The Marvel of Revelation

The course of an old gospel hymn begins with these words. There's a new name written down to glory.

And it's mine.

Oh yes, it's mine. Well, we need to reconsider that names are not being recorded as people are being saved anyone and everyone who will ever be saved. Their name was recorded before the foundation of the world. When God shows his elect, sometimes our understanding of God's ways was swayed more by culture than by Scripture. Many times we combine innocently perhaps you grew up seeing that old hymn today of Renewing Your Mind, Dr. Steven Lawson is going to turn to the book of Revelation shows that God's plan for salvation is rooted in eternity, we can out of the last book in the Bible, the book of Revelation as the apostle John is on the island of Patmos is there exiled for the testimony of the Lord Jesus Christ for the preaching of the word of God and as you know John is in the spirit of the Lord's day, and he's caught up through a door into the very throne room of heaven and he is given a vision of earthly things and heavenly things there just jaw-dropping, and what we find. As we come to the book of Revelation is there suddenly a new theology that emerges is the sovereignty of God and the doctrines of grace are they just cast aside and now there is a totally different way that God is revealed to be working now. Of course, not you.

You know is going to be exactly the same theology taught in the last book of the Bible, as we saw the first book of the Bible and every book in between is so for this final session. I want us to look at the doctrines of grace in the book of Revelation and remember the book of Revelation means an unveiling, disclosure of what was previously unable to be saying and we see the doctrines of grace also revealed in this book I lesbian in chapter 2. The seven letters to the seven churches. As Jesus speaks to each of these churches. He concludes each of these seven letters with the promise of the eternal security of the believer is the one who is put their faith and trust in Jesus Christ will be preserved all the way to glory, and so in Revelation chapter 2 in verse seven Jesus says he who has an ear to hear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches and now to him who overcomes, now who is in overcome her will, according to first John five verse four in overcome her as someone who's put their faith in Jesus Christ.

You are a conqueror you overcome the world. You're no longer a part of the evil world system. You are now in Christ and you are seated with Christ in heavenly places in the victory of the cross.

The triumph of the Lord Jesus Christ in his mission of salvation now belongs to each and every one of us. Thanks be to God who has given us the victory in the Lord Jesus Christ. First Corinthians 15 so in overcome her is not some upper-level Christian who has surpassed all the other Christians and you join us Saturday morning Bible study and you shown yourself to be just unusually committed to the Lord.

No in overcome or is anyone who shares in the victory of Jesus Christ at the cross and the empty tomb.

Anyone who is a genuine believer in Christ.

In first John 54 and then verse five makes that very clear. So what is true of the overcome her, I will grant to eat of the tree of life which is in the paradise of God. It's a guarantee of entering into heaven and enjoying the pleasures and the benefits of heaven. In verse 11. At the end of the message to the church.

It Smyrna who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt by the second death in the second death would be that which damns the soul so that will never be our lot in verse 17.

His message to the church at Pergamum Weary who has an ear to hear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

To him who overcomes, and this is meant as an encouragement as the church is in the midst of tribulation the church is in the midst of persecution, but these are tough times at the end of the first century to be a believer in Jesus Christ, that these signs are not living in the buckle of the Bible belt that they are living under the dominion of the darkness of the Roman Empire and these promises are intended to breathe encouragement and and hope to them as they are being battered about. Even John himself is on the island of Patmos in solitary confinement, of sorts, and so this is wonderful news to these early churches to read this, that no matter how dark and how difficult it is here on the earth.

They are certain, for heaven, and heaven is awaiting them to him who overcomes, to him I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and a new name written on the stone which no one knows but the one who receives it at time does not permit us to go back through the cultural setting on this. Just suffice to say it is a promise of the intimacy and a promise of the individuality of salvation all the way to glory of the one who puts their trust in Jesus Christ and into the church. It died. Tyra, we read in verse 26 Revelation 2 he who overcomes, and he who keeps my deeds.

You see obedience to the word of God is the one who gives evidence that they have overcome that they are true believers.

I will give authority over the nations, and he shall rule them with a rod of iron, and I will give him the morning star again. All of this is in one way or another. I promise of future glory and the full realization of future grace in chapter 3 and in verse five the message of the church at Sardis. He who overcomes will be clothed with white garments, and I will not erase his name from the book of life, and I will confess his name before my father and before his angels. This is crystal clear that while the world is rejecting them down here upon the earth at the end of the first century. They are precious to God and their names will never be removed from the Lamb's book of life, and they are closed in white garments even as their own clothing is being taken from them down here below, and even as they are being removed from the various social circles here upon the earth, they nevertheless are embraced by heaven and Jesus is confessing their name to the father and then to the church at Philadelphia in Revelation 3 and an inverse 12 he who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God and he will not go out from it anymore and I will write on him the name of my God, in the name of the city of my God.

What that means is God is writing our final destiny upon us such that will be delivered.

There, get on an airplane. I to put my name in the destination onto my suitcase in case he gets lost so that it's certain that it will go there and it belongs to me and it ends up in the right destination while God is writing the name of the city of my God, which is the new Jerusalem is writing that on us and it's an indelible ink if you will. We will be delivered to heaven to glory. One day in the letter to the church at Laodicea. It says he who overcomes, and again it is simply means he who is a believer in Jesus Christ and his shares in the victory of the cross and the empty tomb, I will grant to him to sit down with me on my throne, that's breathtaking. But we are so identified with the Lord Jesus Christ, that as he sits down on his throne in heaven.

It is as though we are so with him that it is as though we are sitting with him and his victory becomes our victory.

And that's what the book of Revelation promises not one of us will perish.

Once we have put our faith and trust in Jesus Christ, who in Revelation chapter 5 and in verse nine. This this incredible scene in heaven after the Lamb of God is taken the scroll out of the hand of God the father and all heaven erupts in praise being given to this lien Lamb, the Lord Jesus Christ. All heaven burst forth with this praise in verse nine words ER you to take the book and break its seals, for you were sliding that's referring to the cross and purchase for God. That's the effect of the cross with your blood men from in the word from your brains out of out from among every tribe and tongue and people and nation. This does not say that he purchased every tribe, tongue, people and nation as though it were a universal atonement.

No, instead what this says that he has purchased out from among another words, not all but an inner concentric circle within each of these language groups, geopolitical groups, national groups, etc. again, this is an affirmation of a definite atonement in Revelation chapter 13 as we continue to work our way through the book of Revelation and were having to just hit the high points as we go.

Revelation chapter 13 and verse eight we read all who dwell on the earth will worship him, referring to the Antichrist, the beast out of the sea. Everyone whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who has been slowing know what this says is every unbeliever.

Their name was not written in the Lamb's book of life from before the foundation of the world and the clear implication is this that those who are believers had their name written in the Lamb's book of life. When before the foundation of the world and what happened before the foundation of the world you know what happened. That's when God shows us that is when God chose his people, and at that time our names individually were written into the Lamb's book of life, and as we just read earlier. Those names will never be removed. They are in there permanently to revocably and eternally kisses glorious news as of this is contrary to that that old country him there is a new name written down in glory.

Well names are not being recorded as people are being saved anyone and everyone who will ever be saved. Their name was recorded before the foundation of the world. When God shows his elect and there is not a name written in that book, but that they will not be called and brought to faith in Jesus Christ.

And then we read in verse 10 of Revelation chapter 13 if anyone is destined for captivity, to captivity he goes because he's destined for it.

And if anyone kills with the sword with the sword. He must be killed. Here is the perseverance in the face of the saints that even in the face of tribulation and persecution, and the threat of death to their life because of the testimony that they hold for the Lord Jesus Christ they will persevere in their faith will remain firm until the end.

This is where even the phrase the perseverance of the saints comes from in Revelation chapter 14 in verse four we read that these have been purchased from among men as first fruits to God and to the Lamb. Please note, not all men are purchased at the cross. It's only a number from among men who have been purchased at Calvary's cross and all who have been purchased will be drawn and regenerated and will be called and will be burst and will be glorified in Revelation chapter 14 and verse 12 we see yet again the perseverance of the saints in this difficult hour of human history. Here is the perseverance of the saints who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus say they persevere in obedience to the commands and they persevere in their faith in Jesus. No matter how difficult the hour.

No matter how strong the opposition they face because God gives a greater grace and when we read, for example, in Fox's book of martyrs as the believers are taken to the stake that they don't go cowering they go triumphant.

They go quoting Scripture as they go singing praises to God, they in essence preach their greatest sermon by their actions as they are taken to the stake, and they are burned at the stake as the perseverance of the saints. How easy it is to be a Christian in good times, the reality the acid test is when the persecution comes and the real Christians become distinguished from the counterfeit Christians in the tribulation reveals the difference between the two true believers persevere in their obedience and in their faith. In Revelation chapter 17 and verse eight we continue to read more of the same. And these are all in the doctrines of grace and what we will read here is another reinforcement for sovereign election is not stated specifically in those terms.

But it is implied. Look at verse eight the beast that you saw was and is not, and is about to come out of the abyss and go to destruction, and those who dwell on the earth whose name has not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world will wonder when they see the beast that he was and is not and will come in time does not permit us to try to unravel what all is being said here but what is crystal clear as it pertains to the doctrines of grace that those who are unbelievers and dais unbelievers did not have their name written in the Lamb's book of life again. The presupposition of this. This clearly implies, the opposite is true for believers that our names were recorded in the Lamb's book of life and there's only one person who can write in that book. And that is none other than God the father, who is the one who has chosen his elect. How personal this is what's written in the Lamb's book of life is not whosoever was written in the Lamb's book of life is not all peoples. What is written in the Lamb's book of life is individual names of specific people.

In fact, Jesus says he calls his sheep by name and they come to him these names of the elect are recorded in the Lamb's book of life, and while were in chapter 17. If you would please look at verse 1414 is a wonderful verse, verse 14 of Revelation chapter 17 brings together many truths that we've Artie been studying in this series we read these will wage war against the Lamb and the Lamb will overcome them because he is Lord of lords and King of Kings and those who are with him, meaning there on the Lord side, they are true believers in the Lord. Three things are said of them.

They are the called and chosen and faithful called here refers as you now, well noted effectual call of God and the reason we call it the effectual call is because there is a cause and effect, and this call is always effective. It is never defective.

It is never ineffective.

It is always effective in the cause is the sovereign call of God and he will always have its effect, it will never go without its intended effect.

So this call is the sovereign call of God the Holy Spirit calling the elect to faith in Jesus Christ and as I have said already, this call apprehends the center lays hold of the center draws the sooner all the way to faith in Jesus. Christ is the first word that is mentioned here. They are the called and throughout Romans in first Corinthians in Ephesians and all of these New Testament epistles. This thread is woven through all the pages of the New Testament we are the called and asked what the word church means necklace Sia the called out ones we are those who have been called out of the world to be the people of God to come together and to worship God and to live distinctively different lives and in the local church. There are the tears soon. Among the wheat, but in the universal church. It is comprised of all the true called ones, and what is behind this call. Notice the next identity. They are the chosen first comes being chosen, then they are called. This is exactly Romans 829 and 30 those to me for newly predestined and whom he predestined he called it is God's choice of individual sinners before the foundation of the world to be his people, and to become the bride of his son the Lord Jesus Christ. There is an inseparable connection between the called and the chosen, all who are chosen will be called. And then there is an inevitable result that comes from that and assist third word that we see here at the end of verse 14 and faithful follow this all who are chosen are called and all who are called are faithful and by that that simply means they are faithful followers of the Lord Jesus Christ. They are loyal they have an allegiance to the Lord Jesus Christ.

They have denied themselves. They have taken of across and they are followers of the Lord Jesus Christ. It does not mean that they are similarly perfect it does not mean that they are never as certain moments acting in ways that are unfaithful, but the overall big picture of their life. The snapshot that represents the whole of their Christian life. They are faithful they are faithful to the word of God because God has written his law upon the tablet of their heart, and the New Testament.

They are faithful to the Lord Jesus Christ. They are faithful to God the father. They are faithful to the ministry of the Holy Spirit, they are faithful to the local church. They are faithful to the service of God. They are faithful to the kingdom of God. They are faithful people.

They have to be because it been called out of darkness and out of the world they have to be because they have been chosen by the father before the foundation of the world. So even as we come to the end of the book of Revelation, we continue to see the sovereign calling a sovereign election ensure faithfulness of God's people. What a great God we have what an awesome God we have, as he and the fullness of his grace through the doctrines of grace, as called out his people to be the church to be the people of God and he will safely transport each and every one of us to the new Jerusalem above in heaven and we will find ourselves around the throne of God and we will sing our praises to him forever and ever and ever and we will never grow weary and we will never tire of singing of his grace, and the more we sing, the more will want to sing in eternity will not be long enough to ascribe to him the honor and the glory that belongs to him alone and we will cast our crowns at his feet and we will gaze upon the glorified Christ and be in amazement throughout all the ages to come. That one so holy would lay down his life for those so unholy in this world that is the truth of the doctrines that's Dr. Steven Lawson wrapping up his series, foundations of grace New Testament each Saturday here of Renewing Your Mind. We have heard Dr. Lawson provide clear descriptions of God's grace from each book in the New Testament we see that these doctors are taught consistently by every author.

That's because they're not man's doctrines.

Their gods we come in the series to you and would be happy to send it to you in a three DVD set for your donation of any about. You can reach us at 800-435-4343. You can also go online to give your gift at Renewing Your Mind.work today is the last day were offering the series so we hope you will contact you soon with your donation or number again is 800-435-4343 in her web address Renewing Your Mind.work with you. Your ministries exist to help drawing Christians understand God's word and apply it to their lives.

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