The Perseverance of the Savior, Part 2

Lesson people in churches all across America who were doing nothing but going through the motions. I think our world is filled with this day. In the end only want the church because of what they get from the came because a look got another community profile I can't because they were America, Jesus Christ. His name was affirmed only because it might be to their advantage. Listen, they are no different than a drunk praying a prayer to get some money. They only love Maurice ball want people to think that there Christians but it's only for what they can get out of it. In Revelation 14 we find a series of proclamations about believers.

One of those truths is that they are actively loyal to the object of their faith in Jesus Christ. Another is that a true believer cannot lose her salvation. Stay with us to learn more. This is wisdom for the heart with Steve and Dave Stevens calling this lesson, the perseverance of the Savior. 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 it 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 point 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 stopwatches okay miss three Sundays 40s out and only rotate often usher not serving anymore in parking cars anymore. Yeah, we went as he was saved.

Anyway, I did what they said what well there obviously out. Listen, you didn't gain your salvation by being sinless in the you lose it by sending back. Paul preached the doctrine of abounding grace, and you knew people we get all riled up, which they certainly did 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 sin, it leaves the believer want to please God out of gratitude for his grace is as Bob saved out while I go back to our old is the listen to this angel truth is you soon after salvation.

You discovered that 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 me saved, sleeps in the doctrine of the Roman Catholic Church of the last rites redirected to the edge of death 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 others 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 sends 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's no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus Christ gorgeous.

Jesus Christ intercedes for us.

He he guides as 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 buildings once 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. 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 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 to read which means to observe.

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 the differences between a true believer and a false believer is not the true believer never sends in 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 the false believer is in trouble, except for maybe troubling consequences is kind of troublesome but that's really not a problem 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 waited Wednesday when 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 you for being a Christian.

Anybody really didn't want to obey God. He didn't care about the word lives.

However they want to live is in need of a warning from this angel. I agree with one author who said disobedience 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. Then listen even though genuine faith is not the result of works, genuine faith, what works genuine faith works in the genuine believer lives with a daily sense of his failure and keeping the commandments throw away the commandments 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.

He really confesses to his Savior.

Thank you. You are my now forgive me for what I've just done to hurt you or your kids, and evidence of a genuine faith. It's a desire to keep in the pursuit in keeping the commandments I'm reading is I've shared with you. In fact, one of the reasons I read widely as to be able to share things with you the biography of William Carey who lamented is off failing heart and desire for Christ. This man who we call the day, 200+ years later the father of modern missions went to India.

Listen as he wrote in his journal to never assume we ever be reading in 1793 in August he wrote. I have reason to lament over a barrenness of my soul and I am sometimes much discouraged Favre.

I am so dead.

How can I expect to be of any use among the lost. On January 22, 1794, he wrote in his journal.

I wish I had more of God in my soul and felt more submission to his will is. This would set me above all things ever thought that frustration on one occasion became so sick after finishing the second revision of his Bengali Bible massive accomplishment. He got sick fact they thought he died and he assumed that Bengali Bible was his crowning achievement, but he rallied went on to serve many more years, but as soon as he got off his sickbed.

He said to one of his missionary partners. He said now I shall serve Christ. I have been such a long. Later he wrote in his journal. My soul is a jungle when it ought to be a garden. I can scarcely tell whether I have the grace of God or not, how shall I help India with so little godliness myself. He agonizes before the Lord when he wrote my crime is spiritual stupidity. I am perhaps the most inconsistent cold creature that ever possess the grace of Christ. I have no love God.

If God uses me not need despair but can you imagine supporting pastors with thing, you don't only listen raise money for mission on top of the year here you're there, you're winning the world's trouble getting this man when you sin feeling that when you walk out of fellowship with the Lord struggle with how little of his grace is evident in your life that you hope you do becomes sweet evidence that you long for his approval. So berate yourself or your failure. Like Paul said oh wretched man that I do you have to be born again over no effect. The agony feel of your inconsistency and your sin is among the evidences that you are genuinely converted I would be troubled if you want trouble by yourself as 1/3 word is the word reliance lease authority comes to my mind is a look at the text. Another market genuine believers that they rely upon the Savior alone for their salvation without the rights of the saints who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus. Now in this immediate context means they refuse to put their faith in the antichrist and I can switch loyalties and start obeying this man with his with his image displayed in the holy place. They refuse to put their faith like that billionaire I mentioned earlier, in themselves, they don't consider themselves, their Savior, their faith here is committed to the object of their faith which is Christ himself and becomes not some vague belief like people who today tightly I got faith I have faith.

What we have faith, clean water. I faith in God will which one I have faith in Jesus. The Texas we go that would be saving faith. They have loyal faith in him you and I met people who have nothing to do Jesus Christ, but they believe are on the way to heaven.

Why is a prayed a prayer at an evangelistic rally but I prayed a prayer when they were little, or they prayed apparently walk the aisle of the church were or are when they are baptized or maybe in front of the television program, and this is where perhaps eternal security as it is claimed, communicates a watered down version of perseverance and obedience and loyalty.

In case you're wondering, I believe in eternal security and only confuse it is impossible to be called by the father born again from spiritual death and life sealed by the Spirit, indwelt by God, forgiven of all my sin, past, present and future, and then Leon called unborn on the seal that unforgiven, and worse yet, the thought that maybe after all that you give it away like a sweater that I do for you anymore accurate known and if you want to get rid of it.

Whoever wants to give it away never fear the church holding to its version of eternal security can effectively tell people that if they prayed some prayer in the past doesn't mean doesn't matter how you're living in doesn't matter what's transpired over the last 20 years. He got that card you got that five-year-old statement you got that baptism you got that membership don't worry about anything. There is a difference a vast different in saying that people cannot lose their salvation because of sinning and saying that unrepentant sinners who do not care about Christ or his word or his church or his will, don't ever need to wonder about their salvation because they prayed a prayer result, there is a vast difference in those two people.

This is in this text. A present active loyalty to the cross work of Christ and the person who says I used to believe in Jesus but not anymore. But I don't happen as I prayed know them who are to examine the genuineness of their faith by Paul told the Corinthians who are accommodating immorality in the church who are spiritually mature or divisive. He said to them, his finger in his 13 five examine yourselves to see if you are in the faith. Is he trying to get people without their salvation, always wanting people to make sure their faith is genuine.

One of the evidences, what your life like what your belief in are you following after Christ, and that is a mere Christian can backslide.

I do it daily. In case you're wondering every day is resisting sin, perhaps even failing in confession and acknowledgment of Christ, myopic doesn't mean that a believer can disobey the Lord, or even walk away from the Lord for season. The disciples did that but but listen, the individual who says they were once a Christian, but are now happily contentedly reunited with the world and the flash and the devil never came to Christ to begin with, and the church does them a grave disservice to say well I'll worry about the worry is a step faith in Christ been.

I don't believe in him anymore. Never was a genuine believer and I'll never forget an illustration of this in my own young life like there was a freshman in college Bible college was walking on the sidewalk of the little town near the small Bible college I was attending in a man dressed in old closing and old overcoat, matted hair stepped out of out of an alley and came up to me and said a friend. Can you spare some money. I said well, student here to Bible college which means I don't have any money.

He said now are you sure you can spare some change. So listen I don't have a dime in my pocket but I got something that will last longer than spare change I might've had. So what's that and I said a relationship with Jesus Christ. It's a living and personal. He seemed interested.

So I began to share the gospel with him on that sidewalk downtown. He listened attentively after about 30 minutes or so I said to him to understand everything I told you that I do so would you like to pray to give your life to Jesus Christ and received from him, forgiveness and eternal life, and he said I would.

I thought this is too easy since it will you kneel with me on the sidewalk right here downtown is a will we get down our needs arm around his shoulder listen to him pray a glorious prayer of conversion coming.

I I gotta admit, I was so thrilled I can bleed I was I could with you back to the dorm and tell the guys we had another great awakening was just now starting tears in this man's eyes. He got up, stood, dried the tears from his eyes.

He wiped them away and he said can you spare some money. I said I don't have any, but I can take you to the union mission will have food for you in a place that Ted and I will work with you to begin your your life in Christ his whole face clouded over and he said you mean you don't have any money for me since I don't have any money and he unleashed a tirade of cursing and swearing. I've yet to hear again and he walked away with every step he cursed God, he cursed Jesus and cursed me.

I have never seen such a short distance of time between the prayer and apostasy. I can tell you I have seen many more. With not much distance between a prayer and an abandoned of Christ and return to the world came to church for for season with through the motions. I think our world is filled with this stay in the end only want the church because of what they get from place to network. You know they they they wanted potential clients. They came looking for personal affirmation became to be served believing came looking for spouse and found him or her, and then quickly abandoned their religious affections.

They came because they wanted to be viewed as respectable Lake.

They came because a look got another community profile they came because they were American Jesus Christ. He was never the attraction's name was affirmed only because it might be to their advantage. Listen, they are no different than a drunk praying a prayer to get some money. They only looked more respectable. They only smell better that we drive the car just as lost and just as the sea Jesus Christ name could offer them on earth is her only attraction. This is not active, loyal faith in Jesus and may be the angel's warning you today. He says those who genuinely believe Christ will remain the object of their faith for salvation of the end. Can you imagine how encouraging this would be these tribulation saints mean they have no advantage to being a Christian.

I'm whatsoever to die because of it. The these horrific days which will more than likely end with for most of the martyrdom they will die in their faith with their genuine faith will be revealed. Even without great sacrifice they will not abandon Christ and worship another God for them, and frankly for all of us. What happens next is a timeless promise from heaven. Let me quickly go through this is his last verse, verse 13, 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 is the first promise it's rest. Second is reward. The first is the promise of rest. The word is Coppertone. It describes hard, difficult, exhausting, tiring coiling work were not to gain entrance into heaven but working for the glory of Christ, because you are by way, this word does not mean you rest from activity to give me a lot of activity in the kingdom and you and I can be able to serve Christ for a thousand years.

Can you imagine the economy on earth you will be a co-regents with the Savior talk about that when we get to the portion of Revelation describes the kingdom of God. I can't wait to get there. I wish I could hurry up so we could just go ahead and get their neck and rest from activity. The word can be used in this may be helpful to refer to irritation and in trouble you can be relieved of irritation. You have any of those you relieved of annoyances in the field does and in the context of serving God. We annoy ourselves only were our biggest problem.

The biggest problem I have on the planet is me some your thinking you were to say my name. No I wasn't, it's me. I'm the biggest problem I have my full of flesh is gone glorified so will you be we will be able to serve Christ without the irritations of ourselves to be glorious.

Then we have this promise of reward.

John writes for their deeds follow after them. It listen. It's can be reward enough just to be in the presence of our Lord to serve him in the kingdom and anticipate a new heaven and new earth forever.

What more could we want, and yet in the middle of all that were given the promise of such amazing graciousness to us in condescension, as Hebrews says God is not unjust so as to forget your work Aragon same word used here is to forget anything done for or anything you've done for character sake, any right thing. Having ministered and still ministering to the Saints what grace this and the perseverance of the saints is really the perseverance of the Savior.

The reward for the saints is really the rewarding of the Savior's work through us.

It's all him. No wonder we will give them back, I'm convinced on this day when he completes in us as promised awareness presence. We will simply wait over the train now golf's there in his presence as we grasp the eternal significance.

He have been saved from wrath of God. Great reminder from God's sometimes believers wonder and maybe even worry about the genuineness of their faith, we can look and see if the things that are true of genuine believers are true of us and that in turn encourages us.

I hope you've been encouraged by God's word today here on wisdom for the heart with Stephen Devi. Today's lesson is called the perseverance of the Savior Stevens working through a series from Revelation 14 and 15 called a preview of things to come. Did you know that it's possible for you to follow along in Stephen's manuscripts as you listen to each of these Bible lessons.

You can also use those manuscripts to help you dive deeper into other passages of Scripture some people use them to help study when their teaching or leading a group or class, you can listen to each lesson or read the manuscript from each individual message on our website. If you go to our online store you can download the manuscripts of entire books of the Bible. Those are free of charge to make a great companion to your Bible study.

Simply go to wisdom online.org and you'll find them there. Thanks for joining us today be back tomorrow. At this same time. For more wisdom