Examine Yourselves Whether You Be in the Faith, Part 2 B

Dear God is ready to lead you into his rest.

God is ready to lead you into his kingdom here, God is ready to usher you into salvation what you hard in your heart and you are caught in the evil departing from the living God, all happening. There are some men and women who are convinced or say but the truth is, they're not part of God's family. So how does that happen.

How can you and how can anyone be sure of his eternal destiny and if you have doubts about your salvation is that evidence that you're not a Christian for answers stay here today on grace to you as John MacArthur continues his study titled examine yourself. Follow along now with John and make sure you know where you stand with God. Here's the lesson of the book of Hebrews is basically written to Christians, Jewish Christians, that's why it's title is Hebrews they were Jewish believers but Ellis interspersed throughout the book of Hebrews which is written to Jewish Christians are warnings, warnings, warnings to confront those people. I watch the gospel intellectually who understand the call of salvation but never make the commitment okay so as the writer goes along writing to the believers every once in a while he'll stop and you'll say now I know that in this congregation. Some of you know this is the truth. But you've never made the commitment, and thus there are these warnings final warning.

I want to share with you is chapter 3 and four chapter 3 and four. I want you to think with me as we go through this rather rapidly because it's the longest warning in the book is going to read some verses and make some comment chapter 3 verse seven. Here again, the Holy Spirit stops in service to the person sitting in the congregation.

Hey, you who know the truth you've heard it all. You had all given you, you who want to be religious, and you know it's the truth.

Please, while the light is still available before it's too late for God's grace is over before God's mercy runs out.

Please say yes to Jesus Christ in verse seven. Wherefore, it is a parenthesis all the way down to the universe.

11 is the Holy Spirit. Seth today if you will hear his voice, harden not your hearts. See that today he said like sounds like Paul and the Corinthians hundred and 62. Today is the day of salvation.

Now is the time today he says it's now in here now. Always think about DL Moody the 90 priest in Chicago and said I want you people to go home and think about what I've said it and come back tomorrow night ready to make a decision for Christ and that night the Chicago fire broke out in a great portion of his audience was dead. He said I never told anybody tomorrow again today if you will hear his voice, harden not your hearts and then he gives an illustration as in the temptation or provocation. What was that in the day of trial in the wilderness is only giving illustration. There was a people who harden their hearts. There was a people who had a day of testing, who had a time of trial, a time in the wilderness and instead of saying yes to me and instead of responding. Instead of hearing my voice, they harden their hearts. When was it verse nine when your fathers put me to the test proved me and saw my work 40 years now we know where we are right. We got the wilderness in verse eight in the 40 years in verse nine. This is Israel's 40 years in the wilderness. In verse 10 he says, I was grieved with that generation, and said they do.

Always air in their heart and they have not known my ways so I swore in my wrath, they shall not enter into my rest word rest there means Canaan. Those people are going to gain and it's what happened is what happened to the whole generation of the little they all died in God swore they will not enter into my rest and every last one of that generation died in the wilderness and never entered the promised land.

And so he said verse 12 take heed brother, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief and departing from the living God, you better look at your own life and make sure you don't do the same thing here, God is ready to lead you into his rest. God is ready to lead you into his kingdom here, God is ready to usher you into salvation, but you harden your heart and you are caught in the evil act of unbelief departing from the living God.

All don't let it happen to you is is like it happened to them. See, there was a day of God's patience running.

He was patient for a while and then he said that's enough, and they died in the wilderness and never came to the land that was to be there rest 400 years of slavery 40 years wandering all how they long for Canaan, the land of milk and honey, and they never got they died in the wilderness because of unbelief and believe God set simple in Austria. Why but rather he says in verse 13 exhort one another daily, every day exhorting. That's why I'm doing this message exhort people every day and say to them today. Today, lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. Today is the day don't go another day if you reject Christ. They'll be easier tomorrow if it's easy tomorrow be easier the next day and so it goes. And you harden yourself for verse 14 says we have become partakers of Christ. If we hold the beginning of our conference confidence steadfast to the end. That's the proof of really redeemed and so while it is said, today if you will hear his voice and all of this is called out of Psalm 95 today if you will hear his voice, harden not your hearts as in the wilderness temptation or testing for who, when they had heard did provoke did not all that came out of Egypt by Moses.

The whole generation of them provoked God, but with whom was he grieved 40 years, was it not with them that it sin whose carcasses fell in the wilderness and to whom swore he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believe not. Verse 19. So we see they could not enter in because of what unbelief and unbelief is the final reason you don't come to Christ you don't believe you just don't believe enough you don't believe you can really transform your life you don't believe it's worth it.

You don't believe you can make your life, what ought to be. You want to hang on to what you have. You want to throw yourselves in faith on him.

You are protect your reputation. You want to protect your occupation, your protect your family relationships you don't want to be persecuted. You're not ready to take a step of faith and give your life to Jesus and so because of unbelief, you wind up dying in the wilderness in your carcass falls there and you never indicate enter into God's rest was a vivid illustration is vivid and you imagine how vivid it was to see all the carcasses of a couple of million children of Israel line all over the desert. Pretty vivid. They died there because of unbelief they never entered his rest. That whole thing is a picture of what the writer of Hebrews wants to say in chapter 4. Want to look at with Proverbs 29 one says he that being oft reproved and harden with his neck, shall suddenly be wrist destroyed, and that without remedy Nellis God offers a rest. The people it's available and we enter God's rest by faith. I believe the rest he speaking of here is salvation story as we go. How clearly that is it. I believe it salvation is choices. I want you to enter my rest is not a works system you enter it by what I believe, just as you are kept out by not belief is what you do or don't is what you believe or don't believe I want you to understand this. As we look at chapter 4, I want to see.

First of all, the availability of rest want to hear the invitation that he gives to the people sit in the flood and the fence was verse 1S and again. It's the us of the Jewish congregation. He speaking to, and so I use it to speak of you. Let us therefore fear all you better fear, lest a promise being left of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. I mean, what he saying is old wouldn't be fearful to know that God had given us the promise of rest. We fell short of it. Can you imagine if you are one of those children of Israel living in the bondage of Egypt how you will be oppressed and how you would be pushed as a slave from one thing to the other and try to make bricks without straw and you would be beaten and abused in bruising for years and years your family had gone through that first century after century after century after century and finally, God sends a deliver a mighty deliver by the name of Moses. Moses had an available life and he gave it to God and God has them lead these people out and can you imagine how the Red Sea's and they walk through turned around to watch the army of Pharaoh drowned and they went on and rejoicing, ready to meet the thing that God had laid before them the land of Canaan, the land flowing with milk and honey coming out of incredible slavery and bondage and they all never sought dropdead carcasses wasted in the desert and he says you better, fear less, God is laid out in front of you the same kind of progress.

The same kind of attaining the same kind of the land of milk and honey, but you never get there even though in a sense you've you've escaped from the abundance it's like Peter talks about. You have escaped the corrections of the of the world you been brought out of the crevices of the world, but you never enter into the kingdom of God say you got Reformation not regeneration, but a lot of people who want they want Jesus as Savior. They want to deliver will take amount of bondage. They just don't want the Lord they have to trust a leading indicator you know what happens to people who only want a Savior. They dine wilderness, they never know God is Savior and Lord. So he says there is a rest left for us in verse when it's you know that was just a picture back there Canaan. That was a picture if there still rest.

Is it too late. He says to the Jews.

Is it too late. God has another rest, not Canaan. Rest the spiritual rest and its salvation. And it's still available and it still there know what a tragedy. If you should come short of that as your forefathers came short of Canaan rested. He talks about his salvation.

So the availability of rest, people God is God is extended his love to God is reset his arms and says there's a rest for you. It's rest rest from your self-righteous activity rest from your fears rest from your anxieties rest from your frustrations rest from the guilt of sin, rest it's available. Jesus said in the come with him to me I will in no wise what cast out. It's available for anybody who comes whosoever will let them come.

It's a rest. But you know you could know about it and believe it all and sit here and listen to it and come short of it in your carcass would die in the desert of unbelief. Never enter the promise. That's we like they want to Savior to get them out of bondage and want to save or deliver him from bondage. But they don't want the Lord they have to trust with their life. Look at the basis of rest versus two and following essay will how do I get this rest were simple.

For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as under them. The good news is preached to them what the word preached did not profit them because it was not mixed with what faith God told him what the rest was because he didn't believe they were doomed to wander for 40 years and then dies in only reason they wanted was a so that all die off their carcasses dropped in the desert because he didn't believe they were ready to be saved out of Egypt. They wanted to Savior. They were ready to obey in face and have a Lord what's he saying what he saying the availability of rest.

It's offered. The basis of rest.

You must hear the gospel and mix it with what faith, if the belief after believe it.

He says if is not mixed with faith doesn't matter. Verse three for we who have believed do enter into rest.

It's just those who believe N the next one says, as I have sworn in my wrath, they shall never this is the better translation they shall never enter into my rest. Although the works were finished from the foundation of the world you know God from the beginning of the world was creating a paradise. It's right verse four. He spoke in a certain place in seventh day when God created everything he created. He rested, he said, now it's gonna be like this. I've made a paradise for man. He rested from all his works and he says here is the last, I offer a man man chose to believe the devil instead of God and man forfeited that rest, some will enter for success.

Seeing therefore remain with that some must enter into it, but they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief whatsoever saying all it says this God will always have a remnant will God always have some winter there will always be a few. Then comes the plea again in verse seven it says and get this one again key Lululemon tests a certain day, he limited a certain day, saying through David back to Psalm 95 again today, after so long a time as it is sad today if you will hear his voice hard and not your heart. Same message again. So he says it's available so hot, what's the basis of this rest. The basis is that you mix it with faith that you believe and if you don't believe that God swears that you'll never enter into his rest. Even though we created the world that it might be for rest.

Even though we created you that you might enter into his salvation. Even though many do reject verse six says. Some will believe so is right back to his same premise. Today feel, hear his voice, harden not your hearts. For if Joshua had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day or the great if Israel had another rest then Joshua would know how to talk about a future rest merely never knew rest and averted.

Even the few that one in the land never knew rest because when they got in the land they disobeyed God and they never killed the enemies in the land right so they never knew rest. Some of them died in the wilderness and never entered the rest.

Those who enter the land never knew the rest because they never kill the enemy.

They never dealt with in the way God told them to the whole generation. So God took the whole idea of salvation for Israel and postponed as Romans 11 says someday Israel will be saved. There is still rest.

God is still offering a rest is in the physical one like Canaan. It's a spiritual one and the writer of Hebrews is reaching out and saying right now right today. This moment you can enter into God's rest by faith in your heart my love verse nine was he say there remain as therefore a rest to the people of God. In other words, that wasn't the God didn't just say curse you human race that said so no salvation, no more rest. I quit.

I give up. I've done everything for you. You turn your back on me. That's the end know it inside said well if you won't take the rest during Canaan that I offer you in a physical sense is a symbol of the salvation that I offer you spiritually. I'll keep my arms of grace open until you do that great and so in a general sense God's grace is always been extended to Israel and to the Gentiles the whole world. God's arms are still open and there remain in verse nine.

A rest to the people of God and then in verse 10 he says he that is entered into his rest is ceased from his own works, as God did from his whole what a great state letter by faith, not by works, you enter by faith, not by works and you live by faith, not by works is not a works system. It's a rest in the work of Christ, and he works it through us. We don't do it in our flesh.

Therefore verse 11 says let us labor to enter into that rest are there's a dichotomy, he just says it's a rest and you don't enter by works and then he says let's labor to get it was a mean button or try to labor.

Is he talking about is not the word labor is the words but not so, and it means to hurry.

Listen. He says this is a rest that God wants you to enter into hurry and enter in, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief after the example of Israel. Don't fall well I've try to show you the availability rest. The basis of rest. Verse 11 gives us the urgency of rest. Hurry, hurry and enter say why because of verse 12 and 13, and will close with these got hurry. Why for the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and Morrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight, but all things are naked and opened under the eyes of him with whom we have to do, stop it.

I listen to this. He saying hurry, but not so these may taste to enter the rest and the rest of salvation people he say, come on how you can escape if you neglects her greatest salvation we can do if you willfully sin after the knowledge of the truth will be impossible for you to be renewed in repentance. Once you've crucified the son of God to an open shame if they didn't refuse or said no to the God spoke out of an earthly mountain how you will escape. If you do not hear the voice of God spoke from heaven all these warnings are summed up and he says in verse 11. Let's do enter into God's rest. Don't put it off. Don't neglect don't procrastinate, don't say tomorrow. Don't say what I understand more. Do it now, give diligence why you say why for the word of God is a sword. That's why I sometimes hear people use this verse to talk about how comforting it out lovely and how wonderful the Bible is that's not what it's talking about the word of God is a sword of vengeance. The word of God is a sort of wrath and the two edginess means you can't escape it goes both ways. Whichever way you move will get you you see will pierce you and I will divide asunder your interbeing and it will reveal your motives and it'll tear you wide open. That's what he saying it's all a picture of a sword plunged into an individual rips open the joints in the morrow it deserves. The thoughts it deserves.

The motives listen, the word of God will penetrate the heart of an individual and even though they been religious, and even though they got a church and hung on the fence and even believe with their mind the word of God will diagnose the true condition of the heart. It'll show whether the profession is a real one or a sham, and it will split you wide open before God I see here the word is presented as a sword wielded in judgment.

It is alive is powerful. It is sharp it divides. It does earnings and nothing escapes never escape this. That's what verse 13 say, neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight, and all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do you never escape because you know human this is an easy message to preach and I'm not trying to destroy anybody's hope. I just want you to know Jesus Christ. I want you to enter God's rest.

You know, I know what's going happen Bible tells there's gonna be a whole lot of carcasses in the desert and there can be very religious people very religious.

They may believe Jesus died and rose again and they may have wanted someone to take a mountain of the bondage of their life, but they never took the Lord in whom they put their faith so they will die in the wilderness. Religious people although they think it's going to be all right, but it isn't. It is to be all right in the end it's going to be terrible in the end, when the judgment sort of God for today to the day to enter his rest was if your try to get there on your own or if you think that just knowing it's true, is enough you're wrong until you cast yourself on Jesus Christ's you are living in imminent danger of the judgment. This is grace to you with John MacArthur, Chancellor of the Masters University and seminary menus currently showing you what genuine spiritual fruit looks like in his study called examine yourself John.

Let me go back to an important point you made in today's lesson. One of the marks of a true Christian is that he wants to obey God's word so someone who doesn't desire righteousness should not assume he's a believer, but what about the person who sees both righteous and unrighteous desires in his life how much assurance can that person have well every Christian is going to say he both righteous and unrighteous desires in his life. I think it's the absence of the righteous desires. It's not the presence of the unrighteous ones were never going to be what we what we should be and that is the whole point that Paul made in Romans seven.

He is a fully mature believer saying I don't do what I want to do I do what I don't want to do wretched man that is in me. How do I get delivered from this body of death. He felt like a corpse was attached to him. It is the presence of righteous desires battling against those unrighteous desires the is evidence that you have been born again is those things that you love and fall short of the testify to your transformation. Let me remind you about a free book title is it real and that is a question as we've noticed in the last few days that people ask constantly.

In fact, it is a question you should ask constantly. You should examine yourself you should know your spiritual condition. As I said a few days ago.

Any time you come to the Lord's table. You should do a self examination so this is a booklet that answers a compelling question. Is it real is my salvation. The real thing am I going to heaven.

I want to be one of those people who hear Lord Lord merely did this and did that in your name and he says the part for me. I never knew you. This booklet will help you.

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Is it real will send it to anyone who asks free of charge. Really, nothing is more important than knowing if you're truly saved, so make sure you take advantage of this offer again will send you the booklet. Is it real free of charge. Just request your copy when you contact us today. You can reach a customer service representative better toll-free number 855 grace or go to our website TTY.org is it real gives you 11 biblical test questions to help you evaluate where you stand with God.

It can also help you show others the difference between false conversion and real transformation again to get your free copy of the booklet. Is it real. Call 855 grace will go to our website TTY.if you're looking for additional tools to learn more about salvation or assurance or some other topic.

Let me encourage you to visit our website. We have thousands of free resources available on issues like how to grow in spiritual courage. God's design for the family. The life of Christ, and much more can read blog articles follow along with the MacArthur daily Bible reading plan and download any of John's more than 3500 sermons and again all of those resources and more are free@tty.org now for John MacArthur. I'm Phil Johnson.

Keep in mind, grace to you. Television airs this Sunday. Check your local listings were channeling times in the join us next week for another 30 minutes of unleashing God's truth one verse at a time on grace