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Romans 4:1-12 · Providence Baptist Church - Sermons

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So, the first point this morning.
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Justification by faith apart from works eliminates the ability to boast.
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! It eliminates the ability to boast.
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! Verses 1-5 is where we find this from our text.
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!
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The word in the church is not exempt from those same things.
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Lines from movies like, show me the money.
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Or, a man's got to do what a man's got to do.
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Sit and stew in our minds.
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Our society, and not just America, is full of examples.
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Athletes embody this me first attitude.
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The wide receiver from the NFL, Terrell Owens, famous for saying,
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I love me some me.
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Grammatically incorrect, but I love me some me.
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It's so bad among athletes that college football is starting in the next three weeks
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that the NCAA sets up regulations and celebration rules
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that if a player scores a touchdown or does something great,
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he starts celebrating himself.
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He's penalized 15 yards or whatever it is, and he hurts the team.
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What they want is they want the players to celebrate the team and not the individual.
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It just comes out of that person, though.
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Which is ironic, because isn't that what sports are good for,
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is teaching kids about teamwork?
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It just comes out of us.
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Let's be realistic.
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It's what we are born with.
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It's why we have to teach our kids how to share.
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We went to see a Votie Bauckham conference last weekend,
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and one thing that he reminded us of is,
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you know, parents will complain,
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well, my kids just don't share.
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And he asked a question to that parent.
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He said, did you teach them how to share?
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Ouch.
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Ouch.
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As a parent of four,
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yeah, did I teach my kids how to share?
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I don't know.
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Or do I just yell at them and say,
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share with your brother or sister.
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Be nice.
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We have to teach them these things,
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because we are born with selfishness.
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It is no wonder that pornography is a multi-billion dollar business,
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because we think about ourselves.
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We're selfish.
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It feeds into that.
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Adam and Eve, when they sinned,
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they acted on the self-gratifying desire
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and not on the selfless God-given joy.
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So to our text,
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we can go all the way back to chapter 3,
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verse 27,
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which reads,
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Then what becomes of boasting?
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Paul says,
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It is excluded.
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This work of salvation is a work of God,
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so there is no boasting.
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It is terminated.
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It is not possible.
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And in chapter 4, verses 1 and 2 says,
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What then shall we say was gained by Abraham,
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our forefather, according to the flesh?
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For if Abraham was justified by works,
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he has something to boast about.
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Agreed.
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The next three words,
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or four words,
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but not before God.
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It is impossible
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to boast before God.
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Before we go any further,
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I thought it would be good
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if I could define salvation for us.
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Not the act of being saved
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or not the way you get saved,
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but the three phases of salvation.
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Because I'm throwing around this word justification,
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and some of you might not even know what that means.
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So, here's where we sit.
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Three phases of salvation.
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We have justification,
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we have sanctification,
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and we have glorification.
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Now, justification is that moment
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of being in right standing with God.
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When Christ, through His obedience on the cross,
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bore the wrath from the Father that we deserved.
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So, because of Christ's death,
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He gave us,
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or in Christ's death,
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He gave us His righteousness.
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So now, as a Christian,
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we are righteous in Christ.
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We are made right.
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We are not judged by our sin.
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Our sin is covered by the blood of Christ,
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and we are made right
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and can stand before the Father.
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Sanctification is the ongoing process.
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So, justification is a one-time thing.
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Okay?
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It is a one-time at salvation,
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at faith.
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Now, sanctification is an ongoing process
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of God perfecting us
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through trials,
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through struggles,
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through discipline,
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and through everyday life.
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Now, on one hand, we are perfect.
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Okay?
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On one hand, at justification,
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we are made right.
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But on the other hand,
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living it out, we're not.
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Romans chapter 7 reminds us
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that we still struggle
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to fight against the flesh and sin.
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But God is perfecting us.
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He is working in us.
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He is setting us apart.
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And the last thing,
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the last phase is glorification.
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Now, this is the final perfection
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of every saint.
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This is what we look forward to
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when God will perfect us.
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This is what Peter talks about
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as the living hope.
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The hope that we'll never die,
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that never changes
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until it comes to fruition.
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We have this hope,
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this glorification
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that's going to happen.
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Okay?
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So these are the three phases
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of salvation.
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So when I talk about justification,
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I'm talking about that moment,
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that moment of faith
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when we are made right before God
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because of the work of Christ.
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So, justification by faith
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apart from works
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eliminates the ability
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to boast in ourselves.
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It is impossible to boast.
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And when he's talking about boast here,
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he's not talking about
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check out these skills that I have.
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Watch me on the court
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or watch me on the field
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or look how good I can spill these words
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or write or whatever it is.
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He's talking about works
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that we think lead to salvation.
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This kind of boasting.
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It cannot be done.
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It cannot be done.
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The world around us
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is saturated with self-indulgence.
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It is no surprise
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when we try to base salvation
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on our own works.
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No surprise
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when we try to say,
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look what I've done.
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Before Christ,
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we are selfish.
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So that selfishness
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even infiltrates
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our religious beliefs.
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So, if I just go to church,
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if I just love my neighbor,
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if I just tithe,
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or if I just attend
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a new members class,
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or if I just get baptized,
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then,
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then,
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I can be saved
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and go to heaven.
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That's not the way it works.
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It is impossible
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for those actions
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to lead to salvation.
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And that's the point
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that Paul is making here.
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If we think that those things
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are going to lead to salvation
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is a strand of legalism.
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John Stott says,
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legalism is the misguided attempt
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to earn our salvation
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by obedience to the law.
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And we make laws all the time.
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If I just do this.
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Let's say,
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let's say you are a humble,
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you are a humble introvert.
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Let's say you would never brag
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or boast
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about anything you have done.
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You say,
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that's not me.
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I would never do that.
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There's going to be a time
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when you are going to be forced
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from your gut,
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from your soul.
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There's going to be a moment
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when you're going to be forced
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to explain
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why you chose to live
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the life that you live.
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There's going to be that time
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before the King of Kings
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at judgment.
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And the news for you
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is going to be very bad.
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you will say anything
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to avoid the punishment
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that sin deserves.
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Now,
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as a Christian,
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we won't have to talk.
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We'll have an advocate for us
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who says,
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who claims us,
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whose righteousness
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we now have.
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See,
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the gospel works
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the opposite in us
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and out of us.
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See,
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we,
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with being self-centered
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and selfish,
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we want to exalt ourselves.
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We want to boast
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about what we can do
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and accomplish.
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The gospel, though,
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changes that.
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We start boasting
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about what God has done.
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The justification
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that He has shown us
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by faith.
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That's why
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we're called
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to be salt and light
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to our neighbors.
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It says,
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don't hide it.
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It says,
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don't cover it with a basket.
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Don't cover the light
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with a basket.
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We have this
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to share.
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The gospel changes that
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from the inside out.
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So verse
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1-2,
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now 3-5.
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It gives us the account
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of Abraham receiving
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righteousness.
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It says,
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for what does the Scripture say?
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Abraham believed God
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and it was counted to him
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as righteousness.
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Now,
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the one who works
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his wages
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are not counted
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as a gift,
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but as his due.
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And to the one
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who does not work,
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but believes in him
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who justifies the ungodly,
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his faith is counted
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as righteousness.
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It is nothing
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that Abraham did,
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but it is what God
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did in Abraham.
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God gave him
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the faith to believe.
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And because he believed,
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he was counted
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as righteous.
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Verse 5 says,
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and to the one
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who does not work,
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but believes in him
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who justifies the ungodly,
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his faith
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is counted
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as righteousness.
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righteousness.
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This same action
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of being counted
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can be applied
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to you and to me.
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The same counted
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that was applied
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to Abraham
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can be applied
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now to us.
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But,
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like Abraham,
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we have no room
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to boast.
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We are the clay
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in the potter's hands.
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Read Romans 9.
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Take a look.
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The clay doesn't say
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to the potter,
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why did you make me
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this way?
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The clay just gets
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molded into whatever
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he gets molded into.
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When God changes
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our hearts,
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He gives us
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something to boast about.
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I've already referenced
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this.
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Matthew 5.
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You are the light
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of the world.
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Nobody will cover
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the light with a basket.
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It is something
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to boast about.
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It is something
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to share
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what Christ has done.
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That light
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only comes
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from Christ.
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Matthew 13.
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44
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tells of the
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kingdom of heaven
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is like a treasure
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hidden in a field
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which a man
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found and covered up.
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Then,
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in his joy,
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he goes and sells
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all that he has
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and he buys
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the field.
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The work of God
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is big enough
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and good enough
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to boast about
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and it's also
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good enough
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to sell everything
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and go buy
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a piece of land.
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So,
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the grace of God
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can move us
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to sell everything.
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Would you?
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The grace of God
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can cause us
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to stop going to school
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and move to the mission field.
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Would you?
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The grace of God
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can cause you
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to run to Iran.
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Would you?
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The grace of God
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can cause you
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to stay right
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where you are.
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Can you?
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In all situations,
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the light that God
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has put in you
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must not be covered
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by a basket.
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And the way
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it's covered
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by a basket
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is that
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self-gratifying
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part of us.
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That selfish
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part of us.
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Once we
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cover the light,
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who's going to see it?
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They're going to see us
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and see what we treasure.
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So,
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don't treasure
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what you think
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is light.
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Treasure the actual light
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and let the world
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see it.
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So,
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not only does
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justification
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by faith
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apart from works
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eliminate
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boasting,
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it is also
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a blessing
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beyond our comprehension.
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Verse 7 and 8.
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quoted from
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Psalms,
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David wrote this
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and it says,
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Blessed are those
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whose lawless deeds
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are forgiven
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and whose sins
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are covered.
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Blessed is the man
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against whom
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the Lord
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will not count
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his sin.
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Now,
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this truth,
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to measure
13:56
blessing
13:57
is impossible.
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And this blessing
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is
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huge.
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So,
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I've made a list
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to give us
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a glimmer,
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just a fraction
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of this
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great blessing.
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So,
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in Christ,
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your sins
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are forgiven.
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Any and everything,
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past,
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present,
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and future.
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In Christ,
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your sins
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are covered
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by the blood
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of Jesus,
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which means
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God the Father
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sees only the blood
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and not the sin.
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In Christ,
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your sins
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will not be counted
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against you.
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In Christ,
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your sins
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have been blotted
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out.
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In Christ,
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your sins
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have been thrown
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as far as
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the east is
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from the west.
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In Christ,
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you are righteous
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before God.
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In Christ,
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you have been adopted
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into the family
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of God.
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In Christ,
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your inheritance
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is immeasurable.
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In Christ,
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you can call
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Abba,
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Father,
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Daddy.
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In Christ,
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there is nothing
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you can do
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that will make
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God love you
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any less.
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In Christ,
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there is nothing
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you can do
15:03
that will make
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God love you
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any more.
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In Christ,
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you can live
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with a confidence
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and a boldness
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in Christ.
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In Christ,
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you have hope
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beyond this world.
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In Christ,
15:15
you can love
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those you wouldn't
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love otherwise.
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In Christ,
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you are being
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perfected,
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so rejoice.
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In Christ,
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God is working
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all things
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for your good.
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In Christ,
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the Creator
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of the universe
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who spoke
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the stars
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and the mountains
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and rivers
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into existence
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wants community
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with you.
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In Christ,
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you are not alone
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and will never
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be alone.
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In Christ,
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you have a comforter
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who can relate
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to anything
15:47
you go through.
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Anything.
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In Christ,
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God is for you
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no matter
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the struggle.
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In Christ,
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God is always
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at work
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for your joy
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and His glory.
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All of this
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from Scripture,
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all of this
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can go on
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and on
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and on.
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fraction
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of the blessing.
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Now,
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I would encourage
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you to make
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your own list.
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Look at Scriptures.
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Treasure
16:17
the God of the Bible
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by exploring
16:20
His Word.
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Make a list
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for yourself
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of these things.
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If all this
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is true,
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if every bit
16:28
of this
16:28
is fact,
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then live
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different
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than the Mormon.
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Live different
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than the Jehovah's Witness.
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Live different
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than the Jewish
16:38
rabbi
16:39
or the Catholic
16:39
priest.
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Because they
16:41
don't have
16:42
these truths
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to cling to.
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Don't just
16:46
be the nice guy.
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Be the girl
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of the guy
16:51
who loves Jesus.
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So not only
16:55
does justification
16:56
by faith
16:56
apart from works
16:57
eliminate boasting,
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which is a good thing,
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not a bad thing,
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not only is it
17:02
a blessing
17:03
beyond our comprehension,
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but it also
17:06
defines works
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as an outpouring
17:09
of faith.
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And this frees us.
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Find this
17:15
in verse 9
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through the first
17:17
part of verse 11.
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Read along with me.
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Is this blessing
17:20
then only
17:21
for the circumcised
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or also
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for the uncircumcised?
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We say
17:25
that faith
17:26
was counted
17:26
to Abraham
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as righteousness.
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How then
17:29
was it counted
17:29
to him?
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Was it before
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or after
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he had been
17:32
circumcised?
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It was not
17:34
after,
17:34
but before
17:35
he was circumcised.
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He received
17:37
the sign
17:38
of circumcision
17:38
as a seal
17:39
of the righteousness
17:40
that he had
17:41
by faith
17:42
while he was
17:43
still
17:43
uncircumcised.
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Now,
17:46
Paul gives us
17:47
three questions.
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Now,
17:49
these questions
17:50
he sees
17:51
are going
17:51
to be asked
17:52
when he
17:52
goes ahead
17:54
and asks them
17:55
and answers them
17:56
for his argument.
17:58
Now,
17:58
we're going to
17:59
focus on
18:00
the last question
18:01
first.
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That was
18:02
the timing
18:03
of Abraham
18:04
being counted
18:05
as righteous.
18:07
When was it?
18:07
Was it before
18:08
or was it
18:09
after circumcision?
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Now,
18:12
if you're like me,
18:13
knowing the stories
18:15
that I know
18:15
from the Bible,
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I'm not going
18:17
to think of
18:18
circumcision
18:19
as the
18:19
moment of
18:22
salvation
18:22
for Abraham.
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I might think
18:24
of,
18:26
okay,
18:27
when was
18:28
Abraham
18:29
righteous?
18:30
Was it
18:30
before he
18:31
went and
18:33
followed God
18:34
and God
18:34
called him?
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Or was it
18:35
after?
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Or I might
18:36
think of
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where he
18:37
took Isaac
18:38
up.
18:39
Was it
18:39
before he
18:39
took Isaac
18:40
up to be
18:40
sacrificed
18:41
or after?
18:42
Because those
18:42
are big deals
18:43
to me.
18:44
I mean,
18:44
those are
18:44
great moments
18:46
of faith.
18:47
Not
18:47
circumcision.
18:48
Although,
18:50
as you'll
18:50
find out,
18:51
I mean,
18:51
Abraham
18:52
was pretty
18:52
old.
18:56
Here's
18:57
why it
18:57
revolves
18:58
around
18:58
circumcision.
19:00
John
19:00
MacArthur
19:01
wrote,
19:01
and he
19:02
put it
19:02
best,
19:03
and I'm
19:03
just going
19:03
to quote
19:03
him.
19:04
No sense
19:05
to me
19:05
trying to
19:05
write it.
19:06
Most Jews
19:07
in the
19:07
New Testament
19:08
times were
19:09
thoroughly
19:09
convinced
19:10
that circumcision
19:11
was not
19:12
only,
19:12
not only
19:13
the unique
19:14
mark
19:14
that set
19:15
them apart
19:15
from all
19:16
other men
19:16
as God's
19:17
chosen people.
19:18
So,
19:18
it not
19:19
only set
19:20
them apart,
19:21
but was
19:22
also the
19:22
means by
19:23
which they
19:23
became
19:24
acceptable
19:25
to God.
19:28
So,
19:29
they put
19:29
all this
19:30
weight and
19:30
all this
19:31
importance
19:31
on this
19:32
one act
19:33
so that
19:33
they could
19:33
be
19:33
acceptable
19:34
to God.
19:37
See,
19:37
many Jews
19:38
believed that
19:38
salvation was
19:39
based on
19:40
their obedience
19:40
to God
19:41
in being
19:41
circumcised.
19:42
circumcised.
19:45
Now,
19:45
on top of
19:46
that,
19:46
their
19:46
eternal
19:47
security.
19:48
So,
19:48
they could
19:49
say to
19:49
God,
19:49
look,
19:50
God,
19:50
I'm
19:52
circumcised.
19:54
I'm
19:54
in heaven.
19:56
Listen
19:56
to this.
19:58
Rabbi
19:58
Menachem
20:01
writes in
20:03
his commentary
20:03
on the
20:04
book of
20:04
Moses,
20:05
our
20:05
rabbis
20:06
have said
20:07
that no
20:08
circumcised
20:09
man will
20:10
ever see
20:11
hell.
20:12
They have
20:13
made
20:14
circumcision
20:14
a big
20:15
deal.
20:15
Listen
20:16
to this.
20:16
From the
20:16
Jewish book
20:18
entitled
20:18
Akedeth
20:19
Jezahok,
20:20
Abraham
20:20
sits before
20:21
the gates
20:22
of hell
20:22
and does
20:24
not allow
20:24
that any
20:25
circumcised
20:26
Israelite
20:27
should enter
20:27
there.
20:29
So,
20:29
Abraham
20:29
sits and
20:30
if the
20:30
man is
20:31
circumcised,
20:32
you're not
20:32
going in
20:33
here,
20:33
buddy,
20:33
go over
20:33
there.
20:34
You don't
20:34
want in
20:35
here,
20:35
you don't
20:35
want in
20:36
hell.
20:39
They have
20:39
elevated
20:40
circumcision.
20:42
Now,
20:43
I'm not
20:43
telling you
20:44
these things
20:44
to say,
20:45
look how
20:45
much research
20:46
I did.
20:47
Listen to
20:47
these words.
20:49
Our
20:49
rabbis have
20:50
said that
20:50
no circumcised
20:51
man will
20:52
ever see
20:53
hell.
20:54
That's a
20:55
big deal.
20:57
Abraham
20:57
sits before
20:58
the gate
20:59
of hell
20:59
and does
21:00
not allow
21:00
that any
21:01
circumcised
21:02
Israelite
21:02
should enter
21:03
there.
21:05
They have
21:06
elevated a
21:07
religious act
21:08
and thought,
21:10
believed,
21:11
that this
21:14
religious act
21:14
saved them.
21:15
This
21:15
religious act
21:16
is where
21:16
they became
21:17
righteous.
21:20
It's like
21:21
any other
21:21
religion,
21:22
though,
21:22
truthfully.
21:25
Religion has
21:25
been created
21:26
by man for
21:27
the purpose
21:27
of being
21:29
God or
21:29
reaching God
21:30
without
21:31
Christ Jesus.
21:34
Religions have
21:35
been created
21:36
by man for
21:37
the purpose
21:37
of being
21:38
God or
21:39
reaching God
21:40
without
21:40
Christ Jesus.
21:43
But,
21:44
justification
21:45
by faith
21:45
apart from
21:47
works is
21:48
not a
21:49
religious
21:49
activity or
21:50
an action.
21:51
It is a
21:52
God activity.
21:54
And because
21:54
it is God,
21:56
the works are
21:56
a result of
21:57
what God
21:58
has done.
22:00
So the
22:01
timing of
22:02
Abraham being
22:02
justified is
22:03
an important
22:04
question.
22:06
Now, we
22:06
can just
22:07
read the
22:07
text or
22:08
we can go
22:09
to Genesis
22:09
15 and
22:10
see where
22:10
Abraham was
22:13
made righteous
22:13
and then
22:14
Genesis 17
22:15
where he
22:15
gets circumcised
22:16
and say,
22:16
okay, well,
22:17
it clearly
22:17
was before.
22:18
Pretty simple
22:19
for us.
22:21
Verse 11 of
22:22
Romans chapter
22:23
4.
22:24
Abraham received
22:25
the sign of
22:25
circumcision as
22:26
a seal of
22:28
the righteousness
22:29
that he had
22:30
by faith
22:32
while he was
22:33
still uncircumcised.
22:34
circumcision was
22:37
established by
22:38
God first
22:39
as a sign
22:40
of the covenant
22:41
between God
22:42
and Abraham.
22:44
Genesis 17
22:46
11.
22:47
It was to
22:47
remind the
22:48
Jewish people
22:49
of the covenant
22:49
that God
22:50
had made
22:51
and to
22:54
remind them
22:55
who they
22:55
belonged to
22:56
and to set
22:56
apart the
22:57
people of
22:58
Israel as
22:58
God's chosen
22:59
people.
23:00
That was
23:00
the purpose,
23:01
nothing more,
23:02
which is a
23:04
clear example
23:05
of how we
23:06
can deform
23:07
even the
23:07
good things
23:08
that God
23:08
sets up
23:09
for His
23:09
children.
23:13
Now,
23:14
in Abraham's
23:14
case,
23:15
obedience,
23:17
Abraham was
23:17
99 years old
23:18
when he was
23:19
circumcised.
23:20
Obedience
23:21
followed being
23:22
made righteous.
23:24
Because he
23:25
was righteous,
23:26
he followed,
23:27
he obeyed.
23:29
He wasn't
23:30
counted as
23:31
righteous before
23:32
and then
23:33
once he
23:33
obeyed,
23:34
poof,
23:35
he's made
23:35
righteous.
23:36
It is
23:36
clearly
23:36
communicated
23:37
in Scripture
23:38
that it
23:38
was before.
23:41
Likewise,
23:41
for us,
23:43
our actions
23:44
should flow
23:45
from what
23:46
God has
23:46
done,
23:47
not
23:48
flowing to
23:49
what God
23:50
is going
23:50
to do.
23:52
So if we
23:52
work hard
23:53
enough,
23:54
God will
23:54
then save
23:55
us and
23:55
find us
23:55
worthy.
24:00
Our actions
24:01
should flow
24:01
from what
24:02
God has
24:02
done.
24:03
Which means
24:04
we look
24:05
forward to
24:06
loving those
24:06
we think
24:07
we can't.
24:08
We love
24:09
the body
24:09
of Christ.
24:11
We love
24:12
gathering with
24:13
the saints.
24:14
Which means
24:14
we are willing
24:15
to go
24:16
anywhere,
24:16
wherever that
24:17
leads us.
24:19
Which means
24:19
we love
24:20
God's creation
24:21
more than
24:21
others.
24:22
Which means
24:23
we hate
24:23
sin.
24:25
Which means
24:26
we mourn
24:27
for our lost
24:28
friends.
24:28
and which
24:30
means we
24:30
cherish
24:30
the mercies
24:31
of God
24:32
which are
24:32
new
24:32
every day.
24:36
Now one
24:37
of the
24:37
major
24:37
arguments
24:38
against
24:39
this
24:40
doctrine
24:40
of
24:40
justification
24:41
by faith
24:42
apart from
24:42
works
24:43
has been
24:45
that this
24:46
kind of
24:46
thinking
24:46
leads to
24:47
loose
24:48
living.
24:49
Well,
24:49
if you
24:50
were born
24:50
again,
24:51
if you
24:51
were made
24:52
righteous
24:52
without having
24:54
to do
24:54
anything,
24:55
then now
24:55
you have a
24:55
license to
24:56
go do
24:57
anything.
24:58
That's the
24:59
argument.
25:01
Well,
25:01
I say it
25:02
leads to
25:02
obedient
25:03
living,
25:03
and Paul
25:04
does as
25:04
well.
25:05
Turn to
25:06
Romans
25:06
chapter 6.
25:09
Two chapters.
25:12
Romans
25:12
chapter 6.
25:15
Verse 1,
25:15
he starts
25:16
by saying,
25:16
what shall
25:17
we say
25:17
then?
25:17
Are we
25:18
to continue
25:18
in sin
25:19
that grace
25:19
may abound?
25:21
And his
25:21
answer,
25:22
by no
25:22
means.
25:24
But look
25:24
at verse
25:25
17.
25:27
Romans
25:27
chapter 6
25:28
verse 17.
25:30
But thanks
25:30
be to
25:31
God that
25:32
you were
25:32
once slaves
25:33
of sin,
25:34
have become
25:34
obedient from
25:35
the heart
25:36
to the
25:36
standard of
25:37
teaching to
25:37
which you
25:38
were committed.
25:39
Verse 18.
25:40
And having
25:41
been set
25:41
free from
25:42
sin,
25:43
you have
25:44
become
25:44
slaves of
25:45
righteousness.
25:47
Which means,
25:48
if you're a
25:49
slave of
25:50
something,
25:50
you're going
25:50
to do what
25:51
the slave
25:51
master says.
25:52
And if
25:53
you're a
25:53
slave to
25:53
righteousness,
25:54
then you're
25:54
going to
25:55
do
25:55
righteousness.
25:57
out of
25:59
being made
26:00
righteous,
26:00
we do
26:01
then
26:01
righteous
26:01
things.
26:04
Abraham
26:04
was
26:05
righteous
26:05
and he
26:06
obeyed
26:06
rightly,
26:07
which means
26:07
he,
26:07
in his
26:08
case,
26:09
was
26:09
circumcised.
26:12
Our fourth
26:13
point this
26:13
morning.
26:14
Justification
26:15
by faith
26:16
apart from
26:16
works
26:17
allows that
26:18
all people
26:19
can be
26:19
children
26:19
of Abraham.
26:21
allows that
26:24
all people
26:25
can be
26:26
children
26:26
of Abraham.
26:28
Turn back
26:29
to Romans
26:29
chapter 4
26:30
verse 11
26:32
and 12.
26:34
He received
26:35
the sign of
26:36
circumcision as
26:37
a seal of
26:38
the righteousness
26:39
that he had
26:39
by faith
26:40
while he was
26:40
still circumcised.
26:42
The purpose
26:42
was to make
26:44
him the
26:44
father of
26:45
all who
26:45
believe without
26:46
being circumcised
26:47
so that the
26:48
righteousness
26:49
would be
26:49
counted to
26:50
them as
26:51
well.
26:51
And to
26:52
make him
26:52
the father
26:53
of the
26:53
circumcised
26:54
who are
26:54
not merely
26:55
circumcised
26:55
but who
26:56
also walk
26:56
in the
26:57
footsteps
26:57
of faith
26:58
that our
26:59
father Abraham
27:00
had before
27:01
he was
27:02
circumcised.
27:05
Now God
27:06
counting
27:06
righteousness
27:07
to Abraham
27:08
when he
27:08
did
27:08
before
27:09
allows
27:12
that all
27:13
types of
27:13
people,
27:14
no matter
27:14
their
27:14
ethnicity
27:15
or race,
27:16
their
27:17
religious
27:17
background
27:18
or their
27:18
non-religious
27:19
background,
27:20
black or
27:21
white,
27:22
Jew or
27:22
Gentile,
27:25
circumcised
27:26
or uncircumcised
27:27
can call
27:28
Abraham their
27:29
spiritual
27:30
father.
27:32
I started
27:32
to feel in the
27:33
Martin Luther
27:33
King speech
27:34
there for a
27:34
second.
27:36
We too can
27:38
walk as
27:38
Abraham walked.
27:39
We too can
27:40
be counted
27:41
as righteousness.
27:42
righteousness.
27:44
It also
27:45
means though
27:46
that God
27:47
will have
27:47
mercy on
27:48
who he
27:48
wants to
27:49
have
27:49
mercy on.
27:51
We cannot
27:52
and must
27:53
not put
27:54
limits on
27:55
who we
27:55
think God
27:56
should
27:56
or will
27:58
save.
27:59
That is not
28:00
our job.
28:00
Our job is
28:01
to proclaim
28:02
and boast
28:03
about Christ.
28:06
Not to
28:06
judge somebody
28:07
and say,
28:07
God,
28:08
you're not
28:08
going to
28:08
save them.
28:09
They're
28:09
long gone.
28:12
All people
28:13
can be
28:14
children of
28:15
God.
28:15
Any type
28:16
of person.
28:18
No matter
28:19
who.
28:21
So I
28:21
can look
28:22
at the
28:22
Muslim
28:23
on TV
28:24
and say,
28:25
who's
28:26
bombing
28:26
things and
28:27
say,
28:27
yes,
28:28
he can
28:28
be born
28:30
again.
28:31
He can
28:31
receive the
28:32
grace that
28:32
I have
28:32
been shown.
28:33
Because he
28:34
is no
28:34
worse than
28:34
I am.
28:36
That's what
28:37
justification
28:37
by faith
28:38
does.
28:39
It
28:40
shakes
28:40
up our
28:43
thinking.
28:44
Verse 11
28:45
says,
28:46
again,
28:46
Abraham
28:47
received the
28:47
sign of
28:48
circumcision
28:48
as a
28:49
seal of
28:51
the righteousness
28:51
that he
28:52
had by faith
28:52
while he
28:53
was still
28:53
circumcised.
28:55
Circumcision
28:56
was the
28:56
seal that
28:58
confirmed or
28:59
authenticated
28:59
being counted
29:01
righteous.
29:04
It reminded
29:05
the Jews
29:05
and God
29:06
of the
29:06
covenant
29:06
that was
29:07
made.
29:07
It's
29:09
what made
29:10
that
29:10
covenant
29:10
binding.
29:12
Now,
29:13
we too
29:13
have a
29:14
seal.
29:15
We have
29:15
the Holy
29:15
Spirit.
29:16
In
29:17
Christ,
29:17
we have
29:18
the Holy
29:18
Spirit.
29:19
We are
29:19
secure in
29:20
Christ with
29:21
the seal
29:21
of the
29:22
Holy
29:22
Spirit.
29:26
Authenticated,
29:27
confirmed by
29:28
the Holy
29:29
Spirit.
29:31
Now,
29:31
if any
29:32
person,
29:33
any people
29:34
group can be
29:34
counted as
29:35
righteousness,
29:36
the opposite
29:37
is true as
29:38
well.
29:39
Not everyone
29:40
who was
29:40
circumcised
29:41
was counted
29:42
as righteous.
29:45
Ishmael
29:45
was circumcised
29:47
but not part
29:47
of the
29:48
covenant.
29:50
For you
29:51
today,
29:52
what matters
29:53
is not what
29:53
you've done
29:54
or what
29:55
religious
29:56
guidelines
29:56
you follow.
29:58
What matters
29:59
is whether or
29:59
not you have
30:00
been counted
30:00
as righteous
30:01
as in
30:02
Christ.
30:03
to be
30:06
counted,
30:06
this word
30:07
counted,
30:07
talks of an
30:08
exchange or
30:09
a credit.
30:11
The only
30:12
way that
30:12
your bank
30:13
account can
30:14
be credited
30:14
is by putting
30:16
money in
30:16
it.
30:18
Credit that
30:18
account.
30:20
Either you
30:20
or the bank
30:21
had to have
30:22
the money
30:22
to then credit
30:23
your account.
30:25
With me so
30:25
far?
30:27
To credit
30:28
someone,
30:29
there must
30:29
be ownership.
30:30
God is
30:34
the owner
30:34
of righteousness.
30:35
He is
30:36
righteous and
30:37
He is the
30:37
source of
30:38
righteousness.
30:39
He has
30:40
given it to
30:41
those who
30:41
believe that
30:42
Jesus Christ
30:42
is Lord.
30:45
There is
30:45
nothing fancy
30:46
or difficult
30:47
about this.
30:49
It's clear
30:49
and it's
30:50
simple.
30:52
There are
30:52
three things
30:53
that you
30:56
have to do
30:57
in order to
30:57
believe.
30:58
Just three.
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Three simple
31:00
things.
31:01
The first
31:02
thing is you
31:02
have to
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admit and
31:04
realize that
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you are a
31:06
sinner unable
31:07
to be
31:08
righteous apart
31:09
from the
31:09
work of
31:09
God.
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Second
31:13
thing is that
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you have to
31:14
believe that
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Jesus lived a
31:16
sinless,
31:17
perfect life for
31:18
sinners like
31:19
you and me.
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He died for
31:22
your sin and
31:23
rose from the
31:24
grave to free
31:24
you from the
31:25
bondage of
31:26
sin.
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So believe
31:28
that you are
31:29
a sinner.
31:29
believe what
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Jesus did.
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And the
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third thing,
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Jesus can and
31:37
will give you
31:37
a new life if
31:38
you repent of
31:39
your sins and
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believe that he
31:41
is Lord.
31:43
So you
31:44
repent and
31:44
you believe.
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God, I
31:47
will give you
31:48
a new life if
31:48
Now we don't say
31:49
that every
31:50
Sunday morning.
31:52
But in a
31:52
topic like
31:53
justification by
31:54
faith apart
31:55
from words,
31:56
we can get the
32:00
doctrine, we can
32:00
get the
32:00
knowledge, but we
32:03
have to have our
32:03
lives changed.
32:04
Otherwise it
32:05
doesn't mean
32:05
anything.
32:06
So I
32:10
throw those
32:11
three things
32:12
out at you
32:12
and I
32:13
plead with
32:13
you, if
32:14
you do not
32:14
know Christ,
32:16
believe in
32:16
him this
32:17
morning.
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I hope and
32:21
I pray that I
32:22
have shown you
32:23
clearly how it
32:25
works.
32:27
Now I know
32:28
there's guys in
32:29
this room,
32:30
there are guys
32:31
in this room
32:32
that would love
32:32
to have a
32:33
conversation with
32:33
you.
32:34
Just look
32:36
around, there's
32:37
tons of guys.
32:39
There's John,
32:40
there's Wes,
32:41
there's Josh,
32:41
there's Nathan,
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there's me,
32:43
there's Daryl,
32:44
there's Stan,
32:45
there's tons of
32:46
guys in here that
32:46
if you do not
32:47
know Christ,
32:48
that they would
32:49
love to talk to
32:50
you about it.
32:51
Don't wait.
32:53
Don't hesitate.
32:57
Let's pray
32:57
together.
33:04
Let's pray.