Hello, I'm Shelley Quinn 00:00:25.99\00:00:27.32 and we welcome you to 3ABN Worship Hour. 00:00:27.36\00:00:31.76 It is time to dive into the scriptures and see 00:00:31.79\00:00:36.67 what message the Lord has for us today. 00:00:36.70\00:00:38.73 I want to pose three questions. 00:00:38.77\00:00:41.77 First, can we have assurance of salvation? 00:00:41.80\00:00:47.01 Spoiler alert. 00:00:47.04\00:00:48.81 Yes, we can. 00:00:48.84\00:00:50.28 Second question is based on 2 Timothy 2:13, Paul says, 00:00:50.31\00:00:56.58 "If we are faithless, He is faithful, 00:00:56.62\00:00:59.62 for He cannot deny Himself." 00:00:59.65\00:01:02.32 My question is, 00:01:02.36\00:01:03.73 is that a word of comfort or a word of warning 00:01:03.76\00:01:07.83 that we need to guard 00:01:07.86\00:01:10.20 our relationship of grace with the Lord? 00:01:10.23\00:01:12.90 And then the third question is, 00:01:12.93\00:01:15.24 can we deny the grace that God has given us? 00:01:15.27\00:01:19.81 Can we turn our back on the gift of salvation 00:01:19.84\00:01:24.58 and just leave it lying in the dust? 00:01:24.61\00:01:28.18 Or is it once saved always saved? 00:01:28.22\00:01:33.32 That's the title of today's message, 00:01:33.36\00:01:35.89 "Once Saved, Always Saved?" 00:01:35.92\00:01:40.23 Let's pray. 00:01:43.23\00:01:44.57 Heavenly Father, we come in the name of Jesus. 00:01:44.60\00:01:46.77 Oh, how we thank You that You are a covenant making, 00:01:46.80\00:01:49.90 covenant keeping God. 00:01:49.94\00:01:51.41 How we thank You for Your grace 00:01:51.44\00:01:54.18 and Your plan of redemption. 00:01:54.21\00:01:57.25 How we thank You for the gifts of grace, 00:01:57.28\00:01:59.61 for Jesus Christ, 00:01:59.65\00:02:00.98 Your Holy Spirit, and your Word. 00:02:01.02\00:02:02.95 Lord, in the name of Jesus, 00:02:02.98\00:02:04.89 I pray You will get me out of the way, 00:02:04.92\00:02:07.19 speak to Your people today and may You get all the glory. 00:02:07.22\00:02:11.73 In Jesus' name, amen. 00:02:11.76\00:02:14.13 Before we consider these questions, 00:02:14.16\00:02:17.17 I want to lay a foundation of salvation by grace alone. 00:02:17.20\00:02:23.04 Now, some people don't know that the Bible clearly teaches 00:02:23.07\00:02:26.91 that some who are listening to my verse 00:02:26.94\00:02:28.84 may not even know what salvation by grace means. 00:02:28.88\00:02:32.68 You know, the Bible tells us 00:02:32.71\00:02:34.62 that God has an everlasting covenant, 00:02:34.65\00:02:39.42 and that is a covenant of redemption. 00:02:39.45\00:02:42.16 Revelation13:8 says, 00:02:42.19\00:02:44.63 "That Christ the Lamb was slain 00:02:44.66\00:02:48.50 before the foundation of the world." 00:02:48.53\00:02:51.07 And Paul wrote to Timothy and said, 00:02:51.10\00:02:53.17 "Hey, we were given grace in Christ Jesus 00:02:53.20\00:02:56.44 before time began, before it began on earth." 00:02:56.47\00:03:01.14 Grace is unmerited favor. 00:03:01.18\00:03:04.88 It is unearned gifts from God. 00:03:04.91\00:03:09.22 There is absolutely nothing 00:03:09.25\00:03:11.15 you and I can do to save ourselves. 00:03:11.19\00:03:13.25 Nothing, we just have to rely on the life, 00:03:13.29\00:03:17.66 the death and the resurrection of Jesus Christ. 00:03:17.69\00:03:21.33 We have to rely on our God 00:03:21.36\00:03:24.27 who humbled Himself and became a man 00:03:24.30\00:03:26.63 and then died to pay the penalty for our sin. 00:03:26.67\00:03:30.84 And I think we need to always remain 00:03:30.87\00:03:34.78 mindful of the cost of grace. 00:03:34.81\00:03:37.28 Grace may be free to us, but it cost Him everything. 00:03:37.31\00:03:41.95 Eternal life is given in two stages you might say. 00:03:41.98\00:03:46.96 The first is now, 00:03:46.99\00:03:48.56 God gives us the abundant life in Christ Jesus right now. 00:03:48.59\00:03:54.30 But the second is future. 00:03:54.33\00:03:57.10 It is resurrection from the dead. 00:03:57.13\00:04:00.54 It is putting on immortality when Christ returns. 00:04:00.57\00:04:06.07 Just read 1 Corinthians Chapter 15, 00:04:06.11\00:04:08.91 and you will see we're not immortal 00:04:08.94\00:04:12.08 until that last trumpet and Christ returns. 00:04:12.11\00:04:16.25 But then Paul says, 00:04:16.28\00:04:17.62 "We put on immortality and death is overcome." 00:04:17.65\00:04:22.72 Eternal life, 00:04:22.76\00:04:25.13 what's the big deal 00:04:25.16\00:04:26.80 about eternal life or what is eternal life? 00:04:26.83\00:04:29.56 That is to rescue us from the second death 00:04:29.60\00:04:34.84 when God obliterates sin and sinners. 00:04:34.87\00:04:39.07 When He turns this world into a lake of fire, 00:04:39.11\00:04:42.41 the Revelation calls that, 00:04:42.44\00:04:45.18 four different times it mentions the second death. 00:04:45.21\00:04:49.52 We are either going to be given eternal life, 00:04:49.55\00:04:52.82 or we will perish in the second death. 00:04:52.85\00:04:56.26 There are three progressive phases 00:04:56.29\00:04:59.39 to salvation by grace. 00:04:59.43\00:05:01.40 You could say, we are saved, 00:05:01.43\00:05:03.97 we are being saved and we will be saved. 00:05:04.00\00:05:07.84 The first is justification. 00:05:07.87\00:05:10.34 That's when God declares we're pardoned. 00:05:10.37\00:05:13.04 That's when God changes our record. 00:05:13.07\00:05:17.18 And we accept by faith what Christ did 00:05:17.21\00:05:20.42 as the Lamb of God 00:05:20.45\00:05:22.58 dying for the penalty of our sins. 00:05:22.62\00:05:25.75 And we are justified by grace. 00:05:25.79\00:05:30.13 We are saved. 00:05:30.16\00:05:32.63 We are justified of our past sins. 00:05:32.66\00:05:36.63 Now, the second phase is we will be sanctified, 00:05:36.67\00:05:42.37 and that's a progressive work of a lifetime. 00:05:42.40\00:05:46.47 To be sanctified simply means we're set apart from sin. 00:05:46.51\00:05:52.38 Actually, you know what? 00:05:52.41\00:05:54.12 The synonym for sanctification is holiness. 00:05:54.15\00:05:58.32 So holiness just means God sets us apart from sin. 00:05:58.35\00:06:03.76 He changes our character. 00:06:03.79\00:06:07.33 When we are born again 00:06:07.36\00:06:09.03 and filled with the Holy Spirit. 00:06:09.06\00:06:12.03 When we are led by the Spirit of God, 00:06:12.07\00:06:14.44 we are the children of God. 00:06:14.47\00:06:16.50 We are being saved in the present. 00:06:16.54\00:06:21.14 But then the third stage or phase of salvation 00:06:21.18\00:06:26.38 is when we will be glorified. 00:06:26.41\00:06:28.95 This is in the future. 00:06:28.98\00:06:30.52 Once again, go back to 1 Corinthians 15. 00:06:30.55\00:06:34.16 It is this mortal puts on immortality 00:06:34.19\00:06:39.23 when Christ returns 00:06:39.26\00:06:40.60 and we have a glorified body like Him. 00:06:40.63\00:06:45.23 This is how we can say 00:06:45.27\00:06:48.27 we shall be saved because it is guaranteed. 00:06:48.30\00:06:52.17 This future event has certainty for those who are in Christ. 00:06:52.21\00:06:56.14 Both the Old Testament 00:06:56.18\00:06:58.11 and the New Testament are clear, 00:06:58.15\00:07:00.42 salvation belongs to God. 00:07:00.45\00:07:02.48 And it's always been by grace through faith. 00:07:02.52\00:07:06.55 What we see in scripture, beginning in Genesis 3:15, 00:07:06.59\00:07:13.06 when God announces the seed, a Messiah, 00:07:13.09\00:07:16.63 who's gonna come and deliver. 00:07:16.67\00:07:18.37 What we see is every one of His covenants 00:07:18.40\00:07:22.14 build on the last 00:07:22.17\00:07:24.01 and God has progressively unfolding to us 00:07:24.04\00:07:26.91 the plan of salvation. 00:07:26.94\00:07:28.78 All of God's covenants are a will, 00:07:28.81\00:07:31.65 a testament, never a contract. 00:07:31.68\00:07:34.12 God makes all of the promises. 00:07:34.15\00:07:36.28 Then He invites us to enter into covenant with Him. 00:07:36.32\00:07:42.02 Now, God has some of His covenants are obligatory 00:07:42.06\00:07:47.30 and the covenant of salvation does have some steps. 00:07:47.33\00:07:53.40 Should we say that we have to keep what God asks of us 00:07:53.44\00:07:58.11 is that would we enter into covenant with Him 00:07:58.14\00:08:01.28 that we walk in loyalty to Him, that we love Him, 00:08:01.31\00:08:06.75 because covenant is all about a relationship. 00:08:06.78\00:08:10.99 It's a relationship of love with God. 00:08:11.02\00:08:13.79 And it's an agreement to walk governed by His authority, 00:08:13.82\00:08:20.80 His power of love. 00:08:20.83\00:08:23.13 So you might say, well, not might say, let's say it. 00:08:23.16\00:08:29.60 God's love is absolutely unconditional, 00:08:29.64\00:08:33.98 but His promises are not. 00:08:34.01\00:08:37.68 They are based on us 00:08:37.71\00:08:40.52 willingly submitting to His will. 00:08:40.55\00:08:44.52 Walking in obedience and to stay 00:08:44.55\00:08:47.96 in covenant relationship with the Lord. 00:08:47.99\00:08:50.83 We have to walk in obedience. 00:08:50.86\00:08:52.79 Otherwise we're breaking covenant with Him. 00:08:52.83\00:08:55.33 This is the thing that I love is that 00:08:55.36\00:08:58.53 God empowers us to walk in obedience. 00:08:58.57\00:09:01.60 He fills us. 00:09:01.64\00:09:03.34 He baptizes us with the Holy Spirit. 00:09:03.37\00:09:06.88 And let me just say this, 00:09:06.91\00:09:08.48 baptism of the Holy Spirit isn't an experience you seek, 00:09:08.51\00:09:14.12 the baptism of the Holy Spirit 00:09:14.15\00:09:16.25 is a reality that you accept when you're born again. 00:09:16.28\00:09:19.99 So the Bible says that God keeps covenant 00:09:20.02\00:09:22.72 with those who keep covenant with Him. 00:09:22.76\00:09:25.43 In Malachi 3:6, God says, "I am the Lord, I change not." 00:09:25.46\00:09:29.33 Hebrews 13:8 says, 00:09:29.36\00:09:31.17 "Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever." 00:09:31.20\00:09:35.74 So the spiritual principles of the Old Testament, 00:09:35.77\00:09:40.11 you will see echoed in the New Testament. 00:09:40.14\00:09:44.18 Let me give you an example. 00:09:44.21\00:09:46.58 In Ezekiel 33:18, God speaks. 00:09:46.61\00:09:52.02 And He says, when the righteous 00:09:52.05\00:09:55.02 and to be righteous with God means 00:09:55.06\00:09:56.59 you're in right standing with God. 00:09:56.62\00:09:59.16 You are walking according to His government of love. 00:09:59.19\00:10:03.20 But here's what God says. 00:10:03.23\00:10:05.27 When the righteous turns 00:10:05.30\00:10:09.30 from his righteousness and commits iniquity, 00:10:09.34\00:10:14.21 he shall die because of it. 00:10:14.24\00:10:16.91 Now, what death is He talking of? 00:10:16.95\00:10:18.81 The second death. 00:10:18.85\00:10:20.18 We all die the first death, 00:10:20.22\00:10:21.68 that is a biological certainty, 00:10:21.72\00:10:24.19 unless we are alive at Christ coming. 00:10:24.22\00:10:28.02 But He is saying, okay, 00:10:28.06\00:10:30.03 so you're walking along and you're a righteous man, 00:10:30.06\00:10:32.49 but you turn away from it 00:10:32.53\00:10:34.56 and commit iniquity in a habitual way. 00:10:34.60\00:10:37.97 He says, guess what? 00:10:38.00\00:10:39.50 You're gonna die because of it. 00:10:39.53\00:10:41.24 That's kind of a warning, but then I love this. 00:10:41.27\00:10:46.37 He says, when the wicked man over here, 00:10:46.41\00:10:51.48 who's not walking according to God's will. 00:10:51.51\00:10:54.02 When he turns from his wickedness 00:10:54.05\00:10:56.52 and does what is lawful and right 00:10:56.55\00:10:59.62 according to God's government, he shall live because of it. 00:10:59.65\00:11:05.76 Then He says, "I will judge every one of you 00:11:05.79\00:11:08.63 according to his own ways." 00:11:08.66\00:11:12.33 That's Ezekiel 33. 00:11:12.37\00:11:14.27 in the New Testament, 00:11:14.30\00:11:18.04 Jesus echoes the same principle. 00:11:18.07\00:11:21.04 "If anyone does not abide," and abide means to remain. 00:11:21.08\00:11:26.38 "If anyone does not abide in Me, 00:11:26.41\00:11:28.58 he is cast out as a branch and is withered 00:11:28.62\00:11:31.75 and they gather them 00:11:31.79\00:11:33.25 and throw them into the fire and they are burned." 00:11:33.29\00:11:37.29 Now, Paul echoes it again in Romans 11:21 and 23. 00:11:37.33\00:11:42.63 He says, "If God did not spare the natural branches," 00:11:42.66\00:11:46.87 he is speaking of Israel the biological seed of Abraham. 00:11:46.90\00:11:52.81 And remember, Jesus is the vine, 00:11:52.84\00:11:55.91 we are, the branches, we're grafted in, 00:11:55.94\00:11:57.98 and that's what Paul's talking about here. 00:11:58.01\00:11:59.95 But he says, "Hey, if He didn't spare Israel, 00:11:59.98\00:12:02.42 the natural branches, 00:12:02.45\00:12:04.52 He may not spare you either the spiritual seed of Abraham." 00:12:04.55\00:12:10.43 Therefore, he says, 00:12:10.46\00:12:12.16 "Consider the goodness and the severity of God 00:12:12.19\00:12:17.80 on those who fell severity. 00:12:17.83\00:12:21.34 But toward you, goodness, 00:12:21.37\00:12:23.04 if you continue in His goodness," 00:12:23.07\00:12:28.08 is what Paul says. 00:12:28.11\00:12:29.44 How important that is 00:12:29.48\00:12:30.95 that we continue walking in God's goodness. 00:12:30.98\00:12:35.42 Otherwise you will also be cut off. 00:12:35.45\00:12:37.49 And they also, 00:12:37.52\00:12:39.59 if they do not continue in unbelief, 00:12:39.62\00:12:42.79 will be grafted in 00:12:42.82\00:12:44.79 for God is able to graft them in again. 00:12:44.83\00:12:48.13 Do you see how that echoes Ezekiel 33? 00:12:48.16\00:12:52.17 God's message is consistent throughout scripture. 00:12:52.20\00:12:56.60 We see God speaking to Moses in Exodus 32. 00:12:56.64\00:13:00.48 And He says to Moses, 00:13:00.51\00:13:03.98 "Anyone, whoever has sinned against me, 00:13:04.01\00:13:07.68 I will blot him out of my Book." 00:13:07.72\00:13:11.92 What book is He referring to? 00:13:11.95\00:13:13.46 The Book of Life, the register of the redeemed. 00:13:13.49\00:13:16.89 So their name is in the Book of Life. 00:13:16.93\00:13:19.49 That means they have been that one of God's elect, 00:13:19.53\00:13:23.16 but He says, "If you sin against Me, 00:13:23.20\00:13:25.30 I'm gonna blot you out of My book." 00:13:25.33\00:13:27.17 What? 00:13:27.20\00:13:28.64 But guess what? 00:13:28.67\00:13:30.01 Jesus echoes this, saying it in a reverse way. 00:13:30.04\00:13:34.94 Listen to what Jesus says in Revelation 3:5, 00:13:34.98\00:13:38.35 "He who overcomes, 00:13:38.38\00:13:40.45 he who overcomes sin 00:13:40.48\00:13:42.35 by the power of the Holy Spirit, by Christ, 00:13:42.38\00:13:45.05 living in our hearts, through faith. 00:13:45.09\00:13:47.09 He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments. 00:13:47.12\00:13:50.96 And I will not blot out his name 00:13:50.99\00:13:55.23 from the Book of Life." 00:13:55.26\00:13:56.90 That implies if you don't overcome, 00:13:56.93\00:13:59.50 if you don't accept the divine assistance of grace, 00:13:59.53\00:14:04.94 you could be blotted out. 00:14:04.97\00:14:07.08 And He says, "I will confess, if you overcome, 00:14:07.11\00:14:10.31 I won't blot your name out of the Book of Life, 00:14:10.35\00:14:12.78 but I'll confess his name before my Father 00:14:12.81\00:14:15.08 and before His angels." 00:14:15.12\00:14:16.58 So that's our foundation. 00:14:16.62\00:14:18.29 That leads me to a story. 00:14:18.32\00:14:19.65 Let me tell you what happened years ago. 00:14:19.69\00:14:22.56 A Baptist preacher had heard me speak 00:14:22.59\00:14:24.69 and he asked me to come 00:14:24.73\00:14:26.06 to his church and teach a series. 00:14:26.09\00:14:28.66 Well, on the fifth night, 00:14:28.70\00:14:30.20 as I am speaking about halfway 00:14:30.23\00:14:32.73 through the back doors 00:14:32.77\00:14:34.87 get swung open clanging and banging. 00:14:34.90\00:14:37.74 And in walks a man who is drunk as a skunk, 00:14:37.77\00:14:42.08 reeling from one aisle to the next. 00:14:42.11\00:14:46.45 He just bumping into things, 00:14:46.48\00:14:48.02 coming down the aisle, cursing and swearing. 00:14:48.05\00:14:50.59 And I mean, when you're a speaker 00:14:50.62\00:14:52.39 and this is happening, it's kind of alarming. 00:14:52.42\00:14:54.79 And you just ah... 00:14:54.82\00:14:56.16 Well, what happened is 00:14:56.19\00:14:57.53 five of the little ladies of the church jump up 00:14:57.56\00:15:00.83 and they get around him and they're saying, 00:15:00.86\00:15:02.60 "Oh, don't worry, brother, you're saved. 00:15:02.63\00:15:04.47 Once saved, always saved." 00:15:04.50\00:15:06.07 You're saved, and I'm sitting there and I said, 00:15:06.10\00:15:08.77 what makes you think he's saved? 00:15:08.80\00:15:11.17 And they said, well, five years ago, 00:15:11.21\00:15:14.14 we had an evangelistic series and he came down front 00:15:14.18\00:15:19.35 and he said a prayer too, he made a decision for Jesus. 00:15:19.38\00:15:24.85 I wanna to tell you something. 00:15:24.89\00:15:27.49 Salvation is more than making a decision for Jesus. 00:15:27.52\00:15:30.96 Salvation is more 00:15:30.99\00:15:32.96 than asking Him to be your savior. 00:15:32.99\00:15:37.50 Salvation means He is Lord of your life, 00:15:37.53\00:15:42.44 that He is the ruler of your life. 00:15:42.47\00:15:45.24 And you know what I believe, 00:15:45.27\00:15:46.84 I believe if this man's prayer was sincere 00:15:46.88\00:15:50.75 those many years before that God heard it 00:15:50.78\00:15:55.12 and justified him, pardoned his record. 00:15:55.15\00:15:57.92 Why? 00:15:57.95\00:15:59.29 Because 1 John 1:9 says, "When we confess our sins, 00:15:59.32\00:16:01.92 He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins 00:16:01.96\00:16:05.66 and to cleanse our record of all unrighteousness." 00:16:05.69\00:16:09.13 But obviously this man fell away 00:16:09.16\00:16:13.80 from the path of salvation. 00:16:13.84\00:16:15.54 He did not continue from the first phase 00:16:15.57\00:16:18.24 to the second phase of sanctification. 00:16:18.27\00:16:21.08 He was not separated from his sin. 00:16:21.11\00:16:24.51 And in my estimation, 00:16:24.55\00:16:26.11 these ladies were giving him a false sense of security. 00:16:26.15\00:16:30.52 He thought that he could live like the devil 00:16:30.55\00:16:33.36 in habitual sin and still be saved. 00:16:33.39\00:16:36.79 Now, in fairness to my precious brothers and sisters 00:16:36.83\00:16:40.43 who believe in once saved, always saved, I will say this. 00:16:40.46\00:16:44.83 They would argue, well, 00:16:44.87\00:16:46.67 he was never really saved 00:16:46.70\00:16:48.54 because if he'd been born again, 00:16:48.57\00:16:50.71 he couldn't fall away. 00:16:50.74\00:16:52.41 Here's my question to my brothers and sisters 00:16:52.44\00:16:56.71 who believe this. 00:16:56.75\00:16:59.65 If you don't know 00:16:59.68\00:17:02.02 that you're not saved till you fall away, 00:17:02.05\00:17:05.09 how do you ever have assurance of salvation? 00:17:05.12\00:17:08.39 How do you ever know that you won't fall away? 00:17:08.42\00:17:14.33 How do you ever know that you weren't really saved? 00:17:14.36\00:17:18.77 I believe if we are understand that salvation 00:17:18.80\00:17:23.54 is only for the covenant relationship 00:17:23.57\00:17:27.28 of living with God that we understand 00:17:27.31\00:17:32.05 that we have to remain in relationship with Him. 00:17:32.08\00:17:35.08 Then we will know that if we break the covenant 00:17:35.12\00:17:40.56 and don't that we're in danger. 00:17:40.59\00:17:43.09 Eternal life is something that we want, 00:17:43.12\00:17:47.53 not just now 00:17:47.56\00:17:49.10 with the abundant life Christ gives us. 00:17:49.13\00:17:51.27 But we want to put on that immortality. 00:17:51.30\00:17:55.10 So this leads me to our question. 00:17:55.14\00:17:58.01 Can we have assurance of salvation? 00:17:58.04\00:18:01.38 Let me tell you this. 00:18:01.41\00:18:03.01 If you remain in Christ, if you're abiding in Christ, 00:18:03.04\00:18:08.02 you can absolutely have 00:18:08.05\00:18:12.92 assurance of your salvation. 00:18:12.95\00:18:15.69 There is no question about it. 00:18:15.72\00:18:17.43 And let me read to you 00:18:17.46\00:18:18.79 from 1 John 5:10-13, John writes, 00:18:18.83\00:18:23.06 "He who believes in the Son of God 00:18:23.10\00:18:25.03 has the witness in himself, 00:18:25.07\00:18:26.70 he who does not believe God has made Him a liar." 00:18:26.74\00:18:31.31 Wow! 00:18:31.34\00:18:32.67 That'll wake you up. 00:18:32.71\00:18:34.04 If you're not believing God's promises, 00:18:34.08\00:18:35.51 you're calling God a liar. 00:18:35.54\00:18:37.68 That's blasphemy. 00:18:37.71\00:18:39.91 "Because he has not believed the testimony 00:18:39.95\00:18:42.85 that God has given of His Son." 00:18:42.88\00:18:44.99 This is the testimony He says in verse 11, 00:18:45.02\00:18:47.89 I mean 1 John 5:11. 00:18:47.92\00:18:50.79 "This is the testimony that God has given us eternal life, 00:18:50.83\00:18:55.96 and this life is in His Son." 00:18:56.00\00:19:00.77 What does He mean if you are in Jesus, 00:19:00.80\00:19:04.67 if you are believing in Jesus? 00:19:04.71\00:19:08.38 And that means believing is to be living in Jesus. 00:19:08.41\00:19:14.35 Then He says, 00:19:14.38\00:19:16.18 "His eternal life, this life is in the Son. 00:19:16.22\00:19:19.29 He who has the Son has life. 00:19:19.32\00:19:22.76 You have eternal life. 00:19:22.79\00:19:24.99 He who does not have the Son does not have life. 00:19:25.03\00:19:27.86 These things I've written to you who believe 00:19:27.90\00:19:30.40 in the name of the Son of God, that you may know," 00:19:30.43\00:19:33.34 this is what John is saying, 00:19:33.37\00:19:35.00 "that you may know that you have eternal life." 00:19:35.04\00:19:38.31 Are you in Christ Jesus? 00:19:38.34\00:19:40.48 You have eternal life. 00:19:40.51\00:19:42.11 Hallelujah. 00:19:42.14\00:19:43.68 There's no question about it. 00:19:43.71\00:19:45.51 And he says, 00:19:45.55\00:19:46.88 and that you may continue 00:19:46.92\00:19:49.98 to believe in the name of the Son of God. 00:19:50.02\00:19:54.29 And as I said, continuing to believe, 00:19:54.32\00:19:57.93 this is not just a mental assent 00:19:57.96\00:20:00.73 where we agree that, yeah, 00:20:00.76\00:20:03.13 Jesus died for us, I believe that. 00:20:03.16\00:20:04.97 No, no, no. 00:20:05.00\00:20:06.33 Even the demons believe like that James says 00:20:06.37\00:20:09.64 and they shutter. 00:20:09.67\00:20:11.07 Two, if we are believing in Christ, 00:20:11.11\00:20:15.64 we will be living in Christ. 00:20:15.68\00:20:20.65 If you have the Son, if you're abiding in the Son, 00:20:20.68\00:20:24.52 you can have assurance of salvation. 00:20:24.55\00:20:27.19 I want to quote something. 00:20:27.22\00:20:29.02 I rarely quote Ellen White, 00:20:29.06\00:20:30.86 mainly because she says not to, but Ellen G. White, 00:20:30.89\00:20:36.50 The Faith I Live By in page 100. 00:20:36.53\00:20:39.03 Here's what she says. 00:20:39.07\00:20:40.64 "It is not God's will that you should be distressful 00:20:40.67\00:20:46.51 and torture your soul with a fear 00:20:46.54\00:20:49.34 that God will not accept you 00:20:49.38\00:20:50.78 because you are sinful and unworthy." 00:20:50.81\00:20:52.55 Did you get that? 00:20:52.58\00:20:54.18 Don't be distressful. 00:20:54.22\00:20:56.45 Don't torture your soul. 00:20:56.48\00:20:58.19 Don't fear that God's not accepting you 00:20:58.22\00:21:00.89 because you're sinful and unworthy. 00:21:00.92\00:21:02.86 She goes on to say, 00:21:02.89\00:21:04.46 "You can say, I know I am a sinner. 00:21:04.49\00:21:08.50 And that is the reason I need a savior. 00:21:08.53\00:21:11.07 I have no merit or goodness whereby I may claim salvation. 00:21:11.10\00:21:17.44 But I present before God, 00:21:17.47\00:21:19.41 the all atoning blood of the spotless Lamb of God, 00:21:19.44\00:21:23.31 which taketh away the sin of the world." 00:21:23.35\00:21:26.72 And she finishes and she says, "This is my only plea." 00:21:26.75\00:21:31.15 That's Ellen White, The Faith I Live By, page 100. 00:21:31.19\00:21:36.52 We need to have assurance of salvation. 00:21:36.56\00:21:42.03 And if we're abiding in Him, we will. 00:21:42.06\00:21:45.60 But let me tell you something, 00:21:45.63\00:21:47.17 remaining in Christ 00:21:47.20\00:21:48.60 doesn't mean that you will never sin. 00:21:48.64\00:21:51.61 I love Micah 7:8. 00:21:51.64\00:21:54.21 Micah 7:8 he says, 00:21:54.24\00:21:56.64 "Do not rejoice over me my enemy. 00:21:56.68\00:21:59.11 When I fall, I will arise. 00:21:59.15\00:22:01.02 When I sit in darkness, 00:22:01.05\00:22:02.95 the Lord will be a light to me." 00:22:02.98\00:22:06.35 God is the perfect father. 00:22:06.39\00:22:08.96 If you're in covenant relationship with you, 00:22:08.99\00:22:11.73 His promise is I will be your God 00:22:11.76\00:22:13.86 and you will be My children. 00:22:13.90\00:22:15.83 As a child of God, when you fall, 00:22:15.86\00:22:18.43 He is the perfect father. 00:22:18.47\00:22:20.54 He is going to come pick you up, 00:22:20.57\00:22:22.67 bandage you up. 00:22:22.70\00:22:24.57 And He doesn't quit loving you when you fall. 00:22:24.61\00:22:28.48 Listen to what Paul says in Romans 8:38-39. 00:22:28.51\00:22:32.91 He says, "I am persuaded that neither death nor life, 00:22:32.95\00:22:35.82 nor angels nor principalities nor powers, 00:22:35.85\00:22:38.25 nor things present nor things to come, 00:22:38.29\00:22:41.46 nor height nor depth," 00:22:41.49\00:22:43.12 I think he's run out of things, but then to make sure he says, 00:22:43.16\00:22:47.10 "nor any other created thing, 00:22:47.13\00:22:50.63 shall be able to separate us from the love of God 00:22:50.67\00:22:54.70 which is in Christ Jesus." 00:22:54.74\00:22:57.07 God's love for you is unconditional. 00:22:57.11\00:22:59.77 And if you're a sinner, 00:22:59.81\00:23:01.38 all you have to do when you sin 00:23:01.41\00:23:03.78 is call out and confess your sin. 00:23:03.81\00:23:07.28 And again, 1 John 1:9 00:23:07.32\00:23:09.88 "He is faithful and just to forgive you of your sin 00:23:09.92\00:23:13.25 and cleanse you of all unrighteousness." 00:23:13.29\00:23:15.49 Now, let's talk about the possibility of entering 00:23:15.52\00:23:22.50 into a covenant relationship with the Lord, 00:23:22.53\00:23:24.83 of accepting His gift of salvation by grace, 00:23:24.87\00:23:28.07 only to carelessly 00:23:28.10\00:23:31.11 or worse intentionally walk away, 00:23:31.14\00:23:35.11 leaving this gift in the dust. 00:23:35.14\00:23:37.11 Let me tell you something. 00:23:37.15\00:23:38.65 Apathy is a dangerous heart condition. 00:23:38.68\00:23:42.42 And I believe apathy. 00:23:42.45\00:23:44.05 When we don't love God, 00:23:44.09\00:23:46.49 when we don't walk according to His purpose, 00:23:46.52\00:23:49.12 that's what leads to apostasy. 00:23:49.16\00:23:51.56 Apostasy is a biblical concept. 00:23:51.59\00:23:56.36 Now the implications of apostasy are hotly debated. 00:23:56.40\00:24:02.60 Some will say, 00:24:02.64\00:24:04.57 "Oh, people who apostatize were never really saved." 00:24:04.61\00:24:08.11 Others will say, 00:24:08.14\00:24:09.91 "Oh, you can't change 00:24:09.94\00:24:11.88 God's plan of sovereign election." 00:24:11.91\00:24:15.22 Well, Israel was God's elect people. 00:24:15.25\00:24:20.32 They were selected by God to be the nation 00:24:20.36\00:24:24.39 that would take His gospel to every nation of the world. 00:24:24.43\00:24:29.96 And it was the gospel. 00:24:30.00\00:24:31.63 Hebrews 1:3 says, 00:24:31.67\00:24:33.00 "Hey, they had the same gospel message 00:24:33.03\00:24:35.24 preached to them that we had to us." 00:24:35.27\00:24:37.01 But it didn't do them any good 00:24:37.04\00:24:38.97 because it says he didn't profit them 00:24:39.01\00:24:42.78 because he didn't mix the message with faith. 00:24:42.81\00:24:46.72 And we know that God says that He wants to save all men. 00:24:46.75\00:24:51.52 Well, actually Paul says that to 1 Timothy, 00:24:51.55\00:24:53.76 in 1 Timothy 2:4, 00:24:53.79\00:24:55.49 "That God wants all men to come into the knowledge, 00:24:55.52\00:25:00.06 the saving knowledge of the Savior. 00:25:00.10\00:25:02.73 He wants all men to know the truth and to be saved." 00:25:02.76\00:25:07.47 Now, so, some say, well, they weren't really saved, 00:25:07.50\00:25:11.61 some say, hey, 00:25:11.64\00:25:12.97 if you apostatize that means that. 00:25:13.01\00:25:15.78 I mean, it can't be, 00:25:15.81\00:25:17.51 you can't go against 00:25:17.55\00:25:18.88 God's sovereign will of election. 00:25:18.91\00:25:21.22 Then others say, 00:25:21.25\00:25:22.88 and I'm in this camp 00:25:22.92\00:25:24.42 that God never violates our freewill. 00:25:24.45\00:25:28.56 Salvation is His gift. 00:25:28.59\00:25:30.66 He gives it, He offers it to us. 00:25:30.69\00:25:33.26 It's our choice to receive it. 00:25:33.29\00:25:35.23 But it's our choice if we decide 00:25:35.26\00:25:38.63 we're gonna change direction. 00:25:38.67\00:25:40.97 If we reject Him, 00:25:41.00\00:25:42.47 freewill is something God never violates. 00:25:42.50\00:25:46.51 Apostasy in the Old Testament 00:25:46.54\00:25:50.01 is explained as religious unfaithfulness, 00:25:50.05\00:25:52.78 sinning against the Lord, 00:25:52.81\00:25:54.22 rebelling intentionally, falling away, backsliding. 00:25:54.25\00:25:59.95 And I love what Paul, 00:25:59.99\00:26:01.89 how Paul warns us 00:26:01.92\00:26:04.26 in his first letter to the Corinthians. 00:26:04.29\00:26:06.96 He's talking, giving a brief history 00:26:07.00\00:26:09.66 of the wanderings of the Israel nation. 00:26:09.70\00:26:14.00 God's elect people, His covenant people. 00:26:14.04\00:26:17.11 He tells of their transgressions 00:26:17.14\00:26:19.41 and how God keeps trying to call them 00:26:19.44\00:26:21.81 back into relationship 00:26:21.84\00:26:23.28 until they finally exhaust the Lord's patience. 00:26:23.31\00:26:26.58 Paul explains that God's judgment against them 00:26:26.61\00:26:30.39 was a warning to Christians. 00:26:30.42\00:26:32.55 And he concludes by this statement. 00:26:32.59\00:26:36.96 1 Corinthians 10:12, 00:26:36.99\00:26:40.16 "Therefore, 00:26:40.20\00:26:42.13 let him who thinks he stands 00:26:42.16\00:26:45.80 take heed, lest he fall." 00:26:45.83\00:26:50.27 In the New Testament, apostasia, 00:26:50.31\00:26:54.44 the word for apostasy is only used twice, 00:26:54.48\00:26:56.78 but frequently, the concept is there. 00:26:56.81\00:27:01.82 We see it as turning away from God, 00:27:01.85\00:27:04.45 falling away defection. 00:27:04.49\00:27:06.25 And the related noun is divorce. 00:27:06.29\00:27:09.29 When we fall away from God, it's like, we're saying, yeah, 00:27:09.32\00:27:13.16 I was married to you once, my maker was my husband, 00:27:13.19\00:27:16.10 but let's just call this off. 00:27:16.13\00:27:19.60 We'll divorce. 00:27:19.63\00:27:20.97 Let's look at some of the warnings, 00:27:21.00\00:27:22.57 'cause I don't want you to go by Shelley Quinn's word. 00:27:22.60\00:27:25.47 You know, it doesn't make 00:27:25.51\00:27:26.84 a hill of beans a difference what I say. 00:27:26.88\00:27:28.88 What's important is what the Bible has to say. 00:27:28.91\00:27:33.62 So let's look at some of the warnings 00:27:33.65\00:27:36.32 to Christians in the New Testament. 00:27:36.35\00:27:39.35 In 2 Peter 2:1-22. 00:27:39.39\00:27:43.76 All of those 22 verses, 00:27:43.79\00:27:46.03 the Apostle Peter is issuing 00:27:46.06\00:27:49.00 a strong alert against the possible danger 00:27:49.03\00:27:52.27 of falling away from the Lord. 00:27:52.30\00:27:54.30 He warns up the seduction of false teachers 00:27:54.34\00:27:59.04 who corrupt good morals. 00:27:59.07\00:28:01.78 He's talking to Christians, 00:28:01.81\00:28:03.55 he's talking about falling away. 00:28:03.58\00:28:05.78 He says they corrupt good morals 00:28:05.81\00:28:07.92 by speaking great swelling words of emptiness. 00:28:07.95\00:28:14.82 What is their allure? 00:28:14.86\00:28:16.83 The lofty expressions of liberty 00:28:16.86\00:28:21.23 from the restrictions of God's Word. 00:28:21.26\00:28:25.07 They teach people to walk after the flesh, he says. 00:28:25.10\00:28:28.90 They delude Christians 00:28:28.94\00:28:30.91 who at one time adhered to the truth, he says. 00:28:30.94\00:28:34.94 Turning them aside from the way of righteousness, 00:28:34.98\00:28:38.75 of walking in God's path of life 00:28:38.78\00:28:42.68 and from the Holy commandment. 00:28:42.72\00:28:44.39 Listen, how he concludes this. 00:28:44.42\00:28:46.19 This is 2 Peter 2:20-22, 00:28:46.22\00:28:51.83 well this ought to get your attention. 00:28:51.86\00:28:54.36 "For if, after they have escaped 00:28:54.40\00:28:58.20 the pollutions of the world 00:28:58.23\00:28:59.57 through the knowledge of the Lord 00:28:59.60\00:29:00.94 and Savior Jesus Christ," 00:29:00.97\00:29:02.34 there's only one way to escape and that is to be saved." 00:29:02.37\00:29:06.94 And he's saying, "If after this has happened, 00:29:06.98\00:29:10.41 they are again entangled in them, 00:29:10.45\00:29:14.78 in the pollutions of the world. 00:29:14.82\00:29:16.79 He says, and they are overcome, 00:29:16.82\00:29:20.36 the latter end is worse than the beginning. 00:29:20.39\00:29:22.92 For it would have been better for them 00:29:22.96\00:29:24.43 not to have known 00:29:24.46\00:29:25.79 the way of righteousness than having known it, 00:29:25.83\00:29:29.53 to turn away 00:29:29.56\00:29:32.83 from the holy commandment delivered to them. 00:29:32.87\00:29:35.20 But it has happened to them according to the true proverb: 00:29:35.24\00:29:41.08 'A dog returns to his own vomit,' 00:29:41.11\00:29:45.18 and, 'a sow, having washed, 00:29:45.21\00:29:47.92 to her wallowing in the mire.'" 00:29:47.95\00:29:51.89 Now he goes on in the next chapter. 00:29:51.92\00:29:54.79 2 Peter 3:16-18 here 00:29:54.82\00:29:58.76 he's speaking of Paul's writings. 00:29:58.79\00:30:00.76 And he says, 00:30:00.80\00:30:02.23 "Okay, I admit 00:30:02.26\00:30:04.13 some things that Paul writes are hard to understand 00:30:04.17\00:30:07.10 which untaught and unstable people twist 00:30:07.14\00:30:12.61 to their own destruction 00:30:12.64\00:30:14.74 as they do the rest of the scriptures." 00:30:14.78\00:30:17.38 Let me tell you something. 00:30:17.41\00:30:19.05 God changed my life through using Bible software. 00:30:19.08\00:30:23.62 You know what I did when God 00:30:23.65\00:30:25.59 first called me to full-time ministry? 00:30:25.62\00:30:28.22 When I was studying a topic and I still do this, 00:30:28.26\00:30:32.29 I printed out every scripture from Genesis to Revelation, 00:30:32.33\00:30:38.03 because you can't just pluck a scripture 00:30:38.07\00:30:41.44 out of context and then build a doctrine, a teaching on that. 00:30:41.47\00:30:47.04 No, it has to be according to the message 00:30:47.08\00:30:50.71 of entire Scripture. 00:30:50.75\00:30:52.81 So he says to them, "You therefore beloved," 00:30:52.85\00:30:57.75 he is speaking 00:30:57.79\00:30:59.12 to his beloved brothers and sisters in Christ, 00:30:59.15\00:31:02.62 "beware lest you also fall 00:31:02.66\00:31:07.96 from your own steadfastness 00:31:08.00\00:31:10.30 being led away in the error of the wicked." 00:31:10.33\00:31:12.93 Don't fall away from your steadfastness. 00:31:12.97\00:31:16.30 Now he says, "But grow in grace." 00:31:16.34\00:31:19.84 It's not just a one-time thing. 00:31:19.87\00:31:23.41 Grace is God's unearned, 00:31:23.45\00:31:27.22 unmerited gifts 00:31:27.25\00:31:32.22 that are His divine assistance for salvation. 00:31:32.25\00:31:36.29 The greatest gift was Jesus Christ. 00:31:36.32\00:31:38.59 The next greatest gift 00:31:38.63\00:31:39.96 is the Holy Spirit and His Word. 00:31:40.00\00:31:41.80 He says, "Grow in grace 00:31:41.83\00:31:44.57 and the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." 00:31:44.60\00:31:47.87 But I want you to see 00:31:47.90\00:31:49.87 what the author of Hebrews has to say. 00:31:49.90\00:31:52.04 We're gonna begin Hebrews 3:12, 00:31:52.07\00:31:54.91 "Beware brethren, " again, 00:31:54.94\00:31:58.58 he's talking to his brothers and sisters in Christ, 00:31:58.61\00:32:02.32 "lest there be in any of you, 00:32:02.35\00:32:05.99 an evil heart of unbelief 00:32:06.02\00:32:08.72 in departing from the living God." 00:32:08.76\00:32:12.86 This warning to Christians 00:32:12.89\00:32:15.80 concerns the possibility 00:32:15.83\00:32:18.03 of detouring from God's path of life, 00:32:18.07\00:32:21.60 His narrow path, 00:32:21.64\00:32:23.20 according to Jesus and walking away 00:32:23.24\00:32:25.64 from the source of His grace. 00:32:25.67\00:32:27.44 If we draw back from following in the footsteps of Jesus, 00:32:27.48\00:32:32.45 we are departing from the living God. 00:32:32.48\00:32:34.95 Now let's look at Hebrews Chapter 10, 00:32:34.98\00:32:37.75 well, this is heavy. 00:32:37.79\00:32:39.15 This is heavy stuff, but we got to hear it. 00:32:39.19\00:32:42.26 Hebrews 10, we'll begin with verse 26. 00:32:42.29\00:32:45.79 He says, "If we sin willfully," and in the Greek, 00:32:45.83\00:32:51.40 this is a determined, deliberate, 00:32:51.43\00:32:54.77 premeditated sin and it implies a habitual sin. 00:32:54.80\00:32:59.74 "If we sin willfully, 00:32:59.77\00:33:01.58 after we have received the knowledge of the truth." 00:33:01.61\00:33:05.28 Their knowledge denotes specific knowledge, 00:33:05.31\00:33:08.15 not just a general knowledge. 00:33:08.18\00:33:11.42 And I'll give you an example. 00:33:11.45\00:33:13.05 Judas Iscariot, 00:33:13.09\00:33:14.79 he didn't have lack of knowledge. 00:33:14.82\00:33:17.39 What he had was lack of faith. 00:33:17.43\00:33:19.89 And he apostatized. 00:33:19.93\00:33:21.60 So it says, "If we sin willfully 00:33:21.63\00:33:23.53 after we have received the knowledge of the truth, 00:33:23.57\00:33:26.70 there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 00:33:26.74\00:33:31.27 but a certain fearful expectation of judgment 00:33:31.31\00:33:35.11 and fiery indignation, 00:33:35.14\00:33:38.38 which will devour the adversaries." 00:33:38.41\00:33:41.02 Then he says, "Anyone who has rejected Moses' law 00:33:41.05\00:33:45.35 dies without mercy 00:33:45.39\00:33:46.72 on the testimony of two or three witnesses." 00:33:46.76\00:33:49.22 Now catch this, 00:33:49.26\00:33:50.93 "Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, 00:33:50.96\00:33:54.40 will he be thought worthy 00:33:54.43\00:33:56.53 who trampled the Son of God underfoot, 00:33:56.56\00:34:01.34 and counted the blood of the covenant 00:34:01.37\00:34:07.34 by which he was sanctified a common thing, 00:34:07.38\00:34:13.08 and insulted the Spirit of grace?" 00:34:13.11\00:34:18.39 You know, the writers of Hebrew in verse 13, I mean, 00:34:18.42\00:34:21.19 in Chapter 13 says 00:34:21.22\00:34:23.49 "That Christ blood is the blood of the everlasting covenant." 00:34:23.53\00:34:28.03 He ratified the new covenant, 00:34:28.06\00:34:31.00 which by the way, new means a new phase. 00:34:31.03\00:34:34.37 Like when we say new moon, it means renewed. 00:34:34.40\00:34:37.61 God is renewing His covenant with us 00:34:37.64\00:34:40.91 and Christ blood ratified the new covenant, 00:34:40.94\00:34:44.51 just as Moses in the Old Testament 00:34:44.55\00:34:48.08 ratified the old covenant 00:34:48.12\00:34:50.72 with the blood of animals. 00:34:50.75\00:34:55.42 They all pointed to Jesus Christ. 00:34:55.46\00:34:58.06 So to turn away from Christ sacrifice 00:34:58.09\00:35:00.46 and only His blood can cleanse us from sin. 00:35:00.50\00:35:04.13 If we turn away from His sacrifice, 00:35:04.17\00:35:07.04 there is no alternative sacrifice for sin. 00:35:07.07\00:35:10.67 So it goes on. 00:35:10.71\00:35:12.04 Let's jump down to Hebrews 10:35. 00:35:12.07\00:35:15.71 'Cause he's talking about drawing back 00:35:15.74\00:35:18.75 from living in faith. 00:35:18.78\00:35:20.85 "Therefore, he says, 00:35:20.88\00:35:22.22 do not cast away your confidence, 00:35:22.25\00:35:23.65 which has great reward. 00:35:23.69\00:35:25.75 For you have need of endurance." 00:35:25.79\00:35:29.19 Endurance means to remain, to abide, to patiently suffer. 00:35:29.22\00:35:33.83 "You have need of endurance, so that after," 00:35:33.86\00:35:39.30 catch that word, 00:35:39.33\00:35:41.07 "you need of endurance 00:35:41.10\00:35:42.94 so that after you've done the will of God, 00:35:42.97\00:35:45.37 you may receive the promise: 00:35:45.41\00:35:47.34 'For yet a little while, 00:35:47.38\00:35:48.71 and He who is coming will come and will not tarry." 00:35:48.74\00:35:52.61 And now he's quoting God. 00:35:52.65\00:35:54.58 He says, "The just shall live by faith, 00:35:54.62\00:35:57.05 but if anyone draws back, 00:35:57.09\00:35:59.12 My soul has no pleasure in him." 00:35:59.15\00:36:01.52 You know, that's just a few of the New Testament warnings, 00:36:01.56\00:36:05.16 but it does show that believers can apostatize. 00:36:05.19\00:36:10.47 They must remain, 00:36:10.50\00:36:12.30 their warnings to remain to abide in Jesus 00:36:12.33\00:36:15.57 and not turn away from following Him, 00:36:15.60\00:36:18.51 from obeying God's holy commandments, 00:36:18.54\00:36:21.24 not to sin willfully, 00:36:21.28\00:36:22.94 not to fall from our steadfastness. 00:36:22.98\00:36:25.38 Now, let's get to all of that foundation. 00:36:25.41\00:36:29.35 Let's get to 2 Timothy Chapter 2. 00:36:29.38\00:36:33.36 2 Timothy 2:11-13, Paul begins and he says, 00:36:33.39\00:36:40.36 "This is a faithful thing: For if we died with Him, 00:36:40.40\00:36:44.83 we shall also reign with Him." 00:36:44.87\00:36:46.63 If we endure, excuse me. 00:36:46.67\00:36:49.37 "If we died with Him, we shall also live with Him. 00:36:49.40\00:36:51.97 If we endure, we shall also reign with Him. 00:36:52.01\00:36:55.64 If we deny Him, He also will deny us. 00:36:55.68\00:37:00.32 If we are faithless, He remains faithful, 00:37:00.35\00:37:05.12 He cannot deny Himself." 00:37:05.15\00:37:07.52 Word of warning or a word of comfort? 00:37:07.56\00:37:10.73 Let's take this apart. 00:37:10.76\00:37:12.89 Verse 11, 2 Timothy 2:11, 00:37:12.93\00:37:15.30 "If we died with Him, we shall also live with Him." 00:37:15.33\00:37:18.33 This is talking about 00:37:18.37\00:37:19.70 the doctrine of the substitutionary death 00:37:19.73\00:37:21.47 of Jesus Christ on the cross for us. 00:37:21.50\00:37:24.37 And when we accept Him as our Savior, 00:37:24.41\00:37:26.98 we are to die to self and sin to be born again 00:37:27.01\00:37:32.68 with God's recreated life. 00:37:32.71\00:37:34.98 And Titus tells us 00:37:35.02\00:37:36.48 it's not by works of righteousness, 00:37:36.52\00:37:38.42 which we have done, 00:37:38.45\00:37:39.79 but by the regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, 00:37:39.82\00:37:44.73 that's how He saves us. 00:37:44.76\00:37:47.20 We are baptized by the Holy Spirit 00:37:47.23\00:37:50.00 when we're born again, and we are to abide in Him. 00:37:50.03\00:37:53.37 Now Paul continues in verse 12. 00:37:53.40\00:37:56.40 He says, "If we endure, we shall also reign with Him." 00:37:56.44\00:38:00.18 What does endure mean? 00:38:00.21\00:38:01.68 Remember, if we remain, 00:38:01.71\00:38:04.01 if we abide, if we suffer patiently, 00:38:04.05\00:38:08.92 Jesus said in Matthew 24:13, 00:38:08.95\00:38:12.89 "If you endure to the end, you will be saved. 00:38:12.92\00:38:19.13 But there is that component of endurance. 00:38:19.16\00:38:24.20 The author of Hebrews had explained our endurance 00:38:24.23\00:38:29.10 when he said in Hebrews 10:36 00:38:29.14\00:38:32.27 that we must endure 00:38:32.31\00:38:35.18 so that after we have done God's will, 00:38:35.21\00:38:38.25 we will receive the promise 00:38:38.28\00:38:40.15 and Christ by faithful followers. 00:38:40.18\00:38:42.98 What Paul is intimidating here is referring to 00:38:43.02\00:38:46.99 is that we receive the promise of reigning with Christ 00:38:47.02\00:38:50.73 here on earth and throughout eternity if we endure. 00:38:50.76\00:38:54.96 Now continuing on in verse 12, he says, 00:38:55.00\00:38:57.60 "If we deny Him, he will also deny us." 00:38:57.63\00:39:00.50 Deny him here. 00:39:00.54\00:39:02.74 The Greek verb is future. 00:39:02.77\00:39:06.07 If we shall deny Him, He will deny us. 00:39:06.11\00:39:11.31 Denying God does not require 00:39:11.35\00:39:15.15 a verbal rejection of Him. 00:39:15.18\00:39:20.16 This is habitual disregard of His commandments, 00:39:20.19\00:39:25.86 not walking in obedience. 00:39:25.89\00:39:27.73 Deliberate sin is a denial of Christ. 00:39:27.76\00:39:31.87 If we reject His authority and refuse to abide in Him 00:39:31.90\00:39:37.54 and the power of His grace, 00:39:37.57\00:39:39.67 we're consequently disowning Him. 00:39:39.71\00:39:42.91 Now, Paul identifies the mindset of these 00:39:42.94\00:39:45.65 people saying, "Hey, they profess to know God, 00:39:45.68\00:39:49.08 but in works they deny Him." 00:39:49.12\00:39:51.09 And he calls them disobedient and disqualified. 00:39:51.12\00:39:55.52 Jude says this, 00:39:55.56\00:39:57.83 there's only one chapter in Jude, 00:39:57.86\00:39:59.79 but Jude 1:3-5 says, 00:39:59.83\00:40:03.03 "Contend earnestly for the faith 00:40:03.06\00:40:04.73 which was once for all delivered to the saints. 00:40:04.77\00:40:07.84 For certain men have crept in, unnoticed, 00:40:07.87\00:40:10.44 ungodly men who turned the grace of our God 00:40:10.47\00:40:14.54 into lewdness." 00:40:14.58\00:40:16.54 That means they're turning grace into, 00:40:16.58\00:40:19.31 hey don't worry, just do what you want to do. 00:40:19.35\00:40:23.55 God loves you. 00:40:23.59\00:40:24.92 But he says, 00:40:24.95\00:40:26.29 they deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ. 00:40:26.32\00:40:29.79 Whoa! 00:40:29.82\00:40:31.23 Then he goes on and says, 00:40:31.26\00:40:32.59 "I want to remind you that the Lord 00:40:32.63\00:40:35.13 having saved the people out of the land of Egypt." 00:40:35.16\00:40:38.17 He saved them before He even spoke 00:40:38.20\00:40:40.67 the Ten Commandments 00:40:40.70\00:40:42.04 before they entered into covenant with Him. 00:40:42.07\00:40:44.84 "Afterward, He destroyed those who did not believe." 00:40:45.94\00:40:51.41 Jesus warns us in Matthew 10:33, 00:40:51.45\00:40:55.52 "Whoever denies Me before men, him, 00:40:55.55\00:40:58.22 I will also deny 00:40:58.25\00:41:00.59 before My Father who is in heaven." 00:41:00.62\00:41:03.29 Mercy. 00:41:03.32\00:41:04.66 Now let me make something clear. 00:41:04.69\00:41:06.80 He is not talking about a temporary 00:41:06.83\00:41:09.13 wavering of faith like Peter had. 00:41:09.16\00:41:12.03 When Peter denied Christ, he immediately, 00:41:12.07\00:41:16.14 contrition came over him. 00:41:16.17\00:41:17.97 He went outside and wept bitterly and repented. 00:41:18.01\00:41:21.44 He's talking about when Jesus says, 00:41:21.48\00:41:24.28 whoever denies Me. 00:41:24.31\00:41:25.65 He's saying, if you fall away, if you don't remain steadfast, 00:41:25.68\00:41:29.35 if you don't follow Me, 00:41:29.38\00:41:31.05 then you have the fearful reality 00:41:31.09\00:41:32.79 of one day I will deny you before My Father. 00:41:32.82\00:41:37.23 Hebrews 3:14, says, 00:41:37.26\00:41:41.20 "We have become partakers of Christ." 00:41:41.23\00:41:44.83 If now that's the biggest 00:41:44.87\00:41:47.20 two letter word in all vocabulary. 00:41:47.24\00:41:51.17 "We have become partakers of Christ if..." 00:41:51.21\00:41:55.71 So it hinges on what's gonna follow. 00:41:55.74\00:41:57.61 "We hold the beginning of our confidence 00:41:57.65\00:42:01.72 steadfast to the end." 00:42:01.75\00:42:04.52 It's all about enduring. 00:42:04.55\00:42:06.65 "While it is said: 00:42:06.69\00:42:08.22 'Today, if you hear His voice, 00:42:08.26\00:42:09.66 do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.' 00:42:09.69\00:42:11.66 For who, having heard, rebelled? 00:42:11.69\00:42:14.40 Indeed, was it not all who came out of Egypt, 00:42:14.43\00:42:17.53 led by Moses? 00:42:17.57\00:42:18.90 Now with whom was He angry for forty years? 00:42:18.93\00:42:21.17 Was it not with those who sinned, 00:42:21.20\00:42:23.30 whose corpses fell in the wilderness? 00:42:23.34\00:42:25.31 And to whom did He swear 00:42:25.34\00:42:27.11 that they would not enter His rest, 00:42:27.14\00:42:29.01 but to those who did not obey? 00:42:29.04\00:42:33.35 So we see that they could not enter 00:42:33.38\00:42:37.02 because of unbelief." 00:42:37.05\00:42:40.79 God is faithful to His promises. 00:42:40.82\00:42:43.53 God is faithful to His warnings. 00:42:43.56\00:42:46.36 God cannot act contrary to His holy nature. 00:42:46.39\00:42:52.00 He is a merciful, loving God, 00:42:52.03\00:42:54.27 but He is also a God of justice. 00:42:54.30\00:42:58.64 We know that His mercies are new every morning. 00:42:58.67\00:43:01.14 And, boy, He is patient with us, hallelujah. 00:43:01.18\00:43:04.31 But God's judgment on the wilderness generation 00:43:04.35\00:43:08.55 serves as a cautionary tale to us. 00:43:08.58\00:43:12.22 If we continue in unfaithfulness, 00:43:12.25\00:43:15.19 if we continue to turn our backs on the Lord, 00:43:15.22\00:43:18.63 and if we're seeking idols of materialism 00:43:18.66\00:43:21.83 and all of our pleasures, 00:43:21.86\00:43:24.43 then we need to consider this next verse. 00:43:24.47\00:43:29.60 2 Timothy 2:13. 00:43:29.64\00:43:32.31 Here's the question. 00:43:32.34\00:43:34.34 Word of comfort or word of warning? 00:43:34.38\00:43:37.18 "If we are faithless, He remains faithful. 00:43:37.21\00:43:40.48 He cannot deny Himself." 00:43:40.52\00:43:42.52 If we do not believe in God's power to save. 00:43:42.55\00:43:47.06 If we're unfaithful to Him, He cannot help, 00:43:47.09\00:43:51.29 but remain faithful 00:43:51.33\00:43:52.76 to His righteous character in His sure Word. 00:43:52.79\00:43:56.63 His promises are trustworthy. 00:43:56.67\00:43:59.87 He will faithfully reward all who live by faith, 00:43:59.90\00:44:04.04 never forsaking the one who trust Him, 00:44:04.07\00:44:06.78 but He will be equally faithful to His promises 00:44:06.81\00:44:10.21 of punishment for the wicked. 00:44:10.25\00:44:12.71 Did you know that God anguishes over anytime 00:44:12.75\00:44:17.35 someone breaks covenant with Him? 00:44:17.39\00:44:19.82 It breaks His heart. 00:44:19.85\00:44:21.19 He is saddened by the loss of relationship 00:44:21.22\00:44:25.26 over and over His covenant promises. 00:44:25.29\00:44:27.76 "Come walk in obedience, I will be your God. 00:44:27.80\00:44:31.40 You will be My people." 00:44:31.43\00:44:33.50 And His unfailing love 00:44:33.54\00:44:36.10 the concern of our protective Father, 00:44:36.14\00:44:40.58 our patient Father is our safe guard 00:44:40.61\00:44:44.31 because Peter wrote that it is through our faith 00:44:44.35\00:44:48.18 and the provision of His grace 00:44:48.22\00:44:49.75 that we are kept by His power for salvation. 00:44:49.78\00:44:53.76 It's all up to God, even so, 00:44:53.79\00:44:58.06 even so 00:44:58.09\00:45:00.43 grace does not eliminate free will. 00:45:00.46\00:45:06.23 Hear what I'm saying. 00:45:06.27\00:45:09.07 God made you a creature of free will. 00:45:09.10\00:45:14.61 He will not ever violate that principle. 00:45:14.64\00:45:19.98 It is possible to have a form of godliness, 00:45:20.02\00:45:24.22 but deny its power. 00:45:24.25\00:45:26.22 It is possible to choose, 00:45:26.25\00:45:28.96 to be yoked with Christ 00:45:28.99\00:45:31.36 and to one day throw off that yoke. 00:45:31.39\00:45:35.13 And that breaks the heart of our loving God. 00:45:35.16\00:45:38.00 It is possible to grieve the Holy Spirit, 00:45:38.03\00:45:42.07 to resist the Holy Spirit. 00:45:42.10\00:45:45.04 And even to quench the Holy Spirit of God. 00:45:45.07\00:45:48.98 You know what? 00:45:49.01\00:45:50.48 We're leaky vessels. 00:45:50.51\00:45:51.85 We need to pray every day 00:45:51.88\00:45:53.28 to be filled afresh with His Holy Spirit. 00:45:53.31\00:45:56.55 In Matthew 25, 00:45:56.58\00:45:59.35 Jesus told a parable about His second coming, 00:45:59.39\00:46:03.63 the parable of the 10 virgins. 00:46:03.66\00:46:07.06 It paints a tragic picture. 00:46:07.10\00:46:09.43 All 10 were virgins. 00:46:09.46\00:46:11.13 All 10 were members of the church. 00:46:11.17\00:46:13.00 All 10 had a lamp. 00:46:13.03\00:46:14.64 All 10 had the word profession. 00:46:14.67\00:46:17.04 They were all waiting for His return, 00:46:17.07\00:46:20.81 but five were foolish and had no oil for their lamp. 00:46:20.84\00:46:25.71 They didn't have the Holy Spirit. 00:46:25.75\00:46:28.88 How sad it is to think that they could have 00:46:28.92\00:46:31.05 experienced grace at one time. 00:46:31.09\00:46:33.92 And because they weren't steadfast, 00:46:33.96\00:46:36.06 they fell away unaware. 00:46:36.09\00:46:38.23 It's all the more devastating, 00:46:38.26\00:46:40.03 if you think that a blind guide taught them 00:46:40.06\00:46:43.57 an unbalanced teaching on grace. 00:46:43.60\00:46:48.07 Matthew 7:21-23. 00:46:48.10\00:46:53.31 These are the words that the Lord, 00:46:53.34\00:46:54.94 our Lord Jesus Christ. 00:46:54.98\00:46:58.45 Matthew 7:21-23, 00:46:58.48\00:47:01.22 "Not everyone who says to Me, 00:47:01.25\00:47:03.99 'Lord, Lord, ' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, 00:47:04.02\00:47:06.76 but he who does 00:47:06.79\00:47:09.69 the will of My Father in heaven." 00:47:09.72\00:47:13.76 God is love. 00:47:13.80\00:47:16.23 His government is a government of love. 00:47:16.26\00:47:19.23 It is based on His Ten Commandments, 00:47:19.27\00:47:22.50 which were the heart of the old covenant 00:47:22.54\00:47:24.01 and the heart of the new. 00:47:24.04\00:47:25.47 In the new covenant God says in Hebrews 8, 00:47:25.51\00:47:27.88 "I'll write my laws on your heart, 00:47:27.91\00:47:31.91 put them in your mind." 00:47:31.95\00:47:33.75 But Jesus says, 00:47:33.78\00:47:35.12 "If we don't do the will of His Father in heaven, 00:47:35.15\00:47:39.99 we won't enter the kingdom. 00:47:40.02\00:47:41.89 "Many will say to me in that day, 00:47:41.92\00:47:44.53 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in your name? 00:47:44.56\00:47:49.90 Cast out demons in Your name? 00:47:49.93\00:47:52.13 And done many wonders in Your name? 00:47:52.17\00:47:55.90 And I will declare to them," 00:47:55.94\00:47:58.57 this is Jesus talking to people 00:47:58.61\00:48:01.21 who are in the church and working on His behalf. 00:48:01.24\00:48:04.01 "I never knew you, 00:48:04.05\00:48:05.68 depart from Me you who practice lawlessness." 00:48:05.71\00:48:12.45 Some live as if God has no government. 00:48:12.49\00:48:17.73 As if He has no law, 00:48:17.76\00:48:21.00 they ignore the Ten Commandments. 00:48:21.03\00:48:22.73 In 1 John 3:4, it says that 00:48:22.76\00:48:25.10 "Whoever commits sin commits lawlessness." 00:48:25.13\00:48:29.90 Sin is lawlessness. 00:48:29.94\00:48:33.24 What's the penalty for sin? 00:48:33.27\00:48:35.64 Death. 00:48:35.68\00:48:38.11 Do we think we stand? 00:48:38.15\00:48:40.35 Ooh, he need to take heed. 00:48:40.38\00:48:43.59 Take heed, lest we fall. 00:48:43.62\00:48:46.89 To abuse 00:48:46.92\00:48:48.29 the covenant relationship of grace by disobedience 00:48:48.32\00:48:52.19 is to break covenant with God. 00:48:52.23\00:48:55.86 We have to be watchful. 00:48:55.90\00:48:57.80 We have to guard 00:48:57.83\00:49:00.44 the precious relationship of grace, 00:49:00.47\00:49:04.44 a father and child, of bride and husband, 00:49:04.47\00:49:07.84 with the Lord of grace. 00:49:07.88\00:49:09.98 We have to pray for grace for God's divine, 00:49:10.01\00:49:14.88 supernatural assistance to grow in Christian virtues. 00:49:14.92\00:49:21.16 Yes, it takes effort, 00:49:21.19\00:49:23.66 but it's a spirit empowered effort. 00:49:23.69\00:49:27.23 Let me tell you God promise. 00:49:27.26\00:49:29.66 He promises, 00:49:29.70\00:49:31.13 He will cause you to be what He... 00:49:31.17\00:49:34.50 He will cause you to be what He calls you to be. 00:49:34.54\00:49:38.51 In Philippians 1:6, He says that 00:49:38.54\00:49:41.98 "He will complete the good work 00:49:42.01\00:49:43.58 that He has begun in you." 00:49:43.61\00:49:45.15 And in Philippians 2:12, Paul says, 00:49:45.18\00:49:48.32 "Therefore, my beloved brethren, 00:49:48.35\00:49:51.19 as you have always obeyed, not just in my presence, 00:49:51.22\00:49:55.56 but now much more in my absence, 00:49:55.59\00:49:57.76 work out your own salvation with fear and trembling." 00:49:57.79\00:50:03.03 Ooh, I used to stop there and I did fear. 00:50:03.06\00:50:06.70 I didn't have assurance of salvation 00:50:06.74\00:50:10.57 until I knew what it was based upon 00:50:10.61\00:50:13.78 and that I could by God's grace meet that. 00:50:13.81\00:50:16.91 And listen to what he says. 00:50:16.95\00:50:18.35 Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, 00:50:18.38\00:50:21.45 for it is God who works in you. 00:50:21.48\00:50:25.05 He said, don't do it in your own power. 00:50:25.09\00:50:27.12 It is God who works in you 00:50:27.16\00:50:30.16 to will and to do His good pleasure. 00:50:30.19\00:50:34.20 First, He lines our will up with His will. 00:50:34.23\00:50:37.13 That's the first step. 00:50:37.17\00:50:38.67 And when we take a step of faith, 00:50:38.70\00:50:40.97 the power of the Holy Spirit shows up 00:50:41.00\00:50:44.04 and He works in us to do. 00:50:44.07\00:50:47.31 Oh! 00:50:47.34\00:50:48.68 Let us stand in grace. 00:50:48.71\00:50:50.05 Let us grow in grace. 00:50:50.08\00:50:51.65 Let us find our strength in grace. 00:50:51.68\00:50:54.48 As long as we walk by faith, 00:50:54.52\00:50:57.89 no trial can cause us 00:50:57.92\00:51:00.46 to draw away from God's protective hand. 00:51:00.49\00:51:03.49 As long as we love the truth and abide in the truth, 00:51:03.53\00:51:07.96 we won't seek teachings that please our itching ears. 00:51:08.00\00:51:13.57 We won't twist scripture to our own destruction 00:51:13.60\00:51:16.91 and fall away from grace. 00:51:16.94\00:51:18.51 If we walk in the light of God's Word with a heart 00:51:18.54\00:51:24.68 that is renewed by the imparted 00:51:24.71\00:51:27.58 and imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ, 00:51:27.62\00:51:32.22 asking daily to be filled with the Holy Spirit, 00:51:32.25\00:51:35.69 we will remain faithful to the Lord. 00:51:35.72\00:51:39.59 By His grace, we'll be overcomers. 00:51:39.63\00:51:41.83 We will not be blotted out of the Book of Life 00:51:41.86\00:51:46.60 if we will only trust and obey. 00:51:46.63\00:51:51.41 And now we have my wonderful brother, 00:51:51.44\00:51:55.74 Tim Parton, 00:51:55.78\00:51:57.18 who is going to sing those beautiful words 00:51:57.21\00:52:00.92 of how we have assurance of salvation in Christ. 00:52:00.95\00:52:05.95 When we walk with the Lord 00:52:13.36\00:52:16.77 In the light of His Word 00:52:16.80\00:52:20.20 What a glory 00:52:20.24\00:52:22.94 He sheds on our way 00:52:22.97\00:52:27.81 While we do His good will 00:52:27.84\00:52:32.15 He abides with us still 00:52:32.18\00:52:36.79 And with all who will trust and obey 00:52:36.82\00:52:43.79 But we never can prove 00:52:48.96\00:52:52.93 The delights of His love 00:52:52.97\00:52:57.24 Until all on the altar we lay 00:52:57.27\00:53:04.25 For the favor He shows 00:53:04.28\00:53:08.18 And the love He bestows 00:53:08.22\00:53:11.69 Are for those who will trust and obey 00:53:11.72\00:53:18.69 Trust and obey 00:53:20.70\00:53:24.57 For there's no other way 00:53:24.60\00:53:28.57 To be happy in Jesus 00:53:28.60\00:53:34.11 But to trust and obey 00:53:34.14\00:53:39.18 Trust and obey 00:53:39.21\00:53:43.12 For there's no other way 00:53:43.15\00:53:50.13 To be happy 00:53:50.16\00:53:52.83 in Jesus 00:53:52.86\00:53:57.77 But to trust 00:53:57.80\00:54:01.90 and obey 00:54:01.94\00:54:08.91 Thank you, Tim. 00:54:22.59\00:54:24.83 Trust and obey. 00:54:24.86\00:54:28.43 That is how you have assurance 00:54:28.46\00:54:32.10 that you are in covenant relationship 00:54:32.13\00:54:35.77 with our Lord. 00:54:35.80\00:54:37.27 And as long as you remain in covenant with Him, 00:54:37.31\00:54:41.91 you can count 00:54:41.94\00:54:43.98 on His divine assistance to save you. 00:54:44.01\00:54:49.95 You know, God showed me one time 00:54:49.98\00:54:53.92 that grace comes down 00:54:53.96\00:54:57.06 through a big pipeline from heaven, 00:54:57.09\00:55:01.06 the greatest gifts of grace. 00:55:01.10\00:55:04.03 And if we understand His greatest gifts of grace, 00:55:04.07\00:55:06.67 we'll understand the effects of grace. 00:55:06.70\00:55:09.74 His greatest gifts of grace are Jesus Christ. 00:55:09.77\00:55:15.71 God who became a man who humbled Himself 00:55:15.74\00:55:20.18 to take on our flesh 00:55:20.22\00:55:21.55 and then was obedient as a human being, 00:55:21.58\00:55:26.72 doing only what the Father said. 00:55:26.76\00:55:29.12 Speaking only what the Father told Him to. 00:55:29.16\00:55:31.63 He was obedient to the point of dying on the cross 00:55:31.66\00:55:35.23 for you and for me. 00:55:35.26\00:55:37.87 And then the second greatest gift of grace 00:55:37.90\00:55:41.57 is the Holy Spirit. 00:55:41.60\00:55:43.84 Oh! 00:55:43.87\00:55:45.21 I want to encourage you, pray daily for the Holy Spirit. 00:55:45.24\00:55:51.28 And if you don't know, if God is even real, 00:55:51.31\00:55:56.82 ask Him to touch you by His Holy Spirit. 00:55:56.85\00:56:00.46 The Holy Spirit, 00:56:00.49\00:56:01.82 one of His primary jobs is to convince us of truth 00:56:01.86\00:56:06.13 and convict us of sin. 00:56:06.16\00:56:08.76 And once you see 00:56:08.80\00:56:11.17 that you are a sinner in need of a Savior, 00:56:11.20\00:56:13.97 confession is the clearing house 00:56:14.00\00:56:16.50 of the conscience. 00:56:16.54\00:56:17.87 All you have to do is go before Him and say, 00:56:17.91\00:56:20.68 "Lord, I need You. 00:56:20.71\00:56:22.84 Forgive me of my sins. 00:56:22.88\00:56:24.38 Be my Lord. Be my Savior." 00:56:24.41\00:56:26.15 He will. 00:56:26.18\00:56:27.82 He will. 00:56:27.85\00:56:29.18 1 John 1:9 says, 00:56:29.22\00:56:30.65 "He will cleanse you of all unrighteousness. 00:56:30.69\00:56:34.66 He will forgive you of your sin." 00:56:34.69\00:56:36.59 Oh! 00:56:36.62\00:56:37.96 My friend, and the Word of God 00:56:37.99\00:56:40.96 is the next most wonderful gift. 00:56:41.00\00:56:43.70 This is a word that is a lamp to our feet. 00:56:43.73\00:56:46.63 It's how God speaks to us. 00:56:46.67\00:56:48.94 So get into His Word. 00:56:48.97\00:56:52.34 And when you understand those gifts, 00:56:52.37\00:56:54.61 see the effects God has given us grace 00:56:54.64\00:56:58.21 for divine assistance and for salvation. 00:56:58.25\00:57:03.75 Please don't fall into the trap of thinking 00:57:03.79\00:57:08.56 once saved, always saved. 00:57:08.59\00:57:10.79 We must endure to the end. 00:57:10.83\00:57:13.43