THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST
You know what's funny? You could do a law space. You could do a law space and a Sabbath space and that crap can go on for freaking five days and nobody will disturb that. But you do a space about the grace of God and Jesus Christ and you get all sorts of opposition. Right, Nick?
We were talking about doing a space about just praising and thanking God with our brothers Phil. I don't know where Phil's been, but Nick, can you send this out to John 3:16 Phil for me? Okay, thanks. The gospel is simple, the gospel of our salvation. We need to keep this in front of us.
We need to be aware of the fact that there's doctrines of demons out there nowadays. And the doctrines of demons is basically religion.
Look, what you see on the horizon right now, what's forming is that one world religion, the ecumenical movement, everybody kumbaya holding hands together and what they forgot and they left the Jesus of the cross. See, there's no life unless there's a crucified dead body. There's no life unless there's a dead man who rose again.
The gospel that we preach is the death, burial and resurrection. Right, brother Greg? The death, burial and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. The gospel of grace is defined in the Bible as the word of truth. Do you know that?
The word of truth.
In a time and a place where truth is absolutely elusive and you can't find it, you can't trust almost anything you hear on that boob tube. I think that makes people dumber.
This gospel is called the word of truth. Second Corinthians, chapter six, verse seven.
Two Corinthians, chapter six, verse seven is the first occurrence of it.
I usually use an online Bible app, but I got my physical Bible. I always use my physical Bible, but typically to find things quicker.
By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left. Ephesians 1:13-14 says that after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, the word of truth. The Gospel of your salvation is the power of God. And we rightly divide the word of truth according to two Timothy 2:15, right? Because if we didn't rightly divide the word of truth, you would not be permitted to eat lobster today and you would have to stay home and do nothing on it.
Every Saturday, you would have to do that. It's an extreme example. But if you were gathering sticks on a Sabbath day, I can come and stone you. If you didn't divide the word of truth, you noticed the New Testament. The only laws that is brought over are those nine out of the Ten Commandments that Paul specifically mentions.
And how do we fulfill that? Through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ and walking out in that faith? By love. With love.
This Gospel is the Gospel that's revealed from heaven. It's not an invention of man. It's not a scheme of man. Everything that man puts his hands on is corrupted. It will be corrupted because man is corrupt.
Paul said, there's nothing good in me that's in my flesh other than but the sin nature. Right? The Gospel that we deliver is delivered to all nations. Originally committed to the apostle Paul. First Corinthians 917, galatians two seven.
But it was also paul brought it to the other Jewish apostles and they shook hands in fellowship. In Galatians, chapter two, it was revealed to the other apostles so that Paul would know that he's not running in vain. There's agreement. This is the Gospel that's preached. You must receive it.
That means taking it into your person. Receiving something isn't just a head knowledge. Receiving something is a heart and head knowledge. And it is receiving not only the Gospel, the works of the Lord Jesus Christ, but the person of Christ. See, what separates this Gospel from religion and from any works based traditional salvation is that you're taking into yourself.
You're receiving personally the second person of the Godhead. And it's so powerful, if you think about it, you're receiving God Himself through the indwelling and the ceiling of the Holy Spirit. He comes into you and dwells in you. The tabernacle of God is not the construct that was given to Moses and Sinai in the wilderness to build. The tabernacle of God is you and I.
Isn't that amazing? We are the earthen clay vessels that are able to be destroyed by which God has chosen to dwell in mankind. And this is what's known as the mystery of what is it, Brother Sores? The mystery is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Isn't that amazing?
You ever stop and speak to a Muslim or you speak to a Hindu or a Buddhist, you speak to these guys and you're like, you don't understand. I want to explain to you, but you can't do it with words because it's the power of God. But this Gospel is God Himself has chosen and he's not doing it. He's not defiling himself. He's not debasing himself any longer.
Why? Because the gospel is that Christ, the second person in the Godhead, became a man. He already left his throne of glory. He already left the comforts of the kingdom of heaven to come in the form that we have on right now. And it's because of what he's done that the living, holy, unapproachable God who dwells in light that cannot be viewed upon by human eyes because of what he has done.
Now, we could have the living God dwelling in us and in that sealing, and that sealing is going to support the security of your salvation in that sealing. And that indwelling comes the work of God in this earth and body, in this flesh to do the things that we can't really do on our own. That's why the Bible says, work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who worketh in you to do that which pleases Him.
Glory in the gospel, preaching the gospel, men are saved by the foolishness of preaching. And preaching doesn't have to look like that picture in your head when you hear somebody preaching. They're going to stand on a soapbox on a corner and they're going to stand up and scream at the top of their lungs. That might be for some, your preaching might look different. It might be in a Walmart at the fruit section and a Rite Aid at a Home Depot, or it might just be a conversation you have with the neighbor.
But preaching is declaring the word of truth. This word of truth, the gospel, Christ death, burial and resurrection, brothers and sisters, do not be lulled into sleep again or be brought into a bondage of a works based religion. Do not let them do that. Do not let them bring you back. The Apostle Paul says that we have not received again what the spirit what does he say?
He says you have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear. You know why he says again? Because before you came to Christ through this gospel, that's how you and I lived. You lived in a bondage, even if you didn't recognize it at the time. Now you do in Christ who completes you, but you lived in a bondage where you had to do A, B, C, D, and E to be right with God unless you would be cast off.
And it's too bad. That's what many in Christendom today still believe that's because they don't rightly divide the Word. And they think that they have to, like a I have to get right with God, so I got to sell all my belongings. I got to go become a monk and live in a cave, and then I have to go out and burn my body and give do A, B, C, D and E. And that's not what this gospel is saying.
This gospel is saying, wait a second, this isn't about you.
And actually you and I need to be crucified because there's nothing good in you and I. That also brings great opposition. Because man likes to think and believe that he could produce something with his own hands always. We, like we are religious creatures. You know that by just each and every one of us has that thing in our life, that religious thing it pleases us to do.
It might look different for you than it does for me. This is not for condemnation. The point is, this is not about religion. This is the gospel that's preached, that's received for salvation, and it is about God's grace. And Acts, chapter 15 lets you know in no uncertain terms that it's not about the law of Moses.
It's not about keeping the law. By all means, you should not be breaking the law. But this gospel brings you into a righteous, justified, incontrovertible position in God's sight. You have passed. You have passed from death, assured death, a burning death, an eternal, everlasting destruction of the soul!
You passed from that. See, this gospel brings you over to the other side. This gospel brings you out of the condemnation that's coming because of sin. For we have all sinned, says the Lord. We have all sinned.
And all of us have fallen short of the glory of God. And make no mistake, sin is not just falling short. Sin is outright rebellion. Sin is breaking God's laws. Sin is knowing what you're doing and doing it anyway.
Don't placate. Don't downplay sin. Don't put another word or term on it. It's horrible. It's disobedience to God.
It's flat out, straight up disobedience. It's lying, stealing, cheating, killing, murdering, plundering, walking away, refusing God, ignoring him, not being thankful. It's all those things and more. And yet the good news is that we could still be saved after all that.
You know why? You know why? Because what do we know about this great and glorious gospel that is going to be celebrated for ages and eons to come because of him who has done it? How is it delivered to us? How is salvation delivered today?
What does Romans say? But now? Romans, chapter three, verse 21.
But now, the righteousness of God without the law.
Don't miss that. But now, after the death, burial and resurrection of the Lord Jesus, after that precious redemptive substance, the blood of Jesus Christ, the perfect, incorruptible blood, there's no sin in it. He didn't have an earthly father. You're talking about the perfect man who was God in the flesh, who shed all his blood. But now, because of the sacrifice, because of the faith of Christ, because of the fidelity to the Father to willingly go to the cross, a torturous Roman cross, to be brutalized for hours upon hours, to suffer unspeakable humiliation and horrendous torment of not only the body but his own soul, he had to become something which he abhorred.
Think about that. He knew. He had. This could be real for us. Because you who are born of the Spirit, you who are not of this world, think how grieved you are when you have to sit around and look at what they're doing to kids in your communities, the indoctrination.
Think how grieved you are. And that's you and I, who still have the corruptible sin nature, now think about someone who was perfect in all things, never sinned, had no sin on him. He had to become that which he despised, for God made him to be sin. For us two, Corinthians 521, that we might be made the righteous of God. It's not just giving up his body.
The man had to become a sin offering. And actually the Bible says he became a curse for us, so that the curse of the Law would not come down on us.
What work can you and I possibly put up against that? You're not talking about just a man, but you're talking about God in the flesh. So in order for him and God to get the glory, in order for Christ to be magnified and elevated completely, and for us to find completeness, as Colossians 216 says in Him and Him alone, you and I need God's righteousness apart from the Law. That means apart from anything that you and I can do, there's nothing you and I could put our hands to, to contribute.
And that's why Romans 3:21 says but now the righteousness of God without the Law is manifested. And how does it manifest, how does it appear to us? Through the bloody cross of the Lord Jesus Christ, where wrath and mercy met together and through the cross comes the burial and the glorious resurrection, which is the hope of every believer today, right here, right now, where you are. Your ultimate hope, I hope your ultimate hope. The only hope that's going to deliver and never put you to shame is the hope of resurrection, the hope of even an instantaneous translation glorification of your body in a moment of time.
This is the righteousness of God, which is by faith of Jesus Christ, brothers and sisters. This is God's righteousness, which comes by the fidelity or the faithfulness. That's what that means of the Lord Jesus to the Father, to complete what the Father put before him to do. And that's why when Christ dies on the cross, he says it is finished. And that's why Jesus in his earthly ministry, constantly said, I come to do the will of Him who sent me.
Whatever he says I do, I and the Father are one.
This is the righteousness of God, which is by faith of Jesus Christ. And it goes unto all and upon all them that and here don't miss the simplicity here's, the simplicity in Christ. If anybody that has ears to hear, here it is. This is God's righteousness unto all and upon all that believe that believe that believe there's something here that you and I need to know.
It is easy to be saved from hellfire, from the destruction that's coming because of sin in the world. It's easy to be saved. It's difficult to be saved, but it's easy to be saved. It's easy to be saved, but it's difficult to walk the path. And that's because of trials, tribulations, and persecutions that come on account of the Word, the Gospels, Christ's death on the cross for the forgiveness of sins by his blood, his burial and resurrection, which gives eternal life to anyone who believes.
And all you need to do is believe what the word of God says, even the righteousness of God, which is by faith of Christ unto all and upon all them that believe.
Do you see any partiality there?
Or is God going to scribe his righteousness just to anyone? The whosoever who does what? Who's water baptized? That's not what it says. God can describe as righteousness to anyone who keeps a Saturday Sabbath religiously traditionally?
No, that's not what it says. These may be all good things to do, but that's not what it says.
It's the righteous of God unto all and upon all them that believe.
This is not something we just grab one verse, Nelly, and go and just say, okay, here it is. We formed the doctrine out of this one verse and we're going to go with it. This is countless times in the Bible. John 315 whosoever believeth on him should not perish. John 524 he that believeth on him has everlasting life.
Acts 16:31 believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved. Romans 116 it's salvation to everyone that believeth. Romans 3:22 I just read unto all and upon all them that believe. Romans chapter four, verse five. To him that works not, but believeth on him, romans 424 if we believe romans ten four.
It's the end of the law to everyone that believeth second. Corinthians four four, blinding the minds of them which believe not. Galatians 3:22 that this might be given to them that believe in first. Thessalonians 4:14 if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, I think what happens the tension arises is that we want to look at our lives. Okay, do we believe?
Let's examine do we really believe? Are we doing and then we test it by are we doing ABCD and E?
But human examination does not nullify the word of God. Your judgment skills, your analytic skills, to who's a believer or not does not take away from the word of God.
Let the word be the word.
The gospel that saves is succinctly stated in one Corinthians, chapter 15. When I say succinctly is because he's declaring it boldly and he's telling the congregation, I declare unto you the gospel. Gospel means simply good news.
And he says more of a Brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, wherein now, here it is. Look at this. You receive it once. You receive this and you know that the only thing that you and I could receive is from God. It comes from heaven, it comes from above.
You receive it, you take it into yourself personally. And now you stand on it, right? You stand on the truth. Come hell of high water, you're always standing on the truth. If you're going to go to hell, you better go to hell.
Trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ and nothing else. And the Holy Spirit will come to you and say, there's no way you're going to hell. Trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ, in his blood. You see that thing because you're standing firm on it. So you're really on the rock that you should be on.
Brethren, I declare, I pronounce with my mouth by the foolishness of preaching, by the foolishness of preaching, by the fact that I could open my mouth for the preaching of the cross. To them that perishes foolishness, but unto us which are saved.
To us who are saved. What is this preaching that we're doing? It's the power of God.
It's not my intellectual ability. It's not how much Bible knowledge I have. It's not how well versed I am at the law, but what is it? It is the power of God. When I speak and declare the word of God, men are saved not because of anything I am, but because of the Lord I preached unto you, which you have received, wherein ye stand.
The stand is a firm position. I'm in First Corinthians, chapter 15, verses one and two, a firm position. When you stand, you're not lying down, are you? When you stand, you're not just sitting on it, but what you're in a position of warfare, because that's what the gospel brings.
Because he was persecuted, you will be persecuted. If they received his word, they'll receive your word.
Persecution arises in many forms. It actually looks different according to geography. A lot of the times we're standing in this gospel, blessed is the man that walketh not in the council of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
Be upright, because one Corinthians 15 two says, this is the gospel by which also ye are saved. Your soul is preserved. You're going to kept blameless. You're going to be sanctified, you're going to be set apart. You are going to belong to someone greater than yourself.
You're going to go through the crucifixion in a spiritual sense with Jesus Christ, and you're going to come out a new creature through his resurrection. This is how you're saved. Make no mistake about it. Adam needs to die one way or the other. In Adam all will die, but in Christ, all shall live.
So you're going to believe and stand firm on the truth.
You're going to be saved by it. If you keep in memory what I preach unto you, unless you have believed in vain. Believing in vain is just ahead, knowledge never receiving it truly. And if you look at the context of chapter 15 of One Corinthians, it has to do with the resurrection. There's a problem.
People don't believe that Jesus Christ actually rose from the dead. They just believe he was a man that died. And in the context of the chapter, you'll see that if there is no resurrection, the preaching that we do is in vain, and our faith is also in vain.
And here's the good news, guys. One Corinthians, chapter 15, verse three. For I delivered unto you. First priority. First of all, this is what I delivered, says the Apostle, and he can only deliver it.
Why? Because, he says, this is what I also received. For I delivered first what I also received everywhere he went. This was the first order of business to establish congregations in the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. Why?
Because One Corinthians, chapter three, verse eleven, the judgment seat that you and I are going to show up to. Because one day we're going to have to face the Lord Jesus, and we're going to have to face Him. If we're in Him, in his body and we've been saved by his blood, we're not going to face Him to have our sins judged. The eternal consequences of our sins have been, thank God, been taken care of by that blood. But we're going to face Him on the account of the works that we've done and the foundation that we've been building our lives on in Him.
Because you could build your life, your Christian life, on other foundation. And One Corinthians 311 says, for other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is jesus Christ. Now, if any man build upon this foundation, he receives gold, silver, precious stones.
So the first foundation is what coming into agreement, acknowledging receiving the Gospel, standing firm on it. How that? Christ died for our sins. Who died? Whose death is paramount?
Jesus Christ. It's his death. Who's the focus on right now? Christ. Who am I focusing on in this Gospel?
You'll notice that? It's how that Christ died for our sins. How that he died? How did Christ die? He died providing us with the only atonement that is available today.
Do you know that in the law it says that the life of the flesh is in the blood? The Lord God says, I've given it to you and he's talking to Israel at the time. I've given to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls. For it, the blood makes an atonement for the soul. Do you know what an atonement means?
And puts you at one with God. There's reconciliation. After a period of enmity under the Old Covenant, these Israelites had to continually offer a burnt offering, a trespass offering, a sin offering, making an atonement.
What does the scripture say in Romans 5:11 today? Who has become our atonement? How that Christ died is really important for us to grasp, because he didn't just die a death that didn't have substance and meaning behind it. He was a fulfillment of the scriptures of the Old Testament. Everything leading up is leading up to Christ from Genesis, chapter three.
You're looking for this lamb? The picture of him is clear in the garden when Adam and Eve are expelled from their sin, from the Garden of Eden.
And that's why Romans you know what, it's interesting, the word atonement shows up in the King James Bible 70 times, 69 times in the Old Testament. And I believe that is putting a point that there is a number of different atonements in the Old Testament because the process of having to sacrifice was continual. You didn't have a final sacrifice like you have now, but now you have one atonement. Romans chapter 511 is the only time you'll find the word atonement show up in the New Testament. And the word of God says that we joy in God.
Look at this, Romans 511 if you want the real peace that God wants to give you, you know what you're going to do? You're going to become like a little child. You're going to put down all your tools, you're going to sit down at the feet of the Lord and you're going to say, okay, you really did it all.
There's nothing I can do that could save me. I'm just going to completely trust entirely my whole being. I'm going to put it all in your hands. That's how you're going to get real joy. That's how you're going to get real joy.
That is that'll bring crazy rejoicing that looks insane to a religious world. We joy in God. Romans 511 through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement. See how that Christ died in one Corinthians 15. That's the first part of the Gospel, how that he died?
He died as a sacrifice, a blood sacrifice, and atonement, atonement means agreement, reconciliation.
We have injured God, we have injured and we need satisfaction for the offense and the injury that we've caused. The atonement provides that it's the expiation or the canceling out of our sins. And it's made this comes about by what? By the obedience and the sufferings of the Lord Jesus Christ.
When God gave Moses the way of forgiveness, of sins by the blood of Tomement that came through the law, it was always prophetic in Leviticus 17 to what was to come through the mystery of the Lord Jesus Christ, who would one day offer up himself freely as God's lamb. God requires a lamb. Remember what he told Abraham? God requires a lamb. God will provide himself a lamb and he does.
You and I don't even have to run and scurry to find our own sacrifice. God's already provided it the Lamb of God. Who is the Lamb of God? Jesus Christ. John the Baptist sees him and says, behold the Lamb of God, which doesn't just cover the sins of the world temporarily until you mess up, but behold the Lamb of God who what?
Taketh away the sin.
The only way your sins could be taken away is if you're crucified with Christ and you with your sin nature dead so that you could be a new creature in Jesus Christ.
When Jesus died, he put the blood before the Father at the holy altar, in heaven, in the holy place. Look at the book of Hebrews chapter nine, real quick.
Hebrews chapter nine the superiority of Christ sacrifices versus the lividical sacrifice is compared and contrasted in Hebrews chapter nine, the tabernacle made under the old covenant, where there was the candlestick to table the showbread, all the sanctuary. This was under the first covenant, where the high priest of that first covenant would have to enter in alone, by himself, one time every year, always with blood. How that? Christ died, blood always has to come into the altar.
But this was a high priest of an earthly construct. He was of the tribe of Levi, but now we have a high priest of the tribe of Judah. Now this is Christ, the capital H. High priest, you don't need another priest. There's no other mediator, get it?
Do you see how this could destroy? See how people, if you start receiving the gospel and truth as the word of God says, it destroys religion.
You know how many times people says, well, I got to go bring this to my pastor, my priest, and see what they say. Do you know how offensive that is to God?
Why can't you bring it to him?
When Jesus died, he puts the blood before the Father at the altar in the holy place. Hebrews chapter nine, verses eleven says but Christ being come a high priest of good things to come by a greater, a more perfect tabernacle. How is it greater, more perfect? We're talking about the tabernacle in the heavenly places, made without hands. See, Moses couldn't put this thing together.
This is in heaven. It's not made with hands. It's not of this building, it's not of this earthly, finite place, neither by the blood of goats and calves. But look at this, by his own blood.
That's why when we say how that Christ died, do you know what causes peace between you and God today? I don't care what you've done. Do you know how you could be reconciled to God immediately? You know how you could be brought near to God right at this very moment, no matter where you are in your life? By the blood of Jesus Christ, the word of God tells you that Colossians 120 he's made peace by the blood of his cross to reconcile all things.
You are among that which needs to be reconciled. So am I. If you're a sinner, and what I mean a sinner, meaning you don't receive the Gospel, you're not in the body of Christ, you're lost. Don't let anybody fool you. Hell is real and fiery, but God doesn't want anybody to go there.
And God's made a way out through the blood sacrifice of His Son. You could be made a piece of God right now. You don't have to jump through any hoops. There's no fiery trampolines. You don't have to do anything special.
You just got to come and receive the gift of God today. Yes, it's that easy. Fact is that we have a lot of pride and ego and we can't put it away, so we don't want to receive it. You need to be converted and the Holy Spirit needs to come and indwell in you and then change you from the inside out, because the blood has been put in the holiest place in heaven. See, there's blood in there.
We don't have to search anymore. All your religious activity, no matter what you're practicing, you are trying to placate a distant deity. You have no relate real relationship with Him. You don't know. You don't have anything based on truth.
It's all based on what your parents told you.
It's based upon what you think is right, because that's all you know.
It's not based on the word of God. The word of God says there's one sacrifice for sins, and after he sacrificed Himself, he sat down at the right hand of majesty forever.
And if you're practicing religion, what happens to your sin? How does that get taken care of? Do you think God just puts it away from himself because you're a nice guy?
No blood. You must receive this Gospel neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood. He Christ Jesus, the Son of God. God in the flesh. He entered in once into the holy place that's in heaven.
He's talking about having obtained eternal redemption for us. For if the blood of bulls and goats under the first covenant and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling the unclean sanctifyth to the purifying of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit, offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God. You have an atonement, brothers and sisters, we have an atonement. So let us therefore do as the scripture says in Romans 5:11, enjoy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ. All the animal sacrifices that came before were just placeholders, as men came and took hold of the animal, slaughtered it themselves, spilled all the blood out.
And the New Testament, the atonement is done by God alone, who did it by grace. He gives it to us by grace. We don't have to bring a sacrifice for sin anymore, because it's there. God provided one. Now, be reconciled to God.
Be reconciled?
How that? Christ died.
He's the only sacrifice God accepts. And I said, if there's no blood, there's no gospel. Gospel is good news. If there's no gospel, there's no peace.
Colossians 1:20 he's made peace through the blood of his cross. That is the vehicle of peace between you and God today. You know why? Because it's taking the onus off you, which is you being a creature filled with self righteousness, and it's putting the entire focus and trust upon him and the blood that was shed that God has accepted. What did God say about the Son?
Listen to him, this is my Son, with whom I'm well pleased.
May peace through the blood of his cross by Him to reconcile all things into himself. If you feel, and I hate to use the word feel because I don't trust feelings, but you might be at enmity with God for something that the devil's lying to you about. But let it be known today, the word of God says in Christ Jesus, you who sometimes were far off, you couldn't hear from God, you couldn't see God. You doubted, you walked away. Maybe you did your own thing.
But you who were sometimes far off, not far off. It reminds me of that movie, was that Tom Hanks movie Cast Away?
He's out at sea, he's got a soccer ball. Wilson, I think his name was, far off. There's nowhere to go.
You don't need to stay there. You know why? Because God's already god's already brought you back by the word of God, the word of truth of this Gospel, Ephesians, chapter two, verse 13, says to all of you, to each and every one of you who were sometimes far off, you are made nigh.
Wow. You are made nigh by the blood of Christ. You know how powerful that is?
What religion could say that?
What institution could say that men are in at peace with themselves or others because they're not at peace with God, their creator?
Jesus says, I am the way, the truth and the life, and none could come to the Father except they cometh by me. And there's no other name unto heaven whereby a man might be saved other than the Lord Jesus Christ. This is because of what he's done for us willingly, as a sacrifice, as a blood atonement.
This isn't anything new in your Bibles. God has always prescribed the need for a blood atonement for a sacrifice, even before the law was delivered to Moses and Sinai.
In Genesis, chapter three, verse 21, it says that unto Adam and to his wife do the Lord God make coats of skins and clothe them. See, God is going to basically undo what they did. When Adam fell, the first thing they did was, we're naked. We're in trouble here. We're naked.
Not only we got to clothe ourselves, we got to scurry about, run. Let's make ourselves some aprons, some leaves, let's put things together and let's hide from this guy, the one they had face to face. They heard him, they saw him, they had fellowship with him. It was a pleasing fellowship. And that's what God brings back through the Gospel.
Isn't that wonderful? And he's going to do it all the more in our own lives as we grow from glory to glory. And he's going to do it in reality when he brings the kingdom of God to the earth, hallelujah.
It'll be better than Eden.
But what they do, they fall. And I like their fall. She's deceived. He has to think about it. Genesis 36.
He has to make a decision. By the way, think about this now, Adam, think about this. This is the purest form of rebellion in the Bible. Why do I say that? What is in Adam to cause him to sin at this time?
Does he have any corrupted nature? No, not at all. He's a perfect being until he rebels. And that's what makes it so awful. Genesis 36 says, the woman saw the tree was good for food, it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired.
To make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof and did eat, and she gave it to her husband with her. And the King James Bible puts a semicolon there, and the next words are, and he did eat after the semicolon. You'll notice as you study the Bible, the semicolon usually denotes a passage of time in Scripture. I believe Adam had to think about this and he sinned and the curse came. And ever since, man has been trying to hide from God.
And Genesis 321 is a picture of God saying, those aprons, that religious activity. We can't fellowship this way. You're hiding from me, but I'm going to make a way. And I'm going to give you a sign now by taking of the perfect creation and destroying and slaughtering an innocent animal on your behalf, something that was blameless. Even though Adam and Eve deserved the condemnation, the guilt, the shame, that was all deserving, and even if God was to destroy them, that would have been just.
But what does he do? He sacrifices an animal, perfect beast, number of them, and he clothes them. He covers their shame. He covers them. This is the picture of what's to come.
Why am I going here? Because this is where the blood sacrifice becomes important from this time out. And you'll notice, right from Genesis four, as soon as the offspring of Adam and Eve come, the first thing that God does is he. And by the way, don't think Cain didn't have the same knowledge that Abel had. They both heard the word of God.
They both were instructed in this new way of righteousness because of the curse and sin, that the only way God would be pleased would be through a sacrifice. That's how you restore, that's how you atone. But only Abel paid attention. Abel understood. And this is a picture of Jesus Christ.
And through this, even through the law, think about what Noah did after he came out of the ark. The first thing he did is yalted up. He offered up sacrifices to God.
And now we have our sacrifice in the Lord Jesus Christ. And through the blood, we are delivered from the wrath of God. Through the blood of Jesus Christ, we are forgiven of all sins. Ephesians one seven colossians. 214.
Through the blood of Jesus Christ, we have an entry into God's very own throne room in the third heaven.
That's right. The holiest of holy places. In the heaven. We have access. It's not about the earthly tabernacle.
When Christ died on the cross, what happened? The veil tour.
And 40 years later, that tabernacle, that temple I'm sorry, the temple was going to be destroyed for good in 70 Ad. The tabernacle now is you and I. The holy place is in us. And the true holy place in heaven where the blood speaks is up in the third heaven, and you and I have access to that throne. We're already seated in heavenly places.
Through the blood of Jesus Christ, we have justification. By God, you are declared just. And by the way, that definition, what it means to be justified, do you know? It's defined in Webster's 1828 to be conformable to law.
Justification that comes through blood. By the blood of the Lamb it's accessed. We are removed. From what? There's a big heavenly courtroom, and you and I and everybody else in the world is on the way to Hell because you're under the condemnation of sin.
For God has what, confined all men under sin so that he may have mercy through this gospel. But justification removes you from condemnation. But you're justified not by I'm not justified by Nick or by Michael, nor do I justify Koeka. But the justification is what between you and God. You're justified by God because he's the justifier.
This is what you have to get a hold of, a grasp of how personal this is.
And that's really why it's called a relationship and what makes it special is because it's personal between you and God.
The only one that you and I should worry about declaring us just and conformable to law is not one another, but God. What does God say? I want to know what he says. How can I be made right with him? That's the goal.
That is the first of all. I declare unto you that what I received. That's why Paul says everywhere he went with the Jews, he wanted to establish, hey, listen, this one you crucified, he's your Christ, and he died for your sins, and he rose again. They wouldn't have it at the time.
Through the blood of Jesus, how that Christ died. We have redemption from the curse of the law.
There's blessings and cursings tied to the Mosaic law.
There's no general. There's no curses upon somebody that's in the body of Christ. It's just as simple as that. And it comes down to whether you're going to believe the word of God or not.
Galatians, chapter three, verse ten. For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse.
For as many as are under or of the works of the law are under the curse. For it is written curse. It is everyone that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.
In verse 13 of Galatians three, christ hath redeemed us from the curse. Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law. Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law that is delivering us out of bondage. That's what that word redeemed means. You're removed from the slavery so that you could truly live in the Spirit.
Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law being made.
This is the Lamb of God. This is the one worthy. Worthy is the Lamb that was slain. This is the one that could open up the seven sealed scrolls. He was made a curse for us.
That's the great exchange of two Corinthians 5:21. He became sin for us. He became a curse for us. The curse of the law doesn't apply to you and I because you are now ascribed the righteousness of God without the law. Do you see that?
Two corinthians 5:21. Philippians three nine. For I seek to be found in him, says the apostle, not with my own righteousness, which is according to the law, but the righteousness which is of God through faith in Jesus Christ.
This is meant for your freedom, not for lawlessness, but for freedom to live a godly life in Christ Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit, so that God would get the glory with greater understanding. As we delve into the Bible and looking at what the Gospel really means is the fact that we are now children, sons of the living God after a time of enmity, being an enemies of God, strangers of the covenant that were made with israel. We had no part with God. Israel had part with God. We had no part.
There was no inheritance for us in anything after the Tower of Babel. Looked like God was just kind of done with Gentiles altogether. And yet here we are.
Most of us are not Jews by nature, and yet you and I are what considered to be adopted sons. And when I say sons, it includes there's no male or female in the body of Christ. And I know this is tough to grasp, but it's a spiritual thing. Yes, your daughters, but your son, we're all one in Christ. That's the point.
There's nothing more vain than starting to get into discussions about race and ethnicity and denominations and backgrounds and sexuality and gender exclusivity, because you know why? Because that's not of the body of Christ, that's earthy, that's passing, that's lowly. And unfortunately, it's how a lot of churches go today. They try to highlight these social, these hot topic social justice issues and get everybody riled up in the flesh. But the fact is that you're part of a spiritual house, a spiritual body, a new man, a new creation.
You're separate from the world you're sanctified and set apart. You're not a part of this place. Your citizenship isn't even here. It's considered to be in heaven. You're so out there, so to speak.
You're so alien. Or you're not.
You and I are brought near by the blood of Christ unto adoption. See, god desires a family. Isn't that wonderful? I love family.
I think I always love family. I just didn't know how to keep one together most of the time. But the adoption is something that's special in Christ. And don't mistake this, but we aren't the first adopted. If you're a Gentile in the body of Christ, or you came into the body of Christ through the Gospel, this gospel of the grace that we preach, the deathbeare and resurrection of Jesus, you aren't the first.
No, he's the God of reconciliation. Not only the God of adoption, but in Romans, chapter nine, verses four. Romans, chapter nine, verses four, the Israelites to whom pertaineth the adoption and the glory and the covenants and the giving of the law and the service of God, and the promises, by whom through whom the Messiah came. Exodus 4:22 when God speaks to Moses, he goes, you go in there, you tell Pharaoh, Israel is my first born son!
But you and I, out of nowhere, it seems, are given the power to be sons of God for everyone that would receive Jesus Christ, not being of Israel.
John, chapter one, verse eleven, says, he came unto his own the Jews, right, and his own the Jews received him not, but as many as received him. To them gave he power to become sons of God, even to them that believe on his name. Brothers and sisters, the consequences of believing this gospel and receiving Jesus Christ cannot be overemphasized enough by word alone.
Truly, in fact, that we have also received the Holy Spirit, by which is known as the Spirit of adoption, whereby we can cry, Abba, Father.
Ephesians one five says that we've been predestinated. And that doesn't mean that our free will has been somehow annihilated. It means God knew, because he knows all things, he predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself. See, god desires a family. You are part of an everlasting family that never could be broken up.
And it's based on blood. Blood is thicker than water. Yeah, jesus's blood.
And I know we can get discouraged because we can see so many divisions sometimes with our human eyes. But let it be known, no matter what your denomination or your division is, the body of Christ does not suffer division or rent. In the end, it's all glorified. He's justified them all and they're all glorified, every member. It's because you have an inheritance in heaven now.
You're made an heir with the Son of God based on how you suffer with Him. The heavenly inheritance is affected. That's where the works come in by what you do, the foundation you build on and your output as you work out your salvation in faith and by the power of the Holy Spirit, you're at peace with God today. Be at peace with God today. How that?
Christ died for our sins. Sin is definitely the issue. Sin is a sin is, as we said before, is atrocious. Sin is violation of God's commandments. It's breaking his laws.
And all have sinned have fallen short of the glory of God. And the wages of sin, the wages of sin is death because sin carries a wage, because it's something, a work that you do, and you deserve to get paid, don't you?
God will repay every man based upon what he has done. That is true, the wages of sin is death. But brothers and sisters, the gift is not like the wage. The gift means it's given freely. Somebody else is giving this to me.
I don't have to earn it. I don't have to work for it. That's why it doesn't require a wage. The gift of God, as Romans 623 says, is eternal life. See, everybody in Christ receives that gift freely.
Eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.
And this is when I speak on security. But before I do that, talking about it's a gift I want to highlight. I believe God does things in a moment. Hey, how are you doing, brother Paul? Good to see you.
I believe that God does things in a moment, just like the resurrection of the church is going to happen, the translation of living believers happens in a moment. I believe he likes to do things suddenly, even if it's an appointed time. It's an appointed time in God's calendar, but for us experientially, it's going to be sudden. I think salvation by the Bible is a instantaneous. It happens in a moment.
And that's why the Lord instructs us to keep preaching the word of truth.
And I bring it to Ephesians chapter one, verse 13 and 14 because I want to speak about before I talk about the gift of what we have, I want to highlight and I'm repetitive about this because I believe repetition is key sound doctrine.
Ephesians, chapter one, verse 13 and 14.
Something like this should motivate evangelism. And why do I say that? Because it highlights the simplicity of childlike faith in Christ.
If you ponder and meditate upon what Jesus Christ went through on the cross and even before the cross, his whole life actually debasing himself to even be putting on a human suit and living the way he had to live in poverty. And also being a subject of constant ridicule and humiliation on top of the fact, rejected by his own.
He's doing this because he wants to make salvation available to all.
In Ephesians chapter one, verse 13 and 14 highlights what happens at the moment of salvation.
We went over the Word of truth briefly, how that Christ died for our sins and that he was buried, and that he rose again from the dead according to the Scriptures.
And then in Ephesians chapter one, verse 13 and 14, it says, in whom ye also trusted. After that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed. Look at this. Now, you were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise. First.
John five. Seven. There are three that bear a record in heaven the Father, the Word, the Holy Ghost. These three are one, god himself. Now look at this.
God himself seals the believer. And who's the believer? The one who hears the word of truth, trusts it, believes it. After there's belief, there's the ceiling.
And this ceiling is the earnest of an inheritance. See, the ceiling means you're mine. I purchased you, now I own you. I've sealed you. Until what?
Until I redeem your body.
God will repeat Himself multiple places in the Scripture to emphasize the significance here of what's happening. Transactionally. There's protection and security in a ceiling. Jesus was sealed himself. You know, in John chapter six, verse 27, god always gives you a picture ahead of time of what it's going to look like, right?
It's not a haphazard thing. When Jesus uses the words here, it's meaningful, not just for Him, but at that time to his disciples, but for us who are going to be put and baptized into the body of Christ. Look what he says. John, chapter six, verse 27, the Lord says, labor not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life which the Son of man shall give unto you.
For him, speaking of himself now for him the Son of man hath God the Father sealed.
Likewise, in two, Corinthians 122, it says, god has also sealed us and given us the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts. There's more than three testimonies of this. I just read another one in Ephesians 114. Ephesians 430 is the last confirmation for the believer today that you are sealed. Do not grieve the Holy Spirit.
Walk in the Spirit, not in the flesh. Right. Do not grieve Him because you are sealed until the day of redemption.
He's the comforter. The comforter, comforts. And he lets you know truth, does he not? The truth of the word of God. You're sealed.
Do you believe the word of God? God. The Father sealed. The Son. God the Father sealed you in the Son.
You're sealed until the day of redemption. It's done.
Now, what do you do with this gift of salvation that's important and significant for the eternal inheritance?
Sealed. Security concealed, hidden, confirmed, authenticated. This is what it means. Place beyond the doubt. A ceiling is protection.
Think about think about how a ceiling works in our earthly lives.
Things can't get in, things can't get out. The devil himself is going to be sealed in the bottomless pit for a thousand years. What does that mean? He can't get out? Nobody can get in.
When Daniel was thrown in the lion's den, he was sealed in that den. Cyrus sealed the seal of the King.
Sealing a document in the Old Testament, or the sealing of a location, a place, always put some kind of a stamp, a permanence and ownership to it, and a confirmation something is confirmed. You are confirmed. You're authenticated because the Spirit has sealed you. God himself has sealed you in two. Timothy, chapter two, verse 19.
I love how the Lord, the Holy Spirit, works through the author here. And he says, nevertheless, the foundation of God standeth sure who's the foundation of God? What's the foundation we build on Jesus Christ.
The foundation of God stands ashore having this seal. That's what the scripture says. The Lord knoweth them that are his. Do you see that?
This seal is ownership. It's about ownership, brothers and sisters.
It's about who you belong to.
Thanks be to God. It's about who you now no longer belong to.
Is he a jealous god?
Nevertheless, the foundation of God standeth shore having this seal. Thank you, Holy Spirit. The Lord knoweth them that are his. And let everyone then nameth the name of Christ. Depart from iniquity.
Sin shall have no longer power over the life of the believer. The only power that sin should have over you is that which you give it, that you should obey it. And that is either through a lack of faith or ignorance of the word of God. And let's be honest, we've all been there. Well, here's our reminder.
And this is why we continue in sound doctrine.
The gift that we were speaking about before because we're purchased it means that we are possessed of our Creator. We're bought. We've been redeemed, right? All comparing scripture with scripture, you could see that we have been purchased. Ephesians 114 calls us purchased possessions.
Do you know that?
Until the redemption of the purchased possession unto the praise of his glory. Does that sound like you're owned it? Sounds like it to me. Does that make you uncomfortable? It shouldn't.
It should give you great comfort.
If somebody had to own you, would it not be the greatest thing in the world to be owned by he who loved you, who formed you, who made you? Who knows you see, you and I are not our own anymore.
One Corinthians 619 tells us that that's good news. The whole person, the whole you and I. See, we were made in the image of God as a triune being. God is an elohim. He's a triune being.
Will God purchase the whole you? That's your body, your soul and your spirit. When the word of God says that our spirits were dead and it needed to be quickened, our souls have been redeemed. But what are we waiting for? We're waiting for the redemption of the purchased possession.
That's the body. That's why we get excited when we talk about the resurrection, because it's putting on Christ in his fullness and his glory as we're meant to be.
The sealing of the Holy Spirit is agreeable and conforms with being a purchase possession.
You think about packages you buy and packages of meat. They're sealed, they're packaged, then you buy it.
When Christ shed his blood on the cross, he paid the price of redemption for your body, your soul, your spirit, the whole you.
What was the price he paid?
It wasn't 30 shekels of silver, but it was the price you bought with the price. First Corinthians 723. It's the precious blood of Jesus Christ. Peter says you're not redeemed with corruptible things.
Acts chapter 20, verse 28 says, take heed therefore unto yourselves to all the flock over which the Holy Ghost made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. Clear, straight up.
God, by the way, god he says he purchased with his own blood. So there's another act 2028 is another clear scripture of Jesus's deity. Jesus being God, he purchased the church with his own blood. You and I are members of the body of Christ and members of the church. You're not your own.
You're bought with the price, the blood of Christ. That's why we're purchased possessions.
How do we receive this wonderful thing? It's we receive it receive the grace of God. It's the gift of God.
It's the gift of God.
Don't stumble on that simplicity. There's a lot of denominations and religious practices that want to cause you to doubt this wonderful, amazing gospel, really. But the gospel of the grace of God is God's power, by the way. Remember that. It's the power of God unto salvation, not the power of man.
We talked about how your justification is between you and God. Well, the power you rely on to save you is God's power, not your own. That's what the Bible says.
He who began a good work and you, thanks be to God, will complete it to the day of Jesus Christ, which is the day of redemption. One corinthians 118. We said that before, that the preaching of the cross is what to those who are perishing in their sins. And by the way, there's no need to die in your sins. Please know that sin is horrible.
God's going to judge you. He'll judge it in your eternal soul, and you'll be resurrected to the resurrection of damnation and condemnation, and you will pay for every sin. Please, god does not want that. God has given you the way. Jesus Christ is the way.
The preaching of the cross we're doing here. Christ died on that cross for you. Christ was buried for you. Christ rose again so that you could rise again and live forever. This is foolishness to you.
If you're hearing this, you turn away from it. But to those of us who are saved, it's the power of God. Thanks be to God. It's god's power. It's god's power.
It's God's power to them who are called, whether you're a Jew or Greek Christ, the power of God, the wisdom of God, it's God's power. I'm not ashamed of this Gospel. It's the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believes.
Romans 116. To the Jew first and also to the Greek, because therein in the Gospel, brothers and sisters, is the righteousness of God. You see that it's his righteousness. It's now revealed from faith to faith.
That's why it's a gift. It must be a gift, just as the scriptures say. It must be a present. It must be that thing which is given voluntarily and transferred from God unto us without compensation, without a payment or work or putting God in debt or recompensing God in any way. But we must receive it from the heart by grace.
He's the acceptable atonement. He is the reason why Ephesians is written this way. Jesus is the reason. Not me, not you. Jesus.
The more you focus on Jesus, the more productive you'll be for the kingdom of God.
Ephesians, chapter two. This is why the Bible is written this way.
God, who is rich in mercy verse four. God, who is rich in mercy for his great love, wherewith he loved us, his great love even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ. By grace are ye saved.
And as soon as you're saved, and that Holy Spirit seals you, god raised us up together, just like it says here. Made us sit together in heavenly places, reminding you the Holy Spirit of promise. Something greater is coming. Something better is coming, right, Sherry? A better body, a greater inheritance.
That what? That God might show in us through us the exceeding riches of his grace. Do you ever stop and study the Scriptures? How much grace is mentioned in Ephesians chapter two? It's nonstop.
His grace, his grace, his grace. I better stop before they call me a grace teacher. And that I preach what lawless living, which I do not preach.
I preach complete and utter total dependence on the Lord Jesus Christ.
By grace are ye saved, says Ephesians two eight, through faith. See, grace is abundant abounding to all who want to receive the gift. But you need to access grace through the what the channel is faith, but that faith is not of yourselves.
See, you believe, but then faith is given to you. It's the faith of Christ. By grace are you saved through faith. And that not of yourselves. It is the gift of God, the gift not of works, lest any man should boast it can't be of works and grace, but it's a gift.
And when you compare Scripture with Scripture, you see Romans 623 calls it a gift of God, his eternal life. You see that ephesians two eight says, not of yourselves. It is the gift of God. You start recognizing that. Romans, chapter five, comparing and contrasting the sinful works of Adam and what that brought upon humanity versus the glorious works of Jesus Christ and the redemption that comes with him.
You see that you're talking about a gift out there for the taking, for the whosoever.
What this does is free you up. It liberates you. And it also makes the Gospel available to all without your earthly mind, without your doubts, without your constructs, your religious constructs, your walls.
It gives the word of God free course to do what God could do.
Because if it's a gift, you can just tell people about the gift, right? And you open up the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit can go to work on that person.
Romans 515 says it's the grace of God, the gift by grace. Romans 516 says it's the free gift after many offenses. Free gift. As if the word free, the adjective free has to modify the noun gift to ensure that you understand that it's not something that you could pay for. What happens when you try to pay for God's Holy Spirit?
What was that guy's name? Oh, give me this power, Paul. How much do you require for this?
How much should I pay you for this gift, Paul?
It's the gift of righteousness. Romans 517, do you see that? Righteousness. That's apart from the Law, because Romans 520 says the law entered that the offense might abound. You see, sin was in the world.
Sin is working and working and working. Right? Ever since Adam, ever since Cain, it's been at work. It's been at work. But then the Law comes and says, that's sin what you're doing.
Okay, now we have a measure, a standard. Oh, boy, do we fall short.
Wow, our sin is really, really bad. Look what the law says.
And that's why Romans 520 states, the law entered that the offense might abound, because that's what the law does. Inevitably, the Law is going to drive you to phariseeical self righteousness or utter an ultimate dependence in the Savior.
I just don't see there's no in between, guys. For the law was delivered by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
You can't operate in both realms at the same time.
The Law entered that the offense might abound. But this is why. It's for the whosoever. Where sin abounded, where sin abounded, that demonic, Satanic worshipping, LGBQ, whatever they are, where sin abounded, that one, by the power of God, could be saved still because we're sin abounded, grace did much more abound. How is that possible unless it's a gift and not by wages?
How is that possible unless it's God's power and not a religious show?
Religion stinks in the nostrils of God. It smells, it's putrid because it's fake. It's fake crap.
It's a performance. It it's a look at me, look at me.
God wants people to be saved. God doesn't want vain belief. He wants saving faith.
He wants people to understand there's a gift that comes without works. And it's the death, burial, and resurrection of His Son by which his blood was shed. And it's given liberally to anyone. And it comes by a true heart belief.
God will confirm and authenticate and possess and own that person through the ceiling of the Holy Spirit until wow. Until the rapture or resurrection of the body of Christ.
Death.
Death is just a door, but death is eternal for some. Unfortunately, the wages of sin is death, because death is always where the end of sin is. Death. The only way you're going to have victory over death is through Jesus Christ. There's no other one that's called the resurrection and the life.
There's no other one that delivers from death, surely delivers from death.
But you come to Jesus Christ. I promise you this. The word of God promises you this. You come to this gospel, you put your faith and trust in Him, well, you'll be dead to sin by the cross. Romans six two.
And you will be regenerated and become a new creation. Galatian 615. As you ought to be. You're never going to die again. Eternal life starts right here.
If you haven't thought about it this way, your eternal life started the moment you were sealed with the Holy Spirit. Isn't that amazing?
You're just on a bumpy bus ride home and you got to change your garment soon. That's it. This is a tent, what we're wearing.
See, the real you and I are hidden in Christ, in God.
One born of God, of the incorruptible seed is not imputed a sinner anymore, because they're already been imputed with the righteousness. Romans four, eight and two. Corinthians 521 speaks of this god is not going to double impute. There's no sin in the body of the glorified Lord Jesus Christ. You're forgiven of all your sins.
You're under grace, and it frees you from sin. Grace is liberty, not license. You and I don't need license to sin. The old man was in bondage to it. The nature, the corruptible flesh that still is defines our exterior sins perfectly well, if left alone, thanks be to God that we got the victory over it through the crucified Lord Jesus Christ.
How do you access that? By faith?
There's no confusion with other scriptures that say, wait a second.
John 518.
We don't promote salvation by sinless perfection. We say salvation comes by the Lord Jesus Christ and by his works by which you're made a new creature. And God no longer will impute sin to you. Therefore, act accordingly. Romans, chapter four, verses six, seven and eight, powerful verses of Scripture, because it comes with the understanding that God has done something completely new that he's never done before.
David saw it. David understood it. Because David actually benefited from this. God did not impute sin in an eternal sense to David, even though he sinned horribly. According to the law, David should have been put to death.
He raped a married woman, essentially, and then killed her husband.
But David says this in Romans four six, david describeth the blessedness of the man unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, saying, blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man look at this. Blessed. And now he now he ends it off with this, basically. This is what God did.
Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not to whom the Lord will not impute sin. That's why Romans six says, how silly it is that you should continue to live in sin because the Lord is not imputing sin to you anymore. Wake up.
That's the power of God in the Gospel. Do you see that? That's God's power, that you don't live on the condemnation anymore because it's stupid, because you're lacking knowledge of what he's done for you already. That's what that's saying.
Nothing in the law can give you this. Not one commandment could give you this, because if it did, that means you have something to boast and brag about when you get to heaven at the throne. The God of God, first John three nine says that whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin. People have used that to condemn people in the body of Christ. But read on.
Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin, for his seed remaineth in him. What's the seed, the incorruptible word? What's the corruptible part of you and I not the seed that's in us, but this exterior part of the flesh. And that's why Paul says, listen, brothers and sisters, we can't get to where we got to go in this body. It's got to go, it's got to go first.
John 518 is an agreement. We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth, not the scripture, makes it impossible. He that is begotten of God, keepeth himself. Why? Because of the seed in him.
It's not a look what I've done, it's look what Christ has done.
The narrow way is Jesus Christ, because straight is the gate. Narrow is the way which leads unto life, and there are few that find it, and Jesus is that way. Jesus said, I am the way. The gate is narrow. Jesus says, I am the door.
Jesus says, I am the resurrection and the life, and Jesus is eternal life, purchased, purchased, possession on the way to heaven. And now we're going to speak a little bit about what's coming for the believers in the body of the Lord Jesus Christ. Hallelujah.
The rapture of the church, the seizing or the catching away of saints into the air. I did a little bit of a word study. I found something remarkable in the King James Bible. Those three words, the phrase in the air, shows up only three times.
This is the exciting part of the gospel because it speaks about resurrection, it speaks about also an event that is unlike anything else. There is nothing that excites the imagination other, I believe, according to my opinion, I think my brother Paul believes then this event, because there's something, they're not only supernatural and divine, but it's purely by the grace of God that this comes about and it's exciting and people should not, you should not let people steal your joy. In its anticipation.
There is coming a time, a moment where you and I will be in the air somewhere above the clouds. And I believe those are glory clouds, they're going to come. I believe when this happens, this event, that it's going to actually cover, people on the earth aren't going to know what's going on, they're going to know something happened, they're just not going to know what. It's going to be quick.
But you know that in the air. In the air where we're going, there's three verses in the scripture that speak of being in the air. And I'm using that precise three word phrase. Deuteronomy 417 says the likeness of any beast that is on the earth, the likeness of any winged foul that flyeth in the air. Proverbs 3019, the way.
And actually I'll give that context. Proverbs 30 talks about there be three things which are too wonderful for me. Yay. Four, which I know not, the way of an eagle in the air, the way of a serpent upon a rock, the way of a ship in the midst of the sea, and the way of a man with the maid.
And then the very final in the air describes this event. That's amazing to me. That's not a coincidence. That's God saying, listen, there's a reason why you say it's time to fly. It's not accidental, we're taking flight one day.
First thessalonians chapter four. Turn there in your Bibles.
Wow.
Verse 16. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, with the trump of God, and the dead in Christ shall rise first, then we which are alive and remain.
Here's the rapture part here's the violent seizing as a bird, as a raptor, coming and seizing its prey and lifting them out, then we which are library main shall be so it's something future. It's going to happen because the word of God says it shall be caught up where? Well, you're going up, the direction is up. To be caught, to catch something is to seize, right? As you catch a fish, you seize it out of the water.
A harpoon is something you use for large sea mammals. You harpoon them, you lift them up right quick out of the water. You get it out of the way of where it is, you catch it away.
It's a forceful term.
The fact that you're caught up is letting you know. That it's something that you don't do. Something does it to you. Someone's speaking it, but where are you going? This is why I say it's in the air.
You're caught up together with them in the clouds. The them are those who have been risen already, the dead in Christ who came back with Jesus to get their resurrection bodies.
What's the purpose? To meet the Lord in the air.
To meet the Lord in the air. And the comfort is here, and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words. See, these words are a comfort. These words are a comfort for believers, especially those are going through trials and eagerly awaiting for their change to come.
These words are comforting because they promise something glorious.
They promise something that's not of this earth that is passing away all the more quickly as the days go on. It seems this is a fantastic, supernatural, divinely appointed event that comes by way of the trump of God.
Get that? The trump of God spoken about throughout the Scriptures, in the New Testament, particularly declared to be also a mystery, that not everybody is going to fall asleep or die, but we shall all be changed.
Wow. The glorification of the body is a promise. If you are a believer today and you have problems in your as you age, you have more problems, right?
Because what we have is perishing. What we have is earthy. What we have is finite. What we have is corrupted. What we have is weak and beggarly.
But what we're putting on in this event wow. Is youth, strength, glory, incorruptibility, power, and might. And you're going to fit into Christ perfectly, as you ought to.
The hope of the believer is that you could be changed in a moment. Could it be in the next few minutes? Could it be in the next few hours? Could it be tonight before you go to bed?
In a moment in the twinkling of an eye. This is not something that's drawn out. It's not something that you could see coming. Hey, there he comes. Let's get the cameras out, honey.
In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump for the trumpet shall sound.
To know what that trumpet is, all you got to do is look at first thessalonians 416, the trump of God. So quick scripture with scripture, the trump of God, the trumpet shall sound. You know, that trump of God might be him himself speaking, because, you know the voice is the voice of a trumpet. Exodus 19 lets us know that when God speaks no, it's not the 7th trumpet of the angel that's pouring out vile judgments in the earth. It's not that trump.
That's an angel trumpet. It's particular. It's a judgment trumpet. This trump of God is for resurrection.
The dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. That's how quick this is going to happen.
This corruptible must put on incorruption. See, we have an inheritance in heaven. We need the bodies that can navigate the worlds that the Lord God has made. That'll blow your mind. There's worlds, plural.
There's heavenly places, there's positions to be had.
The rule and reign of Christ doesn't cease in heaven. It's in heaven and in earth.
The Book of Revelation lets you know how he takes the kingdoms of the earth back to himself and gives Israel their promised kingdom, fulfilling the covenants made to their fathers with a thousand year of monocratic theocratic reign that this earth has never seen. And brothers and sisters, we got to go up. We're going up. Get your minds up. They came out with a movie.
Don't look up. Did you know that some kind of show. Don't look up. No. Look up for your redemption.
draweth, nigh. This corruptible must put on incorruption. This mortal must put on immortality. And by the way, I am convinced the devil hates us talking about this because hates, it despises this doctrine.
Actually, I know it. I know it. That's why it's so opposed. Why does he hate the rapture? There's a very good reason.
It's an invasion of airspace. It reclaims. Also, it's a promise where there's those who are going to reclaim lost heavenly positions of the fallen angel contingent. It's a reminder, too, that the heavenly places that the body of Christ are going to be raised up to and gained through the blood of Jesus from the cross.
His loss, our game.
Look what he says I will ascend into heaven. I will ascend above the heights of the clouds. No, but look, that's not going to happen for Him. But I will be, like, the most high. No, but for us it says we're going to be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.
He's the prince of the power of the air. But we've been raised up together and sit together in heavenly places now.
So understand where the opposition comes from. We get caught up unto God.
We're going to put on incorruption. We're going to put on immortality. Thank you, Jesus. I can't do anything to make that happen. Can you?
And then death is swallowed up in victory. See? O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? One Corinthians 1555 death, where is thy sting?
For some none will get stinged. Grave, where is thy victory? For many in the graves are going to be caught up, going to be resurrected.
Wow. The sting of death is sin. The strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. And therefore, because this can happen in a moment, I believe the scriptures make a case that we ought to be watchful, watchful sober.
That's why First Corinthians 1558 says my beloved brethren, be steadfast unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord. Why? Because he can come for you.
So as much as you know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.
It's almost time, brothers and sisters. Sisters live in anticipation of the glorious event. The twinkling of an eye, the last trumpet. And it's almost time. Jesus is coming.
Do you have a boarding pass? Do you know there's a reward for you there's? Laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord the righteous judge shall give me at the day, says the apostle. But not to him, only to all them also that love his appearing. This is part of our Gospel.
Are you excited for this? Or are you looking excited? Are you anticipating the Lord Jesus Christ to deliver you from the wrath to come, as he promised in first thessalonians 110?
There's nothing to be ashamed about this.
It's a biblical event.
A lot of people get caught up on the word not showing up.
Your argument that the rapture isn't found in the Bible is false because the Latin word raptoro, which is found in a Latin Vulgate version but the Latin root is where we get the word raptor being a raptor, an eagle or an osprey, a hawk, an owl, anything that swoops down from above and snatching up its dinner with force. But Jesus will descend into the air and suddenly snatch up the church to Himself with the force of his words. Come up here.
The word rapture is not found in the English translations of the Bible, but it's there in the terms caught up. Caught up is in multiple places in your Bible. It's a plucking. It's an event that takes a seizing.
And it's wonderful.
Wow. Jesus is coming. Are you ready? Are you ready? If you receive them as your Lord and Savior, you're ready.
If you believe the Gospel, you're ready. That's how you do it. You believe the Gospel from the heart.
Expect them we're to wait for the sun from heaven. First. Thessalonian Ten, colossians three, verse four.
There's a persistent and consistent theme in the Epistles that these congregations everywhere should be looking for this and anticipating it.
Colossians three says that we are dead. Our life is hid with Christ and God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear. Do you see how it's a sudden thing? Then shall ye also appear with Him in glory.
You see, that's the catching away. That's the translation and resurrection. Now, for some, it's going to happen when we die. But even the dead in Christ, they have to wait, do they not? What's wonderful about this event, it's like a family picture.
They have to wait to get their bodies because it's all happening at one time. They come back with Him and they receive the glorified body. Then if we are alive and living at the time, we get caught up and translated with a glorified body. But we're all in the air. That's the appearance of Christ in glory.
The book of Philippians is also a reminder. And this is the greatest struggle in the Christian life. How much of this earth do you want to hold on to? It's been a struggle for me, I'll be honest. I had to let go of things and let go of things.
But how much of this earth do you want? How much of this world are you still holding on to?
By all means, be as a good citizen here and do good things for people. But you don't set up shop like as if this is your forever place. That's not scriptural. It's not scriptural.
Philippians, chapter three, verse 20 says that our conversation. That's our citizenship, the way of our living, the manner of life is in heaven.
It's in heaven. Your expectation is truly in heaven.
You belong up there. I belong up there. We're already considered to be up there in heaven.
Now that's something evidently you cannot see with your human eyes, but you must accept it by what see. It makes it by faith.
Faith will turn the whole thing around once you start seeing yourself up there, you're up there.
And it's something that we must grab onto faith now. But it's going to be a literal it's a literal, actual place with real trees, with real animal life, with real gardens and minerals. And all these are wonderful things and atmosphere.
And that's our citizenship for our conversation. Our conversation, Philippians 320 says, is in heaven from whence we also look see that we look for we look for not just anybody, but we look for the Savior.
Do you ever stop and look at this verse?
Why would he say that we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ and we look for Him in a very special way to perform something here, look what he's doing. In verse 21 of Philippians, chapter three, we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall change our vile body. That's one. Corinthians 15 51 52, right there. That's the change.
That's the translation. That's the blessed hope.
Revolutionize your faith today by receiving that start. If you haven't start looking for the Savior, start living in such a way where you're looking for Him to change your vile body, that it might be fashioned like unto his glorious body. That's what the scripture says.
That along with behold, I show you a mystery which not all sleep o shall be changed.
That along with the promises of Titus, chapter two, verse 13. Another exhortation to be in a particular position as a member of his body. For the grace of God that brings salvation appear to all of us, brothers and sisters, teaching us grace is a wonderful teacher, if you let it be, if you understand, grace will teach you amazing things.
And it teaches us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts. The author here is going to fix your mind off the earth and onto heavenly things. Once again, not a popular Christian outlook today. We're more concerned what's going on here and now.
Denying ungodliness and worldly lusts. We should live soberly that's with understanding of the mind righteously in Jesus Christ and Godly in this present world.
Simple solution. Faith working through love. Right? Why? Because we're looking for see that?
Titus 213. You're looking for again. What are you looking for? Who are you looking for?
You're looking for that blessed hope. You're looking for the blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ.
Now you start comparing one Corinthians 1551 and 52. In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, we shall not all sleep, we shall all be changed. The mystery. Philippians 321. Look for the Savior who shall change your vile body.
Titus 213 looking for the blessed hope, the glorious appearing of the great God and Savior. Jesus is God. Jesus is Christ. Jesus is savior. Jesus is coming.
Do you want him to come?
Do you want him to come for you? Would you be okay if Jesus came today for you?
I'm not saying do you want your lost family members to be saved? Of course we do. I'm not saying stop preaching the gospel. No, this is the gospel. This is the gospel.
Do you know how I came to Jesus Christ? Do you know how I came to Jesus Christ? Somebody scared the crap out of me one day in my spirit said, you know, one day Jesus is coming back. That's all they had to say to me. Me knowing I haven't.
I'm like, wow. Because something happened on the TV in 20 13 14, he goes, you know, one day Jesus is coming back. An uncle said that. Everybody thinks he's crazy. My Uncle Danny, everybody puts him in the corner, thinks he's a nut job, but he said something.
Jesus is coming back. And I was living in sin, and I'm like, oh, man, Jesus is coming back. Something in my spirit said, yes, that's happening one day.
We warn every man, we admonish you. Jesus is coming back. I'm going to say it every day, as long as it's today, because he's the great God and Savior for those who are saved. But he's the just judge coming back to judge sin if you're not.
Jesus is coming back.
The last days, they said there would be mockers and scoffers laughing at such a preposterous notion. But they're just fulfilling scripture, are they not?
There's an expectancy to this, there's an imminency to this. There's a watchfulness that we ought to have. Romans, chapter eight.
We know, brothers and sisters, that the whole creation grownth and travaileth in pain together until now.
And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the first fruits of the Spirit. I want you to be comforted in this fact. If you have the Holy Spirit, you belong to Jesus Christ. If you belong to Jesus Christ, you don't have anything to worry about. Keep running your race, encouraging one another, loving one another, and praying for one another.
But we grown within ourselves now, waiting for the adoption. Now, brothers, if you're waiting for something, that means there's a hope. You don't wait for something that you already have. Though we do know that God has adopted us, he's speaking about a day here. The adoption is another word for the day of redemption.
We're waiting for the adoption here. It is, to wit, the redemption of our body. For we are saved by hope. But hope that is seen is not hope.
For what a man sees, how can he still hope for it?
The risen Glorified, beautiful, majestic, holy, royal, incomparable savior is the hope of the believer. And you and I to appear with him in glory is our blessed hope.
The Epistles of the Corinthians, which was written for correction and for reproof upon a congregation that was so utterly carnal.
And I love how the apostle addresses them in the very beginning. I think I spoke to Max about this once, I don't know. But he's reminding them of something. And he calls them all believers. He addresses them as brothers just because they were in some they were in some pretty bad sin, some of them.
He says, even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you, so that ye come behind in no gift, waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, who shall confirm you unto the end watchful waiting. Clean up your act. He's saying, come on, have faith. Continue on together, waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The patient waiting for Christ.
Second, thessalonians three five, looking for the Savior, looking for him that shall appear. And we have a precious promise, do we not?
I make no bones about this, but I hold to a pretribulation, pre millennial theology which promises a rapture of the Church before the time of Jacob's trouble, prior to the time of divine judgment that's coming upon this earth.
Because if you don't ascribe to that, that means you have to wait for other things to happen before Jesus can come. And we believe the scriptures don't speak that way.
The rapture, the coming of Christ for his church will glorify church saints.
The end of the tribulation. You'll see a resurrection of martyrs in that tribulation period and also Old Testament saints that will be resurrected. Revelation, chapter 20, verse four. This is number one reason is this time period that the church is delivered out of, isn't appointed to the body of Christ, being members of his body, being the bride of Christ, having that relationship with the Lord Jesus, that's a nourishing and cherishing relationship.
The tribulation period is a period that concerns Israel and not the church. Why do I say that? Because the scriptures point that out.
The Old Testament Scriptures in Jeremiah chapter 30, verses one through seven, daniel, chapter twelve, verses one even Matthew 24, they speak of a unique distress upon Jacob, which is Israel.
Daniel chapter nine, verse 27 talks about a 70th week or a final week. It's appointed to Daniel and Daniel's people.
The prophecy that was given by the archangel Gabriel was given to Daniel.
God will pronounce 70 weeks of years. It's 77, so it's 490 years for Daniel's people in Daniel's city, which is Israel and Jerusalem. Salvation goes to the Jew first and to the Greek, while tribulation is also the same, those 70 weeks of years is uniquely designed to do what? Let's look at Daniel chapter nine.
Church is not Israel and Israel is not the church. The body of Christ has not replaced the whole nation that was elected prior to the establishment of the body of Christ to establishment of the church. The promise is made to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. The promise is made to David and to Solomon. The Davidic covenant, the Abrahamic covenant, those everlasting covenants, they are to be fulfilled.
Something must transpire. 1st 70 weeks, isn't that wonderful? We have the prophecy right here plainly in Daniel chapter nine, verse 24. 70 weeks are determined upon thy people, upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, to make an end, to make an end of sins, to make reconciliation for iniquity brothers and sisters, an end of your sins and a reconciliation of iniquity. Where did that take place for you who are in Christ?
It took place what? At his cross when he was crucified, and to bring in everlasting righteousness. What does that tell you right there? What's everlasting righteousness? The time of the kingdom to seal up the vision and prophecy, prophecy would have been fulfilled then at the final 70th week, at the end of the week, and to Anoint, the most holy, if you read on in Daniel 924, you'll see that after 69 weeks, in Daniel 926, the Messiah is cut off.
That's the crucifixion, the Messiah is cut off.
And then you'll see in Daniel 927, so after the crucifixion, he's cut off. And we know that if you place that around, let's say, let's say around about 30 Ad, 40 years later, 70 Ad. Comes, the people of Jerusalem are invaded, right? The temple destroyed, the city destroyed, and they're scattered throughout the world. And then Daniel 927, you see here and now you have a final week.
He shall confirm the covenant with many for one week, and in the midst of the week, he shall cause the sacrifice and oblation to cease. The point here is that there's a holy people in the context as the nation of Israel all these weeks of years are appointed to them. Matthew 20 four's audience is no different. When Jesus tells you in the middle of Matthew 24, look back to Daniel's prophecy, he's speaking to a segment of people, a specific group. The focus of God in this tribulation period is on a national Israel, and it's confirmed again by Paul in Romans.
So that we're not, this is not something that's hidden. It's not a hidden theory. It's plain. Romans, chapter 910 eleven, especially chapter eleven.
It's plain now, because what happened is that the Holy Spirit wanted to warn us that we shouldn't believe that it's all about us now, right? It's not all about the Gentiles, it's not all about the it's not as if God had finally done away with Israel altogether. And now, because they rejected their king, their kingdom and their Messiah, they turned their back, his blood be upon us and our children, right? Well, even then the faithfulness of God, the faithfulness of God continues on and Paul celebrates this. And if you're a believer, you should celebrate this too.
God doesn't just abandon those he called and those he elected, does he?
Romans chapter eleven, verses 25 through 29 will highlight this.
For I would not, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own conceits, lest you think that somehow you've replaced the nation of Israel. And now it's all about you. That blindness in part is happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles become in. Romans chapter nine, verse 26, and so all Israel shall be saved, future event, future time period, not saved at the time of the writing of the Epistle to the Romans, but they shall be saved. When?
Now you're going to look at the end of Daniel's 70th week here. That's basically what it's describing, as it is written there shall come out of Zion the deliverer that's the Lord Jesus Christ, the Messiah, when they see Him, they're going to wail all the nations of the earth. They're going to view him.
He's coming as from Zion above the deliverer out of Zion. Jerusalem. He's going to land in Jerusalem. He shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob. This is my covenant unto them when I shall take away their sins.
You see, their sins need to be removed and taken away. Why aren't they taken away now? Verse 28 of Romans eleven tells you as concerning the Gospel, they are enemies for your sakes.
But meaning wait it that's not the end of it. They're enemies now with the Gospel going out. The Gospel of the grace of God, inviting all nations in. But here's the faithfulness of God as touching the election, they are beloved for the Father's sakes. God made promises in the past that he intends to keep.
It's as simple as that. Does your God keep promises or did he just break them? For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. Okay, the final week accomplishes God's reconciliation of God's elect Israel.
They're going to acknowledge through a time of trouble unbelieving, israel is going to acknowledge their Messiah, Jesus Christ.
We see that in the Book of Ezekiel, chapter 26 22 through 28. Really? But the point of the matter is that he's going to give them a new heart, put a new spirit in them.
They shall keep their judgments, they shall dwell in the land that he gave to their fathers. Ezekiel 36 28, you shall be my people and I will be your God. He's speaking about the house of Israel. Ezekiel, chapter 36, verse 22. Therefore say unto the house of Israel thus say at the Lord God, I do this not for your sake, so house of Israel, but for my holy name's sake.
That's why the election stands. Sure, it's for God's holy namesake, God's reputation.
They're going to accept Jesus Christ. Hallelujah. You know, he's a god. What do we know Him as? The god of reconciliation.
Right. He's reconciled us back to himself through the Lord Jesus Christ. We are ambassadors of reconciliation today, israel thrown aside until the final time of their appointed time is coming.
Zechariah, the prophet Zechariah, chapter twelve, speaks about when this happens too. They're going to mourn. They're going to look upon whom they have pierced and mourn for him as one, mourns for their only son.
There's a prophetic purpose to this tribulation period when you study the Book of Revelation. The second reason is the Church or the body of Christ is a missing component in that book from chapter six through 18.
And I'll be so bold if you turn to Revelation, actually chapter three, that you have a not to mention other scriptures, you're promised not to go through this period of time. But in Revelation 310, the Church is promised to be kept from the hour of temptation which shall come upon all the world and to try them that dwell upon the earth. And Jesus is speaking about a time where he comes quickly, that they should hold fast and anybody should take their reward. And when you study Revelation, you see that in Revelation chapter four and five, there are these 24 elders that are up there at the throne room of God. And their identification becomes evident as you study who they are by the words, by the descriptive terms that God has given us.
You see John, after the seven letters of the seven churches, brothers and sisters, in Revelation chapters two to three, they're given instructions. And then it says, after this, I look, behold, a door was opened in heaven. Something is opening up above. The first voice is a voice of a trumpet talking, says, come up. Hither immediately.
John's in the spirit. He's at this throne. He's at this throne room. He's in the third heaven. And where are we now?
I want you to know time and place. This is evidently before the opening of the seven sealed scroll.
That's where we are. You have this curious group at the throne. Who are they? 24 elders in heaven. Revelation chapter four, verse four.
Round about the throne were four and 20 seats. And upon the seats I saw four and 20 elders sitting clothed in white raiment. And they had on their heads crowns of gold by the Bible. Elders are considered to be spiritual leaders and teachers. And they're actually both in the Old Testament, in Israel and the New Testament, when you look at Peter describes elders, they're representative for the group at large, particularly as described in Revelation four.
These elders are what they're round about God's throne. Their identifying characteristics ought to be studied. I don't think we should just ignore details.
Let's look at the first detail. They're rewarded. Thrones. Elders are sitting on these seats. The Greek for seats is here is thrones.
The church sits with Christ on his throne according to Revelation chapter three, verse 21. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame and sat down with my Father in his throne. So the first descriptive identifying characteristic is that they have seats and thrones that was promised to the church.
Notice this is up in heaven. What is the church looking for? A heavenly inheritance? Where is the Savior that we talked about? Why do we look for the Rapture, the Glorification?
Because he's coming down from heaven, jumping around a little bit. In Revelation chapter five, verse ten, it says here something else about these elders. Let's go there and look. They're singing a song, but they're made. It says here that they are made kings and priests.
We shall reign on the earth. Elders are kings and priests.
Revelation chapter one, verses six.
John speaking about who we are made. In Revelation one six, christ has made us kings and priests unto God and his Father so they're rewarded thrones, they're kings and priests. And now let's look at something else.
They reign with Christ. Well, two Timothy 212 tells us that if we suffer, we shall reign with him. Two Timothy 212, reigning with Christ is part of the inheritance that we have with Jesus Christ. What I'm getting at is the identifying characteristics of these elders. They're representing the larger group.
We're going to see that as we go on. They're thrones, they're made kings and priests. They reign with Christ. Now let's look at something that they're wearing.
They're clothed already.
They're clothed in white raiment.
Revelation 44. They're sitting and they're clothed in white raiment.
What do we know about this, this white raiment? Where have we seen that before? Revelation, chapter three, verse five. He that overcometh here's the overcoming church, he that overcometh the same shall be clothed in white raiment.
Revelation 19 eight, before the second coming, the bride is clothed in white linen, pure and white.
Notice this is different than the other group that shows up at the throne in Revelation Seven, which have white robes. That group in Revelation seven aren't sitting, but they're round about the throne. They don't have seats.
So these elders are rewarded thrones. They're made kings and priests. They reign with Christ. They have white linen, just like the saints are promised in the church. They also have crowns of gold on their head.
Revelation, chapter four, verse four. This is interesting. They had on their heads crowns of gold. What do we know? These must be glorified saints, right?
Everything that's describing them. They have bodies already. They have bodies.
They have crowns on their heads, gold.
Revelation 210 talks about a crown of life. Revelation 311 to the church that no man may take thy crown and the whole bema judgment of one Corinthians. One three talks about a judgment seat of Christ where men are rewarded. What? Gold, silver, precious stones.
Paul talks about winning crowns, the crown of righteousness. There's five crowns in the Bible. We won't get into that now. But the point is that it seems these saints have been through a reward ceremony, does it not?
It seems like they've received things, I don't know, just putting it out there. But what really drives it home for me is what they're singing. They're gathered about the throne and in Revelation 59, they're singing a new song and they're talking to the Lamb, who's worthy to take the book and to open the seals. Look. Look at Revelation Five nine.
They sing a new song. Thou art worthy to take the book and to open the seals, for thou was slain and hast redeemed us. They're speaking of themselves. Redeemed us to God by thy blood, out of every kindred and tongue and people and nation.
These are representing the entire church, out of every kindred, tongue, people and nation, not just Jews.
We're redeemed not with corruptible things, but but the precious blood of christ. We're washed in the blood of Christ. That's the redemption.
And lo and behold, they're there before the Lamb of God opens the first seal. Judgment of Revelation chapter six.
And nowhere in the Revelation does it speak about a resurrection of Christ. But interestingly, it does have a group in Revelation 19 before the second coming that's already up there. Not only are they up there, they've already been purified. Not only have they been purified, they've already married.
Revelation 19, verse seven.
Let us be glad and rejoice and give honor to him, for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready, and to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white. For the fine linen is the righteousness of the saints, because whatever's left over in the judgment is the judgment of works, the righteousness of saints.
And this same group is coming back with the Lamb of God in Revelation 1914, and the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses clothed in fine linen, white and clean.
Notice something else about these elders. They are up in heaven the entire time of the tribulation they're mentioned throughout the book. In Revelation chapter four. I just mentioned five, revelation seven, Revelation eleven, Revelation 14. These elders are there.
Who could have such a unique position? The number 24 is representative in the Bible of a plurality of leadership. The use of 24 in the Bibles in First Chronicles 24 and 25 talks about divisions of the Levitical priests. This is the completed body up there.
We know that they cannot be these elders. The process of elimination could help us out, too, in identifying who they are, aside from the other information we just shared. But they can't be angels or tribulation saints.
No, they're distinct from the cherubim or the seraphims that are up at the throne room. They're distinct from the beasts in Revelation 511. They're distinct from the angels in Revelation 711. See, they can't be angels, and they're also not the same group as Revelation 714. Now look at Revelation chapter seven.
Revelation seven. In Revelation 79, there's another great multitude that's out there that no man can number. They're also from all nations, kindreds and people in tongues. They are standing before the throne and before the Lamb. This group has palms in their hands and white robes.
Who are they? The elders are asking that too, revelation 713. The elders answered, saying unto me, who are these? What's this big group with white robes? Where do they come from?
They're separate from the elders, therefore, right? That's the distinction.
Look at the description, sir. Thou knowest revelation 714. These are they which came out of great tribulation. Great tribulation is the descriptive term in the Scripture to talk about the final three and a half year period, really, of Jacob's trouble, the worst time the earth is ever going to say great tribulation. It's mentioned in Daniel twelve one Matthew 20 415.
It's a time unlike any other time the Earth has ever known. No, it hasn't happened yet.
This is a time of great tribulation, and these saints have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. By enduring, they are before the throne of God. They serve Him day and night in his temple.
They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore, neither shall the sunlight on them, nor any heat. See, they went through great tribulation.
They were harvested out of this period of judgment.
Okay, so it's interesting when you study the Bible, you see this group and not everyone's going to agree, but I think you can make a really strong biblical case.
I mean, if God says, study to show yourself, approve, and he gives you these things and he puts them there, I think he wants us to study them so we can come to now. The church is going to be missing there's also, throughout the time of Revelation six through 19, you know all those seven letters that are given to the seven churches? Do you see how they all end? With a very similar exhortation? And just look at this Revelation, chapter two, verse seven.
Here's the first of it, but it's all repetitive. He the hath in here. Let him hear what the capital S, what the Spirit saith unto the churches. That's in Revelation two, 7211, 217, 229. It happens at the end of every letter.
Three 6313, 322. So it's seven different occasions in the tribulation period. In Revelation 13 nine, the phrase comes back. But now here's what it says. This is when Antichrist is going to be really the beast is he started that horrible reign.
He's continuing for 42 months. That's three and a half years. This is a time on the earth when the body of Christ is is gone. And that's why in Revelation 13 nine, here's what it says. If any have an ear, let him hear.
It's a different exhortation than it was to the churches. Things different aren't the same. The phrase changes the new spiritual man, the body of Christ. This organism isn't there on the earth. Why?
Well, Christ hasn't appointed his body members to wrap. We don't belong there. It's as simple as that.
What happens is, just like when Elijah gets raptured in Second Kings, chapter two, the mantle is sort of or, the call is given to another group. God is going to evangelize the world through 144,000. Israelites Revelation, chapter seven, verses one through eight, says that the church is neither Jew nor Greek. There's no identifying mark. When you read about a book like this, and it's Israel Jewish tribes, well, God's doing something.
144,000. Now, you could say that's an actual number and also representative of a greater number as well. But the fact here is that you also have two distinct witnesses that show up in Revelation eleven at a. Jewish Temple in Israel. Two witnesses.
You also have angels that are going to be preaching the everlasting gospel in the heavens. They're going to be preaching the gospel to people. Angels are going to be doing that. If the church is here, why can't the church do it? I believe it's going to get so bad at the point that God's going to the fact of the matter is that the gospel is going to continue to go out to the very end.
It's just that who's doing it? Who's picking up that call now? The church. Number three. Why we hold to a pretribulation rapture we consider it to be good news is because the church is exempt from divine wrath.
First. Thessalonians 110 we're delivered from the wrath to come. First, thessalonians five nine, we're not appointed to it. The blood of Christ is the propitiation, the appeasing of God's wrath and the way of deliverance from wrath. Romans five nine, wrath is wrath.
A lot of people have problems seeing the seals as the beginning of God's wrath. But I invite you to study Ezekiel, chapter 14, which mirrors those sealed judgments and calls it severe judgments, sore judgments. God calls it that, and he brings that on Israel in Ezekiel 14 because of his indignation and his anger against sin. See, I don't hold to God being angry with the body of Christ. I don't hold to an excessive form of sore judgments that are necessary for Christ's body.
I don't think the scripture holds to it either.
Make no mistake, it's good business if we believe we need to prep for tribulation and be here, but a lot of websites that could instill that kind of teaching. But I hold to the Scripture that Christ himself has actually made a way out of the period of divine judgment. Luke 21 36 tells us that everybody should pray to escape all these things that are to come. Revelation 310 says that God has made a way to what this is the Scripture saying. But Revelation 310 says this in no in certain terms that because you've kept the word of my patience, I'll keep thee from the hour of temptation.
And this is a worldwide event that's going to come upon all the earth. He's going to keep you from it, deliver it. That means take you out of it. The hour not even the actual thing he says the hour. I keep thee from the hour of trying and testing.
I don't think God chastises his people with divine wrath, his people being the body of Christ. The correction you undergo today in your trials and tribulations has nothing to do with this pointed period, which we've already said biblically goes to Israel first, the Jew first to reconcile the iniquity.
No, you're not appointed. Wrath can be avoided. It ought to be. Believe the gospel, you're sealed with the Holy Spirit.
That's why it's called the sealing until the day of redemption, we're just taking all the scripture and seeing how it conforms. That's why Paul saying, look up. Look for the blessed hope. You're seeking to be delivered from the wrath to come your conversation, your citizenship is in heaven from once we look for the Savior, he saves the body. Jesus saves the body.
He doesn't look to unduly punish his own body. Think how that's preposterous. The head is in heaven, the body is in heaven and on earth, the trials you endure are promised. John 1633 says, people, Christians are persecuted unto death here. That's not the period of divine judgment.
It's different from the wrath of God opening up seals. 1633 these things I have spoken to you, that in me you may have peace in the world, you shall have tribulation, but be a good cheer, I have overcome the world. Having tribulation in the world is different than seals, trumpets and vile judgments. It's just not the same. You can't make it the same just because it's the same word.
It's not Satan's wrath either. I hear a lot of people saying, well, that's Satan's wrath. No, it's not. No, it's not. Satan's wrath comes in, is involved, but there's only one that could open the scrolls that starts the thing off.
It's the Lamb of God. Revelation six one when I see the Lamb open one of the seals, I heard as it was the noise of a thunder, the Lamb of God's doing it. That first judgment is great deception, by the way, the Antichrist.
This is different than the Lord's chastisement for sanctification purposes. One Corinthians 130 says that Christ God has made Jesus Christ to be for us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification and redemption.
Apart from sanctification, there's no other judgment that's necessary for the body of Christ.
Moreover, it's described as a comfort the event of what we're looking for.
You know, John chapter 14 the first thing Jesus does once he separates actually Judas from the rest of the crowd. It's funny once that once the Antichrist leaves in John 13, John 14, he sits them down. He says, Listen, let not your heart be troubled you believe in God, believe also in me, in my Father's house or many mansions. If it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
See, there's a comfort there. And if I go and prepare a place, I'll come again, receive you unto myself. There's a personal retrieval and an escort, just like first Thessalonians 416 17, I'll descend from heaven with the shout.
That's what brings this to a special kind of hope and anticipation, the blessed hope. Titus 213 not to mention that the restrainer has got to be removed. Second, thessalonians chapter two, a pretribulation rapture is consistent with the removal of that which restrains. In second thessalonians two verses one to two, there's been a false letter that troubled the church at that time, that they had missed the rapture, and that now they're in the day of Christ. And Paul says, listen, if you read on there's things that must happen before that judgment comes.
You shouldn't be troubled that you're in it.
And when you read on there is a second, thessalonians two six to seven, there's one who restrains holds something back. That's what restrains mean. To lettuce, to let it to let means in the in the King James is to hinder the course or the progress of something. And it's this wicked who's to be indwelled by Satan, he cannot take the place in the world scene. He who now letth will let or restrain until he be taken out of the way.
So evil is always working in the world. The mystery of iniquity is at work, but it becomes worse and worse. Timothy reminds us of that in the last days there would be perilous times, but there's a restraining influence on this world through the body of Christ who fights the war spiritually. That's why the seal is until the day of redemption. See the sealing, the Holy Spirit is removed temporarily in order for this iniquity to bring forth the wicked, the Antichrist, you have types and parallels of a resurrection and a rapture throughout the scriptures too.
And particularly Jesus talks about in Matthew.
You have Old Testament typography in the life of Enoch and Elijah, which I think Enoch is an excellent picture. Some people disagree, but Enoch was alive and he was taken. Enoch walked with God and then he was not, for God took him. Genesis 524, he was eleven five. What does that mean other than Enoch never saw death?
That's what it means. And it's funny because when you preach about or teach the rapture, there's going to be some who are never going to experience physical death and going to be caught up.
I believe Jesus is giving you a hint that the days of Noah and the days of Lot, there's a time where, see, God knows how to keep and preserve his own through judgment and he knows how to deliver even just lot before the judgment comes down. I believe that rapture is a similar event and it's described that way because if you think about it, when you're removed, you're removed quickly.
The apostle Paul speaks about this in two corinthians twelve. Him being caught up, it's a real thing. And he wants you to know, the Lord wants you to know that not only is it real, but it's going to happen to the body of Christ. It happened to the Apostle Paul after he was stoned to experience it happened so quickly to him in two Corinthians Twelve, he didn't know if he was in his body or not anymore.
I think what happens is that we want to try to reason with the scripture instead of letting the scripture speak to us. This is a supernatural book filled with divine miracles.
Elijah was taken up to heaven in a whirlwind in a chariot of fire. Jonah was swallowed by an actual fish. Do you believe these things? When the Red Sea parted, they walked on dry ground. Do you ever stop and think about that?
Exodus 1429 what I'm trying to show here is that God could do the miraculous. He's not limited. The children of Israel walked upon dry land in the midst of the sea, and the waters were a wall unto them on the right and on their left. Do you take that literally? Didn't walk in two inches of water, didn't carry mud.
I believe God made it so. They literally walked on dry land like sand, and the waters were a wall. I think the Charlton Heston movie is an accurate depiction of what it probably looked like.
Here's the point. The point is Jesus Christ can raise the dead. Whenever Jesus Christ wants to do it. At any point he wants to do it. And you can't stop Him and neither can I.
The Bible makes a case for it.
Do you believe it?
The Lord has a special relationship with you and I. It's unlike others. Why do I say that is because not everybody's a member of the body of Christ. Not every saint is a member.
John the Baptist is not in the body. The law and the prophets were until John. John says, he that hath the bride is the bridegroom, but I am a friend of the bridegroom. Essentially. The point I'm making here is that you have a unique position in Christ.
And it so tells us turn to Ephesians chapter five.
This is the relationship as a husband to a wife. You can't get more loving than this and nourishing and cherishing.
Ephesians 523 for the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is head of the church, and he's the SA. Look at this. He is the savior of the body.
Ephesians 523 he saves the body.
Therefore, as the church is subject unto Christ, so the wives be to their own husbands. Husbands love your wives. Even as Christ loved the church, gave himself for it, that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word. Look at the relationship, presenting it to Himself.
A glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that it should be holy and without blemish. The presentation is that day of Christ, I believe when we're caught up. He's working on us now, right? Conforming us into his image by the Holy Spirit. So what meant to love their wives?
Their own bodies? See that he that loveth his wife loveth Himself.
We don't sever members of our bodies when they don't do the things we want. We don't cut pieces of ourselves off. We don't unduly punish our own bodies, do we? We shouldn't. That's not how Christ does with his church.
For no man ever yet hated his own flesh. But nourisheth and cherisheth it even as the Lord the Church, for we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. And for this cause shall a man leave his father and mother and shall be joined unto his wife. And they too shall be one flesh. That's Genesis 224.
Taken, lifted, and put in Ephesians five to describe this great mystery, says the apostle Christ and the Church. That's a special relationship, okay? You either could receive that or don't receive that. But still the truth. It's still the truth.
You've been espoused as a chaste virgin that you ought to be married to another. I'm just giving you scripture here.
We're looking for a translation. In the most minute and indivisible part of time, believers, all believers of every age, whether dead, and the ones that are alive at the time will participate and be changed forever. The dead believers whose spirits return will be first to be resurrected, because resurrection always has an order. Even Daniel knew that. The book of Daniel ends with God telling.
Daniel. Daniel. Go to sleep. Go to rest. You'll be resurrected in your lot at your point of time, Daniel.
That's when you're coming up. One Corinthians 15 says that all in Christ shall live. What does it say?
As an Adam all dies, so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order, living believers will be instantly changed, a metamorphosis, a transformation, and then caught up, seized, are taken. The corrupted, mortal, weak and earthly body will perish or come to nothing, either by physical death, or you'll be translated removed to heaven without ever experiencing physical death. And you'll put on the incorruptible, immortal, the mighty, and that celestial body that's capable of wow possibilities endless, right?
Let this be an expectation for the believer. And if you notice that this event is always closely related to the ceiling of the Holy Spirit, because that ceiling is always saying unto the redemption unto the redemption of the purchase, possession, the day of redemption, also known as the adoption. Because the true nature, who we really are will be manifest, will be delivered from the bondage of this exterior remnant of Adam which we battle with. So it's a great day of joy.
This is part of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The good news.
So don't let anybody steal this from you and also come to Jesus as you are, no matter what you've ever done. Remember the simplicity of Jesus Christ, the motivation that we have to share the gospel, the salvation of one soul. Given the dispensation of the gospel of grace, it happens in a moment for somebody. Right, brothers? Right, Max?
Isn't that wonderful? Somebody could hear the gospel and just be saved in a moment, literally.
Notice how it completely takes the power of men's hands? It stops the man from doing anything here. God's got to do it. It's awesome. The God of Heaven will not judge your sins with wrath.
If you receive this gospel of grace, believing how that Christ died for your sins and he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the Scripture, the moment you believe that gospel, you're forgiven, you're saved, you're sealed, you're reconciled, you're sanctified, you're justified all at once by God. The moment you believe the gospel, you're forgiven, you're saved, you're sealed, you're reconciled, you're sanctified, you're justified all at once by the living holy God jesus Christ came in the flesh to finish his work.
Jesus said unto them, my meat is to do the will of Him that sent me and to finish his work. That's the faith of Christ, to finish the Father's work. John 434 there's only one thing you and I could do about our debt of sin. Trust the Lord Jesus Christ and his works.
He's the lover of our souls, guys. He's the light of life, the desire of men's hearts, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins, he will take away your religion. He'll take away that which is unprofitable. And with the sacrifice of Himself, he'll create a new creature, which is you in Christ, and he alone will redeem save you. And he's a king to serve forever and ever.
Hallelujah. The only king, he lights every man that comes to him. There's no one that comes to him that remains in darkness.
For everything and every creature was made for Jesus Christ and by Jesus Christ, and without Him is darkness and the abyss. And the most tragic thing that you can do today is deny the light by which you live and to damn yourself to an eternal darkness. Jesus is the true light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. John, chapter one, verse nine. What does it take from you if you're outside of Christ?
Just tell Jesus, I need you. Let nothing keep you away from God. There's nothing you ever have done that he will not forgive.
This is what sets men free, not religion, the Gospel, that's how you find liberty.
The freedom from power and penalty of sin delivered in a new creation born out of resurrection. Stand fast, therefore we say in the liberty.
Stand fast today in the liberty wherewith Christ has made you free. Do not be entangled again with the yoke of bondage. Actually, after this, what you should do is rest. I would have a nice big lunch or dinner and rest in the Lord and thank Him for everything.
If any man being Christ, he is a new creature. All things are passed away, all things have become new. It's about the cross, guys, it really is. That's the Jesus that we talk about. We preach and teach the Jesus of the cross.
There's no other way. The Scripture says, actually, for I determined not to know anything among you saved Jesus Christ and Him crucified.
You know what this does, this gospel? You know why? It's supposed to. Who gets the preeminence here?
Think about that.
Who gets the preeminence?
Jesus does. And he's the head of the body, the Church. Colossians. 118 says, and he is the head of the body, the Church, who is the beginning, the first born from the dead, that in all things he might have the preeminence.
You want to get a reward when you meet him at the judgment seat, make sure he has first say preeminence. Superiority and excellence, distinction in something, priority of place, in rank, in dignity.
Okay?
Grace abounds to you today. That's it. Grace, grace, grace. Grace abounds to you. You might have lived a life mostly of regrets, mistakes, wrong thoughts, major miscalculations.
Okay. You might be suffering some earthly consequences for that. Wrong words, wrong deeds. A life filled with sin. Yet the grace of God is unfailing despite it all.
That's what you have today. That's a promise from God. Romans 5:20 take the offer. Take this offer of salvation while it is still day.
The times come where it might be too late to take it as freely.
Rejoice. Today the door is open wide. Receive the gift of God with faith. Do not put it off. Do not try to earn it.
God loves you very much, and so do I. I got to shut this down now, but I want to tell you that I love you all. And I hope to do a fellow space with you. And God bless you and have a wonderful day. And the Lord Jesus Christ be with you always.
Love you.