1 00:00:02,720 --> 00:00:06,680 Speaker 1: Life Audio. For more resources to help you in your 2 00:00:06,760 --> 00:00:10,680 Speaker 1: walk with Christ, please visit us at Bible Study Headquarters 3 00:00:11,080 --> 00:00:14,920 Speaker 1: dot com. Today we're going to be talking about one 4 00:00:15,080 --> 00:00:20,319 Speaker 1: of the most frequently asked questions among Christians. As we 5 00:00:20,400 --> 00:00:22,280 Speaker 1: just talked about this idea of the defense of our 6 00:00:22,320 --> 00:00:27,520 Speaker 1: faith looking at different apologetic questions, one of the major 7 00:00:27,640 --> 00:00:30,240 Speaker 1: questions that people tend to ask related to the Christian faith, 8 00:00:30,480 --> 00:00:32,720 Speaker 1: particularly if they've been a believer for a while and 9 00:00:32,760 --> 00:00:35,720 Speaker 1: they kind of have grown in their understanding of salvation, 10 00:00:36,159 --> 00:00:39,599 Speaker 1: is whether or not it's possible to lose our salvation, 11 00:00:39,680 --> 00:00:42,959 Speaker 1: whether or not a Christian can actually lose their salvation. Now, 12 00:00:43,000 --> 00:00:46,879 Speaker 1: some Christians believe that it's possible, Others believe that it's not. 13 00:00:47,600 --> 00:00:50,800 Speaker 1: My personal belief on this subject is drastically changed over 14 00:00:50,840 --> 00:00:52,560 Speaker 1: the course of my life, and I'll kind of paint 15 00:00:52,560 --> 00:00:54,960 Speaker 1: a picture in a few moments of some of those changes. 16 00:00:55,520 --> 00:00:57,720 Speaker 1: But the belief I held on this subject when I 17 00:00:57,800 --> 00:00:59,680 Speaker 1: was new to the Christian faith and the beliefs that 18 00:00:59,720 --> 00:01:02,920 Speaker 1: I hold on this subject now at present are a 19 00:01:02,960 --> 00:01:06,200 Speaker 1: bit different. So I'll explain that in a few moments. 20 00:01:06,200 --> 00:01:09,720 Speaker 1: But even before explaining what I presently believe, or even 21 00:01:09,760 --> 00:01:14,399 Speaker 1: before offering scriptural basis for these beliefs. I also want 22 00:01:14,440 --> 00:01:17,119 Speaker 1: to acknowledge something, and that's this. I have several close 23 00:01:17,200 --> 00:01:21,600 Speaker 1: personal friends who serve in various ministry rules who hold 24 00:01:21,720 --> 00:01:25,800 Speaker 1: views on this subject that are different from mine, and 25 00:01:25,880 --> 00:01:28,120 Speaker 1: I have to say right up front, I'm very grateful 26 00:01:28,160 --> 00:01:31,680 Speaker 1: for them. And while I consider this, I do consider 27 00:01:31,720 --> 00:01:34,240 Speaker 1: this a major doctrinal issue, and I do think that 28 00:01:34,280 --> 00:01:38,600 Speaker 1: it has hefty theological and relational consequences. I'm still grateful 29 00:01:38,640 --> 00:01:42,520 Speaker 1: for those brothers and sisters in Christ. So that being said, 30 00:01:43,440 --> 00:01:46,040 Speaker 1: what do I believe about this issue? By the way, 31 00:01:46,080 --> 00:01:48,120 Speaker 1: is this an issue that you've ever wondered yourself? Is 32 00:01:48,160 --> 00:01:50,280 Speaker 1: this something that you've thought about? Looks like several of 33 00:01:50,360 --> 00:01:53,440 Speaker 1: us have quite a few, in fact, So what do 34 00:01:53,520 --> 00:01:55,280 Speaker 1: I believe about this? Or maybe I'd be better to 35 00:01:55,280 --> 00:01:57,400 Speaker 1: say it this way? What does the Word of God 36 00:01:57,520 --> 00:02:00,280 Speaker 1: teach about this question, the question whether or not it's 37 00:02:00,320 --> 00:02:07,280 Speaker 1: possible for a genuine believer in Christ to lose their salvation? Well, 38 00:02:07,320 --> 00:02:10,240 Speaker 1: I'll put my opinion right on the table, put my 39 00:02:10,280 --> 00:02:12,640 Speaker 1: belief right on the table before we even dig in. 40 00:02:12,680 --> 00:02:15,840 Speaker 1: And I'll say this with all sincerity, I do not 41 00:02:16,080 --> 00:02:19,240 Speaker 1: believe that it is possible for someone who is brought 42 00:02:19,280 --> 00:02:22,760 Speaker 1: to a saving relationship with Jesus Christ to lose the 43 00:02:22,760 --> 00:02:26,240 Speaker 1: gift of salvation. I don't believe it's possible, if the 44 00:02:26,240 --> 00:02:29,200 Speaker 1: Lord saves you, for you to lose that gift. And 45 00:02:29,280 --> 00:02:31,200 Speaker 1: over the course of our time together this morning, I'm 46 00:02:31,200 --> 00:02:33,400 Speaker 1: going to do my best to explain why I have 47 00:02:33,520 --> 00:02:35,040 Speaker 1: come to that belief. 48 00:02:35,080 --> 00:02:36,799 Speaker 2: But before I do, let me have a word of prayer. 49 00:02:38,200 --> 00:02:40,880 Speaker 1: Lord, thank you so much for the privilege that you 50 00:02:40,960 --> 00:02:44,200 Speaker 1: give to us to be able to talk about all 51 00:02:44,240 --> 00:02:46,440 Speaker 1: sorts of things. And Lord, we recognize that the subject 52 00:02:46,440 --> 00:02:49,560 Speaker 1: that we're talking about today is one that some believers 53 00:02:49,560 --> 00:02:52,880 Speaker 1: see it one way, other believers see it another way. Lord, 54 00:02:52,960 --> 00:02:55,280 Speaker 1: I certainly have my thoughts and opinions, and I'm sure 55 00:02:55,520 --> 00:02:57,440 Speaker 1: that there are others here present with us who have 56 00:02:57,480 --> 00:03:00,720 Speaker 1: their thoughts and opinions. And so, Lord, I pray, regardless 57 00:03:00,760 --> 00:03:03,200 Speaker 1: of whatever my opinions or anyone else's opinions on this 58 00:03:03,240 --> 00:03:05,840 Speaker 1: subject may be, we pray Lord that we would look 59 00:03:05,880 --> 00:03:09,160 Speaker 1: to your word and consider your word the final authority 60 00:03:09,160 --> 00:03:11,960 Speaker 1: on all matters of faith and practice. And Lord, I 61 00:03:12,000 --> 00:03:13,800 Speaker 1: pray that you would speak through me now as I 62 00:03:13,840 --> 00:03:18,720 Speaker 1: seek to just deliver the content of your word as 63 00:03:18,760 --> 00:03:21,760 Speaker 1: you present it, and I pray Lord, that, as your 64 00:03:21,919 --> 00:03:25,280 Speaker 1: Holy Spirit so frequently does in our lives, that in 65 00:03:25,280 --> 00:03:27,600 Speaker 1: the midst of this discussion as well, that he would 66 00:03:27,639 --> 00:03:29,400 Speaker 1: point us in the direction of truth, and that we 67 00:03:29,440 --> 00:03:31,680 Speaker 1: would have an understanding of what you desire, that we 68 00:03:31,760 --> 00:03:34,360 Speaker 1: understand as we look at your word together. So we 69 00:03:34,400 --> 00:03:36,200 Speaker 1: thank you for this time. We thank you for this 70 00:03:36,280 --> 00:03:38,520 Speaker 1: blessing and the privilege that it is to be able 71 00:03:38,560 --> 00:03:43,240 Speaker 1: to ponder deep theological concepts like what we're talking about today, 72 00:03:43,280 --> 00:03:46,240 Speaker 1: and we commit this time to you now, Lord, in Jesus' name. 73 00:03:47,320 --> 00:03:47,680 Speaker 2: Amen. 74 00:03:48,960 --> 00:03:51,080 Speaker 1: So a few thoughts this morning as we talk about 75 00:03:51,080 --> 00:03:54,880 Speaker 1: this idea of can a true Christian lose their salvation? Well, 76 00:03:54,920 --> 00:03:56,720 Speaker 1: first off, I want to just point out the fact 77 00:03:56,800 --> 00:04:00,040 Speaker 1: that in John chapter ten related to this issue. So 78 00:04:00,080 --> 00:04:02,800 Speaker 1: it speaks about the fact that we are being held 79 00:04:03,440 --> 00:04:04,120 Speaker 1: by Jesus. 80 00:04:04,120 --> 00:04:04,880 Speaker 2: Now what does that mean. 81 00:04:04,880 --> 00:04:07,120 Speaker 1: Well, if you would start with me, I'm going to 82 00:04:07,200 --> 00:04:09,320 Speaker 1: read from John chapter ten. I'll pick up at verse 83 00:04:09,360 --> 00:04:11,760 Speaker 1: twenty seven, read down to verse thirty. But in John 84 00:04:11,840 --> 00:04:14,240 Speaker 1: chapter ten, starting with verse twenty seven, it says my 85 00:04:14,360 --> 00:04:17,280 Speaker 1: sheep hear my voice. So this is Jesus directly speaking this. 86 00:04:17,279 --> 00:04:17,600 Speaker 2: He says. 87 00:04:17,640 --> 00:04:21,440 Speaker 1: My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and 88 00:04:21,480 --> 00:04:24,000 Speaker 1: they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they 89 00:04:24,080 --> 00:04:27,760 Speaker 1: will never perish, and no one will snatch them. 90 00:04:27,720 --> 00:04:28,640 Speaker 2: Out of my hand. 91 00:04:29,240 --> 00:04:31,200 Speaker 1: My Father, who has given them to me, is greater 92 00:04:31,279 --> 00:04:33,360 Speaker 1: than all, and no one is able to snatch them 93 00:04:33,760 --> 00:04:37,880 Speaker 1: out of the Father's hand. I and the Father are 94 00:04:38,000 --> 00:04:41,640 Speaker 1: one now. When I was a child, I heard about 95 00:04:41,760 --> 00:04:44,320 Speaker 1: Jesus from my family. I also heard about Jesus from 96 00:04:44,400 --> 00:04:46,440 Speaker 1: our local church. We went to a good local church, 97 00:04:46,480 --> 00:04:49,360 Speaker 1: by God's grace, grateful for that. But it wasn't until 98 00:04:49,600 --> 00:04:52,200 Speaker 1: about one week before my tenth birthday, so it was 99 00:04:52,240 --> 00:04:55,279 Speaker 1: my final week as a nine year old that it 100 00:04:55,320 --> 00:04:57,039 Speaker 1: was during that week that I actually came to faith 101 00:04:57,040 --> 00:04:59,600 Speaker 1: in Jesus Christ in a personal way, when I went 102 00:04:59,640 --> 00:05:01,880 Speaker 1: from just hearing about him and knowing about him to 103 00:05:01,920 --> 00:05:05,640 Speaker 1: actually believing in him and trusting in him completely. I 104 00:05:05,680 --> 00:05:09,919 Speaker 1: was actually attending a week of summer camp, and I 105 00:05:10,040 --> 00:05:12,480 Speaker 1: was attending, I mean, many of you know the ministry 106 00:05:12,480 --> 00:05:15,599 Speaker 1: that I'm even thinking about and referencing, ministry called the 107 00:05:15,600 --> 00:05:18,040 Speaker 1: Pocono Mountain Bible Conference. I had the many of her 108 00:05:18,120 --> 00:05:20,640 Speaker 1: Children camp there, but I had the opportunity to hear 109 00:05:20,680 --> 00:05:24,200 Speaker 1: the gospel explained in such a way that I responded 110 00:05:24,240 --> 00:05:26,279 Speaker 1: during the course of that week. Now, throughout the course 111 00:05:26,320 --> 00:05:29,480 Speaker 1: of that week, there were a variety of staff members there, 112 00:05:30,000 --> 00:05:32,920 Speaker 1: you know, staff members in high school, staff members in college, 113 00:05:32,920 --> 00:05:36,599 Speaker 1: staff members beyond that season of life. Various pastors as well, 114 00:05:36,839 --> 00:05:39,440 Speaker 1: who would share the scripture with us, and they would 115 00:05:39,440 --> 00:05:41,919 Speaker 1: also take the time to model what it looks like 116 00:05:42,000 --> 00:05:44,279 Speaker 1: to follow Christ. And that certainly set a good tone 117 00:05:44,560 --> 00:05:46,920 Speaker 1: for the week, especially since I didn't want to be there. 118 00:05:47,000 --> 00:05:49,560 Speaker 1: My mother wanted us to go and to try it out. 119 00:05:49,600 --> 00:05:51,680 Speaker 1: I didn't want to be there. She actually made a 120 00:05:51,720 --> 00:05:55,400 Speaker 1: deal with me. She said, how about this, if you 121 00:05:55,440 --> 00:05:57,799 Speaker 1: don't like it by Wednesday, which is, you know, midweek. 122 00:05:57,920 --> 00:05:59,440 Speaker 1: If you don't like it by Wednesday, I won't make 123 00:05:59,480 --> 00:06:02,039 Speaker 1: you stay past Wednesday. I'll come up and I'll pick 124 00:06:02,080 --> 00:06:03,400 Speaker 1: you up. She said, all you have to do is 125 00:06:03,480 --> 00:06:05,599 Speaker 1: just give me a call. And I never called her 126 00:06:05,640 --> 00:06:08,000 Speaker 1: because I loved it. I was having a wonderful time. 127 00:06:08,200 --> 00:06:12,200 Speaker 1: Took a little convincing to get me there, but yeah, 128 00:06:12,200 --> 00:06:14,800 Speaker 1: So part way through the week, they would oftentimes have 129 00:06:14,960 --> 00:06:18,039 Speaker 1: evening services and there would be pastors that would preach 130 00:06:18,120 --> 00:06:20,120 Speaker 1: during those evening services and part way through the week, 131 00:06:20,160 --> 00:06:23,919 Speaker 1: after hearing a pastor preach during that evening service, I 132 00:06:23,960 --> 00:06:27,520 Speaker 1: came under deep spiritual conviction that I needed the gift 133 00:06:27,560 --> 00:06:30,880 Speaker 1: of salvation that only Jesus could provide it. It became 134 00:06:31,080 --> 00:06:33,599 Speaker 1: very clear to me that I knew about him but 135 00:06:33,680 --> 00:06:35,920 Speaker 1: didn't know him, and there are many people in this 136 00:06:35,960 --> 00:06:39,960 Speaker 1: world that know about Jesus but don't know him. And 137 00:06:40,000 --> 00:06:42,279 Speaker 1: that's where I realized that I was. And so I 138 00:06:42,279 --> 00:06:45,520 Speaker 1: came under deep spiritual conviction that I needed that gift 139 00:06:45,560 --> 00:06:47,800 Speaker 1: of salvation that only Jesus could provide it. 140 00:06:48,560 --> 00:06:49,919 Speaker 2: And so I trusted in Jesus. 141 00:06:49,960 --> 00:06:52,680 Speaker 1: That evening I came to faith in Christ, and I've 142 00:06:52,680 --> 00:06:55,159 Speaker 1: been following him ever since. Now, if you asked me 143 00:06:55,200 --> 00:06:58,120 Speaker 1: how that event came about, I would have told you 144 00:06:58,640 --> 00:07:00,520 Speaker 1: in my own words at the time that I heard 145 00:07:00,560 --> 00:07:04,240 Speaker 1: the message of the Gospel, explained that it made sense 146 00:07:04,279 --> 00:07:07,640 Speaker 1: to me, and that I made the decision to follow 147 00:07:08,279 --> 00:07:12,200 Speaker 1: Jesus at that point. That would have been the depth 148 00:07:12,200 --> 00:07:14,160 Speaker 1: of my understanding of what took place. I had no 149 00:07:14,320 --> 00:07:17,920 Speaker 1: understanding of what was taking place behind the scenes in 150 00:07:17,960 --> 00:07:19,040 Speaker 1: the spiritual realm. 151 00:07:19,120 --> 00:07:20,360 Speaker 2: I didn't know anything like that. 152 00:07:20,480 --> 00:07:22,840 Speaker 1: I didn't know what the Lord was doing to lead 153 00:07:22,880 --> 00:07:25,440 Speaker 1: me to that decision. I wasn't familiar with those concepts. 154 00:07:25,680 --> 00:07:28,920 Speaker 1: It was my belief also that since I made that 155 00:07:29,000 --> 00:07:32,720 Speaker 1: decision to trust in Jesus, that I likewise could make 156 00:07:32,760 --> 00:07:36,400 Speaker 1: the decision to stop trusting him if I so chose 157 00:07:36,440 --> 00:07:39,040 Speaker 1: to do so. And I also understood that if I 158 00:07:39,120 --> 00:07:42,560 Speaker 1: stopped trusting in him, then that the consequences of that 159 00:07:42,600 --> 00:07:45,040 Speaker 1: would be that I would lose eternal life. So if 160 00:07:45,040 --> 00:07:47,120 Speaker 1: I trusted in him, I would have eternal life. If 161 00:07:47,160 --> 00:07:50,840 Speaker 1: I stopped trusting in him, I would likewise lose eternal life. 162 00:07:50,840 --> 00:07:52,600 Speaker 1: But then you look at what Jesus says in John 163 00:07:52,680 --> 00:07:58,080 Speaker 1: chapter twenty seven, and he talks about something related to 164 00:07:58,120 --> 00:08:01,160 Speaker 1: the work that he's doing to bring us to the 165 00:08:01,240 --> 00:08:05,040 Speaker 1: point of belief. In that passage, he speaks of his 166 00:08:05,160 --> 00:08:07,960 Speaker 1: sheep hearing his voice. So it's one of the things 167 00:08:07,960 --> 00:08:09,840 Speaker 1: he talks about there. He speaks of his sheep hearing 168 00:08:09,880 --> 00:08:12,120 Speaker 1: his voice, and in sharing that information, one of the 169 00:08:12,160 --> 00:08:15,440 Speaker 1: things that he's revealing, he's revealing the fact that those 170 00:08:15,440 --> 00:08:17,680 Speaker 1: of us who trust in him have actually been called 171 00:08:17,720 --> 00:08:21,120 Speaker 1: by him. Now, I didn't understand that whole concept. I 172 00:08:21,160 --> 00:08:24,120 Speaker 1: didn't realize that that was a thing. But what that 173 00:08:24,200 --> 00:08:26,360 Speaker 1: means when you look at what Jesus explains here, and 174 00:08:26,360 --> 00:08:28,640 Speaker 1: when you look at the complimentary scriptures that go along 175 00:08:28,680 --> 00:08:31,120 Speaker 1: with this, is that that means that Jesus is the 176 00:08:31,120 --> 00:08:34,800 Speaker 1: one who made the first move. Even before I placed 177 00:08:34,800 --> 00:08:39,800 Speaker 1: my trust in Jesus, he was spiritually calling me unto himself. 178 00:08:40,480 --> 00:08:42,640 Speaker 1: I didn't understand that. It was a long time after 179 00:08:42,679 --> 00:08:44,920 Speaker 1: that before I began to understand that. But when you 180 00:08:44,960 --> 00:08:47,000 Speaker 1: look at what scripture says, it makes it very clear 181 00:08:47,480 --> 00:08:49,720 Speaker 1: that while for a season I thought I made the 182 00:08:49,760 --> 00:08:53,720 Speaker 1: first move, it was actually him that made the first 183 00:08:53,760 --> 00:08:56,280 Speaker 1: move and called me unto himself. And we actually see 184 00:08:56,280 --> 00:08:59,360 Speaker 1: a related concept to that in Ephesians chapter one. When 185 00:08:59,400 --> 00:09:02,360 Speaker 1: you look at verse seventeen and eighteen of Ephesians one, 186 00:09:02,400 --> 00:09:05,280 Speaker 1: it says this. It says that the God of our Lord, 187 00:09:05,360 --> 00:09:08,280 Speaker 1: Jesus Christ, the Father of Glory, may give you the 188 00:09:08,360 --> 00:09:12,280 Speaker 1: spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, 189 00:09:12,360 --> 00:09:15,839 Speaker 1: having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may 190 00:09:15,960 --> 00:09:19,600 Speaker 1: know what is the hope to which He has called you. 191 00:09:20,679 --> 00:09:21,240 Speaker 2: He called me. 192 00:09:21,320 --> 00:09:23,640 Speaker 1: So when you look at what God's word says, it 193 00:09:23,760 --> 00:09:26,800 Speaker 1: reveals quite a bit about the work that he's doing 194 00:09:26,840 --> 00:09:30,000 Speaker 1: behind the scenes, some you know, things that aren't always 195 00:09:30,080 --> 00:09:33,920 Speaker 1: immediately obvious to our human perception, the things he's doing 196 00:09:33,960 --> 00:09:36,560 Speaker 1: behind the scenes to save us. In Ephesians one, the 197 00:09:36,559 --> 00:09:41,719 Speaker 1: apostle Paul reveals that the Holy Spirit directly gives us wisdom, 198 00:09:42,080 --> 00:09:44,800 Speaker 1: and he reveals spiritual things to us that we would 199 00:09:44,880 --> 00:09:47,880 Speaker 1: not naturally understand, things that we would not just come 200 00:09:47,920 --> 00:09:50,800 Speaker 1: to a natural understanding, things that we wouldn't just realize 201 00:09:50,960 --> 00:09:53,720 Speaker 1: in our own wisdom and in our own strength. And likewise, 202 00:09:53,720 --> 00:09:57,400 Speaker 1: the scripture tells us, he enlightens the eyes of our hearts. 203 00:09:58,520 --> 00:10:01,040 Speaker 1: He's helping us to see things that can only be 204 00:10:01,520 --> 00:10:05,240 Speaker 1: spiritually perceived, and in that context, he's doing that so 205 00:10:05,280 --> 00:10:08,559 Speaker 1: that we could perceive our need for salvation, a need 206 00:10:08,600 --> 00:10:12,120 Speaker 1: for salvation that's only received by grace through faith in 207 00:10:12,280 --> 00:10:15,560 Speaker 1: Jesus Christ. Basically, what it's saying is, this is not 208 00:10:15,720 --> 00:10:18,400 Speaker 1: something I would have figured out on my own. This 209 00:10:18,520 --> 00:10:20,360 Speaker 1: is not something I would have all of a sudden 210 00:10:20,760 --> 00:10:23,000 Speaker 1: gotten wise enough in my own strength or my own 211 00:10:23,040 --> 00:10:27,000 Speaker 1: wisdom to figure out. The Holy Spirit. According to Ephesians One, 212 00:10:27,440 --> 00:10:30,920 Speaker 1: the Holy Spirit he led me to that realization. He 213 00:10:31,040 --> 00:10:33,680 Speaker 1: opened my eyes so that I could see my need 214 00:10:33,720 --> 00:10:36,640 Speaker 1: for Jesus. He opened my ears so that I could 215 00:10:36,679 --> 00:10:40,680 Speaker 1: hear the call of Jesus. He gets the credit for 216 00:10:40,800 --> 00:10:44,400 Speaker 1: my salvation. I don't get the credit for it. He 217 00:10:44,440 --> 00:10:47,520 Speaker 1: gets the credit for my salvation, and since my salvation 218 00:10:48,160 --> 00:10:51,800 Speaker 1: and salvation in general, since that's a work initiated by God, 219 00:10:52,240 --> 00:10:56,839 Speaker 1: not by man. It's a gift that's likewise maintained by God. 220 00:10:57,360 --> 00:11:00,800 Speaker 1: It's initiated by God. It's also maintained by God. Looking 221 00:11:00,840 --> 00:11:02,920 Speaker 1: again at John chapter ten, when you look at verses 222 00:11:02,920 --> 00:11:06,720 Speaker 1: twenty seven through thirty. In those verses, Jesus explained that 223 00:11:06,760 --> 00:11:10,559 Speaker 1: those who receive the gift of the eternal salvation will 224 00:11:10,600 --> 00:11:14,280 Speaker 1: what what he says, and they will never perish. I 225 00:11:14,400 --> 00:11:18,240 Speaker 1: give them eternal life, and they will win, never perish. 226 00:11:18,679 --> 00:11:21,320 Speaker 1: They will never perish. Those he gives the gift of 227 00:11:21,400 --> 00:11:25,960 Speaker 1: eternal life will never perish. And he also explained that 228 00:11:26,000 --> 00:11:29,240 Speaker 1: it's impossible for anyone who has come to faith in him. 229 00:11:29,480 --> 00:11:31,839 Speaker 1: It's impossible, if you've come to faith in Jesus Christ, 230 00:11:32,280 --> 00:11:35,400 Speaker 1: impossible for you to be snatched out of his hand. 231 00:11:35,640 --> 00:11:39,720 Speaker 1: No human is powerful enough to win that tug of war. 232 00:11:39,760 --> 00:11:42,679 Speaker 2: The way he phrases it. Here he says, my father. 233 00:11:42,440 --> 00:11:45,000 Speaker 1: Who has given them to me, is greater than all, 234 00:11:45,040 --> 00:11:46,559 Speaker 1: and no one is able to snatch them out of 235 00:11:46,600 --> 00:11:49,200 Speaker 1: the Father's hand. I and the Father are won even 236 00:11:49,240 --> 00:11:50,920 Speaker 1: before they said, and no one will snatch them out 237 00:11:50,920 --> 00:11:53,720 Speaker 1: of my hand. You look at this, and he says, basically, 238 00:11:53,760 --> 00:11:56,120 Speaker 1: no human is powerful enough to win that tug of war. 239 00:11:56,480 --> 00:11:58,120 Speaker 1: If you're in the hand of Christ, if you've been 240 00:11:58,160 --> 00:12:00,680 Speaker 1: called unto Christ, you will never pay, and you will 241 00:12:00,720 --> 00:12:04,160 Speaker 1: be never You will never be snatched out of his hand. 242 00:12:04,720 --> 00:12:07,760 Speaker 1: Neither you, nor anyone else, nor any principality, nor any 243 00:12:07,960 --> 00:12:12,080 Speaker 1: evil force nor circumstance can snatch you out of the 244 00:12:12,120 --> 00:12:16,800 Speaker 1: hand of your Savior. Something else Scripture brings up that 245 00:12:16,880 --> 00:12:21,480 Speaker 1: I think is particularly insightful. It tells us that we 246 00:12:21,600 --> 00:12:25,560 Speaker 1: have been sealed by the Holy Spirit. Now think about 247 00:12:25,559 --> 00:12:28,080 Speaker 1: that concept for just a second. Living by Jesus is 248 00:12:28,120 --> 00:12:31,960 Speaker 1: a delightful experience. Anyone who's lived by faith in Jesus 249 00:12:32,320 --> 00:12:35,719 Speaker 1: can can recognize that this is something that the as 250 00:12:35,760 --> 00:12:38,600 Speaker 1: the Lord's given you brand new life in Him. Living 251 00:12:38,600 --> 00:12:41,679 Speaker 1: by faith in Him truly is a delightful experience. And 252 00:12:41,720 --> 00:12:44,280 Speaker 1: I believe that throughout the course of your life and 253 00:12:44,320 --> 00:12:46,000 Speaker 1: I believe that throughout the course of my life, he 254 00:12:46,000 --> 00:12:50,280 Speaker 1: wants me to experience a true sense of His unconditional 255 00:12:50,360 --> 00:12:53,960 Speaker 1: love and the security that comes from being united with 256 00:12:54,040 --> 00:12:57,040 Speaker 1: Him in that kind of relationship. I believe that that's 257 00:12:57,080 --> 00:12:58,800 Speaker 1: the day to day life that He wants me to 258 00:12:58,880 --> 00:13:01,560 Speaker 1: experience and for you to experience as well. And so 259 00:13:01,679 --> 00:13:04,160 Speaker 1: for that reason, when we look at God's word, additional 260 00:13:04,200 --> 00:13:06,600 Speaker 1: details are revealed to us in scripture about the permanence 261 00:13:06,640 --> 00:13:09,800 Speaker 1: of this relationship, and specific words are being used to 262 00:13:09,880 --> 00:13:13,000 Speaker 1: illustrate the permanence of it. And we already looked at 263 00:13:13,000 --> 00:13:14,880 Speaker 1: the Book of Ephesians just a moment ago, but I 264 00:13:14,880 --> 00:13:17,040 Speaker 1: want to look at a couple other verses from that book. 265 00:13:17,320 --> 00:13:19,360 Speaker 1: In the Book of Ephesians, we're told on more than 266 00:13:19,400 --> 00:13:23,360 Speaker 1: one occasion that our eternal relationship. 267 00:13:22,679 --> 00:13:25,160 Speaker 2: With God is locked in place. 268 00:13:26,000 --> 00:13:28,640 Speaker 1: If you've come to faith in Jesus Christ, because the 269 00:13:28,679 --> 00:13:31,680 Speaker 1: Lord initiated that and called you unto himself, and the 270 00:13:31,720 --> 00:13:33,960 Speaker 1: Spirit of God opened your eyes and your ears and 271 00:13:33,960 --> 00:13:37,440 Speaker 1: your heart to receive Jesus Christ, your relationship with God 272 00:13:37,520 --> 00:13:40,160 Speaker 1: is locked in place. And the specific word that's used 273 00:13:40,160 --> 00:13:43,479 Speaker 1: in that book to describe the permanence of that relationship 274 00:13:43,559 --> 00:13:45,000 Speaker 1: is the word sealed. 275 00:13:45,800 --> 00:13:47,400 Speaker 2: Think about what it means by that. 276 00:13:47,480 --> 00:13:50,319 Speaker 1: It uses the word sealed to talk about the permanence 277 00:13:50,320 --> 00:13:51,199 Speaker 1: of that relationship. 278 00:13:51,320 --> 00:13:52,040 Speaker 2: Look at what it says. 279 00:13:52,040 --> 00:13:54,920 Speaker 1: First of all, on Ephesians one, verses thirteen and fourteen, 280 00:13:54,960 --> 00:13:58,200 Speaker 1: it says, in him, you also, when you heard the 281 00:13:58,240 --> 00:14:01,160 Speaker 1: Word of truth, the gospel of yours salvation and believed 282 00:14:01,160 --> 00:14:03,160 Speaker 1: in him, were sealed. 283 00:14:04,240 --> 00:14:05,959 Speaker 2: How was I sealed? Well? It says you. 284 00:14:05,920 --> 00:14:09,640 Speaker 1: Were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the 285 00:14:10,760 --> 00:14:15,280 Speaker 1: guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, 286 00:14:15,679 --> 00:14:17,959 Speaker 1: to the praise of His glory. And then when you 287 00:14:18,040 --> 00:14:20,320 Speaker 1: jump over to Ephesians four, verse thirty, it says, and 288 00:14:20,400 --> 00:14:23,120 Speaker 1: do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God by whom 289 00:14:23,160 --> 00:14:27,400 Speaker 1: you were sealed for the day of redemption. Think about 290 00:14:27,400 --> 00:14:30,960 Speaker 1: the statements that are made there describing the permanence of 291 00:14:31,000 --> 00:14:33,720 Speaker 1: this I love the truth that's conveyed in these verses. 292 00:14:33,880 --> 00:14:36,960 Speaker 1: It's a similar concept in both passages in the Book 293 00:14:36,960 --> 00:14:40,160 Speaker 1: of Ephesians, because these passages do not say that our 294 00:14:40,200 --> 00:14:43,120 Speaker 1: salvation is sealed by our good behavior. Now, if you 295 00:14:43,120 --> 00:14:46,920 Speaker 1: asked me earlier in my Christian walk, what would seal 296 00:14:47,280 --> 00:14:50,600 Speaker 1: my salvation? I basically treated salvation as if it came 297 00:14:50,680 --> 00:14:54,040 Speaker 1: down to essentially whatever I did or didn't do. 298 00:14:54,760 --> 00:14:55,800 Speaker 2: But here, when you look at what. 299 00:14:55,720 --> 00:14:59,640 Speaker 1: The scripture says, it basically says that our salvation is 300 00:14:59,640 --> 00:15:02,680 Speaker 1: not by our good behavior. It's not even sealed by 301 00:15:02,720 --> 00:15:05,720 Speaker 1: our sound doctrine. And I very much desire for myself 302 00:15:05,720 --> 00:15:07,600 Speaker 1: and for all of us that we have sound doctrine. 303 00:15:07,640 --> 00:15:10,320 Speaker 1: But that's not what seals it either. It's not sealed 304 00:15:10,320 --> 00:15:12,760 Speaker 1: by our church attendance. And that pains me to admit, 305 00:15:12,800 --> 00:15:15,520 Speaker 1: because I like when you show up for worship, right, 306 00:15:16,480 --> 00:15:20,200 Speaker 1: but it's not sealed by your church attendants, meaning like 307 00:15:20,200 --> 00:15:22,800 Speaker 1: like you could actually skip church and still make it 308 00:15:22,840 --> 00:15:24,960 Speaker 1: to heaven. So we were like, WHOA, I've always waited 309 00:15:25,000 --> 00:15:28,360 Speaker 1: for the pastor to be saying that, right, that's true, 310 00:15:29,160 --> 00:15:32,400 Speaker 1: don't skip for other reasons. But I'm just saying, it's 311 00:15:32,400 --> 00:15:35,720 Speaker 1: not even sealed by your your charitable giving. No. I 312 00:15:35,760 --> 00:15:37,480 Speaker 1: hope that you would give, as the Lord to inspire 313 00:15:37,520 --> 00:15:39,280 Speaker 1: you to give, but that's not what seals your salvation. 314 00:15:40,280 --> 00:15:42,800 Speaker 1: It's not even all right, this is really going to 315 00:15:42,840 --> 00:15:45,520 Speaker 1: bother the ministry teams maybe, but it's not even sealed 316 00:15:45,520 --> 00:15:47,920 Speaker 1: by the amount of volunteer hours that you give to 317 00:15:48,240 --> 00:15:49,520 Speaker 1: the different ministries of the church. 318 00:15:49,560 --> 00:15:50,600 Speaker 2: That doesn't seal it either. 319 00:15:51,000 --> 00:15:52,680 Speaker 1: So right now he's like, wait, I don't have to give, 320 00:15:52,720 --> 00:15:54,160 Speaker 1: I don't have to attend it, I don't. 321 00:15:53,920 --> 00:15:54,360 Speaker 2: Have to serve. 322 00:15:54,400 --> 00:15:58,720 Speaker 1: This is the best church effort, right Well, durn salvation. 323 00:15:58,960 --> 00:16:00,360 Speaker 2: You can't. We can't earn it. 324 00:16:00,440 --> 00:16:03,000 Speaker 1: Right Those things don't earn salvation, nor do they seal 325 00:16:03,040 --> 00:16:06,320 Speaker 1: salvation in place. Our salvation, according to what this scripture 326 00:16:06,320 --> 00:16:09,880 Speaker 1: tells us in Ephesians, is that our salvation is permanently 327 00:16:09,920 --> 00:16:13,760 Speaker 1: sealed in place with the Holy Spirit. God seals his 328 00:16:13,880 --> 00:16:17,560 Speaker 1: children in this relationship with him by his spirit. 329 00:16:18,040 --> 00:16:19,040 Speaker 2: That's how this works. 330 00:16:19,360 --> 00:16:21,880 Speaker 1: So to be even more specific, we've been told that 331 00:16:21,880 --> 00:16:25,560 Speaker 1: we have been sealed by the Holy Spirit for the 332 00:16:25,720 --> 00:16:29,120 Speaker 1: day of redemption. Been sealed by the Holy Spirit for 333 00:16:29,200 --> 00:16:31,960 Speaker 1: the day of redemption. That's the day when we meet 334 00:16:32,040 --> 00:16:34,560 Speaker 1: Jesus in heaven and live in his presence as believers 335 00:16:34,600 --> 00:16:38,240 Speaker 1: who are glorified and made to resemble Him forever. Is 336 00:16:38,240 --> 00:16:41,560 Speaker 1: one of the clearest statements in the Bible regarding the 337 00:16:41,600 --> 00:16:46,160 Speaker 1: permanence of our salvation. Again, what does it say by 338 00:16:46,240 --> 00:16:49,160 Speaker 1: whom the Holy Spirit, by whom you were sealed for 339 00:16:49,280 --> 00:16:53,280 Speaker 1: the day of redemption. You're sealed for the day of redemption. 340 00:16:53,800 --> 00:16:56,360 Speaker 1: But Scripture tells us some other things, and I find 341 00:16:56,400 --> 00:17:00,240 Speaker 1: these particularly compelling and convincing. Scripture also tells us that 342 00:17:00,320 --> 00:17:04,760 Speaker 1: nothing can separate us from the love of God. But 343 00:17:04,840 --> 00:17:07,399 Speaker 1: sometimes people wonder this, and maybe you've wondered this as well, 344 00:17:07,400 --> 00:17:09,960 Speaker 1: because I certainly have. What can we say about our 345 00:17:10,040 --> 00:17:13,359 Speaker 1: low moments? Or what can we say about our seasons 346 00:17:13,359 --> 00:17:16,879 Speaker 1: of personal rebellion? You've ever gone through a real low moment, 347 00:17:16,880 --> 00:17:19,560 Speaker 1: You've ever gone through a season of personal rebellion? You know, 348 00:17:19,600 --> 00:17:21,840 Speaker 1: if you're super honest with yourself, you look back and 349 00:17:21,880 --> 00:17:24,240 Speaker 1: you're like, that was a pretty low moment. What impact 350 00:17:24,320 --> 00:17:28,560 Speaker 1: might those seasons have on our eternal life? Will God 351 00:17:28,600 --> 00:17:32,280 Speaker 1: remove us from his family because of the poor decisions 352 00:17:32,320 --> 00:17:34,840 Speaker 1: we've made, or the acts of rebellion that we've accomplished, 353 00:17:34,920 --> 00:17:37,800 Speaker 1: or other things that we've done. Is that the deal breaker? 354 00:17:37,840 --> 00:17:40,880 Speaker 1: Is that going to ruin this this relationship that we're 355 00:17:40,960 --> 00:17:42,840 Speaker 1: invited to have with him? By the way, I've already 356 00:17:42,920 --> 00:17:45,679 Speaker 1: mentioned that it was just before I turned ten, a 357 00:17:45,720 --> 00:17:47,960 Speaker 1: week before I turned ten years old, when I came 358 00:17:48,000 --> 00:17:50,679 Speaker 1: to faith in Jesus and I could tell you with 359 00:17:50,720 --> 00:17:53,560 Speaker 1: all sincerity that I genuinely did believe in Jesus Christ. 360 00:17:53,720 --> 00:17:56,200 Speaker 2: I did come to faith in Christ during that week. 361 00:17:56,240 --> 00:17:57,720 Speaker 1: But I also need to admit that I went through 362 00:17:57,720 --> 00:18:00,600 Speaker 1: a pretty severe season of rebellion not long after that, 363 00:18:01,040 --> 00:18:02,960 Speaker 1: just a couple of years after that, and it lasted 364 00:18:03,000 --> 00:18:06,639 Speaker 1: from you know, like my junior high years, which I mean, 365 00:18:06,760 --> 00:18:08,919 Speaker 1: the older I get, the younger that feels to me. 366 00:18:09,280 --> 00:18:11,159 Speaker 1: But when I when I when I think back on 367 00:18:11,200 --> 00:18:13,280 Speaker 1: it now, I'm like, I don't know. I felt like 368 00:18:13,320 --> 00:18:17,320 Speaker 1: I had an advanced course on personal rebellion and I 369 00:18:17,359 --> 00:18:21,560 Speaker 1: look through that that season of rebellion, and it lasted years. 370 00:18:21,880 --> 00:18:23,520 Speaker 1: And I can tell you the people who loved me 371 00:18:23,600 --> 00:18:26,639 Speaker 1: were genuinely worried about me in a way that that 372 00:18:28,640 --> 00:18:31,400 Speaker 1: you typically save that worry for someone at a later 373 00:18:31,480 --> 00:18:32,200 Speaker 1: season of life. 374 00:18:32,240 --> 00:18:34,160 Speaker 2: They were like, I don't know what's gotten his head, 375 00:18:34,160 --> 00:18:36,040 Speaker 2: but he's not on a good path. 376 00:18:36,080 --> 00:18:40,160 Speaker 1: And if you met me during those years, and least 377 00:18:40,200 --> 00:18:42,120 Speaker 1: one of you have, Frank you knew me during those years, 378 00:18:42,119 --> 00:18:44,960 Speaker 1: he could testify you met me during those years, I 379 00:18:45,040 --> 00:18:46,520 Speaker 1: highly doubt that you would have thought of me as 380 00:18:46,560 --> 00:18:49,800 Speaker 1: a stellar example of what it meant to follow Christ. 381 00:18:49,880 --> 00:18:52,240 Speaker 2: I'm certain you would not now. 382 00:18:52,280 --> 00:18:57,359 Speaker 1: Thankfully, even through my years of rebellion, even though I 383 00:18:57,440 --> 00:18:59,639 Speaker 1: went through that season of what I would refer to 384 00:18:59,760 --> 00:19:04,240 Speaker 1: now was like pretty severe spiritual immaturity as well, in 385 00:19:04,280 --> 00:19:05,800 Speaker 1: the midst of all of it, the Lord did not 386 00:19:05,920 --> 00:19:06,520 Speaker 1: abandon me. 387 00:19:07,560 --> 00:19:08,880 Speaker 2: He did not abandon me. 388 00:19:09,440 --> 00:19:14,320 Speaker 1: And providentially he turned what I meant for evil into 389 00:19:14,320 --> 00:19:19,159 Speaker 1: good things, and his spirit orchestrated circumstances to draw me 390 00:19:19,240 --> 00:19:21,879 Speaker 1: closer to himself and to create a desire within me 391 00:19:22,560 --> 00:19:26,840 Speaker 1: to genuinely follow him much more seriously. And what he 392 00:19:26,960 --> 00:19:29,000 Speaker 1: ended up doing was he introduced me to people who 393 00:19:29,080 --> 00:19:32,240 Speaker 1: had a healthy influence on my faith, and people who 394 00:19:32,280 --> 00:19:37,040 Speaker 1: started granting me opportunities that allowed me to really grow 395 00:19:37,080 --> 00:19:39,080 Speaker 1: in my faith in the Lord, and things that I 396 00:19:39,119 --> 00:19:42,639 Speaker 1: just felt compelled to capitalize on. And I look at that, 397 00:19:42,680 --> 00:19:44,560 Speaker 1: and I think, boy, he never stopped loving me, even 398 00:19:44,600 --> 00:19:48,560 Speaker 1: when I made myself pretty unlovable. He never stopped loving me. 399 00:19:49,359 --> 00:19:50,960 Speaker 1: And I look at that now, and I remember, even 400 00:19:51,000 --> 00:19:52,480 Speaker 1: at the time, as some of those people would reach 401 00:19:52,520 --> 00:19:55,000 Speaker 1: into my life, I remember thinking, I used to have 402 00:19:55,000 --> 00:19:56,960 Speaker 1: a Sunday school teacher. I know I've already mentioned this 403 00:19:57,040 --> 00:19:59,120 Speaker 1: other times. I don't think I've said it in a while, though, 404 00:19:59,160 --> 00:19:59,880 Speaker 1: so maybe you haven't. 405 00:20:00,400 --> 00:20:00,800 Speaker 2: I don't know. 406 00:20:01,920 --> 00:20:04,479 Speaker 1: Her name was Jene Constantine had a huge influence on 407 00:20:04,480 --> 00:20:07,840 Speaker 1: me at that time. I used to like legitimately picture 408 00:20:07,880 --> 00:20:09,399 Speaker 1: this as a twelve year old, like I would try 409 00:20:09,440 --> 00:20:12,400 Speaker 1: and skip out of Sunday School, which was right after 410 00:20:12,560 --> 00:20:14,680 Speaker 1: church for us, so I could go smoke behind the church. 411 00:20:14,880 --> 00:20:16,280 Speaker 1: And I was like, I hope they don't catch me 412 00:20:16,320 --> 00:20:20,960 Speaker 1: back here, and then they would always catch me. But 413 00:20:21,040 --> 00:20:23,120 Speaker 1: I remember one of my Sunday school teachers she said 414 00:20:23,160 --> 00:20:27,840 Speaker 1: to me, she said, John, I don't know what God 415 00:20:27,920 --> 00:20:30,800 Speaker 1: is going to do in your life, but I am convinced. 416 00:20:31,480 --> 00:20:33,680 Speaker 1: I am convinced that it's going to be something special. 417 00:20:34,840 --> 00:20:36,520 Speaker 1: And in my mind, I'm like, did she say this 418 00:20:36,560 --> 00:20:39,359 Speaker 1: to everybody? She probably says this to everybody. 419 00:20:39,560 --> 00:20:40,040 Speaker 2: I don't know. 420 00:20:40,160 --> 00:20:41,959 Speaker 1: I never caught her say it to anybody else. And 421 00:20:42,000 --> 00:20:44,320 Speaker 1: my sister said, I don't know, she never said it 422 00:20:44,320 --> 00:20:46,280 Speaker 1: to us. I was like, maybe I just needed to 423 00:20:46,320 --> 00:20:48,639 Speaker 1: hear it extra. I don't know, but she used to 424 00:20:48,680 --> 00:20:53,239 Speaker 1: say that to me, and I remember distinctly when it was, 425 00:20:53,240 --> 00:20:55,560 Speaker 1: maybe like in my first month of being a full 426 00:20:55,560 --> 00:20:57,800 Speaker 1: time pastor in my early twenties and I would think 427 00:20:57,800 --> 00:20:59,840 Speaker 1: back to that season and how she would always say 428 00:20:59,880 --> 00:21:01,800 Speaker 1: that to me, and I thought, you know, I need 429 00:21:01,800 --> 00:21:03,600 Speaker 1: to just write her a letter and thank her for 430 00:21:03,960 --> 00:21:05,760 Speaker 1: not giving up on me in the midst of that 431 00:21:06,359 --> 00:21:09,480 Speaker 1: and just being someone who showed me the unconditional love 432 00:21:09,480 --> 00:21:11,440 Speaker 1: of the Lord, even in her words when I felt 433 00:21:11,480 --> 00:21:13,119 Speaker 1: like I was pretty unlovable. And so I wrote a 434 00:21:13,160 --> 00:21:15,159 Speaker 1: letter to her and just thanked her for it, and 435 00:21:15,440 --> 00:21:17,720 Speaker 1: I got word that you really appreciated it. She passed 436 00:21:17,720 --> 00:21:20,040 Speaker 1: away soon after that, so I was really glad that 437 00:21:20,080 --> 00:21:21,560 Speaker 1: I had taken the time to send that. 438 00:21:21,480 --> 00:21:22,440 Speaker 2: To her and tell her that. 439 00:21:23,040 --> 00:21:25,080 Speaker 1: But I have to say, like I look back at 440 00:21:25,080 --> 00:21:28,920 Speaker 1: that season, I could see God providentially orchestrating that there'd 441 00:21:28,920 --> 00:21:32,959 Speaker 1: be people and opportunities that would show me what it 442 00:21:33,000 --> 00:21:34,800 Speaker 1: looked like to follow the Lord, and people would give 443 00:21:34,800 --> 00:21:37,119 Speaker 1: me opportunities to serve. And I thought, boy, if they 444 00:21:37,200 --> 00:21:38,919 Speaker 1: knew what I was really like, they would never have 445 00:21:38,960 --> 00:21:40,000 Speaker 1: given me these opportunities. 446 00:21:40,000 --> 00:21:41,200 Speaker 2: That's why I used to think about myself. 447 00:21:41,200 --> 00:21:43,520 Speaker 1: I even got hired to work at that camp, and I, 448 00:21:43,720 --> 00:21:45,240 Speaker 1: you know, the camp that I got saved at five 449 00:21:45,320 --> 00:21:47,840 Speaker 1: years earlier, and I remember thinking to myself the summer 450 00:21:47,840 --> 00:21:48,600 Speaker 1: I turned fifteen, I. 451 00:21:48,560 --> 00:21:50,040 Speaker 2: Thought if they knew what I was really like, they 452 00:21:50,080 --> 00:21:51,119 Speaker 2: would never hire me. 453 00:21:51,440 --> 00:21:54,800 Speaker 1: So I was like, I gotta pretend, pretend that you're 454 00:21:55,440 --> 00:21:57,639 Speaker 1: pretend that you're not into the stuff the yere into. 455 00:21:57,760 --> 00:22:00,960 Speaker 1: But it was not the case. Right, and by God's 456 00:22:01,000 --> 00:22:03,159 Speaker 1: grace he orchestrated all that. And then I look at 457 00:22:03,160 --> 00:22:05,520 Speaker 1: what the Lord tells us in his word. I look 458 00:22:05,520 --> 00:22:07,960 Speaker 1: at Romans eight. I look at verse thirty five, and 459 00:22:07,960 --> 00:22:09,800 Speaker 1: then jump down to verse thirty seven. There it says, 460 00:22:09,800 --> 00:22:12,800 Speaker 1: who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall 461 00:22:12,840 --> 00:22:16,440 Speaker 1: tribulation or distress, or persecution, or famine or nakedness or 462 00:22:16,520 --> 00:22:19,160 Speaker 1: danger or sword. Then it goes on in verse thirty 463 00:22:19,160 --> 00:22:21,720 Speaker 1: seven of Romans eight, it says, no, and all these things, 464 00:22:22,400 --> 00:22:25,000 Speaker 1: we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 465 00:22:25,760 --> 00:22:28,840 Speaker 1: For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels, 466 00:22:28,880 --> 00:22:33,080 Speaker 1: nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 467 00:22:33,080 --> 00:22:36,320 Speaker 1: nor height, nor death, nor anything else in all creation 468 00:22:37,000 --> 00:22:39,000 Speaker 1: will be able to separate us from the love of 469 00:22:39,040 --> 00:22:43,880 Speaker 1: God in Christ, Jesus, our Lord. Nothing can separate us 470 00:22:44,480 --> 00:22:47,399 Speaker 1: from the love of God. Nothing has the capacity to 471 00:22:47,440 --> 00:22:50,520 Speaker 1: do that, not even your own bad decisions, not even 472 00:22:50,560 --> 00:22:54,199 Speaker 1: your own seasons of rebellion. I cannot adequately express what 473 00:22:54,200 --> 00:22:55,920 Speaker 1: a comfort it is to me to know that there's 474 00:22:56,040 --> 00:23:01,760 Speaker 1: literally nothing in all creation, including myself, that is powerful 475 00:23:01,840 --> 00:23:03,800 Speaker 1: enough to separate me from the love of Christ. 476 00:23:04,320 --> 00:23:07,400 Speaker 2: That is such a relief, That is such a relief. 477 00:23:08,960 --> 00:23:10,520 Speaker 1: I have to tell you, that is a thought that 478 00:23:10,560 --> 00:23:14,359 Speaker 1: has brought my heart such peace on some of my 479 00:23:14,560 --> 00:23:18,840 Speaker 1: lowest days, and it's something I continue to find so reassuring, 480 00:23:19,480 --> 00:23:22,880 Speaker 1: the fact that there is absolutely nothing that can separate 481 00:23:22,960 --> 00:23:25,080 Speaker 1: me from the love of God. I find such peace 482 00:23:25,160 --> 00:23:27,800 Speaker 1: in that knowledge. But then one of the things that 483 00:23:27,880 --> 00:23:30,720 Speaker 1: I think oftentimes we can wrestle with, and I certainly 484 00:23:30,800 --> 00:23:33,040 Speaker 1: understand that if we do wrestle with this, you start 485 00:23:33,080 --> 00:23:36,840 Speaker 1: to think, all right, what about like if I really 486 00:23:36,880 --> 00:23:39,800 Speaker 1: go like super far, like in a really bad direction, 487 00:23:40,680 --> 00:23:43,560 Speaker 1: you know, like what about that? Well, when you look 488 00:23:43,560 --> 00:23:46,440 Speaker 1: at what God's word said, it reminds us we have 489 00:23:46,600 --> 00:23:50,000 Speaker 1: not been given a license to sin. Just because the 490 00:23:50,040 --> 00:23:52,080 Speaker 1: Lord loves me and the Lord loves you. It doesn't 491 00:23:52,080 --> 00:23:54,680 Speaker 1: mean that somehow we've been given this big license to sin. 492 00:23:55,560 --> 00:23:58,840 Speaker 1: I think understandably, one of the primary objections that often 493 00:23:58,920 --> 00:24:01,760 Speaker 1: here to this whole concept regarding whether or not we 494 00:24:01,800 --> 00:24:04,800 Speaker 1: can lose our salvation. People often wonder, you know, like 495 00:24:04,960 --> 00:24:08,280 Speaker 1: we have a very deep personal capacity. 496 00:24:07,680 --> 00:24:09,320 Speaker 2: For sinfulness as human beings. 497 00:24:09,840 --> 00:24:11,679 Speaker 1: It's very easy for us to go in that direction. 498 00:24:11,720 --> 00:24:13,280 Speaker 1: No one ever has to teach you to do that. 499 00:24:14,160 --> 00:24:16,520 Speaker 1: Just by nature, we find ourselves going in that direction. 500 00:24:16,560 --> 00:24:17,320 Speaker 2: And so many. 501 00:24:17,080 --> 00:24:21,159 Speaker 1: People fear or they believe that the fear of losing 502 00:24:21,160 --> 00:24:25,560 Speaker 1: one's salvation can actually be a preventative motivation to help 503 00:24:25,640 --> 00:24:30,000 Speaker 1: prevent you from sinning. Now, to be frank, I don't 504 00:24:30,000 --> 00:24:33,439 Speaker 1: think that's a healthy motivation to avoid sinning. I'll explain 505 00:24:33,480 --> 00:24:35,920 Speaker 1: why in a second. But I understand why some people 506 00:24:36,000 --> 00:24:37,960 Speaker 1: land on that. They say, you know, the fear of 507 00:24:38,040 --> 00:24:41,439 Speaker 1: losing salvation, maybe that would prevent me from sinning, or 508 00:24:41,480 --> 00:24:43,840 Speaker 1: prevent someone else from sinning. I will tell you, I 509 00:24:43,840 --> 00:24:47,399 Speaker 1: think there's a much greater motivation to avoid sinning, to 510 00:24:47,480 --> 00:24:50,919 Speaker 1: avoid welcoming sin into your life. The greater motivation is 511 00:24:50,960 --> 00:24:54,119 Speaker 1: this love for the Lord. I think love is a 512 00:24:54,119 --> 00:24:58,920 Speaker 1: greater motivation than fear. It's a deeper motivation than fear. 513 00:24:58,960 --> 00:25:02,520 Speaker 1: It's a better motivation than treating our relationship with him like. 514 00:25:02,560 --> 00:25:05,639 Speaker 1: It's conditional in nature and can change at any moment. 515 00:25:05,680 --> 00:25:07,359 Speaker 1: That's not a very healthy way to think of your 516 00:25:07,359 --> 00:25:10,000 Speaker 1: relationship with God. And here's another thing, And we have 517 00:25:10,040 --> 00:25:11,919 Speaker 1: to think about this because I had to wrestle with 518 00:25:11,960 --> 00:25:14,320 Speaker 1: this personally when I was young in the faith. I 519 00:25:14,359 --> 00:25:17,879 Speaker 1: think another danger that comes with believing that our salvation 520 00:25:18,040 --> 00:25:21,240 Speaker 1: comes down to what we do or what we don't do. 521 00:25:21,960 --> 00:25:24,439 Speaker 1: I think that that can lead to a haughty and 522 00:25:24,560 --> 00:25:27,560 Speaker 1: judgmental spirit without us even realizing it at first. 523 00:25:27,640 --> 00:25:28,680 Speaker 2: Let me explain what I mean. 524 00:25:29,200 --> 00:25:31,720 Speaker 1: I think we can become proud of ourselves on the 525 00:25:31,800 --> 00:25:33,600 Speaker 1: days when we keep the rules. 526 00:25:34,720 --> 00:25:36,720 Speaker 2: Right. If you keep the rules, or if. 527 00:25:36,600 --> 00:25:39,120 Speaker 1: You go through a long stretch maybe months, maybe years, 528 00:25:39,160 --> 00:25:41,520 Speaker 1: where you feel like you're keeping the rules, you can 529 00:25:41,520 --> 00:25:43,960 Speaker 1: start becoming pretty proud of yourself and then condemning of 530 00:25:44,000 --> 00:25:46,520 Speaker 1: others when they fail. You'd almost look at others and 531 00:25:46,560 --> 00:25:48,000 Speaker 1: be like, yeah, I remember when I was like that, 532 00:25:48,119 --> 00:25:49,720 Speaker 1: Oh my goodness, sinners, am I right? 533 00:25:50,160 --> 00:25:52,199 Speaker 2: They're all over the place. Used to be one of them. 534 00:25:52,240 --> 00:25:53,760 Speaker 2: Thankful I'm not one of those now, right. 535 00:25:54,760 --> 00:25:57,520 Speaker 1: But here's what ends up happening. Then you have a 536 00:25:57,560 --> 00:25:59,480 Speaker 1: bad day and you haven't had one in a while, 537 00:25:59,480 --> 00:26:02,440 Speaker 1: at least your own way of judging bad days. Right 538 00:26:03,560 --> 00:26:06,879 Speaker 1: then you have a bad day and you're like, oh, 539 00:26:06,920 --> 00:26:08,880 Speaker 1: and then you feel despair because all of a sudden 540 00:26:08,920 --> 00:26:10,439 Speaker 1: you're like, when I wait a second, if my eternal 541 00:26:10,480 --> 00:26:13,120 Speaker 1: salvation depends on whether I'm walking in the good days 542 00:26:13,200 --> 00:26:15,080 Speaker 1: or walking in the bad days, and then I have 543 00:26:15,119 --> 00:26:16,800 Speaker 1: a bad day, then you're like, wait a second, if 544 00:26:16,840 --> 00:26:18,439 Speaker 1: the whole thing was hanging in the balance, that I 545 00:26:18,560 --> 00:26:21,840 Speaker 1: just lose it. So you go from pride to the 546 00:26:21,840 --> 00:26:25,240 Speaker 1: other extreme of despair. And I don't think that either 547 00:26:25,280 --> 00:26:29,160 Speaker 1: of those are a healthy way to think about what 548 00:26:29,200 --> 00:26:31,520 Speaker 1: it looks like to walk in the midst of our salvation, 549 00:26:32,160 --> 00:26:34,280 Speaker 1: because what ends up happening is the danger is that 550 00:26:34,280 --> 00:26:37,480 Speaker 1: we can end up finding ourselves trusting in our own 551 00:26:37,600 --> 00:26:42,159 Speaker 1: good behavior to save us. We could find ourselves trusting 552 00:26:42,160 --> 00:26:44,840 Speaker 1: in our own behavior to save us more so than 553 00:26:44,880 --> 00:26:47,440 Speaker 1: trusting in the unmerited. 554 00:26:46,680 --> 00:26:48,560 Speaker 2: Grace of Jesus Christ. 555 00:26:48,920 --> 00:26:52,359 Speaker 1: And that's the danger, effectively what ends up happening. And 556 00:26:52,400 --> 00:26:54,920 Speaker 1: I say this from experience because I found myself doing this. 557 00:26:55,400 --> 00:26:57,959 Speaker 1: You end up trusting yourself more than you trust Jesus. 558 00:26:58,440 --> 00:27:00,800 Speaker 1: You treat your relationship with Jesus. I'm so glad he 559 00:27:00,800 --> 00:27:03,000 Speaker 1: helped me get this started but now that it's started, 560 00:27:03,240 --> 00:27:04,960 Speaker 1: I think I've got it from here. And the truth 561 00:27:05,040 --> 00:27:07,919 Speaker 1: is I need Jesus just as much today as I 562 00:27:07,960 --> 00:27:09,520 Speaker 1: did on the first day that I met him. 563 00:27:10,560 --> 00:27:12,800 Speaker 2: The same is true for you. Now. 564 00:27:12,840 --> 00:27:16,000 Speaker 1: God's word challenges us not to drift back toward a 565 00:27:16,040 --> 00:27:19,560 Speaker 1: life of sin. We're challenged not to go back toward that, 566 00:27:20,119 --> 00:27:23,560 Speaker 1: and thankfully, the spirit of God empowers us to stop 567 00:27:23,600 --> 00:27:25,960 Speaker 1: embracing the sin that He's freed us from. I love 568 00:27:25,960 --> 00:27:28,680 Speaker 1: what we're told. In Romans six, verses one and two. 569 00:27:28,720 --> 00:27:30,280 Speaker 1: It says, what shall we say, then? Are we to 570 00:27:30,280 --> 00:27:32,080 Speaker 1: continue in sin that grace may abound? 571 00:27:32,280 --> 00:27:32,920 Speaker 2: By no means? 572 00:27:32,960 --> 00:27:35,680 Speaker 1: How can we who died to sin still live in it? Right, 573 00:27:35,720 --> 00:27:37,959 Speaker 1: we've died to sin, We're not. That's not you anymore. 574 00:27:37,960 --> 00:27:40,040 Speaker 1: You're alive in Christ. You're dead to sin, and you're 575 00:27:40,040 --> 00:27:42,320 Speaker 1: alive in Christ. So don't go back to what the 576 00:27:42,359 --> 00:27:45,600 Speaker 1: Lord's freed you from. First John three six, the apostle 577 00:27:45,680 --> 00:27:46,560 Speaker 1: John says it this way. 578 00:27:46,600 --> 00:27:49,960 Speaker 2: He says, no one who abides in him keeps on sinning. 579 00:27:50,520 --> 00:27:52,920 Speaker 1: No one who keeps on sinning has either seen him 580 00:27:53,520 --> 00:27:58,000 Speaker 1: or known him. What's he saying saying? If you truly 581 00:27:58,040 --> 00:28:02,080 Speaker 1: know him? Sin loses its path flavor. It really does. 582 00:28:02,160 --> 00:28:04,359 Speaker 1: You start seeing it differently because what he does is 583 00:28:04,359 --> 00:28:06,680 Speaker 1: he opens your eyes in your mind, he transforms your 584 00:28:06,680 --> 00:28:09,119 Speaker 1: thinking and what used to appeal to you and what 585 00:28:09,240 --> 00:28:11,240 Speaker 1: used to taste good in your in your minds, you 586 00:28:11,240 --> 00:28:14,720 Speaker 1: would satisfy the desires of the old nature. It doesn't start, 587 00:28:14,880 --> 00:28:18,000 Speaker 1: it doesn't continue to taste good. Nothing is as good 588 00:28:18,040 --> 00:28:21,720 Speaker 1: as Jesus Christ. Nothing satisfies your soul like Jesus. And 589 00:28:21,760 --> 00:28:25,000 Speaker 1: the greater motivation for walking a life with the Lord 590 00:28:25,040 --> 00:28:27,240 Speaker 1: and not drifting back toward the sin that he freed 591 00:28:27,280 --> 00:28:32,720 Speaker 1: us from is love. Knowing he loved you first and 592 00:28:32,760 --> 00:28:36,399 Speaker 1: then empowers you to love him in return. And the 593 00:28:36,400 --> 00:28:38,840 Speaker 1: fact of the matter is, if we genuinely believe in Jesus, 594 00:28:38,880 --> 00:28:41,720 Speaker 1: if we genuinely love him, If you genuinely love Jesus, 595 00:28:41,920 --> 00:28:45,160 Speaker 1: you will follow him. If that love is genuine, you 596 00:28:45,240 --> 00:28:47,360 Speaker 1: will follow him. It will be your privilege, it will 597 00:28:47,400 --> 00:28:50,160 Speaker 1: be your delight to do so. It's not an obligation 598 00:28:50,320 --> 00:28:53,120 Speaker 1: to do so. It's a blessing to do so. The 599 00:28:53,160 --> 00:28:58,400 Speaker 1: Holy Spirit will foster a desire to follow Jesus within us. 600 00:28:58,760 --> 00:29:01,880 Speaker 1: He will foster that desire. He will enable us likewise 601 00:29:02,360 --> 00:29:04,880 Speaker 1: to walk with Christ, to remain in Christ again, not 602 00:29:05,000 --> 00:29:09,600 Speaker 1: by our own human effort, but by His divine power. 603 00:29:10,200 --> 00:29:13,040 Speaker 1: There's another question people always ask related to this, and 604 00:29:13,040 --> 00:29:15,920 Speaker 1: it's a very logical question. So I want to address it. 605 00:29:15,960 --> 00:29:18,200 Speaker 1: People wonder this, and maybe you wondered it too. What 606 00:29:18,320 --> 00:29:21,440 Speaker 1: about those who have left the faith? Do you ever 607 00:29:21,440 --> 00:29:23,720 Speaker 1: wrestle with that? What about like literally like they're people 608 00:29:23,720 --> 00:29:25,880 Speaker 1: that you know, and I know that's as far as 609 00:29:25,920 --> 00:29:26,320 Speaker 1: we could tell. 610 00:29:26,320 --> 00:29:28,680 Speaker 2: It seems like they've left the faith. 611 00:29:28,720 --> 00:29:30,520 Speaker 1: You know, what about those who at one point seem 612 00:29:30,600 --> 00:29:33,840 Speaker 1: to follow Jesus, but they no longer appear to believe 613 00:29:33,880 --> 00:29:37,440 Speaker 1: if they lost their salvation or is it possible that 614 00:29:37,480 --> 00:29:40,640 Speaker 1: maybe they never had salvation to begin with? The way 615 00:29:40,720 --> 00:29:43,200 Speaker 1: John says it in First John to nineteen, he says, 616 00:29:43,240 --> 00:29:45,320 Speaker 1: they went out from us, but they were not of us. 617 00:29:46,120 --> 00:29:47,760 Speaker 1: For if they had been of us, they would have 618 00:29:47,840 --> 00:29:50,640 Speaker 1: continued with us. But they went out. Then it might 619 00:29:50,680 --> 00:29:55,920 Speaker 1: become plain that they all are not of us. He's saying, 620 00:29:55,960 --> 00:29:59,120 Speaker 1: that's how it becomes plain right now. It's kind of 621 00:29:59,120 --> 00:30:01,320 Speaker 1: interesting when you think of the era in which this 622 00:30:01,520 --> 00:30:03,840 Speaker 1: was written, because during the era of the early Church, 623 00:30:04,040 --> 00:30:08,320 Speaker 1: when the apostle John penned these words. People wondered what 624 00:30:08,400 --> 00:30:10,520 Speaker 1: to make of those who had made professions of faith, 625 00:30:10,560 --> 00:30:13,959 Speaker 1: but then later, sometimes under the threat of severe persecution, 626 00:30:14,680 --> 00:30:17,040 Speaker 1: seemed to walk away from Jesus, Like what do we 627 00:30:17,120 --> 00:30:17,840 Speaker 1: do with these people? 628 00:30:17,880 --> 00:30:18,880 Speaker 2: And people would wonder that. 629 00:30:19,280 --> 00:30:21,160 Speaker 1: And you have John at the time that he's writing this. 630 00:30:21,240 --> 00:30:24,200 Speaker 1: He's a very elderly man, and he's someone who's seen 631 00:30:24,240 --> 00:30:26,240 Speaker 1: a lot and experienced a lot and worked with a 632 00:30:26,240 --> 00:30:28,560 Speaker 1: lot of people at this point, and he explains that 633 00:30:28,600 --> 00:30:30,800 Speaker 1: the only way that someone can really do that, the 634 00:30:30,840 --> 00:30:33,280 Speaker 1: only way that someone could truly walk away. We're not 635 00:30:33,320 --> 00:30:35,840 Speaker 1: just talking about a season of rebellion that they'll repent 636 00:30:35,880 --> 00:30:38,960 Speaker 1: of and come back. That certainly happens in many people's lives, 637 00:30:39,160 --> 00:30:42,200 Speaker 1: but someone who truly walks away says, the only way 638 00:30:42,280 --> 00:30:45,560 Speaker 1: someone could truly do that is if they never actually 639 00:30:45,600 --> 00:30:49,800 Speaker 1: believed in the first place. So from our perspectives, it 640 00:30:49,840 --> 00:30:52,320 Speaker 1: may have looked like their belief was sincere, and we 641 00:30:52,360 --> 00:30:54,880 Speaker 1: thought that their belief was sincere, and they fellowshipped with 642 00:30:54,920 --> 00:30:57,080 Speaker 1: believers in a way that looked sincere, and they even 643 00:30:57,160 --> 00:30:59,600 Speaker 1: use the right words and seemed to carry themselves into 644 00:30:59,560 --> 00:31:02,120 Speaker 1: a certain way. But we can't see into anyone else's hearts. 645 00:31:02,920 --> 00:31:04,800 Speaker 1: We see what's on the outside. We don't see what's 646 00:31:04,800 --> 00:31:07,120 Speaker 1: on the inside, But the Lord sees what's on the inside. 647 00:31:07,880 --> 00:31:09,520 Speaker 1: And even though it may have looked like their belief 648 00:31:09,600 --> 00:31:12,880 Speaker 1: was sincere, their willingness to walk away at a later 649 00:31:12,960 --> 00:31:16,720 Speaker 1: time demonstrated a lack of faith which was actually known 650 00:31:16,760 --> 00:31:19,040 Speaker 1: to the Lord the entire time, and that walking away, 651 00:31:19,360 --> 00:31:21,560 Speaker 1: John says, they went out that it might become plain 652 00:31:22,160 --> 00:31:24,120 Speaker 1: that they are not of us, that it would become 653 00:31:24,240 --> 00:31:27,800 Speaker 1: obvious that we would also know what God already knew 654 00:31:28,240 --> 00:31:29,880 Speaker 1: at the beginning. And so I look at all that, 655 00:31:31,400 --> 00:31:34,240 Speaker 1: all these different thoughts, various things that Scripture brings up, 656 00:31:34,280 --> 00:31:35,480 Speaker 1: and I think, all right, what do we do with 657 00:31:35,560 --> 00:31:38,800 Speaker 1: this information? Like what should we do with this? And 658 00:31:38,840 --> 00:31:41,280 Speaker 1: again I recognize that this may be a subject that 659 00:31:41,360 --> 00:31:44,880 Speaker 1: well meaning Christian's debate for many years to come. You know, 660 00:31:44,920 --> 00:31:46,720 Speaker 1: in the contexts that I grew up in, there are 661 00:31:46,720 --> 00:31:48,760 Speaker 1: some people that agreed with the position that I hold 662 00:31:48,760 --> 00:31:51,320 Speaker 1: on this and others that did not. People that I love, 663 00:31:51,400 --> 00:31:54,040 Speaker 1: people that I care about, we see it differently. My 664 00:31:54,160 --> 00:31:56,479 Speaker 1: goal is to show you why I believe what I 665 00:31:56,520 --> 00:31:59,560 Speaker 1: believe related to what Scripture says, but that's ultimately something 666 00:31:59,600 --> 00:32:02,360 Speaker 1: you'll run between you and the Lord. But at this 667 00:32:02,440 --> 00:32:04,720 Speaker 1: point I have to confess this is a settled issue. 668 00:32:04,720 --> 00:32:05,240 Speaker 2: In my heart. 669 00:32:05,280 --> 00:32:08,120 Speaker 1: I do not believe that a true Christian can lose 670 00:32:08,120 --> 00:32:11,160 Speaker 1: their salvation. And as far as I could see it, 671 00:32:11,160 --> 00:32:13,960 Speaker 1: in the Word of God, the one who gave me 672 00:32:14,040 --> 00:32:17,640 Speaker 1: salvation as a gift has also promised he's not going 673 00:32:17,640 --> 00:32:21,680 Speaker 1: to be taking that gift back. And his promise is 674 00:32:21,720 --> 00:32:25,880 Speaker 1: the same for you. If you genuinely trust in Jesus Christ, 675 00:32:25,920 --> 00:32:28,280 Speaker 1: you will remain united to Him and part of his 676 00:32:28,360 --> 00:32:32,280 Speaker 1: family forever, through your. 677 00:32:32,160 --> 00:32:35,320 Speaker 2: Low days, through your high days, through all. 678 00:32:35,240 --> 00:32:38,040 Speaker 1: The unexpected trials and difficulties that come your way. If 679 00:32:38,080 --> 00:32:41,400 Speaker 1: you genuinely believe in Jesus Christ, you are part of 680 00:32:41,440 --> 00:32:46,000 Speaker 1: His family forever. And having been graced with this blessing, 681 00:32:46,720 --> 00:32:49,280 Speaker 1: what I want us to be encouraged to do is this, 682 00:32:49,880 --> 00:32:52,800 Speaker 1: just like the Scripture encourages us to do, live a 683 00:32:52,840 --> 00:32:55,280 Speaker 1: life that testifies to how good God's been to you. 684 00:32:56,400 --> 00:32:58,320 Speaker 1: He's been good to you and you and I have 685 00:32:58,400 --> 00:33:01,080 Speaker 1: to admit to him we didn't deserve this. I fully 686 00:33:01,080 --> 00:33:02,840 Speaker 1: admit to you, I admit to him. I know I 687 00:33:02,880 --> 00:33:06,320 Speaker 1: don't deserve this, but I'm grateful I've got it, very 688 00:33:06,360 --> 00:33:09,120 Speaker 1: grateful that I've got it. But with humility we have 689 00:33:09,160 --> 00:33:12,600 Speaker 1: to admit we're undeserving of this great blessing. It is 690 00:33:12,640 --> 00:33:14,920 Speaker 1: a blessing that never came down to our ability to 691 00:33:14,960 --> 00:33:17,000 Speaker 1: earn it. And if it never came down to our 692 00:33:17,040 --> 00:33:20,040 Speaker 1: ability to earn it before we had it, it never 693 00:33:20,080 --> 00:33:22,240 Speaker 1: comes down to our ability to earn it once we 694 00:33:22,360 --> 00:33:25,880 Speaker 1: have it. The rules don't change once you're saved. You 695 00:33:25,920 --> 00:33:28,520 Speaker 1: couldn't earn it to get it, and you also can't earn. 696 00:33:28,320 --> 00:33:29,720 Speaker 2: It to keep it. 697 00:33:29,720 --> 00:33:33,440 Speaker 1: It's a work of God from start to finish. And 698 00:33:33,440 --> 00:33:35,800 Speaker 1: what I'd like us to do because you and I 699 00:33:35,880 --> 00:33:40,080 Speaker 1: know that there are people in our lives who as 700 00:33:40,080 --> 00:33:43,480 Speaker 1: of yet do not know the Lord. And you and 701 00:33:43,560 --> 00:33:46,120 Speaker 1: I also know people that it looked at one point 702 00:33:46,160 --> 00:33:47,920 Speaker 1: like they were walking with the Lord, and now they've 703 00:33:47,920 --> 00:33:50,160 Speaker 1: walked away, which means either they're in a season of 704 00:33:50,200 --> 00:33:54,800 Speaker 1: rebellion or maybe they never believed to begin with. What 705 00:33:54,840 --> 00:33:58,000 Speaker 1: we ought to do is to pray, in accordance with 706 00:33:57,520 --> 00:34:01,000 Speaker 1: what we're seeing in scripture especially and what in Ephesians one, 707 00:34:01,200 --> 00:34:03,840 Speaker 1: what we saw there, pray that the Holy Spirit would 708 00:34:03,840 --> 00:34:06,520 Speaker 1: open their eyes. Pray that the Holy Spirit would open 709 00:34:06,520 --> 00:34:08,400 Speaker 1: their ears. Pray that the Holy Spirit would open up 710 00:34:08,400 --> 00:34:14,279 Speaker 1: their hearts so that they would go from either rebellion 711 00:34:14,320 --> 00:34:18,600 Speaker 1: to repentance or disbelief to belief. That they would learn 712 00:34:18,719 --> 00:34:21,640 Speaker 1: to truly trust Jesus in all matters and in all 713 00:34:21,680 --> 00:34:24,640 Speaker 1: areas of their life as well. And as we serve 714 00:34:24,760 --> 00:34:31,480 Speaker 1: Jesus with our lives, let's do so in the comforting 715 00:34:31,560 --> 00:34:33,839 Speaker 1: peace of knowing that He loves us just as much 716 00:34:33,920 --> 00:34:36,640 Speaker 1: on our best days as he does on our worst days, 717 00:34:36,680 --> 00:34:38,960 Speaker 1: on our worst days, as much of our as much 718 00:34:39,000 --> 00:34:41,439 Speaker 1: as he does on our best days. That the love 719 00:34:41,520 --> 00:34:45,040 Speaker 1: for God isn't something that is temperamental the people that 720 00:34:45,080 --> 00:34:46,480 Speaker 1: you know in your day to day life. There are 721 00:34:46,480 --> 00:34:48,319 Speaker 1: plenty of people throughout the course of your life who 722 00:34:48,360 --> 00:34:51,359 Speaker 1: have convinced you that love is a conditional thing, because 723 00:34:51,400 --> 00:34:53,320 Speaker 1: there are many people in your life, plenty of people 724 00:34:53,320 --> 00:34:54,880 Speaker 1: in my life who love me as long as I 725 00:34:54,880 --> 00:34:57,880 Speaker 1: can give them exactly what they want. And if that 726 00:34:57,960 --> 00:35:00,440 Speaker 1: ever stops, then all of a sudd and that love 727 00:35:00,480 --> 00:35:03,440 Speaker 1: goes away, which tells you it wasn't love at all. 728 00:35:03,480 --> 00:35:05,799 Speaker 1: And sometimes we're tempted to think that a relationship with 729 00:35:05,840 --> 00:35:10,400 Speaker 1: God operates the same way. But God's not fickle, God's 730 00:35:10,440 --> 00:35:15,960 Speaker 1: not temperamental. God doesn't change. God isn't swayed by your 731 00:35:16,000 --> 00:35:18,759 Speaker 1: low moments or your high moments. He's not impressed with 732 00:35:18,840 --> 00:35:21,680 Speaker 1: the high moments. He's not depressed by the low. He 733 00:35:21,719 --> 00:35:24,439 Speaker 1: grieves with us in the midst of the low ones 734 00:35:24,480 --> 00:35:26,120 Speaker 1: and says, I don't want you to wallow in that. 735 00:35:27,040 --> 00:35:29,400 Speaker 1: But he also offers his hand to yanks out of it. 736 00:35:30,760 --> 00:35:33,200 Speaker 1: And that's the same hand that holds us, And he says, 737 00:35:33,239 --> 00:35:36,480 Speaker 1: I'm not letting you go. So you could try and 738 00:35:36,560 --> 00:35:39,880 Speaker 1: run if you want. I would not advise that you 739 00:35:39,920 --> 00:35:45,040 Speaker 1: could try it. Just understand this, it doesn't work. I 740 00:35:45,080 --> 00:35:48,440 Speaker 1: tried running for a little bit. It didn't work. And 741 00:35:48,480 --> 00:35:51,000 Speaker 1: then finally I had the peace of recognizing, you know what, 742 00:35:51,320 --> 00:35:54,319 Speaker 1: why am I running? I should be running toward him, 743 00:35:54,360 --> 00:35:58,279 Speaker 1: not away from him. He who loves me, he would 744 00:35:58,360 --> 00:36:00,960 Speaker 1: call me unto himself, who would make me part of 745 00:36:00,960 --> 00:36:04,400 Speaker 1: his family and his kingdom forever. So there's one of 746 00:36:04,400 --> 00:36:07,960 Speaker 1: those things that we look at and it's like when 747 00:36:07,960 --> 00:36:10,040 Speaker 1: you look at the word of God. All I could 748 00:36:10,040 --> 00:36:13,000 Speaker 1: say is take take heart and have great peace, knowing 749 00:36:13,520 --> 00:36:15,359 Speaker 1: that none of this came down to you to begin with, 750 00:36:15,520 --> 00:36:17,480 Speaker 1: and it doesn't come down to you to keep it 751 00:36:17,520 --> 00:36:20,600 Speaker 1: in the end either. It's something that started with God, 752 00:36:21,360 --> 00:36:24,520 Speaker 1: continues with God, and rests on God for all eternity. 753 00:36:24,560 --> 00:36:28,160 Speaker 1: Those who genuinely trust in Jesus Christ will be part 754 00:36:28,160 --> 00:36:32,640 Speaker 1: of his family forever. Let's pray, Lord, thank you so 755 00:36:32,719 --> 00:36:35,359 Speaker 1: much for what you reveal to us through your word. 756 00:36:35,400 --> 00:36:38,040 Speaker 1: I'm so grateful Lord that we could look at all 757 00:36:38,040 --> 00:36:39,920 Speaker 1: these things and we could we could see this and 758 00:36:40,000 --> 00:36:43,680 Speaker 1: just try and wrestle with the fact that you love 759 00:36:43,760 --> 00:36:47,440 Speaker 1: us in a way that we recognize is not of 760 00:36:47,480 --> 00:36:48,200 Speaker 1: our own doing. 761 00:36:48,280 --> 00:36:48,520 Speaker 2: Lord. 762 00:36:48,520 --> 00:36:53,080 Speaker 1: I know in looking at myself, looking at the ways 763 00:36:53,080 --> 00:36:55,880 Speaker 1: that I have rebelled against you in act attitude in nature, 764 00:36:56,360 --> 00:36:58,560 Speaker 1: when I think back on low seasons, when I think 765 00:36:58,600 --> 00:37:02,120 Speaker 1: about seasons that I in the moment would have thought, 766 00:37:02,120 --> 00:37:04,000 Speaker 1: we're a high season, and now I look back at 767 00:37:04,000 --> 00:37:05,640 Speaker 1: and I think, Nope, that wasn't a high season. I 768 00:37:05,680 --> 00:37:09,160 Speaker 1: was too filled with pride because I was thinking that 769 00:37:10,360 --> 00:37:12,920 Speaker 1: somehow I was following you in my own strength, and 770 00:37:12,960 --> 00:37:15,640 Speaker 1: then you had to shift my thinking on that as well. 771 00:37:15,800 --> 00:37:16,040 Speaker 2: Lord. 772 00:37:16,080 --> 00:37:19,680 Speaker 1: I'm so grateful for the fact that you are patient 773 00:37:19,719 --> 00:37:21,640 Speaker 1: with us throughout the course of our lives. You give 774 00:37:21,719 --> 00:37:25,799 Speaker 1: us time to grow, You give us time to mature. Likewise, Lord, 775 00:37:25,840 --> 00:37:28,080 Speaker 1: we're thankful for the ways in which you demonstrate your 776 00:37:28,120 --> 00:37:30,480 Speaker 1: patients in the lives of the people that we know 777 00:37:30,600 --> 00:37:34,080 Speaker 1: and love. Lord, many of us have family members that 778 00:37:34,120 --> 00:37:36,319 Speaker 1: we've been praying for for years that they would come 779 00:37:36,360 --> 00:37:39,120 Speaker 1: to know you through your son Jesus Christ. Many of 780 00:37:39,200 --> 00:37:42,080 Speaker 1: us have children who we look at and we think, 781 00:37:42,120 --> 00:37:43,080 Speaker 1: where are you, kid? 782 00:37:43,719 --> 00:37:47,520 Speaker 2: Are like? Why is your mind wrapped up in this? 783 00:37:48,760 --> 00:37:52,600 Speaker 1: And we recognize that it's only through the intervening work 784 00:37:52,680 --> 00:37:56,319 Speaker 1: of your spirit that a mind can be opened, that 785 00:37:56,440 --> 00:37:58,879 Speaker 1: eyes can see, that ears can hear, that hearts can 786 00:37:58,920 --> 00:38:02,040 Speaker 1: be softened. And so, Lord, just as you did in 787 00:38:02,160 --> 00:38:05,040 Speaker 1: and through us, we pray that you would do the 788 00:38:05,040 --> 00:38:08,400 Speaker 1: same for those that we love. And Likewise, Lord, as 789 00:38:08,400 --> 00:38:10,360 Speaker 1: we walk with you throughout the course of our lives, 790 00:38:10,400 --> 00:38:13,040 Speaker 1: we pray that you'd help us to be men and 791 00:38:13,080 --> 00:38:17,560 Speaker 1: women who walk in the confidence of knowing that your 792 00:38:17,600 --> 00:38:20,520 Speaker 1: love for us is not something temperamental, It doesn't change. 793 00:38:20,560 --> 00:38:23,200 Speaker 1: You hold us securely in your hand. You have sealed 794 00:38:23,280 --> 00:38:25,680 Speaker 1: us for the day of redemption, and you have promised 795 00:38:26,120 --> 00:38:28,640 Speaker 1: that those who have been given the gift of salvation. 796 00:38:28,719 --> 00:38:32,600 Speaker 1: You've promised us this that we will never perish. There's 797 00:38:32,640 --> 00:38:37,319 Speaker 1: no possibly might perish, There's never perish. These are the 798 00:38:37,320 --> 00:38:41,319 Speaker 1: words that you reveal. And so Lord, I'm grateful for that, 799 00:38:41,400 --> 00:38:43,000 Speaker 1: and I pray that that would be something that would 800 00:38:43,040 --> 00:38:46,359 Speaker 1: boost our confidence, not in ourselves, but in you as 801 00:38:46,400 --> 00:38:48,560 Speaker 1: we recognize the glorious work that you've done. 802 00:38:48,480 --> 00:38:49,239 Speaker 2: In and through us. 803 00:38:49,960 --> 00:38:53,320 Speaker 1: Father, we're thankful for all of these things. We're grateful 804 00:38:53,320 --> 00:38:55,520 Speaker 1: for the privilege to walk with you, and we pray 805 00:38:55,560 --> 00:38:57,239 Speaker 1: this all in Jesus' name. 806 00:38:58,640 --> 00:38:59,000 Speaker 2: Amen.