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What Is The Gospel: Romans 10:13-17 · Providence Baptist Church - Sermons

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Go ahead and join me if you would in your copy of God's Word in Romans chapter 10.
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Beginning last week, this week, and into next, we're taking a little break from our normal verse-by-verse exposition to answer three questions.
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And these are three questions that I think are of greatest importance to answer in the church in our day.
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Today, these three questions have seemed to define the work of ministry for me here, and I think will continue to do so.
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To the degree that I was musing about why it was that I felt that I was just teaching the same things over and over and over again.
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That it seemed that there was nothing deeper to delve, to take my energetic mind and apply to.
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And realize that these are the questions that we most need clarified in our day, to be reminded of in our day, brought back to again and again and again.
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So last week, we asked the question, what is the Bible?
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And we answered it this way, with of course, much explanation.
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The Bible is God's inspired, inerrant, authoritative, clear, necessary, and sufficient Word to mankind.
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I'm talking about how God has spoken into the world.
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He's given us good instruction that we are to follow.
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And this Word is to be the foundation on which we build everything else.
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Lives of godliness and holiness toward Him.
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And so, the question I want to address today is, what is the Gospel?
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And then next week, we'll ask the question, what is the church?
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What is the Gospel?
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Why is it so important for us to answer this question?
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Some of you may be thinking, I am sitting, gathered with the church this morning.
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Of course, I know what the Gospel is.
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But there is much misunderstanding of the Gospel in our day.
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I know that I could ask each of you in this room to tell me what the Gospel is,
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and we would end up with as many different answers.
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Often, the answers that people give to this question are woefully inadequate.
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They're not full understandings of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
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There are many voices in our day, large and loud voices, that would say,
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the Gospel is such and such, or the Gospel is this or that.
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And it sounds very similar to what we would proclaim to be the Gospel, but it is not.
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I hope and pray that we do, in fact, have a clear understanding of the Gospel of Jesus Christ,
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because we speak about it constantly.
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I hope that we do so with a great deal of clarity.
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But the larger culture has much to say about this question.
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Many loud voices.
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I feel sometimes that the non-Gospel, Gospel presentations are being broadcast through megaphones,
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and ours is a quiet whisper.
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So it's very easy to get lost in the fray when we're trying to answer these questions.
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It was J.I. Packer who once said,
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The way of wisdom is like walking a tightrope,
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from which one can fall through overbalancing either to the left or to the right.
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If you've known me long, I often say, I often misquote J.I. Packer,
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and I say there's two ways to fall off a tightrope.
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We have to get this one right.
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We have to walk this one very carefully right down the middle.
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For the sake of our souls and the souls of others,
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this question matters.
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Whether you think it does this morning or not,
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I plead with you to know this question.
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And the answer that you arrive at matters.
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Paul said in Romans 1 and verse 16,
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For I am not ashamed of the Gospel,
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for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes.
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This Gospel, right?
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This answer we want to arrive at,
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is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes.
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The Spirit uses this Gospel to change people from death to life.
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To save their souls.
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Now we sent out at the end of this year,
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to the members of Christ Family Church,
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what we call the Member Health Survey.
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And I've told you, from time to time,
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I'm going to bring up some of the statistics that we've gathered.
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Not all of our church members responded to this,
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but 105 did.
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Thank you to those of you who did and were honest.
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And we asked people to rate themselves,
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on a scale of one to five,
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a number of various questions.
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Concerning the Gospel and its proclamation.
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Of those respondents,
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45% of our church would say,
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agree or strongly agree,
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that they regularly share the Gospel.
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If we start just there,
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we have failed to understand the Gospel.
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We do not have the right answer to this question,
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if only half of us are consistently sharing this good news.
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We may have missed the point altogether.
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What did Paul say in Romans 1, verse 16?
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He's not ashamed of the Gospel.
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Why?
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Why?
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This is the power of God.
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God, for salvation.
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We may not see its great necessity in the world
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the way that we should.
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Now, a large number of people said that they felt equipped,
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agreed or strongly agreed,
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85% of our fellowship said they felt equipped
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to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
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Only 53% said they felt comfortable
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sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
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This good news is a discomfort to them
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in their sharing.
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And then finally,
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and the two are not mutually inclusive,
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necessarily,
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but this year,
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only 6% of the respondents
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led anyone to faith in Christ
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this past year.
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Now,
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there have been times in history,
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even biblical history,
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if you look at the prophet Jeremiah,
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who cried out faithfully,
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and maybe one person
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repented of his sin.
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There have been times
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that God has withheld His favor
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in Gospel proclamation.
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And so,
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I don't want to belittle your faithfulness.
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If you have had a clear understanding
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of what the Gospel is,
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and you have been consistently
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and persistently sharing
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the good news of Jesus Christ
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with somebody,
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and you have not seen them come to faith,
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I do not want to belittle your obedience.
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You are doing exactly
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what God has asked of you to do.
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But there seems to be
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a fairly large disconnect
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between these numbers
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if,
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and I believe this is true,
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that God is in the business
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of saving souls
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through this Gospel of Jesus Christ, right?
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It is the power of God
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for salvation.
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He is about the building
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of His church.
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And we must ask ourselves a question.
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Do we think we find ourselves
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in a day
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that is so post-church
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that God no longer intends
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to save our classmates
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and roommates
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and family members
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and co-workers,
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our neighbors?
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Do we think we're in that day?
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I don't believe we are.
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Which means there's
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some type of disconnect
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in our understanding,
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in our presentation,
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in our fervency
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in Gospel proclamation.
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So this matters.
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It matters a lot.
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So we're going to look today
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a bit at Romans chapter 10,
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verse 13 through 17.
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There's not a concise text
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that sums up
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the good news of Jesus Christ perfectly.
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There's not a quick, simple,
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turn to,
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let me explain here text
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that does this.
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I hope that it's possible.
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Excuse me.
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I thought I could fight
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through that one.
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I hope that as we began,
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when I said,
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let's turn to Romans chapter 10,
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your eyes may have fell
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to this text
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or you thought to yourself,
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why this text?
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I could think of a bunch
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of other wonderful texts
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from which to begin
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speaking about
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what the gospel is.
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This would be good for you
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to do
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and to have many of these
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in your back pocket
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for gospel proclamation.
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But it takes a little more work
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to fully answer the question.
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We can't just do it
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from a single text.
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The whole Bible
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is God's redemptive story.
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So we must read broadly
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and we must understand thematically.
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But there are
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some good summary texts.
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Not complete,
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but good summary texts.
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So we're going to look at this one
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in brief
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and then we're going to go elsewhere
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and I'll bring it back to this
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finally at the end.
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So don't think me strange
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that I'm not going verse by verse
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through Romans chapter 10,
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verse 13 through 17.
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We remind you, beloved,
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that this is God's word to us
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written for His glory
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and our good.
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We would all do well
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to listen to it
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in order to believe its promises
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and obey its commands.
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Verse 13.
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For everyone who calls
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on the name of the Lord
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will be saved.
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How then will they call on Him
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in whom they have not believed?
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And how are they to believe
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in Him of whom
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they have never heard?
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And how are they to hear
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without someone preaching?
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And how are they to preach
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unless they are sent?
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As it is written,
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how beautiful are the feet
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of those who preach
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the good news.
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But they have not all
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obeyed the gospel.
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For Isaiah says,
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Lord, who has believed
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what He has heard from us?
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So faith comes from hearing
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and hearing
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through the word of Christ.
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In order to see the gospel
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in Romans 10,
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verse 13-17,
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I want us to take a broader look
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at the first four chapters
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of Romans.
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So you're welcome to join me
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in Romans 1.
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We're going to zoom back a bit
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into the beginning
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of Paul's letter
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to the Roman believers.
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Romans is a phenomenal letter.
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Maybe a climactic letter
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in all of the Scripture
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because it so clearly
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lays out systematically
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what Christianity is.
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This letter preceded
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Paul's intended visit to Rome.
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And he wanted to clarify.
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He wanted to be sure
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that the church in Rome
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understood this gospel
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that he preached.
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This, I believe,
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is the most succinct place
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to find a comprehensive
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gospel presentation
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in the Scriptures,
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chapters 1-4 of Romans.
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So, first,
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after his salutation,
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Paul says that there is a God
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who created us
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and that we are therefore
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accountable to that God.
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As the creation,
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we are accountable
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to the One
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who created us.
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It leads out strongly
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in Romans 1,
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verse 18.
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It says,
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For the wrath of God
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is revealed from heaven
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against all ungodliness
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and unrighteousness of men
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who by their unrighteousness
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suppress the truth.
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There is a God
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who we are accountable to
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and His wrath
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is being revealed
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against those
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who have been what?
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Ungodly and unrighteous.
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Outside of their created order.
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Not God worshippers
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the way they were meant to be.
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He elaborates on this
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and then in verse 21 of chapter 1.
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For although they knew God,
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they did not honor Him as God
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or give thanks to Him,
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but they became futile
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in their thinking
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and their foolish hearts
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were darkened.
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So mankind has this God
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who made them
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and to whom
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they are accountable.
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There is much indictment language
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in those two texts.
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Romans 1, verse 18.
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The wrath of God is revealed.
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For although they knew God,
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they did not honor Him.
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Their foolish hearts
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were darkened.
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But let's look as Paul goes on
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in his argument
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that he indicts
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all of mankind.
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So first he does this
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at the beginning of chapter 2
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of Romans
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with the Jews.
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Those who have been God's people
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have been given His law.
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He says,
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Therefore you have
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no excuse, O man,
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every one of you
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who judges.
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For in passing judgment on another,
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you condemn yourself
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because you, the judge,
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practice the very same things.
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So the Jews
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would have judged
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by the law.
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Paul is saying to them,
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You have no excuse.
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You have shown
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in your judgmentalism
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that people ought to be
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keepers of the law
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and you are not keepers
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of the law.
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You practice the very same things.
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And so you are without excuse
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before Almighty God
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to whom you are accountable.
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Second,
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he does this with
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everyone else.
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So people who are not Jewish,
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the Gentiles,
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the Greeks,
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various words are used,
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but everyone else.
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All of us.
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No one is without.
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No one is with excuse.
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Excuse me.
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So,
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Romans chapter 2,
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verses 12 and 13.
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Paul writes,
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For all who have sinned
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without the law
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will also perish
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without the law.
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And all who have sinned
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under the law
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will be judged
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by the law.
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For it is not the hearers
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of the law
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who are righteous
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before God,
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but the doers
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of the law
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who will be justified.
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And then chapter 3,
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verses 9 through 12.
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What then?
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Are we Jews
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any better off?
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No,
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not at all.
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For we have already
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charged that all,
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both Jews
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and Greeks,
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everyone else,
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are under sin.
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As it is written,
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none is righteous.
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No,
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not one.
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No one understands.
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No one seeks for God.
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All have turned aside.
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Together they have become
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worthless.
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No one does good.
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Not even one.
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Mankind is not
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intrinsically good.
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Mankind is intrinsically evil.
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Rebellious.
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Rejectors of our good God
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and His instruction.
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This is the argument
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that Paul is laying out
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before us here
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at the beginning
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of his letter
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to the Roman believers.
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We have a God
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who we are accountable to
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and we have rejected
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His ways.
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All of us,
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without fail,
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have done this.
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No one does good.
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Not even one.
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This is not good news yet,
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is it?
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In fact,
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this is very,
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very bad news.
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There is a God
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who created us
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and will judge us
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and we will stand
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in that judgment
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and will not stand
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before Him
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in our given human state.
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This is bad news.
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It's a problem.
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It's a problem
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that needs remedying.
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We need something
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to help us
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in this condition.
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So third,
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Paul presents
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the solution
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to our problem
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in the person
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and work
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of Jesus Christ.
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And we say that
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a lot around here.
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Faith in the person
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and work
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of Jesus Christ.
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And we say both
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because we must believe
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that Jesus is
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who He said
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He is.
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Right?
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The Son of God.
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Incarnate.
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Came to earth.
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Lived a perfect life.
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Those things are important
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that we understand.
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Right?
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Jesus wasn't just a man.
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We're not saying
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that His work
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was simply
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that He was a man
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who was a martyr.
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No.
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He was the Son of God.
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And His work.
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He said He fulfilled
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the law
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in perfect living.
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He committed
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no sin whatsoever.
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He died
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a sinner's death.
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He bore the wrath
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of God
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for the sins
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of all
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who would believe
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in Him.
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He did not stay
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in the grave.
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He was raised
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from the dead
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three days later.
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He's conquered death.
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He has life.
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He ascended.
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He's been given
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majesty
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and honor
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in heaven
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at the right hand
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of the Father.
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Right?
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These are the works
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that we're talking about
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when we say
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the person and work
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of Jesus Christ.
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Right?
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He is somebody
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and He did things.
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Right?
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He accomplished
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things.
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This is what we
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must believe.
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Paul says in
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Romans chapter 3
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verse 21
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but now
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the righteousness
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of God
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the rightness
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of God
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has been manifested
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apart
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from the law.
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You'll see that
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it's manifested
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in whom?
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Jesus Christ.
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Jesus Christ
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fulfilled the righteousness
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of God.
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And so then
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fourth
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and finally
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Paul tells us
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how we can be saved.
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Right?
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Not an abstract principle
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out there
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but that
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those of us
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with this problem
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this great
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transgressor
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of God's law
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problem
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how is it
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that we
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can be
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saved?
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Romans chapter 3
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in verse 22.
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2.
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The righteousness
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of God
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through
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faith
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in Jesus
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Christ
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for all
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who believe.
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By believing
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in Christ.
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Not merely
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as an abstraction.
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Not merely
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as yeah
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yeah
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Jesus lived
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but in His
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person
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and
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His work.
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We throw
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ourselves
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this great
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fallen state
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we find ourselves
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and we throw
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ourselves
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on the person
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and work
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of Jesus
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Christ.
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We say
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if I am
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to be saved
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it will be
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by this
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person
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and this
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work
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that I will
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be saved
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and no
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other way.
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The evangelist
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Ray Comfort
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uses often
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an analogy
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of putting
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Jesus on
21:07
like a parachute.
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And too many
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in our day
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put Jesus on
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Jesus will
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save me
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and we
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don't jump
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out of the
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plane.
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We stay
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in our
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comfort
21:19
and in
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our place
21:20
where we
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are.
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It's an
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ascent.
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It's a
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mental
21:23
ascent.
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If I
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were to
21:25
ever need
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such a
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thing
21:27
it would
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save me.
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But what
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the gospel
21:31
says to us
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is you
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are falling
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and you
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will die.
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Your end
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is destruction
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and we
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put on
21:38
we
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desperately
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cling
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to this
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parachute
21:41
that is
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Jesus
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Christ
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and we
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believe
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that he
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will
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save us.
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Again
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Romans
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chapter 4
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and verse
21:50
5
21:51
to the one
21:53
who does
21:53
not work
21:54
but believes
21:56
in him
21:56
who justifies
21:58
the ungodly
21:59
his faith
22:00
is counted
22:01
as righteousness.
22:04
So Paul
22:04
here says
22:05
to be very
22:06
clear
22:06
you can
22:08
do no
22:09
working
22:09
to find
22:10
yourself
22:10
saved.
22:11
There's no
22:12
amount of
22:12
effort you
22:13
can put
22:13
into
22:14
your
22:15
salvation
22:15
but it's
22:16
simply
22:17
by
22:18
faith
22:19
that we
22:20
get
22:20
Christ's
22:22
righteousness.
22:23
Our greatest
22:24
efforts at
22:24
perfection
22:25
will never
22:25
be perfect
22:26
and what
22:26
God requires
22:27
is perfection
22:27
so we need
22:28
somebody else's
22:29
perfection
22:30
the perfection
22:31
of Jesus
22:31
Christ
22:32
and that is
22:32
granted to
22:33
us
22:34
by faith.
22:35
in him.
22:38
Okay.
22:38
So here's
22:39
the gospel
22:40
outline
22:41
found in the
22:41
first four
22:43
chapters of
22:43
the book of
22:43
Romans.
22:44
If you're
22:44
familiar with
22:45
the Romans
22:45
road
22:45
that's good.
22:47
There's a
22:47
reason that
22:48
that was a
22:49
way we were
22:49
taught to
22:49
share the
22:50
gospel of
22:50
Jesus
22:50
Christ.
22:51
This is a
22:51
good place
22:52
to show
22:53
people the
22:54
gospel in
22:55
the text.
22:57
So having
22:58
looked broadly
22:59
and a bit
23:00
briefly at
23:01
Paul's case
23:01
from Romans
23:02
chapter 1
23:03
through 4
23:04
we can
23:05
see that
23:06
he seeks
23:06
to answer
23:07
four crucial
23:08
questions.
23:09
And I'm
23:10
stealing these
23:10
straight out of
23:11
Greg Gilbert's
23:12
book What is
23:12
the gospel?
23:13
One of those
23:14
that I have a
23:14
copy for to
23:15
give away.
23:18
He seeks
23:18
to answer
23:20
four crucial
23:22
questions.
23:24
Number one,
23:24
who made us
23:25
and to whom
23:26
are we
23:26
accountable?
23:27
We saw that.
23:30
Number two,
23:30
what is our
23:32
problem?
23:33
Or in other
23:33
words,
23:34
are we in
23:35
trouble and
23:36
why?
23:36
Do we have
23:37
a problem?
23:37
And what
23:38
caused that
23:39
problem?
23:43
Third,
23:44
what is God's
23:45
solution to
23:47
that problem?
23:48
How has he
23:49
acted to
23:51
save us
23:51
from it?
23:54
And
23:55
fourth,
23:57
how do I
23:58
myself,
23:59
right here,
24:00
right now?
24:01
How do I
24:02
come to be
24:02
included in
24:03
that salvation?
24:06
What makes
24:06
this good
24:07
news for
24:08
me and
24:10
not just
24:10
for someone
24:11
else?
24:12
And I'll
24:12
add to that
24:13
or just
24:13
generically
24:14
good news.
24:15
What makes
24:16
it good
24:16
news for
24:17
me?
24:20
And so
24:21
the questions
24:21
and the
24:21
answers to
24:22
the questions
24:22
can be
24:23
summarized
24:23
as follows
24:24
in four
24:25
words that
24:25
are easy
24:26
to remember.
24:27
Greg Gilbert
24:27
did not
24:28
come up
24:28
with this.
24:28
This has
24:29
been around
24:29
for a
24:29
very,
24:29
very long
24:30
time.
24:31
And they
24:32
are as
24:33
follows.
24:33
God,
24:35
man,
24:37
Christ,
24:38
response.
24:42
I want
24:43
you to
24:43
pick these
24:44
up as a
24:44
really simple,
24:45
easy outline
24:46
in your
24:47
mind.
24:48
Somebody
24:49
comes to
24:49
you and
24:49
says,
24:50
what is
24:51
the gospel?
24:53
I've
24:54
heard this
24:54
word.
24:56
I've
24:56
heard you
24:56
say this
24:57
word.
24:57
What is
24:59
the gospel?
25:02
Don't
25:02
answer
25:02
God,
25:02
man,
25:03
Christ,
25:03
response.
25:06
But use
25:07
it,
25:07
they'll be
25:08
more
25:08
confused,
25:08
but use
25:08
it as
25:09
an outline
25:10
from which
25:11
to think
25:11
about the
25:12
answer to
25:13
this most
25:14
important of
25:15
questions.
25:17
So let's
25:18
look at some
25:18
other texts.
25:19
I want to
25:19
go to some
25:20
other texts.
25:20
I want you
25:20
to turn
25:21
with me
25:21
to some
25:21
other texts
25:21
and let's
25:22
see if we
25:23
can't
25:23
identify
25:23
God,
25:24
man,
25:25
Christ
25:25
response
25:26
in these
25:27
texts.
25:28
So 1 Corinthians
25:29
chapter 15
25:30
is the first
25:30
place we'll
25:31
go.
25:31
So 1 Corinthians
25:33
verses 1
25:58
through 5.
25:59
Paul writes,
26:02
now I want to
26:02
remind you
26:03
brothers of
26:04
the gospel I
26:05
preached to
26:05
you,
26:06
which you
26:06
received in
26:07
which you
26:07
stand and
26:08
by which you
26:09
are being
26:09
saved.
26:10
If you hold
26:11
fast to the
26:12
word I
26:12
preached to
26:13
you,
26:13
unless you
26:14
believed in
26:15
vain.
26:16
For I
26:16
deliver to
26:17
you as of
26:17
first importance
26:19
what I also
26:20
received,
26:21
that Christ
26:22
died for our
26:23
sins in
26:23
accordance with
26:24
the Scriptures,
26:25
that he was
26:25
buried,
26:26
that he was
26:26
raised on the
26:27
third day in
26:28
accordance with
26:28
the Scriptures,
26:29
and then he
26:30
appeared to
26:30
Cephas,
26:31
then to the
26:32
twelve.
26:34
God,
26:34
man,
26:35
Christ
26:35
response.
26:38
Now,
26:40
you get a
26:40
little work
26:41
and look around
26:41
in the text
26:42
to find
26:43
these things.
26:45
We see
26:46
Paul talk
26:47
about the
26:48
need of
26:49
salvation
26:49
in the text.
26:52
Verse 2,
26:52
you are being
26:53
saved.
26:55
Verse 3,
26:56
that you
26:58
received.
27:00
There's a
27:00
problem being
27:01
presented in
27:02
the text,
27:03
which is the
27:04
problem of
27:04
sin,
27:05
which includes
27:07
God.
27:08
So God and
27:08
man are found
27:09
in the very
27:10
fact that
27:10
people need
27:11
salvation.
27:12
This was an
27:12
understanding of
27:13
the people that
27:14
Paul was
27:15
writing to.
27:16
So God and
27:17
man are
27:18
presented in
27:18
the very
27:19
issue of
27:20
sin.
27:22
Now,
27:22
in our day,
27:23
this may
27:24
not be a
27:25
thing that
27:25
most people
27:26
understand.
27:28
You can't
27:28
merely walk up
27:29
to somebody
27:30
and say,
27:30
do you believe
27:31
that you're a
27:31
sinner?
27:32
And they
27:32
would say,
27:32
what does
27:33
that even
27:33
mean?
27:34
We have
27:35
such a
27:35
relativistic
27:36
moralism in
27:37
our day.
27:38
Most,
27:39
I think,
27:39
would say,
27:40
no,
27:41
I think I'm
27:41
a good
27:41
person.
27:43
Some in
27:44
our day may
27:44
not even
27:44
know what
27:44
you are
27:45
talking about
27:46
when you
27:46
use the
27:46
word sin.
27:48
So you
27:49
have to,
27:50
in some
27:50
cases,
27:50
back up a
27:51
little bit
27:51
and take
27:52
them to
27:52
Genesis
27:53
chapter 1,
27:56
chapter 2,
27:56
and then
27:57
to chapter
27:57
3 to
27:58
establish
27:59
more of
28:00
the
28:00
storyline.
28:01
But here,
28:02
this understanding
28:02
that they
28:03
were sinful,
28:03
that they
28:03
needed salvation,
28:05
we see both
28:05
God and
28:06
man.
28:07
God as
28:08
holy judge,
28:08
man as
28:09
transgressor of
28:10
his law.
28:11
Now,
28:12
I hope you
28:12
see Christ
28:13
in the text,
28:13
right?
28:14
There was
28:14
much Christ
28:15
in the text.
28:16
Verse 3,
28:17
that Christ
28:17
died for our
28:18
sins,
28:19
in accordance
28:19
with the
28:19
scriptures,
28:20
that he was
28:20
buried,
28:21
that he was
28:21
raised on
28:21
the third
28:22
day in
28:22
accordance
28:23
with the
28:23
scriptures,
28:24
and that
28:24
he appeared,
28:26
right?
28:26
So we
28:27
see God's
28:27
person being
28:28
called the
28:29
Christ according
28:30
to the
28:30
scriptures.
28:30
This was
28:31
understood to
28:31
be the
28:32
Messiah,
28:33
the one
28:33
that would
28:33
come and
28:33
deliver his
28:35
people,
28:36
his person,
28:37
and his
28:38
work,
28:39
right?
28:39
Death,
28:40
burial,
28:41
and
28:41
resurrection.
28:43
So a good
28:44
text for this,
28:45
1 Corinthians
28:45
chapter 15,
28:46
verses 1
28:47
through 5.
28:48
God,
28:48
man,
28:49
Christ.
28:51
Response,
28:52
right?
28:53
Do you see
28:53
response in
28:54
the text?
28:55
Verse 1,
28:57
reminds them
28:58
of the
28:58
gospel he
28:59
preached,
28:59
which you
29:00
received,
29:02
and by which
29:02
you are
29:03
being saved.
29:06
Verse 3,
29:06
I deliver you
29:07
with the
29:07
first importance
29:07
what I
29:08
also received,
29:10
right?
29:10
So here's the
29:11
response that's
29:11
given to the
29:12
gospel in
29:12
these places.
29:14
Okay,
29:14
turn with me
29:14
to Acts
29:14
chapter 3.
29:23
We'll look
29:24
at two
29:24
sermons,
29:25
excerpts
29:26
from sermons.
29:40
First,
29:40
a sermon
29:41
from Peter
29:41
in Solomon's
29:42
portico,
29:42
verses 18
29:43
and 19.
29:46
Luke records
29:47
for us,
29:47
Peter said,
29:48
but what God
29:49
foretold by the
29:50
mouth of all
29:50
the prophets,
29:52
that his
29:52
Christ would
29:53
suffer,
29:54
he thus
29:54
fulfilled.
29:57
Repent,
29:57
therefore,
29:58
and turn back
29:58
that your sins
29:59
may be blotted
30:01
out.
30:03
Again,
30:04
if you were
30:05
to open this
30:05
text to an
30:07
unbeliever,
30:08
or you find
30:08
yourself an
30:09
unbeliever this
30:10
morning,
30:10
and you're
30:10
looking at this
30:11
text,
30:11
where do
30:12
you see
30:13
God,
30:13
man,
30:13
Christ
30:14
response?
30:16
Once again,
30:17
we see the
30:17
need of sins
30:18
being blotted
30:19
out.
30:19
There is a
30:19
problem,
30:21
right?
30:21
That problem
30:22
is this
30:23
God,
30:24
man part
30:24
of this
30:25
outline,
30:26
right?
30:26
God,
30:27
holy judge,
30:28
creator,
30:30
our authority,
30:33
man's fallen,
30:34
transgressed,
30:35
his good
30:35
command over
30:36
us.
30:37
We see
30:38
Christ in the
30:39
text,
30:39
Christ suffered.
30:43
This is the
30:43
one,
30:44
the fulfillment
30:44
of the
30:44
prophets.
30:47
Repent,
30:47
therefore,
30:47
the response.
30:48
Repent.
30:49
Repent of
30:50
your sin.
30:51
Turn back.
30:51
Turn back
30:52
to God
30:52
by faith
30:53
in Jesus
30:54
Christ.
30:54
God,
30:55
man,
30:56
Christ,
30:56
response.
30:57
Let's look
30:57
at one
30:57
more.
30:58
Acts
30:58
chapter 13.
31:00
This is
31:01
Paul
31:01
preaching.
31:09
verses 38
31:17
and 39.
31:20
We'll do
31:20
this very
31:20
briefly.
31:21
I don't
31:21
want to
31:21
beat the
31:22
dead
31:22
horse.
31:25
Let it be
31:25
known to
31:26
you,
31:26
therefore,
31:26
brothers,
31:27
that through
31:28
this man,
31:29
forgiveness
31:30
of sins,
31:31
there it is,
31:31
God,
31:32
man,
31:33
is proclaimed
31:34
to you.
31:35
And by
31:36
him,
31:37
everyone
31:37
who believes
31:38
is freed
31:39
from everything
31:40
from which
31:40
you could
31:41
not be
31:41
freed by
31:43
the law
31:44
of Moses.
31:49
Through
31:49
this man
31:50
is Christ.
31:52
No,
31:52
this is Jesus
31:53
that he's
31:53
referring to
31:54
here.
31:55
And the
31:56
belief you
31:56
see in
31:57
verse 39.
31:58
Everyone
31:58
who believes
31:59
is freed
32:01
from their
32:02
sin.
32:03
So God
32:04
man
32:05
Christ
32:06
response.
32:10
So,
32:11
there are
32:11
a lot
32:12
of really
32:13
common
32:13
errors
32:14
in our
32:15
day.
32:17
Misunderstandings
32:18
of the
32:19
gospel of
32:20
Jesus Christ.
32:21
And I just
32:21
want to walk
32:22
through some
32:22
of those
32:22
briefly and
32:23
give some
32:24
biblical
32:25
responses
32:26
to these
32:27
errors.
32:28
Because you
32:29
may even
32:29
have people
32:30
in your
32:31
spheres of
32:32
influence
32:32
that claim
32:33
to be
32:34
Christ
32:35
followers.
32:36
And if
32:36
you'll
32:37
work
32:37
asking
32:37
them
32:38
good
32:38
questions,
32:38
you may
32:39
find them
32:39
fall into
32:40
these
32:40
categories.
32:41
And it
32:41
would be
32:41
such a
32:42
loving,
32:42
kind
32:43
thing
32:43
for them
32:44
for you
32:45
to clarify
32:45
what the
32:46
gospel of
32:46
Jesus
32:46
Christ
32:47
is.
32:49
The
32:50
first,
32:52
I call
32:52
the
32:53
temporal
32:53
prosperity
32:54
gospel.
32:55
gospel.
32:56
That is
32:56
that we,
32:57
by believing
32:58
in Jesus,
32:59
receive
33:00
physical
33:01
blessing
33:02
here and
33:03
now.
33:04
Temporal,
33:05
right?
33:05
Not
33:05
permanent.
33:06
Temporal
33:06
blessing
33:07
here and
33:09
now.
33:10
And this
33:10
takes a lot
33:11
of shapes,
33:11
right?
33:11
You've heard
33:12
probably the
33:13
term prosperity
33:13
gospel.
33:14
There's the
33:14
prosperity
33:15
gospel
33:15
preachers
33:16
and their
33:18
church
33:18
buildings
33:18
with purple
33:18
carpet and
33:19
making
33:21
pleas for
33:22
jets.
33:23
We have
33:24
one of
33:25
those here
33:26
in Atlanta
33:27
who does
33:27
that.
33:28
No,
33:29
I do not
33:29
need a
33:30
jet.
33:31
I do
33:31
not.
33:32
I would
33:32
give it
33:32
back.
33:34
We have
33:35
this very
33:36
gospel being
33:37
preached in
33:38
Gainesville
33:39
and then a
33:41
guy jumps on
33:41
a jet and
33:43
flies to
33:43
California to
33:44
preach the
33:44
same prosperity
33:46
gospel.
33:49
That is
33:50
one end of
33:51
the spectrum
33:51
of what I'm
33:53
calling the
33:53
temporal
33:53
prosperity
33:54
gospel.
33:54
The other
33:55
end of
33:56
that is
33:57
that Jesus
33:57
leads you
33:58
into a
33:58
life of
33:59
comfort.
34:00
That you
34:01
can continue
34:01
really to be
34:02
just as you
34:02
are, but
34:03
if you'll
34:03
sprinkle a
34:04
little Jesus
34:04
on it,
34:05
things are
34:05
going to
34:05
get a
34:06
little better
34:06
for you.
34:08
We'll
34:09
tidy up
34:10
your marriage
34:11
and your
34:12
job and
34:12
your children.
34:14
This is
34:15
really prevalent
34:16
in our day.
34:18
People allowed
34:19
to be lulled
34:20
to sleep
34:20
in American
34:21
comfort.
34:23
by this
34:24
temporal
34:25
prosperity
34:26
gospel.
34:28
I'm going
34:28
to read to
34:28
you a
34:28
couple of
34:29
texts.
34:31
John
34:31
chapter 15
34:32
verse 20
34:34
and 21,
34:34
Jesus said,
34:35
Remember the
34:35
word that I
34:36
said to you,
34:37
a servant
34:37
is not
34:38
greater than
34:40
his master.
34:43
If we're to
34:43
be Jesus
34:44
Christ followers,
34:45
he is our
34:45
Lord.
34:46
We are his
34:47
servants.
34:47
He goes
34:49
on to
34:49
say,
34:49
If they
34:49
persecuted
34:50
me,
34:51
they will
34:52
also
34:52
persecute
34:53
you.
34:55
If they
34:55
kept my
34:56
word,
34:56
they will
34:56
also keep
34:57
yours.
34:58
But all
34:58
these things
34:59
they will
34:59
do to
34:59
you on
35:00
account of
35:00
my name,
35:01
because they
35:02
did not
35:03
know him
35:04
who sent
35:05
me.
35:06
So the
35:06
ungodly
35:07
will
35:07
persecute
35:09
the godly.
35:11
Paul wrote to
35:12
Timothy,
35:12
those who
35:13
desire to
35:13
live godly
35:14
in Christ
35:14
Jesus will
35:15
be persecuted.
35:18
The way of
35:19
Christ is the
35:19
way of
35:20
suffering.
35:21
We are
35:22
meant to
35:22
fill up
35:23
what is
35:23
lacking in
35:24
the affliction
35:24
of Christ
35:25
by displaying
35:26
to the
35:26
world around
35:27
us that
35:28
we do
35:28
not love
35:29
this world.
35:30
We love
35:31
one who is
35:31
greater than
35:32
this world.
35:35
If you
35:36
are not
35:36
signed up
35:37
for the
35:37
suffering of
35:38
Christ,
35:38
you don't
35:39
love
35:40
Christ.
35:41
You have
35:42
not tasted
35:43
and seen
35:43
his goodness.
35:45
If
35:45
Christianity
35:46
is an
35:46
add-on
35:47
for you
35:47
so that
35:48
you can
35:48
live your
35:48
best life
35:49
now,
35:50
you don't
35:51
understand
35:52
the gospel.
35:55
Jesus said
35:56
in Mark
35:56
chapter 8
35:56
verse 34
35:57
and 35
35:58
after calling
35:59
a crowd
36:00
around him
36:01
with his
36:01
disciples,
36:01
he said,
36:02
if anyone
36:02
would come
36:03
after me,
36:04
let him
36:05
deny himself
36:06
and take
36:07
up his
36:07
cross
36:08
and follow
36:09
me.
36:10
For whoever
36:10
would save
36:11
his life
36:11
will lose
36:11
it,
36:11
but whoever
36:12
loses his
36:12
life for
36:13
my sake
36:13
and the
36:14
gospels
36:15
will save
36:16
it.
36:18
He is
36:18
not talking
36:19
about little
36:21
discomfort.
36:22
He's not
36:23
talking about
36:24
one week
36:24
a year
36:25
when you
36:25
go to a
36:26
third world
36:26
country and
36:27
stay in
36:28
its nicest
36:28
hotels.
36:30
This is
36:30
not what
36:31
Jesus is
36:31
talking about.
36:32
The cross
36:33
is a place
36:33
of death.
36:36
This is
36:36
what he's
36:37
saying.
36:38
He's saying,
36:39
you must
36:39
be willing
36:40
to follow
36:40
me to
36:41
the very
36:41
place
36:42
that I
36:42
went if
36:43
you want
36:43
to have
36:44
me.
36:46
This
36:46
temporal
36:47
prosperity
36:48
gospel
36:48
has got
36:51
so many
36:51
Christians
36:52
on their
36:52
heels,
36:54
living in
36:55
a peacetime
36:56
mentality.
36:58
Beloved,
36:59
this is
36:59
war,
37:00
and people's
37:01
souls
37:02
are at
37:03
stake.
37:05
Why would
37:06
we believe
37:06
such a
37:07
gospel?
37:07
Why would
37:08
we believe
37:08
such a
37:09
gospel that
37:10
calls us
37:11
to suffer?
37:13
My one
37:14
word answer
37:14
for you
37:15
is Christ.
37:17
He is
37:18
better.
37:18
He is
37:19
more glorious,
37:20
more to be
37:20
treasured than
37:21
anything this
37:22
world could
37:23
possibly offer
37:24
us.
37:26
George
37:26
Whitfield,
37:28
the great
37:28
evangelist of
37:29
the first
37:30
great awakening,
37:32
said,
37:32
O free
37:33
grace in
37:34
Christ Jesus,
37:35
with what
37:36
love,
37:37
peace,
37:37
and joy,
37:38
does God
37:38
fill this
37:39
soul of
37:40
mine.
37:41
Lord,
37:41
I am not
37:42
worthy,
37:43
but thy
37:44
mercies in
37:45
Christ Jesus
37:46
are infinite.
37:50
The next
37:51
one I'd like
37:51
to address
37:52
goes by a
37:53
number of
37:54
names.
37:55
Similar,
37:56
similar in
37:57
nature to the
37:57
temporal prosperity
37:58
gospel.
37:59
You call it
38:00
easy-believe-ism
38:01
gospel,
38:02
the decision-ism
38:03
gospel.
38:04
gospel.
38:06
It's the
38:07
teaching that
38:09
if you are
38:12
to be in
38:12
Christ,
38:13
all you must
38:14
do is make
38:14
a mental
38:15
assent to
38:16
Christ.
38:17
Make a
38:18
decision to
38:19
follow Jesus.
38:21
The way the
38:21
following looks
38:22
isn't really of
38:22
importance,
38:23
right?
38:24
We're going to
38:24
get you to
38:25
sign something,
38:27
wave your
38:27
hand,
38:29
but nobody's
38:29
looking around,
38:30
so don't worry
38:30
about being
38:31
embarrassed.
38:31
Christ.
38:33
We're going to
38:34
get you
38:34
baptized so we
38:35
can count your
38:35
name.
38:38
And most of
38:38
you have heard
38:38
me say this,
38:39
but you're going
38:40
to hear me say
38:40
it a lot if
38:41
you're part of
38:41
this church.
38:44
I had a
38:44
pastor at one
38:45
point of a
38:45
large evangelical
38:47
church in our
38:49
area who would
38:51
say regularly,
38:53
if you ever doubt
38:54
your salvation,
38:55
turn to the front
38:56
of the Bible where
38:57
you wrote down
38:58
the date you
38:59
walked the aisle
38:59
and take
39:01
confidence in
39:02
that.
39:04
And that's a
39:06
damnable lie,
39:08
right?
39:08
Scary.
39:09
I hope this
39:11
man's grown past
39:12
that.
39:13
I'd like to
39:14
think that he
39:14
has, but has
39:16
gotten himself so
39:17
wrapped into this
39:18
idea of
39:19
decisionism, and
39:21
I think had a
39:22
genuine concern
39:22
for people who
39:23
doubted their
39:23
salvation that
39:24
this was the
39:24
solution that he
39:26
came up with.
39:28
What does the
39:29
Bible teach?
39:32
Let's look at
39:33
2 Peter 1.
39:34
verses 3-12.
39:59
His divine
40:02
power is
40:03
granted to
40:03
us all
40:03
things that
40:04
pertain to
40:04
life and
40:05
godliness,
40:06
through the
40:06
knowledge of
40:07
him who
40:07
called us to
40:08
his own
40:09
glory and
40:11
excellence.
40:12
If we are in
40:12
Christ, he's
40:13
given us a
40:13
spirit who
40:14
calls us to
40:14
walk in
40:15
his ways,
40:17
by which he
40:18
has granted
40:18
to us his
40:19
precious and
40:20
very great
40:20
promises,
40:21
so that through
40:21
them you may
40:23
become partakers
40:23
of the divine
40:24
nature, having
40:25
escaped from
40:25
the corruption
40:26
that is in
40:27
the world
40:27
because of
40:28
sinful desire.
40:30
We're escaping
40:30
sinful desire.
40:32
For this very
40:32
reason, make
40:34
every effort to
40:36
supplement your
40:37
faith with
40:38
virtue, and
40:38
virtue with
40:39
knowledge, and
40:40
knowledge with
40:41
self-control, and
40:42
self-control with
40:44
steadfastness, and
40:45
steadfastness with
40:46
godliness, and
40:47
godliness with
40:48
brotherly affection, and
40:50
brotherly affection
40:51
with love.
40:52
We list a bunch of
40:53
character qualities.
40:54
This is what it
40:54
should be looking
40:55
like for you to
40:56
be a Christ
40:57
follower, and
40:58
these things should
40:58
be happening, and
40:59
they should be
40:59
happening in
41:00
increasing order.
41:03
Verse 8,
41:05
For if these
41:05
qualities are
41:06
yours and are
41:07
increasing, they
41:09
keep you from
41:10
being ineffective or
41:11
unfruitful in the
41:12
knowledge of our
41:13
Lord Jesus Christ.
41:15
For whoever lacks
41:16
these qualities is so
41:18
nearsighted that he
41:19
is blind, having
41:21
forgotten that he
41:22
was cleansed from
41:22
his former sins.
41:23
Therefore, brothers, be
41:25
all the more
41:26
diligent to confirm
41:28
your calling and
41:29
election.
41:31
For if you practice
41:32
these qualities, you
41:34
will never fail.
41:37
So if you doubt
41:38
your salvation, don't
41:40
turn to the front of
41:41
your Bible and look
41:43
for a date you wrote
41:43
down when you
41:44
walked an aisle.
41:45
I don't even know
41:46
if you do that.
41:48
I don't.
41:48
My name's not even
41:49
written in the front
41:50
of mine.
41:51
Don't do that.
41:52
What does the
41:54
Scripture tell us to
41:54
do?
41:55
The Apostle Peter
41:56
says to make your
41:58
calling and election
41:59
sure by doing what?
42:00
By pursuing Christ.
42:03
By walking in his
42:04
ways.
42:05
And having your life
42:06
assessed not just by
42:08
you, but by those
42:08
around you.
42:10
Be part of a
42:11
faithful church.
42:13
Invite people to
42:14
help you pursue
42:15
holiness.
42:16
Can you see in you
42:17
these qualities
42:19
growing in you?
42:21
You.
42:23
Verse 11.
42:24
For in this way
42:25
there will be
42:25
richly provided for
42:26
you an entrance
42:27
into the eternal
42:28
kingdom of our
42:28
Lord and Savior
42:29
Jesus Christ.
42:32
Peter's not saying
42:33
if you do these
42:34
things you'll be
42:35
granted entrance.
42:36
What he's saying
42:37
is if you're doing
42:38
these things it's
42:39
the evidence that
42:40
you're in Christ.
42:41
It's the evidence
42:42
that you belong to
42:43
him.
42:43
That you have a
42:44
spirit.
42:45
That you have
42:45
placed believing
42:45
faith in his
42:46
person and his
42:47
work.
42:48
And it starts
42:49
to work out of
42:50
you.
42:50
This reality of
42:51
who you are.
42:54
And then he says
42:55
this.
42:55
And I love it.
42:56
Verse 12.
42:57
Therefore I intend
42:59
always to remind
43:02
you of these
43:03
qualities.
43:04
Though you know
43:05
them and are
43:05
established in the
43:06
truth that you
43:07
have.
43:08
Right?
43:08
He says it's so
43:09
important.
43:10
I'm just going to
43:11
keep reminding you
43:11
of the way it looks
43:12
to follow Jesus.
43:13
so that you
43:15
wouldn't be deceived.
43:17
You wouldn't be
43:18
deceived by this
43:19
easy believism
43:20
decisionism of
43:22
apparently Peter's
43:24
day and of
43:26
ours.
43:28
Following Jesus
43:29
Christ.
43:32
If you're in
43:33
him it takes all
43:34
of you.
43:35
It takes every
43:35
bit of your
43:36
effort and energy.
43:38
And at the
43:38
end we have
43:40
him.
43:42
The glorious
43:43
thing.
43:43
That is.
43:45
Paul contemplating
43:46
his own death.
43:47
Philippians 1
43:48
verse 21 says
43:49
for to me to
43:50
live is Christ.
43:52
Right?
43:53
All of his
43:53
suffering.
43:54
All of his
43:54
pursuit.
43:56
Gave his life to
43:57
follow this Jesus.
43:59
And he had him.
44:01
And to die is
44:01
gain.
44:02
Why?
44:02
Because he had
44:02
more of him in
44:04
his dying.
44:07
The great end of
44:08
the gospel of
44:08
Jesus Christ is
44:10
Christ himself.
44:12
It will be
44:13
brought back to
44:14
God in Jesus.
44:18
John Piper wrote
44:19
in a book he
44:20
wrote called
44:21
God is the
44:22
gospel.
44:23
This.
44:24
The critical
44:24
question for our
44:25
generation and for
44:26
every generation
44:27
is this.
44:29
If you could have
44:30
heaven with no
44:31
sickness and with
44:32
all the friends you
44:33
ever had on earth
44:34
and all the foods
44:35
you ever liked and
44:35
all the leisure
44:36
activities you ever
44:38
enjoyed and all the
44:40
natural beauties you
44:41
ever saw, all the
44:42
physical pleasures
44:43
you ever tasted,
44:45
and no human
44:46
conflict or any
44:47
natural disasters,
44:50
could you be
44:50
satisfied with
44:52
heaven if Christ
44:54
were not there?
44:58
And the answer of
44:59
the Christian is
45:01
no.
45:03
I want to be where
45:04
Christ is.
45:06
this is heaven
45:09
for me
45:10
that I would be
45:11
with Christ.
45:15
Finally, what I'm
45:16
just going to call,
45:17
there's probably a
45:18
better name for it,
45:18
but the legalistic
45:19
gospel.
45:21
Those who think far
45:22
too much of
45:23
themselves maybe are
45:24
in the faith,
45:25
but somehow believe
45:26
they deserved
45:28
God's favor,
45:30
rejected the idea of
45:32
grace altogether in
45:33
that way and
45:34
then begin to
45:34
heap up
45:35
unnecessary
45:36
requirements on
45:37
others to be in
45:39
the faith.
45:40
To be clear,
45:41
the Bible does
45:41
command, there are
45:43
clear commands we
45:44
are meant to
45:45
follow, we want
45:46
people to be
45:47
pursuing righteousness,
45:49
but we are very
45:50
apt as people to
45:51
add extras on.
45:53
And we typically
45:53
add on the extras
45:54
that we're already
45:55
pretty good at.
45:57
Stuff that I do
45:58
very well, I'm
45:59
also going to
45:59
expect other people
46:00
to do very well
46:01
that are extra
46:03
biblical things.
46:06
The Galatians had
46:07
a problem with
46:07
this.
46:08
They had what many
46:09
churches had in
46:09
the early church
46:11
days, the
46:11
Judaizers that
46:12
were coming around
46:13
and beginning to
46:13
teach that people
46:14
had to obey much
46:16
of the ceremonial
46:17
Old Testament law,
46:18
the primary one
46:19
being circumcision.
46:21
Gentiles were not
46:22
circumcised, they
46:23
were teaching them
46:23
that they must be
46:24
circumcised in order
46:25
to follow God,
46:26
even in Christ.
46:28
And Paul writes
46:29
these scathing
46:29
words to the
46:30
Galatian church,
46:30
chapter 3,
46:32
beginning in
46:32
verse 1.
46:33
He says,
46:33
O foolish Galatians,
46:35
who has bewitched
46:36
you?
46:37
It was before your
46:38
eyes that Jesus
46:39
Christ was publicly
46:40
portrayed as
46:41
crucified.
46:42
Let me ask you
46:43
only this.
46:44
Did you receive
46:45
the Spirit by
46:46
works of the law
46:46
or by hearing
46:47
with faith?
46:48
Are you so
46:49
foolish, having
46:50
begun by the
46:51
Spirit, are you
46:52
now being
46:53
perfected by
46:54
the flesh?
46:56
So any
46:57
teaching that
46:58
would teach you
46:59
that in order
46:59
to be saved,
47:00
you must do
47:01
work, right?
47:02
Is a damnable
47:04
lie.
47:06
But we are
47:07
saved by faith
47:08
alone, in
47:09
Christ alone,
47:10
and then we
47:11
work.
47:12
This is the way
47:13
that plays out,
47:14
works out in
47:16
our living.
47:18
So, Romans
47:20
chapter 10,
47:22
verse 13
47:23
through 17.
47:39
We're going to
47:39
look for God,
47:40
man,
47:40
Christ's response
47:42
as we bring
47:43
this to a
47:44
close.
47:44
for everyone
47:46
who calls
47:47
on the name
47:48
of the Lord
47:48
will be saved.
47:51
We need
47:52
salvation.
47:53
There is God
47:53
and man in
47:54
this text
47:55
there.
47:57
How then
47:58
will they call
47:59
on Him in
47:59
whom they
47:59
have not
48:00
believed?
48:01
And how are
48:02
they to believe
48:02
in Him who
48:03
they have not
48:04
heard?
48:04
And how are
48:05
they to hear
48:05
without someone
48:06
preaching?
48:07
And how are
48:08
they to preach
48:09
unless they
48:09
are sent?
48:11
As it is
48:11
written,
48:11
how beautiful
48:12
are the feet
48:12
of those
48:13
who preach
48:13
the good
48:14
news.
48:16
They have
48:16
not all
48:16
obeyed the
48:17
gospel,
48:17
for Isaiah
48:17
says,
48:18
Lord,
48:18
who has
48:19
believed
48:19
what he
48:19
has heard
48:20
from us?
48:20
A faith
48:21
comes from
48:21
hearing and
48:22
hearing through
48:22
the word
48:23
of Christ.
48:26
And there
48:26
we see
48:26
Christ all
48:27
throughout
48:27
that text,
48:28
right?
48:29
Everyone who
48:29
calls on
48:30
the name
48:30
of the Lord
48:31
will be
48:32
saved.
48:33
When we
48:33
talk about
48:33
Jesus'
48:34
name,
48:34
we're
48:34
talking about
48:35
His very
48:35
being and
48:36
His work,
48:37
person and
48:38
work.
48:38
We think
48:38
about the
48:38
name of
48:39
Jesus,
48:40
we're talking
48:40
about His
48:40
person and
48:41
work.
48:42
So everyone
48:42
who calls
48:43
on the
48:43
person and
48:43
work of
48:44
Jesus will
48:46
be saved.
48:48
How are
48:48
they to
48:49
know?
48:49
Unless
48:50
somebody tells
48:51
them.
48:52
Paul runs
48:53
through a
48:53
litany of
48:54
questions.
48:55
How are
48:55
they to
48:56
know unless
48:57
someone
48:58
tells them?
49:00
Get out of
49:01
your head
49:02
the idea
49:02
that anyone
49:03
can be saved
49:04
apart from
49:05
hearing the
49:05
gospel of
49:06
Jesus Christ.
49:07
Read,
49:08
proclaimed.
49:09
There's work
49:09
all over this
49:10
world sending
49:11
the gospel
49:11
into places
49:12
that are
49:12
dangerous
49:13
because we
49:13
believe this.
49:15
We believe
49:16
that this
49:16
text is
49:16
inerrant.
49:17
There are
49:18
creative ways
49:19
that the
49:19
scripture is
49:20
going out
49:21
into the
49:21
world.
49:22
You need
49:22
to look at
49:23
Voice of the
49:23
Martyrs and
49:23
the way they
49:24
send weather
49:24
balloons over
49:25
North Korea.
49:27
Phenomenal!
49:28
There are
49:28
North Korean
49:29
churches because
49:30
of work like
49:31
that.
49:32
The gospel
49:33
going into
49:34
places.
49:35
It's an
49:35
incredible thing
49:36
that God
49:36
saves people
49:37
through words
49:38
spoken and
49:39
printed,
49:40
distributed,
49:41
wide,
49:42
far.
49:44
It's an
49:44
astounding
49:45
thing.
49:46
How will
49:47
people be
49:47
saved if we
49:48
don't proclaim
49:48
the good
49:49
news to
49:50
them?
49:50
And you
49:51
need to be
49:51
careful that
49:51
you don't
49:51
assume that
49:52
just because
49:53
we live in
49:53
the southeast,
49:54
people you
49:54
know have
49:54
heard the
49:55
gospel of
49:55
Jesus Christ.
49:56
They may
49:56
have heard
49:57
some erroneous
49:58
version of
49:58
it, but
49:59
they may
50:00
not have
50:00
heard the
50:01
good news
50:02
of Jesus.
50:03
They may
50:04
not have
50:04
ever been
50:05
shown the
50:06
weight of
50:07
their sin
50:07
from the
50:08
scripture.
50:09
Understand
50:10
their problem
50:11
that they
50:11
might find
50:12
their solution
50:13
in Christ.
50:16
Don't get
50:16
dismayed in
50:18
this text
50:19
either by
50:20
the word
50:20
preaching.
50:22
This is the
50:23
word that
50:24
is often
50:25
considered
50:26
translated
50:27
evangelism.
50:29
Going and
50:30
proclaiming.
50:31
Don't think
50:31
it has to be
50:32
what I'm
50:32
doing now
50:33
gathering
50:33
large crowds.
50:34
You say
50:34
I'm not
50:35
meant to
50:36
preach.
50:37
That's okay.
50:38
Not many
50:39
of you should
50:39
be teachers.
50:40
However,
50:41
we should
50:42
all be
50:43
gospel
50:43
proclaimers.
50:44
This is
50:45
what Paul
50:45
is talking
50:46
about here.
50:47
This is
50:47
what he's
50:48
saying.
50:49
So in
50:50
a sense
50:51
we've all
50:52
been sent.
50:54
The great
50:55
king,
50:55
the Lord
50:56
has sent
50:56
us all
50:57
out.
50:59
We have
50:59
been
51:00
sent.
51:01
sent.
51:02
And in
51:03
another,
51:03
I hope
51:04
that this
51:04
morning you
51:04
hear you're
51:05
sent.
51:06
This church
51:07
wants to
51:07
equip you
51:08
and send
51:08
you to
51:09
the very
51:10
ends of
51:12
the earth.
51:13
Paul here
51:14
quotes from
51:14
Isaiah 52
51:15
and verse
51:16
7.
51:17
How beautiful
51:17
are the
51:18
feet of
51:18
those who
51:19
preach the
51:20
good news.
51:22
And he is
51:23
tying to
51:24
something that
51:24
happened
51:24
historically.
51:25
When a
51:26
victory was
51:26
won,
51:27
a runner
51:27
would be
51:28
sent back
51:29
to tell
51:30
the city
51:30
that the
51:31
victory had
51:32
been won.
51:32
A runner
51:33
was sent
51:34
from the
51:34
army.
51:35
Go.
51:36
Go and
51:36
tell them
51:36
we have
51:38
won.
51:38
And this
51:39
is exactly
51:39
what God
51:39
is doing
51:40
with the
51:40
proclamation
51:41
of the
51:41
gospel of
51:41
Jesus
51:41
Christ.
51:42
He has
51:43
already won.
51:44
The work
51:45
of Christ
51:46
is finished.
51:47
And now
51:48
this news
51:49
is going
51:50
forth.
51:51
Runners
51:52
go out.
51:53
That's us.
51:54
And we
51:54
share this
51:55
good news
51:55
with anyone
51:56
and everyone.
51:59
We get
51:59
this idea
52:01
of a
52:01
marathon
52:02
from a
52:03
man.
52:03
I just
52:03
love to
52:04
say his
52:04
name.
52:04
Pheidippides.
52:06
You have
52:06
to go like
52:06
this when
52:07
you say
52:07
Pheidippides.
52:09
History
52:10
tells us
52:10
ran to
52:11
Athens
52:11
with the
52:12
good news
52:13
of the
52:14
victories
52:14
people had
52:15
over the
52:15
Persians
52:16
at
52:16
Marathon.
52:18
And this
52:18
was about
52:18
26 miles.
52:20
It said
52:21
it was in
52:21
August and
52:22
he died
52:22
upon arriving
52:23
and delivering
52:24
this good
52:25
news.
52:26
This is
52:28
what we're
52:28
talking about.
52:29
How beautiful
52:30
are the feet
52:30
of those
52:31
who preach
52:32
the good
52:33
news.
52:35
God has
52:36
won and
52:36
declared a
52:37
victory and
52:38
he sends
52:38
us out to
52:39
share this
52:40
with every
52:41
one.
52:44
So there's
52:44
these big
52:45
questions that
52:46
must be
52:46
answered for
52:47
people and
52:48
you can start
52:49
answering those
52:49
questions at
52:50
any point in
52:51
the process of
52:51
it.
52:51
And I'll
52:52
tell you right
52:52
now that
52:53
almost all of
52:54
my gospel
52:54
presentations
52:55
begin with
52:56
the trouble
52:56
of this
52:57
world.
52:57
Everyone
52:58
sees it.
52:59
No one
53:00
thinks we're
53:01
living in the
53:01
lap of luxury
53:02
and life is
53:03
just a
53:04
breeze.
53:06
Why?
53:07
Why is life
53:08
hard?
53:09
Why do we
53:09
see such
53:10
tragedy around
53:11
us?
53:12
That's because
53:13
of sin.
53:14
It's the
53:14
result of
53:15
the curse.
53:17
Curse?
53:18
Someone must
53:19
have created
53:20
the world in
53:20
order to
53:21
curse the
53:23
world.
53:23
And how is
53:23
all of this
53:24
made right?
53:25
There's such
53:25
opportunity.
53:27
Open up the
53:28
news and
53:28
begin to talk
53:29
with somebody
53:30
about that and
53:31
you will find
53:31
that you can
53:32
begin to answer
53:33
the questions.
53:35
Who made us
53:35
and to whom
53:36
are we
53:36
accountable?
53:37
What is our
53:38
problem?
53:39
We have a
53:40
problem.
53:41
We're in
53:42
trouble.
53:42
Why?
53:43
Why are we
53:43
in such
53:44
trouble?
53:45
What is
53:46
God's
53:46
solution to
53:47
that problem?
53:48
Has he
53:49
worked one
53:50
out?
53:50
He has.
53:52
How is it
53:53
that we are
53:53
saved?
53:55
And how
53:55
are we
53:56
pressing
53:57
people to
53:57
respond?
53:59
This thing
54:00
matters.
54:01
Decide
54:02
today whom
54:03
you will
54:04
follow.
54:04
plead with
54:06
people that
54:07
they would
54:07
give their
54:08
lives to
54:09
Jesus Christ.
54:11
I want us
54:12
to be a
54:12
people who
54:13
unite with
54:14
Paul in
54:15
Romans 1
54:16
16.
54:18
These are
54:19
the people
54:20
that God
54:20
wants us
54:21
to be.
54:22
His beautiful
54:23
feet runners.
54:25
For I am
54:25
not ashamed
54:26
of the
54:26
gospel.
54:28
For it is
54:28
the power
54:29
of God
54:29
for salvation
54:30
to everyone
54:31
who believes.
54:32
Let's pray
54:33
together.