Change Because of Salvation

“Change Because of Salvation”

Prov. 28:13-14; 3:12; 1 Pet. 1:14-15; Isa. 59:1-2 

SUBJECT: CORRECTION ADVERSITY COMPELS US TO MAKE 

THEME: Examine Your Attitude Toward Evil and Sin When Trouble Invades Your Life. 

RELEVANCY: God Desires for Us to Correct Our Attitude Toward Evil and Turn Away from the Practices of Sin. Sin usually leads to even more sin; it is certain that the “hardened heart shall fall into mischief.” God desires to compel all of us to engage in periodic self-examination so we may face up to our own sin and to do the difficult work of changing our beliefs and our behavior. 

INTRODUCTION:

The Scriptures tell us, God is a God of absolutes. We are either evil or righteous, based upon what we have decided to do in response to Jesus Christ and His shed blood on the cross.

 In Thought, Word, and Deed, You, like Everyone Else in the World, Stand Guilty Before God. We must remember who we are in his sight -- alienated sinners. Don't deny that you are a sinner. Instead, allow your desperate need to point you toward Christ.   It is the person who acknowledges their own sinfulness and expresses a willingness to reject sinful behavior who will obtain mercy.  Don’t try to cover your sin with excuses or try to blame others for your failures, this only leads to a hardened heart and more mischief, calamity, and trouble!

Sin Is in Our Nature and must Be Faced by Every Person.

The last time someone accused you of wrongdoing, what was your reaction? Denial, argument, and defensiveness?

The Bible tells us the world stands silent and accountable before almighty God. No excuses or arguments are left.

MESSAGE:

TROUBLE COMPELS US TO CORRECT OUR HARBORING OF EVIL.

Proverbs 28:13-14, He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy. [14] Happy is the man that feareth alway: but he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into mischief.

Obviously, we invite trouble and mischief into our lives when we harbor sin and evil by refusing to confess and forsake our sins. Again, those who conceal their sins will not prosper, while those who confess and forsake them will receive mercy. Additionally, God emphasizes that a person who fears Him is happy, whereas one who hardens their heart will face “mischief”. It is vitally important to honestly and humbly relate to God.

Hardening one's heart can lead to spiritual blindness and separation from God's rest and promises.

Hardening one's heart, as referenced in Hebrews 3, leads to dire spiritual consequences, including disbelief and disobedience. The Israelites' failure to trust in God resulted in their exclusion from entering the promised land, serving as a strong warning for Christians today. When individuals ignore the promptings of the Holy Spirit and the truths of Scripture, they risk becoming spiritually blind and deaf to God’s voice. This hardened state not only deprives them of the joy and peace found in Christ but also results in a lack of assurance and rest, as they attempt to navigate life apart from divine guidance and grace. Believers are encouraged to remain soft-hearted, always responsive to God’s call (Hebrews 3:8-11, Psalm 95:8-11). (From Bill Parker, The Tragedy of Unbelief)                      

A.  CORRECTION THROUGH SALVATION. 

Persisting in sinful patterns and willful disobedience to God is a primary cause of a hardened heart. The Bible warns that those who continue in sin and ignore God’s commands are at risk of developing calloused mindsets. Hebrews 3:7-8 cautions, “Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice,
Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness.” Continually indulging in sins like sexual immorality, greed, pride, bitterness, and hatred corrodes one’s spiritual sensitivity and receptiveness to God (1 Cor. 6:9-10, Gal. 5:19-21, Eph. 4:17-19). (See Bible Gateway)

God emphasizes the importance and preciousness of remaining receptive to His voice/guidance and warns against setting our interest and concerns against Him; He uses Israel’s rebellion during their time in the wilderness to exhort us today.

   1. Receive Salvation as a Free Opportunity of Grace.

Our salvation is not a matter of works but of a willful receiving of Jesus Christ into our lives. (Eph. 2:4-5,8-9).

Titus 3:5-6, Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; [6] Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;

2 Tim. 1:9-10, Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, [10] But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel:

Salvation is fundamentally a gift of grace rather than a result of human effort. This idea is central to Christian conversion, emphasizing that individuals cannot earn salvation through their own actions or merits. Instead, it is granted by God through faith in Jesus Christ.

1. Understanding Grace is defined as God's unearned favor, which means that salvation is not something that can be achieved through good deeds or adherence to the law. Ephesians 2:8 highlights that salvation comes by grace through faith, underscoring that it is not a result of human effort.
2. The Role of Faith is trusting in Jesus Christ as essential for receiving this grace. It is through faith that believers accept the gift of salvation, which transforms our lives.
3. Misunderstandings of Salvation—A common misconception is that salvation can be earned, leading to a reliance on personal merit or commitment. This belief is countered by the biblical teaching that salvation is God’s gift to believers (Jn. 4:10; 2 Cor. 9:15; Eph. 2:8-9; Rom. 6:23).

Salvation is a divine act of grace, emphasizing reliance on God’s mercy rather than human effort or determination.

   2. Open The Door of Your Life to Christ to Enter God’s Kingdom.

If we shut the door of our souls to Christ, we are outside God's Kingdom. Thus, the door to our lives must be open by us—God does not force His way in nor manipulate us to gain access. While it is true the Father will draw a sinner to Himself, we sinners still must invite the Lord Jesus into our lives.

Rev. 3:20, Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.    

John 3:3, Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

John 3:5, Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

John 3:7, Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

John 3:16-17, For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. [17] For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

1. The concept of the Kingdom of God represents God's sovereign rule over all creation and the realm where His will is perfectly fulfilled. The accessibility of this Kingdom emphasis both the openness of the Kingdom to all who seek it and the conditions required for entry.

2. The Kingdom of God is presented as both a present reality and a future hope. Jesus Christ, in His earthly ministry, proclaimed the nearness of the Kingdom, inviting all to enter through repentance and faith. In Mark 1:15, Jesus declares, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.” This invitation underscores the accessibility of the Kingdom to those who turn from sin and embrace the good news of Jesus Christ.

3. While the Kingdom is indeed accessible and entrance is free, it does come with the cost of discipleship. First salvation and then discipleship subsequently. Jesus calls His followers to a life of self-denial and cross-bearing. In Luke 9:23, He instructs, “And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.” This call to discipleship involves a willingness to forsake all for the sake of the Kingdom, highlighting the depth of commitment required to access its fullness. Unfortunately, this very point confuses so many people; they have failed to distinguish conversion from discipleship—entrance into the kingdom from continuing with the King!

The Kingdom of God's accessibility is a profound truth that invites all to partake in the divine life through faith in Jesus Christ. It is a Kingdom marked by grace, requiring a response of faith, humility, and obedience. While the path is narrow and the cost significant, the invitation is extended to all, promising eternal life and communion with God to those who enter. (See Bible Hub)

    3.  Choose Eternal Life Instead of Eternal Death.

John 3:36, He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

Here we have the ultimate spiritual choice: faith in, “the Son,” Jesus Christ which yields eternal life, while rejecting Him results in eternal separation from God in Hell. It contrasts the believer’s present possession of “everlasting life” with the abiding condemnation of unbelief. “Wrath” describes God’s holy, just, and righteous reaction to sin. The word “abideth” means to ‘remains’ emphasizing God’s judgment is permanent for those who die in their unbelief—sin.

     a.  Without Christ, the Results of Sin are Death.

Romans 6:23, For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

You are free to choose between two masters, but you are not free to manipulate the consequences of your choice. Each of the two masters pays with his own kind of currency. The currency of sin is death. That is all you can expect or hope for in life without God. Christ's currency is eternal life -- new life with God that begins on earth and continues forever with God. What choice have you made? (Dr. C. Stanley)

     b.  With Christ, Sins Are Forgiven and Eternal Life Is Given (John 3:36; Rom. 6:23).

“He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life” requires that true belief is not merely mental agreement; it is active trust and reliance on Jesus as the promised Savior. Believers possess eternal life in the present, securing a restored relationship with God.

            1.  Eternal Life Is a Free ‘Gift’ from God (Rom. 6:23).

If it is a gift, then it is not something that we earn, nor something that must be paid back. Consider the foolishness of someone who receives a gift given out of love and then offers to pay for it.

             2. A Gift Cannot Be Purchased by the Recipient.

A more appropriate response to a loved one who offers a gift is graceful acceptance with gratitude. Our salvation is a gift from God, not something of our own doing (Eph 2:8-9). He saved us because of his kindness and pity, not because we were good enough to be saved (Titus 3:5). How much more we should accept with thanksgiving the gift that God has freely given to us. (Dr. C. Stanley)

    4.  Call Upon Christ to Save You Today.

God is still calling you to trust Christ as your personal Savior today. He still loves you. He still calls you, and His Holy Spirit still attempts to draw you to the Father. You are still an enemy of God, not an heir. Why not call upon the Lord in prayer?

Romans 10:9-13, That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. [10] For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. [11] For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. [12] For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. [13] For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Sin is like a disease that is beyond human cure. Matthew 8:1-4, When he was come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him. [2] And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. [3] And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. [4] And Jesus saith unto him, See thou tell no man; but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.  Leprosy, like AIDS today, was a terrifying disease because there was no known cure. In Jesus' day, the word for leprosy was used for a variety of similar diseases, and some forms were contagious. If a person contracted the contagious type, a priest declared him a leper and banished him from his home and city. The leper was sent to live in a community with other lepers until he either got better or died. Yet when the leper begged Jesus to heal him, Jesus reached out and touched him, even though his skin was covered with the dread disease.

Sin is also an incurable disease—and we all have it. Only Christ's healing touch can miraculously take away our sins and restore us to real living. But first, just like the leper, we must realize our inability to cure ourselves and ask for Christ's saving intervention. We need to confess our uncleanness and appeal to the Great Physician to perform a work of internal cleansing and literally transform our lives. Everyone who came to Jesus in genuine faith went away different, improved, transformed, and internally changed forever! (Dr. C. Stanley)

Calling upon Christ for salvation involves recognizing your need for His grace, turning away from sin with a repentant heart, and trusting in His sacrifice as the God accepted payment. It is a personal act of faith where you surrender your life to Him, believing He died, was buried, and rose again to grant you eternal life.

If you want to call upon Him right now, you can do so through prayer, acknowledging your need for His forgiveness and expressing your trust in Him as your personal Savior.

 

 

Forgiveness is a Matter of Life and Death

 

Forgiveness Is a Matter of Life and Death!

ROM. 3:19-23; 6:23

SUBJECT: FORGIVENESS/ SALVATION

THEME: God Can Forgive Anyone and Everyone Who Receives His Forgiveness…even those with False Guilt. Forgiveness, a Matter of Eternal Life and Death, helps us Understand Why we Need the Savior.

RELEVANCY: Forgiveness is a matter of life and death, eternal life and death. There isn't anything more important that you can do than to receive God's forgiveness and be reconciled to Him.

INTRODUCTION:

I think that all of us are familiar with several concepts about sin and forgiveness. I want to build on this in this message and take you into a fuller understanding of what the Bible teaches about sin, guilt, and our need for a Savior.

You may be a Christian and therefore believe that you don't need to know anything more about sin and guilt. Well, as a Christian, you should be talking to people who are sinners about their need for forgiveness. This message can give you some insights into what to say about sin and forgiveness, and how to encourage a person to accept Christ as Savior.

MESSAGE:

I.  True Or False Guilt Should be Distinguished.

Many people are walking under a dark cloud, feeling God's displeasure or sensing that they should be feeling God's displeasure. Some have a false sense of guilt. Let's recognize several facts about guilt.

A. GENUINE GUILT.

Romans 3:19, Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.

First, genuine guilt is the way we feel when we have sinned. It is the normal response to sinful behavior. Sin causes guilt.

B. FALSE GUILT.

But not all guilt comes from sin. The guilt we feel is sometimes false guilt. It did not originate is something God said or required.

ILLUSTRATION:  Consider for a moment the young woman who is a victim of incest or rape. She may struggle for years with a sense of guilt because she has been a party to a sin. But she was neither the initiator of nor a willing participant in that sin. She is a victim of someone else’s sin. The guilt she feels is false guilt.

C.  DIVINE ACCOUNTABILITY.

    1.  Why is this guilt false when sin has been involved and a person has been associated with sin?

    2.  It is false because from God’s perspective, there is no accountability placed upon that person for what happened.

    3.  True guilt is associated with willful sin, not sin that is against one’s will.

II. Accountability Involving the Will Increases our Understanding of Guilt.

Genuine guilt arises when we willfully act in a way that we know is contrary to God's law.

A.  A SENSE OF ACCOUNTABILITY. 

    1.  An accountability ladder involving the will looks something like this:

forgiveness

sin and guilt

knowledge

moral conscience

   2.  Forgiveness presupposes sin and its attendant guilt. In other words, if you feel no guilt of sin, you feel no need for forgiveness.

   3.  Guilt presupposes knowledge. If you don't know that you have sinned, you don't feel guilty.

   4.  Knowledge presupposes a moral conscience—that you have within you the capacity for determining right from wrong.

          — If you don't have a moral conscience, you don't know whether you are doing wrong.

          — If you are unable to determine right from wrong—perhaps because you are mentally disabled—then you cannot be held accountable for your actions.

Romans 2:14-15, For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: [15] Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;)

B.  THE ROLE OF THE WILL.

In this entire chain of presuppositions is the concept of the will.

     1.  Put the process in reverse.

          A.  If you have the capacity to know right from wrong, and you know something is wrong but you do it anyway, you will feel guilty and have a need for forgiveness.

          B.  You have acted out of your will to do something that you know not to do. You have willfully acted in a way that is wrong, and you are, therefore, accountable for your actions.

     2.  You may say, “Are you telling me that if I don't know something is wrong, I'm not accountable for that sin?” That's exactly what I'm saying, but hear me carefully when I say that very few people fall into that category. Very young children or someone who is mentally disabled for instance.

     3.  Most of us know what to do.

           A.  Most of us know what not to do.

           B.  And most of us choose, at some points in our lives, to do what we know not to do.

           C.  This is true for all people. Human beings around the world have an intuitive sense of what is right and wrong, and they know when they are choosing wrong (Rom. 1:18-23).

ILLUSTRATION: Consider for a moment a three-year-old child who is told specifically, “Don't touch Mommy's special vase.” The child is brought into the living room and told, “In this room, I want you to look at things but not touch them.” The child may even be shown the vase and be allowed to touch it under the careful supervision of her mother as Mommy says, “This is the vase I don't want you to touch, except when I am with you and we are touching it just as we are touching it right now.”

The mother asks the child, “Do you understand what I am telling you?” The child nods yes and may even say, “I won't touch your vase, Mommy.”

The next hour, what does Mommy hear from the living room? The crash of her favorite vase.

Now, nobody had to teach that little girl to disobey. We teach our children to obey, but they are born with the ability to disobey.

C.  WE ARE BORN WITH A REBELLIOUS HEART.

And even when we know that we aren't to do certain things because God has commanded us not to do them, we sometimes choose to do those things. Paul wrote, “Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.” (Rom. 8:7).

We are born with a rebellious nature. And we are accountable for our deeds performed in rebellion against God's commandments.

Again, guilt is true guilt when it is the by-product of our willful sin. Guilt is false guilt when it is the by-product of another person's willful sin.

D.  WHAT TO DO WITH FALSE GUILT.

    1.  What should a person do if he discovers he has been carrying a load of false guilt?

   2.  He should come before his heavenly Father and say, “I confess that I have been carrying a burden that isn't mine. I give this burden of guilt to You today, Lord Jesus. I turn it over to You completely and ask You to carry it. I receive Your forgiveness, and by my faith, I accept the fact that I am free of this guilt and any aspect of sin associated with it. I put my trust in Your Holy Spirit to help me walk in freedom and confidence that I bear no penalty for that incident in my past. In Jesus' name, amen!”

III.  A Definition of Sin Helps Us Appreciate the Savior.

A.  SIN IS MISSING THE MARK.

James 2:10, For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.

Some people define sin as “missing the mark”—just as an arrow misses a bull's-eye on a target. God's commandments are the target, and we miss God's ideal when we sin.

    1.  We Miss the Mark of God’s Standards.  In the O.T. the Ten Commandments are God’s Perfect Standards and in the New Testament, Jesus Christ is.  If we are as perfect and flawless as Jesus Christ then we are good enough to go to Heaven.  But none of us are, we actually miss the mark of Christ! 

    2.  We Miss the Mark of God’s Character. Secondly, God’s Holy Character is the target, He is absolutely perfect and His demands are exacting.  He cannot tolerate even the smallest deviation from the standard of morale perfection and rectitude.

    3.  One Sin Makes a Man a Sinner!   A man may live and ‘extremely good life,’ but he will still miss the mark that God’s own Holiness demands.

B.  SIN IS FALLING SHORT. 

Romans 3:23, For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

Others define sin as “falling short” of God's perfect will. God's desire is that we live in wholeness and follow Him explicitly in all His commandments and directives. We fail to do so in our imperfection, and that is sin.

C.  SIN IS TRESPASSING.

2 Cor. 5:19, To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

Col. 2:13, And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;

Still others define sin as “trespassing.” God has areas of behavior that He designates off-limits to us, and we trespass into those territories and are subject to penalty. Or we trespass against another person. We have sinned against God and others.

 D.  SIN IS REJECTING.

My personal favorite definition of sin comes from Jeremiah 2:13, which says, For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.

    1.  Rejecting a Free and Abundant Supply.

       — Cisterns are wells that are dug into the earth, usually into solid rock, with the intention of holding water.

       — God is painting a fascinating word picture in these words of the prophet. He is saying, “You have rejected Me as a fountain of living water for your life.”

       — A fountain is an artesian spring—one that bubbles up from the earth with an unending supply of fresh, pure water. A fountain gives water that is free for the asking.

    2.  Rejecting an Opportunity to Ask Christ for Living Water.

ILLUSTRATION: Jesus encountered a Samaritan woman by the well of Sychar, and in the course of His conversation with her, He said of Himself, “If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is who saith to thee, ‘Give Me to drink,’ thou would have asked of Him, and He would have given thee living water” (John 4:10). Jesus is painting this same word picture about Himself—He has life to give that is eternal and is freely offered. His forgiveness—and the eternal life associated with it—is a fountain from which we can draw in an unending fashion. His forgiveness is free for the asking.

    3. Choosing One’s Own Actions for Satisfaction.   

“But” God says through Jeremiah, “instead of choosing My living water, you have chosen to build cisterns.” 

        — To build is an act of the will. The cistern builders rejected the artesian spring for a well of their own making.

        — And the Lord noted with sadness but with certainty, “It is a broken cisterns.” There is a crack in the cistern, which means that it won't hold the water.

APPLICATION: “Everything you try to do to achieve your own forgiveness is futile,” God is saying. “You can dig and dig, you can make cistern after cistern, you can strive and struggle all you want, and it will never bring you forgiveness.”

The only forgiveness we can ever experience is God's forgiveness, granted God's way. Anytime we attempt to meet any of our needs or accomplish anything by means other than God's means, we are setting ourselves up for eventual failure. We are building a broken cistern. If we want to be our own savior, rather than accept the Savior whom God has provided, we will fail in our attempt.

IV.  Sin is A Willful Choice Against God’s Forgiveness.

A.  IT WILL RESULT IN DEATH.

Ultimately, people's willful choices against God can form a pattern that leads to eternal death. God doesn't want to send people to hell. People choose to go there. They choose to trample upon the blood of Jesus; they choose to walk nonchalantly by the cross; they choose to avoid the empty tomb. They choose to ignore the songs of redemption they have heard a thousand times. They choose to harden their hearts to the prayers of others on their behalf. They choose to turn a deaf ear to sermons that speak of salvation and to the witness of Christ's love from friends and strangers. They choose to ignore and repress the countless promptings of the Holy Spirit tugging at their hearts. They choose to rebel.

B.  IT IS A REFUSAL OF FORGIVENESS.

My friend, you really have to work to refuse God's gift of forgiveness. But some do. They refuse to give up their pride and to submit to doing things God's way. They refuse to drink from the fountain of His living water freely made available to them, and they strive instead to build cisterns—cisterns that inevitably will break and fail to satisfy the deep thirst of the soul.

V.  Forgiveness Is an Eternal Gift from God.

Throughout the New Testament, forgiveness is pictured as a gift of God. Romans 6:23 tells us, “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.”

A.   A GIFT IS FREE TO YOU.

You don't have to do something significant or ordinary to earn it. You just simply receive it. God is presenting eternal life to you…take it, receive it…it is paid for by God for you. That's the way God offers forgiveness to you. He extends it to you as a gift. You cannot earn your salvation.

B.  DEATH IS WHAT WE’VE EARNED.

Note that “the wages of sin is death.” Forgiveness does not belong in the same category as earning what you deserve, taking a payment, or obtaining the gross or profit of our labors. The lake of fire is earned! Death is earned through repeated disobedience and rejection of God’s forgiveness. You can earn the consequences for disobedience, but you can never earn forgiveness. It is God’s free gift—His living water.

C.  RECEIVE GOD’S FORGIVENESS TODAY.

The only thing you have to do to receive forgiveness is to receive forgiveness. And when you do, you truly have made a choice for life. Again, we cannot simply believe anything about Jesus or be forgiven for any reason. We must believe the Son of God, Jesus Christ, died for our sins, was buried, and God raise Him up again the third day for our justification before The Father (see 1 Cor. 15:1-4 and Rom 3:21-31). I beg you to understand that it is faith in Jesus Christ and His Gospel that is the power of God that saves us…that grant us forgiveness (Rom. 1:14-17). Again, receive God’s forgiveness even now. This is how we experience God’s spiritual birth.

Remember, you are not beyond God’s forgiveness. No matter what you have done…no sin is too extreme, too undeserving, too awful, or too pervasive for God to forgive. It does not matter who you are…no person is so deep in sin, so firmly implanted in maliciousness, so ingrained in a lifestyle, so deeply rooted in wickedness, so steeped in evil, that he or she cannot be saved. Any sin and sinner, including you and yours, can be forgiven by God.

CONCLUSION: I invite you to read carefully the words of an Old Testament prophet who knew about the nature of sin, guilt, and the obstinacy of the human will when it is turned against God. Daniel wrote profoundly about sin, yet with the hope and belief that God not only does forgive, but will forgive. Let his words speak to your heart today. Make them your prayer.

Daniel 9:3-10,  And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes: [4] And I prayed unto the Lord my God, and made my confession, and said, O Lord, the great and dreadful God, keeping the covenant and mercy to them that love him, and to them that keep his commandments; [5] We have sinned, and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing from thy precepts and from thy judgments: [6] Neither have we hearkened unto thy servants the prophets, which spake in thy name to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land. [7] O Lord, righteousness belongeth unto thee, but unto us confusion of faces, as at this day; to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and unto all Israel, that are near, and that are far off, through all the countries whither thou hast driven them, because of their trespass that they have trespassed against thee. [8] O Lord, to us belongeth confusion of face, to our kings, to our princes, and to our fathers, because we have sinned against thee. [9] To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgivenesses, though we have rebelled against him; [10] Neither have we obeyed the voice of the Lord our God, to walk in his laws, which he set before us by his servants the prophets.

Daniel 9:16, O Lord, according to all thy righteousness, I beseech thee, let thine anger and thy fury be turned away from thy city Jerusalem, thy holy mountain: because for our sins, and for the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and thy people are become a reproach to all that are about us.

Daniel 9:19, O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord, hearken and do; defer not, for thine own sake, O my God: for thy city and thy people are called by thy name.

How Should We View Israel's Rejection?

Romans 11:1-10

SUBJECT: ISRAEL’S FUTURE

THEME: Israel’s rejection is not total, final, or permanent; in fact, God is saving individual Jews by His grace when they believe the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 

INTRODUCTION:

Rom. 11:1-2a, I say then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew.

Paul’s opening question is, “Hath God cast away his people?” That is has God utterly, completely, and finally cast away the nation of Israel? Since the question is rhetorical, Paul answers, “God forbid!” Meaning certainly not! No, every single Israelite has not been cast away. He follows with the reason through a series of illustrations and Old Testament references demonstrating how God historically reserved a handful of faithful believers even in seasons of extreme national apostasy.

Israel’s Rejection by God is not Total; He has Always Reserved a Remnant for Himself; Therefore, Individual Jews can be Saved by Grace.

Remember Chapter 10 of Romans ended with the fact that the Nation of Israel refused to pay attention to the message and messengers of God. Paul described them as a “disobedient and gainsaying people.” There was nothing deficient in the message of God, they opted to close their ears to it. Likewise, there is no weakness in the Gospel of Jesus Christ even though the nation of Israel has rejected it. The majority chose not to believe, but there is a remnant!

CONSIDER THE TWO GROUPS OF ISRAEL (Rom. 11:1-10)

There is the minority group of believing Jews, and then there is the majority group of Christ-rejecting Jews.

The Minority Group Represents the Saved Remnant of Israel (Rom. 11:1-6)

God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Wot ye not what the scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession to God against Israel, saying, Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life. But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal. Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace (Rom. 11:2-5).

The Minority Group Is Represented by Paul (Rom. 11:1).  

The converted Pharisee, Apostle Paul, represents the believing remnant of Israel in this Age of Grace. Remember Romans 10:8-13, “Whosoever” includes Jews and Gentiles! We know that all Jews have not been cast away because Paul himself was a Jew and he certainly was a saved man. Exhibit A is Paul himself as proof that God has not fully rejected all of His covenant people Israel. Actually, Paul’s conversion in Acts 9 can be understood as a foreshadow of the conversion of the entire nation of Israel one day. They will acknowledge Jesus’ Lordship, trust Him as Savior, and serve Him faithfully after His glorious future revelation and return to the earth!

The Minority Group Is Represented by Elijah (Rom. 11:2-4).  

Elijah pictures the believing remnant of Israel throughout the life of the nation of Israel. The situation of Israel today is similar to that which existed in Elijah’s time. The mass of the nation had turned away from God to serve the idol Baal. It was so bad that Elijah prayed against his nation instead of for it!     

During Elijah’s season of discouragement, he was convinced he was the only believer in his day, and to make a bad situation worse, his life was in danger according to the death warrant issued by the queen of Israel. Who would worship Jehovah then? In those difficult times, the prophet actually made “intercession to God against Israel” (11:2). Can you imagine national conditions being so sinful and idolatrous that you feel compelled to pray judgment upon your own country? But God (who fully understood the truth) quickly informed him that: “I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal” (Rom. 11:4; see also 1 Kings 19:10, 14,18).

What was true then is true today: God never leaves Himself without a witness. Though it may be modest, He always has a faithful remnant chosen as special objects of His grace (Vs 5, ... “according to the election of grace”). The fact that God always has a remnant of believing Jews is proof that He has not totally and finally cast aside Israel!

The Minority Group Represents the Principles of Salvation for Every Age (Rom. 11:6).

Rom 11:4-6, But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal. 5, Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace. 6, And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.

Like us, God did not choose this remnant on the basis of their cleaver and devoted works, services, or rituals! No, God's actions evidenced His own sovereign electing grace (vs 6). That is God saved them on the basis of unmerited, undeserved, unqualified, and unwarranted kindness. It is the same way God has always saved anyone who is saved or ever will be saved. Grace is always the basis of salvation. Paul also clearly insists that Grace and Law are mutually exclusive, and they can never be mixed. If you tried to combine them, you will in effect destroy them both. While Law and Grace cannot be fused together, they do complement each other. Law prepares us to see ourselves as sinners in need of the Savior. Accordingly, God saves repentant sinners by special favor motivated by His great love and nothing else—grace. Praise the Most High God that even this remnant under the Law from Elijah’s day were saved by Grace and not on the basis of their works/performance. If salvation was by our actions of service, we all would be damned to Hell for all eternity. God requires perfection and none of us measures up to the absolute perfection in Jesus Christ! Principally speaking, this minority group represents the saved, redeemed of every age! Praise our gracious Lord, I am in this group! What about you?

The Majority Group Represents the Unsaved of Israel (Rom. 11:7-10)

What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded (Rom. 11:7).

The Nation of Israel desires salvation, but they are going about securing it entirely wrong. Israel failed to obtain righteousness because they sought it through self-effort instead of through the finished work of Christ Jesus. In contrast, this elect minority—the chosen remnant—did indeed obtain God-given righteousness through faith in the Lord Jesus. As a result, the majority of the nation of Israel has and will suffer various forms of God’s judgments. Review the history of the nation….

God Punished Them with Blindness (Rom. 11:7) “and the rest were blinded”: This blindness is a judicial act of Almighty God because of their unbelief, and their insistence upon trusting in their own efforts of self-righteousness (Rom. 10:2-4). They refused to believe God; they would not exercise faith in the all-sufficient atonement of Christ our Lord. Therefore, their refusal to receive the Messiah resulted in a decreased capacity and inclination to receive Him. This is exactly what the OT predicted would happen. Spiritual blindness is an act of divine judgment. Beloved, unbelief is an exceedingly serious matter to God!

Isaiah Predicted This Form of Slumber, Blindness, and Deafness: Compare Romans 11:8 with Isaiah 29:10.

According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear; unto this day (Rom. 11:8).

Today Israel as a nation is in a spiritual stupor; they have become insensitive to spiritual realities, because they refused their Savior and Lord Jesus Christ. Christ is key and central to comprehending God’s redemptive work and gracious plan, if you reject Him then nothing makes any sense at all. The greater number of the national population is in this group who have lost their power to see spiritual reality; therefore, they stumble around in utter darkness!

David Predicted This Curse of Enslavement to Blindness: Compare Romans 11:9-10 with Psalm 69:22-23.

And David saith, Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, and a stumblingblock, and a recompence unto them: Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, and bow down their back alway (Rom. 11 :9-10).

Understand, that no nation was ever privileged and blessed like Israel was historically. It was God who prepared an unrivaled “table” of spiritual and national benefits for them! Yet, the sum total of their abundant blessings became a source of curses to them! Yes, it even became a form of entrapment judgment upon them! Finally, it proved to be a stumbling block—an obstacle of great offense to them. Both prophets Isaiah and David predicted this. Present-day Israel is thus plagued with a threefold blindness:

         1) The blindness caused by the fall of Adam (Eph. 4:18)

         2) The blindness caused by Satan (2 Cor. 4:4)

         3) The blindness caused by God (Rom. 11:8)

Beloved, there is a sober warning for each of us in these words of Scripture. The things we cherish most can become the very source of our stumbling, blindness, and rejection of the mind and heart of God for each of us. You see a refusal to accept God’s truth and Christian responsibility will result in spiritual blindness for both sinner and saint alike. Peter warms NT believers of the possibility of spiritual senility taking over and crippling our potential for Christ (2Pet. 1:8-10). The writer of Hebrews cautions believers of the awful condition of growing backwards and reverting back to spiritual infancy (Heb. 5:11-14). It is vitally important that we pursue godly growth and maintain real sensitivity to the Holy Spirit, the Holy Scriptures, our Holy Savior, and our Holy Sovereign.

It is a frightful thing to contemplate becoming so enamored with the blessings that I dismiss the God who blessed me! I shudder at the thought of allowing a human relationship, a professional path, a standard of living, a certain church family, or an unjustified prioritization of convenience and comfort over God’s will, godly convictions, and surrender to Christ. Too many of God’s people can delineate their blessings, but they cannot imagine life without those privileges…not even when God summons them to go further and deeper with Him in life and service. Saying NO, to what God is trying to teach us and refusing to accept God’s will for us is literally asking for His chastening!

CONCLUSION:

Because of the things we’ve explored, we are assured that God still has plans for His covenant people. Once again, the Nation of Israel will be saved by grace through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and according to the Covenant of God to Abraham. God will fulfill all His great promises to the nation. In the meantime, God will save the Jewish person who repents believing the Gospel of Jesus our Lord. Therefore, Israel’s rejection is not entire, permanent and certainly not final—she has a brilliant future before her when she turns to Jesus Christ in faith.

Now consider this brilliant and powerful description of Jesus Christ, the Savior,

In whom [Christ our Lord] we have redemption [Redeemer] through his blood [Blood Atonement], even the forgiveness of sins [Forgiver of our sins]: [15] Who is the image of the invisible God [Revealer & Representative of God], the firstborn [The Unique Superior & Sovereign over creation] of every creature: [16] For by him [Jesus] were all things created [Creator], that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones [Superior to all creatures], or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him [Originator], and for him [Supreme Purpose & Meaning]: [17] And he [Jesus] is before all things [Preeminent One], and by him all things consist [The Providential Sustainer]. (Col. 1:14-17)

Beloved, because of these truths and Paul’s constant proclamation of Jesus Christ as the perfect, divine, all-sufficient Lord, we do not need to add anything to Him and His work to be saved. Nor should be supplement Jesus to find fulfillment, completion, confidence, maturity, power, victory, or meaning in this life and the next! Come Jews and Gentiles alike…there is room at the Cross for all. Come religious person and atheistic person to this one Savior and Lord. He promises to save, to give life to, to forgive, to receive you, to be your Savior when you trust Him. Remember, it is Jesus who died, was buried, and rose again the third day. Yes, He is alive to rescue you from spiritual destruction and hell because of your sin. Listen, God forgave even me when I repented trusting Jesus…He will certainly do likewise for you. Turn to Him now. Cry out to Him for forgiveness, confess that Jesus is the Lord God who became a man to die for our sins. Believe in your heart of hearts that God raised Him from the dead proving that Jesus had conquered sin, death, and hell for us. Our Lord Jesus, the very Son of God, is the consummate Savior! The question remains, is He your Savior? Why not trust the Lord today?