"What Is The Everlasting Gospel" - Pastor Stephen Bohr

for our lives as we study about the marvelous plan of the everlasting gospel we ask that you will instill in our hearts a deeper love each day for you and for your beloved son Jesus for we ask it in his precious name Amen as I mentioned in our last study together we are going to study today about the ever lasting gospel and I'd like to read the first angels message where we find the reference to the everlasting gospel I'm reading from Revelation chapter 14 and verses 6 and 7 it says the following then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth to every nation tribe tongue and people saying with a loud voice fear God and give glory to him for the hour of his judgment has come and worship Him who made heaven and earth the sea and springs of water interestingly enough the Apostle John wrote several books of the New Testament he wrote the Gospel of John revelation as well as three epistles but this is the only time in the writings of John where you find the word gospel and much less the ever lasting gospel now because this is the only time in the writings of John where we find the reference to the gospel it's necessary for us to go to other places in scripture to study this topic of the everlasting gospel and so we're going to go to other places in Scripture that describe the meaning of the everlasting gospel now the first question that we want to ask is this why is the gospel called everlasting after all the Bible tells us that the gospel was the salvation event in Jesus Christ so what makes the gospel everlasting well in order to understand why the gospel is overlap everlasting we need to go back to the story that we find of the fall in the book of Genesis so go back with me to Genesis chapter 2 and we're going to look at several important details that will set the framework for understanding the meaning of the everlasting gospel the first thing that I want to review from Genesis 1 and 2 is that God that is Jesus created Adam and Eve wholly innocent and righteous and the Bible tells us that in order to show this righteousness in a visible way God clothed Adam and Eve with a literal robe of light but that literal robe of light symbolized something it represented something the literal robe of light represented their righteousness their obedience to the law of God in other words the literal robe of light represented obedience to God's law it showed that Adam and Eve were righteous because they had not broken God's holy law but we're told in the book of Genesis that when Adam and Eve sinned the first result of their sin was that this literal robe of light disappeared and we find in Genesis chapter 2 and verse 25 the description of what happened when the robe of light disappeared it says there in Genesis chapter 2 and verse 25 first of all about their original condition and then we'll read verse 7 of chapter 3 it says and they were both naked the and his wife and were not ashamed but now notice verse 7 immediately after their sin it says then the eyes of both of them were opened and they knew that they were naked so in other words in their innocence when they were obedient to God's holy law they had a literal robe of light that represented spiritual obedience to God's holy law but when they sinned the literal robe of light left them and they became literally naked now what did the literal nakedness represent it represented the fact that now they were disobedient to God's law they were unrighteous in other words being clothed with the robe of light represented obedience to God's law whereas being unclothed or naked represented or symbolized disobedience to God's holy law and of course the Bible tells us that the nakedness of Adam and Eve led ultimately to the sentence of death against them and it's no coincidence that the Apostle Paul in 2nd Corinthians chapter 5 refers to death as nakedness because your body goes back to the dust your body is your clothing so to speak spiritually speaking and so when man dies the Apostle Paul says that he's left nakedness naked so the nakedness of Adam and Eve represented the fact that ultimately they were going to die and they were going to be left naked their body in other words was going to disintegrate we find in Romans chapter 6 and verse 23 the sentence of death and I want to read just the first part of Romans 6 verse 23 it says there for the wages of sin is death the wages of sin is death or the ultimate nakedness or unclosing according to the Apostle Paul in 2nd Corinthians chapter 5 and verses 2 through for now I'd like to think of this topic of the wages of sin being death in the context of what I call an equal opportunity employer you know sin is actually personified in Romans chapter 6 and verse 23 the wages of sin is death in other words mr. sin is an employer whoever works for mr. sin the wages that that person earns are what death the wages of sin are death so when Adam and Eve sinned they began to be employees of mr. sin and mr. sin said being that you're working for me being that you're committing sin the wages that I'm going to pay you our wages of death now it's very important for us to realize that the death that God was talking about was not only physical death God was speaking about eternal separation from him he was referring to spiritual death he was referring to spiritual death but he was also referring to eternal or everlasting death and the Bible says that Adam and Eve should have died that very day notice Genesis chapter 2 and verse 17 the Bible is very clear on this point Genesis chapter 2 and verse 17 it says their God is speaking but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die notice God didn't tell Adam you know you'll die 930 years later he said the day that you eat of the tree that is the day that you will surely die in other words there was no doubt that Adam and Eve should have died that very day and of course the question is why didn't they die that very day in which they sinned in which they were left physically naked which represented their spiritual nakedness in other words their unrighteousness which eventually would lead to death to the dictation of their bodies the ultimate nakedness why didn't they suffer death in all of its implications that day the reason why is because God had established an everlasting plan in the ceaseless ages of eternity in fact that plan that God established before the foundation of the world were going to read it in a moment from Scripture envision two things number one it envisioned choosing a perfect unblemished lamb and then that perfect unblemished lamb was to be sacrificed for the sin of humanity in the case of Adam and Eve for the sin that they had just committed now it's very important to realize that this plan was not implemented by God as an emergency God didn't say oh human being sinned what are we going to do now the fact is that this plan had already been made before this world was even created in other words God always had a contingency plan it was not a last-minute emergency plan God knew all the time what was going to be necessary to save man from his sin notice verse Peter chapter 1 and verses 18 through 20 and we're going to read especially two phrases in this passage first Peter chapter 1 and verses 18 through 20 here the Apostle Peter says the following knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things like silver or gold from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your father's but with the precious blood of Christ notice that Jesus shed his blood the precious blood of Christ as there it is as of a lamb without blemish and without spot notice two things the lamb had to be without blemish and then the lamb had to be what sacrifice his blood had to be shed now when was this plan made and one was this plan implemented notice what we find in verse 20 he that is Jesus indeed was foreordained in other words this plan was made before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in other words was implemented in these last times for you so when was the plan of redemption elaborated and established it was not established when human being sinned the Bible tells us that Jesus had already in eternity past offered to live a perfect life as a lamb and to suffer death in place of human beings he was foreordained before the foundation of the world sin did not catch God by surprise God already had a plan that's the reason why the gospel is called the everlasting gospel is because it goes all the way into eternity past at least as a plan now I want us to notice that this plan was announced to Adam and Eve when they sinned you see the Bible tells us that they were covered with the glorious robe of light which represented their obedience to the law of God their righteousness when they sinned the Bible tells us that they were left physically naked which represented the fact that now they were unrighteous in other words they were disobedient to God's law so basically they needed to be covered once again they needed the robe of righteousness once again but how could their nakedness be covered the fact is the Bible tells us that they tried to cover their nakedness in a very unique way notice Genesis chapter 3 and verse 7 Genesis 3 verse 7 immediately they find themselves naked because of their sin we find this statement then the eyes of both of them were opened and they knew that they were naked and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings how did they attempt to cover their unrighteousness or their disobedience to God's law they tried to cover it by making garments of fig leaves themselves and by clothing themselves but the interesting thing is if you read all the way down to verse 10 you're gonna discover that Adam and Eve even after they were covered with the fig leaves they still felt naked because when God came looking for them Adam said we hid in the midst of the trees of the garden because we were naked well the fact is they were covered with the fig leaves at this point but they still feel naked because the glorious robe of light was not there there were just fig leaves and they know that in order to have the innocence of God they needed to have the robe of light and so they're standing there in the garden they're trembling they're shaking they know that sentence of death should fall upon them and God descends to the garden and he gives a magnificent prophecy that we find in genesis 3:15 this is when the gospel plan is first announced after sin it says there in genesis 3:15 and God is speaking to the serpent he's speaking to the devil and I will put enmity between you and the woman and between your seed and her seed he that is the seed of the woman shall bruise your head and you shall bruise his heel in other words God is saying I'm gonna send a seed to the world and that seed is going to war against you serpent against you the devil in the process of the war you are going to wound his heel but after wounding his heel he is going to crush your head now the question is what event was going to crush the head of the serpent how could this seed of a woman defeat the serpent in order to restore to man what man had lost how could man be covered with the glorious robe of light once again the fact is that in verse 21 just a few verses after verse 15 we find how God was going to cover the nakedness of Adam and Eve it says in verse 21 of chapter 3 also for Adam and his wife what is for Adam and his wife somebody else is doing this this is God also for Adam and his wife the Lord God made tunics garments that is of what skin and he clothed them who made the garments God did what did he make them from skins what do you need to do to get the skin of an animal the animal has to die in other words the very day that Adam and Eve sinned that very day there was a death the lamb died a perfect lamb was sacrificed the plan had been made before sin before the foundation of the world according to what we read in 1st Peter chapter 1 but here the plan is being announced the seed is going to come is what God is saying he's going to crush the head of the serpent and the way he's going to do it is that he's going to be a perfect lamb who will be sacrificed and with his garments the nakedness of man will be covered now throughout the Old Testament the gospel was foreshadowed before Jesus came how were people saved you know some people think that people were only saved after Jesus died on the cross the fact is how it was Israel saved in the Old Testament were they lost because Jesus the Lamb of God had not come to live his perfect life and had suffered death in place of man absolutely not God provided a way even in the Old Testament so that Adam and Eve and all of their descendants before Jesus came could understand that a perfect lamb was going to come and live a perfect life and then that lamb was going to die for the sins of man and we're talking about a person but the way that God Illustrated it in the Old Testament was by the sacrificial system the ceremonial system that God gave to Israel now there's many things that we could say about the sacrificial system but I want to underline two facts concerning the system of sacrifices in the Old Testament the first thing that I want to underline is that the priests that offered the sacrifice had to be absolutely without blemish and obviously it's not talking about moral blemish it's talking about physical external blemish let me read from Leviticus 21 verses 17 to 21 speak to Aaron saying no man of your descendants in succeeding generations who has any defect may approach to offer the bread of his God for any man who has a defect shall not approach a man blind or lame who has a marred face or any limb too long a man who has a broken foot or broken hand or is a hunchback or a dwarf or a man who has a defect in his eye or eczema or scab or is a eunuch no man of the descendants of Aaron the priest who has a defect shall come near to offer the offerings made by fire to the Lord he has a defect he shall not come near to offer the bread of his God in other words the priest had to be without blemish the priest that offered the sacrifice but also the victim that the priest offered had to be without blemish notice Leviticus chapter 22 and verses 20 to 22 Leviticus 22 and verses 20 to 22 speaking about the victims that were offered in the sacrificial system we find Moses writing this whatever has any defect you shall not offer for ill it shall not be acceptable on your behalf and whoever offers a sacrifice of a peace offering to the Lord to fulfill his vow or a free will offering from the cattle or the sheep it must be perfect to be accepted there shall be no defect in it those that are blind or broken or maimed or have an ulcer or eczema or scabs you shall not offer to the Lord nor make an offering by fire of them on the altar to the Lord in other words the priest that offered the sacrifice had to be without blemish and the sacrifice that he offered also had to be without blemish now let me ask you why did you have to have a priest without blemish and a victim without blemish because as we're going to notice this pointed forward to the fact that Jesus was going to officiate his own sacrifice many times in the book of Hebrews were told that Jesus offered himself a sacrifice but in order to offer the sacrifice he had to be an unblemished priest and he also had to be an unblemished sacrifice and in all of this system in the Old Testament God was foreshadowing the gospel the fact that a perfect priest and a perfect sacrifice would come in the future to live the life that human beings should live and to die the death that human being should die but folks none of these sacrifices actually took away sin legally no one was saved until Jesus this perfect perfect life and died on the cross of Calvary now you say weren't people saved in the Old Testament yes they were do you know how they were saved by seeing Jesus Christ in their sacrifices the Jesus that would come in the future in other words they were saved by looking at the sacrifices and seen in the sacrifices and in the priest the future coming of the Messiah they had faith in the Messiah we are saved in the same way only we look back to an accomplished fact but both groups Old Testament and New Testament are saved by the same Jesus in the Old Testament they were saved on the basis of the promise today we are saved on the basis of the fulfillment but none of those ceremonies in the Old Testament could actually remove sin legally only could they be removed because they had faith in what Jesus would do and that's the reason why in Hebrews chapter 10 and verse 4 we're told for it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sin now we want to come to the times of Christ you see we've looked at the gospel from this from different perspectives we've looked at the gospel plan established in the ages of eternity we looked at the gospel as it was announced to Adam and Eve were looked we've looked at the gospel as it was foreshadowed in the sacrificial system now we want to look at the fulfillment of this gospel promise you see the fulfillment of this promise was when Jesus Christ decided to leave the courts of heaven and come to this earth and live the life that all of us should live in perfect obedience and harmony with the law of God and then at the end of his life after living a perfect life in harmony with the law of God to take upon himself the sins of all of the world and mate for all of those sins now Jesus could do this because Jesus created everyone so he who created all could take the place of all he could live a perfect life for all and he could suffer death for all according to the New Testament so the mission of Jesus was to come and as a priest live an unblemished life and as a sacrifice be an unblemished perfect sacrifice the New Testament makes it very clear that Jesus was an unblemished priest notice Hebrews chapter four and verse 15 hebrews chapter 4 and verse 15 here we find the Apostle Paul saying for we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses another way of putting it is we have a high priest who is able to sympathize with our weaknesses but was in all points tempted as we are yet without sin was he a perfect priest a perfect high priest yes known as Hebrews 7 verse 26 where this idea of the perfect high priest is underlined once again Hebrews 7:26 says for such a high priest was fitting for us who is holy harmless undefiled separate from sinners and has become higher than the heavens so do we have a high priest that lived an absolutely perfect life in harmony with God's holy law did he leave a robe of perfect righteousness he most certainly did but let me ask you was he also a perfect victim when he took our sins upon himself was he a clean perfect unblemished victim he most certainly was let's read first Peter chapter 1 verses 18 and 19 once again first Peter 1:18 and 19 knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things like silver or gold from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your father's but you were redeemed with the precious blood of Christ as of a lamb without blemish and without spot was Jesus the perfect priest he most certainly was was he the perfect sacrifice yes in fact Jesus by living a perfect life in harmony with the law of God that life through that life Jesus wove a perfect robe of righteousness for every human being that has ever lived on planet Earth and when Jesus died on the cross he died the death that every human being on planet earth should die in other words Jesus lived for all and Jesus died for all in fact this is what Scripture teaches notice for example what we find in 1st John chapter 2 and verse 2 and he himself is the propitiation for our sins and not for ours only but also for the whole world for how many sins did Jesus die for how many people did Jesus live he lived for everyone on planet Earth and of course you're acquainted with that most famous verse in the Bible for God so loved Fresno well Fresno - for God so loved what the world that He gave His only begotten Son for whom did God give his son he gave his son for the whole world he died for the sins of the world he lived the life that every person in the world should live in Isaiah 53 and verse 6 we find once again the same idea that Jesus lived and died for every person in the world it says there all we like sheep have gone astray we have turned every one to his own way and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all and in Galatians chapter 3 and verse 13 we could read many many more verses Galatians three in verse 13 we're told by the Apostle Paul Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law and notice how he did it having become a curse for us for it is written cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree so if I asked you did Jesus pay the debt of the sins of the whole world what would your answer be Jesus paid for the sins of the whole world Jesus lived a life for every person that has ever lived on this earth he wove the rope Jesus died the death that every person on planet earth should die Jesus fully paid the debt of the whole human race and some people say well then pastor everybody's going to be saved right no folks you see we've talked now about the gospel gift but the Bible tells us that in order to benefit from the gospel gift we have to accept or we have to receive that gift you remember the text that we read from Romans 6 verse 23 for the wages of sin is what is death see when you serve mister sin mister sin says well you're entitled to your check your check is death that's your payment you know let me ask you did I earn it sure I worked for him right but notice the last half of Romans 6:23 it says but the free gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord in other words we serve mr. sin and we earn our wages of death but salvation is a what salvation is a gift you remember that most famous verse in the Bible for God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son so as all of the world gonna be saved no because the last half of the verse says 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 let me illustrate what I mean let's suppose that there's a bank we'll call it the Bank of the universe and there's a super-rich person who just happens to be Jesus Christ who deposits enough money in that Bank for every person on planet earth to pay all of their debts credit cards mortgage auto payments educational loans you name it he puts enough money in there to pay every debt of every person on planet Earth is there enough money in the bank to pay for everyone's release from debt absolutely that is only one condition you have to come to the bank and you have to withdraw the money let me ask you if you don't come to withdraw the money are you still in debt yes you are when Jesus died he deposited enough spiritual money a few please in the Bank of the universe to save every human being he paid for everyone everyone's dead but the Bible says that we must come and we must claim the payment that he made let me give you another illustration you know I don't know about you husband's about a Mother's Day I get a gift for my wife I don't do it because I have to look because I like to do it you know it's not because we're supposed to do it it's because we love our wives so you know I go out and I buy my wife a hundred dollar gift certificate to a certain store don't want to give any free advertising here and the morning you know when the time comes to give her the gift the morning of her birthday I give her the gift and she opens it says wow thank you I love this gift let me ask you how much did that gift cost her how much did she pay for that gift nothing it's free but that it cost the giver pays the receiver gets it free but let me ask you this suppose my wife didn't like the gift that I bought what she had the option to say you're cheapskate that's not the gift that I wanted what she have the option to reject the gift of course would the gift benefit her then absolutely not you see Jesus bought the gift of salvation by living our life and by dying our death but the only way that we can benefit is by receiving the gift that he purchased that's why people are going to be lost because they're gonna reject the gift that's incredible unbelievable why would people reject the gift of everlasting life when it's free don't people love freebies absolutely now allow me to read you some statements in the Bible that show that there are conditions for being saved even though jesus paid for all of the sins and live the life for every human being we must receive it we must accept it and we must receive it and accept it by repenting by confessing our sins by believing and trusting in Jesus and by being baptized according to Scripture those are the conditions for receiving the Rope see Jesus already has the robe Jesus wove the robe when he lived a perfect life Jesus wove the Rope when he died our death on the cross the robe is there sitting there in the closet and Jesus is just waiting for us to come and say Jesus Jesus I'm sorry for my sins I repent and I confess my sins and I say please give me a robe that's trusting in him that's having faith in him and then Jesus says okay here take the robe and he covers you with his robe he covers your nakedness is that good news it's wonderful news notice several texts this is Acts chapter 2 and verse 38 this is about claiming the gospel gift then Peter said to them repent what did he say repent knows the condition repent and let every one of you be what baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins the word remission means forgiveness let me ask you are there conditions for the remission our forgiveness of sins absolutely it says repent and be baptized for the remission of sins and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit notice Acts chapter 5 and verses 30 and 31 Acts chapter 5 30 and 31 it says the god of Our Fathers raised up Jesus whom you murdered by hanging on a tree him God has exalted to his right hand to be Prince and Savior now notice this to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins why did Jesus ascend to the right hand of God so that he could give what so that he could give repentance and forgiveness of sins let me ask you where everyone's sins forgiven on the cross of Calvary no the payment was made on the cross of Calvary the deposit was made in the bank but when we repent and we confess and we are baptized at that moment Jesus takes the payment and credits it to my account in other words his righteousness is imputed to me now I want you to notice Acts chapter 10 and verse 43 the same idea it says to him that is to Jesus all the prophets witness that through his name whoever now notice this whoever believes in him will receive remission of sins what is the condition for receiving the remission or forgiveness of sins believing or trusting in him notice Hebrews chapter 7 and verse 25 this thought comes through time and again we must claim the gospel gift it's not enough for Jesus to have woven the robe it's not enough for Jesus to have lived this perfect life and paid death for all of humanity it's necessary to accept what Jesus did notice Hebrews 7 verse 25 therefore he is also able to save to the uttermost notice who is he who he is able to save he is able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through him must we come to God absolutely those who come to God through him since he always lives to make intercession for them that is intercession for those who come to God through him known as first John 1 verse 9 there's so many verses in the New Testament that speak about claiming the gospel gift first John 1 verse 9 says if we confess our sins notice if conditional if we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness is forgiveness conditional the Bible states that forgiveness is conditional it is conditioned upon what confessing our sins repenting from sin so when a preacher gets up and says all we believe in Jesus and you'll be saved that's not technically true because the Bible says that even the Devils believe and tremble there has to be contrite repentance there has to be a confession of sin there has to be according to the Bible baptism into Christ now do you know what's interesting when we repent and when we confess our sins and when we have faith in Jesus and are baptized at that very moment Jesus puts on us his spiritual robe of righteousness and he covers our spiritual nakedness you say where does the Bible say that notice Galatians chapter 3 and verses 26 and 27 Galatians chapter 3 verses 26 and 27 here the Apostle Paul says for you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus for as many of you as were baptized into Christ have what have put on Christ when is it that were garbed with Christ when we are baptized but in order to be baptized we have to repent and when we repent we confess and when we confess we claim the righteousness of Christ we believe in him we trust in him and then we take the step of baptism and in baptism we're told by the Apostle Paul that we put on Jesus Christ and so we are no longer spiritually naked we are clothed with a robe of Christ's perfect righteousness now many Christians are waiting willing to reach up to this point they say okay I understand that the gospel plan was everlasting I understand that God announced the gospel plan to Adam and Eve I understand that the gospel plan was foreshadowed in the Old Testament sacrificial system I understand that Jesus came and he lived the life we should live he died the life that we should die and I'm willing to believe also that it's necessary to repent and to confess our sin and to believe in Jesus to trust in him and in this way to be baptized and received his robe of righteousness but most Christians stop there but now I want to talk about another dimension of the gospel it's what I call gospel fruit very few Christians talk about gospel fruit I say what do you mean by gospel fruit listen folks when we truly repent and we truly confess our sins and we truly trust in the merits of Jesus and we are baptized and our old man or woman is buried in the waters and we truly come forth to a new life our lifestyle changes and if our lifestyle does not change it's because we have not had the experience let me tell you that gospel fruit demands that when we have received the righteousness of Christ the robe of Christ's righteousness we talk differently we eat differently we use our time we watch different things we listen to different things than we used to we use our money differently we treat other people differently in other words there's a transformation or change in the life we are not saved by the transformed life but the transformed life is the fruit of true conversion jesus said that whoever is attached to him bears much fruit gospel fruit and if you don't have gospel fruit it's because you don't really have the experience of the gospel in your life you don't really have the righteousness of Jesus Christ many Christians emphasize just oh yeah when I received Jesus he takes his righteousness and he puts it on my account and he looks at me as if I'd never sinned and that's true if repentance is true if confession of sin is true and if I'm truly trusting in Jesus Christ you see salvation is not an easy way to get off the hook it's not he paid so that I don't have to pay by the way have you noticed that the first angels message actually calls for a change in the life I don't know whether you notice you know most people end their reading at verse 6 but let's read verse 7 let me ask you does the gospel make demands upon us it most certainly does let's read revelation 14:6 and 7 once again then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth to every nation tribe tongue and people and many people stop right there but I want you to notice what the everlasting gospel commands people to do there's three imperatives here for those who receive the everlasting gospel notice verse seven what does the first angel say the angel that brings the everlasting gospel saying with a loud voice fear God that's next topic of study fear God and give glory to him for the hour of his judgment has come and worship Him who made heaven earth the sea and the springs of water let me ask you does the gospel make demands upon us it most certainly does a person who has received the everlasting gospel in every nation tribe tongue and people fears God and most people don't know what it means to fear God they give glory to God what does that mean what we're going to study that phrase they're supposed to worship the Creator in other words their worship styles will change when they receive the everlasting gospel you see Jesus through his gospel not only guarantees great benefits and privileges but he also gives us great obligations and responsibilities when we receive the gospel notice Titus chapter 2 and verses 11 through 14 Titus 2:11 to 14 still speaking about gospel fruit the change in the life when we have the real deal when they have the when we have the real gospel embraces when there's true repentance when there's true confession of sin when we have faith and trust in Jesus and when we're baptized and we bury the old man in resurrect a newness of life notice what happens Titus 2:11 2:14 listen to this for the grace of God lots of people love to talk about grace for the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men what has appeared to all men the grace of God now what I want you to notice is that the grace of God teaches us something see when you have God's grace which is the gospel the grace teaches us something what does it teach us listen verse 12 teaching us see the gospel teaches us something grace teaches us something teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts we should live soberly righteously and godly in this present age looking for the Blessed hope and the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ who gave himself for us now why did he give himself for us so we can continue living the same old life that we were living before absolutely not notice who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for himself his own special people zealous for good works did Jesus redeem us for good works did grace manifest itself for good works did grace teach us that we need to renounce the world and worldly lusts absolutely so grace does not mean that you can continue sinning if you've had true grace grasp your life you're going to have a change in your lifestyle gospel fruit you know some people love to read from Ephesians 2 verses 8 through 10 where the Apostle Paul says for by grace you have been saved through faith see we're saved by grace through faith and that not of yourselves it is the gift of God see grace is the gift of God not of works lest anyone should boast so they say see we don't have to do any works because it says it's a hold of grace the problem is they don't read verse 10 see they stop at verse 9 a text out of context is a pretext for teaching error notice what we find in verse 10 the very next verse for we are his workmanship created in Christ you see when you receive Jesus you're a new creation right the Apostle Paul says in 2nd Corinthians 5:17 that those who are in Christ are a new creation you're new because you're not in yourself anymore you're in him and so it says for we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus to continue living like the devil no it says created in Christ Jesus for good works which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them did God prepare good works for us when we're truly converted we were born into Christ when we're a new creation are there good works in our life yes but the works are not produced by us they are produced as a loving response to him now go with me to James chapter 2 James chapter 2 and I'm going to read verses 14 to 24 because people love love to talk about faith and it's good to talk about faith it's good to talk about grace as long as faith and grace lead to something that God expects from us then the experience of salvation is genuine and real James 2 verse 14 what does it profit my brethren if someone says he has faith but does not have works notice he doesn't have faith he says he has faith but he doesn't have works can faith save him literally the Greek says can such a faith save him can a worthless faith save you if a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food and one of you says to them depart in peace be warmed and filled but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body what does it profit in other words if you don't change your way of looking at people and treating people and you say you have a lot of faith I mean do you really have faith notice what it continues saying in verse 17 thus also faith by itself Christians love to say faith alone faith alone but really the Bible teaches faith alone but it has to be a faith that works that's only the only true kind of faith thus also faith by itself if it does not have works is that can a dead faith save you no but someone will say you have faith and I have works and so James says show me your faith without your works and I will show you my faith by my works verse nineteen you believe that there is one God you do well even the demons believe in trouble do you think the devil believes that Jesus died on the cross do you think Jesus and the devil knows that Jesus resurrected do you think the devil believes Jesus is coming again of course he does so if that's all you believe in your brain excuse me for saying it you're not any better than the devil that's what James is saying notice once again verse 20 but do you want to know Oh foolish man that faith without works is dead was not Abraham our Father justified by works wow this some people say contradicts the Bible because Paul says that we're saved by faith without works alone and here James says was not Abraham our Father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar do you see that his faith was working together with his works she it's a package deal and by works faith was made perfect in other words faith alone is imperfect and the scripture was fulfilled which says abraham believed god that is he trusted god and it was accounted to him for righteousness and he was called the friend of God you see then that man is justified by works and not by faith only you say what does what does James mean here is he contradicting Paul no let me tell you what's going on the Apostle Paul when he says that were saved by faith without works of law is explain how we are saved when James says that works were justified by works what he's saying is that works show if our faith is real in other words Paul is telling us how we are saved whereas James tells us how a saved person lives are you understanding me in other words one is talking about the root of salvation and the other is talking about the fruit of salvation let me ask you if you look at it from one side faith saves absolutely grace through faith through faith but when you look at it from the other side you see the works you say oh yeah this guy had faith and so really there's no contradiction in the Bible now let's talk about preaching the gospel before we close the Bible says that the gospel needs to preach to the whole world as a witness to all nations and then the end will come what gospel do we need to preach just the gospel that Jesus died on the cross you know he wove a perfect robe and you know he died our death on the cross and all you have to do is simply in your head believe that Jesus did that and you'll be saved you in your house know the gospel that needs to be preached according to Revelation chapter 14 is the gospel that is that goes to every nation kindred tongue and people but it's gospel that says fear God give glory to him the hour is judgment has come and worship the Creator in other words it's a complete package gospel faith and words it's a gospel that not only is imputed to us or credited to us but a gospel that is manifested also in the practical life in other words it's the gospel of justification that produces in our lives a sanctified life now the final point that I want to talk about is the final gospel celebration and for this I want to read from Revelation chapter 7 verses 9 through 12 do you know the save some day are going to sing a glorious song when we get to heaven and that song is going to give honor and glory to Jesus Christ as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world and by the way at this time God's people are going to be clothed with a literal robe of light again now notice the process man was covered with a literal robe of light represented it symbolized obedience to God's law when man sinned the literal robe of light disappeared and man experienced physical nakedness which represented what disobedience to God's love when we receive Jesus Christ our spiritual nakedness is covered by his spiritual Road but when he comes again he's going to complete the process and he's going to give us the literal robe of light which man had originally revelation chapter 7 verse 9 after these things I looked and behold a great multitude which no one could number of all nations tribes peoples and tongues see they received the first angels missus standing before the throne and before the lamb notice clothed in white robes are we going to receive white robes like Adam and Eve at the beginning their litter at this point and branches in their hands and crying out with a loud voice saying salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne and to the lamb and then will be fulfilled that famous parable of Jesus of the lost sheep but when the lost sheep is brought home the order of the Sheep who had 99 other ones that never fail calls his friends and he says come celebrate because the sheep that was lost has been found [Music]

Channel: Aaron

Views: 11,308

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Id: q9fY0t3Zllg

Length: 56min 24sec (3384 seconds)

Published: Tue Jul 23 2019