So we're up to Romans chapter 8 in our Sunday evening Bible study and we've
been trying to go through each of these chapters verse by verse and I'm going to
continue to do that today starting in verse 1 which reads there is therefore
now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the
flesh but after the Spirit so what's there for therefore well it's following
on from chapter 7 so we just go back to chapter 7 obviously we didn't have have
our Bible study last week so let's just remember where we finished up in chapter
7 so chapter 7 from verse 14 reads for we know that the law is spiritual but I
am carnal sold under sin for that which I do I allow not for that I would sorry
for what I would that do I not but what what I hate that do I if then I do that
which I would not I consent unto the law that it is good now then it is no
more I that do it but sin that dwelleth in me for I know that in me that is in
my flesh dwelleth no good thing for to will is present with me but how to
perform that which is good I find not for the good that I would I do not but
the evil which I would not that I do now if I do that I would not it is no more I
that do it but sin that dwelleth in me I find that a law that when I would do
good evil is present with me for I delight in the law of God after the
inward man but I see another law in my members warring against the law of my
mind and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members a
wretched man I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death I thank God
through Jesus Christ our Lord so then with the mind I myself serve the law of
God but with the flesh the law of sin and on that let's go to the Lord in a
quick word of prayer father thank you thank you for this great chapter in the
Bible please just help me to just preach it clearly now accurately boldly please
just fill me with your spirit please help everyone to just stay awake and and
just alert right now and and just as just to pay attention to what you got to
say to them through your word and in Jesus name I pray all of this amen
okay so notice our chapter 7 there what a great great passage of the Bible there
that's the Apostle Paul telling us he basically struggles with sin every day
yeah that like every single person here the Apostle Paul struggled with the
flesh and notice how it was all present tense wasn't it as well present tense
the Apostle Paul saying that there now flip back flip back to Romans 4 because
this chapter is following on by the way remember this this was a whole letter
there it's following on from great passages such as Romans 4 5 to 8 which
reads but to him that worketh not but believeth on him that justifieth the
ungodly his faith is counted for righteousness even as David also
describeth the blessedness of the man unto whom God imputeth righteousness
without work saying blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven and whose
sins are covered blessed is the man whom the Lord will not impute sin that's
future tense there he will not impute sin to you if you're saved yeah the
Bibles clear we studied that we studied that when we went through chapter 4
there and I say that to then help you understand the following verses where
Paul has just said in verses 24 and 25 of chapter 7 a wretched man that I am
who shall deliver me from the body of this death I thank God through Jesus
Christ our Lord so then with the mind I myself serve the law of God but with the
flesh the law of sin it's God who delivers us through Jesus Christ our
Lord yeah now look at verse 1 then where where we are in chapter 8 there is
therefore following on from that now no condemnation to them which are in Christ
Jesus who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit now I've heard this
preach in different different ways I don't believe this is talking about
walking in the spirit or in the flesh is in terms of of whether or not you you
know you're you're living right it's just talking about being saved or not if
you're saved you're walking after the law of the Spirit aren't you okay not
the law of the flesh verse 2 says for the law of the spirit of life in Christ
Jesus have made me free from the law of sin and death okay you're no longer
destined for hell due to your sin you're free from it you now walk after the
spirit right verse 3 for what the law could not do in that it was weak through
the flesh God sending his own son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin
condemned sin in the flesh because our weak flesh can't keep the law yeah Jesus
came to do it for us verse 4 that the righteousness of the law might be
fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh but after the split after the
spirit again this isn't talking about being in the spirits talk about being
saved verse 5 for they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the
flesh but they that are after the spirit the things of the spirit now remember
that Paul has just said in Romans 7 25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord
so then with the mind I myself serve the law of God but with the flesh the law of
sin we're given a new mind when we're saved aren't we okay we're given a new
mind first Corinthians 2 16 you'd have to turn there says for who have known
the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him but we have the mind of
Christ Romans 12 2 says and be not conformed to this world but be
transformed by the renewing of your mind that you may prove what is that good and
acceptable and perfect will of God but even though deep down you may want to do
the right thing your flesh still brings you down doesn't it okay you might you
might have that mind that renewed mind but we still battle with the flesh don't
we but this is different to being carnally minded which I believe is
talking about being unsaved but to be carnally minded is death okay it's not
that oh well if if you're saved but you start you know living a bit flesh like
well you're going to go to hell still no to be calmly mind is talk about being
unsaved is death but to be spiritually minded is life and peace because the
carnal mind is enmity against God for it is not subject to the law of God neither
indeed can be so then they that are in the flesh cannot please God because many
Christians will use terms like get in the spirit won't they yeah get in the
spirit or so and so is really in the flesh today oh you're so in the flesh
yeah you're not in the spirit referring to believers yeah but I believe it's
incorrect here and in verse 9 being in the flesh in the spirit is I believe
clearly referring to being saved or unsaved turn to Galatians 5 because the
correct term for believer being on the spiritual call is either being filled
with the spirit such as in Ephesians 5 18 you're turning to Galatians 5
Ephesians 5 18 which says and be not drunk with wine wherein is excess but be
filled with the spirit or filled with the Holy Ghost we see that in many
places in the Bible as well in the New Testament as well or here in Galatians
5 where it says Galatians 5 25 if we live in the spirit let us also walk in
the spirit right see the distinction there if we live in the spirit that's
being saved let us also walk in the spirit okay that's an exhortation for
believers living in the spirit to also walk in the spirit right so verse 8 and
9 of Romans 8 if you go back there is referring to being saved or not verse 8
says so then they that are in the flesh cannot please God because it doesn't
matter does it they might say you know Lord Lord have we not prophesied in thy
name and in thy name have cast out devil's and in thy name have done many
wonderful works but what will he say unto them I never knew you depart for
me that work iniquity okay it doesn't matter if you're unsaved doesn't matter
what you think you've done because all our all our righteousness is filthy rags
aren't they filthy rags if you're unsaved verse 9 says but ye are not in
the flesh but in the spirit he's not saying like the whole of you are all
walking in the spirit he's saying no you're not unsaved you're saved if so be
that the Spirit of God dwell in you now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ
he is none of his because when you're saved you're sealed with that Holy
Spirit of promise aren't you okay you're sealed with that Holy Spirit
promise Ephesians 1 13 says in whom you also trust love after that you heard the
word of truth the gospel of your salvation in whom also after that you
believed you were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise not after some nutter
laid his hands on you and prayed for you to speak some sort of mumbo-jumbo okay
that's not that's not what we're talking about here with the Holy Spirit you were
sealed with the Holy Spirit the second you put your faith and trust in Jesus
Christ in Christ alone for your salvation okay that's what the Bible
teaches it's not something that needs to be prayed for by some some weird guy or
weird lady a lot of the time whatever else okay it comes a second you believe
now turn to John chapter 14 the Holy Spirit seals us what else does the Holy
Spirit do also known as the Holy Ghost what does it do or he do John 14 16 says
John chapter 14 of verse 16 and I will pray the Father and he shall give you
another comforter that he may abide with you forever even the Spirit of truth
whom the world cannot receive because it seeth him not neither knoweth him but
ye know him for he dwelleth with you and shall be in you but the comforter which
is the Holy Ghost whom the Father will send in my name he shall teach you all
things and bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever I have said unto
you so what does he bring to our remembrance all things that Jesus Christ
has said how does Jesus Christ speak to us through the Word of God yeah so the
Holy Spirit brings to remembrance what you've read or heard from the Word of
God yeah so if you want to know all things whatsoever and you want them to
be brought to your remembrance it goes out saying you need a word to read the
Word of God don't you you need to read the Word of God you need to hear the
Word of God you need to hear the Word of God preach you need to read it you can
listen to it on audio etc etc ultimately the main thing you want to be doing is
reading the Word of God don't you okay then the Holy Spirit will bring all
things to your remembrance whatsoever I have said unto you and I'm sure many
many people here can can testify times when in hard situations times when
you've been so winning times when you've got a decision to make in life
where a verse will pop in your head where something that you've read will
come in but I'll tell you what if you haven't read it it's not going to come
into your head is it and and those verses don't come into your head when
you don't read the Bible because look the Holy Spirit is only going to bring
to remembrance whatsoever he has said unto you yeah so you need to be reading
it you need to and look you need to be reading it more if you're reading it you
know what I read it I read a verse a day or I read a chapter a day that take you
about three years to read through the Bible I don't think it's going to
necessarily be brought to your remembrance so easy than if you're just
flooding your mind with the Word of God yeah look at John 16 while you're in
John chapter 14 so the Holy Spirit brings to your remembrance whatsoever
Jesus said unto you look at John 16 of verse 13 how be it when he the spirit of
truth John 16 13 how be it when he the spirit of truth is come he will guide
you into all truth for he shall not speak of himself but whatsoever he shall
hear that shall he speak and he will show you things to come he shall glorify
me for he shall receive of mine and shall show it unto you all things that
the Father hath of mine therefore said I that he shall take of mine and shall
show it unto you so again he shows us he shows us those truths from the Word of
God but he also shows us things to come doesn't he as well and that's why so
many people so many so many unsaved false prophets have just wrest wrestled
with scriptures to no avail with when it comes to things that are going to
happen in life when it comes to end times and everything else because they
don't have the Spirit of God and look I'm not saying that everyone that's wrong
about that is unsaved but I'm saying it's no surprise that so many unsaved
are just so deceived aren't made by that I just can't seem to see what's what
for many of us here are saved and with a small bit of pointing in the right
direction just seem to be able to see clearly in front of us don't we
see clearly see just this clear chain of events that again don't take me out of
context I'm not saying if you don't understand you know the poster in pre
wrath and many other things that you're clearly unsaved but I'm saying that
when you're unsaved it's really hard to understand those things in it and that
they don't ultimately well he shows us things to come from the Word of God it
says here turn to Acts 1 because you also receive power from the Holy Ghost
as well so this is where those who maybe have watched one too many Marvel movies
or something else are thinking okay this is what we're talking about brother in
now yeah power unlimited power well what's this power for we'll have a look
at Acts chapter 1 and verse 8 Acts 1 8 and Jesus said but ye shall receive
power after that the Holy Ghost has come upon you and you shall be witnesses unto
me both in Jerusalem and in all Judea and in Samaria and unto the uttermost
part of the earth what's the power to be witnesses of Jesus to preach the gospel
isn't it and look you need some power to preach the gospel don't you yeah
anyone try and do it in your flesh when you do it in your fleshly it doesn't
work too well does it and look if you're really in effect if you're unsaved
trying to preach the gospel obviously you ain't gonna get no one saved okay
but also you need some power you need some power from the Holy Ghost to go out
there and preach the gospel to knock on doors to be bold to preach accurately
and sometimes that it's tiring isn't it as well it's tiring it's tiring being in
the spirit it's tiring preach sometimes you get someone saved and you're
exhausted aren't you you're exhausted you feel it you're drained when you're
really doing it with the Holy Ghost you're not just getting someone to
repeat something after you when you're really preaching the gospel in the
spirit you're in that you look you get drained it's spiritually tiring isn't it
but that power comes from the Holy Ghost is it that power to get people say comes
to the Holy Ghost so what a great power to be given that's some power and that's
some that's some power which has some purpose not some pointless power that
people would probably you know dream of and hope for and every young boy's dream
to have some sort of magic powers that that magic has got eternal value hasn't
it and I'm using the word magic here loosely obviously okay go back to Romans
8 it's also the spirit that renews our minds it gives us that spiritual birth
while you're turning there I'm going to read Titus 3 5 which says not by works
of righteousness which we have done but according to his mercy he saved us by
the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost so the Holy Ghost is
instrumental in our salvation as well John 3 5 says Jesus answered verily
verily I said to the acceptor man be born of water and of the Spirit he
cannot enter into the kingdom of God there is there is a combination isn't
there between a saved man of God and the Holy Spirit there and the gospel and the
Word of God getting people saved now look at where we are in verse 10 says
and if Christ be in you the body is dead because of sin but the spirit is
life because of righteousness but if the spirit of him that raised up Jesus from
the dead dwell in you he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken
your mortal bodies by his spirit that dwelleth in you I believe this is
referring to the resurrection of our bodies in the rapture you have to turn
there but first Corinthians 15 52 says in a moment in a twinkling of an eye at
the last Trump for the trumpet shall sound and the dead shall be raised
incorruptible and we shall be changed if you're saved your body will also be
made alive into an immortal body by the Holy Spirit yeah therefore brethren we
are debtors not to the flesh to live off the flesh okay that's being unsaved for
if you live after the flesh you shall die okay it's not talking about saved
people oh well you descended into sin for if you live off the flesh you shall
die but if you through the spirit do mortify the deeds of the body you shall
live because the Holy Spirit will destroy or cancel those deeds of the
body how by faith in Christ Jesus yeah some 103 verse 12 after no says as far
as the east is from the west so far have he removed our transgressions from us
and again the reason I'm making these points here is because many false
prophets have gone to passages like Romans chapter 8 and tried to teach that
you could somehow lose your salvation that you if you if you walk in that
they'll try and basically use what's what's really about walking in the
spirit in the flesh and try to use passages and verses of here to say look
you can lose your salvation etc but it's not talking about that it's talking
about the saved and the unsaved and we're going to see more the work of the
Spirit later in the chapter as well it said in verse 14 for as many as are led
by the Spirit of God they are the sons of God oh well it's only if you're
living right no does that say if you're not living for God you're not saved
doesn't say that it's saying that the sons of God believers are led by the
Spirit of God but there's a difference between being led and following isn't
there yeah anyone have kids here when you've tried to lead them somewhere yeah
you're doing some leading come follow me but does that mean that child is
following you no it doesn't and often they won't follow you and often they'll
go in the other direction and often when you're near busy roads and things
like that it could be a bit dodgy you're leading you're doing the leading come
this way and the child's thinking while running across the road might be a good
idea okay leading and following are two separate things but we are led by if
you're if you're saving you have the Holy Spirit in you you're led by the
Spirit of God but it doesn't mean you're going to choose to follow the Spirit of
God because you're still battling with the flesh aren't you for you have not
received the spirit of bondage again to fear but you have received the spirit of
adoption whereby we cry Abba father so in case you're wondering there's no
bondage to the works the law once you're adopted there's no unadoption is there
there's no unadoption the spirit itself birth witness with our spirit that we
are the children of God and if children then heirs heirs of God and joint heirs
with Christ if so be that we suffer with him that we may be also glorified
together so verse 16 there when you're saved you know that you have the Holy
Spirit indwelling in you don't you okay you know you have the Holy Spirit in you
when you're saved you know and ultimately how well the spirit it says
here the spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children
of God and part of that is just understanding the many many salvation
verses isn't it you're just sat alone because how many unsaved people just
wrestle with salvation verse it just can't get it I was talking to a guy the
other day and in fact yesterday it is a guy that a friend of mine that's having
trouble with you know he'd been at one church and the pastor basically he came
out with this and these guys being this church for there'd be other people at
this church for a while and he came out with this statement that even though he
believes in eternal security he believes that someone could be saved without
believing in eternal security okay now apparently this has been kind of a
common thing amongst a lot of old IFB churches I haven't actually heard this
very often but this guy is basically saying because really what he's saying
is that I could I could preach the gospel to someone here I'm not trying to
look for someone on say but just say just imagine that that someone here was
unsaved yeah after the service I'd preached the gospel to them and at the
end of it they believed yeah okay so you get saved by faith but then you just
got to keep being good for the rest of your life otherwise you're gonna lose
your salvation and I could turn around and then go yep they're safe though what
on earth is that sort of nonsense because they're believing they're still
working to keep their salvation it just works yeah whichever way around you do
so this guy he said yeah well I believe that these people are still saved even
if they don't believe in eternal security so he's like had a debate this
guy decided like I can't go to this church anymore so he started going back
to this old church he's at before and we talked a couple of times and the guy
just stunk of so many of these false prophets I've met before who they they
speak out of both sides their mouth so they claim to believe they claim to
believe salvation is grace through faith and everything else but they again this
guy claimed that he still believed someone could be saved without believing
eternal security so he's just like what on earth like how and then this guy then
says well there is no clear eternal security verse in the Bible okay what
because of there's no he says there's no verse it says you cannot lose your
salvation no there's nothing worded you cannot lose your salvation but there are
many many verses which make it clear you cannot lose your salvation just simply
he that believes on me had everlasting life how about that but let alone the
countless others yeah I mean John 10 28 for example then I give them to them
eternal life and they shall never perish neither shall any man pluck them out of
my hand my father which gave me is greater than all and no man is able to
pluck them out of my father's hand yeah that's and and and countless others but
but this guy you know he he's saying this yet he's claiming to believe then
then he's claiming it's salvation grace through faith and that's all he
believes and then sure enough he just spoke to me today and said I don't know
then he went soul winning with him and he told him he won't let him preach the
gospel yeah from he won't let him preach gospel he can only be a silent partner
at his church unless he stops listening to pastor Steven Anderson and unless he
comes to their church three times a week okay and then if he comes to church
three times a week regular stops listening to pastor Anderson he might
let him preach the gospel and by the way this guy's apparently gospel
presentation consisted of some apologetics with no verses and come to
our church yeah so obviously I'm saying similar this guy sounds like just these
typical guys they and this is how I see these guys and hear me out here because
look we've a lot of us here when we got saved and and many years ago we were of
this opinion where we were like look and understand that we need to get in a
church we need to find a church at least we can say at least it's a church at
least they got the gospel at least they got the King James Bible and at least
say they you know they do some form of outreach or something and we can say
okay this is a legitimate church so many people you know understandably we're
giving certain places a benefit of the doubt now then you had the opposite and
you had the people they're just like no church no church in this country we'll
just make ourselves a church and that many people understand we were fighting
against our guy look you can't just make self Church and obviously we've got past
history of people that many of us know that just when it made themselves a
church and it was ridiculous there was no justification and even if there was
it you'd still don't make yourself a church yeah okay but so what happened is
then many of us were trying to justify these places and then it got to the
point for example with Bethel Baptist in Wimbledon where they were literally
just being preached repent of your sins every week and there'd be like oh well
yeah that wonder but this one might be saved it is just like at what point you
just go this place is done yeah the new passability it's repetitive since the
people there are preaching repent your sins when you come in there's people
collaring new believers coming in going did you repent of your sins yeah yeah
well that one's not saying that what it was just ridiculous yeah so obviously we
went and somebody went really far and and look but what there is I believe is
there are these places which they kind of give the they're the most subtle
false prophets because they sometimes will even give the right gospel like
that that wicked guy down in in Brighton like he preached it was grace through
faith Jonathan McClure he preached it's grace through faith he made it clear I
mean he's preaching a gospel every other week he made it clear but then on his
tracks as repent of your sins and when you talk oh no no that I know what I
mean by that is you just got to you just got to admit you're a sinner that's what
I mean by repent of your sins funny because why does repent your sins mean
admit you're a sinner but okay well maybe it's just bad terminology he takes
them off his tracks even but what these guys do is really they're just
stagnating in fact even worse they're weakening you in these wicked places and
some of them won't admit it then eventually it comes out and eventually
out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speak then sure enough he
eventually preached the sermon on camera going you cannot get saved
without turning away from your old life if you don't turn away from your sins
you're not saying these guys literally been preaching Ephesians 2 8 and 9 John
3 16 etc etc for months and then he just comes out with it bare-faced you know
yeah but what's happened is people have just kind of languished there for months
just hoping and praying and thinking well I hope it's alright it doesn't seem
to me say bit odd that he said repent your sins but he said it's not and we're
trying to give him the benefit of the doubt but these places are wicked
really because what they're really trying to do is pull you in and keep you
there while you're just sitting you know and in a way they're almost there we can
your soul winning because then they start trying to find fault with what
you're saying and what you're preaching try week you will tell you that you're
arrogant if you dare to mention ever that that you went so winning you know
or anything and they're just trying to just basically weaken you pull you down
stop you living for God and working for God you feel like you almost embarrassed
to talk about that you that you read your Bible or you just like they these
places are just poisonous but what they do is they pull you in you and
understand me you're trying to find a right church aren't you where look this
is what's happened with him and this guy finally has just come out with so he
preached on the door so told a woman on the door she had to repent of her sins
he pulled him up on it he then claimed to him now this is within a week he's
gone yeah no they it took an hour or something of debating I had this with a
church ages ago where it took an hour to for this guy to finally admit well he
had to concede that well maybe you're gonna see some changes in your life
after salvation okay and I thought well okay well we can't write him off as
unsaved now but how does it take an hour to get there yeah but wouldn't you just
go yeah okay of course yeah you don't do anything you have to debate with these
guys because because they're the type of folks probably that has to has to
pretend to believe the Bible so if you could show a verse after verse they
can't really argue but then what happens is this guy he spoke to him a week later
he turns up at church today and the guy says no you cannot get saved if you're
still in certain sins no you have to turn from sins no an alcoholic could not
get saved unless they're trying to stop drinking it's like how's it take the guy
was at his church for however long before how's it taken this long to get
there it's unbelievable isn't it unbelievable with these guys it's sadly
they're a wicked type of false prophet that's out there they pull people into
churches they sit there for ages languishing and everything else instead
of just getting on and doing the things of God and they weaken them and pull
them down and everything else and sadly there's quite a lot of those I believe
in this country as well and I'm not writing off every church it isn't like
our church if they really believe the gospel amen to that great if they if
they you know have the King James Bible if they if they look they don't have to
do exactly what we do if they're trying to get the gospel out trying to preach
gospel great they're a church yeah no problem with that and if people here
decide they don't like this they want to go to a church like that great I'm not
saying every other churches is wicked and unsaved but there's a lot of those
types of churches which look the part but they're not are they kind of got off
on that a bit here point being that look it says here the spirit itself birth
witnesses our spirit point being that how that guy he's not debating this
stuff and trying to say there's no clear salvation versus why because he's
unsaved he's unsaved you can't just look at the Bible and look at verses that are
just so clear like we just read from a feet from Romans 4 and many others which
are just clear that you can't lose your salvation but he can't read those who
come to that conclusion because he's unsaved because first Corinthians 2 14
says but the natural man receiveth not the things of spirit of God for their
foolishness unto him neither can he know them because they're spiritually
discerned so he knows what he's meant to say and he's and he says the right
things at the right time but he doesn't really understand it but you know that
you're a child of God and therefore an heir of God don't you I hope everyone
here does join heirs with Christ which means that we might suffer to means that
we might suffer but we're going to be glorified with that new sinless body
Amen verse 18 says for I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not
worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us he's
saying that suffering for Christ now is nothing when it comes to glory that we
will receive in fact you have turned in first Peter 4 13 we're told but rejoice
it as much as you are partakers of Christ sufferings that when his glory
shall be revealed he may be glad also with exceeding joy sounds good doesn't
it that exceeding joy for the earnest expectation where we are in verse 19 of
the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God now I
believe that Paul's saying here that even the animals are in a way waiting
for redemption and the rule and reign of Christ the verse 20 says for the
creature was made subject to vanity not willingly but by reason of him who is
subject to the same in home because the creature itself also shall be delivered
from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God
for we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together
until now I think he kind of makes that clear in verse 22 what he's talking
about with the creature legs obviously that can refer to people he does that in
other places in the Bible but turn to Isaiah 11 which tells us of the coming
millennial reign of Christ when the creation will no more groan and travail
in pain Isaiah 11 and look at verse 1 where it reads and there shall come
forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse Isaiah 11 1 and there shall come forth a
rod out of the stem of Jesse and a branch shall grow out of his roots and
the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him the spirit of wisdom and
understanding the spirit of counsel and might the spirit of knowledge and of the
fear of the Lord and shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the
Lord and he shall not judge off the side of his eyes neither approve after
hearing of his ears but with righteousness shall he judge the poor
and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth and he shall smite the earth
with the rod of his mouth with the breath of his lips shall he slay the
wicked and righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins of faithfulness a
girdle of his reigns I believe that's talking about a millennial reign look at
verse 6 the wolf also shall dwell with the lamb and the leopard shall lie down
with the kid and the calf and a young lion and the fatling together and a
little child shall lead them and the cow and the bear shall feed a young one shall
lie down together and the lion shall eat straw like the ox and the sucking
child shall play on the whole of the asp and the weaned child shall put his hand
on the cock of trice then they shall not hurt nor destroy and all my holy
mountain for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters
cover the sea sounds amazing doesn't it coming soon but because the animals are
probably finding things hard right now aren't they it's pretty tough you I
don't know there's some pretty raw videos on YouTube you ever see some of
these yeah where people are like you know watching like just bizarre stuff
it comes up my family I show my kids like animal videos sometimes on YouTube
little clips and just more and more bizarre stuff like comes up if ever I
look at you like you know like Eagles claws in like wolves snouts and thing
you know what on earth is this but there's some rough stuff that goes on in
the animal kingdom isn't there well they're probably you know looking
forward to things changing a bit and so are we though aren't we because it's not
just the animals finding things hard it says in verse 23 and not only they but
ourselves also which have the first fruits of the spirit even we ourselves
groan within ourselves waiting for the adoption to wit the redemption of our
body I don't know about you but sometimes I can get a little impatient
waiting for the end to come yeah anyone else know I've got a job to do even
so come Lord Jesus but sadly there's a few tough things to go through first
aren't there and if only I was appreciable but really because you can
get a bit impatient can't you and sometimes you think it would be a bit
easier to be up in heaven and then to be able to just come back in a millennial
rain because it's great having the first fruits isn't it the Holy Spirit which
kind of like a starter in a posh restaurant it's it's better than a
three-course meal anywhere else but once you've tasted it you want the main
course even more don't you yeah and once you've tasted that starter look if you
just went to McDonald's every day you wouldn't know any better would you okay
but once you've been to that posh restaurant once you've had that and some
of those starters were impressive aren't they and they've really got a follow-up
with the main after that because sometimes you're like wow that is
amazing okay when you have that posh starter it does make you want that main
you're thinking what's going to be next yeah and that's how I feel we might have
the first fruits with the Holy Spirit but that redeemed body is going to be
something else isn't it yeah they're gonna be something else for we are saved
by hope but hope that is seen is not hope for what a man seeth what did he
get hope for but if we hope for that we see not then do we with patience wait
for it so although there's an expectation of hope it's still hoping
as we haven't seen it isn't it but it's a hope we can still be assured of
because God promised it didn't he God promised it so it's not all I hope so
but well let's see what happens might end up just returned to the dust and
nothing might just be like a light switch off now that we know we know the
Word of God you know you the spirit sparing witness inside you you know you
can trust everything you said but it's still a hope isn't it it's still a hope
but for what a man seeth what do you hope for but if we hope for that we see
not then do with patience wait for it I think if we really saw it I think
we might find it hard to have that patience yeah I think if we really saw
if it if someone just went like here's a quick picture of your like heavenly body
and that I think I'm gonna find it hard to be patient you know it's a patient to
get rid of this sinful flesh but well maybe that's why yeah well why it's it's
it's hope we're more patient with that hope verse 26 likewise the Spirit also
help with our infirmities for we know not what we should pray for as we ought
but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which
cannot be uttered so another thing that the Holy Spirit does he's praying for us
when we don't know what we should be praying for because look there are
prayers for things which are free will and God encourages us to pray for things
doesn't he yeah it's not that you know you could pray for things that are your
free will that God might bless you with as long as it doesn't go against the
will of God but if you notice how God's will seems to be done even when we mess
up yeah in one way or another it might take a while for you to see that but
God's will is done in many situations and I believe that's because of the Holy
Spirit who being God knows all things and is making intercession and praying
and just things are just constantly being worked and reworked and reformed
for God's will to be done in those things verse 27 and he that searches the
hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit because he maketh intercession
for the Saints according to the will of God and we know that all things work
together for good to them that love God to them who are the called according to
his purpose so even when we make the wrong decision when we sin when we mess
up things kind of work out don't they things work out for good now look it
might not be what you consider to be good when you're going through a
whipping or when things are things are hard but a lot of the time good works
out in the end doesn't it and sometimes when you look back at things you've been
through lessons you've learned from it things you've improved because of
something that's gone bad that all things are working together for good to
them that love God to them who are the called according to his purpose and and
look it's not always that we learn from our mistakes as well do you think what
about this carnal Christian that's done this and that you know others learn from
our mistakes as well yeah don't they so if I just went into full wickedness and
everything else and and you just like saw God just make a massive example of
me and everything else hopefully that would make other people fear wouldn't it
I'm not saying I'm thinking yeah this is a will of God now I'm just gonna go
down some sinful route but look other people do it's like with your kids
isn't it like sometimes you know you give one kid a whipping for something
and the other kids go better not do that yeah and in the same way it can be like
that can't it where all things work together for good to them that love God
to them that are called according to his purpose now what does it mean to them
who are the called according to his purpose is that only a select few that
God has given the ability to get saved Turner John chapter 12 of course it's
not is it but sadly there are many that believe that aren't there many that
believe that there's only a few people that are called and that everyone else
is just destined for help no one else has it's all just some big game isn't it
it's like just a big arcade game or something that God's playing up in the
sky there well no it's not just a select few that God's given the ability to get
say look at John 12 and 31 John 12 31 says now is the judgment of this world
now shall the prince of this world be cast out and I if I be lifted up from
the earth will draw all men unto me this he said signifying what death he should
die because Jesus Christ death and the cross draws all men unto him doesn't it
draws all men unto him the called are those that responded to the call okay
the calls are though the called are those that responded to the call the
saved yeah the saved who got called by him drawing all men unto him and God
knows who will get saved and who won't doesn't he yeah God knows the beginning
from the end God knows who will get saved and who won't first 29 for whom he
did for know he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his son
that he might be the firstborn among many brethren so what's that talking
about there the predestination it's Calvinist word isn't it what do we do
with that well every single saved believer is then predestined to receive
that glorified body it's not that they're predestined to be this perfect
person in life no look many of us are gonna get that wrong many saved
Christians will do nothing for God or very little but says here he also did
predestinate to be conformed to the image of his son that he might be the
firstborn among many brethren Jesus Christ is the firstborn but we're
following the rapture aren't we okay let's talk about our glorified bodies
that's talking about we're being predestined to basically receive that
Christ like glorified body verse 30 moreover whom he did predestinate then
he also called and whom he called then he also justified and whom he justified
then he also glorified how we justified or Romans 5 one said therefore being
justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ what
would be the point by the way just a side note here what would even be the
point in the requirement of faith if Calvinism were true if the five points
of Calvinism were true what be even the point of the faith part of it you know
what he like predetermined it's not just some big weird sick game isn't it
according to the Calvinists out there what would be even be the point you
might as well just go well that one's been called that one's been what's the
point any of the rest of it absolutely bizarre is it bizarre belief isn't it
and again it back to the same point so often and not always again I'll give
that caveat there but so often it's just a load of unsaved people who just cannot
understand the scriptures can they so they take the verses like these take
them out of context and come away with just this bizarre five points of
Calvinism if anyone doesn't know what I'm talking about here basically there
there's a very very large amount of so-called Christians in this world who
believe that God pre elects predetermines predestines most people to
hell predetermines a few people to get saved that you have absolutely no
decision about it at all that you were predetermined to get saved that God
basically just pulls a whole world on strings that you basically don't have
any free will that no one has any free will because really when you get in a
Calvinism they basically believe that the most vile sick child molester is
basically doing God's will because God is sovereign and God is is controlling
everything is absolutely wicked yeah it's absolutely wicked and they go off
these five points of Calvinism known as Tulip you've got like total depravity
unlimited atonement unlimited atonement isn't it no limited atonement is
unconditional election limited atonement irresistible grace and perseverance of
the Saints so basically it's just five points of nonsense yeah of which you
could refute all five points as well and and from the Bible clearly but it's one
of these ones where they really try and sound really academic with it and and
they always love the ESV don't they because that's kind of the academics
choice isn't it yeah and they sound very intelligent and and it's really I mean
it's permeated kind of most most what we would call denominations pretty much I
mean they all believe some at least some amount of it not not necessarily all and
then people go into this oh well you know well he's not a hyper Calvary oh
he's like it's all just wickedness isn't it so wickedness and I can't stand it
and and basically at its core it's just saying that God just decides a few
people that he chose for absolutely no reason you have that he pre-elected not
because you know you've done the thing just he just chose he chose John
Alexander to get saved before the world began John Alexander had absolutely no
choice in it at all John Alexander couldn't have even not got saved
because God had already chosen to get so God already chose him to put faith yes
and I just again I hope you're just sitting here thinking what on earth if
you've never really heard this before and he but he did choose everyone else
who's unsaved to just go to hell and they had no choice in that either what a
load of nonsense and because John Alexander who didn't choose was chosen
before the world began to get saved that John Alexander will then persevere and
become more and more Christlike throughout his life and and will
basically be this great Christian his whole life because God's like pulling
strings and everything else come up with this rubbish but anyway turn to John
chapter 17
are we in fact no don't turn to John chapter 17 don't worry actually where
were we we're in we're in Romans Romans chapter 8 there are we okay so no
believers so believers here were basically predestined to the spiritual
body yeah we were called by the death of Christ weren't we we were justified by
faith we were glorified by the Holy Spirit and that was the first fruits and
we're ultimately going to be glorified with our glorified body verse 31 what
shall we say then to these sings if God before us who can be against us a great
verse that isn't it God before us who can be against us hey look that's not
saying you're not going to have hard times it's not going to say that people
aren't going to be against you but it's saying what are they really going to
achieve I'm gonna achieve anything he that spared not his own son but
delivered him up for us all how shall he not with him also freely give us all
things so if God the Father was willing to sacrifice Jesus Christ for us he's
not going to then withhold just much must much less important things as this
is his only begotten son from from us the things that are going to benefit us
that is yeah okay that's a great thing to remember isn't it look God sent his
son to die for you so when you're sitting a car done if he's going to
answer this prayer what is he really good that he didn't spare his son yeah
he didn't spare his son he spared not his own son but delivered him up for us
all how shall he not with him also freely give us all things one John 514
says and this is the confidence that we have in him that if we ask anything
according to his will he hear with us so obviously that doesn't apply when you're
praying for things that aren't going to be according to his will but look he
will hear you when we pray when we ask anything according to his will first
33 says who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect it is God that
justifies that's a great eternal security verse there isn't it who shall
lay anything to the charge of God's elect where is God that justifies we're
justified by God aren't we we're justified by Jesus Christ it's God that
justifies us through his atoning sacrifice isn't it verse 34 says who is
he that condemneth it is Christ that died yea rather than is risen again who
is even at the right hand of God who also maketh intercession for us for us
it's not that he made intercession for us he maketh yeah he maketh that's a
continuous isn't it he makes intercession for us that
continues and again I know I'm preaching to the choir here but especially in a
chapter like this a chapter that's been misused and abused yeah it's nice to
have these reminders in there isn't it just just because you can go to these
when people are people when you get the false prophet trying to go to this isn't
that if they're false prophet you might as well just tell them to be accursed
and walk off but you might get people that have just been affected by false
prophets come but what about this well go there and say well what does it say
here what does it say in chapter 7 and what you know because it all goes
together doesn't it it says verse 35 who shall separate us from the love of
Christ shall tribulation or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or
peril or sword so do these things mean that we're unsaved that we're being
punished does it mean that he doesn't love us tribulation distress persecution
famine nakedness or peril or sword or sword or it says here as it is written
for thy sake we are killed all the day long we are counted as sheep for the
slaughter but what there's verse 37 say nay and all these things we are more
than conquerors through him that loved us so look again because there's so much
false preaching you're gonna go through hard times a Christian you're gonna have
hard hard stuff happen you're gonna you might even get killed for the foot for
Christ and you might sit here in this nation and think really that could come
yeah that could happen things could quickly change as we know you know
there's some funny stuff going on there's walls on the horizon there's
walls not very far on the horizon I don't even know if it's far enough to be
called the horizon but there's a lot of stuff that that could change in our
world very quickly and and some of the some of the wickedness out there is
preaching that as a Christian you're just going to live a life of just
sunshine and flowers that is wicked isn't it because people just aren't
prepared for anything then and then people start questioning whether they're
being punished whether God does God not love me or am I really saved or any
other thing like that because they're not prepared for what the Bible clearly
says that look sometimes there's going to be tribulation distress persecution
famine nakedness peril sword that's death isn't it but he says it is written
for thy sake we are killed all the day long we are counted sheep for sword and
if you notice something everyone here that when you're first first saved if
you're hearing this sort of preaching it's a bit harder to palette then the
more you grow in Christ isn't it but at the beginning you're looking at stuff
like this secure really yeah I don't know if I really want to want to live
that much for Christ you know and then the more you grow and the more you read
and the more you learn and the more look because I want to say this for any of
you kids sitting here or any anyone who's who is it struggles with this
whether you're newly saved or not whether you're just going through a hard
time you look at this sick if I don't like the sound of this honestly look
suffering for Christ is ultimately a glory and and look there is nothing
better than living for God yeah there's nothing better than serving Christ yeah
you're gonna have hard things in life yeah I'm not saying it's all going to be
the worldly pleasures of life but when you serve him there's a contentment
there's a peace and I'm not saying that I'm not sitting ago when you serve him
like me I'm not saying that I'm saying that from my experience with other
people that do as well from times when I feel like that I'm doing things right
for Christ look you there's a peace and there's a satisfaction that you cannot
match you cannot match in the world and I never did match in the world yeah and
you cannot match as a Christian not doing things for Christ well I've got
the salvation that should make me happy now look when you try and when you're
trying to live right and you and look and we're gonna get that wrong all of us
yeah and I'm not trying to get on a high horse here because I'm gonna get that
wrong all of us are gonna get things wrong many times we're not always gonna
live like that but when you do look you can't compare it kids so don't sit there
thinking yeah I don't know about this I don't know about living for God I'm
gonna go through this look all that stuff he's still gonna be happier than
if you're a Christian who's just backslidden and gone into the world it's
gonna be happier than if you're just rejecting serving God that if you're
just not doing things of Christ because I've seen and met and been around many
Christians at least we'll do part of it and they start to reject clear
teachings of the Bible things they should be doing they don't do it and are
they happy are they happier than the person that's going through persecution
no are they happier than the one that's going through tribulation no a lot of
the time they just end up going through chastisement anyway that's even worse
yeah you don't really want to fall into the hands of living God okay really we
want to be serving God and living for God says here as it is written for thy
sake we're killed all the day long we account to sheep for the slaughter nay
and all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us for
I am persuaded that neither death nor life nor angels nor principalities nor
powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other
creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ
Jesus our Lord that's a great couple of verses there isn't it great couple of
verses there for eternal security great couple of verses there that maybe could
have been shown to that pastor a great couple of verses there to say look
regardless of any of those things anyway we still have the love of God which is
in Christ Jesus our Lord and none of these things will affect that death
life angels principalities powers things present things to come height depth nor
any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which
is in Christ Jesus our Lord and look the point I was trying to make earlier with
that as well guys is it no I'm not saying oh well you know just from my
point of view when you look at some of the great men of God and you look at
some of the people that many of us here have may either been around or or at
least have got to know some degree through others through preaching through
other things do you think these people are just depressed and down on
themselves and just living this unhappy life well I've got to go preach today
I've got to go through more insults and more grief and more online and offline
and everything persecution and people and even even learn you're going so it's
so much for online so well what about the people in in some nations where
they're getting maybe physically threatened physically at that and there
are people as we know when you're getting your church bombed when you're
getting when you got the sodomites outside your church every every week and
they're throwing stuff and they're threatening and they're getting the
death threats on a daily basis they're getting people ringing up and leaving
messages saying what they're going to do to their families what they got Mossad
agents and these guys have had all this stuff and do you think they're sitting
there going I just hate serving Christ I wish I never got into this do you think
they're thinking that you know what though all those men of God that have
been through those things they're happier than the backslidden Christian
they're happier than the Christian that's rejecting the clear pricking of
the Holy Spirit to do things for God they're happier than the Christian
that's only doing half of it but I guarantee you that and look and it's not
all about happiness in line that's not what I'm talking about here but you know
what there's a contentment that comes from serving God isn't there and
everyone here it doesn't matter whether you're behind a pulpit or whether you're
going out you know a couple of times a week preaching the gospel leading a
family whether you're raising kids whether you're you're you're doing none
of those things and you're a single person trying to live right for God and
and just trying to get right and trying to learn how to solve and everything
else when you're when you're walking the way that God wants you to go and you're
going in the right direction there's a contentment that can't be matched yeah
there's a contentment I believe that can't be matched in the world they
can't be matched especially as a Christian rejecting the world and yeah
there's the pleasures of sin for a season with the unsaved okay but look
it's for a season and there's a repercussions for sin as well and anyway
regardless of any of that ultimately where are we going to end up in heaven
and where we're not going to end up in hell and eternity for me is the most
important thing as well but like he said here none of those things none of these
things on this list will separate us from the love of God which is in Christ
Jesus our Lord and what a great promise that is as well isn't it yeah God's
gonna love you he loves you it's it's through Christ Jesus and all these
things nothing's gonna get in the way of that and on that let's pray
father thank you thank you for this great chapter of the Bible thank you for
the great truths in there thank you for the Holy Spirit and fulfill the many
blessings we get from the Holy Spirit thank you for thank you for that promise
of our redeemed body so we could just get rid of the sinful flesh that all of
us will battle with on a daily basis thank you for for just you know the
glory that's going to be revealed in us and thank you for you know all the many
promises you give of not only eternal rewards but also of the joy we can if we
get things right we can receive from even even suffering tribulation and
persecution for your name and we thank you for for all the great truths that
you make clear to us through your word thank you for salvation thank you for
the gift of eternal life and thank you for this church thank you for for just
being surrounded by by all these people that just want to serve you that want to
live for you that want to want to just just go out and get people saved for you
as well and and thank you that that we're all able to do that that we have
this church that we that you've given us that as well and Lord I pray that you'll
just just bless this you know bless this evening with the baptisms just just help
those after their baptisms to just continue to want to serve you to want to
live for you we pray that you'll just just also bless everyone on their
journeys home bless their weeks ahead help us to try and get out and preach
the gospel this week until we return back safely next week for another day in
your house in Jesus name we pray all this amen