Why Are So Many Unconverted?

Greetings and welcome once again midweek service at beacon Baptist Church located at 1622 Kirkpatrick Rd. in Burlington, NC. It's where we are broadcasting from tonight. We are not having a people present service tonight we are broadcasting from the auditorium, and we thank you for all of you have joined us by means of the Internet.

We really enjoyed having two people present services. This last Sunday special delight in having them on Sunday morning only about this last Sunday we had missionary Tim Bixby and his wife Ruth and their children with us to report on their ministry in France, a meeting that had been scheduled many months before covert came along there only in the states for two months and we didn't want to let that date go so we went ahead and had them, on Sunday night. According to the schedule and we opened our doors and we had a good good number of our folks here and it was a blessed time to be sure made me want to start doing that more regularly for the time being. Were going to move back to our regular schedule that we been following the last few weeks.

Now which is Sunday morning.

People present. 930 wearing masks and social distancing. We have every other pew that is marked off so that nobody is on anybody's back trying to be careful and then were having lifestream on Sunday night only. We have lifestream all the time people present or not. Sunday night and Wednesday night lifestream only and will continue that, at least for a little bit further into the future. Some of asked why we don't go ahead and start opening up some of the other meetings seeming to do well on Sunday morning and it is a it's a matter of judgment to judgment call that we feel like it's better to be conservative and cautious than to be too precipitous. We have known, as you have heard, no doubt of churches that that the started meeting all the time and then had to back away began to spread covert in their congregation. We don't do that so we know places where that has happened and were just trying to be prudent, but on the other hand we don't want to live in fear and we know some churches that haven't even started meeting at all or not meeting on Sunday morning or any time things so very very cautious that I can simply say that so far we don't know of anybody who has contacted covert. As a result of our of our people present services which we been caring on now for I suppose close to two months and so far all is well. I say that for those of you are wondering, and who are may be considering whether or not you should go venture forth. I would encourage you to come where your mass and if you don't have one.

We have them available and fist bump her elbow bump when you greet people and stay socially distant, but we still have opportunity to converse, fellowship and some wonderful fellowship this last Sunday and so Christians need to assemble. Christians need to meet.

Christians need to fellowship Christians need to join and blend their voices together in song Christians need that God designed that and he designed us for that and so we are endeavoring to do it now this coming Sunday at our morning service at 930 we are going to be recognizing our graduating seniors that something that had been postponed for quite a while.

Normally we do that about well either.

The last Sunday night in May where I think sometimes the first Sunday night in June right around that time of year, the time of of the school graduations and of course we were meeting at that time and so we didn't do it. We put it off decided we need to go ahead. Some of our graduates have already scanned or they're not going to be here. Some have already even moved on to other states, but those who are here and available going to recognize them.

We have a gift for each one of them and we want to take care of that this coming Sunday morning at 930 as part of our morning worship service.

Please keep that in mind. Also, if you get our midweek prayer sheet with the announcements on one side of the prayer requests. On the other will notice it elements Christian school is adding two new preschool classrooms this coming year and they are therefore looking for some additional workers and if you would be interested in that you can talk contact the school and let them know of your interest in that ministry. I'm going to read the words of the hymn dear refuge of my weary soul written by and steel was born 1716 and died in 1778, so she was alive during the American Revolution released at the beginning of it and wasn't here for much of the development that happened thereafter. But during these days of of Copeland these days of of the difficulties. Sometimes we feel like we are weary souls in the new deed of refuge to listen to the words of this hymn that we often sing together as a congregation tonight I'll just read the words to you dear refuge of my weary soul on the when sorrows rise on the when waves of trouble roll my fainting hope rely to the I tell each rising grief for thou alone can steal thy word can bring a sweet relief for every pain I feel. But all one gloomy doubts prevail. I fear to call the mind, the springs of comfort seem to fail in all my hopes decline yet gracious God, where shall I flee thou art my only trust and still my soul would cleave to the go prostrate in the dust passed out or not.

Did me seek thy face shall I seek in vain and can the ear of sovereign grace be death. When I complained no still the ear of sovereign grace attends the mourners prayer may I ever find access to brief my sorrows there thy mercy seat is open. Still here let my soul retreat with humble hope attend. I will wait. Beneath thy feet, thy mercy seat is open. Still here let my soul retreat with humble hope attend thy will wait beneath thy feet. Let's look to the Lord in prayer. Heavenly father. How grateful we are that your mercy seat is open.

Still, it was opened by the work of the Lord Jesus Christ upon the cross of Calvary. By his shed blood, provided the way or hell deserving centers to be justified before your judgment bar and to be permitted access into your presence to come before your throne, and to find your throne, not a throne of fiery judgment, but instead a throne of mercy, the mercy seat.

We may come and present our cares and find the hope and help. We need when we are weighed down with troubles and cares. So father tonight. I pray that those who are feeling the weight of sorrow and of paying the end of trial and the difficulty of the doubt may flee to thy mercy seat. Hold on to that place of refuge and embrace afresh the Lord Jesus Christ and cry out to the with their cares and their cries and to hear thy comforting words by words of promise that you are with us even to the end of the age. The words of promise to you will never leave us nor forsake us the words of promise to tell us that all things work together for good to those who love God and who are the called according to your purpose the many other promises which are found in your word Lord we find them a freshly applied to our souls will become to your mercy seat.

The Lord draws near. Tonight may we know the prevailing grace, which is poured out because you have given us your son, we thank you for it.

In Jesus name. Let me cover our prayer requests tonight that I begin with several praises we been praying for Dave then wish in South Carolina who is recovering from covert, 19 and is doing much better and we also praise the Lord, the Linda Bruner is recovering well from recent hip surgery. This is a sister to Wendy Lynch and we are rejoicing that the covert outbreak that hit wide open manner so severely over a number of weeks has now subsided and staff and residents are recovering very nicely, though, please remember that more than 30 of those residents died with covert over the last couple of months or so. Our government official.

The week is Alamance County Commissioner Bill Lashley. Please remember him.

Prayer.

Several members Sarah Cardwell is still recovering from a recent knee surgery. She went to the doctor today and he gave her a good report of her progress but she still on crutches and is therefore quite hindered Rob Conrad.

We are rejoicing. I went home from the hospital where he had been for more than a week, but he went home on IVs which she is administering to himself at home. He still has some issues that need to clear up a Gail Davis is recovering from covert, 19 of her thankful for that pastor Bob tour went back to ARMC. Trying to remember what day that was back. I think on Sunday 11 lost track what day but anyway he still in the hospital. Today is Wednesday.

He was in yesterday. Maybe when in Monday. I think that was the case and if the antibiotic that they're going to be giving him tonight is effective that he hopes the that he may be released tomorrow, but he is he struggling he's week. Of course, because of his heart attack is about. I guess a month or little more than a month in the past. Now and this infection that he's had the coughing incessant coughing that is has been very difficult for him. So please uphold our dear pastor Bob tour in prayer just so I have Roy, Jeremy and Christie's son has an abscess in his mouth. Please pray for him is quite uncomfortable.

We uphold all of our missionaries in prayer for the three in particular that we are praying for, because of special needs. Stuart Waugh is awaiting a liver transplant in Johannesburg. We trust that may happen very soon. Paul Snyder is in the states to recover from his illness, which is quite severe, which is taking them.

Kate taken him away from Papua, Indonesia, and he has been here in North Carolina but is very shortly within the next week or two going to be relocating to forge Virginia until such time as he's able to return to the field and then Trevor Johnson is a partner at Paul Snyder and serves in the same location the pool. Indonesia is also in the states also recovering from serious illness and arranging schooling for his son in the states and also some help for his his oldest daughter, so please pray for them. They also have some visa issues in regard to returning, but he's really in no shape medically speaking to return at this time and so we uphold these missionary families in prayer. We have several under our sympathy section Rev. Reed Dalton, a former neighbor, Paul and Sherry Holt passed away may seem that in the paper the obituary this morning and we were saddened to hear about the death of Lisa Aldrich revels the daughter of Benny and Judy Aldrich for missionaries to Antigua that we used to support when they were on the field and their daughter died suddenly in an automobile accident and is us to a time of special sorrow need for that family and then Adrian Wilson, who with his wife was a member of beacon back in the 70s, longtime but he passed away. Please pray for that family as well.

And one more to mention particulars David Moxley is a special friend of Nancy Verity is receiving immunotherapy treatments for his cancer attested positive for covert, 19, and I think today may be. Yesterday was taken to Baptist Hospital in Winston-Salem very confused, not doing well at all. So please pray for David Moxley. He lives in rural Hall North Carolina which is a bit north of Winston-Salem right I'm going to read a few communications from missionaries first one is a short thank you note the comes from Tammy Honeycutt and Jean weeks from Alamance. Pregnancy services and it's thanks us for participation in the baby bottle boomerang fundraiser for 2020. Because we were meeting. We didn't do it the normal way.

We didn't pass out the bottles and ask for you to participate in the normal way we were able to take some money out of our missions account and send that and so says dear friends, thank you so much for all you did to help make the 2020 baby bottle bottle boomerang success this year. We are so thankful for all of you who stand with us in the service of the Lord God bless you and please continue praying for us in the ladies that come to us each week you total for this year was $1500 in his service to me honey And Jean weeks I mentioned to you recently that we have a couple of young pastors in Brazil that we support through a special program which they have there, which primarily sends these pastors regular gifts of books solid literature in the Portuguese language throughout the year and then I think also a periodical that that they are sent that they subscribe to and we pay for through our participation and then that also allows them to attend an annual conference so we have another letter from another pastor here. This comes to us by way of translation and it's was received and translated on June 29 dear Pastor Greg Barkman I come by this means to thank you and your ministry for this adoption called adoptive pastor program for this adoption. The greatly benefits and the execution of the work Jesus has entrusted to me by name is Michelle Santos.

I have been married. I got hope I pronouncing that right MIC HEL that might be my kill. My kill Santos. I have been married 14 years and have one son 12 years old I came to know Jesus when I was 15 years old I had been a pastor since 2013 today I have the responsibility of leading a ministry that is a constant part progress in which was one year old on February of this year we experience the best of all blessings witness of God's will by his holy and glorious presence.

Your help and contribution will be of extreme importance of the growth and solidification of this ministry. The only objective of which is to glorify and exalt the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Jesus bless you attentively. Pastor Micheal Santos body of Christ church. We thank the Lord for that privilege. Here is a short communication from missionaries Dave and Judy Julie rather rude off to serve in South Africa. They came home for a short visit expecting to have returned to South Africa before now. But because of covert. They are on hold. The Travel differences supporters, no doubt you are finding it difficult to plan anything more than a few weeks ahead we are to circumstances continue to change and we seem to be adjusting our expectations on a weekly basis and that's okay our trusses in the Lord, not in the changing circumstances of life.

Once again our anticipated return to South Africa has been pushed even further out hoping for August, but all indications are that it may not be before October as we learn what the international airlines are predicting the right a few other things and then sign at your missionaries Dave and Julie Rudolph and a little more extensive letter from the Giuliani serving in Rome. Renato and Sherry Giuliani not to read the entire letter, which is about three pages long, but I'm going to read some substantial excerpts out of this prayer letter, which is dated July 18, dear brothers and sisters in the Lord. Though our church services were suspended for March to June.

The Lord has guided in such a way as to make these months. Very profitable as a church via Skype. We continue to hold our morning meetings on Sunday and three evening meeting on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. The greatest news we can relate to you. However, concerns Stefano, the husband of such toco Japanese lady who was converted two years ago.

As I'm sure you will remember we asked you to pray much for Stefano, for he was. Not only unconverted but also alcoholic to such an extent that his addiction was threatening the well-being of the family. The battle has been hard, and I will not go into details but dear brethren, I'm so happy to tell you that the man now professes to know the Lord and gives evidence of having truly experienced a saving shame. Not only has he not been drinking over the last eight months, but more importantly, his heart attitude and behavior towards God in his own family is radically changed. He has been devouring his Bible attending all the church meeting recorded gospel hymns and songs we sing to be able to listen to them during the week, notably as I talked with Sadako, his wife, who is a very serious minded Christian.

She has confirmed that her husband truly appears to be a different man. So much so that she speaks of a miracle of God's grace I have been reading with both of them once a week to go through our churches confession of faith that will take a while there, churches, confession of faith is the second London Baptist confession that usually is a booklet about 40 or 50 pages and like a small systematic theology very excellent. It is our churches auxiliary doctrinal statement.

We were shorter one for official one and then we have the second London confession is our auxiliary one for those who want to delve into things more deeply.

He goes on to say in the near future we may have the baptism of the husband and wife together which would be such a joy and encouragement for our assembly, and for all of you as well who have been praying and supporting our labors here in Italy.

Please pray also for their children. Maya and Borrelia, nine and seven years old respectively. Stefano and sought toco told me today that recently Maya has shown serious concern about her own soul. Wanting to be saved because she is a sinner. Although dear brethren, let us pray for all of his family.

God made you such a work as to make it a shining control for trophy of the reality of his grace. I pause at that point in the letter. The next page or so is a listing of the books that they have recently published with a publishing ministry, which is a very significant part of their ministry there and I'm not going to try to give you this list of books and authors all much just to one is suffering by Paul David Tripp and one is a biography of William Carey.

The missionary to India by FD Walker addition to that there 123456 others very active and busy publishing house and these books go out much farther than their own local ministry in the church in Rome now like continue the letter particular prayer requests number one in these days in relation to our publishing ministry will be discussing the possibility of holding three regional conferences every year. One in Catania southern Italy, one in Rome, central Italy and one in month two northern Italy. Please pray for wisdom and resources. In this regard. Though our books are being distributed widely among evangelical Christians in Italy.

Such conferences would certainly contribute in creating new relationships, strengthening existing bonds and extending the influence of the sound literature we publish number two to be able to to continue printing other truth and life articles. That's the publishing arm here in the states of English-speaking books and they want to publish a voice crying in the wilderness Baptist prison writings 1660 to 1684 Michael Hagan general editor, the sermon on the Mount by particular Baptist pastor and theologian Christopher Blackwood 1606 to 1670 and he says we need to find us a larger storing place for books in Winston-Salem. If you know of a church or an individual who would have such a place approximately 250 ft.² would be ice take it. Probably an average size bedroom and is willing to let us use it for free for the sake of the gospel ministry.

Please let us know the number three please continue to pray for Armando and Sarah support Sarah is his daughter Armando is her husband and they say concerning the support presently 57% of what is needed. As you know Armando is our full-time translator doing invaluable work in the field of Christian literature. May the Lord continue to bless you and use you for the sake of his name in the Lord.

Renato and Sheree Giuliani. Good to hear from all of these missionary brethren in the open your Bible with me to Romans chapter 10 going to be focusing tonight on verses 16, 17 and 18 in the 10th chapter of the Gospel of Romans and our message tonight is entitled why do many not believe the gospel. Why do many not believe the gospel in the theme of this section is to tell us that man's sinful heart is the reason for his loss condition. The man is fully responsible for his unbelief. Let me give you a little background before we come to our text we could say that Romans chapters 9, 10 and 11 which some consider to be something of a parentheses in the book of Romans. I think that's probably not the best way to characterize it, but those three chapters basically answer the question, what about the Jew. Paul, of course, in writing, the Roman epistles writing to the church at Rome, which has both Jews and Gentiles, but would evidently be predominantly Gentile with some mixture of believing Jews in the congregation.

But the book of Romans gives the most complete explanation of the gospel of Christ to be found anywhere in the Scriptures.

Basically, the gospel is explained in 11 chapter starts about the middle of chapter 1 may be even a little earlier than the middle goes all the way through the end of chapter 11 and I really don't think chapters 9 to 11 to be considered a parentheses I think that is additional parts additional elements of this extended explanation of the gospel, but these three chapters do concentrate primarily on the question of the Jew God's favored nation, God's chosen nation, the people that God called out through Abraham, the father of the Jewish nation what he called him out of the year of the Chaldees and caused Abraham to travel to the land of Canaan and most of you know the story that unfolded in the Old Testament and there's a question that comes up when you are thinking about salvation and the Jewish people in regard to salvation. The question is why do so many members of the nation of Israel the chosen and favored people of God fail to believe the gospel. That's a question that is raised in the minds of some, and that question is answered in chapters 9, 10 and 11 and I suppose I even considered. Maybe starting at the beginning of chapter 9 going all through these three chapters that would take us quite a while on Wednesday night and I usually try to make my messages a little bit short of my series is a little bit shorter on Wednesday night so I will simply say that in this explanation to tell us why so many Jewish people have not come to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Their promised Messiah sent through that chosen nation, the people, the God raised up to produce the Savior that came to the world why do so many of those people not believe the gospel in the chapter 9 that question is answered with an emphasis upon divine sovereignty.

In chapter 10 that same question is answered with an emphasis upon human responsibility right there you find yourself on the horns of a dilemma, some of which can be understood and reconciled, but not all, it is impossible to completely this side of heaven.

And I don't know what will understand when we get to heaven, whether will be able to fully reconcile that are not. Certainly this side of heaven.

I tell you that it is impossible for the mind of man to completely reconcile all of the questions. All of the elements that pertain to the sovereignty of God in salvation. On the one hand, and the responsibility of my own in salvation. On the other hand, Charles Spurgeon said in regard to those two elements that there like the two rails of a railroad track and when you're standing on a railroad track. Not recommended, but if you're standing on a railroad track knew for sure that there was no train coming and it was a straight track and you were looking down the rail.

If you look way down the rail, you would see a point in which it would appear that the two rails came together to form one rail and if you would call one rail divine sovereignty of the other rail human responsibility and they are part where you're standing.

Nevertheless, you see where you think they come together down the road a ways, but if you will walk down the railroad track that direction.

You will find that in fact they don't come together for you thought they did. They continued to remain a part on and on and on and on indefinitely if that railroad track makes its way into heaven. Perhaps they truly do come together. There so I mean by that that in chapter 9. The answer to the question why do so many Jews not believe is answered with the, the statement that God is sovereign salvation and the question the same question. Why do so many not believe the gospel in chapter 10 is answered by saying it pertains to mail and his failure is failure to respond in the way that he should. What I mean by that is in chapter 9, which is one of the clearest and strongest passages in all the Bible upon the sovereignty of God in salvation we learning short that the reason why many of the Jews don't believe the gospel is because they are not part of God's elect people that may surprise you because the nation of Israel is characterized as the chosen people of God or the elect people of God. But as Paul describes it, explains in chapter 9 that there are two aspects to God's election, particularly in regard to Israel. There is the nation chosen by God with an earthly purpose mainly to be the vehicle by which the Messiah is brought into the world. But then there is a remnant according to the election of grace which has a heavenly purpose and so there is earthly election of the earthly nation of Israel, which made them God's chosen people, but that did not cure the salvation of all the individuals in that that nation, then there is the realm rendered according to the election of grace, that portion of the nation that are included in God's saving purposes that are carried that are carried out according to sovereign election in salvation. That's the explanation chapter 9 what's the explanation. Chapter 10 chapter 10 Paul says the responsibility lies with my chapter 9. The responsibility lies with God. It's God's sovereign choice God's sovereign purposes. Don't skip over that in chapter 9 chapter 10 Paul says the responsibility lies with man.

Now let me read beginning at verse 13 through verse 18 and then will go back to verses 16, 17 and 18 and see the three reasons why men fail to believe the gospel, and I'll tell you what they are before we get there. Number one because of stubborn disobedience. Verse 616, number two because of failure to hear God's revelation. Verse 17, number three, because of failure to receive God's word.

Verse 18.

Now I read Romans 1013 for whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard how shall they hear without a preacher and how shall they preach unless they are sent. As it is written, how beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things, but now we get to the first verse of our text but they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, Lord, who has believed our report for 17 so then faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God.

Verse 18 but I say have they not heard yes, indeed, their sound is gone out to all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world right. Let's see if we can make our way through these three verses why do people fail to believe the gospel Jews or Gentiles, but particularly the focus here is upon the Jews, but why do people fail to believe the gospel number one because of stubborn disobedience again. Verse 16 but they have not all obeyed the gospel. Notice that word obeyed. They have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah said, now he quotes a short statement out of Isaiah chapter 53 verse one for Isaiah says, Lord, who has believe report value are familiar, no doubt with Isaiah chapter 53, one of the most familiar chapters in all the Old Testament.

One of the clearest gospel presentations of the work of Jesus Christ in all of the Old Testament wonderful chapter by the words of Isaiah given to him by God. That chapter opens by saying in Isaiah is in a sense puzzled himself when he says, Lord, Lord, who has believed our report goes on to say and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed 40 speaking of the Messiah shall draw for him as a tender plant is a root out of dry ground. He has no form nor comeliness that we does should desire him. And when we see him there is no beauty that we should desire him. He is despised and rejected of men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid as it were our faces from him.

He was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows, yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities. The chastisement of our peace was upon him, and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray. We have turned every one to his own way and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all in the text goes on. Great chapter wonderful revelation of the work of Jesus Christ to die as the sacrificial Lamb of God, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, but again that chapter opens with this complaint. You might say Lord, who has believed our report Isaiah is saying.

I've been preaching and yet hardly anybody is paying attention. Hardly anybody is listening. Hardly anybody believes what I've said.

Actually, Isaiah shouldn't of been tremendously surprised that I don't think he was because God had told them that the very beginning to go back to Isaiah chapter 6 where Isaiah volunteered.

I heard the voice of the Lord say to say saying who shall I send it. Who will go for us that I said is Isaiah here. My send me and he God said, go and tell this people keep on hearing do not understand. Keep on seeing do not perceive make the heart of this people dull in their ears heavy, and shut their eyes lest they see with their lest they see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, a return of the healed. Then I said, Lord, how long how long am I going to have to preach to these people and their doctor here in the Lord answered and said, until the cities are laid waste without inhabitants and so sought the Lord's for a long time. So when Isaiah comes to Isaiah chapter 53 what we call chapter 53.

He wasn't dividing it into chapters. When he came to the section that we call Isaiah chapter 53 and cried out large, who has believed our report. He really wasn't surprised. He knew that from the beginning it already experienced the general prevailing attitude of unbelief among the people that he was ministering to. So maybe it's not so much a question as it is just a a cry of disappointment. Lord, very few are believing our report. That's what Paul picks up encoding that text you and I in Romans chapter 10 verse 16 to explain why there are many Jews who are not saved you said, but they have not all obeyed the gospel.

For Isaiah says, Lord, who has believed our report they have not all obeyed the gospel. That's why there are many Jews are on-site because they haven't believed the gospel because of stubborn disobedience and now.

Please note that what Paul says, calls disobedience in the first part of the verse.

He equates with unbelief in the last part of the verse they have not all obeyed the have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, Lord, who has believed, not obeyed, who has believed our report. But you see by putting those two things together. One helps explain the other what you mean, Paul, when you say they have not all obeyed the gospel. What kind of obedience is this is the obedience of unbelief or the disobedience of unbelief.

They have not all obeyed the gospel.

Lord, who has believed our report.

You could see this, perhaps more clearly in the Greek language, but the word to hear is cool.

Lord, who has believed our report who has heard it.

A cool the Lord to obey his scoop hoopoe accrual is a compound word and it means literally to hear under that's often translated, obeyed as it is here in this text, but to hear under means to place oneself under the authority of some of the kind of believing the kind of hearing that he's talking about here is the kind of hearing the places oneself under the authority of the message and therefore when he says they have not all obeyed. That is heard under place themselves under the authority of the gospel. For Isaiah says Lord, who has believed our report he's explaining what it means to believe the word of God to believe the gospel is not just simply enough to give assent to the bare facts of the gospel.

I believe that Jesus died on the cross and rose again from the dead and therefore I'm a Christian. The question is have you in bully believed it in such a sense that you have placed yourself under the authority of the gospel may be I can explain that further by putting it this way. There are many elements of the gospel. One of them is repent and believe that many times with the gospel is presented in the New Testament it calls people to repentance and faith. Sometimes it calls people just to repentance doesn't mention faith, other times it calls people to faith doesn't mention repentance, but obviously we put all those text together. You realize that they go together. The two sides of the same coin. True saving faith is a repenting faith unto repentance is a believing repentance, but to repent means to acknowledge your sin and to turn from it. That's what it means.

Part of what is partially what it means to place yourself under the authority of the gospel means to repent means to acknowledge your sin it means to turn from your sin in order to turn to Christ, which is to believe Christ which is to obey the gospel.

The gospel is recapped for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. That's that's a statement of the gospel repent, acknowledge, and turn from your sins and turn to Christ.

Now if you claim to believe in Christ but never repent of your sins, never acknowledged the gravity of your sins, at least to the extent where you desire to turn away from them and turn to Christ, turning your back on your sin in your face toward Christ, then you have not believe the gospel because you have not obeyed the gospel which commands you to repent and believe you understand what I'm saying. So if you say that you have believed the gospel but you are still clinging to your sins, refusing to turn from your sins, refusing to turn your back on your sins, refusing to acknowledge her scent, refusing to ask God to free you from your sins not only cleanse you from your sealant from the penalty of your sin, but to free you from the bondage of sin. You love those sins.

You claim to those sins you don't want to be cut loose from those sins. You'd love to have a an insurance policy to take you to heaven you'd love to have an escape route away from hell if you can give assent to the gospel but you're not willing to turn loose of sin than you have in believe the gospel because you haven't obeyed the gospel. So why do men failed to be saved. Number one because of stubborn disobedience.

They have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, Lord was believed our report number two because of failure to hear God's revelation. Verse 17 so then faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God.

Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God hearing precedes faith. Hearing of the ears first is a message which must be heard in the hearing of the hardest. Second, there's an embrace in the heart of the message that is heard in faith follows herein, the hearing of the message on the ear to the mind and the embrace of the heart which hears it to embrace it, and whoever faith exists a comes into existence by means of the proclamation of God's word and in no other way faith in Christ faith in the gospel will not come apart from the hearing of the word and the hearing of the word will not come apart from the proclamation of the gospel. That's what we read earlier. How shall they call on him in whom they have not believed shall they believe in him, in whom they have not heard how shall they hear without a preacher, so there is a human responsibility here. Isn't there. There's responsibility for gospel messengers to proclaim the gospel and there's a responsibility for sinners to hear it and to embrace it and to believe it.

And so why are so many unconverted number one because of stubborn disobedience number two because of failure to hear God's revelation. Failure to hear the gospel, which might seem to point the finger back at Christians to say well it's your failure to proclaim it. That leads to the failure of others to hear it. And so it might seem.

And there is a great responsibility laid upon the church of the Lord Jesus Christ to go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature, but only come to the third verse in our three verse text, we see a different aspect of this different perspective.

Verse 18 but I say have they not heard. In other words, are there people who have not heard. Have they not heard the answer is yes, indeed, another was yes indeed they have all heard their sound has gone out to all the earth, and their words to the end of the world unless a quotation from Psalm 19 the heavens declare the glory of God.

The firmament shows his handiwork.

Day unto day utters speech night unto night reveals knowledge.

There is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard, then this verse. Their line has gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. So this is telling us that there are elements of the gospel that have been proclaimed to free individual under Kevin whether he has ever heard the specific contents of the gospel that reviewed the talk about the death, burial and resurrection of Christ is nevertheless heard about God, the truth about the create tour the heavens declare the glory of God. The firmament shows his handiwork. At least that much about God, his is known and declared to every individual under heaven, and yet many fail to receive that revelation is a will that revelation about the creating God the great create tour the majestic God, the glorious God that message alone is not enough to save a person, no. But rejecting that message is certainly enough to dampers that message is gone forth into all the world have you embraced that message.

Have you believe that message have you embraced the great and glorious God created you, who created this universe because the truth of the matter is that those who embrace that message will always receive the additional message of salvation through Jesus Christ. But if you will not embrace that message. You have no excuse and that's what I'm saying is the third reason so many are unsaved because of failure to receive God's word. We might say God's revelation. Why are so many unconverted number one because of stubborn disobedience number two because of failure to hear God's revelation, how shall they hear without a preacher, and so forth. Number three because of failure to receive God's general revelation God's universal revelation.

Failure to receive that is also why many are on say so how do we explain so many unconverted Romans chapter 9. We can trace it to the sovereignty of God in salvation Romans chapter 10 we can trace it to human responsibility and failure to act upon the revelation which God has given, shall we now unite our hearts together in prayer.

Father, we want to thank you the David Benge is recovering from covert. Please continue to touch him and we thank you for answered prayer in regard to Linda Bruner recovering from hip surgery.

We're so grateful that the covert outbreak it why don't matter which was so devastating is now updated and we rejoice in that we pray tonight for Alamance County Commissioner Bill Lashley pray that you will strengthen him.

We pray that you will guide and direct and we pray that you will implant your wisdom in his heart and mind and cause him to act upon that eternal wisdom we pray for Sarah Cardwell that she may continue to recover from knee surgery and Rob Conrad as he's home recovering from this infection that landed him in the hospital for more than a week.

We pray that his recovery may continue and for Gail Davis and for Pastor Bob look to her. We pray that the antibiotic that is administered to him tonight will be effective so effective that he'll be able to go home tomorrow and continue his recovery. Pray for Joe Sievert, Roy, that you might get him the help he needs and and help him in his his his son special condition.

I pray that you will calm his heart, ease his pain and be with his parents. We pray for missionary Stuart wall and his need of a liver transplant and Paul Snyder as he recovers from his illness and Trevor Johnson. Likewise, we pray Lord that you might soon return these families to their place of service when it is pleasing unto you. We pray for the families of Reed Dalton and Lisa Revels and Adrian Wilson is the dealing with the departure of their loved ones and we pray for David Moxley as he is struggling with covert has been taken to Baptist Hospital in Winston-Salem of father we pray that in your kindness you will cause the doctors they are to know how to treat him successful, you will strengthen his body and help him to throw off this disease now. Father, we thank you for your grace. We thank you for your word. We thank you for the gospel.

We thank you for your spirit to opens our hearts to receive the gospel we thank you for such great salvation.

Help us to embrace it in our hearts. Help us to live it in our lives as we ask in Jesus name