Title: Four Questions for Thinkers

Series: Psalm

Text: Romans 8: 29-39

Date: November 4, 2012

I spend all week digging for treasureto bring you. This week, I have been digging with one arm in a cast, without electricity, so I have borrowed an outline. Bro Scott, used to say, “nothing original in me but sin.”

Recently, I listened to a sermon preached years ago by Pastor Henry Mahan, titled: Four Questions for Thoughtful People. Those four questions will make up our points.

But first, let me ask this, “Why ask these questions Because sinners need to be humbled. Only the truth of God humbles sinners. And only the truth gives God the glory.

1 Corinthians 1:29 That no flesh should glory in his presence….31:That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.

Most, in our day, speak evil of the truth of God. The Spirit warned that heresies would be so commonly taught, that “the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.” Sinners are being taught lies. Will you listen this morning and think about these four questions? Answer honestly.

I. It is commonly taught and believed that God loves all men without exception. But if God loves all men without exception, yet it is obvious many perish in their sins, then what does the love of God have to do with salvation?

Folks make a blanket statement to all sinners, saying “God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life.” What they mean is “If you will let him love you and let him execute his plan for you.”

The Bible plainly tells us that God does not love everyone.

Psalms 11:5: The LORD trieth the righteous: but the wicked and him that loveth violence his soul hateth.

If you told Esau God loves you, you would have told Esau a lie.

Romans 9: 11: (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;)…13: it is written Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.

This is humbling to sinners because natural man thinks he deserves to be loved of God. But if God loves all men, yet just one perishes, then the love of God has nothing to do with salvation? Why then would you even speak of God’s love?

Truth is the love of God is the foundation of our salvation. “God IS love.” But God’s love is in Christ. And every sinner that scripture says God loves, God saves. God’s love is not a passion, but saving-love.

Unconditional love of God elected a people unto salvation. God loved his elect in Israel. Listen to God:

Deuteronomy 7:7 The LORD did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people: 8 But because the LORD loved you, and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers,

Isaiah 43:4: Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee: therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life.

God in love regenerates his people.

Ephesians 2: 3: we were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. 4: But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, 5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace are ye saved)

God in love sent his Son and by Christ’s blood, he remembers the sin of his people no more. Hezekiah said,

Isaiah 38:17: Behold, for peace I had great bitterness: but thou hast in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption: for thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back.

God’s love for his elect is sovereign, unconditional, distinguishing, everlasting, unchanging love.Does God love men in hell? If not, then his love changes based on whether or not men love him. That’s conditional, changing love. That’s how sinner’s love—not how God loves.

Jeremiah 31:3: The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.

Everlasting love is love without end. God in lovingkindness draws his people effectually to himself, corrects us and keeps us.

Hebrews 12:6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth…10:..for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.

1 John 4:19: We love him, because he first loved us.

God’s love is in Christ—holy, righteous, love, so nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ.

Romans 8: 38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Preacher, what about John 3: 16?

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.

Always read the context of the passage and context of all scripture. Christ was speaking to a proud Jew, dead in sins, who thought only Jews were God’s elect, who thought he merited God’s favor by his works. Christ was staining his pride—turning him to the foundation of salvation—God’s sovereign love in his Son.

For God so loved--“after this manner”—“behold what manner of love the father hath bestowed”, born again (through new birth by the Spirit), “we speak” (through gospel), “Son of man must be lifted up” (holy, righteous,just love). The world—not the elect among Jews only, but elect scattered throughout the world. That whosoever believeth on him--Not by works done by us, but one way—gift of faith—in his Son. Whosoever God will show mercy. They mayHAVE eternal life—Not a reward earned—the gift of God

Just before this Christ said the Spirit must rebirth us. He said after this that men hate Christ and will not come. Do you think God gave his only Son leaving it to chance, hoping dead, God-hating sinners might believe on Christ? Would you? Of course not.

Men don’t tell the truth plainly trying to get sinners to make a profession of faith. But unless you tell the truth then you have only persuaded him to believe a false god. God’s love humbles his people. Proud sinners think we deserve for God to love us. Men are appealing to the sinners pride with their lies.

“Can’t spell church without you”

“Can’t spell pride without I, either”

The love of God constrains those he saves. That leads to my next question. (2 Pet 3)

II. It is commonly taught and believed that it is the will of God that all men be saved. If it is the will of God that everyone be saved yet some perish in hell anyway then what does the will of God have to do with anyone's salvation?

2 Peter 3: 9: The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

The “us ward” is his elect. Verse 15 the Holy Spirit tells us the long suffering of our God is salvation--2 Peter 3:15: And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation;…

But freewill preachers, and others who glory in man, make God’s will to hinge on man’s will saying it is God’s will that every member of mankind should come to repentance. They say their god has done all he can do and is waiting on sinners to repent.

If salvation depended upon the will of man no one would ever be saved. “There is none that seeketh after God”, not even one.

TRUTH IS IT IS The will of God that is makes his elect willing to REPENT AND believe on christ

Men are commanded to repent and believe the gospel, and they are responsible to God to do so; but men are unable unless God exercise his will giving them life and a new heart, making them willing.

John 1:11: He came unto his own, and his own received him not. 12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: 13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

James 1:18: Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

Ephesians 1:9 Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: 10 That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: 11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:

Romans 9: 16 So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.

If God willed to save all then all would be saved, “The Lord of hosts hath sworn, saying, Surely, as I have thought, so shall it come to pass; and as I have thought, so shall it stand!”

Psalm 135:6: Whatsoever the LORD pleased, that did he in heaven, and in earth, in the seas, and all deep places.

Daniel 4:35…he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?”

Application: Use the scriptures to see if what men are saying is true? If what is spoken is not according to this word it is not true, lay it aside. God loves his elect and saves them by his will.

III.Third question. Men say Christ died to redeem the whole human race. If Christ died to redeem everyone yet some die under the wrath of God anyway, what does the blood of Christ have to do with anyone's salvation?

Truth is, the blood Christ shed at Calvary was shed for as many as God gave him.

Isaiah 53:8:…for the transgression of my people was he stricken.

And Christ made complete atonement to God for their sins. The issue is that Christ did not fail, but finished the work of putting away the sin of his people himself.

Isaiah 42:4: He shall not fail...

Matthew 1:21:…thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.

The issue is the righteousness of God—God is just and the justifier of all who believe, not we ourselves.

But by lies, sinner’s are made to think their believing makes Christ’s blood effectual. Not so. We do not make atonement by believing on Christ, but through faith we receive [are given] the atonement he already made! Christ put away the sin of his people before he sat down in heaven.

Hebrews 1:3…when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;

The Spirit of God comes convincing each of his redeemed that it is Christ who has already put away our sin by his one offering.

Hebrews 10: 14: For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. 15: Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us:…17 And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.

Preacher what about 1 John 2: 1?

I John 2: 1: My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: 2: And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

Remember context of the passage and of the whole of Christ’s doctrine. John was a natural Jew writing to believers who were predominately his own countrymen, Jews. He was comforting believers by turning believers from our sin and pride to Christ. So John said that when you sin, remember, “Christ is the propitiation—satisfaction, atonement—for our sins [the elect, redeemed from among the Jews]: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of [the elect, redeemed from among the whole Gentile world.]

The key is that Christ is the propitiation for our sins. His blood is satisfaction to the justice of God for the sins of each one for whom he died, no matter who or what they are in the world. God will not execute justice upon one Christ already justified before God because Christ our Righteousness is our Advocatewith the Father.

John was comforting believers like Augustus Toplady when he wrote:

From whence this fear and unbelief,
Since God my Father, put to grief
His spotless Son for me?

Can he, the righteous judge of men,
Condemn me for that debt of sin,
Which, Lord, was charged on Thee?

Complete atonement Thou hast made,
And to the utmost farthing paid,
Whate'er Thy people owed;

How, then, can wrath on me take place,
If sheltered in Thy righteousness,
And sprinkled with Thy blood.

If Thou hast my discharge procured,
And freely in my place endured
The whole of wrath divine,

Payment God will not twice demand,
First at my bleeding Surety's hand,
And then again at mine."

The justice of God which required Christ die when he was made sin for those given him of the Father, now requires that each one be given eternal life because we have been made the righteousness of God in Christ.

But if Christ died to redeem everyone yet some die under the wrath of God, then the blood of Christ has nothing to do with anyone's salvation? Denial of the particular redemption of God’s elect is at the very core of all man-exalting heresy!

Illustration: If were charged with a crime, you want truth established in the mouth of two or more witnesses. You want a just judge. This word is full of witnesses that this is the record of how sinners are saved by God the just judge. Truth matters in matters most important to us.

If your banker tells you your bank balance is less than it is, we don’t say, “Well, truth is relative.” We don’t say, “We’re both sincere that’s all that matters.” No, one is sincerely wrong. Zeal does not make a lie true.

Romans 10: 2: For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. 3: For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.

IV. Men commonly teach that the Holy Spirit is striving to call all sinners to life and faith in Christ. If God the Holy Spirit is trying to call all sinners alike to life and faith in Christ yet some die without faith, what does the Spirit's work have to do with anyone's salvation? Nothing! They use this scripture:

Acts 7: 51: Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.

Or they use

Genesis 6:3: And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years.

Men say “see god the holy spirit can be resisted unless man let’s God save him.” The stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, DO always resist the Holy Ghost.

1 Corinthians 2:14: the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

But that does not mean that God the Spirit can be prevented from creating a new heart. He always effectually, irresistibly calls whom he will. If his grace can be resisted God is not the distinguishing factor—the Savior in salvation. But God says he is.

John 6: 63: It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

John 3:6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. 8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.

Does puny little weakling man really think he can resist God the Spirit? God, God, God—you cannot stop the wind God sends! None could stop the hurricane!

Job 37: 9 Out of the south cometh the whirlwind: and cold out of the north….12 And it is turned round about by his counsels: that they may do whatsoever he commandeth them upon the face of the world in the earth. 13 He causeth it to come, whether for correction, or for his land, or for mercy.