The Recipients, Source, and Certainty of Security

Love we have for God doesn't all of a sudden disappear because it comes to us by the Holy Spirit through the work of God in the in the conversion miracle that love will be sustained through all of our lives. Grace is continually extended to all of those who love God with this in fades and the plaque ends up in a box somewhere.

The fact is, there is only one thing you could be selected for that really counts that that matters for eternity. John MacArthur explains that today on grace to you as he shows you what it means to be chosen by God to know that God's love for you will never wane the grip of God. That's the title of John's current study, so take your Bible now and follow along as John looks at things you'll find true of someone who is held in the grip of God were looking at Romans chapter 8 verse 28 familiar words and read them to you.

We know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God. Those who are called according to his purpose. This says what we really wanted to hear. And that is that no matter what happens in our lives. It works together. Ultimately, for our eternal good and that is to say that nothing can ever change our relationship with the living God. No matter what happens it works together for our good. Paul has been masterfully revealing the great truth that justification is secured forever. It is secured forever by the decree of God. It is secured forever by the sacrifice of Christ and his imputed righteousness and it is secured forever by the unique intercessory ministry of the Holy Spirit. We have been God securing our eternal redemption. Christ securing our eternal redemption and the Holy Spirit securing our eternal redemption. And that's why we could call this chapter security in the spirit as we call it life in the spirit it really is life in the spirit which is eternally secure. Obviously, there has been a great debate through the years between Christians about whether salvation is forever. Whether you can get it and lose it. This chapter I think answers very clearly that discussion in no uncertain terms. Salvation is forever. It is secured to us forever by the decree of God by the work of Christ and by the ministry of the Holy Spirit in verse 28 really is the ultimate statement God causes all things to work together for the eternal good of those who love him. That is a profound truth loaded with hope and there's so much in this verse that there we only sort of got a running start at it last time. The verse emphasizes four elements.

Let's just remind ourselves these four elements of our security. The extent of it. The recipients of at the source of and the certainty of it.

The extent of it.

The recipients of at the source of it and the certainty of it. Let's look then at a second point and I want to sort of the camp on this a little bit because it's a very important statement to make, and it should be very obvious but it isn't. We talked about the extent of our security. Let's talk about the recipients of the security who really possesses this kind of security while he makes it very clear in verse 28 God causes all things to work together for good to those who what love God, to those who are called according to his purpose. Give two very very pertinent statements there with tremendous implications. One of them abuse our relationship with God. From our side and the other views our relationship with God.

From his side.

On the one hand we love God. On the other hand, he called us this promise of eternal security belongs to those who love God and who are the called of God, you could say that those two wonderful truths sum up our identity. We are the called who love God and God's people are described in many ways and I want to just look at that that description that is given here in verse 28 those who love God, God's people are described as his children there described as his sheep.

His flock there described as his sons there described as his bride's beloved his church there described as believers there described as true worshipers. They are described as saints. They are called Christians, but no designation of believers is more indicative of their character than this one. Here believers are defined as those who love God, we are the people who love God that's summing it up as simply as it can be summed up and for those who love God, God is causing all things work together. This is not a new way to describe God's people. In fact, it's an old way to describe God's people go with me into the Old Testament for a moment let's go back to the 20th chapter of Exodus, the place where God gave the law, and as he speaks the law to Moses he says I am the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt. Exodus 20 verse two out of the house of slavery. Then he starts into the 10 Commandments you shall have no other gods before me.

You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth. You shall not worship them or serve them. For I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children. On the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, and then verse six but showing lovingkindness to thousands, to those who love me and keep my commandments and write their at the very outset when the Decalogue was given when God gave his law. He starts out by dividing the entire human race into two kinds of people. Those who hate him and those who love him. That is the simplest and purest definition of a believer, not just in the New Testament. But as duly noted there in Exodus 20 in the old as well and this designation became something repeated in the book of Deuteronomy the second law which in many ways repeats what is in Exodus Deuteronomy chapter 7 in verse nine we read this know therefore that the Lord your God, he is God, the faithful God who keeps his covenant or his promise and his lovingkindness to a thousandth generation with those who love him and keep his commandments. Then, verse 10, but repays those who hate him to their faces to destroy them. He will not delay with him who hates him.

He will repay him to his face in there again same twofold designation of the human race. They are divided into two categories, those who love God and those who hate him the words of Nehemiah in Nehemiah chapter 1 in verse five and I said, I beseech thee, O Lord God of heaven. The great and awesome God who preserves the covenant and lovingkindness for those who love him. This, then this designation of God from Exodus 20 in Deuteronomy 7 became common language when referring to God on the part of the Jews and there in the book of Nehemiah long after the law was given long after Israel had forfeited the right to the land and Judah had forfeited the right to the land and they been carried off into captivity.

They were still defining God as the God who blesses those who love him keeps his promise to those who love him and demonstrates his lovingkindness to them. Even the psalmist refers to God in very similar terms in some 69. In verse 36 it says in the descendents of his servant.

Speaking of God will inherit it. That is the promised land and those who love his name will dwell in it again believers being identified as those who love his name. I'm sure you get the point. But I want I want to show you some other scriptures because of the richness of this truth.

Psalm 9710 here is injunction to God's people hate evil hate evil.

You who love the Lord you love the Lord simply refers to people who were true believers who'd committed themselves in faith to the true and living God. They were those who love the Lord. In Psalm 116 verse one. I love the Lord because he hears my voice and my supplications because he has inclined his ear to me. Therefore I shall call upon them as long as I live, the cords of death encompassed me in the terrors of Sheol came upon me. I found distress and sorrow. I called upon the name of the Lord, O Lord, I beseech the save my life. Gracious is the Lord and righteous. Yes, our God is compassionate, here's the psalmist and the psalmist loves the Lord because the Lord saved him Lord gave him salvation in the midst of his sinful distress. Psalm 145 verse 20 the Lord keeps all who love him, but all the wicked he will destroy. I think you get the picture.

This is a very common designation for people to be identified as true believers in Isaiah 56 just briefly. It says in verse six the foreigners who join themselves to the Lord to minister to him and to love the name of the Lord to be his servants, everyone who keeps from profaning the Sabbath and hold fast my covenant, even those I will bring to my holy mountain and make them joyful in my house of prayer there God again pledges himself to those who love the name of the Lord. First Corinthians 29 very interesting verse quoted from Isaiah just as it is written, things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, and which have not entered the heart of man, all that God has prepared for those who what who love him.

Christians are people who love God. Believers are people who love God. That is the distinguishing characteristic of their lives. You remember that the apostle Paul in writing to keep Timothy condemns those people who are lovers of self, rather than lovers of God. Again, that's the defining character of of of men in the world. He's either a lover of God or a lover of self is either a lover of God or a hater of God and everybody falls into those categories in the love we have for God doesn't all of a sudden disappear because it comes to us by the Holy Spirit through the work of God in the in in the conversion miracle because it is part of regeneration is part of transforming our natures and giving us the spirit to produce that love first given to us at salvation that love will be sustained through all of our lives.

The testimony that is given in Ephesians 624 Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ with a love that is in corruptible grace is continually extended to all of those who love God with this incorruptible love.

It's not a here again, gone again. Love.

It's not an on-again off-again thing is not a sometime affection and I admit that we don't love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength. We don't love God as fully as we ought to love God.

In fact, in Philippians 19 pulses. I pray that your love may abound still more and more, but we do love him and we find ourselves. I think in the same situation. Peter was in John the 21 the last chapter in John's Gospel Jesus says to Peter, who is been caught in the midst of disobedience in this chapter, and he says to him in verse 15, Simon son of John, do you love me more than these more than fishing boats and all the stuff that you've gone back to in disobedience and he said yes Lord you know that I love you dear was a disobedient sinful guy here was a guy who had denied the Lord that his trial here was a guy who had forsaken him at his death. There was a manhood been told to go to Galilee and wait for him and instead he gone back to his old trade of fishing here was a disobedient servant here was a servant who had proven to be cowardly. But when he was asked do you love me. He said you know I love you said him a second time.

Simon son of John, do you love me and he said yes Lord you know that I love you. He said him the third time, Simon son of John, do you love me and he was grieved because he said to him the third time. Do you love me and he said to him, Lord, you know all things you know that I love you. In other words, your omniscient look at my heart. You know how much I love you. We don't love them as we ought to love and a lot of the time were like Peter but sin causes us to respond the way cause Peter to respond and you remember when Peter came face-to-face with his betrayal of Christ is denial of Christ.

He went out and wept bitterly did me. It was his love that produced the tears we love the Lord for what he done for us. We love them for who he is. We love him and it is that love that marks us as true believers, and if somebody doesn't have that compelling driving dominating love for Christ is none of his soul. Christians are those who love God. When you find someone who claims to be a Christian and who does openly confess they don't love God, you can be sure they're not when you find someone who confesses to be a Christian but has demonstrated absolute indifference to Christ and to God and to the things of God in Christ there is clear evidence there that there is no affection. There is no passion. There's no consuming longing and desire for fellowship and obedience.

No matter what the claim is if the love is not manifest.

You have a right to question the validity of that person. Salvation now how do we mark out this love I want to take a few minutes with you on this because I think it's very very basic and important.

If I want to look at my life. Let's just stick with us if I want to look at my life or if need be. Help somebody else in and I want to determine whether or not they really love God, what am I looking for my looking for some sentiment in my looking for some emotion.

Am I looking for some some sort of nostalgia that comes out of the roots of my child or my background. What am I looking for when I'm looking for evidences of love for God, to give you few.

First of all, it is a love that meditates on God's glory.

It is a love that meditates on God's glory, to love God is to be caught up with God's glory, to be caught up with the honor of God.

In Psalm 18.

The psalmist says I love the O Lord, my strength.

The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold, I call upon the Lord was worthy to be praised is love that is consumed with worship say you love God and be indifferent to worship is to betray your claim. It is a love that meditates on God's glory is that love. I think that was in the heart of the psalmist repeatedly when he expressed his love for God by reciting all of the attributes of God which were so wondrous to him. He found his single greatest joy in worship, praise and adoration. It is a love that meditates on God's glory is a love that is consumed with God being honored. Secondly, I believe this love is a love that trusts in God's power. It's a love that trusts in God's power in Psalm 31 verse 23 we read all love the Lord, all you his godly ones. The Lord preserves the faithful and fully recompense is the proud Doer.

Be strong and let your heart take courage, all you who hope in the Lord. He's assuming that life going to have its downturns. It's going to have its trials and they're going to be areas of suffering and pain and disappointment, but it all. He says love the Lord what you mean by that II mean realize that he's going to preserve the faithful that he is going to recompense the wicked be strong, take courage, you can trust in the Lord. It is a lot of the trust in his power is a love to put another way, doesn't doubt him.

It's not a love that says I don't know God is been faithful to me.

I he's going to have to deliver if he's expecting me to love him.

It is a love that has complete confidence in God's great power.

It is a love that meditates on his great glory.

Thirdly, it is a love that seeks communion with him. You can tell if you love God, basically by whether or not you have any interest in his fellowship and if you said you love somebody you could certainly prove it easily enough.

If you sought their companionship. Psalm 63. The psalmist says, oh God, thou art my God, I shall seek the earnestly my soul thirsts for the my flesh yearns for the in a dry and weary land where there is no water bus. I have beheld the in the sanctuary to see thy power like glory.

He went to the place of worship.

He went there all the time.

He couldn't be kept away. He wanted to be in the place of worship because he wanted to be near to the to the presence of his God.

He wanted to commune with God.

Why verse three because thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips will praise the bless the as long as I live.

I'll lift up my hands in my name, my soul is satisfied is with marrow and fatness.

In other words it's it's it's the satisfaction of my soul like eating a great meal when I am verse six meditates on my bed and remember the in meditate on the in the night watches for thou it's been my help in the shadow of thy wings. I sing for joy. My soul clings to the this is a man who longs for fellowship who loves worship who seeks communion who finds himself drawn to the place of prayer drawn to the to the intimacy of the presence of God. I find myself drawn to know God, I find myself irresistibly drawn to books and and articles that are that are written to tell me more about my God no matter how much I've learned and how much I may know and how much I've filed in my middle computer and how much I've taught through the years I I've never satisfied. I I always want to know more of my God.

I always want to know him better. I want to discover some other nuance some other richness, some other truth about him.

I want to know the fullness of communion with him. Psalm 143 seven.

Do not hide thy face from me, lest I become like those who go down to the pit of thy Lord if I don't have fellowship with you.

It's not something you can take or leave. Furthermore, it is a love is a love that secures the piece of the soul. Psalm 119, 165. Those who love you and your law have great peace and nothing causes them to stumble but matter what goes wrong you know your loved doesn't matter what changes you know your love and your secure in that love salt loving God is. It is basically defined as an attitude toward God that meditates on his glory, the trust in his power that seeks intimate communion with him and that secures the piece of the soul. You have the kind of love for God which gives you rest.

Further, it is a love that is sensitive to God's feelings.

It is a love that is sensitive to God's feelings were on me, but that will Psalm 69.

Nine. It is a familiar verse of coming on many times through the years, but it's very important one. Listen what sets David says this zeal for your house has consumed me. In other words images. I'm so passionately concerned about your name, your honor, your glory, your Majesty, your temple. I'm so concerned that war should be true and pure and holy, that it's eating me up.

Why, because it wasn't that worship wasn't what ought to been. It was desecration of God in the temple and it was just tearing up psalmist fact he says in the same verse the reproaches of those who reproached the a fallen on me. In other words, when people speak evil of you.

I feel the pain and by the way, Jesus himself fulfilled that passage in John two and he makes a weapon cleans the temple out when God is dishonored, he felt the pain and you know you really love God when what dishonors God causes you pain. That said that's a great indicator of your love for him.

You should feel some holy indignation, you should be upset or are angry or hostile about what happens to you, but you certainly should be concerned with with what happens to dishonor the name of God. If you love him you will be sensitive to those things that dishonor him and you will feel the pain. If you really love someone when they're hurt you feel the pain. Is that not true. As a mother feel that pain for her child is child feel that pain for parents course friend, a friend and soul with us and God. This is grace to you with John MacArthur.

Thanks for being with us. John is grace to use featured speaker. He's pastor of Grace Community Church and he's Chancellor of the Masters University in seminary. Today's message is part of his study from Romans eight titled the grip of God will it's no surprise that when people contact grace to you with questions. The questions we get frequently concern salvation the doctrine of salvation so teary algae. So with that said, John, let me have you listen to this question from Colin and then you can respond are John my name is Colin I'm from Pennsylvania I came across one of your videos on the think the title was paved for self deceived and I was just curious I didn't get all the way through it. Honestly, I kinda got tired.

I was just wondering why I ask myself if I was truly saved, or if I was self deceived the video after watching half of it made me ask that and then I prayed for assurance and then the next morning being today I don't feel as worried I was curious as to should I be alerted and worried as to why ask myself that question. Thank you for all that you do it.

Douglas yeah, you should be alerted to that question because the apostle Paul said that we need to examine ourselves to see if we would be in the faith. So how do you know that your save. You don't go back to sometime when you prayed a prayer you don't go back to sometime when you raise your hand or when you went forward or when you had an emotional experience, to be sure your saved you. Do you really asked one question what were my heart desires. But my heart desires because here are the things that would mark true salvation. Love. Love is the first one love for the Lord that you you love the Lord sent to some degree. He has your affection.

He has your your worship.

You not only that, not only love the Lord you love the word of God. You have a desire to read the word of God to know the word of God you love the church you want to be with God's people. That's evidence that you are truly transformed the second I think is humility. There is a sense in which you recognize your sinfulness. You are honest about your weakness because you came penitent lead to salvation. You confess your sins, you know you're a sinner and John says if we are the ones confessing our sins, he is faithfully forgiving us our sins. So the humility of recognizing your sin and confessing that sin is a mark of true salvation, and the third mark is obedience. In other words, your hearts desires to obey. But Paul says look I don't do what I want to do I do what I don't want to do. There's a wretchedness still hanging on, but my desires are right and that's the thing that marks obedience is not that you always obey as you should, but that's your desire so do you love the Lord and the things of the Lord. Do you recognize your own sin, and confess it and do you desire to obey him. If your heart is in that direction.

That's evidence of the new creation thanks John, that is really helpful in friend if you're someone who lacks assurance of salvation. If you wonder where you will spend eternity.

John's book save without a doubt can help.

It provides biblical help for breaking that cycle of spiritual doubt and it shows you how to have genuine assurance to order a copy get in touch today. Our number is 855 grace or you can order from our website Jide TY.org save without a doubt is not only for folks wrestling with the question, am I saved.

It's also a training tool for mature Christians.

It can help you strengthen others with what Scripture says about salvation and assurance to pick up a copy. It's affordably priced. Call us at 855 grace will go to Jide TY.org also a reminder about the grace to you Q&A line.

If you have a question about the Bible for Christian living.

Really any theological subject encourage you to call our Q&A line and record your questions and you might hear John answer on a future broadcast the Q&A number is 661-295-6288 once again at 661-295-6288.

If you're driving you can't write it down, you'll find that number@ourwebsitejidety.org now for John MacArthur in the entire grace do you staff. I'm your host Bill Johnson. Remember to look for grace to you television this Sunday on DirecTV channel 378 or check your local listings for channeling times and then join us again tomorrow when John continues his study called the grip of God, with another 30 minutes of unleashing God's truth one verse at a time on grace to you