6. Reaping the Sanctuary’s Benefits - Pastor Stephen Bohr - His Way Is In The Sanctuary

[Music] [Music] let's seek the lord in prayer our father and our god what a privilege it is to call you our father our father which art in heaven the image that comes to our mind when we mention the word father is someone who loves us who's willing to give everything to save us from our sins father as we open your word this evening we ask we implore for the presence of your holy spirit give us understanding not only understanding intellectually but give us understanding in our hearts that we might truly and fully receive jesus personally as our savior and lord we thank you father for the privilege of prayer and thank you for inclining your ear to hear us because we ask it in the precious name of jesus amen i'd like to begin by saying that there is a very very close connection between what happened on the cross of calvary and what happened on the day of pentecost several weeks later you say now what possible connection could there be between the cross of christ and what happened on the day of pentecost the fact is that most christians when they read the story of acts chapter 2 which is taking place by the way 40 days after the resurrection of christ they focused almost exclusively on what happened on earth on the day of pentecost tongues of fire were seen and there was a mighty rushing wind and people were filled with the spirit and they spoke in other tongues you know most of the emphasis is upon what happened in the upper room on earth but tonight i want to share with you that really the important event on the day of pentecost did not take place on earth at all the important event on the day of pentecost took place in heaven and that event in heaven had an indissoluble connection with what jesus did on the cross of calvary now i want to go through several stories primarily from the old testament that show us that you have first of all a sacrifice or an offering and then after the offering you have fire from heaven where god shows his approval of that offering remember that's the sequence sacrifice or offering fire from heaven to show that god approved of that sacrifice or that offering the first story that i would like to deal with is the story of the sacrifice that was made by abel now the bible doesn't tell us exactly how the sacrifice that abel offered was consumed but in the light of everything that we're going to study tonight there can be no doubt that the way in which god showed that he accepted abel's sacrifice was because fire fell from heaven as a result of him offering that sacrifice i want to read a statement that we find a very important statement that we find in uh signs of the times february 6 1879 here ellen white writes about how god showed his approval you know interestingly several years ago i did some research uh quite a bit of research into the book of genesis and as i read the commentaries most of the commentators said that the way that god showed that he approved of abel's sacrifice was that the smoke of the sacrifice went up the way that god showed that he disapproved of cain's sacrifice was that the smoke went down now that's an interesting speculation but it totally goes against everything that the bible has to say about how god approves of sacrifice now ellen white is not adding here to the bible she's simply stating what is found in the rest of scripture notice what she says god had respect that means that he approved he had respect unto this sacrifice and fire came down from heaven and consumed it how did god show his approval of abel sacrifice by reigning what fire from heaven now let's go to the tabernacle in the wilderness when the tabernacle was inaugurated how did god show that he accepted the sacrifices let's read leviticus chapter 9 and verses 22 through 24 leviticus chapter 9 and verses 22 through 24 it says here then aaron lifted his hand toward the people blessed them and came down from offering the sin offering the burnt offering and peace offerings and moses and aaron went into the tabernacle of meeting and came out and blessed the people now notice then the glory of the lord appeared to all the people and how did god show his approval of the sacrifices and fire came out from before the lord and consumed the burnt offering and the fat on the altar when all the people saw it they shouted and fell on their faces now let's talk about the time when david offered a sacrifice on ornan's threshing floor this is when the ark was brought notice first chronicles chapter 21 and verse 26 again the same idea the sacrifice is accepted by god by god reigning fire from heaven notice first chronicles 21 and verse 26 and david built there an altar to the lord and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings and called on the lord and he answered him from heaven by what by fire on the altar a burnt offering once again the sacrifice and then the fire showing god's approval now let's talk about the inauguration of the temple that was built by solomon second chronicles chapter 7 and verse 1. it says there when solomon had finished praying fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices and the glory of the lord what filled the temple how did god show that he accepted the sacrifices that he approved of them fire came down from heaven and consumed them now let's talk about the period of the prophets go with me to first kings chapter 18 and verse 38 how did god show that he approved of elijah's sacrifice that elijah placed upon the altar notice first kings chapter 18 and verse 38 then the fire of the lord fell and consumed the burnt sacrifice and the wood and the stones and the dust and it licked up the water that was in the trench now when all the people saw it they fell on their faces and they said the lord he is god the lord he is god so how did god show that he accepted the sacrifices that were placed on the altar by reigning what by raining down fire from heaven to consume the sacrifices now there's another illustration in scripture it doesn't have to do with fire but it shows how god revealed his approval as to the sacrifice that was offered now in the old testament we have two uh rock episodes and i'm gonna go through this quickly because we we don't have a lot of time to dedicate to this but i want you to get the picture the first rock episode is in exodus chapter 17 the first several verses there god told moses to take his rod by the way the rod represents judgment every time that moses raised his rod a judgment fell upon egypt right so he raised his rod and he was to strike what he was to strike or to smite the rock and when he smoked the rock what did the rock do the rock gave its what it's water now what did that rock represent clearly the apostle paul says in first corinthians chapter 10 that the rock was christ the rock represented christ now what is represented by the fact that the rod struck the rock and then the rock gave its water the fact is that isaiah 53 says that jesus was stricken and smitten by god in other words jesus was that rock that was smitten by the rod of god's judgment in our place and as a result what could jesus pour out on the day of pentecost he could pour out his what his spirit because the water represents what it represents the holy spirit that's right you can read that in first corinthians 12 13 where it says that we have all drunk from one spirit the water that comes from the rock represents the holy spirit why could jesus send forth the holy spirit because first he had been what he had been smitten under the judgment of god he took our judgment upon himself but there's a second rock episode that is found in numbers chapter 20 verses 8-11 there moses is told to go to the rock but not to strike the rock but to what but to speak to the rock so who is he really speaking to symbolically he's speaking to christ and and instead of speaking to the rock what did moses do he smote the rock twice why did god tell moses to speak to the rock so that the rock would give its water listen folks jesus only had to die once to pour out his holy spirit if we want his holy spirit today jesus does not have to be stricken again all we have to do is ask for the holy spirit and the lord will give us his holy spirit and so notice once again the sacrifice makes it possible to pour out what it makes it possible to pour out the holy spirit now let's talk a little bit about the temple geography we notice first of all that jesus came and lived with us in the camp then he moved where to the court he moved to the altar of sacrifice where he died for our sins then he resurrected where he resurrected in the labor as we studied last night the labor represented his resurrection now let me ask you where do you think jesus would go next in his ministry he's following the order of the sanctuary you would expect the next step to be what entering the holy place of the sanctuary let me ask you what happened on the day of pentecost jesus had been sacrificed jesus had died how did god show that he approved of the sacrifice of christ on the day of pentecost god sent what the holy spirit and what was seen on the day of pentecost tongues as of what tongues as a fire in other words the key event on the day of pentecost was that god in heaven by sending the fire was saying the sacrifice of jesus christ the life of jesus christ has been accepted and the fire on earth was the announcement that the sacrifice had been accepted let me read you a significant statement from ellen white i i never cease to be amazed at ellen white she had two and a half years of primary education but she understood these things she had profound perception in the seventh-day adventist church we believe that she had the prophetic gift and i have read thousands of pages and i agree 100 with that assessment not because somebody told me so not because the church taught me so but because i have studied it for myself notice what she has to say this is in her book acts of the apostles acts of the apostles pages uh actually it's page uh not actually the apostles it's also there it's story of redemption place 386 and it's repeated in acts of the apostles but i wrote down here from story of redemption 386. notice what she says the rending of the veil of the temple showed that the jewish sacrifices and ordinances would no longer be received the great sacrifice had been offered and had been accepted the great sacrifice had been what offered and accepted and now notice and the holy spirit which descended on the day of pentecost carried the minds of the disciples from the earthly sanctuary to the heavenly where jesus had entered by his own blood now listen to this to shed upon his disciples the benefits of his atonement what did jesus go into the holy place to do to pour out on earth upon his disciples what the benefits of his atonement and you say pastor boer what are the benefits of his atonement very simple the benefits of his atonement are his perfect life and his death for sin in other words jesus by living a perfect life now had a life to offer to any and everyone who comes to him in faith and asks him for that life and by dying on the cross jesus now has that death to reckon to our account if we receive jesus christ as our savior and lord those are the benefits of his atonement on earth in other words jesus went to heaven and now he has a perfect life and he has a perfect death that he can offer to everyone who comes to him in faith now the question is where did jesus go when he ascended to heaven well if you look at the geography of the sanctuary it's a no-brainer jesus went where he went into the holy place of the sanctuary but we don't have to simply follow the sequence of the sanctuary all we have to do is go to the book of revelation and examine where jesus was after his ascension notice what we find in revelation chapter 4 and verse 5. this is in heaven now this is after the ascension of christ notice revelation chapter 4 and verse 5. and by the way this is being written in the year 95 80 it's over 60 years after the resurrection of jesus so we're going to see where jesus was 60 years after his resurrection it says there in revelation chapter 4 and verse 5 and from the throne proceeded lightnings thunderings and voices and now listen seven lamps of fire were burning before the throne which are the seven spirits of god let me ask you where were the seven lamps of fire located in the sanctuary they were located in the holy place of the sanctuary so where is this throne located it is located in the holy place because it says here that there are seven flames seven lamps of fire and what do those seven lamps of fire represent it says here that they represent what the seven spirits of god now don't misunderstand there are not seven holy spirits the number seven in scripture represents fullness or totality in other words seven is a symbolic number it's the totality or fullness of the spirit now notice that in revelation four verse five the lamps are there burning before the throne the seven lamps but then in chapter five jesus arrives and i want you to notice what happens with those seven lamps of fire revelation chapter five and let's read verse uh let's see here verse eight and then we'll go back to verse six verse eight now when he had taken the scroll this is jesus the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the lamb each having a harp and golden bowls now listen to this golden bowls what full of what full of incense which are the prayers of the saints question where was incense offered in the sanctuary incense was offered in the holy place of the sanctuary at the altar of incense so where is this event taking place in revelation chapter 4 and chapter 5. it is taking place in the holy place because there are the seven lamps of fire and there also is the altar the golden altar of incense but now i want us to notice revelation 5 and verse 6. this is a key verse jesus now arrives on the scene and this is happening in heaven it says there and i looked and behold in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures and in the midst of the elders stood a what a a lamb where is the lamb located at the ark of the covenant no he's located where the seven candlesticks are and where the altar of incense is and so it says stood a lamb as though it had been slain question had this lamb just been slain and had he just ascended to heaven yes because this happened in heaven it's after his ascension after his sacrifice but now notice a very interesting little expression it says here having seven horns and seven eyes and now listen carefully which are the seven spirits of god what sent out into all the earth in revelation 4 verse 5 the seven spirits are what they are there before the throne but in chapter five when jesus arrives the lamb arrives what happens with those seven spirits or the fullness of the spirit this fullness of the spirit is sent out into the whole earth let me ask you what event was that when the fullness of the spirit was sent out to the earth it was sent out when on the day of pentecost do you see here the lamb slain and then the holy spirit is poured out in its fullness and so what happened on the day of pentecost was simply god was announcing by the fire on earth that in heaven the sacrifice of jesus christ had been accepted for sin and now the sanctuary was open for business now go with me to hebrews chapter 9 and verse 12 and i'm reading from the king james version because the king james version is most accurate in this verse remember we are eclectic in our use of translations of the bible not any translation is perfect some have their pros and have their cons and vice versa we need to look for the best translation and here the king james has the best translation notice what it says neither by the blood of goats and calves but by his own blood that is jesus he entered in once into the what into the holy place many versions say most holy place mistranslation it says when entered once into the holy place having obtained eternal redemption for us now listen carefully to what i'm going to say passover was in the early spring in the hebrew year in fact it was at the beginning of spring around the time of easter pentecost was in the late spring around our month of may now could jesus have entered the most holy place upon his ascension no let me explain why because the most holy place came to view what season of the year the most holy place came into view in the fall and jesus just poured out the holy spirit on the day of pentecost which is when in the spring so how could jesus enter in a spring feast into the most holy place which took place at the time of a fall feast are you understanding what i'm saying so in other words jesus christ could not have entered the most holy place upon his ascension to pour out the holy spirit because that did not happen on the day of atonement which happened in the fall it happened when in the spring at the feast of pentecost now allow me to give you an illustration so you understand what jesus went to heaven to do i want you to imagine the owner of a bank this owner of this bank out of mercy and grace says i feel so sorry for those earthlings they're so much in debt with their mortgage and their credit cards and departments stores educational bills and auto loans so what i'm gonna do is i'm gonna deposit in a bank enough money to pay every person's debt on planet earth it doesn't matter whether it's mortgage credit cards departments stores educational bills auto loans i'm going to deposit in that bank enough capital so that everybody's bills can be paid and he sends out the announcement there's only one catch and that is that you have to come to the bank personally and ask for the money are you with me what happens if you fail to come to the bank and ask for the money you will still be what you will still be in debt when jesus lived his life he deposited so to speak enough currency in the bank of heaven to pay everyone's debt on planet earth no one needs to be indebted by sin nobody needs to have sin against them because when jesus lived and died his life and his death was enough capital to forgive everyone's sins on planet earth those who have lived are living and will live are you understanding what i'm saying but what do people have to do they have to come in faith to jesus christ who is ministering in the holy place in repentance confessing sin and trusting in him and saying jesus please take your life and put it to my account please jesus take your death and put it to my account and when i personally and individually do this then my sins are forgiven and god looks upon me as if i had never sinned now you're saying pastor give me proof let's look at what the bible has to say about this most christians think that jesus finished his work at the cross and it's true that the provision for salvation was finished at the cross when jesus said it is finished but my question is if salvation was finished at the cross what has jesus been doing the last 2000 years most christians can't answer that what jesus has been doing he opened the holy place he's open for business for people to come and claim what he did on earth what he did in the court now allow me to read you some statements on what jesus is doing in heaven this is so clear first timothy chapter 2 and verses 5 and 6. first timothy chapter 2 and verses 5 and 6. and notice the tense of the verbs it says here for there is what tense is that verb present there is one god and one what mediator between god and man the man christ jesus so do we need a mediator yes we do now notice who gave what tenses that verb past okay who gave himself a ransom for all and now notice there's something that needs to happen it says to be what testified in due time let me ask you when is it that the testifying began about what jesus did when he died on the cross it began when the holy spirit was poured out and the apostles began preaching jesus christ on the day of pentecost are you with me let's continue reading so it says for there is one god and one media mediator between god and man the man christ jesus who gave himself that's his sacrifice a ransom for all and now notice what needs to happen as a result of what he did to be what testified in due time that is on the day of pentecost and then the apostle paul explains he says for which i was opponent appointed a what a preacher and an apostle i am speaking the truth in christ and not lying a teacher of the gentiles in faith and truth do you know what the preaching of the apostles was it was calling the world to say jesus lived for you and jesus died for you you come in faith to him you trust in him you repent you confess your sins you trust in his merits and he will take his life and he will take his death and he will place those to your account that was the apostolic preaching notice first john chapter 2 and verse 1 first john chapter 2 and verse 1 my little children these things are right to you so that you may not sin and if anyone sins we have what we have an advocate with the father jesus christ the righteous so what is jesus doing now he is our what our advocate before the father notice hebrews chapter 7 and verse 25 hebrews chapter 7 verse 25 it says here there is therefore he is also able to save to the uttermost now who is he able to save did he save everybody at the cross listen carefully therefore he is able to save to the uttermost those who what who come to god how through him because he's the mediator since he always lives to make intercession for them who is them those who come to god through him now i want you to notice romans chapter 8 verses 31 to 34. once again jesus is spoken of as the mediator we can come to him in faith and we can claim what jesus did by his life and by his death romans 8 and verse 31 who shall bring a charge against god's elect it is god who justifies who is he who condemns it is christ who dies died furthermore is also risen who is even at the right hand of god who also makes what who also makes intercession for us now let me ask you this question were all sins forgiven at the cross if you asked most christians that question they would say yes all sins were forgiven at the cross listen all sins were not forgiven at the cross i'm going to prove it biblically because listen listen carefully to what i'm going to say forgiveness is a personal thing it is an individual thing the life and death of jesus was corporate the life was for everyone his death was for everyone but only those who individually and personally claim it will be benefited by what jesus did are you understanding what i'm saying critically important what jesus is doing in the holy place most christians are oblivious most christians say oh the cross the cross jesus died on the cross hallelujah everyone's saved but then what about jesus what has he been doing for the last 2000 years in the holy place of the heavenly sanctuary now i i want to read several texts that speak about forgiveness notice what we find in the gospel of luke chapter 24 and verses 46 and 47. here is where jesus is speaking about what his apostles should preach what the message of the apostles should be what present truth for that day and age was luke 24 and verses 46 and 47 this is in the upper room the evening of the resurrection then he said to them thus it is written and thus it was necessary for the christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day are you seeing this jesus died and he what resurrected that's the altar of sacrifice and what and the labor now notice thus it is written and thus it was necessary for the christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day and that what repentance and what else and remission the word remission don't be confused by that it simply means forgiveness it's translated in many versions forgiveness remission is forgiveness and so it says and that repentance and remission of sins should be what preached in his name to all nations what was the message that the apostles were supposed to preach they were supposed to preach what repentance and what else and forgiveness of sins that was present truth now let's see if the apostles obeyed what jesus said go with me to acts chapter 2 and verse 38 here the apostle peter is preaching on the day of pentecost after his sermon many many men come and they say to peter what do we need to do in the light of what you've said that jesus has ascended to the right hand of god he has become the prince of his people now he's he's uh he's he's up there ministering for for his people what are we supposed to do notice what peter had to say in acts 2 verse 38 then peter said to them repent and let every one of you be what ah so repent and be what baptized in the name of jesus christ and as we've seen when we're baptized in the name of jesus christ we're included in him right that's when his life becomes our life that's when his death becomes our death because in baptism i am dying and i am resurrecting in him and so it says then peter said to them repent and let every one of you be baptized in the name of jesus christ for what for the remission of sins were all sins remitted or forgiven at the cross no because it says repent and be baptized for the remission of sins and then notice it also says you shall receive what the gift of the holy spirit notice acts chapter 5 and verse 31 acts chapter 5 and verse 31 once again let's see when it is that god forgives sin it says there in acts chapter 5 and verse 31 speaking about jesus him god has exalted to his right hand to be prince and savior where where did jesus go according to old study to the right hand of god on the throne and where is that throne see some people assume the throne is always in the most holy place no there's also a throne in the holy we're going to study this in our seminar and so notice it says him god has exalted to his right hand to be prince and savior what for to give what repentance to israel and what else forgiveness of sins does forgiveness of sins come after the ascension of jesus christ or does it come when he died on the cross it's after he's exalted to be what prince and savior to give repentance and to give forgiveness of sins notice acts chapter 10 and verse 43 the testimony of scripture is uniform on this acts chapter 10 and verse speaking about jesus it says to him all the prophets witness that through his name listen carefully now whoever what does whoever mean is that individual or is that corporate individual did you notice in acts 2 verse 38 that peter says repent and be baptized every one of you he says there in acts 2 verse 38 what what does acts 10 verse 43 says it says to him all the prophets witness that through his name what whoever believes in him listen carefully now will receive remission of sins were their sins remitted at the cross forgiven at the cross no clearly not it says here in acts 10 43 that whoever believes in him whoever individually believes in him will receive forgiveness of sins notice acts chapter 8 verses 20 to 23 this is speaking about simon magus who wanted to buy the gift of the holy spirit and peter firmly rebuked him notice what it says in acts chapter 8 and verse 20. but peter said to him your money money perished with you because you thought that the gift of god could be purchased with money you have neither part nor portion in this matter for your heart is not right in the sight of god and now notice what it says repent therefore of this your wickedness what did he need to do repent of his wickedness and then what else pray god in the name of whom we've already noticed that we come to god through him and pray god if perhaps the thought of your heart may be what may be forgiven you was simon magus forgiven at the cross no he had to repent and pray to god and then he would be what and then he would be forgiven are you catching the picture what did jesus go to heaven to do has he been on vacation for two thousand years just sitting there doing nothing twiddling his thumbs i don't want to be sacrilegious but no jesus has been receiving individual clients through repentance through confession and through trusting in jesus we can now claim the benefits of the life of jesus and his death on the cross of calvary now let's talk for a few minutes about the conditions for sin to be forgiven you know some people simply say receive jesus christ and all is will that's not what the new testament teaches there are conditions for receiving forgiveness and i'm going to mention five clear conditions that are mentioned in the new testament the first of these is repentance let me read you some verses of the bible acts 2 verse 38 we already read it let's read it again then peter said to them repent and let every one of you be what be baptized in the name of jesus christ for the remission of sins and you shall receive the gift of the holy spirit what is the condition for receiving forgiveness repentance the apostle paul said the apostle peter says notice luke 17 and verses 3 and 4 luke 17 and verses 3 and 4. notice once again the idea of repentance and forgiveness repentance and forgiveness is repentance corporate or repentance an individual thing it is individual notice take heed to yourselves if your brother sins against you rebuke him and if he repents is there condition for receiving forgiveness yes if he repents forgive him and now comes the difficult part and if he sins against you seven times in a day and seven times in a day returns to you saying i repent you shall forgive him and of course the immediate question is how do you know that his repentance is genuine the fact is that's not for you to determine that's the reason for the judgment that we're going to talk about you see the judgment will reveal if repentance was genuine or not that is one of the purposes of the judgment which we'll deal with a little bit later on now let's talk about true and counterfeit repentance is there such a thing as counterfeit repentance sure counterfeit repentance is when i'm sorry for the consequences that sin produces you say now what does that mean let me give you an illustration the lord blessed me with three sisters no brothers so was three against one and sometimes i would fight with my sisters tooth and nail and my dad would come and he would say steve you're gonna go without dessert that was torture and you know what i would say i said dad i'm sorry i'm sorry then do you think i was sorry sorry because i had fought with my sisters are you kidding i was i was sorry because i wasn't going to get any cake that is counterfeit repentance it's repenting because of the consequences that your sin will produce and not that you're sorry because of the sin itself now listen carefully we cannot repent repentance is a gift that god gives you you say no wait a minute you're saying i can't repent no in fact you know what i don't want to repent if god did not give me repentance i would never repent so even repentance comes from him you say where does the bible say that let's read two verses go with me to acts chapter 5 verse 31 which we already read but now let's look at it in a different context acts chapter 5 verse 31 let's read it carefully speaking about christ it says him god has exalted to his right hand to be prince and savior and now listen carefully to what to give repentance to israel and forgiveness of sins who is it that gives repentance god gives repentance we don't come up with it naturally now what is it about god that gives us repentance what causes us to repent notice romans chapter 2 and verse 4. romans chapter 2 and verse 4. here it says or do you despise the riches of his goodness forbearance and long suffering not knowing now notice this not knowing that the goodness of god what the goodness of god leads you to what leads you to repentance so you know when i see that i'm wicked and i'm evil and i'm no good and i got angry and i lost my temper and then i look at jesus say oh jesus you're so perfect and you're so immaculate and so wonderful you never lost your temper i'm a miserable man but then i say but you died on the cross for me what do i do i repent i say jesus i'm sorry that my sin caused you to go to the cross that i made you suffer the goodness of jesus his willingness to forgive me is what leads me to what is what leads me to repentance do you know when adam and eve really repented were they did they repent immediately after their sin are you kidding they were trying to justify it they weren't sorry do you know when they were sorry when they had to sacrifice the first animal and god explained to them that that lamb represents jesus christ your sin is going to kill jesus do you think that they felt differently about sin now they no longer try to excuse sin see when we catch a glimpse of the cross the perfection of christ and what it did to jesus that will show the goodness of god and it will lead us to what it will lead us to repentance so what is true repentance true repentance is saying i'm sorry or being sorry with no ifs buts or maybes repentance means that you're not repenting because you're afraid of receiving a punishment or you want to gain a reward simply you realize that what you did was wrong that you broke the heart of jesus through your sin are you understanding what repentance is it's sorrow for sin because of what it did to our friend jesus christ so the only way that we repent is by looking at the goodness of jesus christ on the cross of calvary what he was willing to go through to forgive our sins then our heart is broken and we truly repent second condition for receiving forgiveness first of all repentance second condition is confession you see repentance means simply being sorry for sin confession means saying that you are sorry for sin notice daniel chapter chapter 9 and verses 4 and 5 where daniel is uttering this magnificent prayer that we're going to study later on in this seminar uh the people of god are in captivity because of their sins and notice what he says and i prayed to the lord my god and made what and made confession and said she's confessing it with his lips he's not only sorry inside he's saying it it continues saying oh lord great and awesome god who keeps his covenant and mercy with those who love him and with those who keep his commandments we have sinned and committed iniquity we have done wickedly and rebelled even by departing from your precepts and your judgments any excuses being offered by daniel at all no excuses is he openly with his lips confessing his sin and the sin of his people absolutely not a psalm 32 this is the sound that david wrote after he committed adultery with bathsheba psalm 32 it's called a penitential psalm in verse 5. here david says i acknowledged my sin to you and my iniquity i have not hidden i said i will confess my transgression to the lord and what happened as a result and you what and you forgave the iniquity of my sin notice psalm 38 and verse 18 psalm 38 and verse 18 here once again the psalmist says for i will declare my iniquity not as confession with the lips audibly i will declare my iniquity i will be in what in anguish over my sin you remember the story of the prodigal son you know he went left home and lived it up he dishonored his father and while he was still afar off he repented of what he had done and he's drawn back home by the love of his father he says even the servants in my father's house live better than i'm living now he's drawn by the love of his father and when he comes home what does he say does he simply not say anything he comes back i'm repentant and doesn't say anything no he says what i have sinned against heaven and against you and i'm not worthy to be called your son and what does the father do the father takes the best robe and covers him with the best robe that's justification being covered with the righteousness of jesus christ but he confessed his sin and he repented while he was afar off you remember the story of the pharisee and the publican they both go to the temple of prey the bible says that the pharisee prayed to himself lord i'm i'm thankful that i'm not like other men especially like this miserable sinning publican what did the publican say the bible says that he stood afar off and he he wouldn't even dare look to heaven and he beat his breast and what did he say he said lord be merciful to me what a sinner and the bible says that that publican went home justified which basically means that he went home forgiven notice acts chapter 19 and verses 18 and 19. this is talking about a group of people who were very wicked you know they were involved in spiritualism and they were converted to jesus christ and notice what they did as a result acts 19 and verses 18 and 19 and many who had believed came what came confessing and telling their what their deeds there's a public confession also many of those who had practiced magic brought their books together and burned them how in the sight of all and they counted up the value of them and it totaled 50 000 pieces of silver notice romans chapter 10 and verse 10 we're still talking about the second condition confession here it says for with the heart one believes unto righteousness and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation you're all acquainted with that very famous verse you can repeat it from memory first john chapter 1 and verse 9 it says if we what is there a condition for receiving forgiveness yes if we confess our sin he is what he is faithful and just to forgive our sin and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness must we confess in order to receive forgiveness and must we repent in order to confess absolutely one more text that deals with confession proverbs chapter 28 and verse 13 proverbs 28 and verse 13 he who covers his sins will not prosper but whoever confesses and now this is the bridge to our next condition he who confesses and what and forsakes them will have mercy now let's go quickly to the third condition for receiving forgiveness we must believe in christ we must trust in his merits we must trust that he will be willing to take his life and his death and to place them to our account when we have repented we confessed our sin now we say to jesus lord jesus i'm a miserable sinner i confess it with my lips i can feel it in my heart but please jesus i believe and trust in you take your life please and put it to my account take your death and put it to my account so that you can look at me as if i had never sinned and when i trust in jesus that way jesus will do just that notice acts chapter 10 and verse 43 we're talking about trusting or believing in jesus it says there in acts chapter 10 and verse 43 speaking about jesus to him all the prophets witness that through his name whoever what whoever believes in him will receive what will receive remission or forgiveness of sins and of course you know that famous verse for god so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life just like in the old testament israel those who looked and beheld the serpent way raised in the wilderness were saved so as we look upon jesus and trust in his life and in his death we can have the assurance of forgiveness first john chapter 2 and verse 1. we've read it before my little children these things are right to you so that you may not sin and if anyone sins we have an advocate with the father jesus christ the righteous the reason why it says jesus christ the righteous is because he can come to the father he can say father uh pastor boer has just repented because he's seen our goodness and he has confessed his sin and he's trusted in my merits you know his life isn't worth ten cents you would have to destroy him but he has claimed me as his savior so father take my righteousness and place it to his account that's why it's important for jesus christ the righteous one to represent me before god allow me to read you very quickly a few statements here from ellen white the little book faith and works i recommend that you that you get it it's phenomenal page one on page 106 she says it is the righteousness of christ that makes the penitent sinner acceptable to god and works his justification it is what the righteousness of christ that makes what kind of a sinner the penitent sinner acceptable to god and works his justification that means forgiveness how now listen this is the encouraging part however sinful has been his life if he believes in jesus as his personal savior he stands before god in the spotless robes of christ's imputed righteousness isn't that good news in the devotional book by ellen white the faith i live by page 107 she says the grace of christ is freely to justify the sinner without merit or claim on his part justification is full complete pardon of sin and now notice this the moment a sinner accepts christ by faith that moment he has pardoned the righteousness of christ is imputed to him and he is no more to doubt god's forgiving grace is that good news see ellen white believed in justification by faith that when we receive jesus we can have the assurance of salvation not in us but in him let's go to our fourth condition the faith or the trust that we have in jesus must produce good works now notice we're not saved by works we are saved four works a genuine faith will work a faith that does not work is counterfeit faith some people say only believe well the bible says that the devil believes the demons believe in their brains in their head that jesus died he was buried he resurrected and he's in heaven at the right hand of god but if your faith and trust in jesus does not translate into a changed life it is a counterfeit relationship with christ we read proverbs 28 13 he who covers his sins will not prosper but whoever confesses and what and forsakes them will have what we'll have mercy john the baptist said that we're supposed to produce fruits that flow from repentance he says fruits that are that are meat for repentance that means fruits that reveal that repentance is real and you know that jesus once said by their faith ye shall know them oh thank you very much jesus did not say by their faith you shall know them he said by their what by their fruits ye shall know them and james in james chapter 2 and i'm not going to read it because we don't have time james chapter 2 verses 14 through 25 there james the brother of jesus he was a half brother a son of joseph from a previous marriage because joseph was married before he says that faith without works is what faith without works is dead let me ask you can a dead faith save you no now what relationship is there between faith and works faith is the propelling power and works follow faith it's like when you when you start your car and you put it in drive let me ask you which wheels move first the front wheels are the back wheels usually people ask well is it front wheel drive or back wheel drive doesn't make any difference because if it's back wheel drive when the back wheels propel the front wheels follow that's the relationship between faith and works faith is the propelling power and works are the result of the faith and if there are no works if the life doesn't change if we continue living like the devil how can we say that we are following jesus christ as our savior and as our lord jesus said that when we are connected to the vine we bear not just fruit we bear what much fruit and so if our relationship with jesus does not change our life it is a counterfeit faith so we need to repent we need to confess we need to trust in the merits of jesus and we need to have a trust and a faith that translates into a changed life let me mention very briefly the final condition and that is baptism you remember that peter said repent and be what be baptized every one of you baptism is a condition for receiving justification as we've noticed jesus christ lived he died he was buried and he resurrected now how am i included in what jesus did how does god look at me as dead buried and resurrected in christ it's through the ceremony of baptism you see when i am baptized i am incorporated into christ in galatians chapter 3 the apostle paul says that those who have accepted jesus christ have been baptized into christ they have put on jesus christ and so now because i am in in christ jesus jesus comes before the father he says father i have a new brother. and the father says oh really what's his name pastor bar and so the father says oh pastor bar is your brother well if he's your brother he's my son too that's what jesus meant when he said that we are accepted through him [Music] uh [Music] you

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Published: Tue Apr 06 2021