male announcer: This presentation is brought to you 00:00:02.03\00:00:03.63 by the friends of the Amazing Facts ministry. 00:00:03.67\00:00:06.50 Doug Batchelor : Jesus said in Matthew 28:19, "Go therefore and 00:00:08.67\00:00:12.81 make disciples of all nations." 00:00:12.84\00:00:15.41 Here at "Amazing Facts," we take the Great Commission seriously, 00:00:15.44\00:00:19.75 that's why we're an international ministry. 00:00:19.78\00:00:22.88 I've personally had the privilege of sharing the gospel 00:00:22.92\00:00:25.95 in many countries from China to New Guinea, from Russia to 00:00:25.99\00:00:29.52 Africa, to India, and it's evident that people everywhere 00:00:29.56\00:00:33.06 have a hunger for the Word of God. 00:00:33.09\00:00:35.00 As we make significant progress in delivering God's message, 00:00:35.03\00:00:38.83 there's still a lot of work to be done. 00:00:38.87\00:00:40.84 It's not enough that people know about Jesus, people need to 00:00:40.87\00:00:44.11 experience a new birth and to know the fantastic love of God. 00:00:44.14\00:00:48.54 Life's difficult, many people across the globe are struggling, 00:00:48.58\00:00:52.81 but God is still love, and it's our mission here at "Amazing 00:00:52.85\00:00:56.58 Facts" and it's our joy to show that love to others by sharing 00:00:56.62\00:01:00.72 the good news. 00:01:00.76\00:01:02.06 We pray that today's program will bless and inspire you to 00:01:02.09\00:01:04.89 share God's Word with others, and don't forget, stay tuned for 00:01:04.93\00:01:08.96 today's free offer at the conclusion of the presentation. 00:01:09.00\00:01:12.33 God bless. 00:01:12.37\00:01:14.24 Doug: The devil's most dangerous deception is that the warnings 00:01:17.54\00:01:22.58 of sin do not apply to you. 00:01:22.61\00:01:24.81 God does not really mean what he says, that sin is really gonna 00:01:24.85\00:01:29.55 bring you satisfaction, but it doesn't, that somehow you'll 00:01:29.58\00:01:36.39 have some enhanced experience through sin, but it's a lie. 00:01:36.42\00:01:43.77 You know, back in 2008, we all saw the unfolding of the most 00:01:43.80\00:01:51.07 serious Ponzi scheme and fraud and scam in history of the 00:01:51.11\00:01:56.28 world, Bernie Madoff. 00:01:56.31\00:01:58.71 People had fun with his name because he made off with 00:01:58.75\00:02:00.82 everybody's money. 00:02:00.85\00:02:02.92 Bernie Madoff made off with $64.8 billion of other 00:02:02.95\00:02:10.89 people's money. 00:02:10.93\00:02:12.26 It's just is mind boggling how it could take so long, but 00:02:12.29\00:02:15.66 people put their life savings, they trusted him that he was 00:02:15.70\00:02:20.64 gonna make it grow. 00:02:20.67\00:02:22.00 He was promising better returns than anybody which ought to make 00:02:22.04\00:02:25.27 you suspicious. 00:02:25.31\00:02:27.04 They say in the world of investment, "Hogs get 00:02:27.08\00:02:30.38 slaughtered," meaning if you get greedy for high yields, you may 00:02:30.41\00:02:34.95 really get taken to the slaughterhouse. 00:02:34.98\00:02:38.72 And he promised such great returns. 00:02:38.75\00:02:40.92 Well, he just had so many new people that kept investing, 00:02:40.96\00:02:44.13 wanting to cash in on this great--that he was keeping it 00:02:44.16\00:02:48.00 for himself. 00:02:48.03\00:02:49.33 He was working the books and changing the numbers and he was 00:02:49.36\00:02:51.17 able to hide it very clever, be able to hide it even from 00:02:51.20\00:02:54.20 investigators for years. 00:02:54.24\00:02:56.30 He was a president of NASDAQ, trusted. 00:02:56.34\00:03:00.28 We could trust Bernie with our money, and then it was found out 00:03:00.31\00:03:04.95 almost overnight that it had been squandered and lost either 00:03:04.98\00:03:09.22 by his spending it or in bad investments. 00:03:09.25\00:03:12.69 And people, can you imagine you work all your life, you save, 00:03:12.72\00:03:15.79 you're planning on all those good years and you find out some 00:03:15.82\00:03:19.13 swindler had fooled you and you have nothing? 00:03:19.16\00:03:22.70 You have to start all over again. 00:03:22.73\00:03:24.60 There were companies that had invested other people's money in 00:03:24.63\00:03:27.54 foundations that were supposed to give to causes and the poor, 00:03:27.57\00:03:30.87 and they were wiped out. 00:03:30.91\00:03:34.54 The devil is a scam artist. 00:03:34.58\00:03:38.01 He makes promises he doesn't plan on delivering, and some 00:03:38.05\00:03:42.38 people are risking losing everything. 00:03:42.42\00:03:44.49 This is something you cannot get wrong friends. 00:03:44.52\00:03:47.26 Jesus made it clear in His opening teachings there in 00:03:47.29\00:03:50.13 Matthew, the Sermon on the Mount, chapter 7. 00:03:50.16\00:03:53.53 "Not everybody who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the 00:03:53.56\00:03:56.77 kingdom of heaven, but he that does the 00:03:56.80\00:04:00.60 will of My Father in heaven. 00:04:00.64\00:04:03.34 Many will say to Me 'Lord, Lord,' in that day," meaning the 00:04:03.37\00:04:06.14 great judgment day, "Lord Lord, have we not prophesized in 00:04:06.17\00:04:10.08 Your name?" 00:04:10.11\00:04:11.55 They know the name of the Lord. 00:04:11.58\00:04:13.21 "We've cast out demons." 00:04:13.25\00:04:14.58 They seem to have some evidence of success in Your name, "And 00:04:14.62\00:04:19.09 we've done many wonders." 00:04:19.12\00:04:20.36 Seems like there's power, "and I'll declare to them, 'I never 00:04:20.39\00:04:24.06 knew you. 00:04:24.09\00:04:25.43 Depart from Me you who practice lawlessness.'" 00:04:25.46\00:04:27.60 Not everybody who takes the name of Jesus is automatically saved. 00:04:27.66\00:04:32.17 Not everybody who even has evidence of success is 00:04:32.20\00:04:36.84 automatically saved. 00:04:36.87\00:04:38.47 There might be areas where it looks like they've cast out some 00:04:38.51\00:04:41.14 demons and they have wonderful power. 00:04:41.18\00:04:44.25 They might even have what looks like a successful ministry. 00:04:44.28\00:04:47.05 That's no guarantee. 00:04:47.08\00:04:49.02 The bottom line, Jesus says, "If you are practicing lawlessness, 00:04:49.05\00:04:53.82 I don't know you." 00:04:53.86\00:04:56.12 Jesus came to save us, not in our sin, but from our sin. 00:04:56.16\00:05:01.03 These subtle ideas that you can continue a life of sin and still 00:05:01.06\00:05:05.47 be saved, that is not true. 00:05:05.50\00:05:09.50 Now, it doesn't mean as a Christian, you may not make 00:05:09.54\00:05:12.74 mistakes, you may not fall. 00:05:12.77\00:05:14.91 But if you are held captive by sin, if you are willingly 00:05:14.94\00:05:18.38 surrendering to sin, if you have no regret or remorse for sin, 00:05:18.41\00:05:21.78 you're not saved, because sin is what killed Jesus. 00:05:21.82\00:05:25.55 If you think sin doesn't matter, look at what it did to him and 00:05:25.59\00:05:28.82 tell me God is indifferent. 00:05:28.86\00:05:31.13 He wants us to be new creatures. 00:05:31.16\00:05:34.30 There's effort involved in being a Christian. 00:05:34.30\00:05:37.33 Pastor Doug, I thought you just had to believe. 00:05:37.37\00:05:40.07 It is true, we are saved entirely by faith. 00:05:40.10\00:05:42.80 You've got the example of the thief on the cross. 00:05:42.84\00:05:45.94 He turned to Jesus, and by the way, what's happening in this 00:05:45.97\00:05:50.88 story there in Luke chapter 23 is that this thief when he was 00:05:50.91\00:05:56.79 crucified, two thieves crucified with Jesus, they both were first 00:05:56.82\00:06:01.82 engaged in the mocking of the mob, but they were there 00:06:01.86\00:06:03.96 six hours. 00:06:03.99\00:06:05.29 Something happened somewhere along the way, he saw them 00:06:05.33\00:06:09.16 gambling for Jesus's clothing and then he heard Christ say "My 00:06:09.20\00:06:13.23 God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" 00:06:13.27\00:06:15.94 And his mind went back to something he probably heard as a 00:06:15.97\00:06:18.24 boy in Sabbath school that, Psalm 22 begins, "My God, My 00:06:18.27\00:06:22.58 God, why have You forsaken Me?" 00:06:22.61\00:06:23.85 And later it says, "They cast lots for My clothing," and his 00:06:23.88\00:06:27.05 mind became quick. 00:06:27.08\00:06:28.32 You know, when you're dying, you see, your adrenaline's released 00:06:28.35\00:06:30.69 and things happen very quickly, and his mind is quickened by the 00:06:30.72\00:06:33.69 Holy Spirit. 00:06:33.72\00:06:34.96 And then he looks at the sign above Jesus head, and he says, 00:06:34.99\00:06:37.83 "This is the King of the Jews," and he heard him pray, "Father, 00:06:37.86\00:06:40.26 forgive them, they don't know what they're doing." 00:06:40.30\00:06:42.93 And the Holy Spirit revealed to him, this is the Messiah. 00:06:42.96\00:06:45.33 And he had the faith to say, "Lord," even His disciples 00:06:45.37\00:06:50.81 didn't call Him Lord at the cross. 00:06:50.84\00:06:53.17 "Remember me when you come into your kingdom." 00:06:53.21\00:06:55.48 He did not look like a Lord, He did not look like He had a 00:06:55.51\00:06:59.05 kingdom, but he said, "Lord, remember me when You come into 00:06:59.08\00:07:02.58 Your kingdom?" 00:07:02.62\00:07:03.95 He said, "Lord, save me, Jesus." 00:07:03.99\00:07:06.19 That's so wonderful, you know? 00:07:06.22\00:07:07.56 Even though the devil nailed His hands to the cross, he couldn't 00:07:07.59\00:07:09.76 keep the Savior from saving, and Jesus immediately because of 00:07:09.79\00:07:13.83 that man's faith in Him, He reached out to Him and He said, 00:07:13.86\00:07:17.80 "I'm telling you today, I'm making a promise today." 00:07:17.83\00:07:20.74 He didn't say, "You'd be with me in paradise that day," because 00:07:20.77\00:07:22.94 Christ didn't go that day, read John 21. 00:07:22.97\00:07:25.71 He said, "I'm making you a promise today, you will be with 00:07:25.74\00:07:28.28 Me in paradise." 00:07:28.31\00:07:30.08 And that man died saved by faith, by believing through 00:07:30.11\00:07:35.52 God's grace. 00:07:35.55\00:07:37.72 Now, here's the question, it's hypothetical, but you have to 00:07:37.75\00:07:39.82 ask this question. 00:07:39.85\00:07:41.19 Suppose before that man died, if after he accepted Jesus, if 00:07:41.22\00:07:45.63 Pilate sent the soldiers out and said, "Oh, it looks like we got 00:07:45.66\00:07:48.96 somebody's name wrong, you really weren't supposed to 00:07:49.00\00:07:50.60 be crucified, we're really sorry, please forgive us. 00:07:50.63\00:07:54.64 You can file a lawsuit later," and they pry him off the cross, 00:07:54.67\00:07:57.61 take out the nails and they bring him down, they bind up his 00:07:57.64\00:07:59.71 hands and he somehow heals. 00:07:59.74\00:08:02.98 Would he go back to stealing and murder or would the grace of God 00:08:03.01\00:08:07.48 if he was really saved, would it have transformed him? 00:08:07.52\00:08:11.32 Would he have lived a different kind of life? 00:08:11.35\00:08:14.39 I surmise that if he was really saved, he would have then had 00:08:14.42\00:08:19.16 the fruits of obedience. 00:08:19.19\00:08:21.76 On the cross, he repented. 00:08:21.80\00:08:24.50 He said to his friend, he said, "Do you not fear God seeing 00:08:24.53\00:08:28.64 we're in the same condemnation? 00:08:28.67\00:08:30.17 We're getting the just punishment for our deeds. 00:08:30.21\00:08:35.04 This man," speaking of Christ, "has done nothing amiss." 00:08:35.08\00:08:39.15 Then he said, "Lord, remember me." 00:08:39.18\00:08:40.75 He publicly confesses, he repents, he believes, he 00:08:40.78\00:08:44.82 testifies in Jesus. 00:08:44.85\00:08:46.42 He confesses Christ publicly as His Lord and His King, right? 00:08:46.45\00:08:51.23 It's one thing people want Jesus as Lord, they don't want Him 00:08:51.26\00:08:53.26 as king. 00:08:53.29\00:08:54.86 They want Him as savior. 00:08:54.93\00:08:56.23 They don't want Him as Lord, is what I should have said. 00:08:56.26\00:08:58.07 They don't want Him telling them what to do, they just want Him 00:08:58.10\00:09:01.47 to save them from their sins, but they don't want to be saved 00:09:01.50\00:09:06.01 from the power of sin in their life, just the penalty of sin. 00:09:06.04\00:09:09.84 If you're gonna be saved, you need all three. 00:09:09.88\00:09:12.41 You need to be saved from the penalty of sin, the power of 00:09:12.45\00:09:16.18 sin, and in heaven, you'll be saved from the presence of sin. 00:09:16.22\00:09:20.69 But if the Son will make you free, you should be free. 00:09:20.72\00:09:24.63 What does it mean to believe? 00:09:24.66\00:09:27.03 You know, we often quote and sometimes abuse the verse in 00:09:27.03\00:09:29.96 Acts 16:30 where Paul and Silas talked to this Philippian jailer 00:09:30.00\00:09:34.67 and he said, "What must I do to be saved?" 00:09:34.70\00:09:36.71 Oh, I love when someone asks me that question, I remember 00:09:36.74\00:09:39.71 studying with a couple and finally the wife just blurted 00:09:39.74\00:09:41.91 out, "What do we need to do to be saved?" 00:09:41.94\00:09:43.38 And I thought, I'm glad you asked. 00:09:43.41\00:09:45.48 So Paul said, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you'll be 00:09:45.51\00:09:48.52 saved, you and your household." 00:09:48.55\00:09:49.95 Now, what do people think, typically, when you say believe? 00:09:49.98\00:09:53.29 I think that means believe that Jesus is the Son of God. 00:09:53.32\00:09:57.46 Okay. 00:09:57.49\00:09:58.83 Believe that He died for the sins of the world and even that 00:09:58.86\00:10:00.70 He died for my sins. 00:10:00.73\00:10:02.33 I believe that. 00:10:02.36\00:10:04.03 And that means I'm saved. 00:10:04.07\00:10:05.73 All I've got to do is believe that. 00:10:05.77\00:10:08.50 That's not the way Jesus meant it and that's not the way Paul 00:10:08.54\00:10:10.84 meant it, that's not the way the Hebrews understood it. 00:10:10.87\00:10:13.54 Believe means believe what He said, and what did Jesus say? 00:10:13.58\00:10:17.15 "Deny yourself, take up your cross and follow me." 00:10:17.18\00:10:19.98 Jesus said we need to turn from and repent of our sins. 00:10:20.02\00:10:23.39 Let me tell you the part that people don't read, read a little 00:10:23.42\00:10:26.92 further in Acts 16, verse 32. 00:10:26.96\00:10:28.56 After they told the Philippian jailer, "Believe and you'll be 00:10:28.59\00:10:31.39 saved," says, "Then they spoke the Word of the Lord to him and 00:10:31.43\00:10:35.40 all who were in his house." 00:10:35.43\00:10:36.80 That's why they could say you and your household because they 00:10:36.83\00:10:39.07 taught them the Word. 00:10:39.10\00:10:40.44 What did they teach in the word? 00:10:40.47\00:10:41.77 "Jesus went to heaven," said, "teaching men to observe all 00:10:41.80\00:10:45.51 things whatsoever I have commanded you." 00:10:45.54\00:10:49.21 They were taught the commandments of God. 00:10:49.24\00:10:51.71 That's why you could say, believe in--you know, what does 00:10:51.75\00:10:54.78 it mean to believe? 00:10:54.82\00:10:56.12 Suppose you're walking down a path and the path comes out into 00:10:56.15\00:10:59.29 a meadow and all of a sudden there's a great precipice, and 00:10:59.32\00:11:01.69 down a long way down there, you've got this raging river in 00:11:01.72\00:11:06.16 a canyon, this gulf longer than the Grand Canyon and there's 00:11:06.19\00:11:10.33 a bridge. 00:11:10.37\00:11:13.23 I understand, I've not been there. 00:11:13.27\00:11:14.60 I'd like to see it. 00:11:14.64\00:11:15.94 They've got this bridge at the Grand Canyon now that just goes 00:11:15.97\00:11:18.74 over the canyon, it's a glass floor, bridge doesn't go 00:11:18.77\00:11:22.58 anywhere, people are just awestruck when they walk out and 00:11:22.61\00:11:26.05 they look down and see nothing under them, and some people, 00:11:26.08\00:11:28.35 they crawl out there, they can't handle it. 00:11:28.38\00:11:31.12 We were just in Singapore and we went to Taiwan, we went to the 00:11:31.15\00:11:35.22 top of the Taipei Towers there and you can get right up there 00:11:35.26\00:11:38.53 and there's a spot where you got the glass, you can stand on 00:11:38.56\00:11:40.50 the glass, look, it doesn't bother me at all because it's 00:11:40.53\00:11:42.23 like flying, I fly all the time. 00:11:42.26\00:11:44.53 So, yeah, I've seen that before, but some people who walk out on 00:11:44.57\00:11:46.90 that glass thing and they just-- their heart starts to race, it's 00:11:46.94\00:11:49.50 like they're afraid of this bridge to nowhere, and they say, 00:11:49.54\00:11:53.91 I don't believe it, you know, because something--could be an 00:11:53.94\00:11:55.64 earthquake and I could fall off in the canyon. 00:11:55.68\00:11:57.45 They get back. 00:11:57.48\00:11:58.98 So you come to this, I haven't forgotten my story yet, so you 00:11:59.01\00:12:01.68 come to this bridge across the canyon and someone asks you, "Do 00:12:01.72\00:12:06.55 you believe that bridge will take you to the other side?" 00:12:06.59\00:12:10.39 And you say, "I believe it." 00:12:10.43\00:12:11.76 Why do you believe it? 00:12:11.79\00:12:13.13 Well, it's got a sign there that says this bridge is solid and it 00:12:13.16\00:12:16.23 will take me to the other side, but you don't get on the bridge. 00:12:16.26\00:12:19.77 Then you see other people going down the bridge and they don't 00:12:19.80\00:12:22.87 seem to be falling off and someone will say, "Do you 00:12:22.90\00:12:24.57 believe yet?" 00:12:24.61\00:12:26.04 I do believe now. 00:12:26.07\00:12:27.41 They're making it and they look heavier than me. 00:12:27.44\00:12:32.08 Do you believe yet? 00:12:32.11\00:12:34.42 Not really. 00:12:34.45\00:12:35.88 It's still just up here. 00:12:35.92\00:12:38.89 Finally, how do you show your belief? 00:12:38.92\00:12:41.99 You walk out on the bridge, you believe it will hold you up, and 00:12:42.02\00:12:47.93 until you come to the point where you say, "I believe that 00:12:47.96\00:12:50.47 Jesus can save me from my sins and I am going to turn," that 00:12:50.50\00:12:54.04 means repent, "from my sins. 00:12:54.07\00:12:56.77 I'm gonna confess, I'm gonna forsake. 00:12:56.81\00:12:58.51 I'm gonna start doing some tangible things," then you don't 00:12:58.54\00:13:02.38 really have belief. 00:13:02.41\00:13:04.08 James 2:19. 00:13:04.11\00:13:05.75 You believe there's one God? 00:13:05.78\00:13:07.12 You do, well, "Even the demons believe." 00:13:07.15\00:13:10.12 So it's good to believe, but that's not where it ends. 00:13:10.15\00:13:12.99 The devils believe. 00:13:13.02\00:13:14.26 In Luke 4, this demon possessed man cried out and said, "Let us 00:13:14.29\00:13:17.93 alone to Jesus. 00:13:17.96\00:13:19.29 What have I to do with you, Jesus of Nazareth? 00:13:19.33\00:13:21.60 Did you come to destroy us? 00:13:21.63\00:13:23.03 I know who you are, the Holy One of God." 00:13:23.06\00:13:25.73 Demons always said we know who He is. 00:13:25.77\00:13:27.90 Did the demons believe He was God? 00:13:27.94\00:13:29.84 They believe more in His power than you do. 00:13:29.87\00:13:32.24 Did the demons believe He died on the cross? 00:13:32.27\00:13:35.08 Does the devil believe He died for your sins? 00:13:35.11\00:13:37.25 Yes. 00:13:37.28\00:13:38.58 He tried to stop it from happening. 00:13:38.61\00:13:39.95 Is it gonna save the devil? 00:13:39.98\00:13:41.82 No. 00:13:41.85\00:13:43.18 So it's not just believing that He died, it's believing that He 00:13:43.22\00:13:46.02 can transform your heart and give you a new power. 00:13:46.05\00:13:50.73 So friends, as Paul says in Galatians 4:16, "Am I your enemy 00:13:50.76\00:13:54.46 if I tell you the truth?" 00:13:54.50\00:13:56.33 Do you wanna hear these things? 00:13:56.36\00:13:58.90 There is no sin in heaven. 00:13:58.93\00:14:01.74 The devil was cast out for sinning. 00:14:01.77\00:14:04.21 If the devil was cast out for sinning, we are not going 00:14:04.24\00:14:06.64 in sinning. 00:14:06.68\00:14:08.28 Is that reasonable? 00:14:08.31\00:14:13.11 Ezekiel 28:16, "You sinned, therefore, I cast you out 00:14:13.15\00:14:16.69 as profane." 00:14:16.72\00:14:18.79 1 Corinthians 6:9. 00:14:18.82\00:14:21.09 "Do you not know the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom 00:14:21.12\00:14:24.49 of God? 00:14:24.53\00:14:25.83 Do not be deceived, neither fornicators or idolaters or 00:14:25.86\00:14:29.73 adulterers," It's the pure in heart that are gonna see God, 00:14:29.76\00:14:32.53 "or thieves or covetous or drunkards or revelers," 00:14:32.57\00:14:36.54 partiers, "or extortioners," like Bernie Madoff, "will 00:14:36.57\00:14:40.34 inherit the kingdom of God, and such were some of you." 00:14:40.38\00:14:44.05 Paul is talking to the Corinthians. 00:14:44.08\00:14:45.71 He said, "you had these problems," and he's got a pretty 00:14:45.75\00:14:48.12 big list there. 00:14:48.15\00:14:49.48 Says, it doesn't matter what your sins are, God can forgive 00:14:49.52\00:14:51.59 and save you, but he says, "you were." 00:14:51.62\00:14:53.46 Now, you understand that, in English that means past tense. 00:14:53.49\00:14:57.23 You were, that means you're not anymore, "but you've been 00:14:57.26\00:15:00.96 cleansed, you've been sanctified." 00:15:00.96\00:15:03.40 Galatians 5:19, "The works of the flesh are evident, which are 00:15:03.43\00:15:07.84 adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, 00:15:07.87\00:15:11.37 sorcery, hatred," can't go around being hateful, 00:15:11.41\00:15:15.18 "contentious, argumentative, jealousies, outbursts of wrath," 00:15:15.21\00:15:20.08 bad temper, "selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, 00:15:20.12\00:15:25.99 murders, drunkenness, revelries and the like of which I've told 00:15:26.02\00:15:30.59 you, I tell you again, as I said it before." 00:15:30.63\00:15:32.53 Paul said, "Look, I keep telling you those who practice these 00:15:32.56\00:15:36.63 things will not inherit the kingdom of God." 00:15:36.67\00:15:38.37 I want to inherit the kingdom of God. 00:15:38.40\00:15:40.74 He says, you can't continue to practice those things. 00:15:40.77\00:15:42.97 It's not just believing and continuing to live like 00:15:43.00\00:15:45.27 the world. 00:15:45.31\00:15:46.64 God is calling the church to new holiness. 00:15:46.68\00:15:50.08 Revelation 21, verse 27, "There shall by no means enter into it 00:15:50.11\00:15:55.12 anything that defiles or causes an abomination or a lie," 00:15:55.15\00:15:59.19 speaking of heaven. 00:15:59.22\00:16:00.89 There's gonna be no sin in heaven. 00:16:00.92\00:16:02.69 God must save us from our sin. 00:16:02.72\00:16:05.09 Hebrews 12:1, "Lay aside every weight and the sin that so 00:16:05.13\00:16:09.00 easily ensnares us." 00:16:09.03\00:16:10.60 Now, I appreciate that Paul, assuming he wrote Hebrews, I 00:16:10.63\00:16:13.77 appreciate Paul admitting that we can be easily ensnared. 00:16:13.80\00:16:18.31 Sin is very tempting. 00:16:18.34\00:16:21.51 Sin attracts us in our minds, it attracts us in our bodies, it 00:16:21.54\00:16:25.95 attracts us in our pride and our selfishness. 00:16:25.98\00:16:28.75 The devil is always saying, oh, just one more time and then you 00:16:28.78\00:16:31.69 can repent later and it'll--this time it's gonna bring you 00:16:31.72\00:16:34.42 satisfaction and there may even be some temporary pleasure in 00:16:34.46\00:16:38.29 sin, but it doesn't last. 00:16:38.33\00:16:41.83 It's a big lie, so we struggle. 00:16:41.86\00:16:44.57 Bible says we're running this race and the devil is always 00:16:44.60\00:16:46.80 trying to trip us up with sin. 00:16:46.84\00:16:48.90 It so easily besets us, but what does He say? 00:16:48.94\00:16:52.01 Lay aside most of the weights, said, "Lay aside every weight." 00:16:52.04\00:16:56.71 It's amazing to me that, you know, the Olympic athletes now, 00:16:56.75\00:17:00.15 the lengths they go to, I remember when I was a kid, I'd 00:17:00.18\00:17:03.65 watch these swimmers, they'd jump in the water and they had 00:17:03.69\00:17:06.99 this big old baggy bathing suits and they're swimming along. 00:17:07.02\00:17:09.59 They had long hair and they started realizing, you know, 00:17:09.62\00:17:13.03 that suit had a little bit of a difference, they win by 00:17:13.06\00:17:15.43 fractions of a second, and they started wearing speedos. 00:17:15.46\00:17:19.50 And then the guys started shaving the hair off their chest 00:17:19.53\00:17:21.77 to go even quicker, and then they start shaving their heads. 00:17:21.80\00:17:24.94 Or they put on the swimming caps, and they didn't want 00:17:24.97\00:17:30.51 anything to slow him down. 00:17:30.55\00:17:33.52 And the runners, they got super technical, light running shoes, 00:17:33.55\00:17:41.62 they lay aside every weight, anything that can slow 00:17:41.66\00:17:44.59 them down, but you and I, we kind of just go slogging through 00:17:44.63\00:17:47.30 the world thinking, "Oh, is this gonna make any, 00:17:47.30\00:17:48.60 what difference will this make?" 00:17:48.63\00:17:50.73 You're not gonna win the race unless you realize that you must 00:17:50.77\00:17:54.40 be, by God's grace, unencumbered by the sins of the world. 00:17:54.44\00:17:59.64 One of the ways you can tell a person that's on their way to 00:17:59.67\00:18:01.94 heaven is they are constantly striving against sin. 00:18:01.98\00:18:09.05 They don't blow it off, they don't get comfortable with it, 00:18:09.08\00:18:11.22 that's when you're at risk of grieving away the Holy Spirit, 00:18:11.25\00:18:14.66 when you just act like, oh, it doesn't--I don't care. 00:18:14.69\00:18:16.73 It's not that big a deal, as long as I sin less than 00:18:16.76\00:18:18.63 other people. 00:18:18.66\00:18:19.96 Those are the kind of deceptions the devil has. 00:18:20.00\00:18:23.73 Ephesians 4:22, "That you put off concerning your former 00:18:23.77\00:18:27.04 conduct, the old man that grows corrupt according to the 00:18:27.07\00:18:30.24 deceitful lust." 00:18:30.27\00:18:31.57 Put it off. 00:18:31.61\00:18:33.24 There must be repentance. 00:18:33.27\00:18:35.18 Going back to Ezekiel chapter 33, verse 13 now, "When I say to 00:18:35.21\00:18:40.72 the righteous that he will surely live, but he trusts in 00:18:40.75\00:18:44.95 his own righteousness and he commits iniquity. 00:18:44.99\00:18:48.32 None of his righteous works will be remembered because of the 00:18:48.36\00:18:52.16 iniquity that he's committed." 00:18:52.19\00:18:53.53 He will die. 00:18:53.56\00:18:54.76 Don't get discouraged, listen to this, "Again, when I say to the 00:18:54.83\00:18:57.97 wicked, you will surely die. 00:18:58.00\00:18:59.93 If he turns from his sin and does what is lawful and right," 00:19:00.04\00:19:04.37 and then he gets specific, "if the wicked restores the pledge, 00:19:04.41\00:19:08.61 gives back what he's stolen. 00:19:08.64\00:19:10.05 So you get sin in your life and you borrowed your neighbor's 00:19:10.08\00:19:14.08 leaf blower and you have forgotten for the last two years 00:19:14.12\00:19:18.02 to give it back, because your neighbor moved four blocks away 00:19:18.05\00:19:23.83 and you figure he's not thinking about it, so you're not gonna 00:19:23.86\00:19:26.09 remind him because you don't have your own leaf blower. 00:19:26.13\00:19:29.56 But you've come to Jesus, the Holy Spirit says, every time you 00:19:29.60\00:19:33.03 pick up that leaf blower, you borrow something for two years, 00:19:33.07\00:19:37.37 it's called stealing. 00:19:37.41\00:19:40.68 He said, "But I want to go to heaven." 00:19:40.71\00:19:42.01 Jesus said, "You need to take him back his leaf blower." 00:19:42.04\00:19:45.55 "Lord, you're not gonna keep me out of heaven for a 00:19:45.58\00:19:47.38 leaf blower?" 00:19:47.42\00:19:48.72 Yeah, because your heart isn't right. 00:19:48.75\00:19:51.79 Do you know you can go to hell for stealing a pen? 00:19:51.82\00:19:56.66 Just like stealing a million dollars, if you go in and you 00:19:56.69\00:20:00.93 figure they're a bank, they got a lot of money and I put my 00:20:00.96\00:20:03.67 money here, so I'm taking this pen that they just lent with me. 00:20:03.70\00:20:07.30 You just robbed the bank. 00:20:07.34\00:20:10.77 The pens are not free. 00:20:10.81\00:20:13.78 You got the spirit of theft in your heart, it doesn't have to 00:20:13.81\00:20:17.21 be a million dollars. 00:20:17.25\00:20:19.45 You just did what Bernie Madoff did. 00:20:19.48\00:20:23.02 Okay, theft in the heart. 00:20:23.05\00:20:26.32 What do you have to do? 00:20:26.35\00:20:27.69 He says, if the wicked restores the pledge, gives back what he 00:20:27.72\00:20:29.79 has stolen, walks in the statutes of life. 00:20:29.82\00:20:32.69 I heard about a preacher that went through Scotland, he was 00:20:32.73\00:20:34.66 doing a revival and he was preaching near the shipyards, 00:20:34.73\00:20:37.33 and he talked about repentance and he talked about restoration. 00:20:37.37\00:20:41.44 Sometimes it means you go to a person, you apologize. 00:20:41.47\00:20:44.27 You right, whatever wrongs you can. 00:20:44.31\00:20:45.91 Now you and I know, I mean, I used to be a thief. 00:20:45.94\00:20:49.11 I can't go back and repay all the people I ever stole because 00:20:49.14\00:20:51.65 I don't even know who they were, where they lived. 00:20:51.68\00:20:53.01 It was dark. 00:20:53.05\00:20:54.62 I mean, there's some things you can't do, right? 00:20:54.65\00:20:57.29 Sometimes you cannot, as they say, unscramble scrambled eggs. 00:20:57.32\00:21:00.06 It's just, but when the Holy Spirit puts something on your 00:21:00.09\00:21:02.86 heart, there was one particular case where I knew I had stolen 00:21:02.89\00:21:06.39 from an employer and I went back years later to make it right. 00:21:06.43\00:21:11.53 And I had to apologize to my stepmother for stealing her 00:21:11.57\00:21:14.54 Jaguar XKE and wrecking it. 00:21:14.57\00:21:17.27 And I wrecked it in reverse, I was backing up and I wrecked it, 00:21:17.31\00:21:21.61 and then I drove it home, it still drove, parked it in our 00:21:21.64\00:21:24.58 circular driveway in front of the house and went to sleep. 00:21:24.61\00:21:26.92 She woke up and thought somebody drove into our driveway, hit the 00:21:26.95\00:21:30.19 car, because fortunately it was wrecked in reverse, and then 00:21:30.22\00:21:33.59 drove away and she was ranting around the house as someone had 00:21:33.62\00:21:35.99 wrecked her Jaguar. 00:21:36.02\00:21:37.33 I never said anything. 00:21:37.36\00:21:39.29 Years later, I became a Christian. 00:21:39.33\00:21:40.80 I said, Betty, we need to talk. 00:21:40.83\00:21:43.87 Well, by that point, you know, I knew she was gonna let it off 00:21:43.90\00:21:46.17 the hook, she had a Lamborghini. 00:21:46.20\00:21:48.27 So, you know, finally I had to, because it bothered me that I 00:21:48.30\00:21:53.48 lied to her. 00:21:53.51\00:21:54.81 I probably lied about other things, but that's the one the 00:21:54.84\00:21:56.44 Holy Spirit put on my heart. 00:21:56.48\00:21:58.65 So being a Christian means you might need to right some wrongs. 00:21:58.68\00:22:04.69 That's what repentance is. 00:22:04.72\00:22:06.25 Gives back what is stolen, walks in the statutes of life without 00:22:06.29\00:22:09.66 committing iniquity. 00:22:09.69\00:22:10.99 He will surely live. 00:22:11.03\00:22:12.36 He will not die. 00:22:12.39\00:22:13.70 None of his sins which he has committed will be remembered 00:22:13.73\00:22:16.67 against him. 00:22:16.70\00:22:18.30 He has done what is lawful and right. 00:22:18.33\00:22:19.90 He will live. I love that. 00:22:19.93\00:22:21.44 See, you got the gospel right there in the Old Testament. 00:22:21.47\00:22:23.94 Ezekiel of all people talk about saved by grace, you repent, you 00:22:23.97\00:22:28.11 got to turn. 00:22:28.14\00:22:29.48 God is merciful, he's long suffering, but He will in no 00:22:29.51\00:22:32.28 wise clear the guilty, meaning, if we persist in our lives of 00:22:32.31\00:22:35.68 sin, what more shall He do? 00:22:35.72\00:22:38.99 If we continue to sin willfully, Hebrews chapter 10:26, "After we 00:22:39.02\00:22:44.09 receive the knowledge of the truth, there's no more sacrifice 00:22:44.13\00:22:47.40 for sin." 00:22:47.40\00:22:48.63 Now, that doesn't mean you won't make a mistake, but it means if 00:22:48.66\00:22:50.77 you resign yourself to a life of sin after Jesus died to save you 00:22:50.80\00:22:54.50 from your sin, and you're not doing all you can humanly to 00:22:54.54\00:22:58.04 combine with His divine power to walk in a newness of life, 00:22:58.07\00:23:02.98 there's nothing more He can do. 00:23:03.01\00:23:05.35 You want Him To offer a second Son for you? 00:23:05.38\00:23:10.15 There is no more sacrifice for sin. 00:23:10.19\00:23:13.36 God is not willing that any should perish but all should 00:23:13.39\00:23:16.22 come to repentance. 00:23:16.26\00:23:18.03 Jesus said, Luke 13:1, "I tell you, but unless you repent, you 00:23:18.06\00:23:22.50 will all likewise perish." 00:23:22.53\00:23:24.03 Jesus is warning us. 00:23:24.07\00:23:26.00 John 5:14, "Afterward, Jesus found this man of the temple, he 00:23:26.03\00:23:29.54 had been healed a cripple in the pool of Bethesda. 00:23:29.57\00:23:31.81 He said, 'See, you've been made well, sin no more. 00:23:31.84\00:23:35.21 Do not turn back to that life of sin, lest the worst thing come 00:23:35.24\00:23:38.65 upon you.'" 00:23:38.68\00:23:40.02 He says to the woman who's caught in adultery, she's guilty 00:23:40.05\00:23:42.95 of sin. 00:23:42.98\00:23:44.29 He said, "I do not condemn you. 00:23:44.32\00:23:45.65 Go and sin no more." 00:23:45.69\00:23:47.89 You notice Jesus never said go and sin a little less. 00:23:47.92\00:23:50.83 He never said go and see if you can cut down on your sin, just 00:23:50.86\00:23:55.33 reduce, sin less than the people around you. 00:23:55.36\00:23:59.30 He tells us here in James 4, verse 7, "Therefore submit to 00:23:59.33\00:24:03.30 God, resist the devil and he will flee from you. 00:24:03.34\00:24:07.38 Draw near to God, He will draw near to you. 00:24:07.41\00:24:10.18 Cleanse your hands, you sinners. 00:24:10.21\00:24:12.15 Purify your hearts." 00:24:12.18\00:24:13.52 It's not just your actions, your hands, it's your hearts and 00:24:13.55\00:24:16.05 your mind. 00:24:16.08\00:24:17.39 "The pure in heart will see God." 00:24:17.42\00:24:19.32 So God wants us pure in action and in thought. 00:24:19.35\00:24:23.83 He says, "Cleanse your hands, you sinners. 00:24:23.86\00:24:25.96 Purify your hearts, you double minded. 00:24:25.99\00:24:27.96 Lament and mourn and weep sorrow for your sin. 00:24:27.96\00:24:31.00 Let your laughter be turned in mourning." 00:24:31.03\00:24:32.77 But He doesn't leave us that way, "Humble yourself in the 00:24:32.80\00:24:36.71 sight of God and He will lift you up." 00:24:36.74\00:24:39.27 He doesn't want to keep you there, but we need to realize 00:24:39.31\00:24:41.84 when we sin, what it costs. 00:24:41.88\00:24:44.18 It's not enough just to be a hearer of the Word, He wants us 00:24:44.21\00:24:47.25 to be a doer of the Word. 00:24:47.28\00:24:48.98 ¤¤¤ 00:24:49.02\00:24:52.95 Doug: You know, the power of choice is an amazing gift 00:24:52.99\00:24:55.46 from God. 00:24:55.49\00:24:56.83 But when a person is saved, do they choose God or does He 00:24:56.86\00:25:00.26 choose them? 00:25:00.30\00:25:01.80 And once a person is saved, do they still have the freedom to 00:25:01.83\00:25:05.43 reverse that decision? 00:25:05.47\00:25:07.57 Well, this is probably one of the most deeply discussed 00:25:07.60\00:25:10.44 concepts in the Bible, but if we're confused about what really 00:25:10.47\00:25:14.41 constitutes true salvation, well, that could be the most 00:25:14.44\00:25:18.11 expensive mistake we ever make. 00:25:18.15\00:25:20.48 Fortunately, you don't have to be confused about the Good News. 00:25:20.52\00:25:24.55 "Amazing Facts" would like to send you a special gift called 00:25:24.59\00:25:28.06 "Can a Saved Man Choose to be Lost?" 00:25:28.09\00:25:31.06 This is a short but very insightful book for anyone who 00:25:31.09\00:25:34.73 has questions about the "Once Saved Always Saved" teaching 00:25:34.73\00:25:37.97 that's now exploding through the Christian church. 00:25:38.00\00:25:40.54 It'll help you to find clarity and lasting meaning for your 00:25:40.57\00:25:43.64 life while inspiring you with the goodness and the fairness of 00:25:43.67\00:25:47.18 God's kingdom. 00:25:47.21\00:25:48.54 So don't wait friend. 00:25:48.58\00:25:49.81 To get your free copy, call the number on the screen and ask for 00:25:49.84\00:25:52.65 offer number 112 or visit the web address. 00:25:52.68\00:25:56.02 And after you read this incredible resource, make sure 00:25:56.05\00:25:59.05 and share it with a friend. 00:25:59.09\00:26:00.46 ¤¤¤ 00:26:00.49\00:26:05.63 Doug: Thank you for tuning in to "Amazing Facts." 00:26:06.83\00:26:09.46 Have you ever wanted to study the teachings of the Bible in an 00:26:09.50\00:26:12.77 easy to understand step by step way? 00:26:12.80\00:26:15.64 The Amazing Facts Bible School offers free, simple to follow 00:26:15.67\00:26:19.57 lessons that will guide you through all of the vital 00:26:19.61\00:26:22.61 teachings of scripture. 00:26:22.64\00:26:23.98 Visit AmazingBibleStudies.com to sign up for your free lessons. 00:26:24.01\00:26:29.28 They're available by mail or online. 00:26:29.32\00:26:31.99 Studies are also offered in multiple languages. 00:26:32.02\00:26:35.12 ¤¤¤ 00:26:35.16\00:26:44.03 ¤¤¤ 00:26:44.07\00:26:47.00 Doug: Is there any way you can turn these days to find hope for 00:26:48.54\00:26:51.87 a brighter future? 00:26:51.91\00:26:53.21 Yes, please join me Doug Batchelor on September 20, for 00:26:53.24\00:26:57.61 the start of "Amazing Facts Prophecy Odyssey," a Bible 00:26:57.65\00:27:01.72 study extravaganza. 00:27:01.75\00:27:03.45 These dynamic multimedia presentations will transform 00:27:03.49\00:27:07.22 what we know about the world and your purpose in it. 00:27:07.26\00:27:10.23 Bible prophecy is fast fulfilling. 00:27:10.26\00:27:12.69 Are you ready? 00:27:12.73\00:27:14.00 male announcer: For more information and to register, 00:27:14.03\00:27:15.80 visit prophecyodyssey.com. 00:27:15.83\00:27:18.50 Doug: Do you long to experience the peace that can only come 00:27:18.93\00:27:22.34 from our loving Heavenly Father? 00:27:22.37\00:27:24.61 Do you desire your heart to be clean and at rest? 00:27:24.64\00:27:27.78 Jesus stands before you right now with His arms open wide to 00:27:27.81\00:27:31.55 receive you. 00:27:31.58\00:27:32.91 Why not ask Him into your life right now. 00:27:32.95\00:27:35.82 Why not receive Him now as your personal savior. 00:27:35.85\00:27:39.52 Take that first step and say, yes, Lord, I choose you. 00:27:39.55\00:27:43.66 He is ready and waiting to receive you. 00:27:43.69\00:27:46.09 announcer: Don't forget to request today's free 00:27:52.33\00:27:53.80 offer, it's sure to be a blessing. 00:27:53.84\00:27:55.97 And thank you for your continued support 00:27:56.00\00:27:58.31 as we take the gospel of Jesus Christ 00:27:58.34\00:28:00.31 to the world. 00:28:00.34\00:28:01.71 We hope you'll join us next week as we delve 00:28:01.74\00:28:03.85 deep into the Word of God to explore more 00:28:03.88\00:28:06.61 Amazing Facts. 00:28:06.65\00:28:09.02 ¤¤¤ 00:28:09.05\00:28:14.52 ¤¤¤ 00:28:15.72\00:28:24.00 announcer: This presentation was brought to you by the friends of 00:28:24.03\00:28:26.67 the Amazing Facts ministry. 00:28:26.70\00:28:28.20