Participants:
Series Code: BTLP
Program Code: BTLP000162S
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00:38 Hello and welcome to Behold the Lamb Presents.
00:40 I'm Chris Shelton, your host. 00:42 I wanna thank you for tuning in. 00:44 Today's message will be with Pastor Kenny Shelton. 00:46 And we're gonna be talking about once saved, 00:49 always saved. 00:50 You know, back years ago 00:52 when I was much younger, one gentleman 00:54 I had met, he was, 00:56 he had married a good friend of mine 00:57 from high school, 00:58 and you would have never thought of him 01:01 as being a Christian. 01:02 He liked to drink and he liked to do things 01:05 and watch things that you would never associate 01:08 with a Christ-like person. 01:10 And yet, when we were trying to witness with him one day, 01:12 he says, you know, I'm saved. 01:14 I believe in God, I'm saved. 01:16 I can do whatever I want. 01:17 I can live the way I want. 01:19 I'm saved, once saved, always saved. 01:21 And that always brought a big question to my mind. 01:24 As I know it does for many, many of you out there. 01:27 Once saved, always saved doesn't mean 01:30 that you just believe and then you go 01:32 and you live your life, or does the Bible teach 01:34 something a little bit different? 01:36 I look forward to seeing 01:37 what Pastor Kenny has to share with us on that. 01:40 But I wanna share 01:41 just a few quick verses with you 01:43 that as I've been studying this, 01:45 that the Lord has shown me 01:47 that many people use to say, okay, there it is. 01:50 That's why. 01:52 And I'm sure as I bring these up, 01:53 he will go and expound on them much, much more. 01:56 But one is found in John 6:37. 02:00 And it reads, "All that the Father giveth me 02:04 shall come to me, and him that cometh to me, 02:07 I will in no wise cast out." 02:10 John 10:29, "My father which giveth them me 02:14 is greater than all, 02:16 and no man is able to pluck them 02:19 out of my Father's hand." 02:20 You know, I do believe that, 02:22 I do believe that no one can take us from God, 02:25 but I believe there's another part. 02:27 And we'll wait and see if pastor brings that out. 02:29 And another one, a final one I wanna share is one that 02:32 I'm sure all of you know is John 3:16, 02:36 "For God so loved the world 02:38 that He gave His only begotten Son, 02:40 that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, 02:44 but have everlasting life." 02:46 Now, friends, the thief on the cross is a good example. 02:50 You know, that he believed, and Christ said, you know, 02:52 I'm telling you today, 02:54 you're gonna be with me in paradise. 02:56 So we're gonna look a little deeper 02:57 and find out does it mean that once saved, always saved. 03:02 Stay tuned. 03:04 Again, thank you for joining us 03:06 once again here at Behold the Lamb. 03:07 You heard already about 03:08 the title of the subject once saved, always saved. 03:12 Now it either is a biblical truth 03:15 or it's not a biblical, we say it's an untruth. 03:19 So we're gonna look at that closely in scripture today. 03:22 And we're gonna spend this thoughtful hour 03:24 on this subject that 03:25 I believe will be a real blessing, 03:27 because if it is a truth, praise God for it. 03:29 If it's not a truth that needs to be exposed 03:31 from the Word of God, 03:33 because I think maybe many, many, many people 03:35 believe in this subject. 03:37 So before always that we present the Bible 03:41 before we open up the pages, this beautiful book we pray. 03:44 And I'm just, I'm believing that 03:46 you're praying at home 03:47 and I'm gonna be praying right here. 03:48 I'm going to kneel and ask God's blessing upon His word. 03:51 So let's pray together, shall we? 03:54 Loving Father in heaven, 03:56 truly we thank You for Your love and Your mercy. 03:58 Now we invite thy Holy Spirit. 04:00 Lord, what an important subject this is. 04:02 And we pray that our hearts and minds will be open, 04:04 that we may receive this teaching 04:06 from the Holy Spirit. 04:07 Bless us we pray, now may the things of earth 04:10 go strangely dim as we sit at your feet. 04:13 We pray that You will speak 04:14 and so we may hear in Jesus' name. 04:16 Amen. 04:17 Again, make sure you have your Bible 04:19 and pencil and papers out, 04:20 everything, so you can jot down. 04:22 There's a lot of information to cover. 04:23 I doubt that we'll get through, you know, we're just, again, 04:26 touching on the edges, once saved, always saved. 04:29 A very familiar verse in the Bible. 04:32 And I want us to remember, 04:34 and this was our scripture reading 04:35 and that's found in 1 Corinthians 10:12. 04:38 Now remember 1 Corinthians 10:12. 04:40 This was put there in the Bible for a reason, for a reason. 04:44 And you'll notice as we again go 04:45 over 1 Corinthians 10:12, 04:48 "Wherefore let him that thinketh," what? 04:51 That he standeth take heed, lest he fall." 04:54 Notice it. 04:55 And that is a warning, is that not? 04:58 Wherefore let him that thinketh he stands take heed, 05:02 lest he fall because there's a lot of people say, 05:04 oh, no matter what the devil throws at me, 05:06 it doesn't matter. 05:07 You know, we're gonna beat the devil up. 05:10 But remember we need to be very careful 05:12 about the statements that we make. 05:14 Certainly, we serve a God that is able. 05:16 And I think in this study that we'll go through 05:18 and prove beyond a shadow of a doubt, 05:20 God wants us to be saved. 05:22 He wants us in the kingdom. 05:23 He's made every preparation that we can be there 05:26 and salvation can be assured to His people. 05:30 But how far do we go with that assurance? 05:33 Do we go farther than God has wanted us to go? 05:36 Or do we go as far as He wants us to go? 05:39 And once saved, always saved. 05:41 You know, scripture warns us always, 05:43 as we read to be on guard 05:45 that we are not deceived over and over, right? 05:48 You read in the Word, what does it say? 05:50 Especially Matthew 24, "Don't be deceived." 05:53 Some of the first word Jesus spoke to the disciples 05:55 when they wanted to know 05:56 if He's coming and what would take place? 05:58 He said, "Be careful that you're not deceived." 06:00 Because He knew the enemy would be out to do what? 06:03 To deceive or the enemy would be out 06:05 and take a truth in the Bible, and then he would what? 06:09 He would change it just a little bit, 06:11 so that would deceive people into thinking maybe that 06:14 they are a little bit better than they are, 06:16 or maybe they just don't need any help. 06:19 Everything is all right, 06:20 because many years ago they gave their heart to God. 06:24 Interesting when you think about it. 06:26 Many believe they have reached a point 06:30 in their Christian experience 06:32 that nothing can bother them. 06:34 Nothing can shake them off of the platform. 06:36 Have you ever met someone like that? 06:38 They just, and again, I think we can be positive 06:40 and sure based on God's Word, 06:42 but there are stipulations I believe. 06:44 And I believe we'll find as we study together. 06:47 You know, is there such a thing? 06:49 This is a question. 06:51 Is there such a thing as, "Oh, I'm not living." 06:55 And I've heard people say, "I'm not living as I should, 06:57 but I believe if something happens, 06:59 I'll make it to heaven." 07:00 Have you ever heard anyone say something like that? 07:03 I'm not, I'm not living the way that I know I should. 07:07 But I believe that 07:08 I will be able to make it to heaven. 07:10 Why? Because, well, because I was saved 07:12 when I was 12, I'm 55 now. 07:15 You follow me. I'm 55 now. 07:17 I'm not living the way that I should. 07:18 I know what the Bible says, 07:20 but I believe I'll be saved because I was when I was 12. 07:23 Is that really biblical? 07:26 Is that really a teaching from the Word of God? 07:29 Can it be misleading? 07:30 And a lot of people reach for it 07:32 because it sounds good. 07:34 It feels good. 07:36 In other words, I don't necessarily 07:37 have to match up to anything 07:39 to make heaven my home, but it's gonna be my home 07:42 because I really did give my life to Him 07:44 many years ago. 07:46 Wow. Huh. 07:48 I've had some people say, you know what? 07:49 My relationship with Christ is solid as a rock. 07:53 It's solid as a rock. 07:55 Sometime we have to be very careful 07:56 about tying on to a solid rock, unless it is Jesus, 07:59 because it can take you under. 08:01 Be very careful, make sure it is the rock Jesus Christ. 08:05 And notice. 08:06 I wanna start out very positive about being saved. 08:11 And I know that we can be saved 08:13 if we recognize what true safety really is. 08:17 True safety really is only that which recognizes absolutely 08:22 without any question, that we are helpless, 08:26 that we cannot make it 08:27 to the kingdom apart from Christ. 08:29 We cannot grow apart from Christ. 08:32 We cannot learn apart from the Holy Spirit, 08:35 we understand that. 08:36 And then a constant need of the Holy Spirit. 08:40 Notice that, some people say 08:41 they don't need the Holy Spirit, 08:43 they understand, they know scripture 08:44 and so on and so forth. 08:46 Holy Spirit, the Bible said promises to help us to gain 08:50 victory over sin in our life. 08:52 In that passage of scripture in 1 Corinthians 10:12, 08:57 it says, I like the words there, 08:58 take heed. 08:59 Do what? What does that mean to you? 09:03 Be careful. 09:04 Should we listen to that, take heed? 09:06 Anybody says that? 09:07 Before you open that door, 09:08 take heed to what I'm saying because. 09:11 Well, you're gonna say, well, what? 09:13 Take heed. So we need to listen up. 09:15 That can be repeated over and over, 09:17 at least in my opinion, but be careful 09:20 because there's such a thing as spiritual pride. 09:24 Now we're gonna look at a few things 09:25 and attack a few things as it were to look, 09:28 to see how the enemy may be covering up 09:30 something here, 09:32 and it must be exposed by the Word of God. 09:34 Spiritual pride. 09:35 Can there be such a thing as spiritual pride? 09:38 I mean, every one of you have met 09:40 someone who's had spiritual pride 09:42 and we pray that we never have that spiritual pride. 09:45 You know, it what? 09:47 It leads to something that's very, very dangerous. 09:50 It's self-confident, huh. 09:53 Self-confidence. 09:55 I... Well, I believe in what? 09:56 Confidence in self and not in God. 10:00 Romans 11:20 says this. 10:02 It says, "Thou standest by faith. 10:06 Be not high-minded, but fear." 10:09 I thought that was interesting. 10:10 The Bible here has given admonition 10:12 do not be high-minded. 10:13 That means don't be arrogant even in spiritual things. 10:17 Don't be a know it all in spiritual things. 10:20 If we understand God, we understand heaven, 10:22 understand the word just a little bit. 10:24 We'll realize there's a whole lot that 10:26 we don't know much more than 10:28 we don't know than we know. 10:30 And then what we know, we think we know is barely 10:33 just scratching the edges 10:35 and we'll be learning through all eternity. 10:38 So we don't want to be high-minded, 10:40 the Bible says, but fear. 10:42 I can think of one individual and many in Scripture. 10:45 We'll just give one illustration 10:46 because of our time. 10:48 I think of Nebuchadnezzar. 10:50 Do you remember that? 10:52 Habakkuk 2:4 just simply says this, 10:54 "Faith cannot live in a man whose soul is lifted up." 10:58 Faith cannot what? 11:00 Faith cannot live in a soul, right? 11:02 And then what? Who's what? Who's lifted up? 11:05 And we think of Nebuchadnezzar, do we not? 11:06 In Daniel 5:20, it says, 11:11 "His heart was lifted up." 11:15 And then he had to be what? He had to be humble. 11:17 We need to be careful in our relationship with Christ 11:21 that we do not get lifted up 11:23 and that we know everything, you know. 11:27 Many, many years ago, 11:28 as we're starting out, and just, you know, 11:30 being still in construction given Bible studies, 11:33 one of my greatest fears was this, 11:35 there somebody would ask me a question 11:37 I did not have an answer for. 11:40 Hello? 11:41 Yeah, I didn't have... 11:42 I don't know if any of you have ever 11:44 went through that or not. 11:45 I'm afraid somebody is gonna ask something 11:46 I don't know. 11:48 But you know, the Lord gives you what? 11:49 Give you wisdom on those things to simply say, 11:50 you will not always have the answer. 11:52 Some people come 11:53 from so many different directions 11:55 that's not even a biblical direction. 11:57 How can you have a biblical answer? 11:59 And so the Lord says to me, Kenny, you know, 12:02 the next best thing to knowing the answer is what? 12:05 Is where to find it. 12:07 The next best thing 12:08 from knowing the answer is what? 12:10 Where to find it. 12:11 So when they asked me a question, I didn't know. 12:13 I'd say, I don't know, but I know the Bible has it. 12:15 And we're gonna go to the Word of God 12:17 and we're gonna find that answer. 12:18 So therefore we need not be afraid 12:20 as long as we're digging in the Word of God. 12:23 Probably, and I think 12:24 it was read here on our opening, 12:27 that probably the most recognized scripture 12:29 in the Bible dealing with, again, 12:31 we're dealing with salvation, 12:33 we're dealing with the, you know, 12:35 the scripture being saved. 12:37 And so how could we do without reading John 3:16? 12:41 How could we really go through this? 12:43 'Cause again, people have memorized it 12:45 and yet you could probably spend hours 12:47 on this one verse. 12:48 I'm not going to do that. 12:49 I just want to read it for those who may be, 12:51 there may be someone tuning 12:52 in that's never read this before. 12:54 Believe it or not, they may have never read it. 12:56 They may have never heard it. For God's so what? 13:00 He loved the world that He gave His what? 13:03 Only, you like that 13:04 only begotten Son that whosoever, 13:06 notice that word, believeth in Him 13:09 should not perish, but have everlasting life. 13:11 That sounds almost like, be careful with this. 13:14 That sounds almost like once saved, always saved. 13:19 It almost because it says whoever believes, right? 13:23 He's not going to perish. 13:25 The word believeth there is that 13:27 if have assurance that 13:28 you really have today assurance in God. 13:31 Do you really have faith in God? 13:33 That's what it means to believe. 13:34 Have you really committed yourself to God? 13:38 Have you, do you really trust in God? 13:41 Do you trust in your, in God's, 13:43 you know, His spiritual, your wellbeing to God? 13:47 Do you really trust Him? 13:49 Believe it should not perish, but have everlasting life. 13:52 Do we really have that commitment? 13:54 Do we really trust Him? 13:56 Do we really trust Him with our, 13:59 you know, our own soul and with our companion 14:01 and with our family and our friends, 14:03 do you really trust Him? 14:05 I like this book Acts of the Apostle 14:06 says this, page 209. 14:08 It says, "If sinners," now, who does this include? 14:12 Good. Everybody. 14:13 "If sinners can be led to give one earnest look at the cross." 14:18 Again, we're talking about here. 14:20 We don't wanna be overconfident in the Word. 14:23 Overconfident in the Word 14:24 causes us to look at ourselves rather than Jesus Christ. 14:28 So we don't wanna be overconfident here. 14:30 But notice, if sinners can be led to give one, notice this, 14:35 one earnest look to the cross. 14:38 "If they could obtain a full," 14:40 notice, "view of the crucified Savior, 14:43 they would realize the depth of God's compassion," 14:46 and I like this, 14:48 "but, and of the sinfulness of sin." 14:51 Two very important things if you missed it. 14:54 If we behold the cross of Calvary, 14:57 if we behold Christ on that cross, 14:59 if we get a full view of that and keep that ever 15:03 before us as God's people, there's two things, 15:06 at least two things that will help us. 15:08 Number one, the depth of God's compassion, 15:12 the depth of the love that He has. 15:15 If it was not for Calvary, 15:17 how would we understand what true love really is. 15:19 In this world that we live when somebody says love, 15:21 it's sometimes just cheese cheap. 15:24 It's useless. Think about it. 15:28 But not the love that Christ has for us. 15:31 And then we would also realize this 15:33 by looking and beholding Christ, 15:34 we would see the sinfulness of sin. 15:38 To see the sinfulness of sin means we don't wanna go there. 15:42 That means we wanna move away from that thing. 15:45 And then I look at the cross and I say, 15:46 oh good, because we're talking about once saved, always saved. 15:49 And if I'm looking at it this way, 15:51 the cross is certainly a pledge of my salvation. 15:56 The cross is good, 15:57 but again, there must be a balance here somewhere 16:00 because so much scriptures 16:01 and so many things that we can look at 16:03 seems to point in that direction, 16:05 because salvation is sure because of Jesus Christ. 16:10 But is there other extenuating things that we need to look at? 16:14 A pledge of my salvation. 16:17 John 3:16 quickly, notice, 16:18 it points out a couple of things, 16:20 here it's very interesting. 16:22 It points down that 16:23 we're gonna be traveling down two ways road. 16:27 We're gonna be traveling down the road. 16:28 Now one of the roads leads to eternal life 16:31 and the other one leads to death. 16:34 So we're confronted with that every day. 16:38 But there has to be a choice. 16:41 We read that in Matthew 7:13-14, 16:44 which says somewhat the same thing here, 16:46 because it describes there's two roads. 16:48 There's the broad road, and then there is what? 16:51 There's a narrow road, 16:53 but interesting in that broad road, 16:55 what do you see? 16:56 What do you find? You think... 16:58 You see just about everybody on that broad road, 17:01 because it's kind of easy. 17:03 It's kind of flat as it were. 17:04 There's not really any uphill. 17:06 It's not really, it just, everybody wants to go there. 17:08 And after all, as many people say, 17:10 you know, well, there's, 17:12 everybody's going over here, so we ought to go too. 17:15 You get church. 17:16 There's a big church, 17:17 hundreds and thousands of people go, 17:19 that must be the church. 17:20 Not necessarily. 17:22 That sure wasn't that way in the time of Jesus, was it? 17:25 And it's not that way now. 17:26 It's gonna be a, 17:27 just a small little group as the end 17:30 that will be willing to follow Jesus. 17:32 But these two roads 17:33 that said enter either straight gate. 17:36 Wide is the gate, broad is the way 17:38 that leads to what? 17:40 To destruction. 17:41 The Bible said many, there in that go that way. 17:44 Many people are going to do it. 17:46 Verse 14 says because straight is the gate, 17:49 narrow is the way which lead to eternal life. 17:52 Straight is the gate, 17:53 narrow is the way that leads where? 17:56 To eternal life. 17:57 And it says, oh-oh, few there be that find it. 18:01 How sad? 18:02 Somebody should be upset just a little bit here. 18:05 Jesus Christ Himself is saying here to us, 18:07 oh, my, here it is. 18:09 Here's the broad way, all kinds of people are in it. 18:11 And the devil is making sure that they're in it, 18:13 but there's little straight way over here and road and gate. 18:16 And there's very few that go in there. 18:18 Jesus said, notice this, 18:20 enter ye, enter ye into the gate. 18:23 You remember Him saying that? 18:25 So when He says, enter ye in, He says, there's two things. 18:29 He points out how the way to begin. 18:32 See, some of us don't have Christian experience. 18:34 Some of us we're just accepting Christ. 18:36 We don't know where to begin. 18:37 We don't know what to do. 18:39 Jesus just points to the gate. 18:40 And He say, enter ye in, let's come on in. 18:42 Other words, here's the way that we begin. 18:45 And then He says something else 18:46 and I'll show you where to begin. 18:49 I need that kind of direction in my own life. 18:51 Jesus says this in John Chapter 10. 18:53 Do you remember that? 18:55 Certainly verses 7 and 9, John 10:7, 9 says that, 18:59 remember Jesus says this. 19:01 For the way in, I am the, somebody say door, 19:04 and I'm loving it. 19:05 I am the door, He says, I like that. 19:08 I am what? The door. 19:09 There is no other door. 19:11 So the people are pounding and beating and carrying on, 19:14 trying to get in some other way than God, 19:16 than Christ said, He said, the only way is He is the door. 19:20 Only way you will make it to heaven 19:21 is go through Jesus Christ, isn't that right? 19:24 I am the door. I like that. 19:27 And then John 14:6, He simply says, I am the way. 19:31 I am the way, there's no other. 19:33 I'm the door, I'm the way. 19:35 If you wanna make it to heaven, 19:36 you need to look in this direction right here. 19:38 I'll show you the way to begin and where to begin. 19:42 Seek ye, they said, notice this, 19:44 next verse goes on. 19:45 He says, "But many will seek to come in, 19:49 but they're not gonna be able." 19:50 What could that possibly mean? 19:53 Huh, I'm the door. 19:56 And you said, I'm the way. 19:57 You wanna be saved, 19:59 there's only one way, we made that clear. 20:01 Luke 13:24, jot them down, so you can read them. 20:05 Says, "Many will seek to enter and shall not be able. 20:09 What does that mean they will seek to enter, 20:11 but they will not be able? 20:14 Huh. Why? 20:16 Maybe just because they will not strive. 20:19 You have to strive to enter in. 20:22 Verse 24 tells us we have to struggle. 20:24 You notice that? 20:26 We have to put forth an effort. 20:28 We have to exert. 20:30 We have to fight. 20:31 Does that make sense? To qualify for the prize. 20:34 If anybody here wants the prize, 20:36 you have to be willing to exert. 20:38 You have to be willing to get out 20:39 in the snow if you have to. 20:41 You have to be willing. 20:42 I'd rather, I tell you, I'd rather be out 20:44 trying to get to church and get stuck rather than say, 20:46 I'm not even gonna try. 20:47 And the roads are as clear as they can be. 20:49 Well, now, you know what I'm talking about here. 20:54 I'd rather be out there and get stuck and say, 20:55 I've tried to get there rather than say, 20:58 well, this is a chance to stay. 21:00 Listen, you'll have plenty of chances 21:01 to stay home before too long. 21:03 If the country keeps going like it's going right now, 21:05 they can, the doors will be shut 21:06 one of these days. 21:07 You won't be able to get in. Jesus, I'm... 21:09 Remember I'm the door strive to enter in, 21:11 struggle, exert, fight. 21:14 I don't know about you, but every day, 21:16 you know regardless Christ is on your side. 21:19 You've accepted Him as Lord and Savior. 21:20 The devil says, "I'm gonna beat you up." 21:23 Is that true? 21:25 The enemy's plan is to beat you up for the day. 21:28 He'll beat you up with circumstances. 21:30 He'll beat you up with a family. 21:32 He'll beat you up with trying to, 21:33 well, well, well, potty train a dog. 21:38 I had to get that out, 21:42 since we have 21:43 a two-month-old puppy in the house. 21:46 Should I leave that and just go on? 21:48 Okay. 21:49 You, you know what I'm talking about? 21:51 Sometime you lose patience. 21:54 Isn't that right? Yeah. 21:58 I mean the dogs nowadays, they like, 22:00 they wear diapers and stuff too like kids, 22:02 I don't know. 22:04 Yeah. 22:07 But you know, we've got to strive 22:11 for that dog to learn. 22:14 You have to repeat some things 22:17 and there's messes to clean up. 22:20 But eventually they will learn 22:23 just so we in our own personal lives. 22:25 Strive, struggle, why? 22:27 Because there's a prize. 22:28 And there's a prize at the end. 22:31 1 Corinthians 9:25. 22:32 Notice quickly says, every man that knows... 22:34 I'm gonna read part of the passage. 22:35 You have to put it down and read it. 22:37 1 Corinthians 9:25, 22:39 "Every man that striveth for the mastery," 22:42 of course it goes on and says, "he's temperate in all," what? 22:45 "He's temperate in all things." 22:47 Remember, you have to strive, oh, I'm saved. 22:49 I don't have to do anything. I'm just saved. 22:51 I'm just, and God says, 22:52 I just, I believe, so I'm saved. 22:54 One guy said, I know I'm going to heaven, 22:55 there's no doubt about it. 22:56 Me and God talk every once in a while. 22:58 And we have an understanding 22:59 and I don't really have to do anything. 23:01 I don't really do. We have an understanding. 23:02 I said, yeah, God has a good understanding. 23:07 I mean, it's sad if a person means that. 23:12 There's much more to it. 23:14 If you... 23:15 If I'm going to repopulate heaven. 23:18 God's just not gonna, and may I make this simple? 23:20 God's not gonna just let anybody in there. 23:24 There's some qualifications, are there not? 23:27 And they said, oh, right, long time ago, I was saved. 23:29 Now I live for the devil, I do everything in the world, 23:31 but I was saved and I'm going to be there. 23:33 Is that really a Bible teaching? 23:35 Colossians 1:29. 23:37 It says, "Whereunto I also labor 23:39 and I'm striving." 23:41 Paul said he had to fight the good fight of faith. 23:43 We've to fight the devil every day, 23:45 you can't just give up 23:47 and say, well, he's just worked me over today. 23:48 No, don't ever say that. 23:50 By the grace of God, we're more than conquerors. 23:53 1 Timothy 6:12. 23:54 You know this well. 23:56 Again, "Fight the good fight of," what? 23:58 "Our faith, lay hold," notice this, on what? 24:03 "Eternal life." But why? 24:05 Because we're called to eternal life. 24:08 So there again, it kind of points back like, 24:09 well, we give our life to Christ. 24:11 We're automatically going to make it 24:13 because it indicates right here that 24:15 we're to strive and we're to fight 24:16 and because there's eternal life 24:18 and we're called to eternal life. 24:22 In order to, may I say, use the word hit, 24:25 in order to hit this subject. 24:28 Let's back up a little bit 24:30 and let's look at Luke 13:23, one verse. 24:33 There's a question that's asked Jesus. 24:35 Now we're gonna get more than once saved, 24:36 always saved, I watched the clock, 24:38 oh my, pray for me. 24:40 There's so much here to lead up to say, 24:41 I believe that we can have eternal salvation. 24:45 Are you still with me church? 24:47 I believe that it can be assured 24:49 by the grace of God. 24:50 I believe that it's signed and sealed 24:52 by the cross of Calvary, 24:53 but there's conditions for it. 24:56 I'm gonna have to continue on in my walk with Him 24:59 and we'll see that as we go. 25:01 But notice, let's look at Luke 13:23. 25:03 There's a question that's asked Jesus 25:06 and you know what they said? 25:07 The Pharisees, Essenes, all these, 25:10 they love to ask Jesus question 25:11 and try to trip Him up and fool Him. 25:12 And they said, 25:14 "Are there just a few that will be saved?" 25:17 How many times have we ever done that? 25:19 It seemed like only a few is gonna be saved. 25:21 It seemed like only a few is gonna be saved. 25:22 And I don't think so-and-so is gonna be saved. 25:24 And I don't think she's gonna... 25:26 Listen, interesting how Jesus responded to that. 25:29 And I want us to respond the same way 25:31 that Jesus did if you encounter this situation,. 25:34 Verse 24, Luke 13, 25:37 Jesus starts out with number one. 25:39 He said, strive. 25:41 Don't you like it? What did He say? 25:42 He said, strive. That means you fight it. 25:45 That means you put forth an effort. 25:47 That means when you don't feel like it, 25:48 you get up and you do it anyway, right? 25:50 We live by faith, not feeling, not sight, 25:53 or I don't feel like it today or a situation, 25:55 or if things are bad. 25:57 No, not at all. We all feel that way. 25:59 There's some days I just should stay in bed, 26:01 pull the covers over my head and just not face it. 26:04 Is that okay to say that? But what? 26:08 You do not let yourself give into that because what? 26:10 We're part of the family of God and we say, all right, 26:12 we've got a job to do today. 26:14 Right? God's gonna use me today. 26:17 And He will use you if you ask to be used, 26:19 but notice what Jesus starts out strive, 26:22 but notice interesting 26:23 when they ask Him this question, 26:25 Jesus did not answer that question. 26:28 You know, there's some time 26:30 we'd be better off not to answer some questions, 26:32 if we don't have the correct answer. 26:34 Silence is golden, but notice, 26:37 Jesus did not answer the question. 26:40 Instead, He answers based on the truth 26:43 and principles of God's Word. 26:45 He answers this right here. 26:47 The primary concern should be 26:49 not how many are going to heaven, 26:52 but notice this, but whether we will be saved. 26:57 Come on somebody, think about it. 26:58 My only concern well, in the world 27:00 there's only gonna be a few. 27:01 There is no use. 27:02 You know what people do that for? 27:04 You know, I'll just tell you why some people do that? 27:05 You know what? 27:06 Because they wanna make excuses for themselves. 27:08 Well, there's only gonna be a small number. 27:09 It's only gonna be a small numbers. 27:11 No use me to try. 27:12 You're not giving God, you're not giving Christ, 27:15 you're not giving the Holy Spirit much credit 27:18 because certainly you can be changed 27:20 into the image of Jesus Christ. 27:22 By beholding, we become changed. 27:24 But notice what Jesus said. 27:25 He says to you and me today, 27:27 don't be concerned about how many? 27:29 Don't be concerned Adventist about the 144,000 27:32 as much as we are sometime. 27:33 I like to study. 27:35 I think it's wonderful to study that. 27:36 We need to be looking into that, but not oh, 27:38 there's just such a small number. 27:39 We're not gonna... 27:41 Be concerned. Am I ready to meet Jesus? 27:43 Well, if He should come, am I gonna go home? 27:45 Am I gonna be saved in the kingdom? 27:47 But notice elsewhere, 27:48 Jesus gives an answer to this question, 27:52 but not here to them 27:54 because He knew who He was talking to. 27:55 They needed to hear something different. 27:58 Wisdom for you and for me 27:59 is sometime to know whom we're talking to 28:03 and how far to go with that and when to be quiet, 28:06 you know, don't give them everything at once 28:08 if they're not ready 28:09 and they don't know Jesus Christ. 28:10 You know, truth don't know any... 28:12 Truth is no good to anyone if you don't know Christ. 28:15 Does that make sense? 28:16 Once you know Him, 28:18 then it all begins to make sense. 28:20 We need Jesus in our life. 28:21 In Matthew 13:31-32 says this. 28:25 Now Jesus was talking about in the parable. 28:27 As far as we'll go just quickly at the parable 28:29 of the mustard seed. 28:30 You remember that one? Absolutely. 28:32 You know what? 28:33 And what did Jesus say 28:35 in the parable of the mustard seed? 28:36 He said, "Woe, there's gonna be many 28:38 that's gonna be saved." 28:40 He didn't answer them 28:41 because there was a reason why He didn't answer. 28:43 And many times there's reasons why we shouldn't answer. 28:45 But He said, yeah, 28:47 there's gonna be many saved in the kingdom. 28:49 Now let's go back quickly and touch 28:51 before we get a little farther, 28:53 deeper in the Word of Matthew 7:13-14, 28:56 where He said the broad 28:57 and the narrow road, narrow way. 29:02 And broad road almost sounds like Broadway. 29:06 Somebody not with me. 29:10 Broadway. 29:13 Just go wherever you wanna go with that or many choose that. 29:18 And the narrow way that few can find it. 29:21 And I've often wondered about that in my experience. 29:24 Lord, why in this world can't they find it? 29:27 Why can't I find it? 29:30 This begs a question for us here. 29:33 Is the road, is the gate too hard to find? 29:39 It shouldn't be, but very few will find it. 29:44 And is that the reason that few find it, 29:47 because it's too hard? 29:49 No, absolutely not. 29:52 Many overlook it, notice this, 29:53 because it's not too hard, it's so simple. 29:57 Think church, it's so simple He has prepared the way. 30:02 He came, He lived, He died, and now I need what? 30:05 I need to accept His life, not mine because I'm a sinner. 30:09 I wanna be saved by grace. 30:14 Many just say, oh, it's too simple they have, 30:16 but the number one, then they have, 30:18 they can't find it because they don't have 30:19 an interest in finding it. 30:22 I often said, somebody said 30:24 there's a million dollars he had it right underneath 30:25 where Brother Wills sitting right now. 30:28 I do my best to get him out of the way. 30:33 Yeah. 30:34 Are you following my thing? 30:36 If it's something you really want, 30:39 you're gonna put forth what? 30:41 You're gonna put forth an effort to do that, 30:43 you absolutely will. 30:45 Some just don't wanna find it. 30:48 And most say, 30:49 I'm going to make it to heaven, 30:51 but they say this, 30:52 but I'm going to make it my way. 30:55 As wrong as it wrong can be 30:57 because I heard a man sing 30:58 that for years, I did it my way. 31:02 You remember that? 31:04 Didn't care about anything else that was going on? 31:07 But he says simply as a bottom line, 31:08 I did it my way. 31:10 I can guarantee you, my brothers and my sisters, 31:12 you do it your way, heaven will never be your home 31:16 unless Christ is included in that. 31:19 You're not going to get to heaven 31:21 because the way you choose to go, 31:23 it's the road that Christ has laid out for us. 31:26 Yeah. 31:28 The end of life, don't say I did it my way, 31:30 oh mercy. 31:32 Another question. What is your concept? 31:34 Don't answer out loud, but what's your concept of God? 31:37 What is your concept of salvation, 31:39 eternal life and of heaven 31:40 and how am I could reach the kingdom of God? 31:43 These are questions I believe that 31:45 we should be asking ourselves every day. 31:47 Why in this world are we here in this miserable world 31:51 if it's not to repopulate heaven? 31:54 Hmm. That's right. 31:56 Yeah, if you... Yeah, yeah, yeah. 31:59 Absolutely. 32:00 If you ask some people of how you're gonna find heaven. 32:06 It's all right, at least somebody is excited. 32:07 Right? 32:08 I'm excited about the gospel message. 32:11 This is good news. 32:13 You ask people about how they find God, 32:14 how they're gonna find heaven, 32:16 but, but, you want to say, 32:17 some of them say in simplicity, they'll say, 32:19 well, all you gotta do is follow the golden rule. 32:21 Some of you've heard that probably, right? 32:23 Just follow the golden rule. 32:24 What would the golden rule do? 32:26 I mean, I just think the golden rule 32:27 is talking about do unto others 32:28 as you'd have them do unto you. 32:30 Isn't that it? 32:32 Now, I want you to think if you think that 32:34 you can make it to heaven by just doing good to others 32:36 or have them to do good as you do to them 32:38 whatever it might be, you might want to rethink that. 32:42 That's a certainly 32:43 a pretty good little plan to start with, 32:45 but it goes beyond that. 32:48 Is it possible that we can do this, you know, 32:50 do to others as we would have them do unto us 32:53 and leave God out of the picture? 32:55 Absolutely not. 32:58 Salvation and eternal life have to do... 33:02 Listen carefully, my church, 33:04 have to do with a direct confrontation with God 33:10 as revealed in Jesus Christ. 33:12 Does that make sense? 33:14 Salvation is not well just doing the others 33:16 you'd have them do, and the golden rule, 33:18 we're all going to make it. 33:19 It has to do with what? 33:20 Eternal life does with the direct confrontation 33:23 that we're going to have to have with God. 33:25 And the way we have it through God is through Jesus. 33:28 Is that what? Jesus. 33:29 That's who we have it through. 33:32 That's where it's at. 33:36 We sing it so often at the cross, 33:39 at the cross where I first saw the light 33:44 and the burden of my heart rolled away. 33:48 It was there by faith that I received my sight. 33:52 And now I'm happy. 33:54 Whoa! Glory all the day. 33:57 In the midst of trial and all the midst of the mess 33:59 that we're going on because we've met Him. 34:02 We've had a personal relationship with Him. 34:04 We've encountered him as our Lord and our Savior. 34:08 It's changed our life. 34:10 We see Jesus in a very special way. 34:12 And now He's lifted that burden. 34:14 I have faith to believe that He's coming back. 34:17 I have faith to believe that my side has been changed 34:20 and I wanna behold Him 34:22 rather than things of the world. 34:25 Many, my brothers and sisters, as going to lose eternal life 34:30 because they love the world more than they love God. 34:34 They forgot God. 34:36 They left God out of it. 34:38 And what does that simply mean? You love the world. 34:40 Anything, anything, everything that takes your attention 34:44 and your affections away from God, 34:46 it becomes your idol, 34:48 becomes your god, anything. 34:52 Nowadays to have a husband or wife or somebody say, 34:54 "Well, I can't go to church 34:55 'cause my husband won't let me." 34:57 Somebody needs to get with the program 34:59 and vice versa. 35:00 My kids won't let me to go, 35:02 the grandkids, nobody is gonna let me go, 35:03 because they're gonna... 35:04 You're putting them before God. 35:06 Your responsibility 35:07 is to come to Him when He calls. 35:08 And certainly He's calling 35:10 through the Holy Spirit every day. 35:14 Mark 8:36. 35:16 Is just a warning sound for all of us? 35:19 And like, we read it, "What should it profit a man, 35:22 if he should gain what? 35:24 What does it profit that you gain the whole world 35:26 and yet you lose your own soul." 35:28 There's many today, hundreds and thousands 35:30 that selling their soul for a bowl of pottage, 35:34 porridge what is it? 35:37 Yeah. Thank you. 35:38 Esau, was it? 35:40 Got so hungry that he sold his inheritance, 35:42 sold his soul as it were. 35:44 And many of us are doing that today. 35:46 Oh, what are we going to gain if we lose our soul? 35:52 Some people we meet and I'm shocked, 35:54 they're just not interested in salvation at all. 35:57 They're not interested in eternal life. 35:59 They just want... 36:00 Listen, church, they just want to enjoy themselves. 36:03 You ever meet somebody like that? 36:04 Well, I don't want these restrictions. 36:05 Bible said there's perfect freedom 36:07 in Jesus Christ, 36:08 but they say, I don't want any restrictions. 36:10 Something is not jelling here. 36:11 I just wanna enjoy myself. 36:13 And I just, I just wanna have some fun. 36:16 You ever hear, especially young people 36:18 and some old people are saying it now. 36:20 Well, I just wanna have some fun. 36:22 Huh, well. 36:24 Let me ask you a question 36:26 and let me get it finished before you start answering. 36:29 I'm not trying to trip anybody up at all, 36:31 but let me say this, 36:33 can a person have fun without God? 36:43 See Brother Ben, I told him, 36:44 don't answer it till I get done. 36:46 No, it's a good thought. 36:48 Really, I mean, you're thinking spiritually, 36:49 spiritual things, but let me say, can a person... 36:51 Think about it? 36:52 Can a person have fun without God? 36:56 Yeah, sure. 36:58 There's no question that there can be... 37:00 In other words, there can be fun in a life 37:03 without God, 37:05 but the problem is that the fun don't last. 37:10 Think about it. I'm kind of setting you up. 37:12 I understand something 37:13 you're not really wrong with that, 37:15 but just think about it. 37:16 Sure people are saying I'm having a marble. 37:17 I'm having a time of my life. 37:19 I wouldn't change it for anything. 37:20 And they're bound frail. They think they're having fun. 37:26 As a Christian, you know, better need, we need God. 37:28 We understand that. I'll give you a quick example. 37:32 Kind of give it before, but I'll give another example. 37:34 Just want to have fun. 37:35 My brother and I went to teen town 37:37 when we were in high school. What's teen town? 37:40 That's where they danced and carried on. 37:43 Somebody's not with me. 37:46 Kids got out together, they danced a little bit. 37:48 Sometime they slipped out in the back 37:49 and smoked a little bit. 37:52 Then some of them would be brave 37:53 and they thought they'd just tip the bottle 37:55 a little bit. 37:56 Well, that never really interested us. 37:58 But we were told not to go because there's nothing there. 38:02 And soon as I was told not to go, 38:04 I wanted to go see. 38:06 Oh no, you're not like that. No. 38:10 What? Just, you know why? 38:11 'Cause I just wanted to have some fun. 38:15 Want to go where the action was at. 38:19 We were not told not to go. We did. 38:23 We thought it'd be fun. 38:26 It was while it lasted. 38:32 Yeah, but it didn't last very long. 38:37 In fact, we were found out, as soon as we got home. 38:41 I told my brother, Ronnie, 38:43 when he come in, I said, Ronnie, 38:44 keep a straight face, boy. 38:47 Mama, look at you right in the eyes, 38:48 she'll spot something. 38:50 She always did. 38:52 And I said, don't give it away by your look. 38:54 She looked at Ronnie, 38:55 she said, "Where have you been?" 39:00 See, it's all over your face. 39:01 I said, Ronnie, I told you. 39:07 Where have you been? 39:09 Said, "We went to teen town." 39:11 That you were told not to go. 39:13 We wanted to have fun. 39:14 And we did. 39:15 Well, you think this is gonna be fun. 39:18 And it wasn't. 39:21 That fun didn't last very long. 39:23 And then reality, reality struck. 39:27 We had to pay the Piper. 39:32 Remember when you say, I don't need God. 39:36 I just wanna have fun. 39:39 Remember it doesn't last. 39:44 A man was trying to find God. 39:48 He prayed and he read, 39:52 he prayed and he read some more. 39:55 I can't find God. 39:57 I need to talk to somebody. 39:59 There seemed to be no one to talk to, 40:02 but I can't seem to find God. 40:04 Finally, he met someone and he said, 40:06 I just need somebody to talk about. 40:08 I need a friend to ask some questions. 40:11 And then he asked this man, his friend a question. 40:13 He looked around, he said, "Is God lost." 40:17 I said, "What? Is God lost? 40:19 What do you mean is God lost? Huh. 40:23 Of course not." 40:25 He replied to his friend, "God's not lost. 40:27 He's never been lost." 40:30 And the man looked at him and he said, 40:31 "Then why Is he so hard to find?" 40:34 Hmm. 40:36 God is never the problem. 40:41 But maybe there's something wrong 40:44 with our searching. 40:48 Did we get it? 40:50 There's something wrong with our searching. 40:52 There's nothing wrong with God. 40:53 He's not hard to find. 40:57 Scripture, you know, 40:58 Scripture tells us that God will find those who... 41:01 What is it? 41:02 Jeremiah 29:13, He said, 41:04 "You'll find Him when you search with Him` 41:05 with all your, with all your heart." 41:08 You'll find Him 41:09 if you're searching with all your hearts, 41:10 rather than just say, I'm saved. 41:12 And that's the way it is long time ago 41:13 and I don't have to live anymore. 41:15 And, but if I, you know, 41:16 if we search, we're gonna find if he was going to be there. 41:18 John 5:39 says, "Search the scriptures, 41:23 for in them you think you have eternal life and," what? 41:27 "They are they which testify of Me." 41:31 The scriptures testify of Jesus Christ. 41:33 You wanna have eternal life. 41:34 You say I'm reading the scriptures. 41:36 I think I want, I'm gonna have eternal life. 41:37 I'm giving my life to Him. 41:41 How safe, how secure is our salvation? 41:47 Is there anything really wrong in believing once saved, 41:50 always saved. 41:51 Start with a few quick passage of scripture, 41:53 only 12 minutes and some left and I've got two hours. 41:57 Huh. 41:59 Let's start with a few texts, shall we? 42:00 That support we can have a safe 42:02 and secure relationship with Christ. 42:05 There's no doubt about. 42:06 Proverbs 29:25 says this, 42:09 "Whoso now putteth his trust 42:12 in the Lord shall be safe." 42:15 Hmm. 42:18 I say again, whoso putteth his trust 42:22 in the Lord shall be safe. 42:25 Isn't that good? Yeah, that's true, isn't it? 42:27 That word there means set on high. 42:30 He who puts his trust in God shall be set on high. 42:34 Oh, that sounds like, for sure I can be saved. 42:36 There's no doubt about it. 42:38 And it can't be taken away. 42:39 That's positive and that's good. 42:41 I'm claiming it. 42:43 So the sinner who simply comes to Christ 42:46 is free from the condemnation. 42:47 How many times you heard that? 42:48 Well, we're free 42:50 from the condemnation of the law 42:52 through the blood of Jesus Christ. 42:53 Absolutely. 42:54 You know what this is called? This is called justification. 42:57 First step, praise God for justification, 42:59 isn't that right? 43:00 We come to Him, confessing our sins, right? 43:02 And we begin to live the life, 43:04 and then there's no condemnation. 43:06 Jesus said, "Oh, the old devil come after Me, 43:08 but he can't find anything in Me." 43:11 Make sure there's nothing in you 43:13 where the devil can find something to get in. 43:16 Because if there's something wrong inside of you, 43:18 that gives him the open door to come in. 43:24 Whom He pardons, notice, He first makes pennant. 43:30 Again, can our salvation be secure? 43:32 Absolutely. 43:33 Because 1 Timothy 1:15 says this, 43:36 tells us the reason Jesus came into the world. 43:38 Nothing new, 43:40 nothing may be startling to you. 43:41 But notice, He came into the world 43:42 to save what? 43:44 To save sinners, the Bible said, 43:45 and that's the whole world. 43:48 He came, one purpose to this world 43:51 is to save sinners. 43:52 And we're all sinners. 43:54 And only way we'll be saved is by grace. 43:58 Matthew, 1:21. 43:59 You read it so often, "For he, Jesus, 44:01 shall save His people from" what? 44:03 "From their sins." How complete is our salvation? 44:06 My how complete it is. 44:07 It sounds almost like once saved, always saved. 44:09 If you read Hebrews 7:25, 44:11 the Bible said "Wherefore He is," what? 44:14 "Able to save them to the uttermost." 44:18 Oh, the uttermost. 44:19 That means He's able to save them completely. 44:21 That means He's able to save them fully. 44:23 It means He's able to save them, 44:25 notice the word, is forever. 44:27 Hmm. 44:29 Which, notice this, That come to God by Him, 44:32 seeing He ever liveth to make," what? 44:34 "Intercession." 44:36 The song, He's ever interceding. 44:38 You know how happy we should be. 44:40 We have a Lord and Savior that's interceding for me 44:42 and you right now because we are in a mess. 44:46 We're sinners, we're on the death decree. 44:48 We need a Savior, and He's interceding for me. 44:51 What? Between me and the Father. 44:52 I can't get to the Father. 44:54 I can't get to the Father without Jesus Christ. 44:56 You see what I'm saying? 44:58 I've got to have Jesus in my life 45:00 or I can't get to the Father. 45:01 Jesus gets to the Father and He pulls up His hands. 45:04 He said, Father, what? 45:05 My blood, my blood, these nail prints the death, 45:07 right, His death, 45:08 that everything about Him, what? 45:09 I did it for these people and where I am, 45:11 I want them with Me. 45:13 Isn't that wonderful? 45:14 And He begins to call you out by name. 45:18 Think of everybody here. He calls you out by name. 45:21 He knows you by name. 45:23 I want them where I want them to sit on the throne with Me 45:26 and we look around and say, 45:27 oh yeah, but this little deal 45:28 or that little deal over there, 45:30 that's gonna keep you out of heaven. 45:31 Don't let that do it. Right now Jesus. 45:36 Right now, Hebrews 6:19 tells us, 45:40 He's our High Priest He's entered into the veil. 45:44 Do you notice that? 45:45 He's seated on the right hand of the Majesty. 45:49 Hebrews 1:3. 45:51 Now we may come boldly to the throne 45:54 and find help full assurance in our time of need. 45:58 Our sinners' only hope is God's amazing grace. 46:02 Once saved, always saved, men want to cut to the chase. 46:05 I want to get that to a couple of pages 46:07 there at the end, 46:08 because I think it's very important. 46:12 Very, very important to look at it 46:14 from biblical stand for it. 46:18 Saved, once saved, always saved. 46:21 When you say saved, that means it's fixed, right? 46:25 Ed. I'm saved. 46:27 Once saved, always saved. 46:28 That means it's forever done. 46:30 It's fixed already, 46:32 but how could it be fixed if we still have life? 46:35 If we're still living, 46:37 that means it's beyond change if you say that. 46:40 It can only be fixed at death or the Second Coming of Jesus. 46:45 As long as they're still alive, you know what? 46:47 There's a possibility of us submitting to temptation. 46:52 I like saying being in a saving relationship means 46:56 an ongoing relationship with Christ, 46:58 that means growing daily with Him, 47:00 gaining victories, overcoming, enduring unto the end, 47:04 the same shall be saved. 47:07 Daniel 12:10, "Many shall be purified 47:09 and made," what? 47:11 "White tried and made white. 47:12 Imagine this is beautiful, James 1:12, 47:15 "Only he who endures to the end 47:17 will receive a crown of life." 47:21 What does this tell you about once saved, always saved, 47:23 If you endure, where? 47:24 Unto the end, not that you start out 47:26 and you're running a good race 47:28 and then you decide you don't wanna run 47:29 that race anymore. 47:30 Then you don't want God's blood anymore, 47:32 Christ's blood, right? 47:33 You don't want it anymore evidently. 47:35 Believing in once saved, always saved is dangerous. 47:37 And I'll tell you because I'll give you 47:39 a couple of reasons why it's dangerous. 47:41 There's always danger in trusting to self. 47:44 Trusting self is always dangerous. 47:48 If we trust in self, 47:50 we will lose sight of Jesus Christ. 47:54 We're going to lose sight of our weaknesses. 47:56 See people don't wanna look at their weaknesses. 47:58 We need some help. 47:59 We need to overcome in this area. 48:01 If we can work saved anyway, 48:02 it doesn't make any difference with. 48:04 We lose sight of our weaknesses 48:07 and we'll lose our need of a divine strength. 48:12 And when temptation comes, 48:14 we're unprepared for Satan's temptations. 48:17 Just like Peter, you remember Peter? 48:19 Absolutely, what happened? 48:23 He need to quote like 1 Corinthians, 48:24 we talked about 10:12 48:26 in our scripture reading right here, 48:31 that Peter had an issue. 48:32 The Lord didn't save Peter from his trial. 48:35 Do you notice that? 48:36 But he could have saved Peter from his defeat. 48:39 He didn't save him from what? His trial. 48:42 He let him go through that for his own good. 48:43 But he could have saved. 48:45 He could have saved him from defeat. 48:48 How, how do you say? 48:49 He could have saved him from defeat 48:51 if Peter had simply been willing to listen 48:54 and follow what Christ had said. 48:56 Previous to that, in Luke 22:32, He... 49:00 Notice this, He said, 49:01 if you watch and you pray and walk accordingly. 49:05 Now did Peter do that? 49:06 Now, remember what Jesus said to Peter? 49:08 He said, "Peter, I have prayed for you." 49:10 Do you remember? 49:12 I have prayed for you that what? 49:13 That your faith fail not. But what happened? 49:18 Peter failed through self-sufficiency. 49:22 He felt like he didn't need anything else. 49:25 He felt like he had been saved. 49:26 He felt like he had been with Jesus. 49:28 He see, he was all right. 49:29 And he began to look to himself and he failed. 49:33 I'm all right, I'm pretty good. 49:35 I'm saved. 49:36 Christ Object Lesson 154 says this, I'm hurrying. 49:38 Notice this. 49:39 It says, notice this, 49:40 "Pride and self-sufficiency of all sin 49:43 is the most helpless and most incurable." 49:47 What is it? 49:48 Pride and self-sufficiency, only one way 49:52 that you can trace the knowledge of self. 49:55 We must behold Christ any man, woman, 49:57 child in this life that's called, 49:59 oh, they do righteous thing. 50:00 Everything is all good. 50:02 They need, oh, my goodness. Think about this. 50:05 If we look to Christ 50:06 and we're really beholding Christ, 50:08 we can never say that we can never take anything, 50:11 any credit we say for things 50:12 that God and Holy Spirit is doing. 50:15 How can we empty ourselves of self quickly? 50:17 How can we? 50:19 Is it possible and the Bible 50:20 talks about empty ourselves of self, isn't that right? 50:22 Is it possible we can empty ourselves of self? 50:25 Just like Jesus did. 50:27 I'm gonna tell you that we cannot. 50:28 Not on our own. 50:30 We cannot accomplish that. 50:31 All we can do is simply to consent 50:34 to the Holy Spirit working in us. 50:36 Just like Jesus did, 50:37 so that He could carry out the work 50:39 His Father asked Him to do. 50:41 We have to consent to let the Savior in to do the work. 50:44 We can glory. 50:45 And when we glory, it has to be in the cross. 50:48 Galatians 6:14, you have nothing to glory. 50:50 I have nothing to glory. Okay. 50:52 How many might people toot your horn 50:54 or they don't toot your horn. 50:56 We have nothing to glory here in this life. 50:58 Only the cross of Calvary, this is where it's all out. 51:01 This is where there's power. 51:05 I'm gonna turn and read the passage, 51:06 last three minutes. 51:08 This is why we talk about one saved, always saved. 51:09 If you get to this 51:10 in the Book of Ezekiel right here, 51:12 you're gonna see beyond a shadow of a doubt. 51:14 I know, we won't get as far as we wanted to get. 51:15 But notice this is, Ezekiel Chapter 18, 51:18 I'm gonna read verses 4 and 20. 51:20 And then I'll tell you the verses 51:21 as we go as quick as I can with our time. 51:23 I want you to understand this. 51:24 First of all, Ezekiel 18:4. 51:27 One line simply says, "Behold, all souls are mine, 51:31 as the soul of the father and so." 51:33 Then it says here, 51:34 "The soul that sinneth, it shall" what? 51:36 "It shall die." 51:38 Verse 20, notice that, 51:39 "The soul that sinneth, it shall die." 51:40 It's repeated again in verse 21, notice this. 51:43 "But if the wicked," notice this, 51:45 "will turn from all his sins that he hath committed 51:48 and keep my statues, and do that 51:51 which is lawful and right, 51:53 he shall surely live, he shall not die." 51:56 Did you get that? If the wicked do what? 51:59 If they repent, isn't that right? 52:00 They keep, remember there's condition. 52:02 If the wicked then turned to Christ, 52:04 keep His statues, do it lawful, 52:06 that which is right, he shall live and not die. 52:08 Verse 22, "All of his transgression 52:11 that he hath committed, 52:13 they shall not be mentioned it to him in his righteousness 52:15 that he hath done he shall live." 52:18 Sinner comes, ask forgiveness what? 52:20 He cleansed you from all unrighteousness. 52:21 We have to walk in His will and His way. 52:24 Notice about the once saved, always saved. 52:26 Again, verse 24. 52:27 But when the righteous, 'cause people say this, 52:29 there's no way, I gave my life to Christ. 52:30 You know, I'm righteous. 52:32 I've done everything right. 52:33 And if you're righteous, 52:35 you give your life to Christ, you can't fall. 52:36 And then they say, well, 52:37 after 10 years of living a righteous life, 52:39 they went out into the world and they say, 52:41 well, they weren't saved anyway. 52:43 That's not biblical. You're not the judge. 52:47 Notice what the Bible says. 52:48 "And when the righteous turneth away from his righteous," 52:50 when the righteousness does what? 52:52 "Turns away from his righteousness 52:54 and committeth," what? 52:55 "Sin, iniquity, and doeth according 52:57 to all the abominations that the wicked man doeth, 53:00 shall he live? 53:02 All the righteousness that 53:03 he hath done shall not be mentioned, 53:05 in his trespass that he has trespassed, 53:08 and in his sin that he has sinned, 53:10 in them," what? 53:11 "He shall die." 53:14 Verse 36, again, "When a righteous man turneth 53:16 away from his righteousness." 53:17 There you go right here. 53:19 Once saved, always saved doesn't fit. 53:20 It says when the righteous man, 53:21 that means a man that's doing right. 53:23 The man that once gave his life to Jesus Christ, 53:25 but he decided he wants to do his own thing. 53:26 And he goes out in the world of sin. 53:28 "He committeth iniquity, he dies in them, 53:30 for his iniquity that he hath done shall he die. 53:33 Again, when the wicked man turneth away 53:35 from the wickedness that he hath committed 53:37 and doeth that which is lawful and right, 53:39 he shall save his soul alive." 53:42 Wish we had time to go to Ezekiel Chapter 3, 53:44 we do not, read verses 20 and 21. 53:46 It reiterates what we're talking about here. 53:48 Plus it goes into saying we have responsibility 53:50 to warn the person 53:52 who has slipped away from Christ, 53:54 but notice what it is, 53:55 when the righteous man turns away 53:56 from doing righteous and he commits sin 53:59 and he doesn't make a change, he will die in that sin. 54:03 Not once saved, always saved. 54:05 That is the lie of the enemy. 54:06 We need to be very careful about that. 54:08 I wish we had time to go more in it 54:10 and talk a little bit about the sanctuary 54:11 and how the sins you know, committed. 54:13 Yeah, sanctuary, right? 54:15 You know, every day 54:16 they're symbolically stored up in the sanctuary. 54:18 Once a year, they have atonement. 54:20 They're clear, they have judgment. 54:22 If people only knew... 54:23 five seconds with time, 54:24 we're living in the hour of God's judgment. 54:27 That means that's a cleansing of the sanctuary. 54:28 That means it's the blotting out, 54:30 the blotting out of sin. 54:33 This is a time that we're living in. 54:34 It's a very precarious time. 54:36 We need to be make sure we're right with Jesus Christ. 54:38 May God help each and every one to say, 54:40 we need to keep our eyes on Christ. 54:42 We need again to look at the Word of God 54:43 and find out what truth really is. 54:44 And don't accept a counterfeit by the enemy to make you feel 54:48 you're a lot better off than you are 54:49 when the Bible says no. 54:51 If we are in Christ, we're gonna live for Him. 54:55 Isn't that wonderful to know that? 54:56 That's the decision that we all have to make today. 54:58 I know we're done today, 54:59 I might as well gonna close with this. 55:01 Just a short prayer if you don't mind. 55:02 Just closing prayer together 55:03 because I know there's people today, 55:05 they're saying they're upset. 55:06 They don't wanna hear these kinds of things, 55:07 but you know what? 55:09 It's a beautiful truth from God's Word. 55:10 I'm thankful. 55:12 We can be assured of our eternal salvation. 55:14 We can be assured because of what Jesus has done, 55:17 but then we have to continue to walk in that way, 55:19 continue to walk and He will guide. 55:21 Let's pray, shall we? 55:22 Loving Father in heaven, thank You for Your Word. 55:24 Thank You for Your sweet Holy Spirit. 55:26 Thank You that by going to the Word of God, 55:29 we can find out what truth is. 55:30 And also we can find the counterfeits of the enemy. 55:34 Bless us we pray. Those who have made that choice 55:35 and decision today, say, whoa! 55:37 I may have been believing the wrong thing. 55:39 Now I'm going to make that change. 55:41 It's very important to follow 55:42 in His footsteps in Jesus' name. 55:44 Amen. 55:46 Hello and welcome back, friends. 55:48 Pastor Kenny Shelton had so very much. 55:51 He wanted to continue to share with each and every one of us, 55:54 but that clock, it just waits on no one. 55:57 You know, in the beginning, 55:58 before he spoke, I talked to you a little bit 56:01 from John 6:37, John 10:29 and John 3:16. 56:07 One of them read that he that cometh to me 56:09 in no wise will I cast out. 56:11 The other one said, 56:12 no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. 56:14 I told you that I believe that, it's our choice. 56:18 Ezekiel makes that very, very clear. 56:21 We are free will agents. 56:22 It's our choice to leave God. 56:25 Friends, if this message is something 56:27 you wanna add to your library, 56:28 we're making it available to you 56:30 for a love gift of just $8 or more. 56:33 All you need to do is contact us here 56:35 in the United States at Behold the Lamb Ministries 56:38 at (618) 942-5044. 56:43 Or you may write to Behold the Lamb Ministries 56:45 at PO Box 2030, Herrin, Illinois 62948. 56:49 Friends, until next time, may the Lord richly bless you. |
Revised 2021-06-03