As Close as Your Mouth and Your Heart

James Greer friend do not let anyone tell you that all religions are the same. They may encourage you to do some of the same things, but the basis for doing those things is entirely different than Christianity and every other religion and every other religion you do those good things in order to be accepted by God. In Christianity you do those things because you have been accepted by God.

I'm your host Molly that this question not do enough to be saved. I say the prayer right. I really sorry enough to be forgetting today. Pastor JD shows us that no matter how much shame we may feel from our past, or how far we feel from God.

He is as close as our mouth in our heart when we believe in our heart and confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and that will always be enough. Let's jump into today's teaching shepherds and rummage up the other side of the coin of Romans nine.

The focus of Romans God was God's sovereignty and our salvation. The focus of Romans can shift to our role, our role in the salvation of our own salvation and also the salvation of others. In Scripture, God's sovereignty and man's responsibility.

I explained to you, are presented as a paradox paradox. This means something bad on the surface appears to be contradictory but in reality it is not in a paradox. The only reason that things seem to contradict is that your understanding or your perspective is limited.

We got a lot of it of examples of this in the natural world. Albert Einstein demonstrated, for example, that light sometimes appears to behave like a wave, and sometimes it appears to behave, what a particle which up until this time were thought to be mutually exclusive categories. They still scientist still are totally sure how light can be both wave and particle, but that's just because they say there are some things about the nature of quantum physics that they don't quite understand yet or do mathematics you got what they call chaos theory were numbers chosen totally at random will still form a nearly symmetrical and predictable graph. If you if you if you put a monograph or a more popular level. You have the so-called bumblebee paradox.

I just refers to the fact that for a while. Businesses could not understand how the bumblebee could fly based on what they knew about wingspan and velocity. It just didn't add up. I later a Cambridge zoologist demonstrated that there were some imperceptible things because the wing was beating so fast that they could measure it and was making a few motions while was beating the demonstrated that there were things about that the motion of the wing that overcame the odds and enabled the bumblebee to fly the bumblebee by the way, never seem too bothered by the scientist objections he just went ahead and flew just regardless of it.not know what I'm not saying is that the bumblebee holds the answer to the mysteries of God's sovereignty or the chaos theory illuminates for us the secrets of God selecting providences.

I'm only saying that, if apparent contradictions in nature can be resolved with expanded knowledge what and how much more should we expect that to also be true with supernatural realities. Paul brings up God's sovereignty in our salvation not to confuse us. He didn't even bring it up to invite us to reflect on the mysteries of God. He brings them up in Romans chapter 892 give us assurance of our salvation pulse certainly does not bring up the sovereignty of God to make you or I question whether or not we are elect. The Bible never. Not one time points to God is the reason that somebody rejects it. Second Peter 39 the Lord is not willing that that any should perish. That's not God's will that a single person be lost.

He wants all to come to repentance. Matthew 2337 right before Jesus died, he looks out over Jerusalem and he says all Jerusalem Jerusalem, how many times I want to gather you to myself like a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you you are really even said it was because I was not sovereignly appointing you do this, he said you were the one that resisted it might even Romans time that we looked at last weekend when Paul got through talking about God's role in it he talks about why Israel why Israel stumbled over the stumbling stone and he didn't point to God's providence he pointed to something about them. He said because you would not humble yourself and you would not would not put away pride in your religiosity and admit that you needed the grace of God one something about God that kept you from salvation. It was something about about you. The point is, God has given you a sincere invitation to receive them. If you reject him that's on you. On the other hand, if you choose God then you know that God was in it but here's how we set it last weekend. If any of us are saved all the praise goes to Jesus Christ. If any of us are lost will in all the blame goes to us and I realize it when you try to weave all that together in your head creates attention in there that might make your head feel like it's going to explode, to limit his give you something I've always found really helpful verse from Deuteronomy. Incidentally, this was John Calvin's favorite verse John Calvin who came up with a system that is now referred to as Calvinism. The Roman 2929 this is a favorite verse. The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law is you got secret things and you have revealed things here ye hear ye all you want to be theologians okay so Mary stated I don't hate on similar students of the twice over seminary student, but you listen especially close to this one. There are secret things. And I know that drives you crazy because you want to have it all figured out. There are secret things that you and I will likely never be able to understand and there are revealed things is arrogance and presumption to sit around speculating and arguing about secret things.

When simple obedience to revealed things is what is been commanded.

Deuteronomy 2910 29 tells me that there are things about the ways of God that I will never figure out they are going to remain secret, at least in this life. Maybe forever. But that is okay because God has revealed enough for me to grasp his will and to obey it. What Paul says about God's sovereignty in Romans nine he says that I might be confident in what God is doing in my life knowing that what God has started in me. He surely will finish.

That's the only reason that it's in their away one more little thing I've always always helpful. Martin Luther in his commentary on Romans points out that Paul puts this discussion in Romans nine not in Romans one, but in Romans one is if it's the foundation of theology.

Many Calvinist would have you believe. Right you you you get this you can't really understand anything. No Paul puts it in. Luther says like a footnote. It's like a footnote to Romans eight explaining to you how the promises in Romans eight work like they do is I can't yet understand how everything works and then he includes this discussion. It tells you. Romans nine tells you that when everything in your life feels like it is falling apart.

Hang on hang on. It's not fall apart because the God who started the good work in you is God is going to complete and nobody else not even use you to be able to mess that up. Martin Luther would tell people when they wrote to him and they would say to him 00 Dr. Luther, I'm afraid I'm not elect my faith also. We got struggle so much with sin. How can I doubt my salvation like this about it. I'm actually one of the elect. Luther would always write them back and tell them that the doctrine of predestination only ever appears in the Bible to bring comfort never figure if you want to be saved. You can is in your power to choose it right now. On the other hand, if you have been saved, you can be sure that God was in it and you can be sure that what he start he surely will finish okay chapter 10 jobs and like I said 10 ball since the focus back to our responsibilities in the salvation process.

The first 13 verses explain how we believe is over. Look at today. The last tab verses 14 and beyond, which will get to next weekend explains our role, our role in helping others to believe personally, all I love this passage because years ago in my own struggle with assurance of salvation. This passage help me see the true nature of faith. The simplicity of faith had so many questions about that. I pray the sinners prayer right have been sorry enough for my sins that I know enough about my 600 I know enough about God, how strong did my fate need to be to actually save me. It was this chapter in Martin Luther's commentary on the revealed to be the simplicity of faith in a way that that finally release me from my confusion right before her way through a verse one Paul talks again about the genuine heartbreak he has over his fellow Jews who have not come to faith in Christ, brothers and sisters.

My hearts desire my yearning desire not prayer to God concerning them is for their salvation.

This is not a philosophical using for me this is not a seminary discussion. It is something deeply personal, not real quick notice. This is what prayer is that he's praying for Israel salvation. I pointed out to some of the more cynical among you was there waiting up all got done talking about God choosing why are you praying. Why would you pray of God is already chosen from the foundation of the world and seemed that's the point. Friend, not even Paul. After discussing the sovereignty of God, not even Paul will kind of resign himself to it mean all about God's work and he's got no part of it. He understands that his prayers make an actual difference in the eternities of others rely on the hot hours together but I'm still praying for them because God uses my prayer to bring Jesus to others. Verse two. I can testify about them. The Jews that they have zeal for God, but it's not according to knowledge the Jews problem he says is not that they lack zeal for God which again is not of a lack zeal for God, Jews were the most zealous people on earth that can say the modern day fundamentalist Muslims and Buddhist monks to shame. 613 written laws in the Old Testament that they organize their life around 613 how do you even remember all that in addition to that they had what they called the hedge about the law, which are always oral man-made traditions that kept them away from disobedience of the 613 think I hedge like you put a hedge around the well that you'll it's my default.

When these were the hedge around the well of disobedience of the nobody media close to it. For example, keep the Sabbath day holy. That's one lost right there were 3939. Many laws tucked under that when they had developed to keep you away from breaking out one like for example they have a number of steps that would count the number of steps they took on a Sunday to make sure that in crossing the line of working in services and the day before Fitbit their discount there steps because I got a stairway from the working life by which by the way my wife found that out has started to use that because we get home.

She's like you stood in place all day and you can get any steps when you stood up there and I ran around say start kids all morning.

So get up and get me something to drink, I told her that is not a valid application of that but nonetheless my deity and all these these the resellers meant they were sellers pulses a problem was that their seal admirable as it was, was not pursued with an accurate knowledge about God. To see your zeal for God is only valuable if it is attached to the right truth about God, by the way this flies in the face of one of our most cherished cultural maxims.

What is it knighted since the gospel according Oprah, sincerity, and religion is all that matters. All the matters.

Paul says if ever there were a people who were sincere. It was the Jews by their sincerity and their sincerity didn't save them. The Jews own religion.

In fact, Paul says, took them to a very dark place their children religion toward them, toward self-righteousness and hatred and they hated Jesus so badly that they end up killing him.

We've all seen that right religiously zealous people can be the worst, a man, now religious people can be the worst hit everybody right now, turn your neighbor and say you are the worst. Here the words that are not everybody not everybody but some of them can because religion can make people violent judgment so bigoted they can make them hard to be around.

If you have trouble believing this is something she does go home get on Facebook. Don will tell you right now if all I knew about Christianity was based on what I saw Chris's post on Facebook.

There is no possible way I be a Christian house again this week about what Jesus Facebook presence will be like imagine to be just him flying with hashtags like whitewashed tomb and did I really die for this and certainly not elect back to people is what he will be doing zeal for God is only valuable if it's attached to the right truth about God. Otherwise zeal for God turns toxic manager zeal for God is based in grace is not based in gift of righteousness is, turn you into somebody's irritated judge mental knowledge Jesus at all and taking a very bad place and he says they are ignorant of the righteousness of God. So they attempted to establish their own righteousness and because of that had not submitted to God's righteousness. We really delve into this in chapters 2 and three of our study of Romans, but at the end of the day. There's only two approaches to God. There's one approach where you try to establish your own righteousness why you try to through obedience to establish a righteousness. We say that is religion that is spelled to letters DO. It's what you do that makes you righteous. The other approach the gospel approach is righteousness given to you as a gift, not because of what you DO but because of what has been. DO any done not by you but by Jesus and given to you as a gift. See Paul says if you're convinced that you could ever do enough to be accepted by God within you won't submit to the message about his nine friend. Do not let anyone tell you that all religions are the same. Yeah I did and they may all teach you to be kind and to be fair to be truthful and a lot of people they may encourage you to do some of the same things, but the basis for doing those things is entirely different than Christianity been in every other religion in every other religion you do those good things in order to be accepted by God.

In Christianity you do those things because you have been accepted by God. Your DO is fueled by his DO in EE and that produces an entirely different spirit in you. Here's how we've explained that throughout this series.

It's a little than what Tim Keller religion says I obey I obey. Therefore, I will be accepted. If I obey good enough consistently enough, then I'll be accepted. The gospel flips out on and said just was and then enter your accepted because of what Christ is gone. Therefore, in response to that you will obey is a great little story about CS Lewis walking the halls of Oxford one day and he's not passive down about the philosophy Hall. There's about 25 Oxford professor from the philosophy and the religion department Merrill and they are, they were preparing a symposium on why all religions were basically the same. They had a chalkboard filled all these words that that religions had in common, all of been taught people to be good truthful and kind. All the fruits of the spirit were on their face all CS Lewis walking on the whole night, Jack. That's what his nickname or document every minute he gives an insulin. This list probably hundred 50 words on their and you tell us what you think makes Christianity different than whatever religion hasn't gone story goes CS Lewis look at it for about 10 seconds.

Because of its easy goes up, take something erases the entire chalkboard and writes up GR ACE grace. That's what separates Christianity from every other religion now to little lessons and that one don't think an intellectual fight was CS Lewis cut number two, number two. What separates Christianity from every other religion is not that it teaches you to pursue the fruits of the spirit. It teaches you to do them for different reasons, not in order to be accepted by God but because you have been accepted by God, not with a self interest. If I do this and God will reward me with heaven, but in gratefulness to the God who was saved you. You want to love other people. The way that you have been loved first for Christ. You see is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. After you receive the righteousness of Christ no longer need the law to give you righteousness anymore.

You quit obeying it for the purpose of making righteous are already righteous.

Now you will be it out of love that produces a totally different spirit in you religiously, Tony Evans, one of my favorite preachers from Dallas has a a corrective illustration that about this. He said he easily doesn't understand it when somebody goes into a restaurant and orders unsweetened tea instead of sweetie, only to then add sugar to it as you ever try to add sugar to unsweetened holding IC. It's very frustrating. IEEE put some in any stir but it doesn't seem to really blame them. And so you take your first step and it's better and so you add more to it and more and eventually put like three packs in there and you got blood all these particles floating around, and it still didn't taste quite right.

And you finally get to the bottom and you got a centimeter of sugar that is stacked at the bottom. He said he said why would you do that, why not, why not do it when it's hot, so it gets blended in.

Here's what he says. Many of you are trying to make it to God's heaven by stirring up your own righteousness in the same way your start as hard as you can to try and add stuff in there to live right today. Got a do better today. Got go to church today got a get money today and you stirring you stern, it's still not sweet you stirred your life the best you can, but stuff is still settling in the bottom and it's just not blending in the righteousness that Jesus Christ offers is the end of your stirring will make you within the sweetie, I love that that's a been a Bible verse he will make you into sweetie is the end of the law to everyone who believes because he's already fulfilled the law for you and put his sweet spirit into you after Christ credits you with his righteous record and after he puts his sweet spirit inside of you.

You no longer have to add goodness to yourself artificially or stirring your religious calendar frantically in order to establish it.

Paul continues discussing the difference in the two approaches to God. Verse five. Moses you see."

The Old Testament Moses writes about the righteousness that is from the law, what you say. Deuteronomy 30 verse 15 the one who does these things shall live by them after Moses to give him the law Moses warns the people. Deuteronomy 30 applicable law, 630 laws, the one who does these things is going to live spiritually by them.

Here's a question for you. When the Israelites heard that you think that was encouraging or discouraging not say discouraging I was for 613 laws. I can even remember and you tell me the man who does these things live by them. That would mean the men who does these things lives by them. That would mean the man who fails to do these things will die by them and who is there that has succeeded in keeping the commandments. Verse six the righteousness that comes from faith speaks like this "Deuteronomy 30 Moses already sorta talks in their the answer that you never to be able to be fully obedient of these and you need a different salvation to a Christian. Deuteronomy 30 do not say in your heart will go to heaven.

That is, to bring Christ down or molded end of the abyss, that is, to bring Christ up from the dead. On the contrary, what does the gospel say "Deuteronomy 30 the gospel says the message is near you is in your mouth and it is in your heart. In other words, what's this righteousness is not a quest, you'll need to go up to heaven in your zeal for God in order to obtain his righteousness. Nor do you need to reach down into the depths of your heart for the willpower to obey. And that's because Christ the gift righteousness of God. He's the one that came down from heaven for you. He went into the abyss for you. You are not saved by your zeal for him you were saved by his zeal for you. The effort was his coming down with his going into the depths was his. He lived the perfect life by the way, do you ever wonder why Jesus lived 33 years. St. Augustine said it was because in 33 years. He is able to encounter every temptation that a normal person encounters in their lives. He wanted to face every temptation that you and I would face and pass the test every test that you and I failed Jesus passed with flying colors.

In fact, one of the most mysterious things in Jesus's life we see Jesus even pass the test of repentance for us. This one the most confusing encouraging seems to me it's where Jesus goes through the process of repentance, you said what you talk about where were you baptized by John the Baptist John the Baptist, baptism was called the baptism of repentance, which is why John was so confused when Jesus stepped into the water, because Jesus never sent. So why is Jesus being baptized with the baptism of repentance.

If he's never even say what you got rough enough. What is Jesus answer when John says I don't need to baptize, you know, be still. I get a do this to fulfill all righteousness. Wait a minute he was fully righteous so whose righteousness was he fulfilling whose righteousness had not yet been filled up yours and mine. He was doing the baptism of repentance requires. What's this you would never repent sufficiently enough to gain forgiveness of your sins. So when I used asked that question have I repented enough for my sins.

The answer was no.

You did not repent sincerely enough to get forgiveness of sins. That's why Jesus did for you. He literally went through everything that you were supposed to go through and what you didn't do right. Imperfectly you live the life you were supposed to live.

He passed every temptation you failed. He even repented in your place, and then he died in your place so that when you received him as your gift righteousness. His record could become yours, no matter how God's salvation is as close as your mouth confessing your heart believes salvation is simply acknowledging that Christ did when he said he would save us from our sin.

Like good news is that you're listening to Summit life Bible teaching ministry of pastor, author and theologian JD Greer, JD, this is the last week were offering the second volume in our three-part Bible study through Roman. Make sure were clear. Can we get our listeners done the first and second volume right now.

Listen we really do we want to put this we know that some of you are new to this new summer life, were glad to have you. What we did is we created a Bible study through Romans were going to Romans in three different segments.

The first one in January and we provided a part one Bible study that goes along with it. Well now they were going to the second part. There's a part two right now you get part one into you don't have those others also beautiful display box. It will house all three of the studies in sports and dues can take you deeper into some of these passages help you to study it for yourself but Luther said this is one of those books. He thought of like an apple tree you wanted to climb to the end of every signal branch and shake every branch as part of the good until every last Apple had worn off and that's what you can do with the study like this one so discouraging to grid.com and you think things are clean and obtaining. You can either ask for the first or second volume of the remnant Bible study.

When you give a single get $25 or more, 866-335-5228 663-3920 we can give online career.com here you can mail your donation right rear ministry, PO Box 12293, Durham, NC 709 I Molly benefits tomorrow. Pastor Jeannie continues his message.

Romans chapter 10 called clothes as you mounting your heart definitely want to join Wednesday Summit life