Salvation is sure

[0:00] Can you be sure? Can you be sure? Let's take a look at salvation today and what the Bible tells us about it.

[0:16] ! And this is how some people think about salvation. A man hanging on to a rope. He's hanging on for dear life.

[0:28] Hanging on, holding on by a thread. Salvation as if it's something very uncertain. A man holding on to a rope.

[0:45] And if he doesn't hold on, he will be lost. It all depends on how hard the man holds on. How hard he tries.

[0:57] Now I used to think salvation was like that. I used to think salvation could be lost. I used to think that salvation was something that you could have and then lose.

[1:11] Maybe you could get it back again. And so on. I was in a church that was one of the tenets of its faith. The possibility of losing your salvation.

[1:23] That's what that kind of salvation looks like. It's very uncertain. Dependent on the man. Is he holding on hard enough? Is his hand going to hold on long enough? Or is he going to lose his grip?

[1:35] And slip. Slip away for eternity. To be lost forever. An uncertain salvation. Salvation for me looks more like this.

[1:48] It's like Christ reaching down to struggling Peter in the waves. In the billows as Peter sinks. And Christ grabs his hand. Really his arm. As he is sinking. And it's Christ is the one holding Peter by his powerful hand.

[2:09] And it's Christ. As he is. As in Jonah's time. As here he is on the beach. After being inside the big fish.

[2:30] and Jonah 2 verse 9 it says salvation is of the Lord. Jonah did nothing to save himself. It was all the grace of God that he was thrust out onto the beach and he could say salvation is of the Lord.

[2:51] Jonah 2 verse 9. Some would say well we have to endure to the end to be saved. They would quote Matthew 24 verse 13. Well we have to endure to the end to be saved.

[3:06] But look at the context. Look at the context. That's actually talking about perseverance by a Jew from the midpoint of the tribulation period to the end of the tribulation period.

[3:17] What the Lord is saying is this. If you are a Jew living on the earth in the midst of the tribulation period at the midpoint and you watch and the Antichrist desecrates the temple you need to flee into the wilderness.

[3:30] It's not talking about spiritual salvation at all. It's like if you want to be saved, if you want to get out with your life then you better endure what's going to happen.

[3:42] The tribulation. Better flee into the wilderness. It's not talking about salvation. It's talking about being physically safe, being kept safe within that context, within that time, at that point, in that place.

[3:59] If you were such a person at such a place then you will have to endure. Our salvation is not about our enduring. Thank God. It's not about how hard I hold on to that road.

[4:11] It's not how long I endure. It's not by my effort or doing of any works. Some would then point to Matthew 7, 21 where the Lord says, Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven.

[4:28] And it reads on, I never knew you. Depart from me, ye that work iniquity. So the context of this passage is not talking about saved people.

[4:39] The Lord Jesus is addressing the self-righteous Pharisees who are pleading their self-righteousness before God as unbelievers. And then the Lord says, I never knew you.

[4:50] Never knew you. They were never saved. It's not someone who was saved or some such thing. They were never, ever saved. I never knew you.

[5:02] Now it's true that some people may be false converts. So there could be some in churches. They go through the rituals. They go through the motions. They have some superficial profession of faith.

[5:16] They're like these people, never saved. They might have the show. They might have the religious words and works. But they are never saved. There is such a people. We want to be sure we're not one of those.

[5:27] That we're just an empty professor of faith. There are apostates. Those people who never were saved. People like Judas. Always was a son of perdition.

[5:40] Never saved. He was with the disciples, but he was never a saved man. Jesus says he was the son of perdition. Always has been. And sure, there's occasions in scripture where there's warnings to believers.

[5:54] Yes, indeed. Serious warnings. To take your faith seriously. To be a solid, strong believer. And warnings about losing rewards.

[6:06] Yes, you can lose rewards. Some will be ashamed before him at his coming. But not one scripture, not one ever teaches that a saved believer can lose their salvation.

[6:19] Not one. You can come to me with some and I can tell you why it's not so. There's some that some question those scriptures. But when you actually look at them in their context, in their application, and you fully understand them, there's not one scripture that says a believer can lose their salvation.

[6:39] It matters that we understand salvation and we understand what salvation is. It is not of works. Not of works. Not of works.

[6:51] Ephesians 2.9. Not of works, lest any man should boast. Titus 3.5. Not of works of righteousness that we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us. It's not of works.

[7:02] No amount of good works. Not any good works. Not anything. Not any deeds we can do. Can save us or make us right with God or keep us saved.

[7:13] We need to fully trust. Fully trust. Have your full trust. Found your full trust on Christ. On Jesus Christ. Good works are the fruit, not the cause of salvation.

[7:27] Sure enough, we should work. We should be his workmanship. Created in Christ Jesus unto good works. Ephesians 2. But that's more after the event.

[7:37] That's more the fruit. It's not the cause of our salvation. It's very clear right through the word of God. Right through. We are saved by grace through faith.

[7:50] By grace alone. Not of anything that we do. How can it be? How can it be when all our works of righteousness are as filthy rags? Some would try and add works.

[8:03] As if faith is not enough. And they would use James 2.18. But the Bible is clear. Very clear. It says the wages of sin is death.

[8:16] But the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Notice that. The gift of God. Eternal life. The Bible is very clear. The Bible is very clear that salvation is a gift.

[8:26] It's freely given. It's a gift. Not a works based salvation. That's all the other religions. That's what the Mormons and the seventh days. That's what every cult.

[8:37] Every religion outside of Bible Christianity would teach you. That it's all about how hard you work. But this is about a gift. It's about a precious gift. The gift of God.

[8:48] It's eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. It's not some works based requirement. Because if there was a works based requirement. If it was a gift plus a works based requirement.

[8:58] It's no longer a gift. But a reward. It's not a reward. It's a gift. Amen. Get that. Salvation is a gift. Not a reward. We are saved by God's grace. Not our ability to earn it.

[9:10] How could we? How could we earn it? God imputes righteousness unto us without works. Now in James 2.18. It talks along the line. Show me your faith without the works.

[9:22] And I will show you my faith by my works. James isn't saying you must earn your salvation. He's saying we show what we believe by how we behave.

[9:33] He's saying I'll show you my faith by how I live. Because it's real faith. He's saying I'll show you my faith. He's not saying that the faith is the works.

[9:43] Or the works are required. He's saying that faith is what matters. And our behaviour flows from our faith. Our belief.

[9:55] Now someone may have a belief or a head knowledge. That certain facts are true without giving themselves over to that belief. It is the case that faith without works is useless.

[10:05] In other words a Christian can be unproductive. Look there's believers that they don't do anything. But they're saved. Amen. They might be unproductive.

[10:17] They're going to lose rewards. They're going to miss out in eternity. There's rewards for work. But that's not our salvation. That's a kind of added benefit.

[10:27] Bonus. Some believers are going to lose rewards. They're going to have a poor testimony in the here and now. Because their works are not really measuring up. However we view these verses there's something that is really clear.

[10:43] James is not talking about adding good works to one's faith to attain salvation. The faith is what saves us. The good works can be added or need not be added.

[10:54] James is not saying that if one does not show good works then one cannot be saved. It's not saying that my works are such that I can brag about them.

[11:04] We cannot work our way to salvation and we cannot lose our salvation by failing to do works. Because the salvation is by faith. It's the gift of God.

[11:16] That's the bottom line. We did nothing to be saved. Jesus paid for all of our sins at the cross. So notice this. There's a real transaction that happens when we get saved.

[11:30] This really nails it. This verse here. John 5 24. The Lord Jesus says verily verily. He says this is true. This is absolutely true.

[11:41] He says verily verily. I say unto you he that heareth my word and believeth on him that sent me hath everlasting life. And shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death unto life.

[11:55] So salvation happens the moment. The moment that you trust Christ as your saviour. You can say if you are one that believeth on him. It says you have everlasting life.

[12:11] As some illustrate it. They put it like this. It's called a bridge. So we're dead in our trespasses and sins. All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.

[12:26] The wages of sin is death. Without Christ we're on that side of the chasm of death. And then on the other side we've got life.

[12:37] And in the middle you've got Romans 5 8. Where Christ died for sinners. And we can be saved. It says we cross over as it were the bridge by faith.

[12:48] As we trust Christ. We receive Christ. As many as received him to them gave you the power to become the sons of God. Even to them that believe on his name.

[12:59] We have everlasting life. It's a very simple transaction really. So it's not like we're somehow in some airy fairy zone.

[13:11] We've passed from it says. Notice that. Passed from death unto life. The moment you believe the Lord Jesus for your salvation.

[13:23] The moment that you believe that the Lord Jesus died for all your sins. You were made a son, a daughter of the living God. Our salvation is sure.

[13:34] You can say I'm saved. Our salvation is sure. It's purchased by Christ. It's promised by the Father. It's sealed by the Holy Spirit.

[13:45] We can know that our salvation is secure. Because of God's great love for those he's redeemed. Here's another one. That tells us about that. It tells us that nothing.

[13:58] Can take this away. Paul says. For I'm persuaded. That neither death. Nor life. Nor angels. Nor principalities.

[14:09] Nor powers. Nor things present. Nor things to come. Nor height. Nor depth. Nor any other creature. Shall be able to separate us from. The love of God.

[14:19] Which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Absolutely nothing. Absolutely nothing can separate us. From the love of God. Which is in Christ. Christ. And we're called a purchased possession.

[14:30] Something owned by God himself. We are bought with a price. Right now. You've got a tag on you. It's like you see it in some shops.

[14:41] This has been paid. The owner's just waiting to pick it up. From the shop. Amen. That's a bit of a crass illustration. But you've got a tag on you that says paid.

[14:53] Paid in full. Price has been paid. For you are bought with a price. Therefore glorify God. In your body. And in your spirit. Which are God's. The price is paid. The price that he's paid.

[15:05] Was paid in full. At the cross. Acts 20. 28. That he's paid for us. By his very own blood. The entire price of your justification.

[15:15] Has already been paid. And nothing can change that. Jesus Christ is eternal life. To trust him. Means to know eternal life. 1 John 5.

[15:26] 11. And this is the record that God has given. He's given it to us. Given us eternal life. And this life is in his son. He that hath the son. Hath life.

[15:37] He that hath not the son of God. Hath not life. These things have I written unto you. That believe on the name of the son of God. That you may know. Know. That you have.

[15:47] Have. Eternal. Eternal. Life. That you may believe on. The name of the son of God. Think of that. You may know.

[15:58] You have. Eternal. Life. That's how. Much life it is. It is. It is eternal. And you have it. Present tense. And while we were his enemies.

[16:09] Christ willingly died for us. But God commendeth his love towards us. In that while we were yet sinners. Christ. Died for us. Much more than being.

[16:20] Now justified by his blood. We shall be saved from wrath. Through him. So think of it. He so commended his love. That while we were yet sinners.

[16:31] Christ died for us. Now. How much more. How much more now. As saved people. We are justified. By his blood. We shall be delivered.

[16:42] From the wrath of God. Our trust is in his blood. Not our works. It was while we were yet sinners. We did nothing to deserve it then. How much more now. Being now justified.

[16:55] Are we. Assured. Of his saving. As believers. We are in. God's possession. And God is all powerful. Think of how powerful he is.

[17:06] As a shepherd with a sheep. In his arms. There's the picture. John 10. 28. And I give unto them. Eternal life. And they shall. Never. Perish. Neither shall.

[17:17] Any. Man. Pluck them. Out of my hand. Out of the father's hand. Christ's flock. Has eternal life. It's not temporary. He promises that he will not let.

[17:27] Any one of us be removed. From his hand. You have an assurance. Now that's not something. That we treat. Flippantly. Or carelessly. Or. Or. You know. Just. Not appreciate it.

[17:41] It. Is all the more reason. We should appreciate. Our salvation. Thank God. He's taken us. Into his arms. He carries us. Like a shepherd. We're in his hand.

[17:54] And it says. They shall. Never. Perish. Perish. Apparently. I don't like to go on. About the Greek stuff. But. But just to reinforce it.

[18:06] It is a double negative. Here. In the sense that it means. Never. No. Not ever. It's a very strong. Never. Never.

[18:16] Never is enough. Really. I think that. It's never. No. Not ever. It's. Means. Never. Means. Never. They shall. Never. Perish.

[18:27] We are in his eternal grip. Saint of God. You can have an assurance. And what a blessing it is. What a blessed assurance it is. To know. Yes. You are in his eternal grip.

[18:39] We do not save ourselves. We do not keep ourselves safe. It's not you hanging on to the road. He's hanging on to you. And he's got a vice like grip. He's got a grip that is powerful.

[18:51] That is sure. And he'll never. Never. Never. Never let you go. Because you're never. Ever. Going to perish. Amen. We do not save ourselves. We do not keep ourselves safe.

[19:02] God. Does both. Think of this one in the Psalms. It says. The steps of a good man. Are ordered by the Lord. And he delighteth in his way. Though he fall.

[19:13] He shall not be utterly cast down. For the Lord upholdeth him. With his hand. Think of that. He's upholding you with his hand. Even though you fall. And fail. I do.

[19:24] But he upholdeth me. With his hand. He's so gracious. Isn't he? He's so generous. He's so long suffering. He's so merciful. And in terms of your salvation.

[19:36] You are not holding on to him. He is holding on to you. And he holds you like you would hold someone. Hanging off a cliff. If their strength gives way. And they can hold no longer.

[19:47] So you still have them firmly. In your grasp. You are held. By God. By God. Think of it.

[19:59] God is holding you. By his power. And he will not let you go. When you believe in Christ. You are born again. As a child of God.

[20:09] John 3. You are born into God's family. To think of that. Adopted. Wow. You've got his surname. You are his.

[20:22] As surely as you're the son. Or daughter of your earthly father. As a born again child of God. You are surely. Certainly. The child of the everlasting God.

[20:37] Born again. By faith. Into God's family. And it tells you here. For you are all the children of God. How? By faith. You are the children of God. By faith. In Christ Jesus.

[20:48] Notice the word. Are. Yeah. Are. I'll show off my lack of Greek again. To say. Apparently. It's an absolute status quo verb.

[20:59] It means it will always be this way. Yeah. There's no changing it. Yeah. That's it. It's got this mood that. He always keeps on.

[21:11] You're always going to keep on being. You are. You're always going to keep on being. Sons of God. Eternal security. While we trusted Christ by faith alone.

[21:22] We're brought into relationship with God. It's apart from any merit or good works. I mean think of it when you got saved. There's no merit. There's no earning it. There's no credit.

[21:34] There's no merit of your own making. You cannot. Deserve it. How can you be a child of God? Faith. Jesus saved me.

[21:46] I trust you. I believe. And when we're brought into that relationship with God. By faith. That's forever. He doesn't adopt and then unadopt.

[21:58] He doesn't take you back to the foster home. He says no. Yeah. You're permanently mine. This is no casual arrangement. You know.

[22:10] You're mine. And I'm yours. And that's it. Forever. There's no changing it. Amen. You're forever his. Glory. Apart from any merit or works on your part.

[22:22] Think of it. You can't be unborn out of salvation any more than you can be physically unborn. Once we become part of the family of God, we're forever part of the family of God.

[22:36] Now some believers or sons of God are going to turn out to be spiritually mature. But some are not. That can happen. They're going to follow their own decisions.

[22:48] They're going to go their own merry way. They're not going to consistently follow God's plan for their lives. But they're still sons of God. They will be ashamed.

[23:01] There will be a reproach. There will be discipline from their heavenly father. But they're still saved. Now we shouldn't want to be like that. But that can be so.

[23:12] But rather to think of it, if you're a son, a daughter of God, how much more should we be so truly blessed and want to be measuring up to his will for us, to want to do his will, to want to please our blessed heavenly father such that he'll have a joy, that he'll be smiling at us.

[23:34] Won't we want to be such a man, a woman? But some are going to be maybe not a good testimony. Don't be that man.

[23:46] Don't be that woman. All right? When we're saved, we've got an inheritance. It's incorruptible. It's undefiled. It fades not away. It's reserved in heaven for us. We read that in 1 Peter 1.

[23:58] Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.

[24:16] He hath begotten us again. You are born again. And it says that there's an inheritance reserved.

[24:29] It reads on, that you're begotten again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, who are cats by the power of God through faith unto salvation, ready to be revealed in the last time.

[24:54] It's saying it's reserved. It's got this perfect tense, apparently, which, again, I'm not any great grammatical expert, but what I'm reading here says this, it will always be reserved.

[25:07] It is always going to be reserved for you. It's going to be kept by God for you, not by you. It's kept by God for you. And when we're born again through faith in Christ, his death for our sin, we're promised a resurrection body.

[25:22] When we died, it's reserved in heaven for us. I don't know how he's going to, maybe he's got freezers up there. I'm just being a bit silly here, but maybe he's got some body there. It's already there. There's a resurrection body.

[25:34] Not that God needs a freezer to put it, and I'm being a bit silly here, of course, but that sense that there's a body reserved for you. A resurrection body, he's already reserved it for you.

[25:45] There's an inheritance reserved for you. There's a place in heaven for you. There's a home he's building. There's a mansion he's preparing. There's a body that's going to be prepared for you such that it is going to be kept by the power of God.

[26:00] When we die, we'll receive it. When we're raised, we'll receive it. We'll receive that perfect resurrection body at the judgment seat of Christ, following the rapture of the church.

[26:11] And the Lord promises and provides an eternal inheritance for us. Think of that. That's precious, isn't it? The security. I like to think we're under 24 by 7 surveillance.

[26:23] You know, the eyes of the Lord. He's watching over us. That's not always, that's a bit of a scary thing too, isn't it? Our eternal security. It's kept by this 24-hour security.

[26:36] Kept and guarded by God's power, not our own power. Amen. The power of God. The power that holds the stars in place. We're kept, you are kept, by the one who holds the universe, by whom all things consist.

[26:53] He's holding you and you're kept by His powerful hand. Amen. Think of that. Wow. That's something, isn't it? And the Bible says that the Holy Spirit seals us as a mark of ownership and security until the day of redemption.

[27:11] Until you get that body. Until you get that body. It's waiting. It's getting ready. He's preparing it. And for the meantime, we're under this new ownership. There's a seal. There's a mark of ownership.

[27:22] He's saying, you're mine. Amen. He says, you're mine. You belong to me. You're my property. That's what God says.

[27:32] And you are under new ownership. In the ancient world, the seal was this guarantee of protection. Now, we had some, these chairs got delivered and they were in a container and that container was sealed.

[27:46] When they put those chairs into the container in China, they put a seal on that container. I had to break that seal. How'd you get?

[27:59] Well, the neighbour actually helped me. He got an angle grinder to cut the seal so we could open that container because it was sealed from the day it left China till the day that we opened it here in Australia.

[28:11] It's the same for you, brother, sister, you're sealed. You can know that heaven is a sure thing. You can know that you're sealed in time and it's for eternity.

[28:25] And no one's going to break that seal because you're under his ownership. You're sealed by God. In other words, you're protected, you're guarded, you're under his ownership. It says you're his and no devil's going to break that seal.

[28:39] No one's going to break that seal. The seal was a guarantee of protection. And it's like, I suppose the Romans put a seal on the tomb but that one didn't hold up.

[28:50] But the seal that God puts on you is going to hold up. Amen. It's the Holy Spirit, in other words, that guarantees our security, our eternal life. And the believer is sealed as God's property.

[29:04] Here's another one that talks about the seal. Of course, they used to put seals on envelopes, didn't they? That you could know that it was stamped, the wax was stamped on where the envelope joined to know that that had not been opened, not been tampered with.

[29:19] And so too you are sealed as God's property. It says there, He which establisheth us with you in Christ and hath anointed us as God who also hath sealed us and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.

[29:33] So it's saying here that you are sealed, the Holy Spirit has sealed you. It's like to the signet ring. You know, the kings and queens would have the signet ring with the image of the sovereign and they would stamp it on the wax and it verified the authenticity of the document and of the sender.

[29:54] God's put His seal on you, on the believer, guaranteeing you safe delivery to your destination, heaven. The sealing of the Holy Spirit is a pledge from God.

[30:08] And it's like God signing a promise for you to guarantee all the assets He's laid up for us, the inheritance awaiting. Ephesians 1, it tells us, in whom you also trusted after that you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, in whom also after that you believed you were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest, is the guarantee of our inheritance until, until the redemption of the purchased possession unto the praise of His glory.

[30:41] It's saying here that God's desire is that every believer would stay in fellowship with the Holy Spirit. Maintain your spiritual momentum. You're sealed. There's a promise.

[30:51] There's a guarantee. There's an inheritance. You've got redemption ultimately in the glorification of your life, of the eternal state of the glorified body.

[31:07] You're a purchased possession. He's purchased you. You're under His ownership meantime. And He's sealed you such that it's guaranteed. This is a sure thing. It's not going to change.

[31:20] Now some would say, well, can't we do something to lose it? Some would say, well, we can grieve the Holy Spirit. We sure can. We sure can. We can grieve the Holy Spirit.

[31:31] That's a dread thing to do. But here's what Paul says. Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God whereby you are sealed unto the day of redemption. Sure enough, you can grieve the Holy Spirit and do not do that, believer.

[31:45] But the good news is that the Holy Spirit has sealed you unto the day of redemption. We don't want to grieve the Holy Spirit by doing something wrong, by failing to please our God, to falling into deliberate sin, to being a poor testimony of His grace, by being a shame unto our Lord.

[32:09] That would grieve the Holy Spirit. Don't do that, believer. But thank God if you do that, you're still sealed.

[32:20] You're still sealed. But don't grieve the Holy Spirit. So it's all the more reason actually to see the security that you have despite your lack.

[32:33] It's showing the security for you. But let's rather stay in fellowship with Him. We don't want to grieve the Holy Spirit. We want to please God.

[32:46] It says we're sealed. Our redemption is sealed. Our redemption from the penalty of sin through the work of Christ at the cross. So sealing was this sign of possession. It showed ownership. Anything which God attaches His seal to belongs to God forever.

[33:01] So it's actually a very comforting verse but it's also a warning too. The Bible's full of warnings, believers. It says don't toy with your salvation. Don't be a neglectful believer.

[33:12] Don't be a slack, sloppy Christian. You're saved but don't be like that. You can't lose your salvation but it's all the more reason we ought to live right and do right.

[33:26] To please our God. It's important that we understand how our salvation happens. And again this verse is a familiar one. For by grace are you saved through faith that not of yourselves it is the gift of God not of works lest any man should boast.

[33:43] So it's really one of the most powerful passages that tell us that the gospel is the perfect gift of grace. By grace are you saved. Present tense.

[33:55] There's some believers that say well I can't say that I'm saved until you know until my deathbed and even the last breath. And some you know particularly Calvinist people think well I can't actually say I'm saved until the last minute and even then it's you know it's like a very uncertain kind of salvation.

[34:16] I've got to persevere persevere and then I might be saved just at that last minute. No you can say I'm saved now. All glory to God I'm saved now here and now this moment I can say I am saved because the Bible says by grace are ye are ye saved.

[34:33] It's got the sense of you've been saved in the past so you go on being saved forever. We're saved in the past through faith we keep on being saved we're going we're saved forever for by grace you have been saved by grace you are saved.

[34:49] It's not of ourselves it is of the gift of God. Even if our works played some part it cannot be you can't get that from this verse it's the grace it's the gift of God by grace you've been saved at the moment of faith we are saved and will always be saved.

[35:07] And this is a very strong emphasis in the word of God it is everywhere in the Bible 99 times someone reckoned in the book of John alone 99 times the only condition for receiving eternal life is believing in Jesus Christ for it.

[35:26] It's the only condition faith alone in Christ alone never does the Bible teach that to get eternal life or keep eternal life or to prove that we have eternal life we must perform good works.

[35:39] It's faith alone in Christ alone you can't reconcile that with plus the necessity of works. It's not there it's faith alone Christ alone if eternal life is not forever it cannot be through faith alone.

[35:55] So if eternal life can be lost or simple faith in Christ is not enough what are you adding? What are you adding to that? If simple faith in Christ is not enough works have been added somewhere into the equation but works play no role at all in getting us to heaven.

[36:16] You might say well my faith is not enough I've got to do something. No. The faith saves you you should do something but that's separate from your salvation. God's grace think of it do we deserve it or not?

[36:30] We don't. Can we earn it? No. Is it limited or not? Is it infinite or not? If we don't deserve God's grace we can't do anything to earn it.

[36:41] If we can't do anything to earn it we can't do anything to keep it. Some people think well I believe but I've got to do plus plus plus as if they're adding to their salvation.

[36:53] Brother, sister add to your faith yes add to your faith but you can't add to your salvation. Yeah add to your faith we're exhorted to do that to add good works to add righteous living to our faith but we can't add to our salvation.

[37:09] That is complete it's a complete package it's a done deal and grace is only shown to the undeserving. We don't get it by any deserving we can't.

[37:22] It's not because you look nicer than someone else or you've got you know a little bit more you might have come from a certain family or a certain culture or a certain you've got some little extra standing that gives you credit with God none of it nothing that we are and have or do makes us deserving it's only his grace entirely his grace we do nothing to obtain it maintain it or regain it if I did nothing to obtain salvation what could I do to lose it?

[37:53] Nothing. We must understand the grace of God really it's truly the grace isn't it that he excludes all merit on the part of the one he gives salvation to it's unmerited we cannot have any credit in this equation we're eternally saved by grace God cannot take into account any merit or work that we do nothing that we can do grace is only shown to the undeserving so we never get to a point where we say well I'm saved but he's not because he's not doing this or she's not because she's not doing that no it's it's about the grace of God it's only his grace it's it's an absolute isn't it and at the moment you first believed you were given eternal life for by grace are ye saved that's forever forever now another aspect is well what about so and so this Christian who was following the

[39:04] Lord and now they're nowhere and even they're living some sinful way or this or that God knows them that are his God knows whether they were truly saved at the beginning or they were not they might be a false professor but if they were a Christian and they're living so it tells us that at the judgment seat of Christ there's going to be wood hay and stubble just poof your life is just a pile of ashes there's nothing that that person did that was based upon the foundation of Christ but what does it say 1 Corinthians 3 15 he himself is still saved yet with no rewards his works are going to get burnt up but he's saved it's true that some are going to have no works to show for a life lift what a waste what a shame believer don't be that man don't be that man that your life is just a pile of ashes God doesn't want you to have works that are failing but for some they will be saved as by fire 1 Corinthians 3 15 it's astonishing really isn't it the sinning believer they're going to lose

[40:19] God's blessing but not salvation it's the grace of God that's what it is Acts 16 it tells us how shall we be saved believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved in thy house and the word believe here it's saying that a point in time you believed and that has an ongoing impact yet it's perpetuated throughout eternity in other words you believe it's going to be forever thou shalt be forever once and forever you are saved when it says you're saved you're saved and it says when you believe you believe that instant of faith it's got a forever impact Jude 1 it talks about now unto him that is able to keep you from falling and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy to the only wise God our saviour be glory and majesty dominion and power both falling we do not keep ourselves from falling if it was me trying to stop myself from falling

[41:25] I'd be like that man holding on for grim death holding on hoping my fingers aren't going to lose their grip it's not that he's holding you he's keeping you from falling he's the one who's holding you he's preventing you from falling and he does it all by his grace and God's he is able able and it says amen that means I believe it he's able God's power he's able to keep you from falling he's promised to keep you from falling he's always going to keep his promises friends there's so much more we could say and we could think of salvation itself what is it it's eternal life it's a full assurance it's a strong consolation it's a hope sure look at what the saved are called and all of these are spoken in the present tense this is the present condition of every true believer you are forgiven you are justified you are reconciled you are risen with

[42:34] Christ you're a child of God forever it says it says you're sanctified in Christ you're a new creature it says that you're accepted in the beloved you're saved it says you're you're made complete in him it says you're citizens of heaven you're children of light you're elect you're born again it says you're sanctified once and for all it says perfected forever it says you're passed from death that's a lie that's where you are believer that's what it says that's the promise of God that's the very words of God and look at where the Bible says we are it says we're in God's family it says we're brought near it says we're in the heavenlies with Christ it says we've been translated from the darkness into the kingdom of his dear son for he has made him to be sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of

[43:37] God in him this is the doctrine of imputation of righteousness so the righteousness of Christ is imputed to believers it's not your righteousness saint it's his he's clothed you with the robe of righteousness he's covered you and he's put his righteousness on you such that there's been an exchange you've taken off your you know you've taken it off your filthy rags of your righteousness then he has given you his his garment and your clothes with his garment he has made you such that you are the righteousness of God in Christ and think of that brother sister we who are sinners by nature we cannot make ourselves righteous try as you might you cannot be righteous by your own effort or strength you need his righteousness and it's got to be that exchange that transfer it's saying my sin is on him at the cross in his body on the tree 1

[44:51] Peter 2 24 and his righteousness he gives to you in exchange think of that a great exchange that's salvation really isn't it at the moment of faith by Christ by faith alone and it tells us that the Lord have laid on him the iniquity of us all your sin was laid on Christ all your sin and you are made righteous by faith it's astonishing really isn't it how can you describe that and it tells you that your righteousness is the righteousness of God which is by faith!

[45:34] our righteousness is his righteousness and it's by faith so we possess Christ's righteousness applied to our account it's as if you know I know there's some accountants in our midst here that you know your record book says that you're in a horrible debt and there's no way you're going to be able to pay it and you've got to close down operations you've got to go to declare yourself bankrupt and then there's this transfer into your account of millions of dollars and your debts wiped out wouldn't that be nice your debts wiped out and you've got this credit to your account so it's a kind of flippant way of looking at it but it is actually the accounting terms are used such that it's accounted to us it's credited to us it's reckoned to us and his righteousness is applied to our account and we see Romans 4 verse 5 to him that worketh not but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly his faith is counted for righteousness so there's a counting term justification comes not to the one who works but justification is to the one who believes

[46:51] God by faith so that reckoned there is that accounting term Romans 4 verse 9 God counts the ungodly as righteous based on faith not on any works of righteousness that we have done that's what's called justification that he pardons our sins he accepts us as righteous in his sight so when he looks at you he sees the righteousness of Christ he sees the finished work of the cross he sees the righteousness of Christ not your own he sees no longer your sin he sees the perfect righteousness of Christ and it's the knowledge of Jesus Christ my Lord says Paul and to be found in him not having mine own righteousness which is of the law but that which is through the faith of Christ the righteousness which is of God by faith so here's a little picture that just demonstrates that transfer there our sin our guilt his righteousness it's like we do a swap he is our substitute he dies on the cross for our sin our guilt and we receive his righteousness by faith as we saved as we trust in him so is your trust in him that's what matters you know we can sometimes miss it and look

[48:04] I missed it for a while I thought oh it's about me trying hard enough it's not about you trying! it's about your trusting grace I'm not worthy of it I never can be doesn't mean that we get slack and sinful it's all the more reason we want to bless his name what a glorious God that we know that he was so gracious and he loved me so how can I do nothing but love him and serve him and live in righteousness and truth God helping me to look at what the Bible says we got an intercessor in heaven it says we got all spiritual blessings it says we got forgiveness of sins we got the sealing of the spirit it says we got access to God everlasting consolation eternal glory eternal redemption mercy and advocate with the father friends the good news is that

[49:06] Christ has paid it all he's paid! it all you've got that price tag and the owner has put paid on that tag that you wear you're paid he's paid it all he alone is sufficient and salvation is by faith you can trust him by faith it's faith in Christ's righteousness that he has done everything he's done everything to set me free our good works are not to maintain a righteous standing but because we want to we want to live a life pleasing to God look at what the Bible says is past for you condemnation is past the law of sin and death is past death and wrath is past night and darkness it says that God promises us that we'll never perish we promise the glory of God we shall never die we shall be saved from wrath we got the glorious liberty of the sons of

[50:07] God it says we got redemption of the body like we were talking before about the resurrection body it says we predestinated to be conformed to his image it says we cannot be separated from his love God shall confirm you unto the end it says he that has begun a good work in you he's going to perform it he's going to finish what he started amen he's going to finish it and you shall appear with Christ in glory it says it says that you're delivered from wrath through him not appointed to wrath but to salvation you've got eternal inheritance and incorruptible inheritance!

[50:43] Friends look at all the things God has done what he's done what he says you are it's not about what you try to be or measuring up of your own effort you can't you can't you can't make it you've got to through Jesus Christ our Lord friends do we work for or earn a gift no just hold out your hand yes Lord give me that gift salvation is Christ plus nothing eternal life means eternal security when we're born physically God imputed human life to our soul and as we read before this is the record you've got eternal life you that know him you know that you have eternal life friends when we believed in Christ God the Holy Spirit created a human spirit to which God the Father imputed eternal life eternal life is the basis for eternal security eternal life is life forever with

[51:47] God and God always keeps His word he says that you can know that you have have eternal life you don't have to wait till you in the hope that you are going to not mess up along the way and you are not going to foul it up you are going to foul it up!

[52:11] but he holds you he holds you he that believeth on the son hath everlasting life hath have present tense everlasting!

[52:21] life he that believeth not the son of God shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him so our relationship with God is dependent on whether we've got Christ by grace it's not our merit the Lord Jesus is able to save people completely think of this just this last one here the one who loves you so the one who cares for you the one who bled and died on the cross and rose again for you it says of him he is interceding for you think of that he's got an unchangeable priesthood it says wherefore he's able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him think of a believer today you that might be thinking oh look I don't know I still don't know maybe I don't measure up maybe I'm just not going to cut it I'm not going to hang on long enough or you got the wrong idea it's not about you it's about him it's about he who ever liveth to make intercession for you!

[53:31] if you trusted! him it he is able to say to the uttermost we started off by posing the question can you be sure can you be sure yes yes yes amen yes you can know you can know eternal life in the here and now that it's sure that it's certain you can know a certain saviour a sure salvation an assurance of heaven it's mine

[54:32] I'm his he's put the paid sticker on he's just waiting to claim me until he comes he's an all sufficient saviour amen glory to god let us pray lord we thank you that you are so great and precious to us lord that your salvation is so it's unfathomable that you would deign to step down from glory to even care enough such that you took our place and shame our penalty and paid it all lord we pray that if there's any here present of yet to have that heart's trust I'll say yes lord I believe you're a saviour who saves for sure you're a saviour who saves to the uttermost you're a saviour that I my lord my lord

[55:32] I trust you now to be my saviour for time and for eternity to know my sin paid because of your act of love that finished work of the cross lord that everything that had to be done was done there I just need to say yes lord i want you to put paid on me to pay for my sin lord to pay for me that i would be your purchased possession for eternity we pray help us each one to have that assurance that we can resolutely know such an assurance of your grace in jesus name amen