The Perseverance of the Savior, Part 1

Perspective on your own personal's.

How do you think about your sin and what you do about it, and a genuine believer lives with a daily sense of his failure in keeping the commandments throw away the command throw away the list and throw away the desire for holy living.

Because, well, you know, every day I fail. Now he hungers and yearns to follow after God and when he doesn't meet the standard. He daily confesses to his Savior. Thank you so patient doesn't mean that were delivered from sin. We haters and we want to be rid of it, but it's an ever present reality for us even though we battled the flesh we don't give in or give up our commitment is to be obedient to our Savior. Now our obedience to God's word is incomplete and imperfect. We pursue holiness, even though we frequently fall short today on wisdom for the hard Stephen Davey takes us back to the book of Revelation in Angel makes some proclamations about believers and working to see what those are. Next recent USA today article covered interview of a well-known media personality and self-made billionaire. This man is the largest landowner in America with more than 1.6 million acres/aggressive about that half acres for me, the interviewers, gushing beyond all this wealth and accomplishments commanded seen as life lies deeper desire. He said in his interview that this man that this man wants peace and harmony and understanding toward the end of the article is individual man answer specific questions about personal salvation is in almost every religion talks about the Savior.

But when you look in the mirror in the morning when you're putting on your lipstick or shaving you're looking at the Savior. Nobody else is going to save you but yourself. And he always expected her thunder and a bolt of lightning 1.6 million acres back on the market. You say that might sound dramatic, but the core of what he said is actually the foundational belief undergirding just about all organized religion on the planet yet to save yourself believe in somebody or something, but you've got to save yourself the core of what he said is actually a part of the depraved deception of human nature. In fact, to me the dramatic thing about this man's comment was not that he thinks he is a Savior, but that he thinks he can that he thinks he qualifies that he thinks he's capable of saving himself. By the way is very convenient isn't it Nike get rid of God that I'll need of a personal accountable relations with the Savior's longer necessary because you've applied for the job of Messiah you have hired yourself salvation. That is whatever you want. Whatever you think it is one of the reasons you can pick up the newspaper which you may do every once in a while or or magazine you may subscribe July and get a couple and read the most bizarre statements all over the map about spirituality from very sincere people, sincere people who have no basis for what they believe other than the fact that they believe it like this billionaire who said in his interview. I just do what I do because I believe it's right believe in God. Only the church on anything I need anything that I can't control, which is the human heart. One of the things I periodically review the Associated Press. Some of it. Just this month. In fact, revealed that more than 100,000 people living in Great Britain have recently downloaded certificates of D baptism getting D baptized from the Internet they're getting these certificates renouncing their Christian faith and how you do that well they're doing it or at least I think the certificate does that for them. It was something they didn't decide they can control it so that I wanted this Internet initiative was launched by a group called the national secular society who reported they are now producing and I quote a certificate on parchment they are selling for 3 pounds or roughly 4 dollars a pop and the movement is catching fire certificates of D baptism are becoming all the rage sweeping through heavily populated Roman Catholic areas and Anglican areas in Great Britain, Spain and Italy more than a thousand people a month who were sprinkled as babies are now lining up and paying the fee to get there.

Certificate of D baptism renouncing.

I want anything to do with God or religion that I didn't choose for myself, although that news is alarming it's it's really only a small minority of people want the certificates. The majority of the human race is actually the opposite. They want to add to whatever they can.

They they want to put in their spiritual bag. Whatever they think might connect them to God not take away so as cover all the bases baptism you bet sprinkled poor upside down dog what all do it all to get me in what can it hurt to join the church.

What hurts, you know to use virtual cabinet. We got to be careful right.

We must be careful there may be a God. And we don't want to offend them but you still don't care about their there is actually an option for you to vectors another Internet option. I learned I just a few days ago a journal I subscribed you arrived and said if you don't have time to pray but you're unwilling to teach religion altogether. There is a solution. Prayer outsourcing a Protestant organization allows you to subscribe in his company's computers are programmed to recite prayers for you using text to speech software. Evidently you need text to speech software because God can hear but he can't read. That's an important thing to remember the advertisement continues. Protestants can subscribe and pay $3.95 a month for a computer proxy to recite the Lord's prayer every day for you.

Great. The site boldly says show God your serious that'll do it. 395 a month Lord that Syria even Catholics can purchase a complete rosary package for $50.

Since this is a Protestant organization. Catholics could charge more on the site has a prayer package for Muslims to with the promise I'm going we promise to turn our speakers toward Mecca and if you're not real sure abiding by all three packages you covered all it any surprise with the beauty and be your own Savior.

You have all kind of convoluted views or any religious hucksters and deceivers now using the Internet to send you certificates so that you can denounce God or computer password where you can now have a computer. Pray to God. One of the reasons their silly shortcuts. The reasons are so many loopholes so it's confusion. It is simply because so many people want to cover their spiritual basis. They do not want to be spiritually obligated certainly inconvenienced. Even among the so-called spiritually committed more than half of the people polled some time ago by the Gallup organization, said he believed and got only a minor fraction of them believe the word of God had any kind of authority over their lives were direct control again. Most of you here today because you are a part of that small fraction who believe that God has provided an answer in his word, how to find how to relate to how to talk to.

And if you're new around here were glad you're here. You want to know. We just meet weekly dirt to reset our watches, so to speak.

According to heavenly time.

We need to recalibrate our perspective. According to God's wisdom. We refresh our minds with God's revealed truth. What a delight it is. So just how does the Bible describe genuine connection with God. Genuine faith in God. It was interesting to me as I was studying the text once again back in Revelation 1 of the clearest definitions of genuine Christianity comes from the mouth of this angel we been studying in Revelation 14 in the context of the tribulation. So turn there again. Revelation chapter 14. Remember, this angel is going to deliver this message during a time when most of the world will be very religious factor on just about any unity believe in the same God worship in his image we known to be the antichrist to those who worship him, accepting his name on the right hand on her forehead. The symbol of their allegiance, the sum of his name being 666 the angel as you know, has nothing good or reassuring to save their idolatry and unbelief, will lead to the wrath of God upon their lives, their suffering in hell will be personal and terrible and painful and eternal within the angel shifts gears and encourages those on the planet come to faith in Christ after the rapture, who are believing in Christ by reassuring them of some wonderful truths look with me at verse 12 were left off. Here is the perseverance of the same who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus and I heard a voice from heaven saying right. Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.

Yes, says the spirit so that they may rest from their labors for their deeds follow with let me unpack what he's saying here with three words that will Will used to provide an outline to guide our thinking. The first word that strikes us as we read this is the word perseverance.

The angel says Blessed are these who are these those who persevere.

That is, those who effectively do not capitulate and worship the antichrist and in that worship are do, but the St. in the New Testament uses the word safe are not perfect people, but forgiven people. You are called saints and in the epistles. True believers will persevere. This is what theologians call the perseverance of the same.

This phrase reveals the wonderful truth that the genuine believers never need to fear losing their salvation or being a lost to God once they're saved genuine salvation cannot be lost someone say the very presence of this phrase the perseverance of the saints means that the opposite that is possible it would be possible for St. not to persevere resin true that doesn't have to be the case at all.

When the Bible says that heaven is eternal, that doesn't mean that heaven could possibly be temporary right when the Bible says that Jesus is the only way to the father. That doesn't mean the possibility exists that he is the way to someplace else. Now the perseverance of the saints is actually a positive doctrine, but immediately upon hearing it was believers. I think all I want from the last but is actually a positive, comforting doctrine and the word of God.

It reinforces as a category all of the verses of Scripture that tell us that God will lose none of his. John 18 from God's perspective, the perseverance of the saints means that God will lose.

Not one of his children from the believers perspective the perseverance of the saints means that the genuine believer will persevere in his relationship with Christ to the from God's perspective, this means God will not abandon his children from the believers perspective, it means that the Christian will not abandon God. What about all those who fall away phrase appearing in a few passages of Scripture. One of them is in Martin and there in in that wonderful story that describes for us the different kinds of soils the different kinds of people who hear the gospel and how they respond is actually encouraging for those of us who would believe the perseverance of the saints.

Why because he talks about some seed fell on ground and it seemed to produce life, but it seemed to have something that will last go over some period of time things happen. It could be affliction.

It could be a desire to go back in the lifestyle of sin.

It could be persecution because of the claims of the gospel because of the word, they fell away, proving then that I really didn't take root wasn't genuine. Hebrews 6 speaks of the same issue they have the appearances of salvation. They seemed interested, they they were even seemingly delighted they tasted the things of God. Like Christ, who tasted death of Christ tasted death is only temporary. They were even involved in some kind of participation with the things of God but then they abandon the gospel and they hardened their hearts. They said we really don't believe that nothing more could be given to them. You couldn't say anything more you can teach them. One new thing there is. In some nuggets they say. I've heard it. I've seen it all, even if Christ were crucified all over again would make no difference when Judas, who for three years was associated with Christ. We didn't believe in Christ certainly wasn't as Lord and Master, Judas shocked everybody when Jesus informed his disciples in the upper room and he said one of you will betray me. All the other 11 then look at Jesus and say we knew it we had our eye on you from the beginning. No, I also will. Matthew 26, 22 Lord is me. There are those who associate with Christ later abandon Christ. It seemed to take root. Over the course of time, turn their backs upon God. Though we certainly don't believe baptism or spring lycées.

They effectively said we want a certificate to denounce God Templeton, a former preaching companion of Billy Graham. In fact, they together cofounded youth for Christ International walked away from God abandon any semblance of believing the gospel he said effectively. All believe any of it anymore. The last published book. You can imagine, for he died made headlines for title loan simply this farewell to God subtitled my reasons for rejecting the Christian faith.

Does that mean he lost his salvation knowing means he never had.

It took a while to show up just rehearse again the scene in your mind. In Matthew seven that awful scene of judgment work where many will say to me Lord, Lord, did we not preach in your name. Do we not deliver the truth of your word. Did we not did we not cast out demons. That is, didn't weigh in your name fight against the kingdom of darkness. Did we not perform miracles in Jesus will say I never live. I never knew you. He will not say well I used to know you but not anymore. Used to be related to me but not after you pulled that stunt used to belong to the family of God within that rebellious breakage and he never got around to praying again for your salvation all over it so tough lot. I never he says never, ever knew you. Wayne greeted him in his systematic theology provides these insightful words. He says one of the purposes of this phrase the perseverance of the saints is not to make those who are trusting in Christ worry that sometime in the future, you might fall away.

Rather, it can be used to warn those who are thinking of walking away that if they do this will be a strong indication that they were never saved in the first place such a comfort to those who believe in Christ. God will not lose you as a warning to those who walk away. They were never saved to be careful here. Be careful, this is a tricky tricky thing and don't get your stopwatch until came as three Sundays 40s out and only rotated often pressure and serving anymore and parking cars anymore.

Yeah, we we did save anyway. They did what they said what well there obviously out. Listen, you didn't gain your salvation by being sinless in the middle lose it by sending back. Paul preached the doctrine of abounding grace. And he knew people we get all riled up, which they certainly did. I would encourage people to sin with abandon.

If you preach God's abounding grace.

Now he won't. Grace in the life of a genuine believer does not lead the believer want to see it leaves the believer want to please God out of gratitude for his grace is saved on while I go back tomorrow. Listen to this angel truth is you soon after salvation you discovered you send this last week, put your hands up on just get saved all over again getting saved all over again every time you send them to be saved, sleeps in the doctrine of the Roman Catholic Church of the last rites redirected to the edge of death, right before it given the last rites to resolve his sins and hopefully he won't send between there and death compare Scripture with Scripture is one John Roden percent to one my little children writing these things, the use of you may not sin. In other words, I'm instructing you so you'll say no to sin. The Christian can say no to sin, but if anybody sends speaking to believers, we have an advocate with the father, Jesus Christ the righteous of anyone sins. Remember your advocate, Jesus Christ, never sins any stands as your advocate defending you, as it were, before the justice of God's jury. Ladies and gentlemen, the perseverance of the saints is in the final analysis, the perseverance of the Savior. Paul would he would talk about how there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus Christ gorgeous. Jesus Christ intercedes for us. He he guy says he holds us firmly in his hand. He instructs us he empowers us.

He he enables us he disciplines us.

He leads us and then he will complete us in the day we see footings 16 the perseverance of the saints is not to our glory. It is the glory of Christ, so may this encourage those of you who believe in him you will persevere to the end and for those of you or even perhaps now thinking of walking away from maybe assigned you never did belong in you been to see there's another word beyond the word perseverance here in this text is the word obedience. This is where it gets even more personal rights. Here's the perseverance of the saints who are they there are the ones who keep the commandments of God. In other words, the genuine believer is one who keeps the commandments of God that are some who would add to the end of this phrase the words without failure. Feeling back at your text. You might find those words. This is a participle from the Greek word Tehran, which it means to observe.

You can have the idea of pursuit. You may fail at the standard, but you don't throw the standard away his commandments, or your desire is word is your manual you will obey him, and it troubles you, when you do not write one of the differences between a true believer and a false believer is not the true believer. Never sins and the false believer does the differences that while both of them may send the genuine believer is disturbed by his troubled by his sinfulness.

He agonizes over his failure. He hurts that he heard his fellowship with God. His father, and then that the false believer is in trouble, except for maybe troubling consequences is kind of troublesome but other than that it's really not a problem was not beg off too quickly while obedience is not a condition to salvation. Obedience is an evident of salvation like the way one person put it, you may have heard this put this way if you were arrested for being a Christian with there be enough evidence to convict you in a court of law, any evidence what is a tail due this week watched with there be evidence they got in your computer or your files.

When they sat by your Bible weight. Wednesday was they interview people you work with what they went along on some dates you had when you were hauled into court on the basis of that evidence with a convict for being a Christian, anybody who really didn't want to obey God. He didn't care about the word lives. However they want to live is in need of warning from this angel. I agree with one author who said this obedience and genuine faith are mutually interpreting obedience involves faith and faith involves obedience, faith and obedience are not separate stages of the Christian experience is Paul's thought.

Ephesians 210, when he wrote to them, for we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them. Listen, even though genuine faith is not the result of works, genuine faith, what works genuine faith were in the genuine believer lives with a daily sense of his failure and keeping the commandments throw away the command throw away the list and throw away the desire for holy living. Because well you know everything I fail. Now he hungers and yearns to follow after God and when he doesn't meet the standard daily confesses to his Savior. Thank you. You are my now forgive me for what I've just done to hurt you or your Jensen evidence of a genuine thing. It's a desire to keep in pursuit keeping the commandments that desire to endlessly you will be some mark of a genuine believer. There's others as well, but we need to, and right here for now because were almost out of time.

When we come back on Monday will do a little bit of review and then bring you the conclusion to this lesson you've been listening to wisdom for the heart with Stephen Devi between now and Monday when we have our next broadcast.

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