WEBVTT 00:00:13.091 --> 00:00:18.126 ...Christian assurance. 00:00:18.126 --> 00:00:22.604 And I want to because it seems like 00:00:22.604 --> 00:00:25.126 I've just been getting a number of questions 00:00:25.126 --> 00:00:27.232 asked about it lately. 00:00:27.232 --> 00:00:31.217 I've been receiving emails. 00:00:31.217 --> 00:00:41.294 And I guess that's what I want to talk about tonight. 00:00:41.294 --> 00:00:45.452 Assurance. 00:00:45.452 --> 00:00:47.475 What do we mean when we say that? 00:00:47.475 --> 00:00:50.190 Christian context - what do we mean by that? 00:00:50.190 --> 00:00:52.619 Assurance. 00:00:52.619 --> 00:00:53.642 (from the room) 00:00:53.642 --> 00:00:56.255 Assurance of salvation? 00:00:56.255 --> 00:00:57.673 Tim: Right. 00:00:57.673 --> 00:00:59.302 What do we mean? 00:00:59.302 --> 00:01:01.586 That we can be sure of it. 00:01:01.586 --> 00:01:03.940 That we can be sure that we're saved. 00:01:03.940 --> 00:01:07.976 Anybody say it a different way? 00:01:07.976 --> 00:01:11.292 Know with confidence 00:01:11.292 --> 00:01:13.965 that we're saved. 00:01:13.965 --> 00:01:17.407 Anybody say it another way? 00:01:17.407 --> 00:01:19.430 It's confirmed. 00:01:19.430 --> 00:01:21.204 There's confidence. 00:01:21.204 --> 00:01:25.907 There's surety. 00:01:25.907 --> 00:01:28.435 Evidence - we might say that. 00:01:28.435 --> 00:01:33.998 Evidence. 00:01:33.998 --> 00:01:38.434 Assurance has to do with the confidence; 00:01:38.434 --> 00:01:43.214 a certainty. 00:01:43.214 --> 00:01:45.068 Ok. 00:01:45.068 --> 00:01:49.783 I can tell you this. 00:01:49.783 --> 00:01:52.407 I've told you folks this before, 00:01:52.407 --> 00:01:55.269 but I remember when I was first converted. 00:01:55.269 --> 00:01:56.480 I went to a church: 00:01:56.480 --> 00:02:00.424 Calvary Bible Church in Kalamazoo, Michigan. 00:02:00.424 --> 00:02:02.896 And in fact, when I was back up there, 00:02:02.896 --> 00:02:04.768 Ruby and I and the children, 00:02:04.768 --> 00:02:06.327 we went back and we visited 00:02:06.327 --> 00:02:09.235 in Kalamazoo, MI. 00:02:09.235 --> 00:02:12.160 We went to church back there 00:02:12.160 --> 00:02:14.321 at Calvary in August. 00:02:14.321 --> 00:02:15.823 When I was first converted 00:02:15.823 --> 00:02:18.541 and I was in that church, 00:02:18.541 --> 00:02:21.622 typically at the end of the sermon, 00:02:21.622 --> 00:02:23.415 they had a sound booth 00:02:23.415 --> 00:02:25.385 positioned right in the middle 00:02:25.385 --> 00:02:27.634 of this auditorium. 00:02:27.634 --> 00:02:29.921 It seated about 1,200 people, 00:02:29.921 --> 00:02:31.083 had a balcony, 00:02:31.083 --> 00:02:32.436 a lot of people. 00:02:32.436 --> 00:02:34.548 They would have a guy in the sound room. 00:02:34.548 --> 00:02:35.794 And right at the end, 00:02:35.794 --> 00:02:37.898 you know, he would work this thing up 00:02:37.898 --> 00:02:41.355 and he would get people where 00:02:41.355 --> 00:02:44.952 he'd try to get the emotions moving, 00:02:44.952 --> 00:02:47.717 and the guy would have the sound dial 00:02:47.717 --> 00:02:50.742 (probably more linear). 00:02:50.742 --> 00:02:52.560 He would start moving that thing up. 00:02:52.560 --> 00:02:55.639 So you would have this very enchanting music 00:02:55.639 --> 00:02:57.770 begin to come in. 00:02:57.770 --> 00:02:59.499 And he would say, 00:02:59.499 --> 00:03:02.214 "Just believe. Just believe." 00:03:02.214 --> 00:03:03.837 And I can remember at those times 00:03:03.837 --> 00:03:05.429 I would have my eyes wide open. 00:03:05.429 --> 00:03:08.039 I know I've told this story before. 00:03:08.039 --> 00:03:09.639 I'd have my eyes wide open 00:03:09.639 --> 00:03:11.859 and I'd be looking around at all those people. 00:03:11.859 --> 00:03:14.816 And of course, I was a product. 00:03:14.816 --> 00:03:17.648 I was saved in 1990. 00:03:17.648 --> 00:03:20.162 John MacArthur came out with his book: 00:03:20.162 --> 00:03:21.780 "The Gospel According to Jesus." 00:03:21.780 --> 00:03:26.650 I think it was released publicly in '88. 00:03:26.650 --> 00:03:29.468 So that book was kind of at its prime. 00:03:29.468 --> 00:03:31.423 He was writing the Gospel 00:03:31.423 --> 00:03:33.809 according to Jesus as he saw it 00:03:33.809 --> 00:03:37.443 coming out of the Gospels. 00:03:37.443 --> 00:03:41.226 God used that book to save me. 00:03:41.227 --> 00:03:43.318 That book was largely about 00:03:43.318 --> 00:03:46.682 the necessity of repentance 00:03:46.682 --> 00:03:47.963 in being converted. 00:03:47.963 --> 00:03:50.868 It was about the whole Lordship controversy. 00:03:50.868 --> 00:03:52.943 And of course, there were a lot of people 00:03:52.943 --> 00:03:54.209 writing against him 00:03:54.209 --> 00:03:56.452 that were denying the necessity of repentance. 00:03:56.452 --> 00:03:58.458 Denying that you had to bow the knee 00:03:58.458 --> 00:03:59.427 to Jesus Christ. 00:03:59.427 --> 00:04:00.990 They were saying that was adding 00:04:00.990 --> 00:04:02.398 something to salvation. 00:04:02.398 --> 00:04:03.555 So here I am, 00:04:03.555 --> 00:04:05.109 saved right in the heart 00:04:05.109 --> 00:04:06.705 of that controversy 00:04:06.705 --> 00:04:09.347 through the materials of John MacArthur. 00:04:09.347 --> 00:04:11.750 So you know where my bias was. 00:04:11.750 --> 00:04:14.972 And you can imagine what I was convinced 00:04:14.972 --> 00:04:16.236 was the truth. 00:04:16.236 --> 00:04:17.593 And I was convinced of that 00:04:17.593 --> 00:04:18.925 not just MacArthur said it 00:04:18.925 --> 00:04:20.741 but because when I went to the Bible, 00:04:20.741 --> 00:04:21.492 I saw it there. 00:04:21.492 --> 00:04:23.244 And so now when this guy is up here 00:04:23.244 --> 00:04:25.983 saying, "just believe, just believe, just believe," 00:04:25.983 --> 00:04:28.385 and I'm going to the Sunday school class - 00:04:28.385 --> 00:04:30.232 the singles Sunday school class 00:04:30.232 --> 00:04:31.296 in that church, 00:04:31.296 --> 00:04:32.677 and I got this girl over here 00:04:32.677 --> 00:04:34.145 coming to me and talking to me 00:04:34.145 --> 00:04:36.028 telling me she's sleeping with her boyfriend. 00:04:36.028 --> 00:04:38.048 And that guy over there, I'm talking to him, 00:04:38.048 --> 00:04:40.174 and he says he's got a drinking problem. 00:04:40.174 --> 00:04:41.369 I'm thinking, well, what? 00:04:41.369 --> 00:04:43.186 You got saved and now once in a while 00:04:43.186 --> 00:04:43.927 you go back? 00:04:43.927 --> 00:04:46.345 The guy's getting drunk every day. 00:04:46.345 --> 00:04:48.018 I got another guy over here, 00:04:48.018 --> 00:04:51.061 he invites me to his bachelor party. 00:04:51.061 --> 00:04:53.000 And I'm thinking, wow, this is great. 00:04:53.000 --> 00:04:54.429 Now it's not going to be like 00:04:54.429 --> 00:04:55.849 the ones I knew when I was lost. 00:04:55.849 --> 00:04:56.847 We're going to go over there, 00:04:56.847 --> 00:04:58.566 probably exhort the guy from the Scriptures. 00:04:58.566 --> 00:04:59.608 We pull in his yard. 00:04:59.608 --> 00:05:00.422 There's a keg. 00:05:00.422 --> 00:05:01.543 And I'm thinking, 00:05:01.543 --> 00:05:03.106 something is wrong here. 00:05:03.106 --> 00:05:04.548 I joined the softball team. 00:05:04.548 --> 00:05:05.896 There's a guy on the team. 00:05:05.896 --> 00:05:08.931 His mouth is so filthy and so foul. 00:05:08.931 --> 00:05:10.565 And I said something to the coach. 00:05:10.565 --> 00:05:12.244 Isn't that guy supposed to be a Christian? 00:05:12.244 --> 00:05:13.427 "Well, he's a Christian. 00:05:13.427 --> 00:05:15.367 He just fell in with a bad crowd." 00:05:15.367 --> 00:05:16.811 And I got looking at all that 00:05:16.811 --> 00:05:18.666 and I thought something is wrong here. 00:05:18.666 --> 00:05:20.976 They asked me to write an article for the paper. 00:05:20.976 --> 00:05:22.520 I wrote it about the nature 00:05:22.520 --> 00:05:23.651 of biblical repentance. 00:05:23.651 --> 00:05:24.580 They shot it down 00:05:24.580 --> 00:05:26.830 and would not publish it. 00:05:26.830 --> 00:05:28.898 Well, now here's this guy in this pulpit 00:05:28.898 --> 00:05:30.187 every week saying, 00:05:30.187 --> 00:05:32.951 "Just believe, just believe, just believe." 00:05:32.951 --> 00:05:35.663 And I wanted to stand up and shout, 00:05:35.663 --> 00:05:37.378 (and I almost did)... 00:05:37.378 --> 00:05:39.288 If the Spirit of God had moved upon me 00:05:39.288 --> 00:05:41.713 a little bit more, I probably would have. 00:05:41.713 --> 00:05:43.468 But I wanted to shout, 00:05:43.468 --> 00:05:49.035 "No! It's repent and believe!" 00:05:49.035 --> 00:05:54.595 Well, that's basically where my beginnings were. 00:05:54.597 --> 00:05:58.324 And so, I have been adamant 00:05:58.324 --> 00:05:59.954 about Lordship. 00:05:59.954 --> 00:06:02.638 I mean, here I was in the tensions 00:06:02.638 --> 00:06:05.291 when I was under conviction. 00:06:05.291 --> 00:06:06.859 What does it profit a man 00:06:06.859 --> 00:06:08.517 if he gains the whole world 00:06:08.517 --> 00:06:10.276 and loses his own soul? 00:06:10.276 --> 00:06:12.185 What's Christ saying there? 00:06:12.185 --> 00:06:14.527 He's saying unless a man forsakes 00:06:14.527 --> 00:06:15.885 the whole world, 00:06:15.885 --> 00:06:18.043 he will lose his own soul. 00:06:18.043 --> 00:06:19.345 That's what that means. 00:06:19.345 --> 00:06:21.302 That's the tension I was in. 00:06:21.302 --> 00:06:23.363 I mean, I've told some of you before, 00:06:23.363 --> 00:06:25.395 I had "The Gospel According to Jesus" 00:06:25.395 --> 00:06:26.922 and I had the forty ouncer, 00:06:26.922 --> 00:06:29.098 and I'm telling you, I was trying to run. 00:06:29.098 --> 00:06:31.287 I was being drawn, 00:06:31.287 --> 00:06:32.734 but at the same time 00:06:32.734 --> 00:06:34.102 I was trying to run. 00:06:34.102 --> 00:06:36.359 "God, leave me alone!" 00:06:36.359 --> 00:06:38.275 If you'll just let me enjoy my sin 00:06:38.275 --> 00:06:39.400 like I used to, 00:06:39.400 --> 00:06:40.693 I'll get rid of this book. 00:06:40.693 --> 00:06:41.666 I'll go back. 00:06:41.666 --> 00:06:43.366 Just let me... 00:06:43.366 --> 00:06:45.530 But there's this tension, 00:06:45.530 --> 00:06:46.958 this pulling. 00:06:46.958 --> 00:06:48.540 And I knew it. 00:06:48.540 --> 00:06:49.766 It was like in one ear 00:06:49.766 --> 00:06:51.976 I could hear the devil saying to me, 00:06:51.976 --> 00:06:53.662 "You can't give up your life. 00:06:53.662 --> 00:06:55.311 You can't give up that lifestyle. 00:06:55.311 --> 00:06:56.897 You can't give up those friends. 00:06:56.897 --> 00:06:59.372 You can't give those things up. 00:06:59.372 --> 00:07:00.467 All your idols. 00:07:00.467 --> 00:07:01.769 That's who you are. 00:07:01.769 --> 00:07:03.113 That's what you're known for. 00:07:03.113 --> 00:07:04.473 That's your reputation. 00:07:04.473 --> 00:07:07.494 You don't want to live without that reputation." 00:07:07.494 --> 00:07:08.687 And I would think, 00:07:08.687 --> 00:07:10.113 yeah, you're right. 00:07:10.113 --> 00:07:12.106 And then I would hear that Word: 00:07:12.106 --> 00:07:14.361 What will it profit you if you gain 00:07:14.361 --> 00:07:15.754 all that reputation 00:07:15.754 --> 00:07:16.678 and all those idols 00:07:16.678 --> 00:07:17.667 and all those things 00:07:17.667 --> 00:07:19.074 and lose your own soul? 00:07:19.074 --> 00:07:22.517 And so this battle back and forth... 00:07:22.517 --> 00:07:25.829 I was birthed into the Kingdom through that. 00:07:25.829 --> 00:07:28.581 I knew Christ would forgive me 00:07:28.581 --> 00:07:29.600 if I came to Him. 00:07:29.600 --> 00:07:31.324 I knew there was rest there. 00:07:31.324 --> 00:07:34.222 But I knew what He was going to require of me. 00:07:34.222 --> 00:07:43.056 And when I finally let go, 00:07:43.056 --> 00:07:45.246 and said, "Lord, help me." 00:07:45.246 --> 00:07:51.445 He saved me in a moment. 00:07:51.445 --> 00:07:56.530 Here's what it seems like happened. 00:07:56.530 --> 00:07:58.686 You had everybody talking about 00:07:58.686 --> 00:08:01.101 the carnal Christian heresy. 00:08:01.101 --> 00:08:03.564 What's the carnal Christian heresy? 00:08:03.564 --> 00:08:05.863 Well, basically, it goes right along 00:08:05.863 --> 00:08:07.243 with this whole deal. 00:08:07.243 --> 00:08:08.804 What is it? 00:08:08.804 --> 00:08:10.482 Well, it's basically saying this: 00:08:10.482 --> 00:08:12.648 That there were guys that were 00:08:12.648 --> 00:08:17.457 actually even responding to MacArthur - 00:08:17.457 --> 00:08:18.870 you know some of the names. 00:08:18.870 --> 00:08:19.791 They're out there. 00:08:19.791 --> 00:08:22.596 Most of them came from Dallas Theological Seminary. 00:08:22.596 --> 00:08:24.889 They wrote books against MacArthur. 00:08:24.889 --> 00:08:27.163 Back and forth. 00:08:27.163 --> 00:08:29.081 They were saying things like this: 00:08:29.081 --> 00:08:32.844 You could actually at one point in time believe, 00:08:32.844 --> 00:08:34.728 and because you made that 00:08:34.728 --> 00:08:37.182 one-time decision, you could actually 00:08:37.182 --> 00:08:39.637 fall into all sorts of notorious sins. 00:08:39.637 --> 00:08:42.208 You could even actually fall 00:08:42.208 --> 00:08:45.173 eventually into atheism. 00:08:45.173 --> 00:08:47.373 And I remember MacArthur saying 00:08:47.373 --> 00:08:49.350 these guys are advocating you can become 00:08:49.350 --> 00:08:51.718 an unbelieving believer. 00:08:51.718 --> 00:08:53.982 And he's like what is that? 00:08:53.982 --> 00:08:54.709 Exactly. 00:08:54.709 --> 00:08:55.920 What is that? 00:08:55.920 --> 00:08:58.103 What in the world is that? 00:08:58.103 --> 00:09:00.133 And so what happens is 00:09:00.133 --> 00:09:02.114 trying to put away these errors; 00:09:02.114 --> 00:09:04.037 trying to put away this idea 00:09:04.037 --> 00:09:05.662 that you can be a Christian 00:09:05.662 --> 00:09:07.812 and live any way you want, 00:09:07.812 --> 00:09:09.410 which is basically a denial 00:09:09.410 --> 00:09:10.746 of regeneration. 00:09:10.746 --> 00:09:12.147 That's basically what it is. 00:09:12.147 --> 00:09:14.118 Because God says if He saves you, 00:09:14.118 --> 00:09:15.936 He's going to give you a new heart. 00:09:15.936 --> 00:09:17.433 God says if He saves you, 00:09:17.433 --> 00:09:19.369 He's going to put His Spirit within you. 00:09:19.369 --> 00:09:22.727 God says if He saves you, 00:09:22.727 --> 00:09:27.032 He's going to write that law on your heart. 00:09:27.032 --> 00:09:28.547 That's what it says. 00:09:28.547 --> 00:09:30.724 The Scripture says if by the Spirit 00:09:30.724 --> 00:09:32.906 you don't put to death the deeds of the body, 00:09:32.906 --> 00:09:34.818 you're going to die. 00:09:34.818 --> 00:09:36.360 This is a life and death thing. 00:09:36.360 --> 00:09:38.133 Jesus Christ comes along and He says 00:09:38.133 --> 00:09:40.740 it's not anybody and everybody that says to Me, "Lord, Lord," 00:09:40.740 --> 00:09:42.436 that's going to inherit the Kingdom of Heaven. 00:09:42.436 --> 00:09:44.053 He says it's the ones that do the will 00:09:44.053 --> 00:09:44.931 of My Father in Heaven. 00:09:44.931 --> 00:09:45.957 Basically, if there is not such 00:09:45.957 --> 00:09:47.572 a radical transformation in your life 00:09:47.572 --> 00:09:49.152 that old things pass away, 00:09:49.152 --> 00:09:50.531 all things become new, 00:09:50.531 --> 00:09:52.313 and you're a new creation in Christ, 00:09:52.313 --> 00:09:53.901 keeping the will of the Father, 00:09:53.901 --> 00:09:55.330 if that's not true about you, 00:09:55.330 --> 00:09:58.322 you haven't been born again. 00:09:58.322 --> 00:10:01.445 I mean, that is where repentance flows from. 00:10:01.445 --> 00:10:05.964 Repentance flows from a renewed man or woman. 00:10:05.964 --> 00:10:08.390 It flows from one who is born again; 00:10:08.390 --> 00:10:10.616 radically transformed by God - 00:10:10.616 --> 00:10:13.201 by the power of God. 00:10:13.201 --> 00:10:17.322 And we have undoubtedly in our church 00:10:17.322 --> 00:10:19.291 and folks like you that gather here 00:10:19.291 --> 00:10:20.576 for the Bible study, 00:10:20.576 --> 00:10:22.808 you have embraced these things. 00:10:22.808 --> 00:10:24.795 I think most of you have. 00:10:24.795 --> 00:10:26.963 You like these things. 00:10:26.963 --> 00:10:31.252 But I'll tell you, 00:10:31.252 --> 00:10:33.521 what I think is happening - 00:10:33.521 --> 00:10:34.860 now listen to me, 00:10:34.860 --> 00:10:37.211 Satan is cunning. 00:10:37.211 --> 00:10:39.595 Oh, he is cunning. 00:10:39.595 --> 00:10:43.178 There is a text - now listen to this. 00:10:43.178 --> 00:10:47.769 Paul says this in 2 Corinthians 11:3. 00:10:47.769 --> 00:10:50.452 I'm going to read the ESV. 00:10:50.452 --> 00:10:52.816 And then I'm going to read the New King James. 00:10:52.816 --> 00:10:55.017 2 Corinthians 11:3. 00:10:55.017 --> 00:11:00.260 By the way, the NAS, the old King James 00:11:00.260 --> 00:11:03.106 are virtually the same; pretty close 00:11:03.106 --> 00:11:04.868 to the New King James. 00:11:04.868 --> 00:11:06.480 So you'll get the flavor there. 00:11:06.480 --> 00:11:08.834 Listen to the ESV first. 00:11:08.834 --> 00:11:12.354 "I am afraid that as the serpent 00:11:12.354 --> 00:11:14.259 (there's the devil) 00:11:14.259 --> 00:11:16.772 as the serpent deceived Eve 00:11:16.772 --> 00:11:19.322 by his cunning, 00:11:19.322 --> 00:11:22.677 your thoughts be led astray 00:11:22.677 --> 00:11:25.089 from a sincere and pure 00:11:25.089 --> 00:11:26.620 devotion to Christ." 00:11:26.620 --> 00:11:27.956 Now the New King James: 00:11:27.956 --> 00:11:29.741 "I fear lest somehow as the serpent 00:11:29.741 --> 00:11:33.108 deceived Eve by his craftiness, 00:11:33.108 --> 00:11:36.355 so your minds may be corrupted 00:11:36.355 --> 00:11:39.803 from the simplicity that is in Christ." 00:11:39.803 --> 00:11:42.244 The reason I wanted to use that one; 00:11:42.244 --> 00:11:43.676 the NAS, the New King James, 00:11:43.676 --> 00:11:44.691 the old King James, 00:11:44.691 --> 00:11:47.652 they all use that word: simplicity. 00:11:47.652 --> 00:11:49.436 Listen. 00:11:49.436 --> 00:11:53.143 There is a simplicity in Christ. 00:11:53.143 --> 00:11:55.828 What is the craftiness 00:11:55.828 --> 00:11:57.362 that Paul's worried about? 00:11:57.362 --> 00:12:00.024 The cunning of the devil? 00:12:00.024 --> 00:12:03.417 It is to move us away from Christ. 00:12:03.417 --> 00:12:05.466 And I'll tell you this, 00:12:05.466 --> 00:12:07.958 if all of a sudden, 00:12:07.958 --> 00:12:09.718 the movement in the church 00:12:09.718 --> 00:12:13.899 is to reintroduce and reemphasize repentance, 00:12:13.899 --> 00:12:17.499 guess what his craftiness will be? 00:12:17.499 --> 00:12:20.901 Guess where the danger is? 00:12:20.901 --> 00:12:23.800 He would gladly have us to believe 00:12:23.800 --> 00:12:28.186 you can be a Christian and live like hell. 00:12:28.186 --> 00:12:31.736 But ok, if they're not going to buy that, 00:12:31.736 --> 00:12:34.453 if they're going to move back to Lordship 00:12:34.453 --> 00:12:37.031 and there's going to be a resurgence 00:12:37.031 --> 00:12:39.112 of repentance, 00:12:39.112 --> 00:12:41.823 then let's do this: 00:12:41.823 --> 00:12:46.322 let's get them so focused on repentance; 00:12:46.322 --> 00:12:50.739 let's get them so focused on themselves 00:12:50.739 --> 00:12:52.901 bending the knee to Christ 00:12:52.901 --> 00:12:56.092 and what that looks like 00:12:56.092 --> 00:12:58.465 that they're no longer setting their eyes 00:12:58.465 --> 00:13:00.469 simply on Christ. 00:13:00.469 --> 00:13:02.138 You see, there is a simplicity 00:13:02.138 --> 00:13:03.803 in the Gospel. 00:13:03.803 --> 00:13:06.012 And there is a simplicity in what it is 00:13:06.012 --> 00:13:08.353 coming to Christ in the beginning. 00:13:08.353 --> 00:13:11.561 And there is a simplicity of where 00:13:11.561 --> 00:13:14.121 our strength as a Christian comes from 00:13:14.121 --> 00:13:16.043 in the Christian life; 00:13:16.043 --> 00:13:18.637 in Christ. 00:13:18.637 --> 00:13:22.391 And Satan will seek to divert us away 00:13:22.391 --> 00:13:25.209 in his craftiness all the time. 00:13:25.209 --> 00:13:29.456 Oh, let us go back to repentance. 00:13:29.456 --> 00:13:34.083 But if he's going to have us go back there 00:13:34.083 --> 00:13:39.492 then he would have us look away from Christ 00:13:39.492 --> 00:13:42.215 in the midst of our repentance. 00:13:42.215 --> 00:13:45.452 Now, you say, wait a second, 00:13:45.452 --> 00:13:48.436 I thought you were going to speak 00:13:48.436 --> 00:13:50.503 on assurance. 00:13:50.503 --> 00:13:55.063 Oh yeah. 00:13:55.063 --> 00:13:58.452 Think with me here. 00:13:58.452 --> 00:13:59.841 You know what? 00:13:59.841 --> 00:14:04.314 Satan - basically his strategies: 00:14:04.314 --> 00:14:08.440 keep the lost lost. 00:14:08.440 --> 00:14:12.328 If somebody is saved, 00:14:12.328 --> 00:14:17.760 keep them powerless. 00:14:17.760 --> 00:14:19.003 And you know what? 00:14:19.003 --> 00:14:21.462 You keep the lost lost 00:14:21.462 --> 00:14:24.152 when you keep them blind to Christ, 00:14:24.152 --> 00:14:28.207 and you keep the saved powerless 00:14:28.207 --> 00:14:32.959 when you keep their eyes off of Christ. 00:14:32.959 --> 00:14:36.314 How does that relate to assurance? 00:14:36.314 --> 00:14:42.065 Folks, let me ask you this: 00:14:42.065 --> 00:14:46.131 Have any of you ever asked a Catholic 00:14:46.131 --> 00:14:49.874 if they know they're going to heaven? 00:14:49.874 --> 00:14:51.712 I have. 00:14:51.712 --> 00:14:53.371 And you know what? 00:14:53.371 --> 00:14:56.810 Now you may prove me wrong on this, 00:14:56.810 --> 00:14:58.967 and somebody watching is going to say, 00:14:58.967 --> 00:15:00.695 "Wait a second! I'm a Catholic 00:15:00.695 --> 00:15:02.500 and I wouldn't answer that way." 00:15:02.500 --> 00:15:03.623 And you know what? 00:15:03.623 --> 00:15:04.794 That may be. 00:15:04.794 --> 00:15:06.415 You may find exceptions. 00:15:06.415 --> 00:15:07.825 But I can tell you this, 00:15:07.825 --> 00:15:09.395 I've talked to many Catholics 00:15:09.395 --> 00:15:11.043 and I've asked them this question. 00:15:11.043 --> 00:15:13.484 And I have never found one answer 00:15:13.484 --> 00:15:16.305 to the contrary. 00:15:16.305 --> 00:15:21.513 Do you know you're going to heaven? 00:15:21.513 --> 00:15:23.672 Do you know what they say? 00:15:23.672 --> 00:15:25.966 Have you ever asked one? 00:15:25.966 --> 00:15:28.334 What do they say? 00:15:28.334 --> 00:15:29.688 I hope so. 00:15:29.688 --> 00:15:30.984 I've gotten that answer 00:15:30.984 --> 00:15:32.264 from almost everyone. 00:15:32.264 --> 00:15:33.912 If not exactly that answer, 00:15:33.912 --> 00:15:37.682 something that's basically comparable 00:15:37.682 --> 00:15:39.439 to that answer. 00:15:39.439 --> 00:15:40.983 I hope so. 00:15:40.983 --> 00:15:42.746 You know where that comes from? 00:15:42.746 --> 00:15:44.424 That comes from the top. 00:15:44.424 --> 00:15:45.769 What do I mean by that? 00:15:45.769 --> 00:15:50.899 Have you ever heard of the Council of Trent? 00:15:50.899 --> 00:15:53.427 Basically, many of the Catholic dogmas 00:15:53.427 --> 00:15:55.804 were asserted or reasserted 00:15:55.804 --> 00:15:57.700 in that council. 00:15:57.700 --> 00:15:58.854 Let me tell you this, 00:15:58.854 --> 00:16:00.912 Council of Trent; 00:16:00.912 --> 00:16:05.922 16th Canon, 6th Session, says this: 00:16:05.922 --> 00:16:08.367 Now listen to this very carefully: 00:16:08.367 --> 00:16:15.564 "If anyone saith that he will for certain 00:16:15.564 --> 00:16:19.773 of an absolute and infallible certainty 00:16:19.773 --> 00:16:22.567 have the great gift of perseverance 00:16:22.567 --> 00:16:26.493 unto the end, 00:16:26.493 --> 00:16:29.019 unless he have learned this 00:16:29.019 --> 00:16:32.165 by special revelation, 00:16:32.165 --> 00:16:34.198 let him be anathema." 00:16:34.198 --> 00:16:35.651 In other words, 00:16:35.651 --> 00:16:38.404 if you say that you have confidence 00:16:38.404 --> 00:16:41.481 and assurance of salvation 00:16:41.481 --> 00:16:43.891 in the end of this life, 00:16:43.891 --> 00:16:46.667 they say we pronounce our curse 00:16:46.667 --> 00:16:50.712 of damnation on you. 00:16:50.712 --> 00:16:52.066 That's what they say. 00:16:52.066 --> 00:16:53.494 Now, isn't it interesting, 00:16:53.494 --> 00:16:56.305 they give that exception, 00:16:56.305 --> 00:16:59.124 "unless he have learned this 00:16:59.124 --> 00:17:00.659 by special revelation." 00:17:00.659 --> 00:17:05.454 Why do you think they added that? 00:17:05.454 --> 00:17:07.193 I'll tell you why they added it, 00:17:07.193 --> 00:17:08.883 because it helps them explain 00:17:08.883 --> 00:17:11.571 somebody like Paul. 00:17:11.571 --> 00:17:13.537 Because if they can't explain 00:17:13.537 --> 00:17:16.251 some of the things Paul says about himself 00:17:16.251 --> 00:17:19.617 they're in real trouble. 00:17:19.617 --> 00:17:22.280 Like what does Paul say? 00:17:22.280 --> 00:17:24.117 "I am not ashamed..." 00:17:24.117 --> 00:17:25.547 2 Timothy 1:12 00:17:25.547 --> 00:17:28.453 "...for I know Whom I have believed 00:17:28.453 --> 00:17:31.327 and I am convinced (or persuaded) 00:17:31.327 --> 00:17:34.020 that He is able to guard until that day 00:17:34.020 --> 00:17:36.146 what has been entrusted to me." 00:17:36.146 --> 00:17:37.472 Galatians 2:20 00:17:37.472 --> 00:17:39.868 "I have been crucified with Christ. 00:17:39.868 --> 00:17:41.837 It is no longer I who live, 00:17:41.837 --> 00:17:43.440 but Christ Who lives in me, 00:17:43.440 --> 00:17:45.259 and the life I now live in the flesh, 00:17:45.259 --> 00:17:47.223 I live by faith in the Son of God 00:17:47.223 --> 00:17:51.179 Who loved me and gave Himself for me." 00:17:51.179 --> 00:17:54.218 There is no doubt in that man... 00:17:54.218 --> 00:17:55.997 that man has assurance. 00:17:55.997 --> 00:17:57.952 Does he not? 00:17:57.952 --> 00:17:59.902 Ok, what is assurance? 00:17:59.902 --> 00:18:01.415 You want to define assurance? 00:18:01.415 --> 00:18:02.810 It's that right there. 00:18:02.810 --> 00:18:04.813 I know Whom I've believed. 00:18:04.813 --> 00:18:06.948 I am persuaded He is able 00:18:06.948 --> 00:18:09.659 to keep that which I've committed to Him 00:18:09.659 --> 00:18:11.547 against that day. 00:18:11.547 --> 00:18:13.127 I know it. I believe it. 00:18:13.127 --> 00:18:14.545 I'm persuaded. 00:18:14.545 --> 00:18:18.432 I know that the Christ Himself loved me 00:18:18.432 --> 00:18:20.576 and I know He gave Himself for me. 00:18:20.576 --> 00:18:24.814 Listen folks, that's assurance. 00:18:24.814 --> 00:18:27.290 That's assurance. 00:18:27.290 --> 00:18:30.789 The Catholics basically say you're cursed 00:18:30.789 --> 00:18:33.607 if you say that you can know 00:18:33.607 --> 00:18:36.754 that you're going to have eternal life 00:18:36.754 --> 00:18:38.032 in the end of this 00:18:38.032 --> 00:18:40.348 with the assurance that Paul has, 00:18:40.348 --> 00:18:42.862 unless you've had special revelation. 00:18:42.862 --> 00:18:44.381 And they would basically say 00:18:44.381 --> 00:18:46.005 yes, Paul has it, 00:18:46.005 --> 00:18:49.862 and yes, maybe certain select saints - 00:18:49.862 --> 00:18:52.899 super Christians have been given 00:18:52.899 --> 00:18:57.090 special revelation. 00:18:57.090 --> 00:19:01.725 Listen to this text. 00:19:01.725 --> 00:19:04.805 1 John 5:13 00:19:04.805 --> 00:19:07.157 The Apostle John says 00:19:07.157 --> 00:19:09.253 after he gets done writing 00:19:09.253 --> 00:19:13.241 the first epistle. 00:19:13.241 --> 00:19:17.112 "I write these things to you who believe..." 00:19:17.112 --> 00:19:20.941 Not just to those who have special revelation. 00:19:20.941 --> 00:19:27.122 To every single person who believes. 00:19:27.122 --> 00:19:30.536 "I write these things to you who believe 00:19:30.536 --> 00:19:33.612 in the name of the Son of God 00:19:33.612 --> 00:19:35.867 that you may know 00:19:35.867 --> 00:19:39.647 that you have eternal life." 00:19:39.647 --> 00:19:42.996 Oh, my brothers and sisters, 00:19:42.996 --> 00:19:46.301 God wants us to know we have eternal life. 00:19:46.301 --> 00:19:48.301 He's not playing some game with us 00:19:48.301 --> 00:19:50.774 where He dangles a carrot before our eyes 00:19:50.774 --> 00:19:52.737 and says, I never want you to be sure 00:19:52.737 --> 00:19:55.780 that you have it. 00:19:55.780 --> 00:20:02.035 Brethren, the very Spirit He gave us 00:20:02.035 --> 00:20:04.820 is a Spirit of adoption 00:20:04.820 --> 00:20:07.692 by which we cry, 00:20:07.692 --> 00:20:10.416 "Abba, Father." 00:20:10.416 --> 00:20:13.530 The Spirit speaks to us 00:20:13.530 --> 00:20:16.726 in ways that resonate within us 00:20:16.726 --> 00:20:19.394 that we're children of God. 00:20:19.394 --> 00:20:21.040 What does John say? 00:20:21.040 --> 00:20:24.588 "Behold what manner of love 00:20:24.588 --> 00:20:28.139 the Father hath bestowed upon us 00:20:28.139 --> 00:20:30.763 that we should be called the children of God." 00:20:30.763 --> 00:20:33.021 Does he say, oh, He wants us to doubt? 00:20:33.021 --> 00:20:34.386 He wants us to fret? 00:20:34.386 --> 00:20:35.627 He wants us to worry? 00:20:35.627 --> 00:20:37.246 He wants us filled with anxiety? 00:20:37.246 --> 00:20:40.970 He wants us filled with uncertainty? 00:20:40.970 --> 00:20:44.112 Brethren, He doesn't want that. 00:20:44.112 --> 00:20:46.833 Why? 00:20:46.833 --> 00:20:49.199 Listen. 00:20:49.199 --> 00:20:54.544 When you lack assurance, 00:20:54.544 --> 00:20:57.669 what are you doing? 00:20:57.669 --> 00:21:02.401 (Unintelligible) 00:21:02.401 --> 00:21:08.519 But if you lack assurance... 00:21:08.519 --> 00:21:13.310 Look, if we said we lacked faith, 00:21:13.310 --> 00:21:17.076 I would say you're right on. 00:21:17.076 --> 00:21:19.834 Lacking faith - faith and assurance 00:21:19.834 --> 00:21:24.273 are not exactly the same. 00:21:24.273 --> 00:21:26.583 Because you can have saving faith 00:21:26.583 --> 00:21:27.812 and lack assurance. 00:21:27.812 --> 00:21:30.282 You all agree with that right? 00:21:30.282 --> 00:21:34.170 I mean a person can truly be converted 00:21:34.170 --> 00:21:37.145 and wrestle with whether or not 00:21:37.145 --> 00:21:39.203 he's truly saved. 00:21:39.203 --> 00:21:41.063 So they're not exactly the same. 00:21:41.063 --> 00:21:45.339 Faith is believing what God has said. 00:21:45.339 --> 00:21:46.796 It's believing His character. 00:21:46.796 --> 00:21:49.739 It's believing His promises. 00:21:49.739 --> 00:21:56.633 Assurance is that confidence 00:21:56.633 --> 00:21:58.969 that I truly belong to God. 00:21:58.969 --> 00:22:00.178 I'm truly saved. 00:22:00.178 --> 00:22:03.766 I'm truly going to receive eternal life 00:22:03.766 --> 00:22:05.244 at the end of this. 00:22:05.244 --> 00:22:07.792 And those are two different things. 00:22:07.792 --> 00:22:10.649 So if I'm lacking assurance, 00:22:10.649 --> 00:22:13.167 what am I doing? 00:22:13.167 --> 00:22:14.833 Now look, a lost person can 00:22:14.833 --> 00:22:16.294 lack assurance. 00:22:16.294 --> 00:22:19.144 And a saved person can lack assurance. 00:22:19.144 --> 00:22:20.785 So think with me here, 00:22:20.785 --> 00:22:23.181 what is it that whether you're saved 00:22:23.181 --> 00:22:28.298 or lost if you lack assurance, 00:22:28.298 --> 00:22:29.680 what are you doing? 00:22:29.680 --> 00:22:31.633 Totally separate from whether you have 00:22:31.633 --> 00:22:33.298 saving faith or not. 00:22:33.298 --> 00:22:37.313 What are you doing when you lack assurance? 00:22:37.313 --> 00:22:39.078 What is that? 00:22:39.078 --> 00:22:41.133 (unintelligible) 00:22:41.133 --> 00:22:44.542 But what is it you're thinking about yourself? 00:22:44.542 --> 00:22:49.494 (unintelligible) 00:22:49.494 --> 00:22:51.640 Well, not so much that necessarily. 00:22:51.640 --> 00:22:53.609 (from the room): Am I going to heaven? 00:22:53.609 --> 00:22:54.864 Tim: Exactly. 00:22:54.864 --> 00:22:57.447 You're in a quandary. 00:22:57.447 --> 00:22:59.226 I'm not positive I'm going to heaven. 00:22:59.226 --> 00:23:01.404 Right? Isn't that what lacking assurance is? 00:23:01.404 --> 00:23:04.187 I'm not positive that I'm saved. 00:23:04.187 --> 00:23:06.856 I'm not positive that I've actually had 00:23:06.856 --> 00:23:07.930 saving faith. 00:23:07.930 --> 00:23:10.146 I'm not positive if I'm going to go to heaven. 00:23:10.146 --> 00:23:12.588 I'm not positive if I'm going to go to hell. 00:23:12.588 --> 00:23:15.554 I'm not positive if I'm one of God's children or not. 00:23:15.554 --> 00:23:16.737 I'm not positive. 00:23:16.737 --> 00:23:17.879 I don't have confidence. 00:23:17.879 --> 00:23:19.590 That's what it is to lack assurance. 00:23:19.590 --> 00:23:21.646 And to have assurance is to say, 00:23:21.646 --> 00:23:24.947 yes, I know that I'm one of His. 00:23:24.947 --> 00:23:26.209 Paul had that assurance. 00:23:26.209 --> 00:23:27.891 I know Whom I've believed. 00:23:27.891 --> 00:23:28.938 I'm confident. 00:23:28.938 --> 00:23:30.214 I know He died for me. 00:23:30.214 --> 00:23:32.344 I know He loved me. 00:23:32.344 --> 00:23:34.578 Now listen, assurance, like I said 00:23:34.578 --> 00:23:35.734 is not faith. 00:23:35.734 --> 00:23:40.640 A person can have great assurance. 00:23:40.640 --> 00:23:45.271 These folks in Matthew 7 seem quite certain. 00:23:45.271 --> 00:23:47.983 "Lord, Lord..." We were there. 00:23:47.983 --> 00:23:49.341 Many mighty works. 00:23:49.341 --> 00:23:50.616 Remember all those? 00:23:50.616 --> 00:23:52.283 Remember the demons we cast out? 00:23:52.283 --> 00:23:54.869 Remember us prophesying? 00:23:54.869 --> 00:23:56.434 And they were pretty confident. 00:23:56.434 --> 00:23:58.014 Look, you can have assurance 00:23:58.014 --> 00:24:00.277 and not be saved. 00:24:00.277 --> 00:24:02.148 There are a lot of people, Christ says, 00:24:02.148 --> 00:24:07.925 many in that day are going to say to Me... 00:24:07.925 --> 00:24:09.791 You see the second soil type 00:24:09.791 --> 00:24:11.439 in the parable of the soils. 00:24:11.439 --> 00:24:13.138 They receive the Word gladly. 00:24:13.138 --> 00:24:14.189 There's a time there, 00:24:14.189 --> 00:24:15.731 they're thinking they're in. 00:24:15.731 --> 00:24:17.254 They're pretty confident people. 00:24:17.254 --> 00:24:19.932 They receive these things. 00:24:19.932 --> 00:24:22.422 There's a confidence there. 00:24:22.422 --> 00:24:25.001 Trials come and they fall away. 00:24:25.001 --> 00:24:30.376 But we're speaking about assurance. 00:24:30.376 --> 00:24:32.642 And of course, I'm wanting us 00:24:32.642 --> 00:24:36.317 to give consideration to the Christian 00:24:36.317 --> 00:24:37.902 and assurance. 00:24:37.902 --> 00:24:39.474 (Incomplete thought) 00:24:39.474 --> 00:24:41.454 What are some big indicators 00:24:41.454 --> 00:24:43.155 that a person - even if they have 00:24:43.155 --> 00:24:44.487 tremendous confidence, 00:24:44.487 --> 00:24:46.869 that they're a Christian? 00:24:46.869 --> 00:24:51.074 What are some big indicators that they're not? 00:24:51.074 --> 00:24:53.865 They don't desire the Word of God. 00:24:53.865 --> 00:24:56.043 Fruits. 00:24:56.043 --> 00:24:57.534 They don't pray. 00:24:57.534 --> 00:24:59.289 Again, all these things. Fruits. 00:24:59.289 --> 00:25:00.931 These have to do maybe 00:25:00.931 --> 00:25:02.405 with the fruits of repentance. 00:25:02.405 --> 00:25:04.386 Maybe with the fruits of regeneration. 00:25:04.386 --> 00:25:05.991 And see, we're coming back now, 00:25:05.991 --> 00:25:08.738 to where I really wanted to go. 00:25:08.738 --> 00:25:12.719 Folks, let me tell you something. 00:25:12.719 --> 00:25:16.926 My fear that there's a danger - 00:25:16.926 --> 00:25:18.333 there's always a danger 00:25:18.333 --> 00:25:20.380 with everything, 00:25:20.380 --> 00:25:23.668 and it's missing the simplicity of Christ. 00:25:23.668 --> 00:25:26.585 The danger is forgetting Christ. 00:25:26.585 --> 00:25:28.886 Listen. 00:25:28.886 --> 00:25:30.862 Think with me here. 00:25:30.862 --> 00:25:33.540 That as we stress and we stress, 00:25:33.540 --> 00:25:35.668 and I'm hearing some of you do this, 00:25:35.668 --> 00:25:37.342 I'm hearing this happen. 00:25:37.342 --> 00:25:39.104 I'm hearing it in the church. 00:25:39.104 --> 00:25:40.678 I hear it in this Bible study. 00:25:40.678 --> 00:25:42.743 I hear you folks when you tell me 00:25:42.743 --> 00:25:44.146 what you're telling people, 00:25:44.146 --> 00:25:45.756 when you're out on the streets, 00:25:45.756 --> 00:25:47.163 and listen, I'm not saying 00:25:47.163 --> 00:25:48.983 that what you're saying is wrong 00:25:48.983 --> 00:25:50.759 about repentance and about looking 00:25:50.759 --> 00:25:51.825 for the fruits; 00:25:51.825 --> 00:25:53.601 obviously, they're there. 00:25:53.601 --> 00:25:57.869 Obviously, the great evidences 00:25:57.869 --> 00:25:59.890 of regeneration need to be true 00:25:59.890 --> 00:26:01.038 in our lives. 00:26:01.038 --> 00:26:02.900 But let me tell you this. 00:26:02.900 --> 00:26:04.982 Why is it that the Catholic 00:26:04.982 --> 00:26:08.619 doesn't have confidence? 00:26:08.619 --> 00:26:10.993 Why? 00:26:10.993 --> 00:26:13.444 I mean, yes, they said it in the Council of Trent, 00:26:13.444 --> 00:26:18.635 but practically, why do they lack confidence? 00:26:18.635 --> 00:26:21.889 (unintelligible) 00:26:21.889 --> 00:26:24.231 They're trusting their works. 00:26:24.231 --> 00:26:27.791 And what's wrong when you trust your works? 00:26:27.791 --> 00:26:31.862 (unintelligible) 00:26:31.862 --> 00:26:33.979 You never know if you've done enough. 00:26:33.979 --> 00:26:35.065 That's the problem. 00:26:35.065 --> 00:26:36.613 The problem with works is 00:26:36.613 --> 00:26:38.771 you never know when you've done enough. 00:26:38.771 --> 00:26:40.445 If you've ever been part of a religion 00:26:40.445 --> 00:26:44.407 that is based on works, 00:26:44.407 --> 00:26:46.443 you never know when you've done enough. 00:26:46.443 --> 00:26:48.691 And so if you're always looking at your works, 00:26:48.691 --> 00:26:50.384 you're always looking at yourself. 00:26:50.384 --> 00:26:52.463 And the problem with looking at yourself 00:26:52.463 --> 00:26:55.337 is your self is bad. 00:26:55.337 --> 00:26:56.482 You are bad. 00:26:56.482 --> 00:26:57.760 By nature, you are bad. 00:26:57.760 --> 00:26:59.666 By nature, you are full of imperfection. 00:26:59.666 --> 00:27:02.890 By nature, you fall short of the glory of God. 00:27:02.890 --> 00:27:05.205 (Incomplete thought) 00:27:05.205 --> 00:27:06.246 And you know what? 00:27:06.246 --> 00:27:08.081 Even whatever religion it is 00:27:08.081 --> 00:27:10.207 and no matter whatever code they stick up, 00:27:10.207 --> 00:27:12.086 nobody ever keeps the code 00:27:12.086 --> 00:27:13.309 of any religion. 00:27:13.309 --> 00:27:14.704 They always have a standard 00:27:14.704 --> 00:27:16.420 that even when they bring it down; 00:27:16.420 --> 00:27:18.578 even when they back off God's Word, 00:27:18.578 --> 00:27:20.774 nobody ever keeps any of the standards 00:27:20.774 --> 00:27:23.279 of any of their religions. 00:27:23.279 --> 00:27:26.900 And so whenever they look at themselves, 00:27:26.900 --> 00:27:29.283 they are always shaken. 00:27:29.283 --> 00:27:30.663 They don't know. 00:27:30.663 --> 00:27:34.717 They don't have confidence 00:27:34.717 --> 00:27:38.109 because they're always looking at themselves. 00:27:38.109 --> 00:27:40.564 You know why they don't have confidence? 00:27:40.564 --> 00:27:44.568 Because they can't say, 00:27:44.568 --> 00:27:49.459 Jesus Christ perfectly kept the law 00:27:49.459 --> 00:27:51.479 in my spot. 00:27:51.479 --> 00:27:54.290 And my acceptance with the living God 00:27:54.290 --> 00:27:56.668 is not based on my performance. 00:27:56.668 --> 00:27:58.625 He did it! 00:27:58.625 --> 00:28:00.535 And you see, as soon as faith 00:28:00.535 --> 00:28:01.865 turns away from self 00:28:01.865 --> 00:28:03.012 and our works, 00:28:03.012 --> 00:28:04.589 you know what happens? 00:28:04.589 --> 00:28:06.286 Folks, there's a lot of attention; 00:28:06.286 --> 00:28:07.818 a lot of emphasis being given 00:28:07.818 --> 00:28:11.285 with regards to repentance. 00:28:11.285 --> 00:28:12.627 (incomplete thought) 00:28:12.627 --> 00:28:17.437 Listen, we've got a lot of people saying; 00:28:17.437 --> 00:28:18.928 well, let me just tell you what 00:28:18.928 --> 00:28:20.907 some people are saying. 00:28:20.907 --> 00:28:25.673 Let me tell you some emails that I've received. 00:28:25.673 --> 00:28:27.169 Here's an email. 00:28:27.169 --> 00:28:29.179 I'm going to read two emails to you 00:28:29.179 --> 00:28:33.148 that I've just received in the last week or so. 00:28:33.148 --> 00:28:34.300 First guy says - 00:28:34.300 --> 00:28:35.991 and these are shortened versions 00:28:35.991 --> 00:28:37.508 of actually what I got. 00:28:37.508 --> 00:28:38.387 First guy says, 00:28:38.387 --> 00:28:40.849 "I have to confess 00:28:40.849 --> 00:28:42.525 that I am not so sure 00:28:42.525 --> 00:28:44.350 I've been genuinely converted. 00:28:44.350 --> 00:28:45.297 I'm so confused, 00:28:45.297 --> 00:28:47.640 and I honestly do not have assurance 00:28:47.640 --> 00:28:48.902 of salvation. 00:28:48.902 --> 00:28:51.212 Every day is miserable for me. 00:28:51.212 --> 00:28:53.255 I have no peace, 00:28:53.255 --> 00:28:54.714 joy, 00:28:54.714 --> 00:28:56.284 or love. 00:28:56.284 --> 00:28:58.127 Let me tell you why I'm so confused 00:28:58.127 --> 00:29:00.071 about my salvation. 00:29:00.071 --> 00:29:02.670 In the past, 00:29:02.670 --> 00:29:05.340 I've been more devoted to reading the Word 00:29:05.340 --> 00:29:07.855 and I truly loved it. 00:29:07.855 --> 00:29:10.605 I had a prayer life. 00:29:10.605 --> 00:29:12.962 I felt clean and free. 00:29:12.962 --> 00:29:15.268 And I knew I was born again. 00:29:15.268 --> 00:29:17.340 But I've compromised in many ways. 00:29:17.340 --> 00:29:19.082 If you knew who I used to be, 00:29:19.082 --> 00:29:20.629 you would say without any doubt 00:29:20.629 --> 00:29:22.029 that I had a radical change 00:29:22.029 --> 00:29:24.445 that had occurred in my life. 00:29:24.445 --> 00:29:26.230 I know I've changed, 00:29:26.230 --> 00:29:29.329 but now I'm unsure I'm truly saved. 00:29:29.329 --> 00:29:30.487 I want to be free. 00:29:30.487 --> 00:29:31.954 I want to have peace with God. 00:29:31.954 --> 00:29:34.220 I want to rejoice in what God has done for me 00:29:34.220 --> 00:29:35.262 through Jesus Christ. 00:29:35.262 --> 00:29:36.483 I want to shout for joy. 00:29:36.483 --> 00:29:39.324 I want to be a bold witness for Christ. 00:29:39.324 --> 00:29:41.100 I can't. 00:29:41.100 --> 00:29:43.689 Oh, I've wrestled with God in prayer. 00:29:43.689 --> 00:29:46.022 I've begged Him to help me. 00:29:46.022 --> 00:29:48.106 To set me free. 00:29:48.106 --> 00:29:50.603 To give me assurance. 00:29:50.603 --> 00:29:54.072 But I still can't say with joy I'm saved. 00:29:54.072 --> 00:29:55.799 I want to so badly. 00:29:55.799 --> 00:29:57.926 If I do say that, I feel like a hypocrite 00:29:57.926 --> 00:29:58.664 and a liar. 00:29:58.664 --> 00:30:00.487 I think I've grieved the Holy Spirit. 00:30:00.487 --> 00:30:02.505 And His manifest presence is no longer 00:30:02.505 --> 00:30:04.244 in my life." 00:30:04.244 --> 00:30:05.493 Here's the second email: 00:30:05.493 --> 00:30:07.548 "I've been a Christian for over two years 00:30:07.548 --> 00:30:09.728 but so often I still struggle with assurance 00:30:09.728 --> 00:30:12.701 which may mean that I'm not truly saved. 00:30:12.701 --> 00:30:15.139 I have no doubt about the truth of Scripture, 00:30:15.139 --> 00:30:17.013 about who God is, who Christ is, 00:30:17.013 --> 00:30:18.145 and that to be saved 00:30:18.145 --> 00:30:21.515 one must repent and put full trust in Him. 00:30:21.515 --> 00:30:24.219 (Referring to a particular time in his past, he says...) 00:30:24.219 --> 00:30:27.456 My entire life was changed. 00:30:27.456 --> 00:30:29.379 My mom tells me that she remembers 00:30:29.379 --> 00:30:31.103 the transformation that took place. 00:30:31.103 --> 00:30:32.898 I remember talking about how God 00:30:32.898 --> 00:30:34.210 gave me a new heart. 00:30:34.210 --> 00:30:36.194 Now over the past year, 00:30:36.194 --> 00:30:38.905 I've been blessed to be under good teaching, 00:30:38.905 --> 00:30:41.006 and I know all the right answers 00:30:41.006 --> 00:30:43.104 to the questions that someone would ask 00:30:43.104 --> 00:30:47.995 concerning how you can know you are saved. 00:30:47.995 --> 00:30:50.281 (But he says) I can't get assurance 00:30:50.281 --> 00:30:52.060 from those answers. 00:30:52.060 --> 00:30:53.432 I look back at my conversion 00:30:53.432 --> 00:30:55.166 and I can't remember a single moment 00:30:55.166 --> 00:30:57.621 where I placed my trust in Christ. 00:30:57.621 --> 00:30:59.535 I know that I must trust in Christ alone 00:30:59.535 --> 00:31:01.116 for the forgiveness of my sins 00:31:01.116 --> 00:31:03.524 and that I cannot trust even a shred in myself. 00:31:03.524 --> 00:31:04.786 I know that to be true. 00:31:04.786 --> 00:31:06.049 I see my sinfulness. 00:31:06.049 --> 00:31:07.949 I understand my weakness and inability, 00:31:07.949 --> 00:31:10.081 but I fear that because I didn't understand 00:31:10.081 --> 00:31:12.276 that then, that I never really put my trust 00:31:12.276 --> 00:31:14.726 in Christ and just don't know what to do. 00:31:14.726 --> 00:31:16.468 I don't know if I should seek God 00:31:16.468 --> 00:31:18.499 for assurance or seek Him to save me. 00:31:18.499 --> 00:31:19.957 Sometimes, I share the Gospel 00:31:19.957 --> 00:31:22.739 and I completely forget about my assurance problem. 00:31:22.739 --> 00:31:24.482 Other times, I'm sitting alone. 00:31:24.482 --> 00:31:25.715 Tears well up in my eyes 00:31:25.715 --> 00:31:27.302 because I'm simply not sure if 00:31:27.302 --> 00:31:28.758 I truly belong to Him. 00:31:28.758 --> 00:31:30.324 I cannot go living like this. 00:31:30.324 --> 00:31:31.754 It's so taxing. 00:31:31.754 --> 00:31:34.209 I don't know if I truly am His. 00:31:34.209 --> 00:31:36.339 I know all the tests from 1 John. 00:31:36.339 --> 00:31:38.716 When I hear an exposition of 1 John, 00:31:38.716 --> 00:31:41.780 and I ask myself, ok, does my life 00:31:41.780 --> 00:31:43.381 stand the assurance test? 00:31:43.381 --> 00:31:45.727 I simply cannot place any trust 00:31:45.727 --> 00:31:47.999 in my own reasoning 00:31:47.999 --> 00:31:50.633 to answer that question. 00:31:50.633 --> 00:31:53.848 I fear so immensely for my salvation." 00:31:53.848 --> 00:31:58.492 Folks, we've got people running around, 00:31:58.492 --> 00:31:59.748 and I'll tell you, 00:31:59.748 --> 00:32:02.064 some of them probably aren't true Christians, 00:32:02.064 --> 00:32:05.637 but we've got true Christians running around. 00:32:05.637 --> 00:32:08.175 And you know, they're there 00:32:08.175 --> 00:32:14.597 and they're just wondering. 00:32:14.597 --> 00:32:16.474 Does He love me? 00:32:16.474 --> 00:32:18.824 Does He love me not? 00:32:18.824 --> 00:32:21.068 Am I in? Am I out? 00:32:21.068 --> 00:32:24.039 Am I saved? Am I not? 00:32:24.039 --> 00:32:32.777 Back and forth they go. 00:32:32.777 --> 00:32:36.910 Brethren, I'll just tell you this. 00:32:36.910 --> 00:32:41.870 If you don't have assurance, 00:32:41.870 --> 00:32:43.949 guess what else you don't have? 00:32:43.949 --> 00:32:46.337 Both these guys hit on it. 00:32:46.337 --> 00:32:47.443 The first guy said, 00:32:47.443 --> 00:32:50.097 "every day is miserable for me. 00:32:50.097 --> 00:32:56.394 I have no peace, joy, or love." 00:32:56.394 --> 00:33:00.378 The second guy hits on it. 00:33:00.378 --> 00:33:11.069 (incomplete thought) 00:33:11.069 --> 00:33:14.644 He says, "I cannot go on living like this. 00:33:14.644 --> 00:33:19.335 It is so taxing." 00:33:19.335 --> 00:33:20.866 Both of these guys hit on 00:33:20.866 --> 00:33:23.223 no joy. 00:33:23.223 --> 00:33:25.784 No peace. 00:33:25.784 --> 00:33:28.142 So taxing. 00:33:28.142 --> 00:33:31.103 I can't go on living like this. 00:33:31.103 --> 00:33:36.691 What happens when you lack assurance? 00:33:36.691 --> 00:33:38.587 You have no what? 00:33:38.587 --> 00:33:42.423 Joy. 00:33:42.423 --> 00:33:44.245 Let me read an Old Testament passage 00:33:44.245 --> 00:33:47.827 to you from Nehemiah 8:10. 00:33:47.827 --> 00:33:55.635 "The joy of the Lord is your strength." 00:33:55.635 --> 00:34:00.765 No assurance. No joy. 00:34:00.765 --> 00:34:05.492 No joy. No strength. 00:34:05.492 --> 00:34:09.982 "The joy of the Lord is your strength." 00:34:09.982 --> 00:34:12.324 Brethren, let me tell you something. 00:34:12.324 --> 00:34:17.182 Confidence makes you brave. 00:34:17.182 --> 00:34:25.191 You think a person can run headlong 00:34:25.191 --> 00:34:28.538 into heavy Muslim population 00:34:28.538 --> 00:34:30.662 where they very well may lose their life 00:34:30.662 --> 00:34:33.273 and preach the Gospel boldly? 00:34:33.273 --> 00:34:35.275 If they're there and they're wondering, 00:34:35.275 --> 00:34:36.354 am I in? Am I out? 00:34:36.354 --> 00:34:38.184 Does He love me? Does He love me not? 00:34:38.184 --> 00:34:39.444 Am I the real thing 00:34:39.444 --> 00:34:40.501 or am I fake? 00:34:40.501 --> 00:34:41.909 Am I going to go to heaven? 00:34:41.909 --> 00:34:43.362 Or am I going to go to hell? 00:34:43.362 --> 00:34:44.943 Am I still in my sin? 00:34:44.943 --> 00:34:47.861 Am I not? 00:34:47.861 --> 00:34:51.289 Is my name graven upon His palm? 00:34:51.289 --> 00:34:54.773 Or is it not? 00:34:54.773 --> 00:34:57.765 You cannot be brave. 00:34:57.765 --> 00:35:00.496 You cannot charge off into the world 00:35:00.496 --> 00:35:03.091 and battle for Christ 00:35:03.091 --> 00:35:05.812 if you have no assurance. 00:35:05.812 --> 00:35:06.916 No assurance. No joy. 00:35:06.916 --> 00:35:08.001 No joy. No strength. 00:35:08.001 --> 00:35:10.581 No strength. Folks, you've got no boldness. 00:35:10.581 --> 00:35:12.071 You've got no confidence. 00:35:12.071 --> 00:35:13.480 You've got to have confidence 00:35:13.480 --> 00:35:15.755 if you're going to be bold as a lion 00:35:15.755 --> 00:35:16.678 for Christ. 00:35:16.678 --> 00:35:18.425 You will not be. 00:35:18.425 --> 00:35:22.343 See, folks, you cannot scare 00:35:22.343 --> 00:35:24.770 a person with assurance 00:35:24.770 --> 00:35:27.244 with death. 00:35:27.244 --> 00:35:28.849 You can't. Why? 00:35:28.849 --> 00:35:31.103 Because they're confident that at the end 00:35:31.103 --> 00:35:34.467 of this life, there is joy everlasting. 00:35:34.467 --> 00:35:37.168 There is an eternal weight of glory. 00:35:37.168 --> 00:35:40.058 You don't scare Christians 00:35:40.058 --> 00:35:42.927 with that assurance of that joy 00:35:42.927 --> 00:35:44.791 and that eternal weight of glory 00:35:44.791 --> 00:35:47.303 with death. 00:35:47.303 --> 00:35:50.092 But if you're wondering... 00:35:50.092 --> 00:35:52.512 "I don't know." 00:35:52.512 --> 00:35:53.910 I may come in here 00:35:53.910 --> 00:35:55.195 claiming to be a Christian, 00:35:55.195 --> 00:35:56.552 but if they put me to death, 00:35:56.552 --> 00:35:58.324 I may go straight to hell. 00:35:58.324 --> 00:36:01.648 I may not be any better off than them. 00:36:01.648 --> 00:36:03.394 You don't have boldness to go out 00:36:03.394 --> 00:36:04.465 on the East side. 00:36:04.465 --> 00:36:07.402 Well, what if this happens to me? 00:36:07.402 --> 00:36:08.667 Folks, you don't know 00:36:08.667 --> 00:36:10.461 if you're a child of God or not, 00:36:10.461 --> 00:36:13.245 you're trying to protect everything. 00:36:13.245 --> 00:36:19.018 (incomplete thought) 00:36:19.018 --> 00:36:23.473 Folks, what do we say to people like this? 00:36:23.473 --> 00:36:25.709 And I'll tell you what, 00:36:25.709 --> 00:36:30.355 we need to be really careful. 00:36:30.355 --> 00:36:34.958 You know what I'm hearing a lot of times? 00:36:34.958 --> 00:36:37.957 Well, that person fell into... 00:36:37.957 --> 00:36:40.123 Look, one of these guys, 00:36:40.123 --> 00:36:45.399 he's been falling into masturbation. 00:36:45.399 --> 00:36:48.073 He had such assurance in the beginning. 00:36:48.073 --> 00:36:49.597 And I'm telling you, we can take 00:36:49.597 --> 00:36:52.099 all these tests from 1 John, 00:36:52.099 --> 00:36:54.694 and look, we don't dismiss them. 00:36:54.694 --> 00:36:55.763 They're valid. 00:36:55.763 --> 00:36:58.326 Regeneration looks like something. 00:36:58.326 --> 00:36:59.728 But I'll tell you this folks, 00:36:59.728 --> 00:37:02.330 if we start keying in on repentance 00:37:02.330 --> 00:37:04.524 and on the fruits 00:37:04.524 --> 00:37:06.318 and on all these things 00:37:06.318 --> 00:37:08.600 that ought to be true of the Christian life, 00:37:08.600 --> 00:37:10.328 and you're not constantly taking people 00:37:10.328 --> 00:37:11.388 to the cross; 00:37:11.388 --> 00:37:12.686 taking people to Christ, 00:37:12.686 --> 00:37:13.696 you know what? 00:37:13.696 --> 00:37:15.297 You're going to be tearing down 00:37:15.297 --> 00:37:16.585 people's assurance. 00:37:16.585 --> 00:37:19.194 Because there isn't a one of you in this room, 00:37:19.194 --> 00:37:20.808 truly and genuinely converted, 00:37:20.808 --> 00:37:22.459 that isn't going to fall into sin 00:37:22.459 --> 00:37:26.624 and sometimes majorly in your Christian life. 00:37:26.624 --> 00:37:29.766 And if we're setting up this standard 00:37:29.766 --> 00:37:31.648 that is unreal; 00:37:31.648 --> 00:37:32.742 that is not right; 00:37:32.742 --> 00:37:33.983 that is not biblical... 00:37:33.983 --> 00:37:35.451 Listen, if you're in Christ, 00:37:35.451 --> 00:37:36.792 definitely, by the Spirit, 00:37:36.792 --> 00:37:39.610 you're going to be putting to death the deeds of the body. 00:37:39.610 --> 00:37:41.674 You will be practicing righteousness. 00:37:41.674 --> 00:37:44.308 But we have to be confident, folks, 00:37:44.308 --> 00:37:47.479 of texts like "therefore there is now 00:37:47.479 --> 00:37:48.995 no condemnation for those 00:37:48.995 --> 00:37:50.355 who are in Christ Jesus." 00:37:50.355 --> 00:37:52.015 We've got texts in the Scripture. 00:37:52.015 --> 00:37:53.741 "Who shall bring any charge 00:37:53.741 --> 00:37:55.055 against God's elect? 00:37:55.055 --> 00:37:57.359 It is God Who justifies." 00:37:57.359 --> 00:37:59.320 We have to be turning our eyes 00:37:59.320 --> 00:38:02.114 again and again and again 00:38:02.114 --> 00:38:06.602 back to that cross. 00:38:06.602 --> 00:38:10.392 Now look, if people struggle with assurance, 00:38:10.392 --> 00:38:11.536 and some do, 00:38:11.536 --> 00:38:14.832 and some do more than others, 00:38:14.832 --> 00:38:16.474 what we want to do is we want to 00:38:16.474 --> 00:38:18.134 take them to the cross. 00:38:18.134 --> 00:38:20.379 We want to take them to passages like this: 00:38:20.379 --> 00:38:22.168 Romans 8:34 00:38:22.168 --> 00:38:23.819 "Who is to condemn? 00:38:23.819 --> 00:38:25.631 Christ Jesus is the One Who died. 00:38:25.631 --> 00:38:27.326 More than that, Who was raised. 00:38:27.326 --> 00:38:28.902 Who is at the right hand of God. 00:38:28.902 --> 00:38:30.726 Who indeed is interceding for us." 00:38:30.726 --> 00:38:35.853 Brethren, we are not Catholics! 00:38:35.853 --> 00:38:38.353 Our performance is not what gets us 00:38:38.353 --> 00:38:41.198 into Heaven. 00:38:41.198 --> 00:38:43.900 Our acceptance before God Almighty 00:38:43.900 --> 00:38:49.253 is based on the perfect work of Christ. 00:38:49.253 --> 00:38:52.935 Brethren, He came to save sinners. 00:38:52.935 --> 00:38:55.837 And you are at best in this room 00:38:55.837 --> 00:38:58.130 a saved sinner. 00:38:58.130 --> 00:38:59.707 And you are not perfect. 00:38:59.707 --> 00:39:02.000 And practicing righteousness does not 00:39:02.000 --> 00:39:03.228 mean perfection. 00:39:03.228 --> 00:39:04.731 And it doesn't mean that you're 00:39:04.731 --> 00:39:05.650 not going to fall. 00:39:05.650 --> 00:39:07.949 And it doesn't mean that even some of the best 00:39:07.949 --> 00:39:10.046 Christians we read about in the Scriptures 00:39:10.046 --> 00:39:11.865 didn't have terrible falls. 00:39:11.865 --> 00:39:15.898 And the way to heal such wounds 00:39:15.898 --> 00:39:18.440 is to take the balm of Gilead 00:39:18.440 --> 00:39:22.623 to the hurting Christian. 00:39:22.623 --> 00:39:25.181 It isn't simply to beat them over the head 00:39:25.181 --> 00:39:27.666 with a standard of righteousness 00:39:27.666 --> 00:39:30.354 that is unbiblical and not real. 00:39:30.354 --> 00:39:31.920 Yes, we come to them and we say, 00:39:31.920 --> 00:39:33.695 brethren, we want to exhort you. 00:39:33.695 --> 00:39:34.963 We want to encourage you 00:39:34.963 --> 00:39:36.175 that you not sin. 00:39:36.175 --> 00:39:37.795 But if you do sin, 00:39:37.795 --> 00:39:39.755 you have an Advocate with the Father. 00:39:39.755 --> 00:39:42.469 Does that sound familiar to us? 00:39:42.469 --> 00:39:44.487 That comes at us from John. 00:39:44.487 --> 00:39:47.568 In all of John's tests, 00:39:47.568 --> 00:39:49.656 in all of 1 John, 00:39:49.656 --> 00:39:52.527 in all the marks of true Christianity, 00:39:52.527 --> 00:39:54.802 he says, brethren, I'm telling you this; 00:39:54.802 --> 00:39:56.875 I'm writing this to you 00:39:56.875 --> 00:39:59.260 that you might have assurance; 00:39:59.260 --> 00:40:02.186 that you might know. 00:40:02.186 --> 00:40:03.867 And I'm writing all this to you 00:40:03.867 --> 00:40:06.220 that you sin not. 00:40:06.220 --> 00:40:08.384 And yes, the standard is high. 00:40:08.384 --> 00:40:10.275 And yes, it's radical 00:40:10.275 --> 00:40:13.056 when you've been truly born again. 00:40:13.056 --> 00:40:15.345 And it's going to do something to your life. 00:40:15.345 --> 00:40:17.112 And your life is going to be affected 00:40:17.112 --> 00:40:18.892 by the cross of Jesus Christ. 00:40:18.892 --> 00:40:20.796 And if you truly have a faith in Him, 00:40:20.796 --> 00:40:23.760 it's going to turn your life upside down. 00:40:23.760 --> 00:40:25.612 And he says, brethren, I write to you 00:40:25.612 --> 00:40:28.686 that you not sin. 00:40:28.686 --> 00:40:31.101 But he knows... 00:40:31.101 --> 00:40:33.112 He says if you sin, 00:40:33.112 --> 00:40:34.887 we have an Advocate. 00:40:34.887 --> 00:40:36.729 And you see when the devil rushes in 00:40:36.729 --> 00:40:38.946 and says, "look at you." 00:40:38.946 --> 00:40:42.229 "You've got all this teaching on repentance. 00:40:42.229 --> 00:40:44.159 Hey, don't you hear what they're saying? 00:40:44.159 --> 00:40:46.133 If repentance isn't true in your life; 00:40:46.133 --> 00:40:49.988 if radical bowing to the Lordship of Christ isn't real; 00:40:49.988 --> 00:40:52.341 if there isn't some pattern 00:40:52.341 --> 00:40:55.024 of righteousness in your life, 00:40:55.024 --> 00:40:56.440 who do you think you are 00:40:56.440 --> 00:40:58.697 saying you're a Christian?" 00:40:58.697 --> 00:40:59.619 But you see, 00:40:59.619 --> 00:41:02.493 if you can say, 00:41:02.493 --> 00:41:04.970 "devil, you're right... 00:41:04.970 --> 00:41:09.062 what you say is right. 00:41:09.062 --> 00:41:12.528 But I can tell you this, 00:41:12.528 --> 00:41:16.303 I'm not perfect. 00:41:16.303 --> 00:41:18.017 But I know this, 00:41:18.017 --> 00:41:20.326 I'm not what I once was. 00:41:20.326 --> 00:41:23.805 I'm not perfect, and I fall, 00:41:23.805 --> 00:41:26.986 and I struggle and I fight 00:41:26.986 --> 00:41:29.496 and I wish I could be perfect, 00:41:29.496 --> 00:41:33.288 but I know I have desires I didn't have before. 00:41:33.288 --> 00:41:36.272 And I know I love Christ in a way I didn't before. 00:41:36.272 --> 00:41:38.367 And my life has been transformed. 00:41:38.367 --> 00:41:39.274 You're right. 00:41:39.274 --> 00:41:41.774 I've sinned. I've fallen. 00:41:41.774 --> 00:41:43.417 But I'll tell you this. 00:41:43.417 --> 00:41:46.090 I didn't come to Christ in the first place 00:41:46.090 --> 00:41:48.056 dependent on my works. 00:41:48.056 --> 00:41:49.917 And I don't stay there now 00:41:49.917 --> 00:41:51.377 dependent on my works. 00:41:51.377 --> 00:41:54.380 There is no condemnation 00:41:54.380 --> 00:41:56.127 to those who are in Christ. 00:41:56.127 --> 00:41:59.641 Devil, all you're telling me right now 00:41:59.641 --> 00:42:01.357 all the more assures me 00:42:01.357 --> 00:42:03.173 that I need to trust Christ 00:42:03.173 --> 00:42:05.935 and not look at my own life. 00:42:05.935 --> 00:42:07.104 What you're saying to me 00:42:07.104 --> 00:42:11.087 only drives me back under His wing." 00:42:11.087 --> 00:42:12.763 Brethren, that's got to be so. 00:42:12.763 --> 00:42:14.003 And I'll tell you this, 00:42:14.003 --> 00:42:16.608 that's where our assurance comes from. 00:42:16.608 --> 00:42:18.067 We've got to be running back 00:42:18.067 --> 00:42:20.524 again and again and again. 00:42:20.524 --> 00:42:22.814 And I would say this to any of you, 00:42:22.814 --> 00:42:24.992 you get where you're struggling 00:42:24.992 --> 00:42:25.927 at a point in life 00:42:25.927 --> 00:42:27.867 where you're struggling with assurance. 00:42:27.867 --> 00:42:29.446 I would ask you this: 00:42:29.446 --> 00:42:32.344 Did you ever have assurance? 00:42:32.344 --> 00:42:36.972 Because listen, why would I say that? 00:42:36.972 --> 00:42:40.329 Why would I ask that? 00:42:40.329 --> 00:42:47.520 The Spirit of God is a Spirit of adoption. 00:42:47.520 --> 00:42:52.559 By that Spirit, we cry, "Abba, Father." 00:42:52.559 --> 00:42:56.536 [Romans] 8:16 - He bears witness 00:42:56.536 --> 00:42:58.647 with our spirit. 00:42:58.647 --> 00:43:01.001 Now listen. 00:43:01.001 --> 00:43:05.337 Do not grieve the Spirit 00:43:05.337 --> 00:43:08.330 by which you've been sealed. 00:43:08.330 --> 00:43:11.800 The Spirit seals us. 00:43:11.800 --> 00:43:15.347 The Spirit seals. 00:43:15.347 --> 00:43:20.767 When you sealed a document - 00:43:20.767 --> 00:43:27.977 if a president puts his seal on something, 00:43:27.977 --> 00:43:31.625 it's a sign of ownership. 00:43:31.625 --> 00:43:33.814 The Spirit of God is given. 00:43:33.814 --> 00:43:37.460 That is a seal. 00:43:37.460 --> 00:43:38.951 Where the Spirit of God is 00:43:38.951 --> 00:43:40.826 there are definite evidences. 00:43:40.826 --> 00:43:43.391 What's one of the things the Spirit of God does? 00:43:43.391 --> 00:43:45.361 Bears witness with our spirit. 00:43:45.361 --> 00:43:47.540 Pours the love of God into our heart. 00:43:47.540 --> 00:43:49.142 Now listen to me. 00:43:49.142 --> 00:43:52.149 If that Spirit is resident, 00:43:52.149 --> 00:43:54.502 that person is going to have assurance 00:43:54.502 --> 00:43:57.162 at least at some time. 00:43:57.162 --> 00:44:00.070 Now, it's possible to grieve the Spirit 00:44:00.070 --> 00:44:01.745 by which you've been sealed. 00:44:01.745 --> 00:44:06.994 And if you grieve Him, or as 1 Thessalonians 5, 00:44:06.994 --> 00:44:12.414 quench, then yes, the witness of the Spirit 00:44:12.414 --> 00:44:14.518 may go silent. 00:44:14.518 --> 00:44:17.214 If you're a person who has never known 00:44:17.214 --> 00:44:19.187 the witness of the Spirit, 00:44:19.187 --> 00:44:21.364 you have never had assurance 00:44:21.364 --> 00:44:23.523 of your salvation, 00:44:23.523 --> 00:44:26.470 I don't believe you're saved. 00:44:26.470 --> 00:44:28.827 By the testimony of the Scriptures. 00:44:28.827 --> 00:44:30.014 I don't believe that. 00:44:30.014 --> 00:44:34.367 But if at seasons, you have indeed had it, 00:44:34.367 --> 00:44:35.841 well, then look, 00:44:35.841 --> 00:44:38.015 people can have false assurance. 00:44:38.015 --> 00:44:39.558 There's no question about it. 00:44:39.558 --> 00:44:41.673 And that definitely needs to be examined. 00:44:41.673 --> 00:44:42.839 But I can tell you this, 00:44:42.839 --> 00:44:45.418 it's definitely as a true Christian 00:44:45.418 --> 00:44:48.727 possible to have that resident 00:44:48.727 --> 00:44:51.227 Spirit of adoption 00:44:51.227 --> 00:44:53.239 by which we cry, "Abba, Father," 00:44:53.239 --> 00:44:55.863 and at seasons because we've quenched Him 00:44:55.863 --> 00:44:58.222 or grieved Him, have Him go silent. 00:44:58.222 --> 00:44:59.511 And so what I would ask: 00:44:59.511 --> 00:45:04.745 have you had seasons where you've known assurance? 00:45:04.745 --> 00:45:06.705 And if you tell me yes, 00:45:06.705 --> 00:45:10.797 then I would ask you, 00:45:10.797 --> 00:45:12.524 have you done anything in your life 00:45:12.524 --> 00:45:14.717 to grieve the Spirit? 00:45:14.717 --> 00:45:16.568 And typically, we know. 00:45:16.568 --> 00:45:18.341 We've allowed something. 00:45:18.341 --> 00:45:20.582 The Spirit has prodded us to repent 00:45:20.582 --> 00:45:23.063 of something that we've resisted. 00:45:23.063 --> 00:45:25.761 You've allowed some sin or worldliness 00:45:25.761 --> 00:45:27.847 or idol into your life 00:45:27.847 --> 00:45:34.162 that you're not repenting of. 00:45:34.162 --> 00:45:40.759 Brethren, the Spirit bears witness. 00:45:40.759 --> 00:45:44.408 Look, I can't tell you 00:45:44.408 --> 00:45:47.279 about what you've experienced. 00:45:47.279 --> 00:45:50.476 But I can tell you, I've experienced it. 00:45:50.476 --> 00:45:52.035 I've experienced it in a way 00:45:52.035 --> 00:45:55.341 I never experienced it when I was lost. 00:45:55.341 --> 00:45:56.891 I mean, I never experienced it 00:45:56.891 --> 00:45:58.645 when I was lost. 00:45:58.645 --> 00:46:00.448 Look. 00:46:00.448 --> 00:46:03.182 The witness of the Holy Spirit 00:46:03.182 --> 00:46:06.265 is different than assurance 00:46:06.265 --> 00:46:10.404 that's gotten from other things. 00:46:10.404 --> 00:46:13.274 Like there are people who are certain 00:46:13.274 --> 00:46:14.896 they're going to go to heaven. 00:46:14.896 --> 00:46:15.761 Why? 00:46:15.761 --> 00:46:17.967 Because (have you guys ever come across this?) 00:46:17.967 --> 00:46:19.041 God healed me. 00:46:19.041 --> 00:46:20.422 I'm certain everything's ok. 00:46:20.422 --> 00:46:21.938 We were just talking about this 00:46:21.938 --> 00:46:23.607 at the campus today at Palo Alto, 00:46:23.607 --> 00:46:25.245 that many people have an assurance 00:46:25.245 --> 00:46:27.206 that everything's ok. Why? 00:46:27.206 --> 00:46:29.530 Because they got sick and God healed them. 00:46:29.530 --> 00:46:31.961 Because they were in a car accident 00:46:31.961 --> 00:46:33.728 where they should have been killed 00:46:33.728 --> 00:46:34.923 and they walked away. 00:46:34.923 --> 00:46:36.803 You guys have heard things like that? 00:46:36.803 --> 00:46:38.446 Listen. 00:46:38.446 --> 00:46:40.357 The kindness of God 00:46:40.357 --> 00:46:41.837 is meant to do what? 00:46:41.837 --> 00:46:43.697 Assure us we're Christians? 00:46:43.697 --> 00:46:45.809 Is that what the Bible says? 00:46:45.809 --> 00:46:47.013 Lead you to repentance. 00:46:47.013 --> 00:46:49.699 Right. The kindness of God is meant 00:46:49.699 --> 00:46:52.138 to lead you to Christ. 00:46:52.138 --> 00:46:55.695 Not confirm that you're in Christ. 00:46:55.695 --> 00:46:57.133 In fact, the fact is 00:46:57.133 --> 00:47:00.196 that many who are in Christ, 00:47:00.196 --> 00:47:04.052 don't avert the accident or the sickness 00:47:04.052 --> 00:47:07.332 or the trial or the tears 00:47:07.332 --> 00:47:09.912 or the death... 00:47:09.912 --> 00:47:15.171 in fact, through many tribulations... 00:47:15.171 --> 00:47:18.865 Why do other people have assurance 00:47:18.865 --> 00:47:21.229 that's no good? 00:47:21.229 --> 00:47:23.199 Not based on good foundations. 00:47:23.199 --> 00:47:27.919 Where does other false assurance come from? 00:47:27.919 --> 00:47:29.412 Emotions. 00:47:29.412 --> 00:47:31.075 People feel like they're saved. 00:47:31.075 --> 00:47:33.825 But why would people feel like they're saved 00:47:33.825 --> 00:47:35.868 when they're not truly saved? 00:47:35.868 --> 00:47:37.064 And I'll tell you this, 00:47:37.064 --> 00:47:38.444 if they're not truly saved, 00:47:38.444 --> 00:47:42.220 it's not the witness of the Holy Spirit. 00:47:42.220 --> 00:47:45.222 What is it? 00:47:45.222 --> 00:47:48.446 Where would emotions come from? 00:47:48.446 --> 00:47:50.064 Let's go through a list of things. 00:47:50.064 --> 00:47:52.518 Maybe false teaching, right? 00:47:52.518 --> 00:47:54.377 People assure you that you're saved 00:47:54.377 --> 00:47:56.084 when there's really no evidence. 00:47:56.084 --> 00:47:57.854 How many men are out there 00:47:57.854 --> 00:48:00.302 telling men they're saved? 00:48:00.302 --> 00:48:02.041 How many preachers stand in pulpits 00:48:02.041 --> 00:48:04.462 and say if you say this little prayer, 00:48:04.462 --> 00:48:06.279 you're saved? 00:48:06.279 --> 00:48:08.586 Basically if you did this, you're saved. 00:48:08.586 --> 00:48:10.188 We've got men all over the place 00:48:10.188 --> 00:48:12.119 telling people that. 00:48:12.119 --> 00:48:13.723 How about something else? 00:48:13.723 --> 00:48:16.124 How about people who just 00:48:16.124 --> 00:48:17.989 get emotionally stirred up? 00:48:17.989 --> 00:48:18.798 They weep tears. 00:48:18.798 --> 00:48:20.577 They were greatly affected. 00:48:20.577 --> 00:48:22.856 And because of bad teaching, again, 00:48:22.856 --> 00:48:24.793 they don't understand what true 00:48:24.793 --> 00:48:26.248 saving faith looks like. 00:48:26.248 --> 00:48:27.365 They don't understand 00:48:27.365 --> 00:48:29.480 the nature of biblical repentance, 00:48:29.480 --> 00:48:30.986 and so they're led to believe 00:48:30.986 --> 00:48:38.443 (incomplete thought) 00:48:38.443 --> 00:48:40.122 Can you think that maybe the devil 00:48:40.122 --> 00:48:41.600 would try to convince people 00:48:41.600 --> 00:48:44.623 that they're saved when they're not saved? 00:48:44.623 --> 00:48:46.949 How? 00:48:46.949 --> 00:48:48.959 Let me give you an example. 00:48:48.959 --> 00:48:52.945 We were just talking about this at Mark's. 00:48:52.945 --> 00:48:55.763 I remember as a Catholic having a dream 00:48:55.763 --> 00:48:59.138 on Christmas Eve about Mary. 00:48:59.138 --> 00:49:01.975 And I felt so much assurance 00:49:01.975 --> 00:49:04.774 and warmth from that dream. 00:49:04.774 --> 00:49:07.760 I went and visited my Roman Catholic 00:49:07.760 --> 00:49:10.130 great uncle. 00:49:10.130 --> 00:49:11.705 A week before I went there 00:49:11.705 --> 00:49:13.864 to preach the Gospel to him, 00:49:13.864 --> 00:49:17.552 an angel appeared in his dining room 00:49:17.552 --> 00:49:19.040 in the middle of the night; 00:49:19.040 --> 00:49:20.642 lit up the whole house. 00:49:20.642 --> 00:49:22.936 He said it was the most beautiful creature 00:49:22.936 --> 00:49:24.744 he ever laid his eyes on. 00:49:24.744 --> 00:49:27.323 I said, "Uncle Tom, Satan comes 00:49:27.323 --> 00:49:28.967 as an angel of light." 00:49:28.967 --> 00:49:30.498 You know when I told that story 00:49:30.498 --> 00:49:31.697 at church one night, 00:49:31.697 --> 00:49:33.123 Carlos turned and looked at me 00:49:33.123 --> 00:49:34.254 and he said, 00:49:34.254 --> 00:49:37.530 "My parents had the same thing happen." 00:49:37.530 --> 00:49:39.788 They saw an angel in the doorway 00:49:39.788 --> 00:49:41.084 of their bedroom 00:49:41.084 --> 00:49:42.398 in the middle of the night. 00:49:42.398 --> 00:49:44.614 Listen to me, folks. 00:49:44.614 --> 00:49:47.355 The devil will seek to give men 00:49:47.355 --> 00:49:50.551 false assurance. 00:49:50.551 --> 00:49:52.033 Many different ways. 00:49:52.033 --> 00:49:53.766 Through false religion. 00:49:53.766 --> 00:49:57.975 Through various manifestations. 00:49:57.975 --> 00:49:59.479 But true assurance - 00:49:59.479 --> 00:50:02.144 listen to me. 00:50:02.144 --> 00:50:05.572 The Spirit of God bears witness 00:50:05.572 --> 00:50:08.239 with our spirit. 00:50:08.239 --> 00:50:12.001 When God Almighty wants to speak 00:50:12.001 --> 00:50:13.767 to the soul of a man, 00:50:13.767 --> 00:50:16.846 do you think He's impotent in doing it? 00:50:16.846 --> 00:50:19.018 He pours the love of God 00:50:19.018 --> 00:50:22.665 into the heart. 00:50:22.665 --> 00:50:24.083 How? 00:50:24.083 --> 00:50:26.529 Well, the Scripture tells us. 00:50:26.529 --> 00:50:28.542 God's love poured into our hearts 00:50:28.542 --> 00:50:30.162 through the Holy Spirit Who has 00:50:30.162 --> 00:50:31.696 been given to us, 00:50:31.696 --> 00:50:34.889 for (fuller explanation)... 00:50:34.889 --> 00:50:36.652 for while we were still weak, 00:50:36.652 --> 00:50:37.682 at the right time, 00:50:37.682 --> 00:50:39.496 Christ died for the ungodly. 00:50:39.496 --> 00:50:41.649 Do you know what the expressions of love 00:50:41.649 --> 00:50:43.331 are that are poured into the heart 00:50:43.331 --> 00:50:45.059 of God's people? 00:50:45.059 --> 00:50:47.726 They're expressions of the love of God 00:50:47.726 --> 00:50:49.846 as shown through us. 00:50:49.846 --> 00:50:51.768 In a time of weakness, 00:50:51.768 --> 00:50:53.784 His Son died for us. 00:50:53.784 --> 00:50:57.028 (Incomplete thought) 00:50:57.028 --> 00:50:58.893 Listen. 00:50:58.893 --> 00:51:03.231 The Spirit bears testimony 00:51:03.231 --> 00:51:06.338 not as you gaze at yourself. 00:51:06.338 --> 00:51:08.964 Brethren, you can gaze at yourself. 00:51:08.964 --> 00:51:10.907 If we get a church that's gazing 00:51:10.907 --> 00:51:14.876 on ourselves where the talk is, 00:51:14.876 --> 00:51:18.633 am I a Christian or am I not a Christian? 00:51:18.633 --> 00:51:23.610 Well, have you masturbated? 00:51:23.610 --> 00:51:26.900 Well, is this true? 00:51:26.900 --> 00:51:30.499 Well, is there that sin in your life? 00:51:30.499 --> 00:51:33.141 Look, there's a place for practicing righteousness. 00:51:33.141 --> 00:51:34.866 There's a place for these tests. 00:51:34.866 --> 00:51:36.746 We need to examine ourselves. 00:51:36.746 --> 00:51:39.276 Folks, there's no proper examination 00:51:39.276 --> 00:51:43.427 except looking at the cross. 00:51:43.427 --> 00:51:47.063 True repentance is, 00:51:47.063 --> 00:51:49.857 see, so often, 00:51:49.857 --> 00:51:56.167 (incomplete thought) 00:51:56.167 --> 00:51:58.860 is missed because what repentance 00:51:58.860 --> 00:52:01.777 is viewed at is more like, 00:52:01.777 --> 00:52:04.662 imagine a human scale. 00:52:04.662 --> 00:52:09.742 Imagine I've got a big human yard stick. 00:52:09.742 --> 00:52:13.998 And we say, well, am I up here? 00:52:13.998 --> 00:52:15.345 Am I full of pride? 00:52:15.345 --> 00:52:16.985 Am I lifted up? 00:52:16.985 --> 00:52:21.635 Am I high and haughty? 00:52:21.635 --> 00:52:25.910 Versus, am I low? 00:52:25.910 --> 00:52:27.685 Am I broken? 00:52:27.685 --> 00:52:29.218 Am I repentant? 00:52:29.218 --> 00:52:30.681 And you see, the whole time, 00:52:30.681 --> 00:52:34.071 we're looking at ourselves. 00:52:34.071 --> 00:52:38.805 Versus being done with the yard stick 00:52:38.805 --> 00:52:42.387 and looking at Christ. 00:52:42.387 --> 00:52:43.248 You see, folks, 00:52:43.248 --> 00:52:46.696 repentance, so often what happens 00:52:46.696 --> 00:52:50.503 is just in religion - 00:52:50.503 --> 00:52:52.981 every human type of religion - 00:52:52.981 --> 00:52:56.418 what they do is they put the yard stick up 00:52:56.418 --> 00:52:59.660 and they say you've go to go from here 00:52:59.660 --> 00:53:01.336 to here. 00:53:01.336 --> 00:53:03.316 Or from here to here. 00:53:03.316 --> 00:53:04.809 However you want to look at it. 00:53:04.809 --> 00:53:08.226 Either from pride to humility 00:53:08.226 --> 00:53:10.591 or from this low, debauched state 00:53:10.591 --> 00:53:12.362 to this high moral standard. 00:53:12.362 --> 00:53:14.185 Whichever way you want to invert it. 00:53:14.185 --> 00:53:15.566 But what is it? 00:53:15.566 --> 00:53:18.151 The whole time you're looking at the yard stick. 00:53:18.151 --> 00:53:19.760 Where what the Bible says 00:53:19.760 --> 00:53:23.352 is repentance - true, biblical repentance 00:53:23.352 --> 00:53:26.700 is throwing that thing away altogether 00:53:26.700 --> 00:53:30.039 and looking at Christ. 00:53:30.039 --> 00:53:36.325 And see, when you pull the yard stick back, 00:53:36.325 --> 00:53:38.426 and now as a Christian - 00:53:38.426 --> 00:53:39.871 see, the Bible doesn't say, 00:53:39.871 --> 00:53:42.651 examine yourself and now 00:53:42.651 --> 00:53:45.029 pull the yard stick back. 00:53:45.029 --> 00:53:47.105 And look at it again. 00:53:47.105 --> 00:53:48.587 Well, where am I at on here? 00:53:48.587 --> 00:53:50.794 That's not the examining of yourself. 00:53:50.794 --> 00:53:55.781 If you ever take your eyes off of Christ, 00:53:55.781 --> 00:53:57.148 I'll tell you this, 00:53:57.148 --> 00:53:58.907 the Spirit of God came into the world 00:53:58.907 --> 00:54:00.208 to exalt Christ. 00:54:00.208 --> 00:54:01.542 Where does the Spirit of God 00:54:01.542 --> 00:54:03.090 bear witness with our spirit 00:54:03.090 --> 00:54:04.502 that we're children of God? 00:54:04.502 --> 00:54:05.916 As we gaze at Christ. 00:54:05.916 --> 00:54:08.753 Looking to Christ in faith. 00:54:08.753 --> 00:54:10.462 The love of God is poured abroad 00:54:10.462 --> 00:54:11.371 in our heart. 00:54:11.371 --> 00:54:14.757 It's shed abroad when we're looking to Christ. 00:54:14.757 --> 00:54:16.897 It's shed abroad when we see ourselves 00:54:16.897 --> 00:54:20.993 as weak, as ungodly, and Christ dying for us. 00:54:20.993 --> 00:54:23.771 That's where the assurance comes in. 00:54:23.771 --> 00:54:26.474 It's not looking at our works. 00:54:26.474 --> 00:54:28.164 (incomplete thought) 00:54:28.164 --> 00:54:30.826 You say, well, how do I measure up then? 00:54:30.826 --> 00:54:32.202 How do I look? 00:54:32.202 --> 00:54:34.904 How do I do that? 00:54:34.904 --> 00:54:36.761 If this indeed is true; 00:54:36.761 --> 00:54:41.743 if there's got to be this radical change, 00:54:41.743 --> 00:54:43.933 well how can I not see that? 00:54:43.933 --> 00:54:45.565 Or how can I see that? 00:54:45.565 --> 00:54:48.691 How can I measure myself 00:54:48.691 --> 00:54:51.593 against that 00:54:51.593 --> 00:54:55.151 if I'm not pulling the yard stick back? 00:54:55.151 --> 00:54:57.073 But you go look at those things. 00:54:57.073 --> 00:54:59.925 Go look at the biblical yard sticks. 00:54:59.925 --> 00:55:01.577 And I'll tell you what happens. 00:55:01.577 --> 00:55:04.610 Yes, there has to be a look 00:55:04.610 --> 00:55:06.408 at what God has done in my life. 00:55:06.408 --> 00:55:08.015 There's going to be that evidence 00:55:08.015 --> 00:55:09.692 of what God has done in my life, 00:55:09.692 --> 00:55:11.808 but what is basically at the root 00:55:11.808 --> 00:55:12.821 of the evidence? 00:55:12.821 --> 00:55:14.691 What is the heart of repentance? 00:55:14.691 --> 00:55:15.575 It's a turning. 00:55:15.575 --> 00:55:17.023 it's a turning away from what? 00:55:17.023 --> 00:55:18.934 It's a turning away from the yard stick. 00:55:18.934 --> 00:55:20.142 Because what happens, 00:55:20.142 --> 00:55:21.546 if you look at the yard stick 00:55:21.546 --> 00:55:23.464 by itself, even as a Christian, 00:55:23.464 --> 00:55:25.383 what are you doing? 00:55:25.383 --> 00:55:27.118 You're saying well, 00:55:27.118 --> 00:55:28.316 am I doing this? 00:55:28.316 --> 00:55:30.692 Have I lived righteously enough? 00:55:30.692 --> 00:55:33.769 Have I lived perfectly enough? 00:55:33.769 --> 00:55:35.190 Have I prayed enough? 00:55:35.190 --> 00:55:36.435 Have I loved enough? 00:55:36.435 --> 00:55:37.969 It says if I don't do that - 00:55:37.969 --> 00:55:39.440 have I done this enough? 00:55:39.440 --> 00:55:40.870 And you start looking there 00:55:40.870 --> 00:55:42.285 and you start looking there, 00:55:42.285 --> 00:55:43.406 and I'll tell you what, 00:55:43.406 --> 00:55:45.741 the poor Christian is just getting 00:55:45.741 --> 00:55:46.964 beat up by the law again. 00:55:46.964 --> 00:55:48.943 They're getting beat up by the standard. 00:55:48.943 --> 00:55:50.769 They're getting beat up by this thing. 00:55:50.769 --> 00:55:54.962 And then, suddenly they're floundering around. 00:55:54.962 --> 00:55:56.416 Am I in? Am I out? 00:55:56.416 --> 00:56:01.467 Because I have sinned. 00:56:01.467 --> 00:56:06.319 Brethren, this is why 00:56:06.319 --> 00:56:09.672 whenever these standards of Christianity 00:56:09.672 --> 00:56:12.885 are held out, 00:56:12.885 --> 00:56:14.559 you look biblically, 00:56:14.559 --> 00:56:16.728 they are just impacted, 00:56:16.728 --> 00:56:17.962 they are surrounded, 00:56:17.962 --> 00:56:19.427 they are encompassed 00:56:19.427 --> 00:56:21.139 with lookings to Christ. 00:56:21.139 --> 00:56:22.693 Looking to Christ. 00:56:22.693 --> 00:56:24.359 The cross of Christ. 00:56:24.359 --> 00:56:27.974 Do you see what the problem can be folks? 00:56:27.974 --> 00:56:29.910 Is when we begin to pull 00:56:29.910 --> 00:56:32.005 these things out of Scripture. 00:56:32.005 --> 00:56:35.529 And you begin to pull them away. 00:56:35.529 --> 00:56:37.747 You begin to set up 00:56:37.747 --> 00:56:39.994 this standard before people. 00:56:39.994 --> 00:56:43.678 Practice righteousness. Practice righteousness. 00:56:43.678 --> 00:56:47.435 You fall into this thing of masturbation; 00:56:47.435 --> 00:56:49.221 you fall into this thing over here, 00:56:49.221 --> 00:56:51.664 it's practice righteousness; practice righteousness. 00:56:51.664 --> 00:56:53.091 And we can get to where we're 00:56:53.091 --> 00:56:56.219 hammering people and hammering people.... 00:56:56.219 --> 00:56:58.302 We hammer them with holiness. 00:56:58.302 --> 00:57:02.216 Folks, we're under the New Covenant. 00:57:02.216 --> 00:57:05.370 What is the New Covenant? 00:57:05.370 --> 00:57:07.561 The New Covenant is God saying, 00:57:07.561 --> 00:57:13.361 "I will forgive their sins." 00:57:13.361 --> 00:57:16.269 Blessed is the man - 00:57:16.269 --> 00:57:17.575 blessed is the man, folks, 00:57:17.575 --> 00:57:20.559 whose transgressions are not held against him. 00:57:20.559 --> 00:57:23.791 David went in with another man's wife 00:57:23.791 --> 00:57:26.419 and he killed that man. 00:57:26.419 --> 00:57:28.233 And he could come before God 00:57:28.233 --> 00:57:34.874 and say, "Blessed is the man..." 00:57:34.874 --> 00:57:37.646 Folks, we've got to be there all the time. 00:57:37.646 --> 00:57:39.807 We've got to be there. 00:57:39.807 --> 00:57:42.607 I tell you, brethren, don't sin. 00:57:42.607 --> 00:57:45.076 But if you sin, we have an Advocate. 00:57:45.076 --> 00:57:45.950 Do you see? 00:57:45.950 --> 00:57:47.512 We've got to take these letters 00:57:47.512 --> 00:57:48.442 in their entirety. 00:57:48.442 --> 00:57:49.783 Yes, you've got Romans 8. 00:57:49.783 --> 00:57:52.374 Yes, yes, yes. 00:57:52.374 --> 00:57:54.731 By the Spirit, you put to death 00:57:54.731 --> 00:57:56.013 the deeds of the flesh. 00:57:56.013 --> 00:57:57.418 But remember how he started 00:57:57.418 --> 00:57:59.551 that same chapter. 00:57:59.551 --> 00:58:03.120 There is no condemnation. 00:58:03.120 --> 00:58:05.135 Remember how he's hitting at this 00:58:05.135 --> 00:58:07.883 when he gets to v. 33-34, 00:58:07.883 --> 00:58:10.467 Nobody can bring an accusation 00:58:10.467 --> 00:58:12.495 against God's elect. 00:58:12.495 --> 00:58:14.476 There is no condemnation. 00:58:14.476 --> 00:58:16.679 No one can condemn. 00:58:16.679 --> 00:58:18.456 It's freeing. 00:58:18.456 --> 00:58:20.916 Brethren, I've been hearing a lot 00:58:20.916 --> 00:58:22.084 about repentance. 00:58:22.084 --> 00:58:23.673 And I hear some of you guys, 00:58:23.673 --> 00:58:25.175 and you're hammering it, 00:58:25.175 --> 00:58:26.343 hammering it, 00:58:26.343 --> 00:58:28.827 you're hammering it... 00:58:28.827 --> 00:58:31.159 but folks, we've got to take people 00:58:31.159 --> 00:58:33.741 to the cross. 00:58:33.741 --> 00:58:35.289 What we're going to do, 00:58:35.289 --> 00:58:36.686 if we don't keep taking 00:58:36.686 --> 00:58:38.831 the brethren to the cross, 00:58:38.831 --> 00:58:41.449 we're not going to outfit people 00:58:41.449 --> 00:58:42.769 for the mission field. 00:58:42.769 --> 00:58:44.161 What we're going to do is 00:58:44.161 --> 00:58:45.993 we're going to have them wondering, 00:58:45.993 --> 00:58:48.913 Am I in? Am I out? 00:58:48.913 --> 00:58:50.645 Does He love me? 00:58:50.645 --> 00:58:52.909 We've got to take them to the cross. 00:58:52.909 --> 00:58:55.949 Say your acceptance is here. 00:58:55.949 --> 00:58:58.654 We know you've fallen into sin. 00:58:58.654 --> 00:59:01.719 We've fallen there ourselves. 00:59:01.719 --> 00:59:03.912 We're not advocating a life 00:59:03.912 --> 00:59:06.613 that is habitual sin. 00:59:06.613 --> 00:59:08.545 There's got to be victory. 00:59:08.545 --> 00:59:12.288 There's got to be righteousness, 00:59:12.288 --> 00:59:14.338 but it is a righteousness that flows 00:59:14.338 --> 00:59:17.041 out of a life that is constantly 00:59:17.041 --> 00:59:18.760 resting in the cross. 00:59:18.760 --> 00:59:21.494 When I came to Christ in the beginning, 00:59:21.494 --> 00:59:23.619 yes, there was radical transformation 00:59:23.619 --> 00:59:24.740 in the beginning, 00:59:24.740 --> 00:59:27.100 but I fell into some horrible sins 00:59:27.100 --> 00:59:28.213 in the beginning. 00:59:28.213 --> 00:59:30.456 My wife fell into some horrible sins 00:59:30.456 --> 00:59:31.492 in the beginning. 00:59:31.492 --> 00:59:32.822 And I'll tell you what, 00:59:32.822 --> 00:59:34.422 in the midst of that, 00:59:34.422 --> 00:59:37.461 I didn't fall into despair 00:59:37.461 --> 00:59:39.479 for this reason: 00:59:39.479 --> 00:59:41.139 Because when Satan would rush in 00:59:41.139 --> 00:59:43.311 and say, "look at you. 00:59:43.311 --> 00:59:46.427 You wretch. 00:59:46.427 --> 00:59:48.589 You think God wants anything to do with you? 00:59:48.589 --> 00:59:51.523 How could you claim you're saved?" 00:59:51.523 --> 00:59:52.886 And I could say, 00:59:52.886 --> 00:59:57.016 "Devil, you can slander me day and night. 00:59:57.016 --> 00:59:59.017 But I came to Christ in the beginning 00:59:59.017 --> 01:00:01.123 because I was a wretch. 01:00:01.123 --> 01:00:04.581 And I know, all I am right now 01:00:04.581 --> 01:00:07.267 is a saved sinner. 01:00:07.267 --> 01:00:09.273 And all you're proving to me 01:00:09.273 --> 01:00:10.943 all the more is I need to run 01:00:10.943 --> 01:00:13.430 back to Him again. 01:00:13.430 --> 01:00:15.178 And I'm going to head back there." 01:00:15.178 --> 01:00:16.659 Folks, we've got to be heading 01:00:16.659 --> 01:00:17.750 back to the cross. 01:00:17.750 --> 01:00:19.430 Because that's where our assurance 01:00:19.430 --> 01:00:20.343 is going to come. 01:00:20.343 --> 01:00:23.379 And it's only when we're confident: 01:00:23.379 --> 01:00:28.112 Yes. I am not accepted by God because 01:00:28.112 --> 01:00:29.774 of my own works, 01:00:29.774 --> 01:00:31.499 even as a Christian. 01:00:31.499 --> 01:00:34.801 I am not accepted because of my own works. 01:00:34.801 --> 01:00:38.623 And my own failings as a Christian 01:00:38.623 --> 01:00:41.252 don't sever the way I'm received 01:00:41.252 --> 01:00:42.987 by the Lord. 01:00:42.987 --> 01:00:44.666 And I run back there again 01:00:44.666 --> 01:00:46.256 for healing, 01:00:46.256 --> 01:00:47.959 for the blood, 01:00:47.959 --> 01:00:49.639 back again, 01:00:49.639 --> 01:00:51.953 where I know there is full forgiveness 01:00:51.953 --> 01:00:53.601 and no condemnation. 01:00:53.601 --> 01:00:55.011 Back to that cross. 01:00:55.011 --> 01:00:56.656 Over and over and over. 01:00:56.656 --> 01:00:58.295 And I set my eyes there. 01:00:58.295 --> 01:01:03.104 And that Spirit will breathe in 01:01:03.104 --> 01:01:06.541 such loving expressions of the Father 01:01:06.541 --> 01:01:09.068 to me as His son - 01:01:09.068 --> 01:01:10.734 expressions of love, 01:01:10.734 --> 01:01:12.292 bearing witness, 01:01:12.292 --> 01:01:14.006 and in those expressions 01:01:14.006 --> 01:01:15.532 there will be assurance. 01:01:15.532 --> 01:01:17.184 There will be confidence. 01:01:17.184 --> 01:01:18.908 Where there is confidence, 01:01:18.908 --> 01:01:22.058 there will be strength. 01:01:22.058 --> 01:01:24.997 There will be boldness. 01:01:24.997 --> 01:01:28.259 We will be bold as lions. 01:01:28.259 --> 01:01:31.034 We will have a church of lion-hearts. 01:01:31.034 --> 01:01:32.863 Brave-hearts 01:01:32.863 --> 01:01:36.003 where there's confidence. 01:01:36.003 --> 01:01:41.269 Oh, it comes in Christ alone. 01:01:41.269 --> 01:01:43.296 That is my word for us tonight. 01:01:43.296 --> 01:01:45.721 Brethren, go to the cross. 01:01:45.721 --> 01:01:50.251 Brethren, when you see others struggling, 01:01:50.251 --> 01:01:51.764 take them to the cross. 01:01:51.764 --> 01:01:55.428 Don't beat them up, 01:01:55.428 --> 01:01:59.879 but take them to the healing wounds. 01:01:59.879 --> 01:02:02.853 Take them. 01:02:02.853 --> 01:02:06.417 Back again and again. 01:02:06.417 --> 01:02:09.056 And amen. 01:02:09.056 --> 01:02:12.709 Any last comments or questions 01:02:12.709 --> 01:02:17.359 or anything tonight? 01:02:17.359 --> 01:02:22.042 What will help us look to Christ? 01:02:22.042 --> 01:02:24.748 Fair question, right? 01:02:24.748 --> 01:02:27.129 I would say this. 01:02:27.129 --> 01:02:29.917 (incomplete thought) 01:02:29.917 --> 01:02:31.962 Look, if my eyes need to be there, 01:02:31.962 --> 01:02:33.648 then my eyes need to not be 01:02:33.648 --> 01:02:36.079 on other things. 01:02:36.079 --> 01:02:40.676 (incomplete thought) 01:02:40.676 --> 01:02:43.079 We don't have spider eyes. 01:02:43.079 --> 01:02:44.721 We don't have fly eyes. 01:02:44.721 --> 01:02:46.404 We don't have compound eyes. 01:02:46.404 --> 01:02:49.268 I mean, basically, God has designed us - 01:02:49.268 --> 01:02:53.812 we can basically look in one direction 01:02:53.812 --> 01:02:55.207 at a time, 01:02:55.207 --> 01:02:58.068 and maybe that's true spiritually 01:02:58.068 --> 01:03:00.706 to a great degree as well. 01:03:00.706 --> 01:03:03.447 We need to set our minds on things above. 01:03:03.447 --> 01:03:06.376 Folks, it's very difficult to fix your gaze 01:03:06.376 --> 01:03:07.871 upon Jesus Christ, 01:03:07.871 --> 01:03:09.261 when your gaze is on 01:03:09.261 --> 01:03:11.073 a thousand other things. 01:03:11.073 --> 01:03:12.185 And so, I realize, 01:03:12.185 --> 01:03:13.803 there are things we need to give 01:03:13.803 --> 01:03:15.148 our attention to in life. 01:03:15.148 --> 01:03:16.800 Gazing on Christ means 01:03:16.800 --> 01:03:18.306 I'm thinking on Christ. 01:03:18.306 --> 01:03:20.825 (incomplete thought) 01:03:20.825 --> 01:03:24.850 Have you ever read Psalm 1? 01:03:24.850 --> 01:03:28.546 What does that godly man, 01:03:28.546 --> 01:03:29.825 that righteous man, 01:03:29.825 --> 01:03:31.954 that upright man of Psalm 1 - 01:03:31.954 --> 01:03:33.387 what is his relationship 01:03:33.387 --> 01:03:34.416 to the Word of God? 01:03:34.416 --> 01:03:36.732 There's something he does with the Word of God. 01:03:36.732 --> 01:03:38.257 He meditates on it. 01:03:38.257 --> 01:03:40.734 Folks, you've got to meditate. 01:03:40.734 --> 01:03:41.853 You've got to chew. 01:03:41.853 --> 01:03:43.826 The little, flippant reading of Scripture 01:03:43.826 --> 01:03:44.941 isn't going to get it. 01:03:44.941 --> 01:03:46.493 You need to be in the Word 01:03:46.493 --> 01:03:49.253 long enough, well enough, 01:03:49.253 --> 01:03:51.271 where you're able to meditate 01:03:51.271 --> 01:03:54.135 and chew and think. 01:03:54.135 --> 01:03:57.138 The Spirit of God begins to work 01:03:57.138 --> 01:04:00.034 and drive those thoughts deep. 01:04:00.034 --> 01:04:02.766 Go deep with God. 01:04:02.766 --> 01:04:05.623 I mean, you're not going to go deep 01:04:05.623 --> 01:04:06.813 with God in the Word; 01:04:06.813 --> 01:04:08.935 you're not going to go deep with Christ 01:04:08.935 --> 01:04:10.343 in visions of the cross; 01:04:10.343 --> 01:04:11.658 you're not going to go deep 01:04:11.658 --> 01:04:13.305 into those realms of Christianity, 01:04:13.305 --> 01:04:16.296 where the Spirit of God really breathes, 01:04:16.296 --> 01:04:18.379 where you just do flippant reading 01:04:18.379 --> 01:04:19.309 in the Scriptures. 01:04:19.309 --> 01:04:21.269 You've got to get in there. 01:04:21.269 --> 01:04:23.068 A lot of you guys listen to sermons. 01:04:23.068 --> 01:04:23.935 You know what? 01:04:23.935 --> 01:04:25.697 Sometimes we can get where 01:04:25.697 --> 01:04:28.017 we can really like a certain kind of sermon. 01:04:28.017 --> 01:04:30.670 We really like the kind of sermons 01:04:30.670 --> 01:04:32.155 where we get all beat up. 01:04:32.155 --> 01:04:34.224 I know in the beginning, 01:04:34.224 --> 01:04:35.199 I like that. 01:04:35.199 --> 01:04:37.145 I like sermons that really beat me up, 01:04:37.145 --> 01:04:38.107 but I tell you what, 01:04:38.107 --> 01:04:39.916 a lot of times, we need to listen 01:04:39.916 --> 01:04:41.499 to good sermons that just take us 01:04:41.499 --> 01:04:43.335 to the cross. 01:04:43.335 --> 01:04:44.756 And you find a good preacher. 01:04:44.756 --> 01:04:46.601 Go read some good Spurgeon sermons. 01:04:46.601 --> 01:04:51.175 When you guys find a good sermon 01:04:51.175 --> 01:04:52.034 on the cross, 01:04:52.034 --> 01:04:55.353 begin to recommend it to one another. 01:04:55.353 --> 01:04:56.274 I'll tell you this, 01:04:56.274 --> 01:04:58.628 avoid legalism. 01:04:58.628 --> 01:05:00.065 Avoid it among yourselves. 01:05:00.065 --> 01:05:01.624 Avoid it in your own thinking. 01:05:01.624 --> 01:05:04.151 Don't go to a church that is legalistic. 01:05:04.151 --> 01:05:05.011 Why? 01:05:05.011 --> 01:05:07.834 Because legalistic churches set up standards. 01:05:07.834 --> 01:05:09.261 They set up rules. 01:05:09.261 --> 01:05:10.295 They press it. 01:05:10.295 --> 01:05:11.453 Press it. Press it. 01:05:11.453 --> 01:05:12.252 That's no good. 01:05:12.252 --> 01:05:15.134 That is not good to assurance. 01:05:15.134 --> 01:05:17.555 Don't go where they're legalistic. 01:05:17.555 --> 01:05:19.467 Don't go where there's preaching 01:05:19.467 --> 01:05:22.489 that hammers law and responsibility 01:05:22.489 --> 01:05:28.632 and holiness where Christ isn't constantly mixed in. 01:05:28.632 --> 01:05:30.660 Where Christ isn't central in the singing; 01:05:30.660 --> 01:05:32.190 central in the preaching.