Romans 8:12-25 - The Way Of God Is A Better Way

[Music] Romans chapter 8 I've been known at times to be blunt I like to just refer to it as clear and the title today kind of reflects that the way of God is a better way the way of God is a better way as we are here in Romans chapter 8 you know we have covered a lot of ground so far in our study in Romans we've talked about the lostness of man the provision of God and salvation we've covered the gospel in detail what makes it up why we needed a savior how God provided one Jesus made the propitiation the satisfactory payment for all of our sins and we see that this truth of salvation by grace goes all the way back to the beginning of the Bible it was not something new with the church age it goes all the way back there's only one gospel it's always been the same we're sinners in need of a savior God sent the saviors name is Jesus he paid our sin-debt that separated us from God he rose from the grave and if you trust in him you become a child of God and you're saved forever isn't that great news that is great great news and that's really the entire story of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation God created everything it was good man messed it up it wasn't good Jesus came and he can make it good again for you and ultimately one day everything will be perfect once again now when we understand that we are lost as human beings and then we trust in Jesus Christ as our Savior he saves us eternally eternally there is no such thing as temporary life okay there is no such thing as will you can get saved and you can lose it if you can lose what you have you don't have the real deal all right we are given everlasting life when we believe or trust in Jesus Christ as Savior our sins are forgiven we have a new nature the very Holy Spirit of God comes to live within us inside of our bodies and that is just the beginning of what God has for us we are new creatures in Christ and what the Lord wants for those of us who have trusted Christ the Lord wants what we are inside to translate into our everyday living all right this is the way God has designed it he wants way here's here's the difference between Christianity and religion religion says do good works and you'll get to heaven you'll be rewarded with heaven Christianity says no no no no salvation heavens a gift bought and paid for through the blood of Christ you put your faith in Christ and then out of gratefulness for what he's done for you now live a life that is a good life of good works and in a godly life yes you might say well aren't they the same no they're not the same at all you might say well they they both they both contain you know faith in there and then good work so what's the difference well the difference is this friends it's the object of your faith if you put your faith in yourself thinking you're gonna get yourself to heaven you're saying that you are your Savior God made it very clear even back in the Old Testament in Isaiah where it says I even I am the Lord Jehovah and beside me there is no Savior there's only one and it's Jesus and so where your faith is as far as what's going to get you to heaven is the difference between heaven and hell it's a difference between heaven and hell so I urge you to trust in Jesus Christ as your Savior now once you've trusted Christ we come into this great chapter in Romans 8 we will cover the whole chapter and review just a couple verses where we've already been but it says in Romans 8 verse 5 it says for they that are after the flesh the old sin nature that we all have for they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh but they that are after the spirit the things of the Spirit for it to be car we minded fleshly minded is death in other words if we focus on fulfilling the lust and desires of our old sin nature its death but to be spiritually minded is life and peace now what a what a contrast that is now it is true that these verses are talking about lost people but it's also true that Christians can decide which way they're going to live their lives and to be carnally minded to live after your for the for the desires of your old nature your sin nature it's going to result in death it's going to result in destruction your life will get wrecked okay but to be spiritually minded look at the difference but there's that word of contrast right contrary or in in in contrast to being carnally minded and the result of that to be spiritually minded is life and peace life and peace now isn't it easy the way of God is a better way he gives life and peace or if you don't want to go that way well go ahead you can have death you can have destruction your life can be a mess it can continue to be a mess but God says doesn't have to be Jesus came to fix it all right because the carnal mind is enmity hostility towards God for it is not subject to the law of God neither indeed can be so then they that are in the flesh cannot please God they that are in the flesh cannot please God now for lost people those that are in the flesh that's all you have is the flesh you don't have a spirit you can't please God by the way that's why your good works can't get you to heaven because even if you do all you can if you're not already saved friend if you're doing all you can and the flesh it says it doesn't please God so no amount of good works will ever satisfy God okay it won't do it you see the lost have no spiritual life they have no new nature and they have no holy spirit but those of us who are saved have all of those and that brings us to verse nine but ye are not in the flesh he's talking to the believers at Rome ok the church at Rome and when I say the church at Rome we're not talking about that the Roman Catholic Church we're talking about the true believers in Christ who at the time were in Rome but year excuse me but ye are not in the flesh with the spirit in the spirit if so be that the Spirit of God dwells in you now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his okay there are some religions that teach today okay you you you put your faith in Christ you get saved and then later you get the holy spirit no friend no listen if you don't have the Holy Spirit you're not saved okay you're not saved if you've trusted Christ the Savior you have the Holy Spirit okay you might say well I don't I don't feel him okay he's not he's not a feeling the Holy Spirit is a person he's a spirit he's not a feeling now that doesn't mean that we can't be aware of his presence as we're gonna see in the next few verses here but he's not a feeling he's a fact when you got saved the Holy Spirit came to live inside your body first Corinthians 6:19 and 20 and so it says if any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his and if Christ be in you notice he's writing to Christians if Christ be in you the body is dead because of sin rendered inoperative okay but the Spirit is life because of righteousness but if the spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken or make alive your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you think of it nothing what's he getting at here here's this is amazing the very one and the very power that raised Jesus the dead is the power that we as believers in Christ have to live in victory over the flesh any Christian who lives in bondage to their sin nature is doing that on purpose they're doing it by choice see the bondage was broken when you got saved and so for us to go back under the Dominion of our old nature is unnecessary God is giving us a new nature whereby we can live for Christ and the Holy Spirit empowers us to live that life we don't have to live in bondage being dominated by the flesh any longer we can live in the spirit being dominated by the Holy Spirit and by his power this is the Word of God and this is good news for the Christian that's why if a Christian remains addicted to whatever it doesn't need to be that way God has provided provision for us out of that deliverance I should say out of that this is amazing the resurrection power of Jesus is in every believer okay the very power that raised Jesus from the grave is there for us to live our lives for him this is an amazing truth so we're going to break this down the the part of Scripture we're covering here in Romans chapter 8 and honestly there's way too much here in Romans 8 for us to cover in just a message or two we're going to be at least four messages in this important passage but let's first look at the present challenge for the Christian life so what about the here and now what about the here and now we'll look at verse 12 therefore brethren notice he's writing to Christians therefore brethren we are debtors not to the flesh to live after the flesh in other words we've got a responsibility okay therefore brethren we are debtors not to the flesh to live after the flesh for if you live after the flesh you shall die but if ye through the spirit do mortify put the death that deeds of the body ye shall live okay put them aside forget about them put them in the past remember we're crucified with Christ now look at the blunt yes blunt clear straightforward language in verse 13 for if you live after the flesh you shall die he's talking to Christians Christian listen if you live after the flesh you'll die it's gonna wreck you because the wages of sin is still death we reap what we sow it's a divine law for if you live after the flesh you shall died this is this is clear talk okay it's clear and plain let me make an application of this only a Christian who is also a fool would want to live after the flesh think about it let that sink in only a Christian who is also a fool would want to live in the flesh because God says if you live in the flesh if you live according to your sin nature it's gonna wreck your life God's saying that to his children God's saying listen to me okay if you live according to your old sin nature that the bondage was broken you don't have to do it any longer but if you choose to live that way you're a fool and it's gonna wreck your life and God says how much better to choose my way because my ways gonna give you life and peace isn't that just common sense but you know what folks common sense today is no longer common okay like the man who said well you know we need to have horse sense what is horse sense stable thinking let me say again let every Christian hear this loud and clear rebellion towards your heavenly father will kill you it will kill you you can't lose your salvation but you can lose your fellowship your joy your vitality your reward more about that in a minute and even your life even your life God's way is a better way why is it that we even want to entertain the stuff of this world when God provides so much more and so much better verse 14 for as many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the sons of God for ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear but ye have received the spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba Father what is he saying there in verse 14 you cannot be led by the spirit unless you're saved is what he's getting at this is one of our great privileges as believers now you notice the term here it says Abba Father the word Abba was a very it's a very intimate word for father it's a closed word okay it is a word used on a very personal level what is he getting at this is one of those things about the the joys and the privileges of the life we have as Christians now we can enjoy think of it we can enjoy a daily personal relationship with our Heavenly Father who is the creator of the entire world God created the world God is all-powerful God is all-knowing God is is-is-is mercy grace just wholly and all of that and you know what folks in ourselves we cannot even approach him but because we're children of God we can come boldly to the throne of grace the Bible says and we have a special place in the heart of God because we're his children and he loves us and he wants us to be coming to him and he wants us in communication with him and he wants us to let him speak to us through his word and he wants us to be speaking to him all day long that's why the Bible says pray without ceasing take advantage Christian of this life we have enjoy it enjoy the privileges of the fruit and the blessings of the fruit of the Spirit that God wants to bring into our lives imagine see can I tell you this folks what we're talking about here is foreign to other religions quote/unquote religions I hate to use the term but I'm just comparing it's foreign to them okay their gods are things like trees and the Sun and animals you know the latest thing now is that and this is going on by the way in Christian colleges and seminaries where they are going and they are encouraging their students this is unbelievable they're encouraging their students to go and to stand and to look at like a forest and the trees and to confess your sins to the trees and tell them how sorry you are for abusing Mother Earth or whatever it is going on this is weird stuff or then you have the false gods the millions of false gods and Hinduism and all these others and in these religions who they take their young and yes it's even going on still today and sacrificing their children to the krokodil gods and and in all these things these are the religions of the world you might say we're more sophisticated than that are we are we the leading cause of death last year in the world the leading cause more than any other was abortion abortion sacrificing babies did I say well we're not they're not sacrificing to a false god yes they are say God itself it's idolatry it's a false God now there's forgiveness again there's forgiveness but we want to remember these things again getting back to the point we can have we can enjoy a daily personal relationship with our Father why not why not take the world but give me Jesus okay verse 16 the spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children of God now how is that done by the way this is done primarily through the scriptures we excuse me for the believer there should be a spiritual awareness of the the the presence of the holy spirit in our lives there should be but again it's not a feeling it's an awareness you might say well what if I'm what if I'm not feeling an awareness now I'm not trying to be funny I get emails about these kind of things and there are people who are agonizing over these issues there should be a spiritual awareness of the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives this begins at Salvation and and we can become more and more aware of his presence in our lives as we walk with Him if we just know okay however let me say this for those who struggle with this issue a Christian that lives a carnal life can become callous insensitive numb to the Holy Spirit who is in them okay and yes as a matter of fact Peter talked about it there he didn't spend a lot of time on it but in 2nd Peter chapter 1 he talks about believers who go on a path contrary to the word of God and it says this they have forgotten that they were purged from their old sins people who are saved get so far out of fellowship with God and so far away from God that it all becomes cloudy whether they're even saved or not it's one of the causes why people doubt their salvation by the way that's a whole message in itself but a Christian that lives a carnal life can become callous to the his awareness of the presence of the Holy Spirit in his life am I really saved well a friend if you if you ever trusted Jesus Christ to get you to heaven you're saved okay whether you feel it or not that's not the issue the issue is did you trust in him well yeah I did that then you're saved here's what I encourage you to do quit worrying about it instead walk with Jesus everyday walk with the Lord through the pages of Scripture through prayer okay being obedient to him as a believer not to get to heaven but because you are and you will find that God will revive you as a person and he'll become more real to you he has not moved he has not moved we're the ones who move verse 17 and if children well let me read it with verse 16 the spirit itself bears witness with our spirit that we are the children of God again and primarily through the pages of Scripture this is done verse 17 and if children then heirs heirs of God that doesn't mean a mistake by the way you're inheriting from God okay you're an heir you you you have children and they and they inherit from you now by the way the idea of inheritance isn't always unconditional you know some kids think well you know I will I'll treat my parents like slop I'll be disrespectful and all that and then when they die I'm gonna get their stuff anyway cuz I'm their kid well I Got News for You friend they can write you out of their will did you know that you can end up with nothing one man he had terrible children they had there were terrible children and as they got older they got worse and worse there was when some would say worser and worser and then he died and they were all you know ready to go they're excited about this he was a wealthy man and went to the reading of the will and he says being of sound mind I spent every dime that I had they were shocked but he could do that however here's the truth with God for his children there are certain things that just because of the grace of God we are all going to get certain things from God simply because we are his heirs we are his children and he has promised certain things that are all because of the gift of salvation all right that we will get and if there's and if children then heirs heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ if so be that we suffer with him that we may also be glorified together for I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us two important truths to distinguish here you need to hear this today a lot of confusion on this issue the first is this every believer is an heir of God and joyner with Christ in a positional sense in other words in light of eternity every Christian is an heir of God or every believer is an heir of God and a joint heir with Christ in a positional sense we have many benefits okay read Ephesians if you chapters 1 through 3 tons and tons of benefits are found in Ephesians chapters 1 through 3 and it's really all through the Word of God there are lots of benefits to that but with that in mind and other words so all of us as saved people are going to inherit certain things one by the way is a place in heaven - an inheritance incorruptible undefiled and that fadeth not away reserved in heaven for you who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed last time but secondly there is also the aspect of rewards for faithful living now you don't hear a lot about this today but it needs to be talked about there are different levels of reward given in heaven and in the future kingdom of Jesus Christ the millennial reign of Christ there are different levels of rewards given and they are based on faithfulness to Christ in this life faithfulness to Christ being saved is one thing being faithful is another being saved yes certain benefits we will inherit because we're children of God however there are more things God wants us to inherit they're not based on though the gift of salvation they're based on faithful service to the Lord faithful service to the Lord now the fact of suffering through persecution in verses 17 through 18 play a part in this I know some people that will read verse 17 and they'll say well heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ if so be that we suffer with him that we also may be glorified together for I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be revealed and so forth and people say well every Christian suffers not for their faith not for their faith there's a lot of Christians you don't suffer because they're Secret Service Christians okay they're undercover they never open their mouths they never talk about their faith they're saved but they live like they're lost think of lot as an example in the Old Testament we find out in the new testament that he was a saved man it says he was he was he was just or he was righteous now we would know that by the way he lived his life would we see a Christian it's the Bible says they that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution suffer persecution only the faithful Christian suffers persecution and God says if you suffer for being a Christian there's going to be special reward for you place in heaven no matter what because you put your faith in Christ but whether you're rewarded or not has to do with how you live your life you might say well I thought everybody gets everything the same when they get to heaven no no they don't there are certain wonderful benefits everybody gets yes but as far as getting everything God wants us to have and by the way that's the key it isn't everything I want to have it's everything God wants me to have see he's the one who came up with this whole concept of reward I know they're Christians who say well you know that idea reward I'm not interested in that and here's what they say get this now shows you they're about this deep they're about this no they're about that deep they'll say this well that whole idea rewards that's carnal motivation anyway Oh hmm God's the one who came up with it he didn't have to do it that way wait a minute if that's a carnal motivation you're telling me that God's carnal mmm that doesn't fly no friends a whole idea of reward and by the way you've read the Gospels and it's very clear Jesus talked a lot about the price of discipleship and then the reward that comes to the faithful disciple he won talking about salvation he was talking about life once you're saved and living a godly dedicated life the fact of suffering through persecution verses 17 and 18 play a part in this issue of reward okay suffering for Christ being persecuted for Christ there there's reward that can be gained for them by the way there's many rewards for many reasons in Scripture as a matter of fact if you want to have a little bit more detail on this issue of motivations I did a series several years ago motivations of the Christian life and I would highly recommend that you listen to those those are online I believe there's seven there could be more there could be less you could consolidate a couple of them but I gave it a seven motivations of the Christian life I heard a guy say once well you know if we're not just motivated by the fact that God is gracious towards us anything else is a carnal motivation that is just not true that is just not true anyways I'm getting off point hold your place and look at this with me look at Colossians chapter 3 let me prove my point here in just one of many scriptures I could share with you Colossians chapter 3 boy you know sometimes I wish I don't get me wrong by this statement sometimes I wish we didn't live in America I might say what in the world have you flipped too much Sun last week here's what I'm saying you know what friends you go overseas to church some of these third-world countries and all where that where that where the believers can get together the idea of a clock is non-existent it's a matter of fact they're upset if you don't go for two hours they're upset well you do that in America you won't have hardly anybody coming to church why cuz we're babies that's why we're babies I would love to just expand this and just give you scripture after scripture after scripture but we we we don't do that come back we'll give you more next week tonight Colossians 3:23 and whatsoever you do ye talking to the church at Colossae and whatsoever you do do it heartily as to the Lord and not unto men watch this knowing that of the Lord you shall receive the reward Lord of the inheritance the reward of the inheritance you might say well I thought the inheritance is a gift through faith in Christ yes it is a gift but this is talking about the reward inheritance it's something different on top of the gift of salvation knowing that of the Lord you shall receive the reward of the inheritance for you serve the Lord Christ this is a tremendous truth for the children of God as we live for the Lord and suffer persecution and hardship it is great to know that we have great reward and blessing awaiting us in heaven we've been faithful to the Lord God says those have you been faithful you're going to you're gathering up wages payment God's going to reward us according to our works it will be worth at all when we see Jesus okay pay the price now Christian and here's the here's the truth of it as we as believers today as we live for Christ we will have life and peace now according to Romans 8 the fruit of the Spirit is part of that and then when we get to heaven there's going to be great reward at the judgment seat of Christ and that also spills over into the Millennial Kingdom places of position and authority in the kingdom it's all in the scripture but you know what Christians who live for the flesh now they're robbing themselves now and they're robbing themselves at the judgment seat of Christ simply because they want to fulfill the lusts of the flesh down here Oh make no mistake about it if you're saved you can try to live that way and by the way God does Chasen as well but you know there's some Christians who just won't give in they love the flesh look with me to 2nd Timothy chapter 2 I could spend a whole lot more time on this passage but we won't we'll just summarize it I think the last time I preached on this I think I entitled that the for the biggest ifs in Scripture something like that second Timothy chapter 2 look at how the Word of God distinguishes things here okay it says in verse 11 now remember Paul is talking to Timothy his disciple he was a young pastor who was fearful because of the persecution and so forth he was experiencing and it says in 2nd Timothy 2:11 it is a faithful saying for if we be dead with him if you're saved you dot if you trusted Christ you're crucified with them for if we be dead with them we should also live with him that's salvation that's the first if if we suffer the word suffer here is persevere persevere okay as a believer if we suffer we shall also reign with him do you see reigning with Christ is contingent on suffering with Christ persevering for Christ it's talking about a faithful life if we suffer we shall also reign with him if we deny him he will deny us oh wait a minute you know people read that and a lot of your study Bibles will say well that means a person was never saved no the denial here in the context is not you're saying you don't believe Jesus is your Savior you're denying him first place and honor in your life what is he going to deny you a position and honor in his kingdom if we deny him his proper place in our lives he's going to deny us places of honor in the kingdom but then you hear people say all the time well you know a person is safe as long as they keep believing no you're saved as long as you believed as long as you trusted Christ because he does the saving and the keeping friend it's not based on us continuing in faith it's Arminian that's false if we believe not yet he abided faithful he cannot deny himself jesus said he that heareth my word and believeth on him that sent me hath everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death unto life he promises were saved if we trusted Christ and were saved forever because he gave us everlasting life and so even if you ended up now I don't know why you would but even if you ended up not believing anymore yet he abides faithful see we may not but he does he cannot deny himself now if we are faithful we're going to be rewarded for our faithful living I know there people look at verse 13 and they'll say well if says if we believe not it means if we are without faith in other words as we live as Christians well that could be an application but it's true nonetheless that once you're saved you're safe forever see there are people that get bitter towards God Christians who get bitter towards God and they they walk away now I don't get a kick out of this but I think it's interesting because you can see how their thinking has already been corrupted as a believer how they become their bitterness is poison them and they say this okay well you know what God did this to me took away a loved one or a child or this thing or that thing and you know what I'm through with God I don't believe in him anymore and they walk away well you can walk away but guess what the Holy Spirit's walking away inside of you he's not going anywhere if you're saved he goes with you friend the best thing to do is this God is God and I am NOT and I don't understand everything in life and I'm just going to though like Jobe said though he slay me I will trust in him that's the way we have to think it's the way we should think you notice then in verses 2nd Timothy 2 11 through 13 not all believers are willing to suffer for Christ and therefore not all believers will receive the same reward inheritance but all believers will inherit and in fact already have inherited everlasting life as a gift because when you get saved you have a place of reserve for you now this is the way God wants us to live as believers okay this is the way he wants us to live and the way of God is a better way but it doesn't stop there we have the second part here in verses 19 through 25 the joyful anticipation of eternity with Christ and by the way this is a motivating factor to know it's going to be worth it to know this life is not all there is and yes God calls us as believers today to forsake the things of this world the the sin the corruption the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes the pride of life to not live for that stuff okay it's today's Superbowl Sunday alright I'm gonna be blunt you need to be here in church tonight listen if you're home watching the Super Bowl instead of being in church you're choosing the BRIT the bad way you're choosing a way that is less than what God wants we're coming together tonight to remember what Christ has done for us instead you're gonna go home and watch men chase a dead pig skin up and down the field while all the junk in the carnality and the filth in the commercials and the halftime show and everything else that goes along with that that is not fitting okay when you have such an alternative in being able to fellowship with the saints of God you know what if you if you come here and you come with the right motivation because you love the Lord and you want to be a blessing to him and choose him over stuff of this world even that you'll be rewarded for that at the judgment seat of Christ because you made the right choice okay you don't have to but I really recommend that you be here I really do now I know some camp because of health and and and I get that and God does too okay I'm not going to follow up on this I'm just saying think about it think about it I say well you shouldn't say such strong things I'm gonna say it and I will keep saying it friend because here's what I want I want all of us to have all the blessing and joy God wants us to have so somebody's got to challenge us on this so let's secondly look at the joyful anticipation of eternity with Christ verse 19 these will go quickly for the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God you see when when Adam and Eve sinned the curse came upon the whole earth and the whole earth is reeling and in pain to this day because of sin in the world for the creature was made subject to vanity not willingly but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in Hope because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bond of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God for we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now and not only they but ourselves also which have the firstfruits of the Spirit even we ourselves groan within ourselves waiting for the adoption to wit the redemption of our body in other words we are we have a joyful anticipation of eternity with Christ we're looking for the rapture to take place amen are you looking for it we need to be looking for it are you excited to see Jesus if not the world's got a grip on you for we are saved by hope but hope that is seen is not hope for what a man seeth why doth he yet hope for Hope here is joyful anticipation ok this would go a long way with the promise of God we have just covered that we will be free one day from the bondage of the curse of the creation that is around us we were in Cape Coral last week as I mentioned visiting family so a lot of senior citizens in Cape Coral a lot of senior citizens not everybody but there's a lot of them down there it's a retirement area beautiful area and you know what it's the truth of it the older you get the more goes wrong we're wearing out right not us but some people are no you wear out and you look for Oh Lord this would be great just to take us out as one pastor I heard this last year it was such a blessing he said this I thought it was like one of those special moments he said the rapture for the believer the rapture solves everything amen boy that sounds good to me that sounds good to me for if we hope for that we see not then do we with patience okay and perseverance wait for it in other words God wants us to be joyfully anticipating his coming back and that's a motivating factor that delivers our lives from destruction that's what it means there which says we are saved by hope it's not talking about oh I hope I go to heaven and therefore I'll get there because I'm hoping no that's a certainty this hope has to do with our lives being delivered okay we should be patiently waiting for the Lord to deliver us this is not some passive an inactive lifestyle but faithfully serving the Lord knowing that God's Word is true and that we only have so much time left to make it worthwhile to make it count friend okay I think of I don't know how much time was invested Bonnie and your mom writing that him I don't know how much time was invested in that but I know this weren't you blessed by that today you know there's a reward for that for her she invested the time the thought to prayer everything the care that went into constructing that into words and everything and we can sing it to me blessed by it today yes that's a that's something that is going to earn reward at the judgment seat of Christ God's calling us all to do that to invest our lives and to serve Him I one more verse to share but before I do listen to these words it's from a hymn wonderful hymn in light of the message today when all my Labor's and trials are or and I am safe on that beautiful Shore just to be near the dear Lord I adore well through the ages be glory for me when by the gift of His infinite grace I am accorded in heaven a place just to be there and to look on his face will through the ages be glory for me friends will be there that I have loved long ago joy like a river around me will flow yet just a smile from my Savior I know will through the ages be glory for me oh that will be glory for me glory for me glory for me when by His grace I shall look on his face that will be glory be glory for me we have so much to look forward to as believers okay turn with me and lastly today first John chapter 5 I hope you're still with me first John chapter 5 friend if you happen to be here today and you're not sure what this is all about let me just put it to you very simply God wants you to be his child God loves you infinitely but the only way you can be his child you're not a child by creation you're a child by faith in Jesus Christ you don't go to heaven simply because you do your best you can't get to heaven by your good works those are there in the flesh cannot please God but God says this he loves you and he loves you so much he sent his son to die in your place and to pay for the very thing that blocks you hinders you from going to heaven it's sin look up here look up here this was you and me and my wallet represents their sin we're all sinners according to Scripture sin separates us from God you cannot get to heaven with even once and well that disqualifies every one of us God says it has to be paid for and if we do it we will suffer forever in hell if we have to pay for our own sin we'll be separated from God for all eternity again heaven is a perfect place they get there you have to be sinless none of us are that's why your good works can't save you because you got to be perfect none of us are perfect therefore we're disqualified God loves us hates our sin does not want us to be separated from him therefore what he did he is the very one who brought the solution he sent God the Son the Lord Jesus Christ into the world and when Jesus came he died on the cross and my sin and your sin he paid for it so you don't have to he did it so you don't have to he did it all so you don't have to he took that sin upon himself and he made the complete payment when he died in the cross and he rose from the grave and he says this in his word that if you will believe put your faith in Him that he made that payment for you he will give you that moment everlasting life and you can know you're going to heaven because God can't lie he promises it look at the verse up here look at it first on 5/13 these things have I written unto you that believe you trust in Christ that believe on the name of the son of God that you may know that you have eternal life and that you may believe on the name of the Son of God you have you you can believe because God can't lie and he says you can know and you can rest on that you can rest on that that you're going to heaven because you trusted in Jesus Christ and God says if you do you can know you're going to heaven so I urge you today put your faith in Jesus Christ as your Savior you can't save yourself he does the saving he does the keeping and it's good forever let's bound prayer today with every head bowed and every eye closed please no one looking around would you trust Christ as your Savior today right where you said God knows your thoughts you can't hide anything from him he knows your condition there friend it's not my opinion it doesn't matter it's what God's Word says that's matters that's everything will you trust Christ as your Savior right now if you've never done it would you do it right now in the quietness of your mind Lord the best I know how I'm trusting Jesus Christ to get me to heaven I understand today my good works won't save me it's only what Jesus did on the cross that can give me salvation and I'm trusting in him today friend if you'll trust him he'll save you will give you everlasting life right now forgives you of all your sin gives you a place in heaven if you'll trust in him would you do it right now if today it's made sense to you for the first time and today you trusted Christ the Savior could I pray for you as we close I'd love to pray for you I won't call you out by name I won't embarrass you and you don't even need to raise your hand if you don't want but I'd like to pray for you is there anyone with a uplift at hand it would say yes today I understood this I've never understood it till today but today I trusted Christ as my savior would you pray for me I won't embarrass is there anyone just slip it up put it down would you pray for me today I trusted Christ today I trusted Christ let me say for those of us who were saved dear friend God's way is a better way it only makes sense to go with the Lord okay he saved us you know you have eternal life as a believer then let us surrender our lives to Him and live for him see our our future reward is based on the decisions and the actions of today oh no you can't ever be lost once you're saved but you can lose all that God wants you to have in a sense of reward if we don't live for the Lord let's live for him father thank you for your word today thank you Father that we know that we have a heaven awaiting us as believers and Lord we also know that there is a great capacity of joy and blessing for the faithful believer depending on what you decide for that individual Lord it's not up to us you ultimately decide the rewards but Lord we have this great privilege to serve you today and I pray we will bless each one father bring everyone back tonight as we remember what Jesus has done and we pray in Jesus name Amen well friends that concludes this edition of voice of assurance thanks so much for listening and would you share this ministry with a friend to contact us or learn more about our ministry please visit www.suprememastertv.com/heartline [Music]

Channel: Northland Bible Baptist Church

Views: 511

Rating: 5 out of 5

Keywords: Salvation, Truth, Jesus Christ, Grace, Gospel, Bible, Sermon, God, Lord, Savior, Saviour, Church, Voice of Assurance, Romans

Id: ZAxwC-rM88k

Length: 53min 3sec (3183 seconds)

Published: Sat Mar 07 2020