God Finishes What He Starts

Welcome to the Preaching of the Cross Radio Podcast, featuring the radio ministry of Pastor James W.

Knox of the Bible Baptist Church of Delant, Florida.

Our prayer is that these half-hour Bible study programs will bring the lost to a saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ and enable the saved to grow in the grace and knowledge of the Savior.

Now here's your host, Pastor James W.

Knox.

I'm Brother James, and I greet you one more time in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

And I welcome you to the Preaching of the Cross radio broadcast.

We have been on the air weekly since 1981, five days a week since 1991, and all hours of every day on the World Wide Web preaching the good news that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief, that he died upon the cross, was buried, rose again, ascended to the Father's right hand, is coming again in power and in glory, and that salvation is by grace through faith.

It is the gift of God given to all who will believe the gospel.

We began several programs ago to discuss the eternal security, don't be scared by those words, the eternal security of the saved born-again believer.

Religious people do not have eternal security.

People who are trying to work their way to heaven by sacraments, membership, baptisms, good deeds, forsaking bad deeds any other way.

Anyone who tries to come any other way into heaven, Jesus said, is a thief and a robber, and they won't get in.

But if they come to Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ will escort them into heaven by the marvelous grace of God through the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ.

We are discussing Romans 8, 38, and 39, and we're going to branch out from there today.

But a few more thoughts on these verses before we leave them.

And if you haven't been with us, this is what the Bible says.

For I'm persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Now, now, listen, please.

God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

That's John 3.16.

You know that verse.

In 1 John, the Bible says that God is love, and people count on that.

Listen, if God wasn't love, there would be no way for you to be saved.

If God wasn't loved, uh wasn't love, you couldn't be saved.

But people misunderstand.

They think that because God is love and because God loved them enough to send his son to die for them, that everything's settled and he wouldn't, there's no way he'd send them to hell.

There couldn't possibly be a lake of fire.

I will, says every sinner, I will be in heaven because God is love.

But salvation, salvation is a different matter.

Look at the wording of the verse.

The Bible says, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Now hear me carefully.

God so loved the world that takes in you, that he gave his only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, died on the cross, was buried, rose again.

That whosoever, that includes you, believeth in him, should not perish but have everlasting life.

So there is the love of God for your soul that was manifest in the love of God which sent Jesus Christ to the cross to die for your sins.

But the love of God that saves you eternally is found in Christ Jesus.

So if you listen to my voice right now and you are a member of a religion, but you've never trusted Christ as your Savior, and just pick any one.

Muslim, Buddhist, Mormon, Jehovah's Witness, Baptist, Methodist, uh, Catholic, Episcopalian, uh, Hindu, uh, Church of Christ, Church of God, Scientology, just pick one.

Doesn't matter.

Doesn't matter.

You say God loves me, no doubt.

You say God loved me enough to send his son to die for me.

That is true.

Therefore, I have eternal life.

Not true.

Not true.

The saving love of God is in Christ Jesus.

And until you get in Christ Jesus, not in water, not in a church, not in a denomination, not in a religion, until you get in Christ Jesus, the saving love of God and the sealing love of God and the keeping forever love of God is not yours.

It's in Christ Jesus.

Do you know him?

Have you trusted him?

The moment you trust him, the Bible says, 1 Corinthians 12, verses 12 and 13, that God takes you the sinner like he took me the sinner, takes you out of your sin and puts you into Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians 12:12

And God's reckoning, God's estimation, God's accounting, when you trust Jesus Christ as your Savior, God puts you into Jesus Christ.

And there is a love there from which you will never be separated.

And among those things that are not able to separate us, we we've discussed death, uh, life, angels, principalities, powers, things present, things to come, height, depth, and then this phrase we touched on last time.

Nor any other creature.

Frequently, when disputing with those who are convinced that salvation can be lost, that eternal life is not eternal, or that someone's works count for more than the promises of God, a God who cannot lie, when many of the verses we are going to examine, and these that we have been reading, are rejected, the last resort arguments are presented.

And the first of these being, no one can take you out of God's hand, but you can remove yourself.

And the second argument is, well, he will never forsake you, but you can forsake him.

And the third is that no one can separate us from the love of God, but we can separate ourselves.

Now, as to the first, no one can take you out of God's hand, but you can remove yourself.

This argument supposes that a man is of superior power than God.

As though the Lord is attempting to hold on to someone, but they, and their might, tear themselves away from his grasp.

What a silly notion.

The argument misreads John 10.28, and I'll read that to you just quickly because we'll come back to it.

John 10.28.

Here Jesus Christ says, John chapter 10 and verse 28, I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish.

John 10 · chapter mention

Now that's what Jesus said.

It's good enough for me, but it's not if it's not good enough for you.

Listen, please.

Neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.

The verse doesn't say no one shall take them out of his hand, but that no one shall pluck them out of his hand.

We're not lying in his palm or held by his encompassing fingers, but we've been made a living part of his body.

1 Corinthians 12, 25.

Now, if you're going to walk out of that hand, and that's what well, well, God would never let you go from his hand, but you could walk out of it, well, you you better get moving.

I don't think you'll live long enough to do it.

Isaiah 40, verse 12 says this, speaking of God, who hath measured the waters, all of them, oceans, rivers, lakes, streams, rainfall, uh artesian wells, all of it.

Isaiah 40:12

Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and meted out the heaven with a span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains and scales and the hills in a balance.

That's a large hand.

You won't have time to walk out of it.

As to the second argument, Hebrews chapter 12, verses 5 and 6 says to those who who believe that you could uh forsake God, you know, God never forsake you, but you could forsake the Lord.

Hebrews 12:5

Hebrews 12, 5 and 6 doesn't say the Lord will not forsake us, but that he will never leave us nor forsake us.

Should one try to escape from him, he wouldn't simply follow them.

You might wish to leave him, but he'll be found beside you wherever you roam.

Soon the good shepherd will take his wandering sheep in his arms and place you upon his shoulders and carry you back to the sheepfold, and you thought you got away, but you you weren't able.

See, the Bible says no creature is able to separate the believer from the love of God.

As the third argument.

You, my friend, are included in the list of entities which cannot sever the saved from the savior.

Why not just be persuaded?

Why not just rejoice in it?

Now, this is uh written in 1676.

What I'm about to read you is a poem that often doesn't work well.

Someone reading a poem to someone else, but we're gonna try it, we're gonna take a chance on it.

It was written by Paul Gerhard in 1676, as I said a long time ago.

And it's called My High Tower is God for me.

This is what he wrote.

I fear not, though all against me rise.

I call on Christ my Savior, the host of evil flies.

My friend the Lord Almighty, and he who loves me God.

What enemy shall harm me, though coming as a flood?

I know it, I believe it, I say it fearlessly, that God the highest, mightiest, forever loveth me.

At all times, in all places, he standeth at my side.

He rules the battle fury, the tempest, and the tide.

A rock that stands forever is Christ, my righteousness.

And there I stand unfearing in everlasting bliss.

No earthly thing is needful to this my life from heaven, and naught of love is worthy save that which Christ hath given.

Christ, all my praise and glory, my light most sweet and fair, the ship wherein he saileth, it scath everywhere.

In him I dare be joyful, a hero in the war, the judgment of the sinner affrighteth me no more.

There is no condemnation, there is no hell for me, the torment of the fire mine eyes shall never see.

For me there is no sentence, for me death has no stings, because the Lord who saved me shall shield me with his wings.

Above my soul's dark waters, his spirit hovers still, he guards me from all sorrow, from terror, and from ill.

In me he works and blesses the life seed he hath sown.

From him I learn the Abba, that prayer of faith alone.

And if in lonely places, a fearful child I shrink, he prays the prayers within me, I cannot ask or think, in deep unspoken language, known only to that love who fathoms the heart's mystery from the throne of light above.

His spirit to my spirit, sweet words of comfort saith, how God the weak one strengthens who leans on him in faith, how he hath built a city of love of light and song, where the eye at last beholdeth what the heart had loved so long.

And there is mine inheritance, my kingly palace home.

The least may fall and perish, not less the spring will come, as wind and rain of winter, our earthly sighs and tears, till the golden summer dawneth of the endless year of years, the world may pass and perish.

Thou God wilt not remove.

No hatred of all devils can part me from thy love.

No hungering nor thirsting, no poverty nor care, no wrath of mighty princes can reach my shelter there.

No angel and no heaven, no throne nor power nor might, no love, no tribulation, no danger, fear, nor fight.

No height, no depth, no creature that has been or can be can drive me from thy bosom, can sever me from thee.

My heart in joy up leafeth, grief cannot enter there, while singing high in glory amidst the sunshine fair.

The source of all my singing is high in heaven above, the sun that shines upon me is Jesus and his love.

That is as true today, my friend, as it was centuries ago when a persuaded man wrote of his persuasion.

And now, as promised, we enter into Bible-proof texts which stand in support of what we have set forth in Romans 8, verses 38 and 39.

Romans 8:38

If we took one verse of scripture that seemed to suggest or outright stated that a believer has everlasting life and nothing can ever take that away, one could argue and say, well, that's just one verse, and maybe you're taking it out of context, and maybe it's not supported by any other any other passage of the Bible.

And so we're going to start and examine quickly, but but simply, and we trust powerfully, supporting passages that all teach the same thing we have taught from Romans chapter 8.

Romans 8 · chapter mention

And the first of these is Ephesians chapter number 2.

Ephesians chapter 2.

Ephesians 2 · chapter mention

We've quoted it, I believe, twice already in this series, Ephesians 2, verses 8 through 10.

Ephesians 2:8–10

This is what the Bible says.

For by grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves.

It is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast.

For we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

Okay, so what did we just read?

From the mouth of God to the pen of Paul, to the pages of your Bible in mine, what do we just read?

Salvation, God says, is of grace, unmerited, undeserved, and freely given.

What did we read?

What did we read?

From the the word of the Lord in your language for today.

What did you read?

Salvation is said to be bestowed upon all who exercise faith.

It is emphatically stated that salvation is not based upon anything in the sinner or any works done by the sinner.

That that's what you read.

It is the work of God.

Wherefore, wherefore, he gets all the glory, and we get none of the glory.

It is not the work of the sinner, thus, he has no reason to boast.

Saved people are not justified by their works, but as a result of God's workmanship.

It is not what you do and bring to God, it's what God has done and brings to you.

Those children of Adam created in the womb, have a second birth, and are now children of God created in Christ Jesus.

The good works in which the believer is ordained to walk are the result of salvation, not the cause thereof, and not the security thereof.

Now I believe Romans 8, and I believe Ephesians 2, 8 and 9.

And when I put the two together, I have a much stronger reason to believe that my soul is secure.

What's next?

Ephesians 2, let's go back a bit, verses 4 through 6.

Ephesians 2, verses 4 through 6.

Ephesians 2:4–6

Here the Bible says, But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ.

Parentheses, by grace are you saved, and hath raised us up together and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.

All right.

So the mercy and the love of God provided for us the finished sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

Our works had had so little to do with this that we are reminded that we were, in God's estimation, dead in our sins.

By his grace, God quickened us, gave us life, made us alive, brought us to life, raised us from the dead, and restored us to the life that we lost when we gave ourselves to sin.

As surely as Jesus rose from the grave, that's what you read.

If you've trusted Christ as Savior, God has given you life as surely as he gave life to his son Jesus Christ.

You are as surely alive with death behind you as Jesus Christ Himself was alive with death behind him.

That's what you read.

Not only have we been brought from death unto life by the grace of God, but he speaks of us as being listen to this, positioned with him, with Christ, in his ascension into heaven.

Our salvation by God's grace and mercy is so complete that God speaks of us as already being, as as being already in heaven.

With Christ.

Listen, read it again.

I know you won't argue with that.

God who is rich in mercy, and he is.

For his great love wherewith he loved us, and he did.

Even when we were dead in sins, that doesn't leave much for us to do, hath, number one, quickened us together with Christ by grace.

Number two, raised us up together.

Number three, made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.

Now, how could you fail to make it to heaven when God has already given you a seat there with your name on it?

That in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.

Now, please, please, listen, listen, please.

Before, before Jesus Christ ever came into the world, God said he would.

And he came into the world just the way God said he would.

Before Jesus Christ went at the cross, God said he would go to the cross, and he went to the cross exactly, exactly how God said he would.

Before Jesus rose from the dead.

It's written in the Bible when he would rise, how he would rise.

It's all spelled out, and Jesus did it exactly as the scripture said it would be done.

The ascension, the return to heaven, the songs of praise announcing his return are in the Psalms written hundreds of years before he died and was buried and rose again.

And he ascended just as God said he would.

Now let me ask you a question.

If the God who said Christ will come and he did, and Christ will die and he did, and Christ will rise and he did, and Christ will ascend and he did, if the God who wrote all of that in advance and it all came to pass just like God said it, what will you do when God says, if you were ever, if you are ever saved by the grace of God, by trusting Christ Jesus as your Savior, if you are ever saved, in the ages to come, your salvation will be used by God to glorify his love and his son.

How can you refuse to believe that when your being with the Lord in heaven in the ages to come is is is stated, is guaranteed by the same God who guaranteed Christ would die, rise again, and ascend to heaven.

My friend, do you see the folly of trusting your good works?

And do you not see the persuasive power and the benefit to your soul of trusting the word of God?

If God says works don't save, believe him.

If God says salvation is grace, believe him.

If God says faith is what he requires, not works, believe him.

And if God says, not only has he given you life, but everlasting life, and not only are you saved now, but you will be saved in the endless ages to come, why not just believe him?

I do.

I want you to.

I'm persuaded.

I'm trying to persuade you.

God didn't give you something to toy with you, to dangle it in front of you, and then pull it away and pull it away and let you hold it for a little while and then take it back.

No, no, no, no, no.

He looked at the work of his son, and his son cried, It is finished, and the father said, I'll accept that and raised him from the dead.

And he just wants you to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved.

And having been saved, he wants you to believe that your salvation is what he said it is: eternal life.

Eternal life.

Now, to help you, there's only so much we can do in a half-hour program to help you.

We have thousands of hours, no exaggeration, thousands of hours of recorded sermons and Bible studies.

In fact, every verse of the Bible, God has helped me, enabled me, blessed me.

I've taught every verse of the Bible, and it's all recorded, just like we're doing here, verse after verse after verse.

It's all that's available.

Uh dozens of books, if you prefer reading to hearing, dozens of books available.

Uh commentaries on books of the Bible, surveys of Old and New Testament, topical uh subjects, the humanity of Christ, uh the uh signs, wonders, and miracles, the fruit of the spirit, uh all these materials are available.

So we want to help you learn about Jesus Christ, grow in your Christian life.

You may find all of them on our website, jameswnox.org.

Jameswnox.org.

When you go there, it's pretty easy to find your way around.

And if not, there's an email address, and you can ask somebody to help you navigate, find the books, find the recordings.

And so we we hope you'll visit that web address and let us help you uh even more.

Many, many sermons and Bible studies available on the uh the format in which you're watching, if you're watching on the internet and the radio program.

Uh some places it's daily, some places it's weekly, some places it's it's hit and miss.

That's all under the control of your station manager.

We're thankful to be on this station.

Uh the announcer will be on in just a moment to let you know when you can hear us next on this particular station.

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It's a blessing to us.

And those letters of testimony, those encouraging notes, they really mean a lot to us.

All right, until next time, I'm Brother James.

May the Lord richly bless you, and good day.

Join us every weekday for another episode of the Preaching of the Cross Radio Podcast.

For hundreds of hours of in-depth expository Bible teaching, please visit our YouTube channel, James W.

Knox Sermons, our sermon audio page, Bible Baptistoland, or our website, Bible BaptistTeland.com.

Until next time and throughout eternity, may Jesus Christ be praised.