Amen, so Genesis chapter 2 and I just want to look right now a few verses there from verse 15
So Genesis 2 and from verse 15 the Bible reads and the Lord God took the man
And put him into the Garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it and the Lord God
Commanded the man saying of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat
But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil thou shalt not eat of it for in the day that thou eatest
So of thou shalt surely die and the title of my sermon today is a biblical doctrine of free will the biblical doctrine of free
Will let's go to the Lord in a quick word of prayer father. Thank you. Thank you for your word
Thank you for this church. Thank you for everyone here
Please now just fill me with your spirit help me to preach accurately boldly help people to have attentive ears now and just stay alert
Stay stay focused on what your word has to say to them and we ask all these things in Jesus name Amen
Okay, so like many of the truths of life the doctrine of free will is constantly under attack isn't it constantly under attack from the
Hyper-Calvinist who believes that we're all puppets on a string just you know
God just ordains absolutely everything and they come out with all these strange extra biblical terms about that to many other false religions
Who believe some version of that to the frustrated Christian calling out?
Why God, you know to something that's happened, which is a result of people's free will
There's a lot of confusion about this topic out there, isn't there?
There is a lot of confusion as a little different teacher here in in what seemed to be
You know Bible believing churches as well and we can easily be
Affected and I would say infected by these false teachings as well. Can't we?
Now what what is free will what is free will well the noun so when we say the noun for example, you have free will
It's free and independent choice voluntary decision
so you took on the responsibility of your own free will and in philosophy the doctrine that the conduct of human beings expresses personal choice and
Is not simply determined by physical or divine forces now the adjective as well
So you could say I made a free will decision is made or done freely or of one's own accord
Voluntary a free will contribution for example to political fund
Yeah, right of all relating to the metaphysical doctrine of the freedom of the will okay
So we're going to look at three areas of free will today
Three areas of free will in the first area is going to be just in life as a whole now
What why is it under attack? Why is this doctrine under attack?
Well when it comes to just life when it comes to just free will in life as a whole
One reason is the good old blame game, isn't it?
Passing the buck blaming someone else and ultimately a lot of people just like to blame God don't they?
Blame God for your own choices and many unbelievers if you noticed how they seem to like to blame God for the things that happen in
life
Even though they claim to not believe in God and then a lot of the time when they tell you they don't believe in God
Their answer of why they don't believe in God is because they're annoyed with him about something
They feel that he's done and they don't seem to recognize
So many things that happen in life are actually due to the free will decisions of men in life, aren't they?
And we see that a lot and it is just passing the buck, isn't it?
It's just blaming God a lot of the time when they start telling you sometimes about these things that happen already
The cogs start turning in your head and you can see how even they themselves are probably likely to blame to some degree for whatever
Happened in life. Yeah, they just want to blame God for it
Well, the title as I said is a biblical doctrine of free will number one is man was given free will with life
So here in Genesis where we are in Genesis 2 God has just created the world the animals and man
Genesis 2 15 says and the Lord God took the man and put him into the Garden of Eden to dress it and to keep
It and the Lord God commanded the man saying of every tree of the garden now
May us freely eat but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil
Thou shalt not eat of it for in a day that thou eatest of thou shalt surely die
So straight away here at the beginning of time. Yeah the dawn of time here
The first man ever Adam is given an option, isn't he? Obey or not straight away. Obey or not
He's given that decision to make he's given a choice isn't he sin or don't sin live or die straight away first thing
But right at the beginning it's almost like God's trying to make a point here, isn't it? Yeah that man is given options
He's given choices. He's given free will now you could look at this and I'm sure many have looked at this and thought well
You know, why did God have to put that tree there in the first place? Yeah, why we could have all been sinless
Why did he allow the serpent to tempt them?
Yeah, maybe many people have looked and thought that many Christians throughout time probably have because God didn't create robots did he
Yeah, God didn't create robots because he created us with free will and he wants us to choose the right option
But there has to be the choice there doesn't there there has to be a choice
For us to choose if there was never any choice. Well, there's no point in free will is there now there has to be a choice
yeah, there has to be a choice in everything in life if you're going to choose and
In fact the free will in this chapter doesn't just end there it's not oh well look straight away
He gives them this choice here
Well keep reading and look at verse 18 and the Lord God said it is not good that the man should be alone
I'll make him and help meet for him and out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field and every
Foul of the air and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them and whatsoever Adam called every living creature
That was the name thereof and Adam gave names to all cattle and to the fowl of the air and to every beast of the field
But for Adam there was not found and help meet for him
So Adam is given the right to choose what to name all of the animals straight away again. Yeah, so straight away
He's given the choice whether or not to obey God now. He's told you can name all the animals his choice his decision
Again for me God's just making it clear here. Yeah, we have free will we have choices
He's making a point of giving him that choice of what he wants to name the animals look at verse 21
And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam and he slept and he took one of his ribs and closed up the
Flesh instead thereof and a rib which the Lord God had take from man made he a woman and brought her unto the man
And Adam said this is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh
She shall be called woman because she was taken at a man. So he also chose what's called woman
Yeah, he also chose the name woman there and obviously that's it. That's in the Hebrew
There is what is when it was originally written, but we don't have to go back to the Hebrew here
Do we we know that Adam made that choice as to what to name a woman so right off the bat
Yeah
Right off the bat here
The first ever man is given a commandment with the ability to break it as we see
he's given a choice of what to name the animals and
What and what to name woman? Yeah, what to name the female of the species as people like to call them
Yeah, okay
So that continues in the chapter 3 though, doesn't it and in chapter 3 verse 20
It's not just that he calls her woman
Well chapter 3 20 says and Adam called his wife's name Eve because she was a mother of all living
So again straight away first first off straight into the Bible first time
We see man in the Bible and he's given a choice to obey or not
He's given the choice as to what to name man
He's given the choices to what to name a woman and then he's given the choices to what name he wants to call her as well
Straight away, isn't he for me? Just firstly important in the Bible. It's making it really clear free will there, isn't it?
Yeah, the biblical doctrine of free will starts Genesis chapter 2
Yet for some bizarre reason there are so-called Christians all over the world that believe that God
Ordains every action in life. Yeah, there are people out there that honestly believe that God is literally ordaining everything
And he's kind of having this game where he makes you think that it's free will but it's not really and in fact
He's just pulling strings and making everything happen
Which if you really think about is saying that God is responsible for absolutely everything that happens in life
And that is messed up isn't it?
Because there are some evil wicked nasty things happening like which God makes it clear that he hates
But he despises it disgusting the abominations to him. Yeah, there are people that believe that aren't there?
Yeah, there are people that believe that now so many obviously, you know here I'm referring to what you would call Calvinists
But not every Calvinist claims to believe that some say well no well what we think is that you know
God's kind of only only in certain areas of life
We're going to talk about those in a minute
But some do believe that he literally God is they use the word sovereign now for some people the word sovereign is the problem
It's just saying that God is King basically
Yeah, God is Lord of Lords
But for many when they use the word sovereign they're basically saying that he is controlling absolutely everything
Every minute detail of life is controlled by God that's messed up, isn't it?
It's pretty messed up now and like I said Genesis 2 has this has a theme doesn't it of freewill decisions?
yeah, straightaway a theme of it and
Like I said there are there are those out there that want to blame God for every bad thing that happens
And they rarely credit him with the good things do they so when we're out sole winning
We we've seen this go across to people where where I don't know if it's come from because a lot of them aren't Calvinist
They're just kind of non-believer
Agnostic types or or would it you know, some might claim they go I'm an atheist and then you say to him
Oh, okay. Well, would you like me to show you? Well, you know if God was really real
Why would he do this and it straightaway it's into hatred of God, isn't it?
It's into blaming God passing the blood blaming him
But I bet they never give him credit for the good things that happen in life today
I bet they don't give him credit that the fact they even woke up in the morning and they were even able to have food
On their table. They had a roof over their head and everything else
And and of course many people don't do they they like to blame but they don't like to give credit
but
Is it God's fault that they made those certain choices in their life
So God gives us free will and that stretches across the world, doesn't it? Yeah, so across the world
There's free will in life and you hear it. He took so-and-so away for me. Yeah, you hear that a lot, don't you?
Yeah, yeah, he took this person or what about this one that that vile
Reprobate Stephen Fry came out with what about babies with bone cancer?
Yeah, that vile reprobate Stephen Fry that claims to be an atheist yet
then stands up on some talk show and starts basically going on a rant against God and
Blaming him for everything that he considers to be bad in the world. Yeah. Well, well, what about that did God tell people to
use known carcinogens
Because they're cheaper or because they make people more profit did God did God tell people to do that?
Did he say when there's known things that in fact?
He made it clear what to do when there was when there was like like deep
Nasty mold in houses and things like that didn't he didn't say I'll just carry on if it's cheaper
Well, if you know if it's gonna work out you could build blocks, you know, you use the mold infested blocks
Is there a bit cheaper and really that's what it comes down to isn't it?
The love of money the love of money is such a big part of all of it
You don't turn it but he warned us in first Timothy 6 9
But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare into many foolish and hurtful lusts which drowned men in
destruction and
Perdition because that's what it comes down to a lot of the time
We're talking about this with asbestos the other day when we were out so winning
We're going through some blocks and they just kept giving us kind of the asbestos
Warnings and non warnings on all these blocks and and ultimately it just came down to money didn't it?
Yeah, just came down to money. It was cheap. It was cheap
It was badly good insulation
But it was cheap and it was and they were using it everywhere because of how cheap they could do it
And I do you think there wasn't someone up there that didn't know deep down. There was a problem with it
Do you think they'd done all the necessary testing?
I'm sure they hadn't because now people seem to be quite clued up about what what happens with it
But it was cheap and it was people making money to get rich and it's not just asbestos
Is it and we see that in many many areas of life babies die in a boat?
I'm not saying that that's why well there are some other reasons
Did God tell people to inject themselves and their children with who know what who knows what did he say that?
Did he say that in the Bible?
He said go out and just just let someone just make a little cocktail of whatever you and really it's modern-day witchcraft, isn't it?
Yeah, it's modern-day witchcraft. Just make a cocktail whatever you like shove it in that baby
You have got no idea most people won't even read what's in it
Will they most people in the world most mothers and fathers around this world around this nation?
Especially in in hospitals. Do they even ask what the ingredients are? Do they even bother to look at it?
do they even try and make even a
Slightly informed decision or do they just jab up their babies straight away because they're told to do so
Did God tell you to do that?
God didn't tell us to do that. Did he? In fact, he told us through David in Psalms 139 verse 14
I will praise you for I'm fearfully and wonderfully made marvelous are thy works and my soul knoweth right well
Yeah, if you believe if you believe that God made you great
Why do you need an upgrade from the doctor gods?
Why do you need the doctor gods start jabbing you up with all sorts and it's got absolutely ridiculous, isn't it now?
I mean, I remember when I was young no those those that three and one that MMR was a big deal
Yeah, and there were people people who were pro-vax gun
I think I'll just go for one at a time. Yeah one at a time now five in one six and ones
What's the biggest one? Is it six in one?
Yeah, I think it's a six. Yeah. Oh, yeah, just six and one straight in that little baby. Absolutely wicked, isn't it?
Absolutely, just just vile isn't it what goes on but did God tell us to do that but but no but it's God's fault when
That baby ends up getting bone cancer and maybe it's not because of that. Maybe there's another reason but tell you what
It's not that God went right. You're gonna get bone cancer
Okay, so
what else what else did God say did God say well as long as you can chew it and swallow it and
Someone calls it food eat it and if it's a liquid drink it did God say that as well
You just say look if someone puts it in a packet and sells it in the food
I'll just eat it you say that did he say just just enough it just as long as they call it that as long as
Like as long as it's liquid just drink it. Yeah, it doesn't matter doesn't matter because you know someone someone else some guy
some people in some massive
Corporation somewhere who seem we haven't noticed how small the ownership of all our big food industry labels actually is
I was looking at so it was it necessary
So we're talking about this recently with someone I was out sold
Like you think you've got this competition, but they are like half the cereals and all these other things
I think they all just had a different, you know subsidiary companies, but it's all owned by the same people now
I'm not standing here saying why everyone in this day's working
But what I am saying is there's a lot of poison a lot of foods aren't there?
There's a lot of bizarre additives and bizarre. Oh, well, well the FDA said it's all right. Oh, well, that's all right then
Oh, well, what do we got here the verge of the Food and Drug Administration or our English version?
Well, they said it's all right. So it's I'll just eat it fat. I'll just shove it to my kids
Yeah, well, I don't want to be mean but I want to stop my kids eating a drink. Well, what on earth?
Yeah, did God say that? No, no
Do you know what God did say it again you have to know but he said in Genesis 120 29 and God said behold
I've given you every herb bearing seed
Which is upon the face of all the earth and every tree in which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed to you
It shall be for meat
Yeah, that's things that grow. Yeah things that grow that he gave us
He gave us to eat and then he added in Genesis 9 3 after the flood every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for
You even as a green herb have I given you all things
So that to me is animals and that to me is things which grow
Yeah
That to me isn't some guy in a lab coat somewhere trying to extract what he can and change things and add all sorts of bizarre
Concoctions and everything else to to make you enjoy it more and to make you get addicted to that food and drink and people look
Is anyone here sitting here thinking? Yeah, but I'm sure it doesn't do you any harm. Look. I'm sure you can get away with something
Yeah, we don't have to be just completely like why I can't touch any what's on that one
You know someone offers you something. Oh, well, I don't know what's on that unless you've got allergies intolerances and things like that
Yeah, maybe we don't have to go that far
I'll tell you what what you buy at home and what you feed your kids and what you have as a regular and what?
Body's pretty pretty durable. Yeah. Yeah body can get away with the odd thing
But what you do is a regular as a routine we should take some interest, right?
Yeah, because God told us what it what we should eat and drink
Yeah, and he didn't tell us he didn't tell us to just partake in whatever anyone gives you. Yeah, that's what I think well
But he did give us free will didn't he he did give us free will to make those choices
So I suppose you could blame him for that. Can you well, how dare you give me free will God?
How dare you make let me make those decisions but do you really want to be a robot
Does anyone here want to be a robot? I don't fancy the idea of being a robot
Okay, that sounds so fun to me. So yeah, God gave us free will now. There's the next question they go
Well, why is it God intervening with all the wicked you heard that one before? Yeah. So what why does he let this happen?
Why does he let that happen?
Well if he's going to do a mass intervention and bring the physical death penalty forward
Yeah, and they all die in the end don't know. Yeah, but if he's gonna bring all that forward well
Isn't that everyone then because the wages in his death?
Yeah, he's gonna bring the intervention forward and just go right. I'm not gonna let anyone get away with sin anymore
Oh, no. No, that's only the wicked. Oh, well, why does he let the wicked?
Well, I would hazard a guess that everyone here is capable of wickedness
Yeah, and we like to put a line on it. Don't we? Why does he let that one get away with it?
But what about this one? Yeah, we like to do that
Everyone loves to kind of give their own idea what they think is wicked
Well, the Bob says for there is not a just man upon the earth that doeth good and sin if not, doesn't it?
Yeah, so
Again, if they if he bought the death penalty forward, that's all of us. But where is your line then? Well bad sins
What about really bad sins? Well, that's sins that hurt others that we're all capable of sins that hurt others, aren't we?
Yeah, or what about and look there were some witler don't get me wrong. Yeah, I understand that there is levels of sin
Yeah, there are yeah, there's no doubt about that all sin is not equal all sin isn't equal but I tell you are everyone here is
Capable and does commit sins which in God's eyes are wicked. Yeah bad sins
Where is your line because the Bible said we spoke about last week that lying lips of abomination
Yet everyone's lied let God be true and every man a liar
So every one of us at times has been an abomination to God
So do we want him to just intervene take out those it we who do sins that he hates
Because we're all capable of sins that he hates aren't we?
What about well, the Bible's clear that cross-dressing is abomination, isn't it? Yeah cross-dressing is abomination
You'd have to know again
But the woman shall not let where that which pertaineth unto a man nigh
There shall a man put on a woman's garment for that do so of abomination unto the Lord thy God
Now by the way that used to be one that did seem to be written on people's hearts, didn't it?
And I just want to bring this up quickly because I
have had I have had people ask me questions recently about this and there are some that are newer to church and things or this
Type of church which preaches a whole council of God and I've had I had questions a while back as well people
Are you banning people from going soul-winning if they dare to wear, you know, if they don't wear a skirt and I said no
They can of course we wouldn't stop anyone going soul-winning but I said but if you're representing our church
We do like you to be dressed appropriately
Okay, if you're coming and you're going to be a member and you're going out and you're preaching the gospel
Yeah, if you're coming you look you've come and joined our church. We're not forcing anyone you come here in trousers every week
If you want, okay, it's you're not here to impress me
Okay, and you're not here to impress anyone else at the church ladies, especially here because this one is a hard one for ladies
Okay, and I do appreciate that it can be difficult because a lot of ladies I thought well that that's you know
That that was my identity is what some of them feel
Yeah
And this is how I was used to dressing and it's hard to just go right now
Someone some guy from behind a pulpit said that it's an abomination to dress in a pair of trousers
So that's it. I've got to be in everything and change my wardrobe and a lot of people find that difficult
Yeah, and they and and I get that yeah, I do get that
But if God says something's an abomination if God says he hates something
But isn't that the most important thing?
Yeah, it is isn't it because it's not about it's not about what the people at church think if it's just a church
Look look look the eyes of God are everywhere aren't they? Yeah, okay, they're everywhere every time
So if you're just dressed in a skirt for church, you might as well not bother. Honestly, come on a pair of trousers
It don't bother me. Honestly. Yeah, if you're just dressing in a skirt when you're around Christians, don't bother because it's not about them
It's about God and that's that's where you got to get to it's it's what your heart is
Yeah. Oh, yeah, but I just so I just find it so comfortable. Look there were women throughout history
That didn't even believe in the Word of God
Who have worn skirts throughout history and dresses, you know
There are still elderly people in this country that that that have no care for God at all
That would not put on a pair of trousers still a lot of this day
Yeah, who are in care homes in skirts and dresses because they don't look like a man because deep down in them
They know it's wrong
And just because we've been brainwashed brainwashed over there. What's really it's quite a more recent brainwash this isn't it that there are still sadly
Christian women who know the Word of God they know what it says who still refuse
Apart from when it's in front of other people. Okay, that's not right. Is it because you've got it all wrong
Yeah, look and and that's the point you want to get to as a point you just look here go
But but God says it's an abomination. Yeah, and what God says is what matters like I said, this isn't a recent
This is a new fangled thing throughout Hitler throughout history in this country up until what would you say kind of the 60s?
Just before the air did they start trying to push it and promote it but up until then it was wearing dresses and skirts. Oh
How terrible you know, how you gonna do your what is it that you can't do what is it you can't do
So why is it that there was still and I'm sure but love saying no
I'm sure they're women in this in this church right now who still
Hate the fact that they have to wear a skirt or dress because either their husband says so or because they're at church
But what did God say he said the woman shall not wear that which pertains up to her
What other item of clothing are we talking about then?
And like I've talked about this before you go back to other sermons. It's about it's a look
It's a question of anatomy as well. Okay, then a pair of trousers
You generally basically revealing a lot more than you are as a man in a pair of trousers
Okay, and it's about anatomy and it's clear as day. There is no other item of clothing we're talking about here
So it says neither shall a man put on a woman's garment and that and everyone here
I'm sure and all the women here would agree. That would be an abomination, wouldn't it?
Yeah for all that do so of abomination unto the Lord thy God
And if I turn up at a skirt
Like I said many times and sorry to give you that visual image wipe it out quickly, but that would be
Disgusting wouldn't it?
Absolutely, and and I'll be honest that's how I feel that honestly the more I read my Bible and the more I'd and and like
I'm not trying to say I'm this holy great guy
But the more I try and grow in in the Lord the more I hate it
The more I hate it when I see women in trousers the more hated disgust me
So look, but it's not about me and the point anyway back to the point of sermon. It's free will isn't it?
Yeah, we have free will but God's made it clear and we love to judge other people. We love to go
Well, he should do this. He should do that. But so many here are
Committing abominations and look all us men who don't have a problem with that particular angle
Let's not get too much on our high horses because I'm sure every man here a lot of them probably regularly lie
Okay, and lie lips or abomination to the Lord thy God. Okay, so let's not get too carried away here
Because I know this is a particular one
It is a bit of a challenge for women nowadays in this day and age but wasn't before okay. It wasn't before anyway
let's continue so
Where's our line because we can't have a line can we with that?
Okay, and look ultimately God allows free will and that that does result in some wicked things going on in the world
Yeah, and like I said some of those wicked things are things that we partake in ourselves
But we love to put ourselves up on a pedestal
Turner's second Samuel
24 now God does intervene sometimes so I'm not trying to say that everything just takes because God does sometimes intervene in life
Doesn't it? Yeah, we see that we see that in the Bible the Bible gives many examples of that
Especially with his children and
Obviously often that's a direct result of prayer, isn't it? Yeah
That's as a direct result of prayer and God and that's what a lot of the time we're praying for is God's intervention in life
Aren't we?
Okay
And sometimes look there's nothing wrong by the way with praying for intervention with those real
Vile wicked things that go on in those wicked people is there because the Bible gives us example after example of that of what we?
Call him imprecatory Psalms where where men of God filled with the Holy Spirit are praying for God
To end the life and along the time in a pretty savage way or maybe not even in the line
Maybe just smash some teeth out
Yeah, or maybe just cut off a limb or something else and these are people that are calling for that to happen or break limbs
And everything else. Yeah, there's nothing wrong with that and and these holier-than-thou Christians that claim that oh, well
We just you know, even the most vile sick child abuser. We love them. We just want to get say you liar
Yeah, that's a lie and men of God clearly throughout the Bible will call for punishment of those people
Okay, but but back to the point here
There are many verses. Yeah, there are many verses again. If you're still not if you still wondering go
Yeah, but I keep hearing that God is sovereign. Yeah, I've heard it throughout whenever at whatever church
Well, what about again you have to know but Proverbs 11 14 says where no counselors are people for but in the multitude of counselors
The Bible's clear that you should be getting counsel on your decision
I mean the whole Bible I mean this first point is almost pointless
Okay, I would hope I'm preaching to the choir from Genesis to onwards
It is there is no doubt at all that we have free will in life, isn't it?
Is it bizarre bizarre just weird false doctrine that isn't it? Okay
Obviously, we're told to get good advice before making decisions because we'll make decisions in life
Yeah, okay, but I like this example that you just turn to a second Samuel 24 because it involves God punishing David
So God's giving out the punishment and Israel
Okay, and ultimately it's Israel that he wants to punish but still giving him a choice in what punishment it is
Okay. So again even here and this is just an amusing one just kind of just for the end of this point
Because what happens in second Samuel 24 is that David's just syndicates God by numbering his army even though Joab's
Reminded him
That God fights for them and basically the numbers not important
Okay, and he's got numbering him anyway, and God's actually moved him or through the devil to do this
Well, it says in verse 10 and David's heart smote him after that
He had numbered the people and David said unto the Lord I have sinned greatly and that I have done and now I beseech thee
O Lord take away the iniquity of thy servant for I have done very foolishly
Under verse 11 for when David was up in the morning the word of the Lord came unto the Prophet Gad David's seer saying
Go and say unto David thus saith the Lord I offer thee three things choose thee one of them that I may do it
unto thee so basically the cane
The wooden stick or the slipper. Yeah, it's one of those. Yeah. So which one do you want the cane?
Maybe the the thick stick or the slipper. Well, what does David go for?
So Gad came to David and told him sent him shall seven years of famine come unto thee in thy land or wilt thou flee
Three months before thine enemies while they pursue thee all that there be three days
Excuse me pestilence in thy land now advise and see what answer I shall return to him
That sent me and David sent unto Gad. I am in a great strait
Let us fall now into the hand of the Lord for his mercies are great
And let me not fall into the hand of man
So the Lord sent a pestilence upon Israel from the morning even to the time pointed and there died of the people from Dan
even to be a sheba
70,000 men
Okay, so just say just just just a classic example where God's even given him the option of what punishment he gets
Okay, free will all day long a free world look clear as day in the Bible. Okay, right
I don't think anyone could argue that surely if you want to argue that please come and see me after the service
Okay, Turner John chapter 3 so
That one's an obvious one. I believe from the beginning of the Bible. We make decisions in life
Okay, the title obviously the biblical doctrine of free will
Number one was man was given free will with life. Number two is man was given free will with salvation
Okay, man was given free will with salvation
Now in John chapter 3 famous verses from verse 14
Jesus said and as Moses lifted up the serpent in a wilderness even so must the Son of Man be lifted up that
Whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have eternal life
For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever
Believest in him should not perish but have everlasting life that word whosoever that we see time and time again in the Bible
What does it mean? Well, it's a combo. It's a combination of who so and ever anyone any person whatever. Yeah
Okay, whosoever whosoever means anyone everyone because we have free will to get saved don't we?
Yeah, we have free will whether or not we receive salvation or not
Now that should be obvious again shouldn't it that should be obvious from this verse alone and many others like this
But of course, there are the Calvinists that believe that there's no choice involved at all again. What a bizarre
Well borderline religion with a lot and I understand there are say people that can get mixed up in Calvinism
But it is bizarre, isn't it? Absolutely bizarre now they misuse verses
Where Jesus is talking about choosing his twelve disciples, for example
Verses that talk of God's foreknowledge
Yeah, which is different to him deciding from the beginning who will and won't get saved verse that talk about being predestinated
But it's predestinated to a glorified body. Yeah verses that refer to us as the elect
because
We are that spiritual nation of Israel, aren't we? Okay, and all these and they misuse all of this
They take it out of context
They then ham it all together and then they ignore countless clear salvation verses
Which say it is open to all yeah, don't they?
They obviously mix up a bit of they take a bit of where God's talk about reprobates
We'll talk about that in a minute as well and they mix it all together and just come out with this
Basically, if you've never heard this before this doctrine the and this is big in in what people know
I know of as Christianity and what seems to be or claims to be Bible believe in Christianity
There are there are these people everywhere that at least believe some
Element of Calvinism that it was predetermined before you were born
Whether or not you would get saved you had no choice about it whatsoever
Okay, God decided he said you're gonna get saved you're not you're gonna get saved you're not and that's how he went
In fact, it's more like you're not you're not you're not you're not you are you're not because the vast majority of people go to hell
Aren't they? Okay. What an absolutely exhausting bet
But we've talked about this a bit before we went through it in Romans Romans 8 and 9 a little bit as well
And Calvinism is big
Yeah, because it sounds so clever and it sounds so intellectual and it sounds so, you know many other things
But what what's really the goal of it? Do you think what's really the main goal?
Yeah, and it limits it limits soul winning basically. Okay, that's ultimately what it is
It's an attack on soul winning because when you believe in Calvinism, you basically believe that God's gonna get someone saved anyway
So what is a point in going out and preaching the gospel because it's irresistible grace irresistible, man
Yeah, there's no way of them resisting someone's gonna do it. So why do I bother doing it?
Yeah, why do I bother doing most those people are gonna go to hell anyway, yeah
And the ones that aren't well God's gonna get him saved because he's already decided they're gonna be saved
And that's what really it's about, isn't it?
And then they try and you know wrap it up with a lot of clever long-standing words a lot of so-called doctors of theology
Like to talk about this sort of stuff which puts them up on this sort of pedestal where people just believe them anyway
Because they use the words. Yeah, they must be why they use long words. They sound posh
Okay, so why how could they be wrong because they're much cleverer than some guys
It's standing behind a pulpit in a local church somewhere saying it's wicked
Yeah, it's of the devil, but it is wicked and it is of the devil. Okay now
Like I said, what's the reason to?
Really to limit soul when that's the main one with Calvinism, but well the Bible is clear. The Bible is clear that it is
Whosoever yet countless first sounds gonna go through a few and I've done this before but it just to remind you
Let's just go through a few again and
Go over just to John chapter 4 while you're in John chapter 3. So a few more in John's Gospel
John chapter 4 and verse 14 says but whosoever
Trinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst
But the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life
That's the whosoever there go to John chapter 11 while I read Acts 2 21 you go to John 11
Acts 2 21 says and it shall come to pass that
Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved and John chapter 11 and verse 26 says and whosoever
Liveth and abideth in me shall never die
Believest thou this John 12 and verse 46 over the page there says John 12 46
I am come a light into the world that whosoever
Believest on me should not abide in darkness now turn to Romans 9 while I read Acts 10 43
Turn to Romans 9 Acts 10 43 says to him give all the prophets witness that through his name
Whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins
You're in Romans 9 hopefully in verse 33 says as it is written behold our land Zion a stumbling
Stone and rock of offense and whosoever
Believest on him shall not be ashamed over to Romans 10 13 for whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord
Shall be saved okay last couple turn of revolution
Revelation and it is revolutionary, but revelation chapter 22 well
I read 1st John 4 15 which reads whosoever shall confess that Jesus is son of God God dwelleth in him
And he and God first John 5 1 says whosoever believe that Jesus Christ is born of God and everyone that loveth him that begat
Loveth him also that is begotten of him and revelation 22 and from from verse 16
Revelation 22 verse 16 says I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches
I am the root and the offspring of David and the bright and morning star and the spirit and the bride say come
And let him that heareth say come and let him that is a thirst come and whosoever will
Let him take the water of life freely what a great verse there is there
Yeah, the spirit the bride say come and let him that heareth say come let him
That is a there is a first come and whosoever will let him take the water of life freely
Okay, it's clear as day isn't it in the Bible clear as day
And they're just clear salvation verses many verses that many of us will use when we're out soul winning
It's just clear as day isn't it getting saved is a free will decision, and that's something though, okay?
That's again
I hope that everyone here is aware of that again if you if you're still a bit unsure about that would happen
This isn't just a sermon on Calvinism would happy would happily talk you through this afterwards, but
It is something we have to remember when we're giving the gospel though isn't it yeah, we have to remember that
Yes, we pray you in God's stead be reconciled to God yeah
But we can't force people to believe okay
You can't force someone to get saved and it's something yet look we do have to remember when we're out preaching the gospel
Because it even includes you can't force someone to hear the gospel
Okay, please
And it does happen out here, and I've witnessed it with people and look again
This isn't some big criticism anyone who's going out preaching the gospel. Please continue to preach gospel
Don't you know brother Ian's not got his spies out?
You know I don't want to go with him in case he like pulls me up on it
But I just want to edify the church. It's easier if I just do it to the whole church, okay?
I will pull people up when I'm out with them
And I have done and will continue to do so if there's things that I think look
Maybe you should not do it like this or like that ultimately
It's great that people from this church are going out preaching gospel because most people don't okay, but but oh and on that
I understand that most of the reason for this is people who are just zealous
They're zealous they want to get people saved and I get that yeah
We want to get people saved don't we and isn't it gusting where you just thought why don't you get the umming and ahhing?
or the kind of well
The irons on you know you just come on and you want to persuade him to listen don't you yeah?
There's nothing wrong with trying to persuade someone, but you can't force them and you can't force them
But you're not doing any good there. You ain't getting them saved. Okay. You force someone that doesn't want to hear it
You're going to waste your time and and ultimately in a way their time a lot of the time as well a lot of time
They just switch off you notice that yeah, well you kind of forced them
They kind of they can't get a word in edgewise. There are many people that just can't say no okay
There are many people in life that just can't say no and something you have to learn there's something in leadership
You're trying to learn is is to give people that option of saying no when really they just can't say it because sometimes
It's easy you could just go out to people and make them do stuff
But they don't really want to do it and you want people with free will choosing to do things don't you so sometimes you you?
Know you want to give them that look are you sure I look with salvation?
I'm not saying you're going to look are you 100% sure that you want me to care. Are you sure?
You know let's do maybe a little tick box and in a score out of 10 now
look obviously if they say yeah, they say yeah, but
Gauge it some people are just going
Okay, but but they're in the process of trying to shut you know you
There's a crack in the door, and you're trying to preach it
Oh, well, let me leave you with one verse foot in the door, and then it's sort of you know next thing
It's you've given the one verse and you carry on and preach half the gospel to him and in the end
They just saw these guys is not going to just just in their mind
They just start think I'll just say what he wants me to say yeah
I'll just if I just say what and say the right things this guy's going to take his foot out of my door
This guy's gonna. Let me drive off. I've got the engine started
Yeah, I start the engine while this guy's trying to talk to me all this lady's trying to talk to me the engines started
I'm revving the engine and they won't stop
They're just carrying on trying to but look look ultimately you got you got to take some cues as well
Yeah, and give them and give them that ought to say would you like me to continue?
It's much better that than wasting out look how many hours you saw winning a week
That whether it's two hours
You know on a Sunday, or it's three four hours when you add a midweek
Maybe you've got all the mid weeks, and you're doing seven eight look
Regardless you still need to give that time the people that want to hear yeah, so we need to remember
It's free will not only to get saved yeah, and it is free work look you can't force someone
Do do not force them okay?
What because you just you ain't gonna get them saved okay?
If you're forcing them, they're not making that decision and don't force them to listen as well, okay, take the cues look
It's good to have it's good to have zeal
It's good to want to get people saved, but you've got to give them that choice. Okay. They have the choice to accept or reject
Because look there's another whosoever freewill in the Bible isn't there okay stay in Revelation, but go to chapter 20
Matthew 10 14 says and whosoever
Shall not receive you
Nor hear your words when you depart out of that house or city shake off the dust of your feet
Okay, there are people that have the freewill decision to reject you and not to even hear your word
And there are many that do that don't they they just don't want to hear it
But there are some that we could just force to hear even though they don't want to and it didn't say there
Whosoever shall not receive you nor hear your words jam your foot in their door
Yeah
Whosoever will not hear, you know will not receive you or hear your words
Just talk so fast that they can't get a word in edgeways. Just keep going through the scriptures
Don't take a breath and hopefully they're just going to eventually accept the gospel. Okay. No, it says whosoever shall not receive you
Nor hear your words when you depart out of the house or city shake off the dust of your feet
He's basically saying just just move on. Yeah move on get away from there. Look if someone says to me no
Yeah, if someone says no, I look and it's not sometimes there are people that are in a rush and you leave a verse
But often I know there's nobody like they don't even want to hear a verse. They're just like no not into it. I'm not
Wait, wait, wait, you know, it's just like no they want it quick
I want to get to that next I want to get to that next door quick
Yeah, because I'm running out of time. That's a waiter. That's that's 15 seconds now
Go I want to get someone because you want to get people safe, don't ya?
Yeah, and look sure if someone wants to hear a verse give them the option of that as well
Can I leave you a verse not just like right? Well this but whatever and and you know, suddenly it's
Then you're trying to then go into a full gospel presentation after that. Okay
Revelation did you turn a revelation chapter 20?
Well, this is at whosoever another whosoever revelation 2015 says and whosoever
Was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire
Because there's free will to reject the gospel and there's free will
To be cast into the lake of fire ultimately, isn't there?
And there are people that know what the gospel is and they they reject it, don't they?
They reject it for many many of their own reasons, but we have to accept that turn over to second Peter 3
Because it gets even more difficult when it comes to loved ones, isn't it?
Okay, that's when this starts getting difficult because we loved ones. You just want to pin them down and force them to get saved
Yeah, you want to do your best to make them get saved and
So what do we do with loved ones? Do we just keep praying Lord get them saved Lord save this but is do you think that's the
answer
Because you can but is it is a problem that God's just not saving them
Is that the problem is a problem that you're just not praying enough for them to get saved
Well first Timothy 2 for talking of God says who will have all men to be saved and to come unto the knowledge
of the truth
Yeah
Who will this is God will have all men to be saved to come unto the knowledge of the truth
But God wants everyone to get saved. It's not that God isn't saving them
It's their choice. Yeah, it's everyone's individual choice second Peter 3 9 and again
This just flies in the face of Calvinism all of this doesn't it second Peter 3 9 says the Lord is not slack
Concerning his promise as some men count slack slackness
But his long-suffering to us would not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance
God wants all men to change their mind and get saved doesn't he?
Yeah, he wants all men to put their faith in Jesus Christ, but there are pride issues. There are hang-ups
Feelings of immortality just wanting to hide from the light and all those other things that prevent many aren't there?
And look maybe praying for those things. Maybe that would be more effective
Praying for the best timing possible. Yeah praying for whatever hang-up
You can see that there's an issue there for God to get
Tear that down somehow for things to work for them to at least be in the best possible
Position to then still try and give them that free will trust choice to accept the gospel
It's not that God's not saving them
It's that they're not choosing to get saved but there can be blocks and issues that maybe you can pray to be torn down
Maybe praying for boldness pray for boldness to give them the gospel at the right time
Praying for guidance for that praying for that timing praying for boldness to open your mouth preach boldly the gospel
I think for me that's probably more effective than just your prayers every night. Please let this person get saved. Yeah
Because it's clear that God wants all men to be saved, isn't it?
Isn't that clear in the Bible God wants all men to be saved and for all to come to repentance now
Sadly, there are those that choose to reject aren't there?
There are those that choose to reject and choose to go the other way
Okay, now you can reject but there are those that choose to go the other way now Proverbs 1 29
If you want to turn there Proverbs chapter 1 and verse 29
Is talking of the reprobate? I think Proverbs 1 is talking of the reprobate. It says in Proverbs 1 29
For that they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the Lord they would none of my counsel they despised all
My reproof so they exercise their free will don't they? Yeah, they don't choose God. They choose to go the other way and
Well, God gives them over doesn't he God then gives them over but they still had that choice at the beginning
Okay, so don't get confused there. There aren't people that right. Well God's just labeled them. They're gonna be reprobate
God knows God knows everything he got God, you know, God is on my present, isn't he?
Yeah, but he doesn't choose that he doesn't choose that they chose that okay, they chose to reject God
They choose that then he gives them over after that point now until that point. They were one of the whosoever's
Okay, that's how it works. Everyone at the beginning of life is a whosoever. Okay, it's up to them
What choices they make in life now turn to John chapter 8?
The title is a biblical doctrine of free will number one is man was given free will with life
I think that's clear as day without the the the poison lens of Calvinism on number two is man was given free will with
Salvation and number three is man was given free will with discipleship
Okay, man was given free will with discipleship
Now you might be thinking wait a minute haven't I got mixed up with points two and three here
You know, should I still be in point two about salvation?
Because isn't a disciple someone that gets saved well, no salvation discipleship are two separate things
Yeah, they're two completely separate things John 8 and verse 30
John 8 30 says as he spake these words many believed on him. What does that mean? That means they're saved
Yeah, what must I do to be saved believe believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved and thy house
So as he spake these words many believed on him. Okay, these are people getting saved
Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him. These are saved people aren't they if
If you continue in my word
Then are you my disciples indeed and you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free
And by the way, he's not to about free in terms of salvation to talk about free of the burdens of sin in life
so
If you continue on my word, then are you my disciples indeed? So according to Jesus, it's one thing being saved
And it's another thing being a disciple. Yeah
Clear there, isn't it? Yeah, if you continue in my word
Then are you my disciples indeed because how many times have you heard from these sort of again?
Claiming to be Bible believing churches. Well if they come to church if they come to church, then we know they're saved
Well, firstly just coming to church mean that they're saved
Yeah, in fact, we've had a lot of people coming here that aren't saved
Yeah, most of the time we managed to get them saved if they walk in here
But it's coming to church. No, that doesn't mean someone's saved. Is it know that and you hear that a lot, don't you?
You hear that a lot you hear you hear basically some version or other again of the Calvinist perseverance of the Saints now
this is a doctrine where they believe that if you're saved you will persevere in life as
Basically, and again, what's their line because they're all sinners aren't they? So what's your persevering line?
There is no line is there but they mean come to church and tithe for me
Or come to church tithe and maybe you know do do whatever that church decides is is makes you a disciple in their mind
Yeah, maybe read the Bible and maybe basically believe in Calvinism. Yeah, then you're definitely a disciple. Well
That's not according to Jesus. He said if you continue my word, then are you my disciples indeed?
But he's talking to those which believed on him. So it's nonsense, isn't it? There is no line
Yeah, there is no line to determine whether or not someone saved the line is did they believe on the Lord Jesus Christ?
That's why Romans 4 5 says but to him that worketh not
But believeth on him that justifiably ungodly his faith is counted for righteousness
Yeah, so there could be someone that does absolutely nothing for God at all
But his faith is counted for righteousness now turn to Joshua 24
Because we all have the choice to be a disciple and serve the Lord or take the free gift of salvation and worketh not
Now, why is it under attack?
well
You've got the work salvationists
Yeah
It's just a kind of you know other way around work salvation and trying to show their faith through their works and everything else
But really again, it's an attack on soul winning. Yeah as usual
It's just an attack on soul winning because it's basically meant to demoralize you about your soul winning
It's to demoralize you it's to think that you're not really getting people saved because they're not turning up a church
You're not really getting people saved because they're not whatever your parameters are for being a disciple
Yeah, well that person must not have been saved because they left our church. Maybe they just thought I was a lousy preacher
Maybe they just didn't like the church. Maybe they just didn't want to serve God. Maybe they found a church
That's more them whatever it is. It doesn't mean that they're that they weren't saved is it but really what's it really doing?
It makes you go out and it makes you worry
That well, maybe I didn't really get that person saved because I haven't heard from them since I didn't get say cuz I don't really
Want to respond to my to my messages now
I didn't really I'm not did I really and then and then people start to get demoralized about soul winning and that's it
That's the goal of it, isn't it?
And that's the goal of this the these these wicked and that's the goal
Really a lot of the time you get guys who are saved you get the soul in these sort of and again
Just my experience of what an absolutely atrocious church sin
It's not that old old IFB or whatever you want to call them churches are atrocious
We just sadly had got down to the bare bones in this country
Okay, where they were so bad where they were really irritated by you soul-winning
Okay, and whether they were saved or not?
Well, we'll find out at the end with some of them but but some of them weren't but but they seem to act the same
As the ones that seem to be safe and they were basically be saying well, you know
Well if they come to church and well, you know, and then they'd start, you know
They come out with all their lines like well
did they really get saved and
Little little comments here and there to try and demoralize you to try and discredit so many because they're not out winning
Okay, and really sometimes it's to make themselves feel better about it at other times. It's it's wicked
I do believe that some of those churches they are they're a clever sort. They're a clever sort of false prophet
They look the part they dress apart. They sound the part
It just seems to be a bit of a dead church because they're not really preaching that hard
But they're acceptable churches and people languish
they're into obscurity and there are many Christians around this nation that people have met that have ended up in churches like that around the
country and
They're barely soul-winning anymore
They're barely doing anything
Because they've ended up just being sucked into these sort of churches where they just did more
They just crush your spirit week in week out
Well, fortunately, we're not in a church. So we're in a church where we want you to go soul-winning
Well, we want to preach you go soul-winning when we're happy when you guys only but we want you to do it
Right as well. Okay, but with discipleship, it doesn't go hand in hand. We want to encourage that though, don't we?
We want to encourage that but when Jesus when Jesus healed ten lepers only one came back and gave glory to him, didn't they?
Okay, and and I think we're gonna see in this nation. We're gonna see worse ratios than that, aren't we?
Okay, we're gonna see worse ratios than that now
Okay, it doesn't mean they're not safe. So how do we know how do we know when someone is saved?
How do we know that someone's saved? What do we know? Well,
turn in Matthew chapter 12
Is it if they're getting chastised when they do bad things? Well
Again, people seem to have bad things happen in life where they're saved or not, don't they?
I know some very ungodly people that go through things that we would be saying if it was a Christian they're getting chastised
Yeah, and look we have to go through life as Christians as well, don't we? Yeah, okay
God called this causes it to rain and shine the just and the unjust isn't it? So
Okay
What about what about wanting to soul win does that make them?
Oh, well it as long as they want to see people saved
Well again a lot of people because of because of their own issues because of their own wickedness because they don't really want to do
It they kind of then in a way almost don't want to see other people succeed
I don't want to see other people get saved. That's not a sign, is it? So it's easy to go
Oh, yeah, but they don't even seem it interestingly. That doesn't mean that they're not say
What about understanding the Word of God?
Yeah, look yeah, you know Jesus did say my sheep hear my voice I know them and they follow me
But there are many spiritual babes in Christ aren't they and if they if they're not reading the Word of God
How they're gonna understand the Word of God? Oh, well, I'm saved
So now I'm just gonna pick up the King James Bible and understand every single nuance in it
Well, no, you've got to read it. Don't you? You've got to read it regularly
So there are people that are still that still haven't had the spiritual milk. Yeah. So again, is that
You can't and we love to we love look every Christian at some point kind of looks to be there
They saved and trying to work out if they're saved or if they're not
Well in Matthew 12 and from verse 32 Jesus rebuking these reprobate Pharisees
He says and whosoever speak the word against Son of Man it shall be forgiven him
But whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost it shall not be forgiven him neither in this world neither in the world to come
Either make the tree good and his fruit good or else make the tree corrupt and his fruit corrupt
For the tree is known by his fruit
What's the fruit he's talking about or verse 34 a generation of vipers?
How can you being evil speak good things for out of the abundance of the heart?
The mouth speak of it's what comes out of their mouth. Yeah, what comes out of your mouth?
That's what he's talking about here
And that's ultimately all we can really go by is what comes out of someone's mouth
Now look of course people can like aren't they oh, well, it's not foolproof brother in yeah
But no one said it's gonna be foolproof. Hey, God knows the heart doesn't he God knows the heart
We don't know the heart because if we did know the heart, it'd be great wouldn't it?
We'll be on false prophet hunts and everything and it just be great
Yeah, but but it probably wouldn't be great for us really. Okay, but God knows the heart
God has a reason why that is we don't know but we know what comes out of someone's mouth
Yeah, and if someone says they believe it look remember as well that people won't always come out with the exact terminology that we come
Out with okay, not everyone that saved has to have been saved by an NIFB
Believing type Christian who who got saved the exact way we look, you know
You can't get saved from other books of Bible other than the book of Romans. Yeah, didn't know that. Yeah, it's a word
It's not the Word of God in the book of Romans. Okay, people have and do get saved
I mean I popped into one or two last week you were saved. Yeah, okay, and
Look maybe there was one that I would go away going
Yeah, that one guy was saved another one
Maybe not but ultimately you have to go about what their mouth says don't you?
Okay, and maybe reassure if you're bit unsure reassure them with a bit of scripture
We don't have to spend 20 minutes trying to disprove and catch them in their words and and everything else because they won't always say
Exactly the right thing, but if they believe it's grace be fair. They believe they can't lose the salvation
Well great. Yeah, however, they word that it's what comes out of their mouth, which is what we go by, isn't it?
But but that's the fruit really and some people some people out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaker
Some people eventually will come out with what they really believe won't they and by the way
When you're saying this someone recently when you're checking someone's salvation to preach the gospel don't feed them the words
Okay, it's not out of the abundance of your mouth their heart speaketh. Okay, so don't go off
So do you believe this because they'll just go? Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. That's what I believe. Yeah. No. No, what do you believe?
Yeah, let them talk as sometimes you kind of almost want to talk for them
You know a lot of people here give the gospel because some of them like like, you know
They they like to talk and some people are quite outgoing and that's why they've got in to preach the gospel from early on
But still give them the chance
Yeah
Let them tell you what they believe because then when at the end they go you already believe that
Which they often do don't they you go. Well, no, you actually said this. Yeah at the abundance of your heart your mouth spoke
Yeah, and obviously and there are people that will say and claim everything right and further down the line
You'll hear what they really believe. Okay, you just got to wait for that and the rest of it. Look
There might be things which kind of spell out that but ultimately you're waiting to see what comes out of their mouth
Now verse 35 says a good man in case you're wondering is that what he's really talking about?
Well a good man out of the good treasure of the heart
Bringeth forth good things and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things
But I say unto you that every idle word that men shall speak
They shall give account of in a day of judgment for by thy words thou shalt be justified and by thy words
Thou shalt be condemned and obviously he's talking to the false prophets here as well
And that's what how you know with the false prophet eventually
They're gonna come but I heard them I heard them preach the right gospel 20 times
I heard them, you know, you get these people who come on when people criticize I what's his name Billy Billy Balaam Billy Graham
Oh, but you haven't I heard him give the right gospel. Yeah, I'm sure he did give the right gospel
But why is he telling people they have to repent their sins
Why is he saying that all paths lead to God because out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speakers
He's a wicked false prophet. Okay, and it's saying when we've been at these churches and be like, yeah
But I have heard him say it right this time
It's just it's just then he said it's repent
You see look if that guy believes you've got to repent your sins. You ain't saved don't matter what he said before
Yeah, because that the abundance of the heart the mouth speakers. Sometimes you have to wait a while for that. Okay?
You have to know but mark
34 says and when he had called the people under him with his disciples will so he said unto them
Whosoever will come after me let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. So there's a choice there
Yeah, there's a choice there with discipleship. Okay, whosoever
There's a choice, but even if most never never ever chose to serve God
Would it stop us going out and getting people saved?
Would it stop us even if none of them become a disciple are you just gonna hang up hang up your soul winning?
Oh, well, I never got I just can't get him into church. No because we're putting them out of fire
Yeah, and and whether or not look it'd be great if we can we want to encourage him
We want to get him down there. We want to get him involved. Of course, don't we but you can't force him
It's free will isn't it? They have that decision. There's no point look you can encourage him and you want to encourage people but
Look some by the way, some might not at the beginning and then we'll at a later date
Yeah, there are people that get saved and maybe years down the line
I think is it pastor Burzins who has that testimony doesn't it that he got saved?
He did nothing and it was years down the line
He started living for God and there are many others like that aren't there?
I mean, I know I mean a friend of mine recently started coming here
He was saved for a year before that. He didn't turn up a church
So reading his Bible, but that was it well and I never spoken to him again
I wouldn't have known that or he just saw and I could have been I want to eat. I'm not saved
But he was saved, wasn't it?
Yeah, and and look we don't have there's no time on that and and and they might never come to church
I didn't mean they're not safe. Okay
What's up? So like I said, what's up? What's our benchmark?
Well, he says who said will come after me let him deny himself take up his cross and follow me
Okay, that's the choice of discipleship after salvation
Because some say well, you know, what about we saw we saw, you know continuing his word
Yeah, continuing his word. But again, what's the benchmark with that one verse a day one verse a week?
you know one check there is there is none is there so
so
What about us so as so here I'd imagine everyone here I hope would like to call themselves a disciple they're in church
Yeah, they're not in the fun center
Yeah, they're in a church where where they're just gonna hear the Bible preached
They're in a church where they're gonna be encouraged to go out soul winning
I would hope everyone here is saying yeah, I feel like I'm a disciple to some degree. Okay. Well, what's our goal then?
What's our goal with with the free will we've we've made that free will choice to become a disciple
Well, I would say that all
our free will
Ultimately is we're trying to get to the point where it's used to choose his will yeah
That's what our goal is, isn't it is to use our free will and that's where we want to get to
That's the benchmark is to get to the point where you're just saying thy will be done
Okay, and that's where we want to get to turn us on some chapter 40
Well, I read Matthew 6
9 to 10 so Jesus is teaching him to pray in Matthew 6 your turn the song faulty and he said after this manner
Therefore pray ye our father which art in heaven
hallowed be thy name
Thy kingdom come thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven
So he's teaching them to pray just for God's will to be done
Yeah
Look, we we want to get to the point where we know what God's will is going to be as well
And I'm not showing it saying just that should be your prayer now getting your knees
I will be done get up crack on with your day. Yeah, maybe maybe start it with maybe just chant the Lord's Prayer
Yeah, no, we're not saying that but what he's trying to teach them is that is that that's ultimately where you want your prayers
To get to where it's not about and look God gives us free one
He wants us to choose things and everything else, but ultimately you want it to be within his will don't you?
Yeah, no, I'll just go give me this. I don't care what you want
That's where we want to get to we want to be choosing his perfect will
and
some 40 where you pray to
Sorry where he's turned to some 40 verse 8 says I'd alight to do thy will. Oh my god
Ye thy law is within my heart. That's where we want to get to isn't it? Yeah, and that's where God wants our free will to lead
us to
And that comes from what from choosing to put his law in our heart, doesn't it?
Yeah, we have the choice to do that
You have the choice like I said earlier with the memory verse you have the choice to memorize scripture
You have the choice to write it in your heart. You have the choice to read your Bibles. You don't know whether it
God isn't forcing you to do that. God tells you dirty commands you do it, but you have the choice
Yeah, we all have free will decisions in life, but we just saw in Matthew 6 verse 10 thy will be done
How often are people just getting on their knees and praying that to God was praying
I just want your will in this situation. I want your will in that situation pray specifically, but you're just playing just your will
I hope you all are but that's where we want to get to isn't it?
And that's where we want to be praying for
We just want to be praying for God's will and that's ultimately where we want our free will to lead us to is just to
Pray for God's will yeah pray for God's will in everything
I'd lie and then we can get to the point we saying some 40 versa. I'd alight to do thy will. Oh my god
And again does everyone here just delight in doing God's will I hope you do but
Often we don't do it, but that's where we want to get to I'd like to do that
Well, I mentioned some of those things today, but the three clear parts where we have that free will yeah
We have that free will where we have free will hopefully to choose God's will is one just in life as a general number two
In salvation and everyone here that's saved
You did God's will when you used your free will to get saved okay?
God's not willing that any should perish so don't ever listen to those idiots that come out without rubbish about God
Basically just damning everyone to hell based on his pre-determined
Choices and number three though we have a choice to be a disciple
And let's add to that you have a choice as to what sort of disciple you are yeah, you have that choice
So everyone everyone here. Oh will I come to church look is that is that is that it come?
I'll read the bar go sold him once a week twice a week. Whatever it is once a month whatever it is right
Well, that's it look. It's your choice. It's your choice what you do for God
It's your choice. How good a church member you are as well. Yeah, it's your choice
Are you just coming to church to tick the box?
Well you come in a church just because I better come to church, but man if only there was somewhere else
I could go to well is that what God wants from you?
No God God gives you that free will choice to be a great Christian to be a great church member to be a good disciple
It's up to you if you take it yeah up to you if you take it
But you want it and look that is God's will isn't it yeah?
That's God's will we want to be able to say I'd like to do though. Oh God on that. Let's pray
Father I thank you. I thank you for your word. I thank you for
Well, I thank you that we're not robots that we have that free will but help us all here to make those right decisions
Help us to be guided by your word to then when we make those decisions
You you allow us to make that we that we make the decisions according to your will that for all of us to want to
Want to do that to want to serve you to want to use our free will to be the best children
We can to you to be the best best church members to be the best ultimately disciples
We can be help us to just not be poisoned by all the false doctrine out there all the lies all the
Basically attacks on you attacks on your character. We know that you will intervene
We know that you you know you will guide our paths, and you will direct our steps
but when we do what you want us to do and when we seek that when we
Seek your will and seek your guidance, and we pray that
You're just help us in
This afternoon to use again use our free will to go out and preach gospel to people and help them to
want to get saved preaching the gospel and give them that choice and
We pray that we get many people say this afternoon that will return back this afternoon for this evening service for
For the study in Romans chapter 11 in Jesus name pray all this Amen