Well I want to welcome all of you back this afternoon. 00:00:48.50\00:00:51.60 Everybody had a good meal I'm assuming? 00:00:51.70\00:00:53.78 Amen. Great food. 00:00:54.09\00:00:55.70 And I want to welcome all of the people from around the world. 00:00:55.90\00:00:59.32 Do you know that our potential viewing audience 00:00:59.52\00:01:01.99 is in the billions? 00:01:02.09\00:01:03.57 And we want to welcome every one of you to 00:01:03.77\00:01:05.61 3ABN Spring Pillars of our Faith Camp Meeting. 00:01:05.81\00:01:10.75 We just welcome you all. 00:01:10.86\00:01:11.98 And this afternoon our first speaker is John Dinzey. 00:01:12.18\00:01:16.94 How many of you know John Dinzey? 00:01:17.24\00:01:18.58 He's the General Manager of our Latino Network. 00:01:18.78\00:01:22.03 And I just wanted to tell you a little about 00:01:22.13\00:01:24.40 Pastor John Dinzey. 00:01:24.60\00:01:25.74 He's one of the nicest men you're ever going to want 00:01:25.94\00:01:28.17 to meet. You're going to find that he's an excellent teacher. 00:01:28.27\00:01:31.31 But I wanted to tell you a few little stories about Johnny 00:01:31.51\00:01:34.47 before he comes out. 00:01:34.67\00:01:36.07 Doesn't it make you feel a little better acquainted 00:01:36.27\00:01:38.85 with someone when you hear a few little stories about him. 00:01:38.95\00:01:42.30 One of the things that Danny tells me about is... 00:01:42.50\00:01:45.62 You know, Danny loves to play basketball. 00:01:45.82\00:01:47.60 All of you know Danny? Well he had John Dinzey playing 00:01:47.70\00:01:50.87 on his team one time. 00:01:50.97\00:01:52.70 And so someone had the ball on the opposing team 00:01:52.90\00:01:58.08 and Johnny stole the ball! 00:01:58.28\00:02:00.36 It wasn't that he wasn't a good basketball player. 00:02:00.56\00:02:02.62 He stole the ball from him. Stopped, turned around, 00:02:02.82\00:02:05.82 and told the man: "Oh, excuse me. " 00:02:05.92\00:02:07.74 He... he is one of the most... the nicest 00:02:08.14\00:02:12.66 man you're ever going to meet. 00:02:12.86\00:02:15.47 And I think Hildebrand was just telling me a few minutes ago 00:02:15.67\00:02:20.08 about Johnny. She was in a situation, I guess, where 00:02:20.28\00:02:22.91 she was observing where somebody in traffic 00:02:23.01\00:02:25.72 cut Johnny off. How many of you in traffic like to get cut off? 00:02:25.92\00:02:28.56 Dee said that Johnny experienced road rage. 00:02:29.84\00:02:33.47 He said... 00:02:33.67\00:02:35.46 That was the closest thing to an expression of road rage 00:02:36.21\00:02:39.92 that Johnny knew how to express. 00:02:40.12\00:02:43.02 So I want you to receive him this afternoon 00:02:43.22\00:02:45.59 with that heart of love that he has. 00:02:45.79\00:02:47.94 And he does a tremendous work with our Latino Network. 00:02:48.14\00:02:51.71 Do you know it's one of the fastest growing 00:02:51.91\00:02:55.47 networks in the world. Constantly we are receiving 00:02:55.67\00:02:59.77 new cable systems that are signing up to have 3ABN Latino 00:02:59.97\00:03:05.03 air. So we are reaching the Spanish-speaking world 00:03:05.17\00:03:07.98 as a result of the dedication of John Dinzey. 00:03:08.18\00:03:11.14 So receive him with an open heart. 00:03:11.24\00:03:13.16 But, before Johnny comes, let me tell you about this 00:03:13.36\00:03:16.26 couple that is going to sing for us. 00:03:16.46\00:03:18.40 It's Todd and Lisa Parrish. 00:03:18.60\00:03:20.50 Now you've seen Todd and Lisa on 3ABN many times. 00:03:20.70\00:03:24.14 And they're accompanied by our very own Jill Morikone. 00:03:24.34\00:03:28.03 They're going to sing a beautiful song: 00:03:28.24\00:03:29.65 Amazing Grace. But let me tell you a little about them. 00:03:29.85\00:03:32.23 They've been singing together, they said, ever since they met. 00:03:32.43\00:03:36.11 And they've been married for 28 years. 00:03:36.31\00:03:38.99 Ooh, we're having a ring. 00:03:39.19\00:03:40.28 Maybe... There, that worked. 00:03:40.38\00:03:42.18 Maybe you need to move forward a little, I'm not sure. 00:03:42.59\00:03:45.73 Hey, that worked! 00:03:45.93\00:03:47.02 OK. They've been married for 28 years. 00:03:47.22\00:03:49.49 They've been singing together all that time. 00:03:49.70\00:03:51.84 He works with Amazing Facts and she's a nurse. 00:03:52.04\00:03:55.39 And we just love them and appreciate them so much. 00:03:55.60\00:03:58.47 And I know you're going to enjoy them as they sing 00:03:58.77\00:04:01.31 Amazing Grace. 00:04:01.52\00:04:02.60 Amazing grace. 00:04:15.54\00:04:20.61 how sweet the sound 00:04:20.92\00:04:25.58 That saved a wretch 00:04:25.98\00:04:30.44 like me! 00:04:30.74\00:04:35.50 I once was lost, 00:04:35.80\00:04:40.60 but now I am found, 00:04:40.90\00:04:45.58 Was blind, but now 00:04:45.88\00:04:50.59 I see. 00:04:50.89\00:04:55.38 'Twas grace that taught 00:04:55.68\00:05:00.66 my heart to fear, 00:05:00.96\00:05:05.79 And grace my fears 00:05:06.20\00:05:10.61 relieved; 00:05:10.82\00:05:15.88 How precious did 00:05:16.18\00:05:20.96 that grace appear 00:05:21.26\00:05:26.04 The hour I first 00:05:26.34\00:05:31.19 believed! 00:05:31.50\00:05:35.11 When we've been there 00:05:36.51\00:05:41.47 ten thousand years, 00:05:41.77\00:05:46.60 Bright shining as 00:05:46.70\00:05:51.65 the sun, 00:05:51.95\00:05:56.67 We've no less days 00:05:56.97\00:06:01.70 to sing God's praise 00:06:02.00\00:06:06.90 Than when we first 00:06:07.20\00:06:11.81 begun. 00:06:12.02\00:06:17.03 Amazing grace, 00:06:17.33\00:06:23.12 how sweet the sound 00:06:23.52\00:06:29.20 That saved a wretch 00:06:29.50\00:06:35.37 like me! 00:06:35.67\00:06:41.58 I once was 00:06:41.88\00:06:46.83 lost, 00:06:47.03\00:06:48.49 but now I am found, 00:06:48.80\00:06:54.73 Was blind, 00:06:55.52\00:06:59.15 but now 00:06:59.35\00:07:02.47 I see... 00:07:02.67\00:07:08.65 Was blind, 00:07:10.30\00:07:14.12 but now 00:07:14.42\00:07:18.40 I 00:07:18.60\00:07:21.13 see. 00:07:21.33\00:07:27.30 Amen. 00:07:30.49\00:07:32.00 Thank you Todd, Lisa, and Sr. Jill Morikone on the piano. 00:07:33.18\00:07:37.63 Praise the Lord for that wonderful song. 00:07:37.93\00:07:39.99 Amen. 00:07:40.29\00:07:41.31 That's one of the songs that I'm sure we'll be singing 00:07:41.51\00:07:44.45 in the new earth. Amen; Amen. 00:07:44.86\00:07:48.37 We're going to study a topic that is of great interest to me. 00:07:48.60\00:07:53.68 I worked for many years in the Pastor Ministries Department. 00:07:53.91\00:07:57.04 Talked to I don't know how many people... hundreds, for sure 00:07:57.24\00:08:00.80 if not thousands, throughout the over 20 years 00:08:01.00\00:08:05.50 that I've been here. And one of the things 00:08:05.60\00:08:08.44 that kind of stands out for me is that people have a hard time 00:08:08.64\00:08:14.30 accepting God's forgiveness. 00:08:14.50\00:08:16.97 So we're going to talk about that today 00:08:17.27\00:08:19.71 with the hopes that God through His Word 00:08:19.91\00:08:22.28 will help us understand that God truly forgives. 00:08:22.48\00:08:26.58 And that's the title of our topic. 00:08:26.88\00:08:29.40 Before we do that we'd like to go to the Lord in prayer. 00:08:29.60\00:08:33.24 So I am going to kneel. 00:08:33.44\00:08:34.85 I am going to ask you to bow your heads where you are 00:08:35.05\00:08:37.25 but I will kneel and we're going to ask for the Lord 00:08:37.38\00:08:39.58 to bless us. Let us pray. 00:08:39.77\00:08:41.93 Our loving heavenly Father, 00:08:46.44\00:08:48.74 We thank you, Lord, for Your goodness and Your mercy. 00:08:49.04\00:08:54.14 We come to you now in Jesus' name 00:08:54.44\00:08:57.47 and we pray, Lord, that You will bless us 00:08:57.77\00:09:01.74 with a message from heaven. 00:09:01.94\00:09:03.56 I place myself in Your hands 00:09:03.77\00:09:06.32 and I ask for Your Holy Spirit to be poured out. 00:09:06.52\00:09:08.97 that You will use me according to Your good pleasure. 00:09:09.17\00:09:12.93 It is Your time, Lord, to speak to Your children. 00:09:13.23\00:09:16.52 Let them hear Your voice. 00:09:16.73\00:09:20.23 In Jesus' name, Amen. 00:09:20.43\00:09:23.36 Jesus went about doing good. 00:09:23.86\00:09:27.78 The Bible says that the common people heard Him gladly. 00:09:27.98\00:09:32.45 The scribes and the Pharisees sometimes sent out spies 00:09:32.65\00:09:36.65 to trap Him, but the spies came back saying 00:09:36.85\00:09:40.58 "Never a man spake like this man. " 00:09:40.78\00:09:44.56 We have a scene in John chapter 8 00:09:44.86\00:09:47.96 that I would like to invite you to join me in. 00:09:48.16\00:09:51.83 John chapter 8 beginning in verse 1. 00:09:52.13\00:09:55.34 In John chapter 8 verse 1 and forward 00:09:55.64\00:09:59.83 we see that a trap was laid for Jesus. 00:10:00.03\00:10:02.82 Let us begin in verse 1: 00:10:03.12\00:10:04.95 "Jesus went unto the Mount of Olives. 00:10:05.25\00:10:09.33 And early in the morning He came again into the temple, 00:10:09.63\00:10:14.48 and all the people came unto Him, and He sat down 00:10:14.69\00:10:18.37 and taught them. And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto Him 00:10:18.57\00:10:22.84 a woman taken in adultery. And when they had sat her 00:10:22.96\00:10:26.66 in the midst they said unto Him: 'Master, 00:10:26.85\00:10:29.70 this woman was taken in adultery... in the very act. 00:10:31.11\00:10:37.03 Now Moses and the law commanded us 00:10:37.36\00:10:39.99 that such should be stoned. What sayest Thou? ' 00:10:40.19\00:10:44.00 This they said, tempting Him 00:10:44.30\00:10:47.40 that they might have to accuse Him. 00:10:47.60\00:10:50.45 But Jesus stooped down and with His finger wrote on the ground 00:10:50.65\00:10:55.11 as though He heard them not. " 00:10:55.31\00:10:57.50 So we have a scene here: a woman caught in adultery. 00:10:57.71\00:11:01.67 They caught her in the very act they say. 00:11:01.97\00:11:04.55 But if they had followed the scriptures 00:11:04.85\00:11:06.72 it was not only the woman they were supposed to bring... 00:11:06.93\00:11:09.14 they were supposed to bring the man. 00:11:09.34\00:11:11.30 And the scripture says they said this tempting Him 00:11:11.50\00:11:14.77 because if He spoke against Moses' law 00:11:15.07\00:11:18.66 He would be in trouble with the scribes and the Pharisees 00:11:18.96\00:11:21.99 and the people. 00:11:22.19\00:11:23.21 Being under the Roman rule 00:11:23.51\00:11:25.55 only the Romans were allowed to pass a judgment 00:11:25.75\00:11:29.45 or the sentence of death. 00:11:29.65\00:11:31.22 So it was a trap. 00:11:31.52\00:11:33.69 "This they said tempting Him. " 00:11:33.99\00:11:35.97 But Jesus did not answer their question right away. 00:11:36.18\00:11:38.65 The Bible says He stooped down and began to write. 00:11:38.86\00:11:42.23 I like what it says in the book Desire of Ages. 00:11:43.74\00:11:46.85 That Jesus began to write the sins of those that came 00:11:47.05\00:11:52.37 to accuse her. 00:11:52.57\00:11:54.02 Let us continue reading in John chapter 8 00:11:55.11\00:11:58.93 verse 7 and onward. 00:11:58.96\00:12:00.79 "So when they continued asking Him 00:12:01.09\00:12:03.64 He lifted up Himself and said unto them: 00:12:03.84\00:12:07.58 'He that is without sin among you 00:12:07.78\00:12:12.03 let him first cast a stone at her. ' 00:12:12.23\00:12:15.26 And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground. 00:12:15.47\00:12:18.99 And they which heard it being convicted 00:12:19.19\00:12:22.50 by their own conscience went out one by one 00:12:22.70\00:12:26.34 beginning at the eldest even unto the last. 00:12:26.54\00:12:29.71 And Jesus was left alone 00:12:30.01\00:12:35.13 and the woman standing in the midst. 00:12:35.43\00:12:38.57 When Jesus had lifted up Himself and saw none but the woman 00:12:38.87\00:12:42.88 He said unto her: 'Woman, where are thine accusers? 00:12:43.08\00:12:47.34 Hath no man condemned thee? ' 00:12:47.64\00:12:50.24 The woman looked around and then she said: 00:12:50.57\00:12:55.29 "No man, Lord. " 00:12:55.42\00:12:57.84 Surely surprised. 00:12:57.95\00:12:59.00 "And Jesus said unto her: 'Neither do I condemn thee. ' " 00:12:59.20\00:13:03.27 Now He didn't give her license to sin. He said: 00:13:03.47\00:13:05.81 "Go and sin no more. " 00:13:06.01\00:13:09.19 Praise the Lord! 00:13:09.50\00:13:11.01 We have here a beautiful passage of God's mercy 00:13:11.31\00:13:15.14 and God's forgiveness. 00:13:15.44\00:13:17.82 But we also see that insomuch as a person that is forgiven 00:13:18.12\00:13:22.89 does not give the person license to continue to sin. 00:13:24.24\00:13:27.22 Jesus said: "Go and sin no more. " 00:13:27.42\00:13:29.64 But when Jesus said: "Go and sin no more, " we have to consider 00:13:30.34\00:13:34.62 the other passages of the scriptures 00:13:34.82\00:13:36.66 that tell us - John 15 verse 5- 00:13:36.86\00:13:40.03 Jesus said: "Without Me you can do nothing. " 00:13:40.23\00:13:43.78 So this woman was expecting the sentence of death 00:13:45.57\00:13:49.53 to come from Jesus 00:13:49.73\00:13:51.08 but she heard: "Let him who is without sin 00:13:52.04\00:13:55.98 cast the first stone. " 00:13:56.38\00:13:59.05 I'm sure she was waiting for the stones to begin to hit her. 00:13:59.35\00:14:02.39 She was probably covering herself 00:14:02.59\00:14:04.14 because apparently she did not notice when the people 00:14:04.24\00:14:06.98 started leaving. 00:14:07.18\00:14:08.52 So Jesus asked her to help her come to her reasoning 00:14:08.82\00:14:14.55 "Where are your accusers? " 00:14:14.65\00:14:17.46 Surprised she said: "No man, Lord. " 00:14:19.36\00:14:21.95 Let's go to the scriptures. 00:14:23.62\00:14:26.47 You see, when God forgives He truly forgives. 00:14:26.77\00:14:30.84 The Bible tells us in I John chapter 3 verse 4- 00:14:33.82\00:14:37.01 we have to define sin before we understand 00:14:37.21\00:14:38.92 why you need forgiveness. 00:14:39.12\00:14:40.52 "Sin" in I John 3:4 it says 00:14:40.72\00:14:44.74 "Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law 00:14:45.05\00:14:50.90 for sin is the transgression of the law. " 00:14:51.10\00:14:55.15 Sin is transgression of the law. 00:14:55.55\00:14:59.69 And so does sin exist today? Yes or no? 00:14:59.99\00:15:04.82 Yes! Forgive me for asking these questions because 00:15:05.05\00:15:08.21 I'm accustomed to doing that 00:15:08.41\00:15:09.50 because when we have devotional in our family 00:15:09.70\00:15:12.29 I have to ask the children to make sure they're listening 00:15:12.49\00:15:14.99 and paying attention. 00:15:15.09\00:15:16.26 So it says that "sin is the transgression of the law. " 00:15:18.81\00:15:21.85 So does that mean that the law exists? 00:15:22.15\00:15:24.78 Yes, the law continues to exist. 00:15:25.08\00:15:27.41 Sin exists today. 00:15:27.71\00:15:29.53 Unfortunately there are some Christian believers 00:15:29.83\00:15:33.08 that think the law has been done away with... 00:15:33.28\00:15:35.55 you no longer have to keep the commandments. 00:15:35.85\00:15:37.91 But there is a problem with this thought because 00:15:38.21\00:15:41.53 the same people that say this confess their sins. 00:15:42.96\00:15:46.90 And without sin... I mean without the law 00:15:47.30\00:15:51.32 sin does not exist 00:15:51.52\00:15:52.94 because you don't have a guide, something... a standard 00:15:53.24\00:15:56.87 by which you know what is sin. 00:15:57.08\00:15:58.79 In the same way, if you would catch the same people 00:15:59.93\00:16:03.42 out in the streets sharing the gospel and you say: 00:16:03.62\00:16:08.95 "Excuse me, sir, what are you doing? " 00:16:09.15\00:16:10.80 "Well I'm preaching the gospel to help convert sinners. " 00:16:11.00\00:16:13.53 But you see, sinners cannot exist 00:16:13.83\00:16:15.94 if the law does not exist. 00:16:16.14\00:16:17.95 So the law continues to exist 00:16:18.35\00:16:20.91 and people continue to confess their sins. 00:16:21.01\00:16:24.23 So how is it that God looks upon the sinner when he sins? 00:16:26.46\00:16:32.02 God has extended mercy from the beginning 00:16:33.40\00:16:36.92 that sin entered into this world. 00:16:37.04\00:16:40.14 Amen? Amen. 00:16:40.44\00:16:42.45 Let's look at the scriptures. 00:16:42.75\00:16:44.72 Repentance means to change one's mind; 00:16:45.23\00:16:50.80 to feel remorse; a turning about; the act of forsaking sin 00:16:51.00\00:16:56.21 and accepting God's gracious gift of salvation 00:16:56.51\00:16:59.14 and entering into fellowship with God. 00:16:59.45\00:17:01.36 True repentance implies a radical change 00:17:01.56\00:17:05.14 in the attitude toward sin and God. 00:17:05.34\00:17:08.36 In other words, it will not work with God 00:17:08.57\00:17:12.11 for you to consider just a formula. 00:17:12.31\00:17:14.50 "Well, I'm going to sin in about an hour. 00:17:14.70\00:17:18.04 And then after I'm done with that I'm going to confess 00:17:18.14\00:17:21.48 my sin and move on. " 00:17:21.68\00:17:24.19 No! He who plans for sin depending on God's forgiveness 00:17:26.19\00:17:32.09 will not experience God's forgiveness 00:17:32.29\00:17:34.29 unless there is true repentance. 00:17:34.49\00:17:36.69 A desire includes sorrow for sin... 00:17:36.99\00:17:40.92 repentance includes sorrow for sin 00:17:41.12\00:17:43.12 and the desire to turn away from it. 00:17:43.32\00:17:45.43 Not to do it anymore. 00:17:45.63\00:17:47.01 That's why Jesus said: "Go and sin no more. " 00:17:48.20\00:17:51.82 And so before we are forgiven we must confess our sins. 00:17:54.13\00:17:59.44 Before we even confess our sins 00:17:59.74\00:18:02.29 God blesses us with the gift of repentance. 00:18:02.49\00:18:06.70 Let's go to the scriptures to help us see that. 00:18:07.00\00:18:09.15 For that we must turn in our Bibles 00:18:09.45\00:18:12.46 to the book of Romans chapter 2 and verse 4. 00:18:12.66\00:18:18.08 The book of Romans chapter 2 and verse 4. 00:18:18.39\00:18:21.25 And in the book of Romans chapter 2 verse 4 it tells us 00:18:21.45\00:18:25.58 where begins the act of repentance. 00:18:25.78\00:18:29.78 "Or despiseth thou the riches of His goodness 00:18:30.09\00:18:34.65 and forbearance and longsuffering 00:18:34.75\00:18:37.23 not knowing that the goodness of God 00:18:37.44\00:18:39.52 leadeth thee to repentance? " 00:18:39.72\00:18:41.87 It is the goodness of God that leads us to repentance. 00:18:42.17\00:18:46.47 So when you understand that you feel guilt 00:18:46.87\00:18:50.97 and that you must come to God for forgiveness of sins 00:18:51.17\00:18:55.88 be grateful for His amazing grace 00:18:56.11\00:19:00.26 that's leading you to repentance 00:19:00.56\00:19:02.68 and go to Him and ask for forgiveness of your sins. 00:19:04.49\00:19:10.04 In Proverbs chapter 28 verse 13- 00:19:10.38\00:19:14.05 Proverbs chapter 28 verse 13- 00:19:14.25\00:19:17.59 the scriptures tell us that 00:19:17.89\00:19:21.44 "he that covereth his sins shall not prosper; 00:19:21.68\00:19:26.81 but whoso confesseth and forsaketh 00:19:27.12\00:19:31.97 them shall have... " what? 00:19:32.00\00:19:34.07 "mercy. " So we see there a good picture of repentance. 00:19:34.28\00:19:38.42 He who confesses and forsakes them 00:19:38.72\00:19:43.17 will have mercy. 00:19:43.34\00:19:45.65 The Lord is good to every one of us. 00:19:45.95\00:19:49.67 And we will see that some of these scriptures are very 00:19:49.97\00:19:54.13 familiar to some of you. 00:19:54.23\00:19:55.52 But we need to be reminded of them from time to time. 00:19:55.73\00:19:58.90 Turning our Bibles to I John chapter 1. 00:20:00.19\00:20:02.86 And we must move quickly to get through a good amount 00:20:03.06\00:20:06.91 of scriptures. We have to find a foundation 00:20:07.01\00:20:11.40 of our... of the truth in the scriptures. 00:20:11.61\00:20:14.88 I John chapter 1 verses 8 and 9. 00:20:15.18\00:20:18.67 "If we say that we have no sin, 00:20:18.91\00:20:21.80 we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 00:20:22.11\00:20:25.73 If we confess our sins, 00:20:25.93\00:20:29.18 He" - that is, God - "is faithful and just 00:20:29.38\00:20:32.76 to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us 00:20:32.96\00:20:36.17 from all unrighteousness. " 00:20:36.37\00:20:39.23 Is the Lord good? Yes or no? 00:20:39.53\00:20:41.34 The Lord is good and kind and merciful to each one of us. 00:20:41.54\00:20:47.37 There's not a person in this world that can say 00:20:47.67\00:20:51.94 in sincerity: "God has not been good to me. 00:20:52.14\00:20:56.22 God has been unkind. God has been unfair with me. " 00:20:56.52\00:21:01.30 God has been fair with everyone. 00:21:01.60\00:21:04.05 God has been good to everyone. 00:21:04.35\00:21:06.36 It is His grace and mercy... 00:21:06.66\00:21:09.55 It is by His mercy that every drop of rain comes to the earth 00:21:09.85\00:21:15.20 to water the ground so we can have food to eat. 00:21:15.40\00:21:20.15 It is by His mercy. 00:21:20.65\00:21:22.60 The whole world, as it says in the book Steps to Christ, 00:21:22.90\00:21:26.06 is surrounded by an atmosphere of grace... 00:21:26.26\00:21:29.29 God's grace. 00:21:29.59\00:21:32.26 In John chapter 1 verse 29- one of my favorite passages 00:21:35.97\00:21:39.88 in the Bible... I have many, 00:21:39.98\00:21:41.59 that's why I say one of my favorite passages - 00:21:41.79\00:21:43.80 in John chapter 1 verse 29 it says: "The next day... 00:21:44.30\00:21:48.01 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him 00:21:48.22\00:21:53.53 and said: 'Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away 00:21:53.56\00:21:59.01 the sin of the world. ' " 00:21:59.21\00:22:01.48 And He is the only one that can take away the sin of the world. 00:22:01.78\00:22:05.80 There is no other way for us to receive forgiveness of our sin. 00:22:06.10\00:22:10.27 It is only through Jesus Christ. 00:22:10.57\00:22:12.28 It is not through anything that you can do. 00:22:13.60\00:22:16.27 If you just committed one sin, you would be a candidate 00:22:18.17\00:22:22.13 for the wages of sin. The Bible says in Romans 00:22:22.33\00:22:24.66 chapter 6 verse 23: "The wages of sin is? " Death. 00:22:24.86\00:22:29.06 "Death. " You know that verse. 00:22:29.19\00:22:30.74 "But the gift of God is? " 00:22:30.94\00:22:32.84 eternal life... "eternal life through Jesus Christ. " 00:22:33.04\00:22:36.42 I was really amazed in a testimony by a pris... 00:22:36.82\00:22:40.55 a... a prisoner... not a prisoner but a person in jail - 00:22:40.75\00:22:44.27 prisoner, a convict, OK. 00:22:44.47\00:22:47.16 They asked him: "What is your favorite verse? " 00:22:47.46\00:22:51.14 And he said: "My favorite verse is: 00:22:51.34\00:22:53.11 'The wages of sin is death. ' " 00:22:53.21\00:22:55.21 But he said: "But the gift of God is eternal life 00:22:57.29\00:23:00.67 through Jesus Christ. " 00:23:00.87\00:23:02.69 He concentrated on the last part. 00:23:04.20\00:23:07.05 And that's what God wants us to do. 00:23:07.35\00:23:09.68 He doesn't want us to receive the wages of sin. 00:23:09.89\00:23:12.67 The Bible says in II Peter that "God is not willing that 00:23:12.87\00:23:15.80 any should perish but that all should come to repentance. " 00:23:16.00\00:23:20.88 So God is merciful. 00:23:23.18\00:23:24.68 In order to help us understand how God deals with sin 00:23:24.89\00:23:29.10 He has blessed us with many scriptures 00:23:29.30\00:23:31.85 for us to understand how He considers forgiveness, 00:23:32.05\00:23:36.63 what He does with sin, 00:23:36.84\00:23:38.09 and what He will do with sin. 00:23:38.29\00:23:39.82 First let us see the part of... for us now here. 00:23:40.23\00:23:44.93 Let's go to the first passage that helps us with that 00:23:45.17\00:23:47.72 and that's Micah chapter 7. 00:23:47.82\00:23:50.28 Micah chapter 7, and we are going to begin reading 00:23:50.48\00:23:56.03 in verse 18. 00:23:56.43\00:23:58.77 Micah chapter 7 and verse 18. 00:23:59.07\00:24:03.31 "Thus it is written: 00:24:04.23\00:24:05.60 who is a God like unto Thee 00:24:05.80\00:24:10.53 that pardoneth iniquities 00:24:10.73\00:24:13.19 and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of His heritage? 00:24:13.39\00:24:17.70 He retaineth not His anger forever because he delights in" 00:24:17.90\00:24:23.00 What? Mercy. "Mercy. " 00:24:23.14\00:24:25.52 "He delighteth in mercy. 00:24:25.82\00:24:28.18 He will turn again; He will have compassion upon us. 00:24:28.38\00:24:31.90 He will subdue our iniquities. 00:24:32.11\00:24:35.12 And Thou will cast all their sins... " 00:24:35.32\00:24:40.42 Where? 00:24:40.62\00:24:41.71 "in the depths of the sea. " Praise the Lord! 00:24:41.91\00:24:45.68 Wow! This is powerful. 00:24:45.98\00:24:49.03 He delights in what? Mercy. 00:24:49.33\00:24:52.33 He's not willing that any should perish. 00:24:52.63\00:24:54.61 Or how about that guy over there? He killed 1,000 people. 00:24:55.01\00:24:59.07 Don't you delight to destroy that person? 00:25:00.16\00:25:02.21 No. The Bible says He "delights in mercy. " 00:25:02.41\00:25:05.25 What about that guy that he has stolen money from his mother 00:25:05.55\00:25:08.57 and his father to use drugs? 00:25:08.77\00:25:10.37 God delights in mercy; not willing that any should perish. 00:25:11.49\00:25:15.31 What about that man over there committing adultery? 00:25:15.71\00:25:19.29 Cheating on his wife? If he repents, God will forgive him 00:25:19.49\00:25:25.21 and make him a new creature in Jesus. 00:25:25.51\00:25:28.67 God delights in mercy. 00:25:30.20\00:25:32.75 But notice this passage says that to help us understand 00:25:33.05\00:25:36.26 how God, when you come to Him and ask for forgiveness 00:25:36.46\00:25:40.87 in true sincerity, repentance, 00:25:41.07\00:25:44.37 He will cast all their sins in the depths of the sea. " 00:25:44.67\00:25:49.72 How many here have been to the very lowest part of the sea? 00:25:50.02\00:25:53.51 The very depths of the sea? 00:25:53.61\00:25:54.82 Nobody. Nobody? 00:25:55.98\00:25:57.35 They don't even have instruments that can go down there. 00:25:58.27\00:26:01.59 You can't even get into one of those little capsules 00:26:02.74\00:26:05.47 and go way down there. They have to use these robots 00:26:05.67\00:26:07.76 to go down there. 00:26:07.86\00:26:09.05 So if your brother has committed a sin 00:26:10.44\00:26:14.67 and God has forgiven him, don't go fishing. 00:26:14.87\00:26:19.44 I'm sure you don't want him to go fishing to find your sins. 00:26:21.96\00:26:24.76 Because God delights in mercy. 00:26:26.04\00:26:28.57 And I could not resist the curiosity: 00:26:28.77\00:26:32.47 well, how deep is that? 00:26:32.67\00:26:34.08 How deep is that? I'll tell you: if you try to go down there 00:26:34.48\00:26:37.58 by yourself, you will never come back. 00:26:37.68\00:26:40.18 It says that 00:26:41.82\00:26:45.15 it is... the lowest parts is called... the Mariana trench 00:26:45.35\00:26:50.09 is the deepest part of the world's oceans 00:26:50.20\00:26:52.65 and the deepest location on the surface of the earth's crust. 00:26:52.86\00:26:56.80 It has a maximum depth of about 11 kilometers. 00:26:57.00\00:27:00.60 That's about... almost 7 miles. 00:27:01.00\00:27:04.34 That's pretty deep. 00:27:04.64\00:27:06.24 And to visualize that a little bit: 11,033 meters 00:27:06.54\00:27:11.85 or 36,201 feet. 00:27:12.08\00:27:16.19 I'm sorry I don't have the inches for you. 00:27:16.49\00:27:18.67 Well that's pretty deep. 00:27:19.86\00:27:21.28 How many are grateful for that? 00:27:21.58\00:27:23.80 Praise the Lord! 00:27:24.20\00:27:25.93 I'm sure I don't want my sins to be broadcast anywhere 00:27:26.33\00:27:31.41 or to be let known. I'm sure you don't. 00:27:31.62\00:27:34.28 And God does not delight in people who do that. 00:27:35.66\00:27:38.76 And God has not given any one of us the ministry 00:27:41.17\00:27:45.12 of gossip. "Did you hear what Bro. Andrew did? " 00:27:45.32\00:27:50.02 "Oh, man, I thought he was a Christian. " 00:27:50.32\00:27:53.24 "Did you hear what he said to his wife? " 00:27:53.54\00:27:55.90 "My husband would kill me if I did say that. " 00:27:57.94\00:28:00.38 God delights in mercy and He wants His children 00:28:02.16\00:28:05.58 to do the same... delight in mercy towards your brothers 00:28:05.78\00:28:09.06 and sisters. And God, trying to help us understand this, 00:28:09.19\00:28:14.30 has given us many scriptures. 00:28:14.50\00:28:16.79 But we must also make it clear that even though God is merciful 00:28:16.99\00:28:21.70 we must repent for our sins. 00:28:21.90\00:28:24.82 We must forsake our sins 00:28:25.02\00:28:27.27 and by His grace go and sin no more. 00:28:27.47\00:28:30.42 And God makes it clear that those that want to continue 00:28:31.49\00:28:36.23 in sin are not going to be forgiven. 00:28:36.33\00:28:39.46 Those that persist in doing evil? They will not be forgiven. 00:28:39.76\00:28:44.17 Let's read a passage to help us understand that 00:28:44.57\00:28:47.69 in Exodus chapter 34. 00:28:47.79\00:28:50.17 Exodus chapter 34 reveals something to us 00:28:51.53\00:28:56.88 about God's character. His mercy is spoken of there 00:28:57.09\00:29:02.56 but also how He regards those that continue or want to persist 00:29:02.87\00:29:07.75 in sin. Beginning in verse 6, Exodus chapter 34. 00:29:07.95\00:29:12.23 "And the Lord passed before him 00:29:12.53\00:29:15.97 and proclaimed: 'the Lord, the Lord God, 00:29:16.17\00:29:20.19 merciful and gracious, longsuffering, 00:29:20.39\00:29:24.20 and abundant in goodness and truth. 00:29:24.40\00:29:27.00 Keeping mercy for thousands, 00:29:27.20\00:29:30.11 forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, 00:29:30.31\00:29:33.51 and that will by no means clear the guilty. 00:29:33.71\00:29:38.58 Visiting the iniquities of the fathers upon the children 00:29:38.78\00:29:41.80 and upon the children's children unto the third and to the fourth 00:29:42.00\00:29:44.90 generations. ' " And so 00:29:45.10\00:29:48.08 He will by no means clear the guilty. 00:29:48.92\00:29:52.75 It does not fit in the scriptures that God will save 00:29:53.05\00:29:57.42 everyone including those that want to continue in sin. 00:29:57.62\00:30:02.33 Only those who accept the gift of salvation 00:30:03.42\00:30:07.69 and choose to follow Jesus 00:30:07.89\00:30:10.70 who want to be a part of the family of God 00:30:11.01\00:30:14.07 will be saved, will be forgiven. 00:30:15.59\00:30:17.81 Only those. 00:30:18.01\00:30:19.40 All the evil people that want to continue doing evil 00:30:20.15\00:30:23.02 are going to be left out 00:30:23.22\00:30:25.54 and they are going to experience the wages of sin 00:30:25.74\00:30:31.14 which is? Death. 00:30:31.34\00:30:33.27 And when we mention " the wages of sin is death" 00:30:33.57\00:30:35.92 please understand that we're not talking about the first death. 00:30:36.13\00:30:40.53 The Bible talks about the first death and the second death. 00:30:40.73\00:30:43.30 The first death is one that possibly every one of us 00:30:43.50\00:30:47.37 will die if Jesus Christ does not come while we are alive. 00:30:47.57\00:30:51.85 He MAY come while we are alive. 00:30:54.08\00:30:56.66 The signs indicate that Jesus Christ is coming soon. 00:30:58.35\00:31:03.04 So lift up your heads. Sing loud; let it ring. 00:31:04.42\00:31:09.97 Jesus is coming again! 00:31:10.17\00:31:13.44 Let us continue. 00:31:15.05\00:31:16.74 Ezekiel chapter 33. Ezekiel chapter 33. 00:31:17.86\00:31:22.63 In Ezekiel 33 we have a passage that helps us understand 00:31:24.85\00:31:30.23 how God regards those that are righteous that turn to evil 00:31:30.43\00:31:35.97 and those that are wicked that turn their lives around 00:31:36.17\00:31:39.90 by God's grace to righteousness. 00:31:40.00\00:31:42.07 Beginning in verse 13: 00:31:42.37\00:31:45.33 "When I say to the righteous that he shall surely live 00:31:46.81\00:31:52.38 if he trusts to his own righteousness 00:31:53.70\00:31:56.96 and commits iniquity, 00:31:57.16\00:31:59.54 all his righteousness shall not be remembered. 00:31:59.84\00:32:03.19 But for his iniquity that he has committed, 00:32:03.49\00:32:06.98 he shall die for it. " 00:32:07.18\00:32:09.38 "The wages of sin is death. " 00:32:09.58\00:32:11.10 And so if you are living a life following Jesus 00:32:12.33\00:32:16.96 and you turn away, you have turned away from salvation 00:32:17.16\00:32:21.39 into a life of wickedness. 00:32:21.59\00:32:24.45 And God will allow you to experience the reward 00:32:24.75\00:32:30.31 of the wicked... which is death. 00:32:30.51\00:32:32.69 Verse 14: "Again when I say unto the wicked 00:32:33.19\00:32:36.75 'thou shalt surely die, ' 00:32:36.95\00:32:38.50 if he turn from his sin and do that which is lawful 00:32:38.70\00:32:43.47 and right, if the wicked restore the pledge" - 00:32:43.57\00:32:47.18 we'll come back to that - 00:32:47.38\00:32:48.39 "give again that he has robbed, 00:32:48.49\00:32:50.31 walk in the statutes of life without committing iniquity, 00:32:50.51\00:32:53.85 he shall surely live; he shall not die. 00:32:54.05\00:32:57.68 None of his sins that he hath committed shall be mentioned 00:32:57.88\00:33:01.50 unto him. He has done that which is lawful and right; 00:33:01.60\00:33:05.68 he shall surely live. " 00:33:05.88\00:33:06.98 Amen? Amen. Praise the Lord! 00:33:07.28\00:33:09.45 So if you've committed five sins, 00:33:09.76\00:33:13.55 none of those five sins will be mentioned to you. 00:33:13.96\00:33:17.11 If you've committed a million sins, 00:33:17.42\00:33:20.50 none of those sins will be mentioned unto you 00:33:20.80\00:33:24.37 if you have asked God for forgiveness. 00:33:24.68\00:33:26.74 Amen. That's marvelous. 00:33:27.04\00:33:30.35 You know in this world - I've said this in other times - 00:33:30.65\00:33:33.16 in this world if you've committed a crime 00:33:33.36\00:33:36.01 you're labeled as a convict. 00:33:36.21\00:33:38.91 An ex-con, they say. 00:33:39.11\00:33:40.70 If you've murdered anybody and you happen to be released 00:33:42.03\00:33:45.17 and you go into society, 00:33:45.57\00:33:48.55 whenever you go apply for a job 00:33:49.68\00:33:52.22 there's a part there that asks you to write down 00:33:52.42\00:33:56.70 if you are an ex-con. 00:33:56.90\00:33:58.96 In heaven we will not be ex-cons. 00:34:00.35\00:34:05.11 We will not be sinners. 00:34:05.42\00:34:08.01 We will be children of God. Amen! 00:34:08.31\00:34:12.34 We're not going to have there the: "here come the sinners; 00:34:12.64\00:34:16.89 Let's go over there. " 00:34:17.19\00:34:19.07 You're not going to have over there the righteous, 00:34:19.37\00:34:22.46 the angels, and the unfallen worlds when you come to the 00:34:22.56\00:34:27.13 table: "Oh, the sinners here. Let's move on to another part. 00:34:27.33\00:34:30.30 We don't want to be infected. " 00:34:30.60\00:34:33.09 No. The Bible says that we are children of God - 00:34:33.49\00:34:39.15 Amen - and we'll be treated as such. 00:34:39.45\00:34:41.48 The Bible goes on to say that we are joint-heirs 00:34:41.78\00:34:44.56 with Jesus Christ. Amen! What a privilege; what a joy. 00:34:44.76\00:34:48.81 Praise the Lord! Moving on. 00:34:49.11\00:34:52.21 In Matthew chapter 6 we have a passage that helps us 00:34:52.51\00:34:56.58 understand that God's children must also 00:34:56.68\00:35:00.75 inasmuch as they receive mercy they must extend mercy. 00:35:00.95\00:35:06.01 Matthew chapter 6 verses 12 through 15. 00:35:06.32\00:35:11.76 Matthew chapter 6:12-15. 00:35:12.06\00:35:14.31 "Thus it is written" - considering the Lord's Prayer - 00:35:14.61\00:35:18.92 "And forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. 00:35:19.12\00:35:22.36 And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. 00:35:22.56\00:35:26.74 For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory 00:35:26.94\00:35:30.40 forever. Amen. " Jesus goes on to say 00:35:30.61\00:35:34.56 in verse 14: "For if ye forgive men their trespasses 00:35:34.76\00:35:40.00 your Heavenly Father will also forgive you. 00:35:40.20\00:35:43.48 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, 00:35:44.60\00:35:49.49 neither will your Father forgive you your trespasses. " 00:35:49.69\00:35:54.56 Wow! So we must extend mercy. 00:35:54.86\00:35:59.52 God extends mercy to us... 00:35:59.92\00:36:02.24 we must extend mercy to our brothers and sisters. 00:36:02.45\00:36:05.25 Amen? Amen. Amen! 00:36:06.98\00:36:09.66 We, by God's grace, cannot hold a grudge. 00:36:11.11\00:36:16.05 God says: "Vengeance is Mine. " 00:36:16.45\00:36:19.46 A lot of Christians are trying to take vengeance 00:36:19.56\00:36:22.76 in their own hands. It is very dangerous. 00:36:22.97\00:36:26.98 And I must remind you that the passage that says 00:36:27.28\00:36:31.72 in the same way, when Jesus says: "When I was hungry 00:36:31.92\00:36:36.19 you gave Me food. " 00:36:36.39\00:36:38.61 But He says to the wicked: "When I was hungry 00:36:38.81\00:36:40.70 you did not feed Me. " 00:36:40.90\00:36:42.61 Insomuch as we don't do it to the least of these 00:36:42.91\00:36:46.98 "you have not done it unto Me" says Jesus. 00:36:47.18\00:36:50.13 The same thing applies. 00:36:50.33\00:36:51.59 If you do evil to your brothers and sisters, 00:36:51.79\00:36:54.08 it is as if you are doing it to Jesus Christ. 00:36:54.28\00:36:56.99 So please, be very careful. 00:36:57.49\00:37:00.70 Be very careful for Satan tries to easily bring us into that 00:37:01.92\00:37:06.49 trap so that we can go down a path of ruin 00:37:06.69\00:37:11.07 and destruction. 00:37:11.27\00:37:13.50 Let us continue seeing how the Lord considers our sins. 00:37:14.97\00:37:19.11 In Nahum - going back to the Old Testament - 00:37:19.31\00:37:22.31 Nahum 1... 00:37:22.52\00:37:27.26 Nahum 1 verse 3. 00:37:27.46\00:37:29.62 Nahum 1 verse 3: 00:37:29.92\00:37:31.57 "The Lord is 00:37:31.78\00:37:33.72 slow 00:37:33.92\00:37:38.23 to anger and great in power 00:37:38.43\00:37:43.09 and will not at all acquit the wicked. 00:37:43.39\00:37:47.04 The Lord hath His way in the whirlwind and in the storm 00:37:47.34\00:37:50.53 and the clouds are the dust of His feet. " 00:37:50.73\00:37:53.45 "The Lord is slow to anger. " 00:37:53.75\00:37:56.52 I'm grateful for that. Amen. 00:37:56.82\00:37:59.50 There's a passage that we're going to read in a moment 00:37:59.80\00:38:02.79 that says that the Lord really has not visited us according 00:38:02.99\00:38:08.85 to our iniquities. Amen! He has been very merciful. 00:38:09.05\00:38:11.68 Very merciful to us. 00:38:11.88\00:38:14.19 Let us turn to Psalm 103. 00:38:14.50\00:38:17.56 Psalm 103. 00:38:17.86\00:38:20.17 Join me there; wonderful stuff. 00:38:20.47\00:38:22.73 Wonderful stuff: Psalm 103. 00:38:23.04\00:38:25.35 We're going to read several verses from there. 00:38:25.45\00:38:27.01 Beginning in verse 8: 00:38:27.02\00:38:29.64 "The Lord is merciful and gracious, 00:38:29.94\00:38:33.02 slow to anger and plenteous in mercy. " 00:38:33.22\00:38:37.01 Amen? I'm glad He doesn't run out of mercy. 00:38:37.31\00:38:40.80 I'm glad He has plenty of mercy. 00:38:41.10\00:38:44.35 Plenty of mercy. 00:38:45.66\00:38:47.89 And we don't have time to enter into the 00:38:48.19\00:38:52.48 unpardonable sin which, quickly, 00:38:52.88\00:38:57.77 the unpardonable sin as we understand it 00:38:57.97\00:39:00.59 is the persistent refusal 00:39:00.79\00:39:05.63 to forsake evil 00:39:07.08\00:39:09.67 and resist the drawing of the Holy Spirit. 00:39:09.97\00:39:13.70 We don't know how long. 00:39:13.91\00:39:16.50 We don't know how long. 00:39:16.70\00:39:18.61 God is the One that determines that. 00:39:19.85\00:39:22.13 But the time comes when the cup of iniquity is full. 00:39:22.43\00:39:26.75 When you have exhausted... When God has said 00:39:28.74\00:39:33.37 "We have done all that could be done for this person 00:39:33.57\00:39:37.46 and he still continues to follow that direction. " 00:39:37.76\00:39:41.74 Still... 00:39:43.75\00:39:45.57 And God has to turn away in sadness and walk away 00:39:47.80\00:39:52.46 because nothing more could be done. 00:39:52.76\00:39:54.43 Brothers and sisters, I have heard of people 00:39:54.84\00:39:58.61 that have left the Lord 20 years, 00:39:58.82\00:40:03.48 30 years, and come to God 00:40:03.68\00:40:08.76 and God receives them. 00:40:08.96\00:40:10.78 They have the joy of the Lord 00:40:11.08\00:40:13.33 knowing that their sins are forgiven 00:40:13.53\00:40:16.03 because God is merciful... plenteous in mercy. 00:40:16.33\00:40:20.30 But those who choose to rebel 00:40:20.50\00:40:24.25 knowing that God is drawing them and drawing them 00:40:24.55\00:40:29.28 and turn their back on Him 00:40:30.67\00:40:32.59 they are in danger of committing the unpardonable sin. 00:40:32.89\00:40:36.42 We must be very, very careful with that. 00:40:37.32\00:40:38.80 We are not able to continue in that for now. 00:40:38.94\00:40:41.66 Verse 9 Psalm 103: "He will not always chide 00:40:41.96\00:40:45.42 neither will He keep His anger forever. " 00:40:45.62\00:40:47.87 Verse 10: "He has not dealt with us after our sins 00:40:48.17\00:40:51.81 nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. " 00:40:52.02\00:40:56.05 Praise the Lord. 00:40:56.35\00:40:58.44 Wow; wow. 00:40:58.74\00:41:02.44 I'll never forget when I was in Jerusalem. 00:41:02.64\00:41:06.29 We were there, and some people were getting baptized 00:41:06.59\00:41:11.08 in the same river that Jesus was baptized in. 00:41:11.28\00:41:14.14 Different people were there. Different groups; 00:41:14.44\00:41:16.75 different church groups had apparently 00:41:16.85\00:41:18.06 come to the same place. 00:41:18.16\00:41:20.44 And a lady caught my attention 00:41:20.64\00:41:24.22 because of how grateful she was for God's mercy. 00:41:24.43\00:41:29.29 And after she was baptized all she could say 00:41:31.00\00:41:34.86 "thank you Jesus, thank you Jesus. " 00:41:35.06\00:41:38.14 LOUD. "Thank you Jesus; thank you. " 00:41:38.34\00:41:42.64 She understood "by grace are ye saved 00:41:42.94\00:41:46.99 and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God. " 00:41:47.19\00:41:50.94 Psalm 103, continuing in verse 11. 00:41:54.15\00:41:57.08 Notice this wonderful passage: 00:41:57.38\00:41:59.62 "For as the heaven is high above the earth 00:41:59.82\00:42:04.13 so great is His mercy toward them that fear Him. 00:42:04.33\00:42:08.45 As far as the east is from the west 00:42:08.75\00:42:11.87 so far has He removed our transgressions from us. " 00:42:12.07\00:42:16.87 Glory be to God. 00:42:17.17\00:42:18.87 I like the way Pastor C.D. Brooks puts it: 00:42:19.17\00:42:21.52 You can start here, go north, and you will eventually get to 00:42:22.77\00:42:27.06 the north pole. 00:42:27.16\00:42:29.72 Or you can go south 00:42:29.92\00:42:32.24 and you will eventually get to the south pole. 00:42:32.45\00:42:35.73 But you can start here, go east, and continue going east 00:42:35.84\00:42:40.73 for the rest of your life 00:42:40.93\00:42:43.21 and you'll never reach the east pole. 00:42:43.41\00:42:45.72 Or you can go west and continue going west 00:42:45.92\00:42:48.72 for the rest of your life - for millions of years - 00:42:48.92\00:42:51.70 and you will never reach the west pole. 00:42:51.90\00:42:54.78 And God has said: "As far as the east is from the west 00:42:55.79\00:43:00.39 so far has He removed our transgressions from us. " 00:43:00.59\00:43:04.24 Praise the Lord for His infinite mercy! 00:43:04.54\00:43:08.63 Wow! Wonderful! 00:43:08.93\00:43:11.82 Lamentations 3:22 goes along the same lines. 00:43:13.15\00:43:17.00 Lamentations 3:22: "It is of the Lord's mercy 00:43:18.23\00:43:21.48 that we are not consumed because His compassions fail not. " 00:43:21.68\00:43:26.65 "His compassions fail not. " 00:43:28.05\00:43:30.59 God has a guarantee that lasts forever. 00:43:30.89\00:43:34.50 You know, you can get a warranty for your car. 00:43:35.84\00:43:38.14 And any time your car breaks down, the warranty - if you get 00:43:38.34\00:43:41.89 a good one - covers your car. 00:43:41.99\00:43:43.66 Some last 5 years, 10 years. 00:43:47.68\00:43:49.96 But God's guarantee of forgive- ness lasts throughout eternity. 00:43:51.25\00:43:55.95 Throughout eternity. 00:43:57.16\00:43:58.86 Praise the Lord for that. 00:44:00.87\00:44:02.45 I would like to read to you what God is finally 00:44:02.75\00:44:06.50 going to do with sin. 00:44:06.60\00:44:08.30 Finally going to do with sin. This has to do with the 00:44:08.50\00:44:10.78 sanctuary service. 00:44:10.98\00:44:13.39 Sanctuary service... the end of sin. 00:44:13.79\00:44:16.36 And in order to say it quicker 00:44:16.66\00:44:20.03 and in words better than I can express, 00:44:20.13\00:44:21.92 I am going to read from the book Great Controversy 00:44:22.02\00:44:26.33 by Ellen G. White, page 485. 00:44:26.53\00:44:29.55 Notice: "The work of the investigative judgment 00:44:29.85\00:44:34.00 and the blotting out of sins is to be accomplished 00:44:34.20\00:44:37.72 before the second advent of the Lord. 00:44:37.92\00:44:40.39 Since the dead are to be judged out of the things 00:44:40.69\00:44:43.33 written in the books, it is impossible that the sins of men 00:44:43.53\00:44:47.60 should be blotted out until after the judgment 00:44:47.80\00:44:51.49 at which their cases are to be investigated. 00:44:51.79\00:44:54.85 But the apostle Peter distinctly states 00:44:55.15\00:44:57.93 that the sins of the believers will be blotted out. 00:44:58.13\00:45:01.72 As it says in Acts 3:19-20 00:45:01.92\00:45:04.52 'when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence 00:45:04.55\00:45:08.22 of the Lord and He shall send Jesus Christ. ' 00:45:08.32\00:45:11.20 When the investigative judgment closes, Christ will come 00:45:11.40\00:45:16.65 and 'His reward is with Him 00:45:16.85\00:45:18.81 to give every man as his work shall be. ' " 00:45:19.01\00:45:22.04 Notice this part. 00:45:22.24\00:45:23.77 "In the typical service, the high priest - 00:45:23.97\00:45:26.47 having made the atonement for Israel - 00:45:26.67\00:45:28.78 came forth and blessed the congregation. 00:45:28.98\00:45:31.89 So Christ at the close of His work as Mediator 00:45:32.09\00:45:36.27 'will appear without sin unto salvation' 00:45:36.47\00:45:39.17 Hebrews 9:28 00:45:39.37\00:45:40.86 to bless His waiting people with eternal life. 00:45:41.17\00:45:44.06 As the priest is removing the sins from the sanctuary, 00:45:44.27\00:45:50.25 confess them upon the head of the scapegoat, 00:45:50.45\00:45:53.01 so Christ will place all of these sins 00:45:53.21\00:45:56.66 upon Satan, the originator and instigator of sin. 00:45:56.87\00:46:00.75 The scapegoat, bearing the sins of Israel, 00:46:01.05\00:46:04.40 was sent away unto a land not inhabited. 00:46:04.60\00:46:07.92 Leviticus 16:22. 00:46:08.12\00:46:09.32 So Satan, bearing the guilt of all the sins 00:46:09.52\00:46:12.74 which he has caused God's people to commit, 00:46:12.94\00:46:16.10 will be for 1,000 years confined to the earth 00:46:16.30\00:46:20.27 which will then be desolate without inhabitants 00:46:20.57\00:46:23.43 and he will at last suffer the penalty of sin 00:46:23.53\00:46:27.17 in the fires that shall destroy all the wicked. 00:46:27.37\00:46:31.25 Thus the great plan of redemption will reach its 00:46:31.56\00:46:35.11 accomplishment in the final eradication of sin 00:46:35.31\00:46:38.38 and the deliverance of all who have been willing 00:46:38.58\00:46:41.21 to renounce sin. " Amen. 00:46:41.41\00:46:44.11 So sin will be done away with. 00:46:44.41\00:46:46.61 Completely done away with. 00:46:46.91\00:46:48.63 No more to be remembered. 00:46:48.93\00:46:51.12 No more to be brought back. 00:46:51.42\00:46:53.69 This is a time when the sins have already been atoned for. 00:46:54.19\00:46:58.35 Christ has covered those sins. 00:46:58.65\00:47:00.98 The placing of the sins upon the scapegoat - Satan - at that 00:47:01.18\00:47:04.42 time. It is not for an atonement because atonement has 00:47:04.52\00:47:07.61 already been made. 00:47:07.81\00:47:09.27 It is because he has been the instigator, the originator 00:47:09.57\00:47:12.80 of these things and now must suffer the penalty 00:47:12.91\00:47:15.72 for his participation in the temptation process. 00:47:15.92\00:47:18.85 And God's children will be set completely free. 00:47:20.26\00:47:23.40 Praise the Lord! Amen! 00:47:23.60\00:47:25.06 I praise the Lord for this. 00:47:25.76\00:47:28.46 The Lord is plenteous... plenteous in mercy. 00:47:28.56\00:47:33.34 When the moment comes, when Jesus is done 00:47:33.74\00:47:39.68 His work of investigative judgment, 00:47:39.88\00:47:42.21 there will be a sad moment in heaven 00:47:42.41\00:47:46.67 because God is not willing that any should perish 00:47:46.87\00:47:49.95 but that all come to repentance. 00:47:50.25\00:47:52.42 But the moment will come 00:47:52.72\00:47:54.67 when the very last case will be tried. 00:47:54.87\00:47:58.44 The very last person... that name will come up 00:47:58.74\00:48:04.62 and there will be no more names after that 00:48:06.27\00:48:08.62 because millions of others have not accepted salvation. 00:48:08.92\00:48:14.08 Millions of others have turned their back on Christ. 00:48:14.28\00:48:17.05 And God the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit... 00:48:17.25\00:48:21.54 there will be weeping, sadness beyond our understanding. 00:48:21.74\00:48:27.63 That moment such as: "Is there no one else? 00:48:29.02\00:48:34.21 No one else that wants to take advantage 00:48:34.41\00:48:38.64 of the shed blood of Christ and receive forgiveness 00:48:38.84\00:48:42.66 and be accepted in the Beloved? 00:48:42.87\00:48:44.96 Is there no one else? " 00:48:45.17\00:48:46.73 The answer will come: "There is no one else. " 00:48:47.03\00:48:52.34 And I hope that everyone here and everyone watching 00:48:52.74\00:48:57.63 and listening will be among those who have accepted 00:48:57.74\00:49:02.01 God's salvation and will enter in through the gates 00:49:02.21\00:49:06.36 into the city. 00:49:06.56\00:49:08.45 I would like to read to you for a moment 00:49:08.75\00:49:11.90 Hebrews chapter 12 verses 1-2. Have to move quickly. 00:49:13.63\00:49:16.62 Hebrews chapter 12 verses 1 and 2. 00:49:16.92\00:49:19.36 "Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about 00:49:20.50\00:49:23.32 with so great a cloud of witnesses 00:49:23.52\00:49:26.26 let us lay aside every weight and the sin 00:49:26.46\00:49:29.96 that doth so easily beset us 00:49:30.16\00:49:32.19 and let us run with patience the race that is set before us. 00:49:32.50\00:49:35.68 Looking unto Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith 00:49:35.88\00:49:39.74 who for the joy that was set before Him 00:49:39.94\00:49:42.74 endured the cross... despising the shame 00:49:42.94\00:49:46.07 and has set down at the right hand of God. " 00:49:46.28\00:49:50.17 Praise be to His name. Amen! 00:49:50.47\00:49:52.38 God is inviting us to lay aside every weight 00:49:52.51\00:49:56.23 and the sin that doth so easily beset us. 00:49:56.43\00:49:59.65 Among us there are people that came here full of sin 00:49:59.85\00:50:05.84 and there are people that have sinned since they've come. 00:50:06.95\00:50:09.72 We can walk away from here completely clean 00:50:10.02\00:50:14.06 through the blood of Jesus Christ. Amen. 00:50:14.37\00:50:17.24 In a moment we're going to make that invitation. 00:50:17.44\00:50:19.39 But God is asking His children to lay aside every weight 00:50:20.55\00:50:24.26 and that sin that doth so easily beset us. 00:50:24.46\00:50:27.54 And let us run with patience, looking unto Jesus... 00:50:27.74\00:50:31.99 the Author and Finisher of our faith. 00:50:32.19\00:50:36.65 Listen... listen to this wonderful quote 00:50:36.95\00:50:41.07 from Review and Herald, December 21, 1886, 00:50:41.27\00:50:45.10 by Ellen G. White. Listen to this: 00:50:45.30\00:50:47.42 "In the light of divine revelation 00:50:47.72\00:50:50.35 through the atoning sacrifice we may see the glorious plan 00:50:50.55\00:50:54.94 of redemption whereby our sins are pardoned 00:50:55.04\00:50:58.51 and we draw near to the heart of infinite love. 00:50:58.71\00:51:02.57 We see how God can retain all His justice 00:51:02.60\00:51:06.39 and yet pardon the transgressor of His law. 00:51:06.43\00:51:09.77 And we are not simply forgiven but we are accepted of God 00:51:10.07\00:51:13.62 through the Beloved. 00:51:13.82\00:51:15.09 The plan of redemption is not merely a way of escape 00:51:15.39\00:51:18.41 from the penalty of transgression 00:51:18.61\00:51:20.41 but through it the sinner is forgiven His sins 00:51:20.61\00:51:24.08 and will be finally received into heaven. 00:51:24.22\00:51:26.63 Not as a forgiven culprit, pardoned and released 00:51:26.83\00:51:30.49 from captivity yet looked upon with suspicion 00:51:30.59\00:51:34.58 and not admitted to friendship and trust, 00:51:34.78\00:51:37.18 but welcomed as a child and taken back 00:51:37.38\00:51:40.60 into fullest confidence. " 00:51:40.80\00:51:43.29 Praise the Lord! 00:51:43.49\00:51:44.53 "The sacrifice of our Savior has made ample provision 00:51:44.63\00:51:48.86 for every repenting believing soul. 00:51:49.06\00:51:52.78 We are saved because God loves the purchase 00:51:54.43\00:51:58.45 of the blood of Christ. 00:51:58.65\00:51:59.96 And not only will He pardon the repentant sinner, 00:52:00.16\00:52:02.92 not only will He permit him to enter in heaven, 00:52:03.12\00:52:06.41 but He - the Father of mercy - will wait at the very gates 00:52:06.97\00:52:12.95 of heaven to welcome us. Amen! 00:52:13.16\00:52:16.06 To give us an abundant entrance to the mansions of the blessed. 00:52:16.25\00:52:19.46 Oh what love... what wondrous love 00:52:19.77\00:52:23.07 the Father has shown in the gift of His beloved Son 00:52:23.27\00:52:26.68 for this fallen race. 00:52:26.99\00:52:29.30 And this sacrifice is a channel for the outflow 00:52:29.60\00:52:33.12 of His infinite love that all who believe on Jesus 00:52:33.22\00:52:37.37 Christ may like the prodigal son 00:52:37.47\00:52:40.18 be received... receive full and free restoration 00:52:40.39\00:52:45.09 to the favor of heaven. " Praise the Lord! 00:52:45.29\00:52:47.77 God the Father 00:52:49.68\00:52:53.60 will be waiting for us at the gates. 00:52:53.80\00:52:57.02 Waiting for you at the gate. 00:52:58.35\00:53:02.02 He's been waiting for a long time to receive His children. 00:53:02.32\00:53:07.10 A long time. 00:53:07.40\00:53:09.19 We sometimes hear: "When is the Lord going to come? " 00:53:09.59\00:53:14.25 "It has been so long. " 00:53:14.55\00:53:17.42 God feels it like nobody else could feel it. 00:53:17.72\00:53:20.88 He longs to have His children with Him. 00:53:21.18\00:53:24.36 But He's not willing that any should perish. 00:53:24.66\00:53:27.56 Waiting... waiting. But the moment will come 00:53:27.86\00:53:33.03 when the door of mercy will close. 00:53:33.23\00:53:35.10 For now, the door of mercy is open. 00:53:35.40\00:53:39.22 In Isaiah chapter 1 verses 16 to 18 we read 00:53:39.42\00:53:44.54 the following words: 00:53:44.64\00:53:45.69 "Wash you, make you clean. 00:53:45.89\00:53:49.08 Put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes... 00:53:49.29\00:53:53.19 Mine eyes. Cease to do evil" God tells us. 00:53:53.49\00:53:57.27 "Learn to do well; seek judgment. 00:53:57.57\00:54:02.38 Relieve the oppressed; judge the fatherless; 00:54:02.58\00:54:05.78 plead for the widow. 00:54:05.99\00:54:07.65 'Come now and let us reason together, ' saith the Lord. 00:54:07.86\00:54:12.56 'Though your sins be as scarlet they shall be as white as snow. 00:54:12.86\00:54:18.28 Though they be red like crimson they shall be as wool. ' " 00:54:18.58\00:54:23.26 Praise the Lord! 00:54:23.36\00:54:24.77 How many here are willing to receive that? 00:54:25.08\00:54:28.05 I would like to ask you to stand. 00:54:28.35\00:54:30.58 If you would like to ask God: 00:54:30.78\00:54:32.36 "Lord, I may have come here with one sin or a thousand sins 00:54:32.56\00:54:36.67 but I want to leave this place completely clean: 00:54:36.97\00:54:40.14 washed, cleansed by the blood of the Lamb. " 00:54:40.45\00:54:43.51 I encourage you to purpose in your hearts 00:54:45.12\00:54:48.25 to leave this Camp Meeting different. 00:54:49.71\00:54:54.00 Completely surrendered to Jesus Christ 00:54:55.62\00:54:58.59 with renewed hope and desires to serve Him 00:54:58.80\00:55:01.49 with all of your heart. 00:55:01.59\00:55:03.68 I read here from Isaiah chapter 55 00:55:03.98\00:55:09.55 verses 6 and 7. 00:55:09.75\00:55:11.11 "Seek ye the Lord while He may be found. " 00:55:11.41\00:55:14.86 Implying that the time will come when you cannot find Him. 00:55:15.16\00:55:18.92 "Seek ye the Lord while He may be found. 00:55:19.33\00:55:21.94 Call ye upon Him while He is near. " 00:55:22.14\00:55:24.68 Verse 7: 00:55:24.98\00:55:26.83 "Let the wicked forsake his ways 00:55:27.13\00:55:29.20 and the unrighteous man his thoughts 00:55:29.40\00:55:32.29 and let him return unto the Lord. 00:55:32.59\00:55:35.11 And He will have mercy upon him, 00:55:35.41\00:55:37.57 and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon. " 00:55:37.87\00:55:43.11 Praise the Lord! 00:55:43.41\00:55:44.73 I join with you in that. 00:55:45.04\00:55:46.52 I want to serve the Lord with all of my heart. 00:55:46.72\00:55:49.03 I want to be renewed and revived. 00:55:49.33\00:55:53.76 I want to be like Jesus. 00:55:54.06\00:55:56.82 How many want to be like Jesus? Would you raise your hand? 00:55:57.12\00:55:59.17 Praise the Lord! Keep your hands high. 00:55:59.47\00:56:01.99 Let the world see that you also want to be like Jesus. 00:56:02.49\00:56:07.54 Praise the Lord; praise the Lord! 00:56:07.84\00:56:09.57 Let us pray... let us pray. 00:56:09.87\00:56:12.16 And while I am praying, if God brings to your remembrance 00:56:12.36\00:56:17.08 any known sin, confess that sin before God in sincerity. 00:56:17.11\00:56:22.21 Ask Him to forgive you, cleanse you, and wash you anew. 00:56:22.42\00:56:27.49 Let us pray together. 00:56:28.00\00:56:29.02 Our loving heavenly Father, 00:56:30.95\00:56:33.38 how great Thou art! 00:56:33.68\00:56:35.82 Your mercy is as high as the heaven is from the earth. 00:56:36.12\00:56:39.88 And here, Lord, a group of Your children 00:56:40.67\00:56:42.83 and even those that are in different parts of the world 00:56:43.03\00:56:47.13 are coming before You to claim the promise 00:56:47.33\00:56:51.74 of forgiveness of sins. 00:56:51.94\00:56:53.75 And we pray for Your promise to be fulfilled 00:56:54.05\00:56:56.32 such as is revealed in I John chapter 1 verses 8 and 9. 00:56:56.53\00:57:01.43 That if we confess our sins 00:57:01.73\00:57:05.13 You are faithful and just 00:57:05.33\00:57:08.62 to forgive us for our sins 00:57:08.82\00:57:10.51 and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 00:57:10.72\00:57:13.10 And we ask you, Father, that it shall be done. 00:57:13.41\00:57:15.65 That you will cleanse us from all unrighteousness 00:57:17.23\00:57:19.63 and from all iniquity and make us pure, holy, white. 00:57:19.93\00:57:24.98 We ask You for these blessings 00:57:25.28\00:57:27.04 through the precious blood of Jesus Christ. 00:57:27.24\00:57:29.59 In Jesus' name, Amen. 00:57:29.89\00:57:32.40