In John 6:37, Jesus says,
“If the Father gives you to me…
I will never abandon you.
I will never depart from you.
I will never desert you.
I will never forsake you.
I will never leave you.
I will never quit on you.
I will never relinquish hold on you.
I will never renounce you.
I will never retire from you.
I will never vacate you.
I will never withdraw from you.
I will keep you until the end.
I will hold fast to you.
I will remain faithful to you.
I will defend you.
I will uphold you.
If you come to me, I will never cast you out."
Showing posts with label Perseverance. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Perseverance. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Thursday, July 03, 2008
"I Will in No Wise Cast Out"
In John 6:37, Jesus promises that those who come to Him will not be cast out.
Bunyan ponders: Jesus promises that those who are His will not be cast where?
Here is his list:
1. Tophet ("a burning place") - Isa. 30:33
2. Hell - Mark 9:45
3. The Wine-Press of the Wrath of God - Rev. 14:19
4. The Lake of Fire - Rev. 20:15
5. A Pit - Isa. 14:13-15
6. A Bottomless Pit - Rev. 9:1-2; 20:3
7. Outer Darkness - Mat. 23:13; 25:30
8. A Furnace of Fire - Mat. 13:40-51
9. Where the Worm Does Not Die - Mark 9:44
10. Unquenchable Fire - Mat. 3:12; Luke 3:17
11. Everlasting Destruction - 2 Thes. 1:7-9
12. Wrath Without Mixture - Rev. 14:9-10
13. The Second Death - Rev. 20:6, 14
14. Eternal Damnation - Rev. 14:11
Bunyan adds:
"Their behaviour in hell is set forth by four things as I know of; (a.) By calling for help and relief in vain; (b.) By weeping; (c.) By wailing; (d.) By gnashing of teeth."
2 Observations:
1. Flee to Christ now. He is the only Savior from these dreadful realities. You don't want to spend eternity calling for help in vain.
2. Notice how Bible-saturated Bunyan was. He didn't have ESV.org to help him find these references. He just knew them.
Come and Welcome to Jesus Christ, Works, pp. 272-273.
Bunyan ponders: Jesus promises that those who are His will not be cast where?
Here is his list:
1. Tophet ("a burning place") - Isa. 30:33
2. Hell - Mark 9:45
3. The Wine-Press of the Wrath of God - Rev. 14:19
4. The Lake of Fire - Rev. 20:15
5. A Pit - Isa. 14:13-15
6. A Bottomless Pit - Rev. 9:1-2; 20:3
7. Outer Darkness - Mat. 23:13; 25:30
8. A Furnace of Fire - Mat. 13:40-51
9. Where the Worm Does Not Die - Mark 9:44
10. Unquenchable Fire - Mat. 3:12; Luke 3:17
11. Everlasting Destruction - 2 Thes. 1:7-9
12. Wrath Without Mixture - Rev. 14:9-10
13. The Second Death - Rev. 20:6, 14
14. Eternal Damnation - Rev. 14:11
Bunyan adds:
"Their behaviour in hell is set forth by four things as I know of; (a.) By calling for help and relief in vain; (b.) By weeping; (c.) By wailing; (d.) By gnashing of teeth."
2 Observations:
1. Flee to Christ now. He is the only Savior from these dreadful realities. You don't want to spend eternity calling for help in vain.
2. Notice how Bible-saturated Bunyan was. He didn't have ESV.org to help him find these references. He just knew them.
Come and Welcome to Jesus Christ, Works, pp. 272-273.
Monday, October 22, 2007
Jerry Bridges on Enduring to the End
I listened to Jerry Bridges' message at the DG National Conference. It is a fantastic message on standing firm until the end. It is well worth listening to and passing on to others. In it, he gives 4 essentials to perseverance in the Christian life (here they are in my own words):1. Commune with God daily.
2. Appropriate the gospel daily.
3. Consecrate yourself to God daily.
4. Believe in the sovereignty and love of God.
Of course, he makes the point that all these are dependent on the grace of God.
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
The Preservation of The Saints
I love the doctrine of the perseverance of the saints (The "P" in TULIP). However, I would much rather call it the preservation of the saints (along with R.C. Sproul). I have no confidence in my ability to persevere. My confidence is in God's power and promises to preserve my faith. I must persevere. However, the only way I will persevere until the end is if God keeps me. Preservation is more basic than perseverance. And, the Bible is full of promises that God will preserve the faith of all those He saves. Here is a sampling of passages from my sermon last Sunday:
John 10:27-30
27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. 30 I and the Father are one.”
Philippians 1:3-6
3 I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, 4 always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. 6 And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.
2 Timothy 1:8-12
8 Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, 9 who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, 10 and which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, 11 for which I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher, 12 which is why I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that Day what has been entrusted to me.
Romans 8:28-30
28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. 29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.
Romans 8:37-39
37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Ephesians 1:11-14
11 In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, 12 so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. 13 In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.
Hebrews 12:1-2
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
1 Peter 1:3-5
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 5 who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
Jude 24-25
24 Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, 25 to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.
1 Corinthians 1:4-9
4 I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus, 5 that in every way you were enriched in him in all speech and all knowledge— 6 even as the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you— 7 so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ, 8 who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Hebrews 10:14
14 For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.
1 John 2:19
19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us.
John 6:37-40
37 All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. 38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. 39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. 40 For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.
I ended the sermon with 3 concluding observations:
1. Warning: It is possible for someone to think they are a Christian and not be. The Bible makes clear the possibility of being deceived.
2. This doctrine does not give us a license to sin.
3. This doctrine should propel us to live radically for God.
John 10:27-30
27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. 30 I and the Father are one.”
Philippians 1:3-6
3 I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, 4 always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. 6 And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.
2 Timothy 1:8-12
8 Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, 9 who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, 10 and which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, 11 for which I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher, 12 which is why I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that Day what has been entrusted to me.
Romans 8:28-30
28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. 29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.
Romans 8:37-39
37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Ephesians 1:11-14
11 In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, 12 so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. 13 In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.
Hebrews 12:1-2
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
1 Peter 1:3-5
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 5 who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
Jude 24-25
24 Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, 25 to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.
1 Corinthians 1:4-9
4 I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus, 5 that in every way you were enriched in him in all speech and all knowledge— 6 even as the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you— 7 so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ, 8 who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Hebrews 10:14
14 For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.
1 John 2:19
19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us.
John 6:37-40
37 All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. 38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. 39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. 40 For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.
I ended the sermon with 3 concluding observations:
1. Warning: It is possible for someone to think they are a Christian and not be. The Bible makes clear the possibility of being deceived.
2. This doctrine does not give us a license to sin.
3. This doctrine should propel us to live radically for God.
Sunday, July 29, 2007
The Kindness of God
God displayed His kindness to me in an unexpected way on Saturday morning. My family and I got back from Texas earlier this week and I have been looking forward to sitting under the exposition of Romans 8:12-17 by our associate pastor, Jonathan. It is always refreshing for a preacher to be able to listen to God's Word exposited since he is usually the one expositing. And, I was looking forward to some golf with one of the men attending my church. We haven't had a chance to play and we finally were going to be able to since I wasn't preaching on Sunday. Our tee time was scheduled for 9:14am and I arrived at the course around 8:45 excited to fellowship with a friend and take in the beautiful day. As we stood in the pro shop waiting to pay for our round, my phone vibrated in my pocket. I was very close to putting that phone in my golf bag just minutes before. I am thankful I didn't.
It was my wife who had just heard from Jonathan's wife. Jonathan had gotten very sick Friday evening and was not going to be able to preach Sunday. I instantly had a decision. Do I ignore the inevitable for a few hours and go ahead and play? Or, do I pack the clubs back in the trunk and begin a long day of preparing a sermon I wasn't expecting to preach?
I loaded the clubs back up, took a shower, packed a lunch, and headed toward the office. For a split second, my pride, selfishness, and worldliness seized me. My plans had been all messed up. God quickly reminded me of my love for Christ Baptist Church, for preaching, and for the honor of His name. I was thankful that God had broke in on my plans. It was His kindness to me.
So I sat at my desk with a huge question: "In the limited amount of time I have, how can I most honor God and benefit the church tomorrow?" I quickly listed about 6 possibilities. One idea (my charismatic friends would call that an "impression") was extremely attractive. Led by the Spirit, I decided to preach on a topic that has been buring at my heart lately: The Preservation (Perseverance) of the saints.
I guess you could call it a topical sermon because I used about 15 different passages. It was a unique labor of love.
You can listen to it at our church website.
I'll try to post some notes soon.
Here is a good book on perseverance and assurance: The Race Set Before Us
It was my wife who had just heard from Jonathan's wife. Jonathan had gotten very sick Friday evening and was not going to be able to preach Sunday. I instantly had a decision. Do I ignore the inevitable for a few hours and go ahead and play? Or, do I pack the clubs back in the trunk and begin a long day of preparing a sermon I wasn't expecting to preach?
I loaded the clubs back up, took a shower, packed a lunch, and headed toward the office. For a split second, my pride, selfishness, and worldliness seized me. My plans had been all messed up. God quickly reminded me of my love for Christ Baptist Church, for preaching, and for the honor of His name. I was thankful that God had broke in on my plans. It was His kindness to me.
So I sat at my desk with a huge question: "In the limited amount of time I have, how can I most honor God and benefit the church tomorrow?" I quickly listed about 6 possibilities. One idea (my charismatic friends would call that an "impression") was extremely attractive. Led by the Spirit, I decided to preach on a topic that has been buring at my heart lately: The Preservation (Perseverance) of the saints.
I guess you could call it a topical sermon because I used about 15 different passages. It was a unique labor of love.
You can listen to it at our church website.
I'll try to post some notes soon.
Here is a good book on perseverance and assurance: The Race Set Before Us
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