(Disclaimer: This transcript is auto-generated and may contain mistakes.)

provoke very many. Yet have I sent the brethren, lest our boasting of you should be in vain in this behalf, that, as I said, ye may be ready, most happily if they of Macedonia come with me, and find you unprepared, that we say not ye should be ashamed in this same confident boasting. Therefore I thought it necessary to exhort the brethren that they would go before unto you, and make up beforehand your bounty whereof ye had noticed before, that the same might be ready, as a matter of bounty, and not as of covetousness. With this I say, He which showeth sparingly shall reap also sparingly, and he which showeth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. Every man, according as he hath purposed in his heart, so let him give, not grudgingly or of necessity, for God loveth a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that ye always having all sufficiency in all things may abound to every good work. As it is written, He hath dispersed abroad, he hath given to the poor, his righteousness remaineth forever. Now he that ministereth seed to the sower, both ministereth bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness, being enriched in everything to all bountifulness, which causeth through us thanksgiving to God. For the administration of this service not only supplieth the want of the saints, but is abundant also by many thanksgivings unto God. Whilst by the experiment of this ministration they glorify God for your professed subjection unto the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal distribution unto them, and unto all men. And by their prayer for you, which long after you, which long after you, pour the exceeding grace of God in you, thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift. Let's pray. God, thank you for this day. God, I just pray that you would be a pastor as he preaches. I pray that you would speak through him and help us to learn something. I pray all these things in Jesus' name. Amen. So you're there in 2nd Corinthians chapter 9, and I want to preach on this subject of the unspeakable gift, or his unspeakable gift, and we see that in the last verse there. It says, thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift, and I was thinking about a sermon because we're coming up on Thanksgiving as far as what we're thankful for, and you know there's many thoughts that you can have as far as just counting your blessings, being thankful for all the little things that God gives you, but I want to talk about the thing that we should be thanking God most of all for is that unspeakable gift that he has given us, which is salvation, which is eternal life. And let's go back to verse 8 there and just read a little bit of context of what we're talking about here, because it keeps talking about this thanksgiving to God, and then it talks about thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift. In verse 8 there it says, And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that he always having all sufficiency in all things may abound to every good work. As it is written, he that dispersed abroad, he hath given to the poor, his righteousness remaineth forever. Now he that ministerth seed to the sower, both minister bread for your for your food, and multiply your seed, and increase the fruits of your righteousness, being enriched in everything to all bountifulness, which causeth through us thanksgiving to God. And you think about thanksgiving, what do you think of? What's the first thing you think of when you think of thanksgiving, that cornucopia of, you know, stuff flowing out of it, right? It's bountifulness, right? And the idea is giving thanks because of the bountifulness of what God has given us. And so I really like this holiday, even though like people come down on me for listening to Christmas music beforehand. Listen, I can listen to Christmas music all year long and still like celebrate other holidays. So if we can sing about Jesus being crucified all year long, we can sing about his birth all year long. And so anyway, that's just a little stab at people that get all annoyed because you're singing Christmas music before thanksgiving and you just need to get over it. You know, I just happen to love the birth of our Savior all year round. You know, I don't keep it the one month, you know, like some of you. No, I'm just kidding. But the idea here is that, you know, God is blessing us and obviously we're working and laboring and it's basically saying that, hey, he that ministered the seed or, you know, that's sowing the seed, you know, we're going out and we're preaching the gospel, he's basically saying let's give them bread, you know, let's, you know, give them bountifulness, okay. And I do believe God takes care of those that labor for him. And notice, keep reading there, it says in verse 12, it says, for the administration of this service not only supplied the want of the saints but is abundant also by many thanksgivings unto God. Whilst by the experiment of this ministration they glorify God for your professed subjection unto the gospel of Christ for your liberal distribution unto them and unto all men and by their prayer for you which long after you for the exceeding grace of God in you. And you think about this experiment or this ministration. Well, what ministration? Well, if you think about in chapter five, we're talking about he has given us the ministry of reconciliation. He has given us the word of reconciliation and we are in God's stead and we are ambassadors for Christ and in Christ's stead we're saying be reconciled to God. And the idea is that, you know, they're giving us thanks. They're giving these people thanks because of their spiritual, you know, work that they've done. And in this chapter, it's talking about like giving, you know, money and helping out the, you know, those that are poor. But the idea is that if you remember that sermon where I was preaching on that, about giving and all that is the fact that, you know, if they, if you've reaped their spiritual things, how much more shall they reap your carnal things? And the idea is that we're giving to them because they've done such great spiritual things, you know, for you. They've given you the gospel, you know, you've gotten saved, okay? So the idea is that you're so thankful that they gave you the gospel that you're like, hey, here's some money to help you on your way, you know. I mean it's the idea of, you know, being thankful for what they've done for you. And then it goes on in verse 15 there. It says, thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift. And that's, you know, what we should be giving thanks to God for most of all, okay? So there's a lot of things that we can be thankful for as far as, you know, our house, our cars, our, you know, the food on our table, the clothes on our back. And yes, we should be thanking God for all of those things. But ultimately, we should be thanking God because he saved us, because he gave us everlasting life, because of the gift, okay? And what I really want to get into here is this unspeakable gift and the fact that it's a gift, okay? Now when it comes down to this, this is where all the other religions get it wrong. You know, every religion that says that you have to work your way to heaven, you have to be good, you have to give your life, they don't understand what this means. They can't comprehend what a gift is. But, and their reasoning of why they can't comprehend this is like, well, it can't be free. Well, that's why it's unspeakable. It's unspeakable because you can't even speak like, how in the world could that be free? How could it be free that you have everlasting life, you'll never die, and that you don't do anything for it besides put your faith in Christ? It's unspeakable. It's not lawful for men to speak about it, you know, like think about it in heaven, like the idea is that when the man that was caught up into the third heaven, it says it was not lawful for him to speak of those things which he saw. Why? Because it's like, you can't even comprehend. You can't even speak about that because it's so amazing, okay? But you know what other religions do? You know what the Church of Christ down here does? You know what the Nazarene Church does? You know what the Methodist Church does? You know what the Free Will Baptists do? You know, all these other churches that basically say you can lose your salvation, you have to work your way to heaven. The idea is that they don't believe it's a gift. They don't believe it's this unspeakable gift of grace, of eternal life, okay? Now let's talk about what this unspeakable gift is. Go to John 3 16. John 3 16. John 3 16. And we're getting ready to celebrate Christmas, and the idea is that God the Father sent down His Son into this world and gave His Son into this world, okay? And notice what it says in verse 16. The most famous verse in the Bible, I'm sure, bar none, it says in John 3 16, for God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. So God the Father gave His only begotten Son. You know, you have the Father, Son, and the Holy Ghost, these three are one, or the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost, these three are one. Well, Jesus Christ was God manifest in the flesh, and God the Father gave Him to the world. It was a gift. When you give something to somebody, He didn't say, He didn't, did it say that He sold him to the world? Did it say that the world had to purchase Him? No, it says that He gave Him. Now go to Galatians chapter 2. Do you know that Jesus also gave Himself, okay? So God the Father gave His Son to the world as a gift, and Jesus gave Himself to the world as a gift. Notice what it says in Galatians chapter 2 and verse 20. Galatians chapter 2 and verse 20, it says, I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me. In the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. I love that verse because it's so personal, right? You know, Paul's saying, you know, He loved me and gave Himself for me, okay? So when you're dealing with the fact that Jesus, when God the Father gave the Son into the world, you could look at that on an individual level, meaning that God the Father gave Jesus to you, for you, and Jesus died for you. And on a personal level, Paul is stating it. Notice what it says in the next verse there. It says, I do not frustrate the grace of God, for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain. And the idea here is that it's not a gift then. It's not some unspeakable gift if you have to work for it or if you have to give your life. And I'm tired of people saying, you've got to give up your life to Christ. You know, did you give your life to Christ? It's like, I'm trying, but that has nothing to do with me going to heaven because it has nothing to do with a gift. And it wouldn't be unspeakable. Now, here's the thing. They say, well, that's cheap grace then. That isn't cheap. It's unspeakable what He did for us. It's priceless. You know, there's a difference between something that is invaluable, meaning priceless, and something that's worthless. Okay? Priceless means something that can't be priced. It's just, you know, you can't sell it, right? Because there's no value to it because it's so high. You know, no one would be able to buy it. Okay? It's so high. But something that's worthless means that no one wants to buy it. There's no money, you know, that any money would be too much, you know, for whatever that worthless thing is. But something that's priceless or unspeakable, right? They're just, you can't put a value on it. And, but keep going, or go to, go to Mark chapter 10, Mark chapter 10. I just want to show you some verses where it talks about Him giving us something. Now, in these cases, I've shown you that He's given Himself, right? So the Father gave the Son, Jesus gave Himself, okay? And you could go through many verses on this. So, I could go ad nauseam as far as, like, God giving Himself, God laying down His life for us, like, all these different things, right? But in Mark chapter 10, verse 45, Mark chapter 10, verse 45, it says, for even the Son of Man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister and to give His life a ransom for many. Okay? And go to John chapter 6, John chapter 6. John chapter 6. I want you to show me a verse where it says I need to give my life to get saved. I need to give my life to have everlasting life. I want to see that verse. I want to see where it actually says that because I'm tired of people just, just stating that. And you, we go out soul winning and just constantly like, well, you got to get something, you got to do something that is not a gift and it wouldn't be unspeakable. The reason that they're saying this is unspeakable and thanks be unto God for this unspeakable gift is because it's free. It's a gift and it's eternal life. It's the most priceless gift that anybody could ever give you. But when they say you have to do something for it, they're basically saying that's not unspeakable. It's not really a gift. And they're not understanding salvation. Now, in John chapter 6 and verse 47, John chapter 6 and verse 47, great verse for out soul winning. It says, verily, verily, I say unto you, he that believeth on me hath everlasting life. Not will maybe have it or hath, you know, conditional life. No, he has everlasting life. He that believes on him has everlasting life. He that believeth on him hath everlasting life. I am the bread of life. Your fathers did eat manna and the wilderness and are dead. This is the bread which cometh down from heaven that a man may eat thereof and not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever. The bread that I give is my flesh which I will give for the life of the world. So how many times does he have to say I'm giving myself, right? I'm giving myself a ransom for many. I'm giving my flesh, my body, my life for the world. And for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life. He that believeth on me hath everlasting life. And if you eat this bread, you'll live forever. You'll never die. You'll never perish. Just over and over and over again. And these churches that teach this damnable heresy that you can lose your salvation, they are all denying all of these scriptures. And I can prove this six ways to Sunday. And this is a sermon to be thankful for this. But here's the thing. I can prove to you that salvation is eternal and that you can't lose it just many ways. And this is another way. I preach a sermon that says he will in no wise cast you out. That's one way. I can preach a sermon where it says he never can lie. That's another way. You're just over and over and over again. God is laying out. This is why you can't lose it. Because it's an unspeakable gift. And for it to be an unspeakable gift, that means that it can't cost you anything. So go to John chapter 10. John chapter 10. John chapter 10. When it says that he's giving himself, the idea is that he's giving us life. And he is life. Okay. Now in John 10 verse 27 here, it says, my sheep hear my voice and I know them and they follow me. And I give unto them eternal life and they shall never perish. Neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My father which gave them me is greater than all and no man is able to pluck them out of my father's hand. So notice just like I give my life. God gave his son. I give them everlasting life. Do you see anywhere in here where it says I am selling this? You have to purchase this. It's always give, give, give, give. And you know what you're doing? Receiving, receiving, receiving, receiving. Okay. There's no I gave. Where is the verse that says he sent his son into the world that you would give his give your life for him? It's just not there. Are we giving a gift to God to go to heaven? Do we deserve heaven? Because the Bible says that if it's by works then it's not a reward reckon of grace but of debt. And you know I'm getting ahead of myself because we're gonna be getting into grace and the gift. And but to go to 1 John chapter 1 because it says that he gives unto us eternal life. And what you have to understand is that when God sent his only begotten son into the world and he gave his only begotten son he was giving us life. Because in him was life and the life was the light of men the Bible says. The Bible says in 1 John chapter 1 and verse 1 here 1 John chapter 1 verse 1 it says that which was from the beginning. Why would that be? Why would it say that? Well we're gonna be talking about Jesus because in the beginning was the word and the word was with God and the word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. That which was from the beginning which we have heard we have seen with our eyes we have looked upon our hands have handled of the word of life for the life was manifested and we have seen it and bear witness and show unto you that what eternal life which was in which which was with the father and was manifested on us. That means in the beginning Jesus was eternal life. In the beginning you know life was in him and he was the light of men and that life was the light of men. In the beginning he was eternal life. Notice what it says at the very end of the book so 1 John chapter 5 verse 20 or the second to last verse there 1 John chapter 5 verse 20 it says and we know that the son of God has come and have given us an understanding that we may know him that is true and we are in him that is true even in his son Jesus Christ. Okay so now it's going to qualify who that is. Even in his son Jesus Christ this is the true God and eternal life. It starts off the book of 1 John saying that Jesus is eternal life. It ends the whole book saying that he's the true God and eternal life and isn't this the book where we go to all the time it says these things have been written unto you that believe on the name of the son of God that you may know that you have eternal everlasting life. Now I'm going to mess up eternal life that you may believe on the name of the son of God. So this is the chapter I mean chapter 5. Good night. You can just win someone to Christ with that chapter right there. It starts off with saying whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God. Whatsoever is born of God ever cometh the world and this is the victory that ever cometh the world even our faith. Who is he that ever cometh the world but he that believeth that Jesus is the son of God and show me anywhere in there where it says hey I need to work. I need to give my life. I need to repent of my sins. I need to confess my sins in order to have eternal life. Now let's go on to Ephesians chapter 2 because we're talking about this gift and really I mean this is the example that I give out so many all the time. You know is the fact that it's a gift and explaining what that is. Now you can go off into other things and I do as far as like maybe the father-son relationship. I think that really solidifies things as far as understanding that relationship and how you can't not be a child anymore once you're in the family. But the first thing that I hit on is like hey by the way this is a gift. This is a gift. You can't earn a gift and if you have to pay anything for a gift it's not a gift anymore. But Ephesians 2 8 and it says right here it says for by grace are you saved through faith and that not of yourselves it is the gift of God not of works lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. And people are always like oh you need to read verse 10. I just read it. They were before ordained that we should walk in them. Not that we have to walk in them or that we must walk in them or that we will walk in them. It says that we should walk in them and of course you should. There's a lot of things you should do but there's not there's only one thing you must do and that's believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. What must I do to be saved? And they said believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved in thy house. It didn't say be a workmanship for him. It says believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved. It's by faith and you know what the Calvinists tear this thing apart and they start trying to make things say that it's not saying and that they'll actually say that this verse is saying well it's faith that's a gift though. You know I mean disregard where it says for the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. I think I remember reading that and I want to just really pin this down that the gift is salvation. The gift is eternal life. It's not faith. Faith is how you get it. Now I'm going to prove that to you with the King James Bible but listen you know you know I'm reading through the Greek New Testament and you can it is so clear that that the it you know when it's talking about it is the gift of God cannot be talking about faith. Two different genders okay and many languages have this where you have multiple genders. I mean Spanish has that right? I don't speak Spanish very well but there's difference between L and law right? You're talking about a man compared to a woman. You have a female and a you know female and a male gender there. This is a different gender. So you can't say well it is referring back to the faith. You know what it's referring to? You're saved right? Salvation is the it that that is the gift of God. Now think about that as we go through here because in the Bible they would have to be consistent right because if the faith is the gift of God show me where else it would say something like that and I want you to see if this makes sense when you're dealing with the fact that okay faith is this gift okay. Go to Romans chapter 5. Romans chapter 5. Now like I said Romans 6. I didn't have you turn there because you all probably know that verse right? Romans 6 23 for the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life of Jesus Christ our Lord. So why don't you look at the place where it's just clearly stating you what the gift of God is. So when we're talking about thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift what are we talking about? Eternal life and in Ephesians 2 8 9 we're talking about where it says we're saved. So what's the gift of God? What's the unspeakable gift? Salvation, redemption, being ransomed, you know the propitiation, the atonement, that that's the gift and Romans chapter 5 verse 1 here. I love this passage right here this first these first two verses because it really shows you the process right because it says in Ephesians 2 8 9 for by grace are you saved through faith okay. So you have three things there okay. You have grace saved faith right and faith isn't grace. Grace isn't faith and say you know salvation isn't you know so they're different words they mean different things but in in Romans chapter 5 verse 1 here it says therefore being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. So the thing that I want you to notice is that in a lot of places say we're saved by grace and other places will say we're saved by faith. Well those are both true okay but here's the progression verse 2 by whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand okay. See the process here faith is how we get the grace which is how we get salvation okay that's the progression stand you know by wherein we stand you think about where's the gospel clearly stated and 1st Corinthians 15 where it says I declare unto you the gospel which you have received where wherein with you stand right it's talking about standing and it's talking about salvation right and so it's just a clear progression that you believe he gives you grace unto salvation right. Grace is is is the unmerited favor that he gives you okay we don't deserve it you know but the salvation is the gift and keep going down go down to verse 15 because you know what people will say it's like nothing in the world's free you know nothing's free because we'll say well salvation's free they're like well nothing's free you know everything's got strings attached to it well yeah maybe in this sinful world but guess what God is not of this world Jesus said I am not of this world even as you are not of this world talking to his his believers right his his disciples that put their faith in him Jesus came from above he is not of this world okay now he obviously would you know became a man and he's you know he he has flesh and blood you know and he was tempted in all points like as we are yet without sin but he didn't come from this world he didn't come from the dust of the earth and you know like man is okay Jesus is the Lord from heaven he is the second Adam he is the quickening spirit and so you know what when it's talking about well nothing in the world is free yeah that's true listen nothing in this world's free but listen if God gives it to you it's free okay because you know God can give something free with no strings attached notice what it says in verse 15 and the reason I show you this is because this is where it literally calls it a free gift okay and I love you know you say well why does it have to put that in there because people just don't get it do they they just they just can't put it in their head what a gift is and so the Bible has to be repetitive the Bible has to say listen by the way it's a free gift it's not one of those gifts that you purchase you know it's not one of those gifts that you pay for it's not one of those gifts that you have to like go to work for now this is a free gift because God has to be repetitive for people sometimes because it just needs to be nailed down and I love it I love that God's repetitive and I love that God just nails it down and says hey by the way this is a free you know thing that you can't pay for you know so notice in verse 15 it says but not as the offense so also as the free gift for it through the offense of many or I'm sorry through the defense of one many be dead much more the grace of God and the gift by grace okay now think about this verse right here with Ephesians 2 8 and 9 you get the gift by grace okay for by grace are ye saved right so if if the gift is faith you get faith by grace how does that work no you get the gift by grace you get eternal life by grace and how do you get the grace by faith do you see the progression roman chapter 5 is very clear that you have access to the grace by faith but according to the the calvinists okay according to the calvinist you get faith by the grace of God but the bible says you get grace by faith do you see how it's opposite and and you know that that whole tool up is dan is just is just needs to be torn up you know every leaf off that stupid thing needs to be torn off and this idea of grace or faith being a gift it's the back door into the idea that you don't that that basically God chooses who gets saved and you don't have any say in it and there's no free will you know i think i remember what it says the just shall live by his faith personal faith right now keep reading there it says in the great the gift by grace which is by one man jesus christ hath abounded unto many now this is kind of a trickier grammar because it's just but but all it's really saying is that adam by one sin condemned all but jesus by one you know act of dying for us you know essentially justified all okay so he's kind of showing the the first adam and the second adam right adam condemned everybody jesus saved everybody do you see that that's really what's going on here and and keep reading there verse 16 it says and not as it it was by one that sinned so is the gift for the judgment was by one to condemnation but the free gift is of many offenses unto justification okay meaning that this gift this one-time gift it takes care of all the offenses okay notice in verse 18 it says therefore as by one by the offense of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life and the calvinists don't like that one either they don't like that word all you know they could be like well no you know when it says that salvation had you know salvation that brings salvation has appeared to all men nah it's not all men not all men can be saved he tastes the death for every man well it's every man that you know that he foreordained or whatever and they just have to keep adding to the word of god to try to make it say something they wanted to say but we're saved by faith we're saved by grace and the salvation is the gift okay i hope that really makes sense and it can't be by any works at all and that's why a gift is something that you don't pay for a free gift is something that you don't work for at all you don't purchase at all okay or it's not free and go to roman chapter 11 and verse 6 since you're in romans anyway so if he's just 289 it's really simple okay for by grace are you saved through faith okay so you're saved by grace faith is how you get the grace see how that makes sense faith is how you get the grace to be saved and it's not of yourselves because it's not of works because it's a gift it's the gift of god what's the gift of god salvation salvation is the gift of god eternal life is the gift of god and so it's a very clear progression but people just try to convolute this thing make it say something that's not saying it's really this simple you believe on christ he gives you grace to have eternal life and you're going to live forever that's it simple and in verse 6 of roman chapter 11 says and if by grace then is it no more works otherwise grace is no more grace but if it be of works and isn't no more grace otherwise work is no more work you can't add one to that but to him that work is not but believe it on him to justify the ungodly his faith is counted for righteousness so you can't add one work to this now let me say this too if someone does not believe it's a gift they're not saved and let me say this if they don't understand it's a gift they're not saved and you say why do i say that because people can say it all day long that doesn't mean they understand it or believe it that's why you have to be thorough with your presentation get because listen i came out of you know going to old ife churches and thank god the church i got sent out from my pastor was very thorough i love that you know when my pastor would come up and say he got someone saying i'm like yeah he did you know as much as i would say anybody else that i knew that gave the gospel well i'm like yeah i believe that because i was with them and i would see him go uh you know thoroughly through the gospel with people but listen i've also been with pastors and i've been with uh you know safe people that don't go into a thorough presentation and if you want to know something that makes me angry it's that right there that makes me angry now if someone does it and they're just not sure they this is how they taught they were taught and they don't really know any different from that i'm not angry at them i'm angry at the pastors that have told me you're adding works of salvation by being thorough in the gospel by saying someone has to understand it's a free gift and that it's eternal i'm against the passage of saying i'm putting a stumbling block for people to get saved and more people would get saved if i didn't go into that extra step it's not an extra step it's an essential step and if someone doesn't understand that you don't work for a gift they don't know what a gift is okay and if you don't know what a gift is you can't understand what the get you know what you're getting and so you need to be thorough with that presentation okay if someone prays that doesn't mean they got saved listen cornelius didn't even pray and the holy ghost came down upon him and i'm all for the prayer meaning that i think there's a decision that needs to be made and if someone doesn't pray i don't count it doesn't mean that they couldn't have gotten saved but there's people that i prayed with that you know i didn't count because and actually just past you know saturday when we did the sowing marathon i didn't count somebody that i prayed with because i just wasn't convinced that they understood it and i made him know that you know i was just like hey listen i don't think you really got this i think you need to you know sure this up make sure you understand it and then you know pray this again if if you if you uh actually believe it later on but we need to be thorough with the presentation and listen the reason why people a lot of times are shallow in their soul winning is because it's very simple okay it is a gift but see in your mind it makes sense okay but what you have to understand is the natural man receive it not the things of the spirit of god for their foolishness unto him neither can he know them because he's spiritually discerned you have to recognize that that person even though it's so simple that you're like well but it's faith it's a free gift i mean you can't work for that yeah but you're spiritually minded okay and those simple things as far as that goes it just goes over their head and you have to make sure they understand this and i cannot stand shallow soul winners okay shallow soul winners that know better shallow but and to top it off that is shallow soul winners that come back with ridiculous amount of people that they got saved that is just like no way possible that they actually got those people saved in that amount of time that they got them saved okay and i'm not here to say like i'm not for you know large numbers and i'm not saying that there can't be a lot of people that get saved but listen if you come back after going out for soul winning for one hour and you got like 12 people saved and it wasn't like a group of people that were surrounding you and you're like well i went to every door and it was like 12 different doors that i went to then you didn't go through the gospel uh well enough and you say well your presentation online is only like seven minutes that's because i'm not talking to anybody because there's no conversation going on i'm literally talking to a camera explaining how to be saved and by the way that was cut up from what i actually did meaning that i explained more honestly i was just trying to cut it down to where you're not watching this like 30 minute video of me giving the gospel okay i want to try to make it a little more concise okay but that being said is that you know what you need to be thorough it is a gift it is free it is simple okay but you need to make sure they know that and if someone prays with you and they say well i believe on jesus i believe he died on the cross for my sins i believe he's the son of god and i believe he paid for all my sins and then you ask him well uh are you gonna go to heaven now i'm not sure maybe and i've been there where people are standing at the door and be like well no you'll definitely go though because because it says it's eternal because they forgot to go through that step but they didn't forget that's just the next step after you pray with them for some reason and be like see you can never lose it have a nice day you're saved and be like what are you doing and and listen there's been many people that have done this and ignorantly and didn't realize that hey this isn't the way to be done be doing it okay so i'm not down on those people but i've been to pastors where i've explained this to them and i've talked to them about this i said this person would you go up to this person's door and if they said to you that they can lose their salvation would you be like that person's saved but just because you prayed with them and then they said that now they're saved it doesn't make any sense and it really comes after this they don't understand it's a gift they're not understanding that the simple fact that it's free and that has to be there how can how can they sing half these songs that's what i don't understand if someone is unsaved that thinks you can lose your salvation how can you sing these songs like jesus paid it all like how can you sing that song if you're like well i but he didn't pay for that you know or it's just most of these songs i'm like you know that he covers all the you know it's all under the blood like all these different things that and i can't even think i'm off top my head as far as the songs but it's just it's just crazy like how can you even sing that and be like yeah i can attach myself to that and go to john chapter four john chapter four now i'm going back to the gift here i'm getting off track and listen this is why i love our church okay i love our church because we have we have good soul owners we have thorough soul winners that's why i love the manual when we're when i was still on a manual because we had good soul winners we had thorough soul winners and and i love churches that are like that and and you know i praise this because i want this to be known that listen if i find out that anybody's doing shallow soul winning i will come down on you like a ton of bricks okay in a loving christian manner okay because obviously you're saved i'm not like gonna like reprobate you or something like that i'm just like i'm just saying that the idea here is that that is very serious listen what is our church about how beautiful and upon the mountains are the feet of them that preach the gospel peace right the idea of our church the whole point of our church is to preach the gospel to every creature and what point is that if they don't understand it how do they spell you know for who so ever shall call upon the name of the lord shall be saved how then shall they call on him and whom they have not believed and how shall they believe and in whom they have not heard and listen in that heard the idea there is that how can they believe if they don't understand right obviously they have to hear it okay but when you're talking about they they have ears to hear but they understand not okay and when it's talking about how should they believe how should they believe in him they have not heard how should they believe in whom they don't understand like how do they how what are they putting their faith in so john chapter four i want to show you also that jesus is talking about this gift and it's not faith okay faith is how you get the gift it's really that simple faith is how you accept it so faith is the one thing if thou believeth with all thine heart okay so the idea is the the conditional statement here what the one condition you have to do what must i do believe okay that's the one thing you have to do is believe but everything else is taken care of once you believe okay john chapter 4 and verse 7 here we're dealing with a woman at the well it says in verse 7 there cometh a woman of samaria to draw water jesus saith unto her give me to drink for his disciples were gone away unto the city to buy me then saith the woman of samaria unto him how is it that thou being a jew asketh drink of me which am a woman of samaria for the jews have no dealings with the samaritans jesus answered and said unto her if thou knewest the gift of god okay so now we're going to get into what is this gift what's this gift that we're talking about here if thou knowest the gift of god and who it is that saith to thee give me to drink so he's saying if you knew what the gift of god was and if you knew who it was that's talking to you okay so notice that there's two things that this woman needs to know who is he and what is this gift okay and it says thou wouldest have asked of him and he would have given thee living water so what's the gift living water very simple now this makes sense with uh you know what's the record that we have to believe and this is the record that god had given us eternal life to us eternal life and this life is in his son sounds familiar we have to know who he is we have to know what the gift is and then we have to ask for it and how do you ask for it you believe on the lord jesus christ okay whether with your mouth your heart you know however you believe on him that's calling upon name the lord whether with your mouth with your heart and you're physically you're you're you're personally putting your faith in him okay so people that say well it's at work to ask what did jesus say you would have asked you know jesus said you know asking you shall receive and it says uh you know talking about men give unto you evil things but how much more shall your heavenly father give to them that ask him right and it talks about gifts you know men give gifts unto their children right but how much more shall your heavenly father give what gifts unto them that ask him it doesn't negate when you ask for it doesn't negate it being a gift okay so uh but keep reading there because i want to i want to further show you what is living water okay because you're like well living water means you live for him in a flowing manner like what i don't know they never said that i've never heard anybody say that i'm just i'm just telling you people twist this type of stuff and they'd be like well water you know it's like your life and anyway so let's keep reading because it's going to define to you what living water is okay it says the woman said unto him sir thou has nothing to draw with and the well is deep from whence then hast thou that living water art thou greater than our father our father jacob which gave us the well and drank thereof thereof himself and his children and his cattle jesus answered and said unto her whosoever dranketh of this water shall thirst again but whosoever drinketh of the water that i shall what give him and what is this whole sermon about this unspeakable gift it's something that's given to us it's not something that we buy it's not something that we give it's something that he gives to us right give him shall never thirst but the water that i shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up onto what everlasting life we're talking about everlasting life here it's just another way of saying it and how about this go to revelation chapter 21 speaking on that same term that if thou knewest the gift of god and what does that give living water that springs up into everlasting life notice what it says in revelation 21 verse 6 revelation 21 and verse 6 it says and he said unto me it is done i am alpha and omega the beginning and the end and i and i will give unto him that is the thirst of the fount of the water of life freely see what is that the free gift how many different ways does he have to say it okay and i'm just talking about the gift this morning my friends we're talking about a gift here he says it's a free gift it's an unspeakable gift it's living water it's everlasting life and he gives it to us freely go to chapter 22 and verse 17 revelation 22 and verse 17 this is literally how the bible ends by the way is this call out to people to take this water of life and i want you to notice that it keeps saying freely people think that we don't have free will you know the calvinists think oh you can't freely take that that's why faith is given to you that's why faith is the gift of god nowhere in the bible does it say that okay so in revelation 22 verse 17 it says in the spirit and the bride say come now who's the spirit and the bride well the spirit obviously the spirit god right but then the bride is who is who's the bride it's all the same it's safe people okay the spirit and fried say come and let him that is a that hear it say come and let him that is a thirst come and whosoever will let him take the water of life freely i mean this this is like the kryptonite to the calvinists i mean how did they look at this be like whosoever will now how can you say that if there's no free will whosoever god make it come that's what they want you to think talk about turn the bible on its head the bible says whosoever will let him take of the water of life freely so it's free the water of life is free the gift of god is free it's a free gift of salvation and when we say that we have bible to back it up now let's go to james i'm not done not done because i want you to really just know that when we're talking about something that's a gift it is free it is free indeed and listen you know people think well you can you get the gift for free but you can give it back you know well then you don't know what the gift is okay it's this nonsensical stupid hypothetical that well you know you can't lose your salvation you can't lose eternal life but you can give it back then you don't know what that is okay no one that's sane in their mind would say i don't want eternal life i want eternal punishment no man living ever yet hated his own flesh okay meaning this is that no one that's sane in their mind would say no i don't want eternal life i want to die forever in hell they're like well they're not saying then they don't understand it okay if they say i gave it back they didn't know what it was and are you surprised by that are you surprised by that because most churches don't teach that it's a free gift and that it's eternal life and that you cannot lose your salvation and even within baptist churches they are not going into depth so they may even believe it as they're preaching it to them but that person doesn't understand it so uh go to uh james one james one verse 16 and you you may have read this and be like why is he like he's kind of rebuking them or not really rebuking them but kind of warning them okay that's what it says here in verse 16 do not err my beloved brethren that's how he starts off going into what he's about to say this is every good gift and every perfect gift is from above remember how i said you know well free there's no free gift in the world yeah because it comes from above that's why because it's not of this world jesus was not of this world he's the lord that came down from heaven and he's the gift that came down from heaven and guess what that's actually free and it's gonna it's gonna state that here notice it says and it cometh down from the father of lights with whom is no variableness neither shadow of turning you know what that means he's not taking it back there's no variableness and there's no shadow of turning you know what that means there's not even the inkling of a turning in there it's not like man it kind of looks like it's turning no it's not even up here like it's turning there's no way there's no variableness it's you got it nothing else that's going to be done you know there's no taking it back and keep reading there like well is this talking about salvation well what's the next verse say of his own will begat he us with the word of truth that we should be a kind of first fruits of his creatures i think that's the context i think the context is now obviously there's other gifts that he gives us right but wouldn't you say that the gift of god which is eternal life is a good gift okay would you not say that it's a perfect gift so out of all the gifts that god would give you would you not say that's the the best that's the unspeakable one but it's also good and perfect and every gift so if every gift that god gives you is without variableness or shadow turning how much more is eternal life how much more is his son that he gave you not going to be taken away okay go to a roman chapter 11 roman chapter 11 verse 29 roman chapter 11 verse 29 roman chapter 11 verse 29 so like i said you know usually when i go through this i'm talking about eternal life right eternal life can't end and he can't lie right so he can't tell you you have it and then take it back okay that's all true but now i'm talking about a gift okay the gift itself just a gift okay the unspeakable gift so whatever it is let's say it's not even eternal life let's just say it's just a gift right any gift that god gives you is without variableness or shadow of turning notice what it says in roman chapter 11 verse 29 it says for the gifts and calling of god are without repentance now what is this talking about now i've said this to repentance people before just to make them angry okay because that's not the context okay you know it's not saying like you don't repent to get the gift okay that's not what it's saying but i do like to say that too and be like see the gifts and calling god without repentance so what are you saying you got repent of your sins for now obviously repent just means to turn from you know what you're believing before or until what you know what you really need to believe so but what this is stating here is that god won't repent okay so when it says that every good gift every perfect gift coming down from the father of lights with with whom is no variableness neither shadow of turning that's talking about god meaning that god there's no variableness with it within him he's not like you know tossed to and fro what's the context of james one not being tossed to and fro right and not being a double-minded man because the double-minded man is unstable in all his ways okay god is not unstable and he's not double-minded he's not like yeah i'm gonna give you that no i'm not that's what it means by being variable okay if he says he's going to do it he's going to do it okay if he says you're saved you're saved if he says it's believed it's believed now in roma chapter 11 verse 29 it says the gifts and calling of god are without repentance meaning that god won't repent meaning that he's not going to turn back after he's not going to take it back okay you say well prove that a little further we'll go to hosia chapter 13 hosia chapter 13 just to give you some context of this term of god repenting or god not repenting right because it's saying it's without repentance meaning that repentance isn't involved in this okay meaning that there's no shadow of turning and when when you think of the word repent what are you talking about turning from one thing to another okay and the bible says there's no shadow of turning there's no sight of it you know it's not like man i kind of see like that's going to turn no not even it doesn't even look like it it's just steadfast unmovable no variableness is you know it is what it is god's not god god's not moving on it okay now in hosia chapter 13 verse 14 it says i will ransom them from the power of the grave i will redeem them from death so who are we talking about here obviously jesus now this is going to be something that's uh you know basically uh expanded upon in first corinthians 15 talking about the resurrection okay but it says oh death i will be thy plagues oh grave i will be thy destruction repentance shall be hid from mine eyes now what do you think that's talking about that's talking about the fact that god won't change his mind god will not turn from it he says i will redeem you i will ransom you from the grave repentance is hid from mine eyes meaning that he will not turn from it there is no variableness neither shadow of turning and what he's going to do that means that when he said from the foundation of the world that he would be a ransom for us that he would redeem us from from death that that was going to happen and nothing could change it okay and he wasn't he wasn't going to change his mind because god repents in the bible does that make sense so it's not that god never repents okay the first mention of repentance is god repented that he made man on the earth okay and god repented of the evil that he said he would do unto Nineveh and he did it not right and god saw their works that they turn from their evil way okay but god you know he repents but not when it comes to his gifts is that very clear when it comes to his gifts every good gift and every perfect gift coming from above and coming down from the father of lights or is from above and coming down from the father of lights with whom is no no variableness neither shadow of turning for the gifts and calling of god or without repentance and it says that he will it says i will ransom them from the power of the grave i will redeem them from from death repentance shall be hid from mine eyes you want something a little further go to numbers chapter 23 number chapter 23 to just nail this down then when it's talking about him not repenting okay how about this the lord swear and will not repent thou art a priest forever after the order of malchizedek thou art high priest forever after the order of malchizedek you think god's gonna you think god the father is gonna take that back on jesus okay obviously not it says he will not repent jesus is the high priest after the order of malchizedek forever okay nothing's gonna change that number chapter 23 now this is balaam speaking but if you remember when i went through the sermon this is like caiaphas right god spoke through caiaphas even though balaam was a bad guy he's a false prophet god spoke through him the word of god okay and i preached the whole sermon so balaam's a wicked false prophet but god is speaking his word through him okay so in verse 16 i just want you to see that it says the lord met balaam and put a word in his mouth so notice that he put a word in his mouth and said go again out to balac and say thus okay so god's telling him this is what you're going to say it says and when he came to him behold he stood by his burnt offering and the princes of moab with him and balac said unto him what hath the lord spoken and he took up his parable and said rise up balac and here harken unto me thou son of zippor god is not a man that he should lie that makes sense right and you know in hope of eternal life which god cannot lie problems the world began neither the son of man that he should repent okay now this doesn't mean that god never repents but what is it talking about now it says he hath he said and shall he not do it hat or hath he spoken and shall he not make it good so when it says the gift and calling of god or without repentance it means that god will not lie god will not go back if he says he's going to do it he's going to make it good okay and it says that you know i will ransom them from the grave repentance is hid from mine eyes there's no variableness not a shadow of turning with his gifts and you know so that's why it's unspeakable it's unspeakable for what it is but it's also unspeakable because of who god is god is he's a god that's true and just and holy and when he says it's free it's free when he says it's eternal it's eternal he's not playing games and he's not saying i'm going to give this to you but there's a chance it can be changed there's a chance i could take it back okay and so i i hope that makes sense to go to first peter chapter four because there's other ways to prove salvation is eternal and that you cannot lose your salvation and isn't this something to be thankful for listen everything in this world can fall apart everything can fall apart but you know what's comforting is that we're going to be in heaven we have eternal life i mean if there's nothing to be thankful for which i think that's going to be hard to say okay but if everything just fell apart to what it is you don't even have clothes anymore which i don't believe can happen because i believe god will give us food and raiment so but let's say you're just down to food and raiment okay you can still be thankful for that but let's say you're naked and in prison you're like the apostles and you're just getting persecuted to the the 10th degree right you know what you should be thankful for eternal life listen this is this is our life is about a vapor that appear for a little time and then vanishes away i mean just think about eternity and how great that will be and listen you have it nothing can take it away he's there's no variableness with him there's no shadow of turning repentance is hid from his eyes and it says that that the gifts and calling on god without repentance so you serve a god that when he says he's going to give you everlasting life when he says that he gave you a gift he actually meant it he's not like the politicians out there he's not like everybody else in the world that's actually trying to get something out of you you know what he wanted he wanted to save you you know what god actually loves you god actually loves you so much that he gave his only begotten son you know that's actually true you know that's actually a real thing and you know what in this life we could be cynical all day long and say well you know no one really loves you that much yeah i know because the bible says scarcely for a righteous man would some die but god committed his love toward us not while we were yet sinners christ died for us so yeah i know it's hard to comprehend that because we're in this world but god is not of this world and first peter chapter four let's let's end it with this we've received that unspeakable gift let's minister it to others that's what it says in first peter chapter four in verse 10 it says as every man has received the gift even so minister the same one to another as good stewards of the manifold grace of god if any man speak let him speak as the oracles of god if any man minister let him do it as of the ability which god giveth that god and all things may be glorified through jesus christ to whom be praised in dominion forever and ever amen as you receive the gift as every man that you know that has received a gift hey let's minister the same one to another let's minister that unspeakable gift to others and that's what we do every week that's what we do uh that's what we did last week that's what we're gonna do this week that's what we're gonna do next week until jesus comes is be good stewards of the manifold grace of god because for by grace are you saved through faith and that and that not of yourselves it is the gift of god not of works that any man should boast for the wages of sin is death but the gift of god is eternal life through jesus christ our lord that's the gift that's the unspeakable thanks be unto god for his unspeakable gift because that gift is something that you can hold on to that gift is something that will never be taken away and god will never take it back and i could i could have just ended the sermon with saying it's eternal okay but do you see how there's so much more so anytime you know this could be just a soul winning uh you know some notes for soul winning okay meaning that if anybody says well i think you could give back the gift take him to uh romans chapter 11 verse 29 take him to uh james one and say okay i got this gift can it be taken away can god is god gonna change his mind and you know what if someone says well no but someone can give back then they don't understand what it is be like then you aren't ready yet you aren't ready to understand what you're even dealing with here you don't see the gravity of the situation if you think someone would literally say no i'm gonna i want to go to hell okay then they don't know what it is but thanks be on the god for his unspeakable gift it is truly unspeakable it's unspeakable for what it is but it's also unspeakable for how free it is okay and the god that we serve the love that's behind that gift what had to be done to purchase that gift i didn't even get into that really because i'm just talking about that we have the gift available to us but what had to be done to purchase that gift and that is a whole nother summer for another day what he did to purchase that gift for us and why it's so unspeakable let's end with the word of prayer father we thank you for today and pray to be with us throughout today i pray for uh soul winners and for many people to get saved and lord just pray that you'd help us to to minister that same gift unto others and lord to uh to see many saved and lord for your glory lord you deserve all the glory for what you did to pay for this unspeakable gift that we could receive it for free and lord we just pray that you'd help us to be ministers for you and what we just thank you for it in this time of thanksgiving we just want to thank you for you lord we want to thank you for being our savior our god and lord help us to serve you and we love you in prayer in jesus christ name amen so brother dave will come and sing one more song and then we'll be dismissed all right song 162 in your song books song 162 will sing to god be the glory um and if you would stand we'll sing song 162 to god be the glory great things he