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[0:00] This message was recorded at Vision Baptist Church in Alfred, Georgia. It is our prayer that you will be blessed by the preaching of God's Word. That is a message we are never to forget. Jesus saves. Amen? Take your Bibles, go to the book of Romans for the last time, this time through.

[0:14] Romans chapter 16, and we'll start in verse 17. Paul is ending this great letter, and he wants to remind you about who it's all about.

[0:25] This is about our great God and what he did to save us. And so there are three things I'd like you to notice as you come with me through the chapter. And the first thing, as Paul ends the book, we've been taught great doctrine.

[0:38] We have been told about being sinners. We've been told that we are so desperately wicked, there's no way to go to heaven if it weren't for the great work of Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary.

[0:49] We learned that. We learned that salvation is purely by grace. We learned that our God saves us in spite of us. He loved us while we were yet sinners. We learned that.

[1:01] We learned what a great God he was. And then we came to some practical things in Romans 12.1. He said to us, he said, hey, now that you know all those things, now that you understand how our great God is, I beseech you therefore, brethren, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto God.

[1:18] He gave us some instructions. But now he's ending the letter. And as he ends the letter, he starts this end part with a sharp warning.

[1:30] So look at Paul's warning, if you would, in Romans chapter 16 and verse 17. The Bible says, Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them, mark them, which cause divisions and offenses contrary to the doctrine which you have learned, and avoid them.

[1:48] For they are such that serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly, and by good, and by good, excuse me, we got a computer problem here.

[2:01] And by good, let me find the verse. Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them, which cause divisions and offenses contrary to the doctrine which you have learned, and avoid them. For they are such that serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly, by good words and fair speeches, deceive the hearts of the simple.

[2:20] Look, if you would, with me, at what's going on here in this chapter. Paul ends the book of Romans, and he says, Guys, I've been teaching you good doctrine. I've taught you great truths.

[2:31] But as I finish the book, the first thing I want you to do is to mark some people. I want you to mark some people. Did you know, and this is a harsh part of the lesson here, you're going to really take a little bit of offense at what's going to be said, because it's kind of like the American thing to be tolerant, to say, Well, you can believe what you want to believe, and I believe what I want to believe, and we'll all get along.

[2:55] It's a great world, and we're all good friends, and we're all going the same way. But Romans chapter 16 says, No, you mark them. Look, if you would, with me, at some verses. Philippians chapter 3 and verse 17.

[3:09] We're to pay attention to who people are and what they do. That is not a new teaching. He says, in this verse here, he says, Mark them. In Philippians chapter 3 and verse 17, he said, Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them, which walk so as you have us for an example.

[3:28] For many walk, of whom I've told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ, whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, whose glory is their shame, who mind earthly things.

[3:41] Did you know, now listen to this, as Christians, you're supposed to go around marking people, judging people, making decisions about people.

[3:52] You're looking at me right now going, now brother, we don't do that. But it's what the Bible is saying here. Mark them. In Philippians 3, it says, I want you to go around the church, I want you to look and say, that guy right there, he's like Jesus.

[4:08] And he's like Paul, and I see what he's doing, and I'm going to imitate that. And in Philippians 3, he says, and then also look around and say, now that guy, he, man, he lives for his own belly.

[4:20] His God is his belly. He goes about doing what he wants to do. I ain't going to be like him, and I'm not going to be like him. Are y'all mad yet? I mean, that's how Romans 16 is ending. He said, mark them.

[4:31] Mark them. I mean, we're walking around church, all of us walking around church going, marked, marked, marked. That's a pretty strong statement that's going on. Look, if you would, look if you would at what it says in Philippians 3, 17, we mark those that are doing right so we can imitate them.

[4:48] We mark those that are doing wrong to avoid them and not follow their example. They were to mark those that were teaching false doctrine. That's the main marking we're talking about here.

[5:00] There is all across the planet great teachings among Christians even that are wrong. And he said, you've got to be very careful to mark those that teach wrong doctrine.

[5:14] The Bible says in Galatians chapter 1 and verse 6, I marvel that you are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ under another gospel, which is not another, but there are some that trouble you and would pervert the gospel of Christ.

[5:30] Though we or an angel from heaven preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. That's a nice way of saying it. Let him go to hell.

[5:40] That's a pretty strong statement. If they try to tell you another way to get to heaven, they're wrong. They ought to just go on to hell. As we have said before, so say now again, if any of you have preached any other gospel unto you that you have received, let him be accursed.

[5:56] Now look up here and listen this way. There's a gazillion ways to get saved. You're going to hear about people that got rituals to get saved, and sacraments that they should keep. You're going to hear about people that need to be baptized, and not eat pork, and not work on Saturday.

[6:11] You're going to hear about Baptist people even. There are lots of people that make lots of rules, and here's what he said. No, salvation is by, what's the word? Salvation is by grace. It is what God did for you, not what you do.

[6:24] Say amen. He said, somebody tells you something else, mark them. Nope, nope, nope. That's wrong. Nope, nope. You don't have to speak in tongues. We say, marked, marked, marked, marked. Don't believe that. That's wrong. Mark them.

[6:35] That's what he said to do. Mark them. You are to be, we are to be stable in our doctrine. We are, as a church, to get stable in our doctrine. The Bible says in Ephesians chapter 4, in verse 14, that we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the slight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie and wait to deceive.

[6:59] Now this is a wild thought. Now listen to this. Did you know that among Christians, and preachers, and television evangelists, and revivals, and pastors, and church members even, there are people, who are trying to trick you.

[7:19] That's what he said. They lie and wait to deceive. They come in amongst us. They want to meet with us. They want to tell us other things. And he said, and here comes a wind of doctrine blowing along, and you go floating over that way, and a few weeks, or months, or years later, here comes another wind of doctrine, and you're like a leaf blowing about in the wind.

[7:37] You don't know where you are. You're not stuck on anything. He said, hey, let's get grounded in what we believe. Paul warned us that we should know that false doctrine is going to creep in.

[7:49] Look, if you would, at Acts chapter 20 and verse 27. In Acts chapter 20 and verse 27, you're under this idea, you are to mark them. And I want you to know that's not a Romans idea. That's a Bible idea.

[8:00] In Acts chapter 20 and verse 27, the Bible says, for I have not shunned and declared unto you all the counsel of God. I teach the whole Bible. That's what he said. I teach all of God's word.

[8:11] Verse 28, take heed, therefore, unto yourselves, and to all the flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.

[8:22] For I know this, that after my departing, the Apostle Paul taught them, formed them, just like he's ending up in the book of Romans, and actually telling them, after my departing, grievous wolves shall enter in among you, and they will not spare the flock.

[8:38] You say, who would they be? Of your own selves shall men arise and speak perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. Verse 31, therefore, watch and remember that by the space of three years, I cease not to warn everyone, night and day with tears, and now, brethren, I commend you to God, and the word of his grace.

[9:00] Listen to this. The Apostle Paul said, as soon as I step out of here, there are people going to rise up in this very church that I started, and they're going to try to change the doctrine. It's been going on for 2,000 years.

[9:12] It's been going on for 2,000 years. And you and I are supposed to be people of the book, study the truth, and know the truth. And we are to mark those, that take a different stand.

[9:23] You should be aware that there is much false doctrine in the world. That means false teaching. You can't, listen, you just can't say, well, he's a Christian. He wouldn't tell me a lie.

[9:34] You can't just turn the TV on and say, that's a TV preacher. He must be a good guy. You can never do that. You shouldn't listen to me that way. You should have your Bible out, and you should say, go on, Austin, talk away.

[9:45] Let me check you out. I'll read that. Fact is, I'm not even going to make a decision right now. So what not? You're telling me the truth. I'm going to go home and study that. You are to study the Bible. You're to know that people creep in with wrong doctrine.

[9:58] That's why you need to get involved in discipleship. That's because you need to get grounded in the word, so that we won't be deceived. So the first thing he told them, the first thing he told them was that he said, I want to warn you, mark them.

[10:12] The second thing, you got your verse open there. The second thing he says, avoid them. Mark them, avoid them. Verse 16, look what he says. Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them, which cause divisions and offenses contrary to the doctrine.

[10:27] Now this isn't the guy that took your seat in church. Okay? You don't walk in and say, that guy took my seat in church. Mark, you should have took my seat. This isn't the guy who forgot to shake your hand. Mark, that's not what it is. This guy's teaching false doctrine.

[10:40] I don't like that guy's personality. Mark, that's not what this is. This is somebody's teaching contrary to the doctrine, which we've learned. But look at what it says into that verse. Circle it, avoid them.

[10:52] Avoid them. Mark them, avoid them. Mark them, avoid them. Verse 18, verse 18, they don't serve Jesus. If they teach a different doctrine, they don't serve Jesus.

[11:07] This is harsh. I'm sorry. I just, we decided we preached through the Bible. You remember? So we said, we just read it and say what it says. Here's what Paul said about these guys are teaching this false doctrine.

[11:18] Here's what he said about the guys that think you got to speak in tongues to be saved. Here's what he said about the guys who think you got to not eat certain meats or, or obey certain rules or get baptized before you, or you won't get saved. This is what he said about those who thought you had to be circumcised.

[11:30] Look at what he said in verse 18. For they are such that serve not our Lord Jesus Christ. Wow. Well, they do love Jesus, brother. I mean, it's just a little different, brother.

[11:41] No, no, no. They don't serve Jesus, but their own belly. And by good words and fair speeches, they deceive the heart of the dummies.

[11:53] Look at your Bible. They deceive the heart of the simple. You know what a simpleton is, right? How many of you know what a simpleton is? Say, man, that's what that word simple means. It means here comes a simpleton.

[12:04] You say anything you want to him. And he just, okay. And he said, Hey, they're, they're trying to deceive you. So mark them and avoid them. They don't serve Jesus.

[12:16] They serve themselves. They underline it in the verse. And they deceive. They deceive. They trick people. They trick. Man, the prosperity gospel, that's exactly what it is.

[12:28] It's the biggest con going on the planet. And it's building great big churches with thousands of people attending and everybody giving big money. It's a con. Hey, if you'll give me your money, God will make you rich.

[12:42] Are you so dumb? If you give me your money, God will make you rich. No, really. If you give me your money, God will make me rich. Amen. I believe in that doctrine. You got to be a simpleton to fall for it.

[12:55] But guess what? Thousands attend that church. All they need is a smiling preacher. All they need is a ghost speaks with smooth words. That's what he said right here.

[13:05] That's what he said right here. All they need is someone who says good words and fair speeches. That's what he said. Jesus warned us against these deceivers. In Matthew 7, 15, beware of false prophets which come to you in sheep's clothing.

[13:20] But on the inside, they are ravening wolves. They wear sheep's clothing. They learn how to talk. Learn how to walk. They learn to act. That's why you can put them on a TV show at night.

[13:32] They can have Larry King interview them. And Larry King will say, now do you believe that Jews will go to heaven? Well, all I can do is speak for my church. At my church, we talk about Jesus, but I wouldn't be against them.

[13:43] I'm all for them. And he just, that's exactly what he said. He said, hey, watch it. Watch it. They come with sheep's clothes, but on the inside, they're just wolves.

[13:54] They're very deceptive. In Matthew 24, 24, he said, for there shall arise false Christs and false prophets and shall show great signs and wonders in so much that if it were possible, they would deceive the very elect.

[14:06] The saved people would get deceived. Really saved people would get deceived. Now listen to this. Here you go. Some of you are like, I saw it on TV. He healed that guy.

[14:18] He healed. He raised him from the dead. I saw David Copperfield do some stuff too. Amen. I remember a guy in my church. He's a good man. Loved Jesus.

[14:29] He's been in heaven for years now. I was like 23 and he was like 65. But he loved me and believed in me and helped me and motivated me and showed me how to do the ministry better.

[14:42] And he had actually gone off to preacher school but never made a preacher. And one day I come to his house and he said, man, I'm telling you, he said, I saw it yesterday. This person had a mouth full of cavities.

[14:53] And right on TV, they put the camera in his mouth and the great evangelist prayed for him and God filled every cavity with a brand new tooth. And I said, you don't really believe that, do you?

[15:06] And he said, I done sent them some money. They're deceptive, man. Another time he told me that guy had a real short leg and they grew his leg.

[15:19] Right there on TV, the bone just started growing. So we watched it. And I thought, man, you believe anything you see on TV. Amen. Watch. They can deceive the elect.

[15:31] They know how to act the part. They know how to act the part. This is why you're always on guard. This is why you do Bible study. This is why you get to know him because they not act the part.

[15:42] In 2 Corinthians 11, in verse 13, the Bible said, for such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. Transforming.

[15:52] These are the real transformers. They're not cars that turn into, you know, robots that turn into cars and cars. These are transformers. They're not saved, but they can sure act like they are.

[16:04] And no marvel. Don't be surprised. They can do it. For Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore, it is of no great thing if his ministers be transformed as ministers, as ministers of righteousness.

[16:19] They're not ministers. They can be transformed. For many of us, it's hard to not be tolerant. We do not want to mark and avoid people. Some of you are sitting there right now saying, you can preach it all you want, but I'm not getting involved in that.

[16:33] Judge not that you be not judged. I can just hear it right now. That's what you're thinking. Judge not that you be not judged. Paul said in Romans chapter 16, mark them. Look at them.

[16:43] Check them out. Mark them. And avoid them. That's what we're commanded to do. Just because somebody says they're a Christian and preach the truth doesn't mean that they do. You must try and test everything you hear, read, or see by the word of God.

[16:58] You must try and test everything. You should be skeptical. Some of you are leaving our church and moving to other parts of the country. Can I just remind you of something? When you walk in and it says church, you know what you should think when you walk in?

[17:12] You should walk in like this. I got my Bible out. I'm checking you out. I'm going to mark you one way or the other. I'm going to mark you for a yes or I'm going to mark you for a no. I'm going to mark you for truth or I'm going to mark you for a lie.

[17:22] But I'm checking you out. If you're the wrong kind, I will avoid you. I don't care how nice you are to me. I'll avoid you. You must be willing to step away and avoid people and doctrines.

[17:34] You can't just be friends and ignore wrong doctrine. That's not what he says here. Go to verse 19 if you would. Paul's warning. Mark them.

[17:45] Avoid them. But be wise to that which is good. Verse 19. Your obedience has come abroad unto all men. I'm glad therefore on your behalf, but I yet would have you wise unto that which is good and simple concerning that which is evil.

[18:04] Everybody was hearing about the obedience of these Romans. Paul was happy that they were living out their faith, but they needed to be careful to learn Bible and truth and not worry about learning what was wrong.

[18:16] We live in a society today where we kind of like to keep up with all the wicked stuff. You're really supposed to be keeping up with all the good stuff. You're really supposed to be immersed in the book, not the junk.

[18:27] If you go down to the septic tank, you'll have to come up smelling like septic tank. You're supposed to get in the Bible, take a bath in the book. Look, spend time learning and growing in grace.

[18:38] Do not try to keep up with what's cool and what might not be right and pleasing to God. Stay away from sin and wrong. Practice separation. Be so in love with Jesus, truth and right that you do not allow sin to gain a foothold in your heart.

[18:58] Last verse on this warning, verse 20. He said, Hey guys, victory is coming. Look at verse 20. And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.

[19:11] Be with you. Amen. The first thing I want you to notice is they didn't earn the victory. God did. Look at the verse. It says, And the God of peace shall bruise Satan.

[19:21] We're not going to bruise him. He's going to bruise him. Going to use our feet, but it's going to be him doing it. Say amen. We don't ever get the credit for anything. We don't ever get the glory for anything. He's a great God.

[19:32] That's a big point in today's message is to him. To him that did it all. To him. To him. To him. That's the whole point of the message. And you'll get that as we get closer to the end.

[19:43] It was God doing the work. It was God that would bruise Satan. That had been promised all the way back in the book of Genesis chapter 3 and verse 15. In Genesis chapter 3 and verse 15, after Adam and Eve had been messed up and messed over, he looked at Eve and Eve had eaten that fruit and Eve had messed up everything.

[20:01] And God comes out in grace and saves them. And he looks at Eve and says, don't worry. You're not going to die. You have a baby and your baby is going to stomp his nasty head.

[20:13] He'll bruise your heel, but you will have your seed. Not her, but her seed. Her seed would be Jesus who would bruise the seed of the snake, Satan.

[20:24] And we'll see Jesus win the victory. They didn't earn it. Jesus did. On your worst day, and when you think that things are not going to work out, remember the promise.

[20:35] Victory is ours. Never, ever accept the idea that Satan is winning or a winner. He's a loser on his last days. The battle is nearly over.

[20:47] He is on his deathbed. He is gasping for air. He is holding on to life as best he can, but he is a defeated foe. You say, well, I see bad things happening in America.

[20:59] I don't care what happens in America. Jesus will win in this. We serve a great God. To him be glory. To him be honor who saved us and he will do it.

[21:12] So the first thing was Paul's warning. Mark them. Avoid them. Expect the victory. Learn what's right. Second one, Paul talks about his workers. Look down at verse 21 with me.

[21:24] Paul talks about his workers. He gave his warning. Now he gives us a list of his workers. He says, Timothy, my work fellow, God works with me. Lucius and Jason, we read all those verses a minute ago.

[21:35] Let me walk my way through them with you. I want you to imagine this. In the first part of Romans 16, as Paul wrote a letter to the Romans, he'd never been there, but he knew a ton of people there.

[21:46] Because like here in our church, a bunch of you guys move around. You leave our church and you go somewhere because you move into another city, move into another state. A lot of people, Paul knew a lot of people he'd seen saved, they ended up in Rome.

[21:58] And so Paul's writing a letter to the Romans and say, I know you guys. Remember, I met you over here. Met you over here. I've seen God do a work in your life. And he mentioned, you recall, there's like 25 people. He said, I know you guys. Hadn't been there yet.

[22:08] Can't wait to see you. Glory to God. It's going to be good. But he says, I still got some guys here working with me. Let me tell you about them. He said, I got old Tim with me. I got Tim with me. And he is my partner in the work.

[22:20] He's my partner in the work. Paul took young men with him into the work. You remember what he told Timothy when he wrote him a letter? He said, no man despised thy youth. He often had to encourage him and tell his young men what to do and how to do what they ought to do.

[22:36] And that's how we got the letters to Timothy and Titus. God's plan for the ministry is that young men be trained by older men. You learn to do the work by doing the work.

[22:47] So he says, hey guys, Rome, we're closing out now almost to the end of my letter and I warn you of some things but I also like to tell you, man, I got some great guys here working with me. Y'all are great guys.

[22:58] I talked to y'all last week in the message and I got some great guys here working with me. Then he had some kinsmen, probably some Jews working with him in the ministry along with the Gentiles. Then old Tertius was a fellow worker with Paul.

[23:10] He's actually the scribe who writes the letter. It's a really interesting thing. You know, you know it's the Holy Spirit to make sure that the words get pinned down, that God was pinned down and he lets the personality of the preacher, the writer of the book come through.

[23:24] It's really written by Paul with his personality but words are protected to make sure we get God's word. So we got God's word filtered through Paul with Paul's personality but old Tertius is writing that letter.

[23:35] He's been writing for 16 chapters and he gets down here to this last verse and he says, and by the way, this is me Tertius I'm writing the letter. It's me that really wrote this letter and Paul didn't say, shut up, you don't get any credit.

[23:46] Paul said, that's fine buddy, write that in there. The Holy Spirit let old Tertius put in all kinds of jobs for all kinds of people and the work and the credit were shared with others. Then he mentions Gaius that was his host and the host of the church.

[24:01] Here was a man that took care of Paul. He watched Paul. He saw his needs. He met his needs. He was taking care of him. This is a vital role because Paul was so given to the ministry he needed old Gaius.

[24:14] Gaius said, Gaius, my host and the host of the church. Old Gaius, the guy where I live, the guy where I eat, the guy where my clothes get washed. Old Gaius, what a guy.

[24:26] And Gaius was another one of the people in Romans 16. There are quite a few people that are just like patrons of the church. They've been given massive amounts. They've been taking care of the finances of the church.

[24:38] They've been letting them meet in their house. They've been doing great things. And this is another one who's greatly sacrificing so a church could meet and worship God. You do realize that no church is in existence without a lot of sacrifice from a lot of people.

[24:51] You've been paying a price for us to have a church. You've been paying a price for us to get the job done. Then he talks about Erastus in verse 23. Gaius, my host and of the whole church salutes you.

[25:04] Erastus, the city treasurer, the chamberlain of the city salutes you. Now that's a wild one. Here's a guy working with Paul who's a big shot. I mean this is a guy who works in the president's cabinet and he's meeting with Paul.

[25:18] Paul writes and says the chamberlain of the city salutes you. And his brother Quartus, an important man serving God with Paul. He had a position of importance but he didn't let that hinder him.

[25:28] He was serving our great God. Now I want to ask you a question. We saw the warnings and I hope you'll learn to not be tolerant you need to learn to be discerning and not tolerant.

[25:40] That means you probably need to turn TBN off. I'm just going to be blunt honest. It probably means that there are some programs on TBN that you could watch but most of them are charlatans.

[25:52] Makes you mad but that's the truth. And if you'll take your Bible and listen to them you'll figure that out. Most religious programming not all but most religious programming unless they teach the Bible unless they go verse by verse if they're trying to make money out of the deal there's probably something wrong there.

[26:08] Now we all get paid that's not the issue. The issue is whenever it is a seed faith you can automatically when you hear the word seed faith run as quick as you can. When you hear anything about give me some money so you can get rich run run run.

[26:24] when you hear a preacher say something like well you know I think Christians get saved one way but other people might get run run run. It's Jesus and only Jesus.

[26:35] Jesus and only Jesus. But the next question is where do you fit in? Paul had his warnings but he also had his workers. And I would like to say to you that in every church there ought to be a whole lot of workers.

[26:47] At the first start of Romans chapter 16 he lists all these guys. He said you guys are in Rome thank you for all the hard work you're doing. And then he said here they are. So what part of the work are you carrying? Are you asking for a share of the load?

[26:59] Are you helping or are you just along for the ride? Are you carrying the burden or being a burden? Would you have been there with the man of God in the battle so much that he couldn't close the book without mentioning you? I would like to think that if I'd have been around in the day of Paul and I'd have been in the same city as Paul I'd like to think I was right over there plugging away.

[27:17] Maybe I'd have been willing to be a secretary and write it down. Maybe I'd have just been willing to let him stay at my house and we'd get his laundry done for him. But I'd sure like to think that I'd be there and I'd be in the work and you ought to have your goal to be in the work.

[27:30] Paul ends the book with words magnifying the one who it's all about. Look at verse 25. By now at verse 25 if we were reading a dynamic reading a you know one of those readings that's got the music playing in the background and the guy knows how to really talk and he's a he's a real good reader.

[27:48] By now I mean the whole verse is escalating. The crescendo is coming. It's like it's like Paul's like da da da da da da da it's really getting high here and here's what he says Now to him that is a power to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ according to the revelation of the mystery which was kept secret since the world began but now is made manifest by the scriptures of the prophets according to the commandment of the everlasting God made known to all nations for the obedience of faith to God only wise be glory through Jesus Christ forever Amen the whole book and all of life is about him to God to God to the one to the one who has the power to save us and keep us look at verse 25 now to him now to him God the Father God the Son God the Holy Spirit now to God that has the power to establish us to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ according to the revelation of the mystery which was kept secret since the world began it's God that keeps us well you need to write that in the margin of your Bible some of you

[29:04] Baptists have learned that you were saved by grace but you don't know you're kept by grace you got saved by his goodness and you're kept by his goodness he says now to him that's able to establish us set us down firm strengthen us and make sure we're there that's eternal security we do not keep ourselves saved Paul preached the gospel and he showed us Jesus so we know that salvation is not something we do salvation is not something we do but something that he did that's how we're saved now to him that is a power to do this to establish us not only did he save us but he will keep us he will establish us strengthen us grow us mature us Philippians 1 6 maybe you could write that down there beside it Philippians chapter 1 in verse 6 the Bible says that he that began a good work in you will complete that work he'll carry it through he'll perfect that work until the day of the Lord Jesus

[30:07] I was saved by Jesus I am kept by Jesus and I will be kept by Jesus he does the work he gets all the glory look at verse 26 but this message is for all nations man Paul can't end Romans without saying missionaries Paul can't win Romans 6 end Romans 16 the whole book without saying take it to the world it's a message for the world it's for all peoples not just Jews it's for Africans it's for Asians it's for it's for it's for Europeans it's for Americans and South Americans but now is made manifest verse 26 and by the scripture of the prophets according to the commandment of the everlasting God made known to all nations for the obedience of the faith the message is for everyone Paul worked to get the gospel to all we've read it you remember what he said just a few messages ago you remember what he said he said I'll come by and see you guys on my way to Spain I'll be by to see you on my way to Spain got to get where nobody else has ever preached that's where I got to get to

[31:11] I got to get where no one's ever preached before I got to preach where there's no other foundation I got to preach Jesus to all the scripture clearly gives us the good news of Jesus Christ we should obey in faith taking the gospel to the world we should obey in faith taking the gospel and I thank you that you are working at that and doing that never forget that it is God himself that saves us and gets all the praise it's never our church it's never a preacher it's God look at verse 27 I hear him I mean to me he's like shouting if you could see my notes I've got this in like the biggest boldest print you can get to God only wise that's what he says he's in in his book to God he doesn't say to me the preacher he doesn't say to me the Baptist church he says to God only wise be glory through Jesus Christ forever amen there is no other like the one and only true God the God wise enough to show us himself to be the God of grace and mercy there are gods all over the world and they go by the same word for God but they're not gods of grace and they're not gods of mercy they're gods of tyranny they're gods who demand exacting payments in the Old Testament the prophets or the people used to pass their children through the fire to Molech they would take their children and burn their children so their God would be pleased but in the New Testament it is the God of Heaven that says you don't need to burn your children

[32:54] I'll put my child my son on a cross to pay your sin debt that's who you serve the wise God the God wise enough to show us his plan looking unto Jesus the author and the finisher of our faith to God who through Jesus would save us praise him as you finish the book of Romans everybody in this room ought to be going wow what a God wow what a God wow what a God man now unto him that's how we ought to end this book we ought to end this book saying he has proven to us how we stunk in the first of the book and how he came in and worked miracles in our lives and how we're living out the holiness that he put in us but let's never forget now unto him now unto him now unto him for you is it all about him can you join Paul in that praise do you recognize God's hand in your life and ministry are you trusting him some of you really aren't saved you've come to church you've heard tons of messages you're good people you've been even baptized you've been catecised or catechism or whatever it is they do to you you've been circumcised you've had every kind of size and done to you can be done but you're not going to go to heaven when you die because you've never come to the point that you knew you sinned against the holy God you've never come to the point in your life where you knew

[34:15] I am a sinner or I was a sinner then I was a dirty worthless scumbag sinner that deserved hell but Jesus God in human flesh came down from heaven born of a virgin died on a cross paid my sin debt was buried and rose again and I trust him to save me you haven't done that you've done all the religious stuff you've checked them all off you do this you do this you do this you do this but you never came helpless unworthily to God and said save me and if you haven't done that you're not born again you can listen to what I'm fixing to tell you but hell will be full of Baptist people you look around and say we mark all them that ain't Baptists no we mark them that don't preach Jesus salvation by Jesus Christ through faith and what he did on the cross at Calvary amen so there'll be Baptist people going to hell have you been saved and the second question for you is God is Jesus is the Holy Spirit is the God of glory your purpose of living is he who you're in love with today for to him be all the glory to the God the only wise one be all the glory to him that has the power to establish us to him to him father in heaven

[35:41]  I love you and I praise you and I thank you for the opportunity to be in your house and to be with your wonderful people and I pray God that you'd show your power I pray you'd move in ways like you've never moved in our little church I pray you'd let people get saved this morning if they're not I pray Christians would determine that you and you alone are worthy of everything and you're serving that they are serving you with all their heart God show yourself and prove yourself and show power today and I'll give you praise this message was recorded at Vision Baptist Church in Alfredo, Georgia for more information log on to www.visionbaptist.com where you can find our service times location contact information and more audio and video recordings