse 15. This is perhaps the best known
of all of these fateful sayings. This is a fateful, this is a
true saying, this is an important saying. That Christ Jesus is
worthy of all acceptation, that is, acceptation by all men, that
Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. That's why he
came. That was his mission. Who is
he? King of kings and Lord of lords.
Why did he come? To save sinners. Our Lord's mission
was to redeem sinners, Paul said, of whom I am the chief. This is the foundation of our
faith. This is the foundation of our
salvation. Our Lord came into this world.
He visited this earth for the purpose of redeeming a people
for his name. Now the second fateful saying
is found in 1 Timothy 3, right across the page, and he uses
the word true, the translators do. This is a fateful saying,
this is a true saying. If a man desires the office of
bishop or pastor or minister of the gospel, he desires a good
work. Paul is saying this, that a man
who desires the office of pastor, minister of the gospel desires
a good work, for this is God's means of bringing sinners for
whom Christ died, whom Christ came to save, to a knowledge
of the gospel, without which they'll not be saved. Whosoever
shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved, but how
shall they call on him in whom they've not believed, and how
shall they believe in him of whom they've not heard, and how
shall they hear? without a preacher. So this is
a true save, this is a faithful save. It's worthy of acceptation
by all that Christ Jesus came down here to save sinners. And if a man desire the office
of pastor, or preacher, or minister of the gospel, to take that good
news, blessed are the feet, how beautiful are the feet of them
who preach the gospel. If a man desires that office,
he desires a good work. Now the third one is found in
1 Timothy 4, chapter 4, verse 8. Now listen to this. Paul's
been talking in the preceding verses about those who come forbidding
to marry. Verse 3, look at it. For they'll
come in the last days preaching doctrines of devils, forbidding
to marry, verse 3, commanding to abstain from meat on Friday,
which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of
them which believe and know the truth." These are religious rituals. This is legalism. This is resorting
back to the old way, doing without certain meats, walking so far
on the Sabbath day, the clergy is not to marry, and so forth.
He goes on and says this, verse 7, "...refuse profane and old
wise fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness, for bodily
exercise profiteth little." This is what he's saying, the exercises
of religious form, keeping religious ceremonies, practicing religious
rituals, these things profit little. There was a day when
they typified Christ. There was a day when these exercises
or these ceremonies or these rituals had a place of importance
because they pointed to Christ. But these things profiteth little.
But listen, read on. But godliness, this is true faith. This is Christ in the heart.
This is a vital union with the King of Kings. Godliness is profitable
unto all things. having promise of the life that
now is. It's profitable right now. You're
not going to receive any peace and joy from practicing certain
religious rituals and ordinances. You're not going to receive assurance
and confidence in Christ by going to the altar, or going to the
table, or going to these different ceremonies. You receive that
assurance and that peace and that rest by coming to Christ.
by living faith in Christ, godliness, having promise of the life that
now is and that which is to come. This is a faithful faith, and
it's worthy of all acceptation. True faith, heart faith, living
faith, and godliness is profitable right now and in eternity, for
this is the way of life. Now the third saying is the text
which we read a moment ago, 2 Timothy 2, and we're going to deal with
this in the message tonight, verse 11. It is a faithful saying,
it's a true saying. If we be dead with him, we shall
live with him, with him. If we suffer, we shall also reign
with him. If we deny him, he also will
deny us. If we believe not, He remained
faithful, he abided faithful, he cannot deny himself. This
is that vital union with Christ. If we be dead with him, if we
suffer with him, we shall live with him and we shall reign with
him. This is that vital living union with Christ which is brought
about by faith, by faith in Christ. Thus, this union is that source
of all grace and all blessing, and through this union, we receive
the mercies of the covenant. Now the fifth fateful saying
is in Titus chapter 3. Titus chapter 3. Now it is remarkable. It's no mere coincidence I'm
sure. It's remarkable how these five fateful sayings are so beautifully
connected. Titus chapter 3 verse 8. We'll read this in just a moment.
Watch this. It is remarkable how these five faithful sayings
are so beautifully connected. The first one said this, Christ
Jesus is coming to the world to save sinners. This is a faithful
saying. This is a true saying. This is
an important saying. This is worthy of acceptation
by all men. The second statement is the minister
of Christ who proclaims that good news, that glad tidings,
that gospel. is the man who brings to you
the way of life, because we receive that gospel by faith. And then
that gospel is received not by the works of religion, not by
the ceremonies of religion, but by the faith of the heart, godliness
in the heart. And then the fourth faithful
saying is that vital living union with Christ is brought about
by faith, whereby we live with him, We reign with him, we suffer
with him, and we be dead with him. Now the fifth fateful saying,
verse 8, Titus 3. This is a fateful saying, And
these things I will, that thou affirm constantly, that they
which have believed that Christ came, they've heard the word
and believed it, they have been brought to a vital union with
Christ by faith. I will that you constantly preach
this to the people, that they which have believed in God might
be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable
unto men. He is saying here, this is the
result of that union with Jesus Christ. It produces a life of
perseverance, a life of godliness, a life of good works. for the
glory of Christ, and those works issue forth from that new nature.
And if we do not continue in these good works, he'll deny
us. We're going to deal with that
in just a few moments. Let's look back at the text now.
Here is that living union. Christ came to accomplish it.
The minister of the gospel preaches that you might be a part of it,
that you might believe it. It's not by the falling in line,
regimentation, doing certain things. It's by faith. It's by
faith. And this living union is effective. Now, first of all, it says in
verse 11, this is a faithful saying, number one, if we be
dead with Him. If we be dead with Him, we shall
also live with Him. Do you know what that means?
If we be dead with Christ. Now, my friends, Let me say something
right here, and I don't want to be critical. I listen to preachers,
I listen to the radio and the television, I go to meetings,
I go to Bible conferences and I hear other preachers. And I
hear preachers continue to tell people, do you want to be saved?
If you want to be saved, believe on Christ. Believe on Christ. Believe on Christ. But rarely
do they ever take the time to tell people what to believe about
Christ. Now the scripture says that we
are to be always ready to give a reason to people who ask us. A reason for our hope. What is
your reason that you could give? What does this mean right here?
If we be dead with Christ, we shall live with Christ. Well,
this is important. Now listen to it. Christ is a
representative person. He's a representative person.
Now let me show you that. Turn to 1 Corinthians 15. There
are really, now I don't mean to try to be, try to present something that
is astounding or or remarkable or anything like that, but let
me say this. They're just two men. They're two atoms. The first atom and the second
atom. And all mankind is viewed in either the first or second
atom right now. Now it says here in 1 Corinthians
chapter 15 verse 22, listen to it. For as in Adam all died. Now, God didn't create but one
man, that was Adam, the first man. Everybody else has come
from Adam, through the seed of Adam. And when God created Adam,
he created him as a representative person. When Adam stood, we stood. When Adam obeyed, we obeyed.
When Adam fell, we fell. When Adam died, we died. When
Adam was separated from God, we were separated from God. As
in Adam, all died. All right, here's the second
Adam. Even so, in Christ shall all
be made alive. Christ is a representative person. Now turn to 1 Corinthians 15,
verse 47. The first man is of the earth,
earthy. That's the first atom. The second
man is the Lord from heaven. That's who he is. He's the second
man. The first man, all of mankind
is viewed in him, we fell in him, we died in him. The second
Adam, the Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord from heaven, as is the
earthy, so such are they also that are earthy. As is the heavenly,
such are they also that are heavenly. We are one with him. Read on. And as we have borne the image
of the earthy, We shall also bear the image of the heavenly.
Adam represented us. Now then, Christ represents us. And God viewed us in Adam, fallen. God views us in Christ, restored. Turn to Romans chapter 5, and
this is so important. In Romans the fifth chapter,
beginning with verse 18. Now listen to this, Romans 5,
18. Therefore, as by the offense of one, by the sin of one, Adam
Judgment came upon all men to condemnation. All men who are
in Adam. All men who came from Adam. Even
so, by the righteousness of one, that's Christ, the free gift
came upon all men unto justification of life. All men who are in Christ.
Are you in Christ? Therefore, if any man be in Christ,
he's a new creature. There is therefore now no condemnation
to them who are in Christ. Read the next verse. For as by
one man's disobedience, that's Adam, we were made sinners, that's
a representative person, the federal head of the whole human
race, we were made sinners, so by the obedience of one, that's
Christ, shall many be made righteous. My friends, Christ is a representative
person. We were chosen in Him, we were
loved in Him, we were redeemed in Him, we were accepted in Him,
we were called in Him, and right now we are seated in Him. And
all that we have is through Him and because of Him. And as God
views us, He does not view us as individuals out here who are
trying to keep the faith, and trying to produce good works,
and trying to hold on to life, and trying to obey God. He views
us in Christ, our representative. Now then, when Paul says here,
this is a faithful saying, if we be dead with Him, our representative,
and that means this, when Christ died on that cross, When our
Lord suffered on Calvary, all believers, all of the elect,
died in Him. When He died, we died. When Christ
died, everyone who believes on Him died in Him. I am crucified
with Christ. Now, when Christ died, He died
under the curse of the broken law. The scripture says, Cursed
is everyone that hangeth on a tree. Christ came down here born under
the law, made of a woman to redeem them, born under the law. He
was crucified under the curse of that broken law. And when
Christ died on that cross under the curse of the broken law,
I died in Him under the curse of that law. Christ died under
the penalty of that broken law. The soul that's in it, it shall
die. And when He died, I died under
the penalty of that law. Christ died under the punishment
of that law. Justice must be satisfied. And
when Christ died, I died in Him, and therefore justice is satisfied. And now in this vital union with
Christ, all that was laid upon Him, all that became His, was
laid upon me and became mine. Turn with me to Romans 6. This
is what we're saying, Romans chapter 6. Now listen to it.
This is so important. Romans 6, verse 7. Jesus Christ was a representative
person. He is the surety of the eternal
covenant. We were chosen in Him. We were
loved in Him. We were regarded in Him. We were
redeemed in Him. We were accepted in Him. We were
called in Him. We are in Christ as we were in
Adam. As we fell in Adam, so are we
redeemed in Christ. And when Christ Jesus walked
on this earth, I walked on this earth. When He obeyed God's law
in every jot and tittle, I obeyed God's law. When He went to the
cross and died under the curse of the law, under the penalty
of the law, under the punishment of the law, I was crucified with
Christ. That cross was my cross, that
death was my death, that grave was my grave. Now listen to it,
Romans 6, verse 7. He that is dead is freed from
sin, from sin's penalty, from sin's punishment, from sin's
power. In other words, a man commits
a murder. He comes before the judge. The judge sentences him
to death. They take him out. Put him in
the electric chair, pull the switch, he's dead. He's free
from the penalty of that law. He has paid the price. That law
has no claim on him. That law can't keep him in the
prison now. That law releases him to his
family and they bury him. But he's paid the debt and the
law is satisfied. And the law is completely, completely,
that man's completely freed from that law. Read on. Now if we
be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with
him, knowing that Christ, being raised from the dead, dieth no
more. He dieth no more. There hath
no more dominion over him. For in that he died, he died
unto sin once. In that he liveth, he liveth
unto God. Everything that saith of Christ
there is mine. I died in him. Isn't that what
it says? If we be dead with Christ, we shall live with him. Read
on. Likewise reckon ye also yourselves
to be dead indeed unto sin, sin's penalty, sin's power, sin's punishment,
but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. The curse of the law cannot touch
a man who is in Christ. The penalty of the law cannot
touch a man who's in Christ. The punishment of the law cannot
touch a man who's in Christ. Turn to Romans 8, let me show
you that. Romans 8, chapter verse 1. There is therefore now no
condemnation, no judgment, no penalty to them who are in Christ
Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
Now verse 32. He that spared not his own son,
but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also
freely give us all that Christ purchased, and all that Christ
bought, and all that Christ merited? Read on. Who shall lay anything
to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifies. Who
is he that condemns him? Paul challenges heaven, earth,
and hell. Who can condemn me? Who can lay
anything to my charge? Christ died, and he's risen again,
and he's at the right hand of God, and he intercedes for us. That's the good news of the gospel. That's the good news of the gospel.
And I don't have to protect it. Somebody said, well, if you go
out and preach that, folks will live like they want to. They're
going to anyway. People live like they want to.
Christ said to that crowd in his day, you will not come to
me that you might have life. They wouldn't come. People won't
come today. But those who will come, come
because they will come. That's what they want to do. It is a true saying, if we're
dead with him, if we died with him, there is no more curse. There is no more penalty. There
is no more punishment. I am free from the law. I am
free from the law. I live under God. All right,
the second statement. If we suffer with him, we shall
also reign with him. Now, Paul didn't mean this, if
we suffer, we'll reign. He meant this, if we suffer with
Christ. Now to suffer is the common lot
of all men. If we live in this world, we're
going to know what it is to suffer. Physically, mentally, emotionally. But this union with Christ that
he's talking about here, being dead with Christ, and reigning
with Christ, and living with Christ, this union with Christ
brings about a suffering with Christ. Now brethren, to suffer
with Christ is not to personally afflict my body. Martin Luther
did that before God saved him. He lived in a monastery, and
when he had thoughts of impurity, he'd take a thorn bush and he'd
whip himself with it, as a lot of those monks did, until his
body bled and then he forgot his thoughts of impurity. They
would fast until they almost died. They'd have to spend days
and days in the sickbed being revived. This is not suffering
with Christ to afflict my body, to deprive it of food and clothing
and shelter and call it suffering for Jesus' sake. It's not suffering
for Christ's sake at all. It's suffering for my own sake.
That's not suffering with Christ. That's not what we're talking
about here. Secondly, to suffer with Christ is not to reap rewards
of a foolish crusade. I'll give you an example of that.
Several years ago, many years ago, some of the Protestants
who were fighting Roman Catholicism got so worked up one day that
they gathered together in front of a Roman Catholic cathedral
and they rushed into the cathedral and they knocked down the priest
who was serving Mass and they picked up the wafers and threw
them on the floor and stomped on them and dumped all the wine
in the floor and they got put in jail. But they couldn't sit
down in the jail and say, we're suffering for Christ's sake.
They're suffering for their foolish, foolish crusade that God didn't
lead them to do at all. Just foolishness. To suffer with
Christ is not to make everybody my enemy by trying to impose
on them my way of life. That's not to suffer with Christ.
There are people who claim to be Christians who are so difficult
to live with, so cantankerous, and so unaffectionate and unlovely,
that folks avoid them and have nothing to do with them and they
say they're suffering for Jesus' sake. They're not suffering for
Jesus' sake. They're suffering because they've just got a bad
personality and a rotten character and a selfish attitude. That's
not suffering for Christ's sake because I've become so ornery
and so contrary that nobody can get along with me and blame it
on my faith. What is it to suffer for Christ's
sake? Turn to Galatians 5.11. Paul had a name for it. In Galatians
5.11, he called it, in Galatians 5.11, the offense of the cross,
the offense of the message, the offense of substitution. Listen,
brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, good works for salvation, why
do I suffer persecution? My persecution is because of
the offense of the cross. That's what it's all about. That's
why Paul was hated. That's why he was put in jail.
That's why he was despised. That's why he was persecuted,
because of the offense of the cross. Now, my friends, there
are believers who have had family, relatives, turn against them
because of the gospel of Christ. Our Lord said, a man's foes shall
be those of his own house. There are believers who have
been slandered. They have been lied about. They
have been ridiculed for the gospel that they believe. Blessed are
ye when men shall persecute you and revile you and say all manner
of evil against you for my sake. For my sake. There are believers
who have been put out of churches. They've been put out of religious
organizations for the gospel's sake. Turn to John 16. Our Lord
warned of that in the 16th chapter of John. Listen to what he said.
In John 16, verse 1 through 3, these things have I spoken unto
you, that you should not be offended. They shall put you out of the
synagogues. Yea, the time cometh that whosoever
killeth you will think that he doeth God's service. And these
things will they do unto you, because they have not known the
Father, nor me. There are believers who have
been forsaken by even those who are in the faith. Paul said,
all men have forsaken me, only Luke is with me. Yes, it's possible
not only to suffer persecution from family and from kin, from
relatives who don't know the gospel, It's not only possible
to be slandered and lied about and ridiculed for the gospel's
sake by those who don't believe it. It's not only possible to
be put out of churches and synagogues and religious organizations because
of what you believe. But you can also expect persecution
even from those who believe. Turn to Philippians. I'll show
you that again. In Philippians chapter 1, verse
15. Philippians 1.15, Paul is talking about fellow preachers,
the brethren in the ministry. He said, verse 15 of Philippians
1, some indeed preach Christ, even of envy and strife, and
some also of goodwill. The one preached Christ of contention,
not sincerely. supposing to add affliction to
my bonds, to my chains, to make my stay in jail even more unpleasant. There are believers who have
lost their jobs because of the gospel. There are believers who
have lost their families because of the gospel. There are believers
who have lost their lives for the gospel. But brethren, this
suffering, I read some time ago, I don't remember who said it,
Suffering with Christ is always identified by three things. If
I'm going to sit back and say, well, I'm suffering with Christ,
I'm suffering for the gospel, it better pass this threefold
test or I'm not suffering with Christ. Number one, it has to
be for the glory of God. If I suffer for fame, if I suffer
for applause, if I suffer for recognition, If I suffer for
my own sake, my own mistakes, I'm nothing more than a Pharisee.
But if I'm suffering with the glory of God as my goal, only
the glory of God, then I can say I'm suffering with Christ.
Secondly, turn to 1 Corinthians 13. Now this is a shocking scripture. 1 Corinthians 13. If we're suffering
with Christ, we're doing it out of love for him and love for
his people if we're suffering with Christ. Now listen to it.
Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels and have
not love, I am become as a sounding brass and tinkling cymbal. We've
seen that before, haven't we? That's a familiar scripture.
In other words, Paul is saying, even though I have the gift of
tongues, and I can speak with tongues, and I have not love,
it profiteth me nothing. Read on. And though I have the
gift of prophecy, and I understand all mysteries and all knowledge,
and though I have all faith, so that I can remove mountains,
and have not love, I am nothing. We've read that before. But have
you ever noticed this? Though I sell out, bestow all
my goods to feed the poor. That's suffering, isn't it? And
though I give my body to be burned, that's suffering. And have not
love, it profiteth me nothing. So this thing of suffering with
Christ, it's got to be for the glory of God. That's got to be
the goal. Is that our goal? Being different,
being separated? Is that the glory of God? Not
self-glory, not self-praise, but God's glory alone. And secondly,
It's got to be because I love Christ. Not because I like to
be different, but because I love Christ. Not because I'd rather
go to a small church than a big one, but because I love Christ.
Not because I'd rather hold to something that nobody else holds
to, but I hold to it because I love Christ. And I'm not going
to hold to it like a bulldog in order to get recognition,
but I hold to it because I love Christ. And then thirdly, now
watch this. I don't know who said this, but
it's good. All suffering, if it's suffering with Christ, will
have the glory of God as its end, its goal, it'll have love
for Christ and love for his people, and then in that suffering, the
Spirit of Christ must be manifested. The Spirit of Christ. The attitude
of Christ. who though he thought it not
robbery to be equal with God, made himself of no reputation,
and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross,
and he never defended himself. When they began to lie on him,
the Lord Jesus Christ didn't quarrel, he didn't rebuke, he
didn't defend his honor. The scripture says he remained
silent. He was led as a sheep before
her shearer's dung, so he opened not his mouth. Now I'm beginning
to see something about this really and truly. I believe that a lot
of our religious persecution is brought on ourselves. I don't
think it's suffering with Christ at all. I think a lot of our
religious persecution cannot be said at all to be suffering
with Christ. Because when it has to go through
these three doors, is it for the glory of God? Is it because
I love Christ and love his people? And can I take this persecution,
can I take this slander, can I take this rebuke in the spirit
of my master? If he were here, if they were
saying the same things about him, what would he say? If they
were doing the same things to him, what would he do? If our
Lord were under the same slander and persecution, how would he
react? Now if I'm going to suffer with
him, I'm going to have to act like he acts. Peter said, How
many times should I forgive a fellow? He said, Seventy times seven. If someone smites you, turn the
other cheek. If he commands you to go a mile,
go two. But don't defend yourself. The battle's not ours, it's the
Lord's battle. He's the lawyer. Let him do the
defending. Now, look at this next line.
If we deny him, if we deny him, he also will deny us. Now, brethren,
let's camp right here just a few minutes. We've got a few minutes.
Let's camp right here. If we deny him, he also will
deny us. Now, this is a dreadful if. Yet,
it is an if that applies to me and to every one of you. Charlie,
to you. Jeff, been in the gospel a long
time, but this if applies to you. I've been preaching almost,
well, 30 years now, nearly. 1946, 45, 30 years this year. But this if applies to me. If
I deny him, he'll deny me. You know, if the apostles, they
all sat around the table. The Lord served them the bread
and the wine. They sat around, and our Lord
said, One of you, one of you is going to betray me. And they
all said, Is it I? Is it I? And if the apostles
had to say that, surely, as you and I sit here tonight, we have
to say the same thing, don't we? Lord, shall I deny thee? Shall I betray thee? And the
man who dogmatically and emphatically says, I won't, is the one who's
going to. Peter did. He said, Lord, I don't
care if all of them deny you, I never will. He did. He did. Now here's what we're saying.
And the whole book of Hebrews is a book of warning. Don't you
get wrapped up in a false security. Don't you get wrapped up in a
false presumption. Don't you ever get to the place
where you're no longer seeking the Lord. Because the whole book
of Hebrews keeps saying this, take heed brethren, lest there
be found in thee the preacher, in thee the elder, in thee the
deacon, in thee the Sunday school teacher. Take heed, lest there
be found in thee an evil heart of unduly, in denying and departing
from the living God. Judas dead, Demas dead, many
more have, The doctrine of preservation is one with the doctrine of perseverance. And the man who does not persevere
will never be preserved. Any who want to leave Christ
can. That's exactly right. One day
our Lord had preached and thousands of people walked off and He turned
to the disciples and said, will you also go away? Will you? It's amazing to me that some
of us get the idea in this day that we made a little profession
of faith and joined the church and believed the doctrines and
walked down the aisle and got baptized and we got a sure shot
to glory. And there are no dangers and
there are no difficulties and there's no possibility of our
ever being anything but a child of God. Don't fool yourself. You may have a false profession.
You may have an empty satanic experience. You may have been
the very person of whom Christ was speaking when he said the
evil spirit went out, and he walked to and fro in dry places
and finding no rest, said, I'm going home, and he came back
in, and the worst state of that man was worse, the last state
was worse than the first. We are kept by the power of God
through faith. Through faith. I'm telling you,
this is so. This is so. This is a dreadful ill. Watch
it. It's a fateful saying. If we
be dead with him, we'll live with him. If we suffer with him,
we'll reign with him. If we deny him, You mean after 40 years preaching?
That's exactly what I mean. He'll deny us. Now that's what
it says. You know what it says? Turn to
Hebrews, if you will. Let me read you a scripture.
Hebrews chapter 3. Hebrews chapter 3. I'm just saying
that this whole book of Hebrews is a warning against apostasy.
It's a warning against falling from the way. It's a warning
against denying Christ. It's a warning against returning
to beggarly elements. Hebrews chapter 3 verse 6 says,
Christ as a son over his own house, whose house are we? But
it didn't stop there. Whose house are we if we hold
fast the confidence and rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end?
Look at verse 14. We are partakers of Christ, but
it didn't stop there. if we hold the beginning of our
confidence steadfast to the end. And that's what Paul is saying
here. Oh, the beauties of God's grace and vital union with Christ.
If we be dead with Him, we live with Him. If we suffer with Him,
we reign with Him. But don't you get confident.
If you deny Him, He'll deny you. Now, you just quit the gospel
and see if you don't wind up in hell. Now, you just leave the gospel
and see if God doesn't leave you. You just deny what God has
taught you and revealed to you and brought to you, and you see
if he doesn't deny you. That's what says here. The preacher, I thought you believed
in eternal salvation. I do. I thought you believed that God
saved men by grace, whom he foreknew, he predestinated, whom he predestinated,
he called, whom he called, he justified, whom he justified,
he glorified. I do. But I don't know that you're
in that. That's the problem. That's the
problem. Give diligence to make your calling
and election sure. Election is sure, but are you
sure? You see what I'm saying? Yeah,
God's covenant will not be broken. God will never deny His own.
He knows them that are His. But are we His? That's the problem
now. That's what I want to know. I'm
not worried about God going out of business. I'm just concerned,
am I part of the business? I'm not worried about God not
having a kingdom. He's got a kingdom. He's got
a people. But am I one of his own? A lot of people run that weren't
sent. And a lot of people are going
to say at the judgment, Lord, Lord, we did this, that, and
the other. I never knew you. Now he knows somebody. Does he
know me? Brethren, perseverance is the mark of salvation. Continuing
in the faith. That's characteristic of salvation.
These folks that blow hot today and cold tomorrow and come to
church today and gone tomorrow, they don't know God. It's those
who continue in the faith, endure to the end, who live with Christ,
who suffer with Christ, who are identified with Christ, who know
Christ. And they know Him when the journey
comes to an end. Now look at verse 13. This will
give us a little help to keep from offending and wounding one
of God's lambs. Listen, verse 13, if we believe
not, yet he abided faithful. Now what in the world does that
mean, preacher? Here's what it means. Here's
the only thing it can mean. This doesn't mean unbelievers
are going to be saved. We're talking about a vital union
with Christ here. We've come into this thing through
the front door, and it says here, if we'd be dead with him, if
that happened at Calvary, we were buried, we arose with him,
we're seated with him, we're going to live with him, we suffer
with him, we'll reign with him. But if we believe none, John
Gill said this, there is no perfect faith. Sometimes the faith of
true believers gets mighty, mighty low. It gets low as to its exercise
on Christ. It gets low with reference to
death, reference to future glory. It gets low with reference to
our interest in Christ. Do you have doubts? I do. Do
you wrestle with fears? I do. Sometimes I don't feel
like I have any faith at all. Don't you feel that way sometimes?
But he said when we get that way, our Lord is faithful. Our Lord is faithful. He's faithful
to all his covenant promises. He's faithful to all of his righteous
merit. We don't deny him. We don't doubt
him. We doubt ourselves. That's the
weakness of faith. We doubt our interest in him,
we doubt our position in him, we doubt our standings in him,
we can't understand how he can love a wretch like us. But he
says even though we have these doubts and even though our faith
is not perfect, yet He remaineth faithful. He will not deny himself,
and I'm part of him. That's what it says here. Look,
if we believe not, if we have these times of doubts and fears,
he about is faithful, he still intercede for me, He cannot deny
himself. And that's living union with
him. He can't deny me because I'm with him. I'm in him. I'm
numbered with him. And then he couldn't deny me
because in denying me he'd be denying himself. Our Father,
we thank Thee for the Word. How blessed, how precious is
Thy Word. Now use it tonight to accomplish
Thy purpose and Thy glory. Let us never be ashamed of the
Gospel, the Gospel which Thou hast taught us and revealed to
us. Keep us, keep us, faithful unto the end. Let us finish our
course with joy. Let the beauty of Christ be seen
in me. For Christ's sake, amen.