All right, turn with me in your Bibles to Acts chapter 10, Acts chapter 10.
Today I want to talk about the subject of conditions, and what I mean by that is just talking about the fact that God does not give things unconditionally.
I want to give a few examples of these things, things that false religion teaches that God will give unconditionally.
One example is salvation. The Calvinists teach this doctrine called unconditional election,
where they say that God just chooses who's going to be elect, who's going to be saved, based on no condition whatsoever.
But the Bible says, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.
That's the condition to being saved, to being one of God's elect. It's believing.
So there is a condition to salvation, and that's faith in Jesus Christ.
So the doctrine of unconditional election is wrong.
And while we're on the subject of salvation, look down at Acts chapter 10, verse 43.
It says, to him give all the prophets witness that through his name, whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.
Another thing that a lot of people think God just gives unconditionally is forgiveness.
Now, there's people I've met out soloning at the door who just think that because Jesus died for them, no matter what, all their sins are forgiven.
And there's some people out there who think that everybody's going to heaven because their sins are just automatically forgiven.
But the Bible tells us that to have remission of sins, there is again a condition, and that is believing on the Lord Jesus Christ.
So again, God does not give forgiveness unconditionally.
And there's also the aspect of forgiveness in our Christian lives as well.
Once we believe in Jesus, all of our sins, past, present, and future, are forgiven.
But while we walk on this earth, our flesh can still be punished for our sins.
And so the Bible says in 1 John chapter 1, verse 7, if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
So it says, if we confess our sins, then he's faithful and just to forgive us of all unrighteousness.
So as Christians, again, we don't just receive forgiveness just by doing nothing.
It's not unconditional. We have to confess our sins to be restored to fellowship with God, according to 1 John 1-7.
Turn with me to Exodus chapter 19.
While you're turning to Exodus chapter 19, I want to read from Psalm 5, verse 5.
The Bible says, Thou hatest all workers of iniquity.
It says in Psalm 11, 5, The Lord trieth the righteous, but the wicked, and him that loveth violence, his soul hateth.
So another thing that a lot of people think that God gives unconditionally is love.
Some people think that God just loves everybody based on, again, no condition whatsoever.
But the Bible actually tells us that God does hate some people.
It says he hates all workers of iniquity.
So again, this idea that a lot of Christians have that God just loves everybody for no reason whatsoever,
he just happens to just love everybody, is not true.
He hates all workers of iniquity.
It says, him that loveth violence, his soul hateth.
And there's many other examples of this.
Look down at your Bibles in Exodus chapter 19, verses 5 and 6.
It says in verse 5, Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant,
then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people.
For all the earth is mine, and ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests and an holy nation.
These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.
So another thing that a lot of Christians have wrong is the idea that God just gives unconditional promises to the nation of Israel.
A lot of people think that the old covenant that was made with Israel, Mount Sinai, was unconditional,
that no matter what, they're allowed in the land, and that they're going to be God's people.
But according to the Bible, the condition for them being God's people, being a peculiar treasure above all people,
it says, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure.
But God promises that if they don't do those things, he's going to kick them out of the land,
he's going to punish them, he's going to curse them.
And that's exactly what happened.
Because the nation of Israel did not keep their end of the deal,
because they did not keep the covenant, because they did not listen to God,
because they did not believe his word, because they broke his commandments,
God rejected the nation of Israel.
And it says in Matthew 21, verse 43, Jesus says to the Jews,
Therefore the kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation, bringing forth the fruits thereof.
So he told them that because they had rejected Jesus, that they themselves will be rejected from being God's people.
And we know, of course, in the New Testament, that we are God's people.
Let's pray.
Father Lord, we pray that you please fill in the next person with your spirit.
Thank you, Lord, for the opportunity to preach.
In the name of your son, Jesus Christ, God, I pray. Amen.