Eternal Security - aka Perseverance of the Saints

Good evening. Thank you again for Pastor Heinrich and Pastor Johnny giving me the privilege of getting up here and opening God's Word with all of you. And I'm going to touch on a subject that's, I'm sure, very dear to the heart of our pastors, and hopefully I handle it well. I'm sure it's dear to the heart of God, so definitely want to handle it well. So I'm going to talk about— I'm sorry you don't have handouts. I had them made and I didn't send it to Valerie in time, so they didn't get put in the bulletin. That's on me. But I'm talking about eternal security tonight. It's also known as preservation or perseverance of the saints, perseverance of the saints. And this came to my mind because of some of the things that are going on in the world. Our world is kind of going crazy. And I think we need to focus on the Word of God instead of paying attention to what the world is doing. But there are some things that the world is doing that I kind of want to bring out because there's some open mocking of God happening in our world. And I kind of wanted to remind myself and remind everybody else what happens when people mock God.

So have you noticed that there's all kinds of deception in our day? There's deception everywhere you look, everywhere you look. It's in the media, it's on social media, it's in politics, it's in the news, it's in society, every area of society. There's all kinds of deception going on. I don't think we should be overly surprised about that. There was deception going on even when the apostles were still here. They were still talking. They were still writing epistles and teaching. And they were warning of heresies that were trying to enter the church. And they were warning the church. John, in 2 John 1-7, said, "For many deceivers have gone out into the world who do not confess Jesus Christ." Jesus Christ is coming in the flesh, this is a deceiver and an antichrist. It was happening then, it continues to happen now.

There was an event this year that happened, um, it— I think it was in July. It happened in July and it happened in England, um, right before the Queen passed away. I think— did she pass away in September? I can't remember exactly the day she passed away, but This was a couple months before. And it kind of went under the radar, maybe because of all the— her death and that, you know, there was what, 10 days of ceremony and all that was happening. And then after that, the prime minister who had only been there for like 6 weeks resigned. And so lots of things going on. And so I think this kind of went under the radar. But in July, there was something called the 2022 Commonwealth Games. Did any of you hear about that? A few people. A few people. So the Commonwealth is referring— the Commonwealth of England is referring to basically a lot of the countries that have once been under the rule of Great Britain. And they're considered part of the British Commonwealth. And these countries— have over time, they've become independent from Britain, but they still have significant ties to England and are influenced, or they have influence or strong economic ties to the United Kingdom. And they, these countries include like Canada, Australia, India, New Zealand, South Africa, there's a couple others. And every 4 years, these countries kind of get together and they have a mini Olympic Games. And they call it the Commonwealth Games. Well, this year the Olympic— those Commonwealth Games were held in Birmingham, England.

Now I'm not really a fan of the games. I used to like the Olympics. As the older I get, the less I enjoy them, probably because of all the nonsense that comes with it. So I didn't really watch it, but then I saw and what concerned me was the opening ceremony to the games. In the ceremony, it began with a video on a big screen showing what looked like a meteor shower coming down to Earth. It was like a shot up into space and you saw these meteors coming down, or it was like stars falling to from heaven to earth, and there were these big glowing crystals inside the meteors. And people were watching this event on TV, and it focuses on this one girl who's watching the event. And these meteors come down and they fall all over the earth. You see them coming. They look like falling stars all over the earth. And people go out looking for these meteors, and this girl does, and she finds one. And inside there's a big glowing crystal. And she begins praying to the crystal. And then people set up these crystals. Everybody goes out and they find these and they set them up and they bow down to them and they worship them. And it reminded me of 2 Corinthians chapter 11, 14 when God tells us that it's no wonder, for Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. But these people are bowing down and they're worshiping these crystals. And I'm going to tie this to a scripture, and it might sound far-fetched right now, but as I keep reading, you'll see that it isn't.

In Revelation chapter 12, it says, Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now salvation and strength and the kingdom of our God and the power of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before God day and night, has been cast down. And they overcame him with the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to death. Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea, 'For the devil has come down to you having great wrath because he knows he has a short time.' Why would I bring that up? Well, they're bowing to these lights that fell down from heaven, but the scene changes and then it focuses on this arena and there's thousands of people. It's a stadium, so there's thousands of people in this arena. And they have all these people from, you know, all the Commonwealth, so tongues and nations and people that are gathered. And there are people that drag in this massive beast, and the commentators even call it a beast. And they drag it in by a massive chain into the arena, and it's in the shape of a bull, like a massive bull. And they bring it in, it has glowing red eyes of scarlet, and they bring it in and smoke is coming out of its nostrils. And the— and at first the people run away from it. And they're scared. But then this girl who we saw in the video, she comes out with this crystal in her hand and she uses it to tame the beast. And then she gets on the beast. She rides the beast. And then all the people that are in the arena begin to bow down and to worship the beast.

While all this is happening, the commentators, you know, because you got news people and they're talking about it the whole time, they're describing the beast as a symbol of love and reconciliation. And then also in this arena, so this is happening, there's also a building at one end of the arena and it's in the shape of the Tower of Babel. And there's a rock band playing, a rock band from the '80s. Duran Duran is playing, and they're singing one of their famous songs. They sing, "Don't say a prayer for me now, save it for the morning after." A member of the band explains later on he's talking about fornication. He says, "Don't think about what it means." for tomorrow, just think about what it means now. This is the only thing that matters. That's his quote. I have that in quotes. They went on to sing a song called "Tonight United." And as they sang, the Tower of Babel— this is the beast is on one end and it's facing the Tower of Babel and they're singing— the Tower of Babel was lit up with the words, "You and I tonight, no way to fight it." We come together tonight united. So you get the picture. You have all the peoples of the world gathered around the symbol of the Tower of Babel singing tonight united. Don't pray for me now. Now is the most important time. Tonight together united.

This is man's attempt to undo the judgment of God. This is man's attempt, or a representation of the attempt, to defy God and to say that we won't live under the constraints or the restraints of God that he has placed on mankind. We're going to do it our way. It's like reading Psalm 2. We're going to do it our way, cast off God's chains. And they're using symbols like the Tower of Babel The woman riding the beast of Revelation chapter 17, the angels that fell from heaven to the earth, and they're using it, I believe, to spit in the face of God and to mock his word. And we know that God is not mocked. Galatians tells us, "Do not be deceived. God is not mocked, for whatever a man sows, that will he also reap."

You know, as I was watching that, it reminded me of And you all know, I'm sure you all know the story, the story of the Rabshekah when he comes to Jerusalem and Hezekiah is king and he comes and he confronts Israel. And he says in 2 Kings 18:33, "Has any of the gods of the nations at all delivered its land from the hand of the king of Assyria? Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim?" and Hena and Iva. Indeed, they have— they, uh, have they delivered Samaria from my hand? Who among all the gods of the lands have delivered their countries from my hand, that the Lord should deliver Jerusalem from my hand? This record is so significant that it's in your Bible 3 different times. It's in 2 Kings, it's in 2 Chronicles, And it's in Isaiah chapter 36. How did it turn out for the king of Assyria when he mocked God? "Can God deliver you out of my hands?" That's what he's saying. Well, in 2 Kings 19, it tells us, "And it came to pass on a certain night that the angel of the Lord went out and killed in the camp of the Assyrians 185,000. And when the people arose early in the morning, there were the corpses, all dead.

The deception that we're being fed is a constant theme. It glorifies man and it minimizes God. It's as John said, it's the spirit of antichrist. It minimizes what God has done and who he is. It says we have no need for a Savior. That man is fine without God. And yet it still involves pagan worship of the creature rather than the Creator. That's kind of what I wanted— why I wanted to talk about this tonight. What are believers to do in a world with all this deception? In a world that mocks God? And this deception sometimes is not just in the world, it's sometimes in the church. How are we to live? How are we to be faithful? How can we persevere? Well, that's the subject of the message tonight. And before I— that was the introduction, sorry. Before I get into that, let's pray.

Father God, thank you for your word, Father. Thank you for your Holy Spirit. Thank you for the Lord Jesus who gave himself up for us. Lord, I pray that you would help me to get through this message, but I also pray, Father, that you would use your word, Father, to help us to live for you, Lord, to show us what it is to persevere, Lord. Lord, we thank you, we praise you, and Lord, this world is Well, we know where it's headed. And Lord, but I want to rejoice because while the whole world is weeping in Revelation, there's rejoicing in heaven. So Lord, may we have the right attitude as we look through these things. We pray in Jesus' name.

So I'm sorry you don't have an outline. This is man's need, but Man is in desperate need of salvation. If there are any— if there are two things you learn in Scripture, if you could boil— if you could just get two things out of it from the Word of God regarding the condition of man, it is one, that the natural man is in a lot of trouble. He's in grave danger. He's in danger of an eternal, or an eternity of extreme punishment for his rejection of the only means of grace by which God saves sinners. I have some friends who are Jewish and they attend a rather liberal synagogue. And they have made the comment to me that the Old Testament doesn't teach about a place of eternal judgment. They say, "Oh, you Christians invented that in the New Testament." Well, If that's true, what's Isaiah talking about when he says in the last book of Isaiah, right at the end of the book, he says, "And they shall go forth and look upon the corpses of the men who have transgressed against me, for their worm does not die and their fire is not quenched. They shall be an abhorrence to all flesh." What's Isaiah talking about?

Well, we don't have to guess too much because Jesus quotes Isaiah multiple times. In Daniel chapter 2, it said, "And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, some to shame and everlasting contempt." Who awakes? Both the righteous and the unrighteous, and they have two different destinies. Just in case you missed the, uh, meaning of Isaiah, Jesus says, their worm does not die. This is Matthew chapter 9. The worm does not die and the fire is not quenched. And if there— and if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame rather than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched, where their worm does not die and their fire is not quenched. That's, that's quoted twice in the same passage. And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hellfire, where their worm does not die and their fire is not quenched. He's quoting Isaiah 3 times. So hell is taught in the Old Testament. Eternal punishment is taught in the Old Testament. And we learn that the ungodly have a— they're in very grave danger.

We also learn a second thing, that those who are saved from the wrath of God stand in eternal safety. They have passed from death into life. There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, according to Romans 8:1. They have passed from judgment to blessing. They have passed from wrath to mercy. They have gone from being a child of Satan to being a child by adoption of God through Christ. So what is man's role in salvation? We know that it was God who chose us in Christ before the foundations of the world, according to Ephesians 1. Pastor Johnny has just finished going through a verse-by-verse study in the book of Romans, and this, this book is an amazing book that spells out so many of the wonderful doctrines of Christianity all in one place. That's probably why he was kind of afraid to teach from it because it's so full of doctrine.

We learned all kinds of truths as we went through that book, such as why are all men condemned? Why are those who suppress the truth of God, why are they judged and condemned? Why religious people who tries to earn— why a religious person who tries to earn their own salvation through the law is condemned as well. How about the heathen who have never heard of the law? Or they've never heard about Christ? Well, they're condemned by their own conscience because they don't live up to the light that they already have. So the whole world is guilty before God. The doctrines of grace call this the depravity of man. Man is totally incapable of choosing God. He doesn't seek after God. He doesn't do good. He is dead in his trespasses and sins, and the only thing a dead man needs is what? Life. The only thing a dead man needs is life. He doesn't need clothes. He doesn't need money. He doesn't need a spouse or a house. A dead man needs life.

We learned about how a man who was previously dead in trespasses and sins can become righteous before God. We learned how he can be sanctified and set apart by God for good works. We learned that the relationship of the law to the sinner who is saved by grace. In Romans chapter 8, we learned that the Spirit of life has set us free from the law of sin and death. So what is man's role in salvation? To believe God. To trust God, to place his faith in God and what God says is true, to have faith in the finished work of Christ. But can a dead man believe anything? Not unless God does something to him or in him or for him. Not unless God regenerates that man, quickens that man so that he can see and respond to the gospel.

Romans 8 begins with, "The Spirit of life in Christ has made me free from the law of sin and death." And it ends with the message that nothing can separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus. The chapter begins with no condemnation and it ends with no separation. So what is a man's role? To respond to the grace of God in faith. But even that faith is a gift that God provides. God is in control. I know there's a lot of people that don't like the fact that God's in control. Uh, the natural man chafes under the control and wants to break the chains and boundaries God has placed on him. He doesn't respond in love and faith. But the spiritual man responds positively by faith.

So whose idea was it to save anyone? It was God's idea, of course. Even before the foundations of the earth was laid, it was his idea to save sinners. And this at an enormous cost to God himself. This isn't something man could do for himself. It was all in the mind of God, and he saved us according to his own will. Speaking of the incarnation of Christ and the salvation that would be provided, John wrote, He came to his own, and his own did not receive him. But to as many as received him, to them he gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe on his name, who were born not of blood, not naturally, not nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of the man. So it wasn't their will, it wasn't man's will. But it was by the will— but by the will of God. It was God's idea from the beginning.

So we know that salvation is God's idea. He thought of it. He did it. He did all the work in providing salvation through the life, death, and burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It was his idea. It was his work. Now we are being sanctified to be conformed into the image of Christ, according to Romans 8:30. The chain of grace. Whom God— well, moreover, whom he predestined, he also called. Whom he called, he also justified. Whom he justified, he also glorified. It's his idea. It's his work that he is doing. Notice all the past tense verses in the chain of grace. Have you guys ever thought about that? Whom he— He called, past tense. He also justified, past tense. Whom he justified, he also glorified. I missed predestined, but that's past tense too. The idea is it's work. It's work he's doing. The work of justification and glorification is done from the pers— from God's perspective. Because God's not bound to the limits of time. He's outside of time. And as far as He's concerned, the work is done.

Now, I thank God that this is something He's doing and it's not left up to me to figure out how to save myself. I'd be in big trouble if it were up to me. I'd probably think what they were doing at the Commonwealth Games was a pretty good idea. But we know better because God has told us the end from the beginning. And we know where the creation is heading. And it's heading for judgment. So the question arises, how are we to live in this world? How will we persevere? What exactly is perseverance of the saints?

Before I go over what it is, let me, let me maybe touch on what it's not. Um, oh, what it is. Perseverance of the saints sometimes is called eternal security, and you may have heard it, the phrase once saved, always saved. All three of those statements are pointing to the same thing, but perseverance may be a better definition for what we are talking about. So what is pers— what is it not? Well, it's not easy-believism. That is, it's not someone saying they believe the message of the gospel and then they go on living apart from the Lord, never giving the Lord another thought, never doing anything for the Lord in their life. That's It's not easy believism.

A few weeks ago, Pastor Johnny quoted, uh, Mike Gendron. He has a ministry, Proclaiming the Gospel Ministries. He's a former Roman Catholic. I think he was a Roman Catholic for something like 36 years. And, um, Mike had a hand in talking to Sergio and Lindsay and bringing them to the Lord, walking them through the gospel. I probably should have asked him permission to share that. I encourage you though to ask them about it because it's a fascinating story. Anyway, Mike has a term for those who ascribe to easy-believism. He says they are victims of the sinner's prayer. Remember? You know, just say this prayer, repeat after me, and if you're really, really, really sincere, then you'll be saved. You will have eternal life. And so there are many, many will go and then never give the Lord another thought except at births, weddings, and funerals where they get sprinkled with water, rice, and dirt. So, Ray Comfort from Way of the Master, he calls it false converts.

I didn't know I was going to get such a chuckle. They said a prayer, maybe they even stuck around for a while, but they never understood how awesome grace really is. They never committed to be followers of the Lord. They never bowed the knee and made Jesus not only their Savior, but their Lord. They never did as Thomas the disciple did after the resurrection And after the Lord had appeared to the others and he missed it, and they told him, we saw the Lord, and he said, I won't believe until I put my finger in his side and in his hands. And then of course Jesus appears to him and says, Thomas, reach here. And Thomas says, my Lord and my God.

So perseverance of the saints is not easy-believism. Another thing it's not: it's not that Christians will be free from all danger. That's not what perseverance means. On the contrary, Jesus warned his disciples that this world— that in this world they would have trouble. In John 16, he says, "These things I have spoken to you, that in me you may have peace." In the world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. And he said that the world would— that the world hated him and the world would hate his followers too. John 15 says, if the world hates you, you know that it hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. So it doesn't mean the Lord will keep us from all trouble and from all worldly hatred. On the contrary, we're gonna get a lot of trouble from the world.

So what is perseverance? It does mean that true believers, followers of Christ, will not be overcome by the world but instead will overcome the world. It does mean that once you are saved, you are always saved. Some think you can be saved, then lose your salvation, then be saved again, only to lose it again. What a miserable distortion. What a— Let me ask you a question. How long is eternal life? So if you have it, how long will it last? Eternally. Forever. Does that mean sinners will never fail? Or, I'm sorry, does that mean believers will never fail? Sinners fail all the time, right? But believers, does that mean that believers will never fail? They'll never sin? No. We know believers fail. They might fail quite a bit. But they are quick to repent because they don't want to be in a state of grieving the Holy Spirit of God. They want to please God so that they are ever, and I mean ever, every day repenting of their failures in thought, word, and deed. And even for what they should have done that they should be doing and they're not doing. They are quick to repent.

Perseverance teaches that the true believer, one who has been effectually called by God, one who is being sanctified, cannot totally and finally fall away from grace, but they shall be preserved to the end and be eternally saved. Peter is a great example for us about how a believer can fail horribly and yet be restored to faith. Jesus even warned Peter that he would deny the Lord 3 times in John chapter 13, verse 38. Luke also adds in Luke 22, he said, and the Lord said, Simon, Simon, indeed Satan has asked for you that he may sift you as wheat. I might have stopped the Lord right there and said, you told him no, right? But he goes on, he says, "But I've prayed for you that your faith should not fail, and when you have returned to me, strengthen your brethren." There is a hint in that passage as to how perseverance of the saints works. Satan has asked for you. You will deny me, but I have prayed for you. There are a lot of scriptures that point out this truth, and we, we couldn't possibly go over, over every single one of them, but I would like to go over 4 passages.

And, um, at this point, if you're not following along in a Bible, I, I would love to hear the sound of, you know, um, but we're gonna look at John chapter 6 And then we'll be in John chapter 10 as well. John, 4 passages on eternal security. John chapter 6, beginning in verse 37, and we're going to read through verse 40. All that the Father gives me will come to me, and the one who comes to me I will by no means cast out. For I have come down from heaven not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. This is the will of the Father who sent me, that of all he has given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up on the last day. And this is the will of him who sent me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him may have everlasting life, and I will raise him up on the last day.

There are some wonderful promises made by the Lord here in John chapter 6. These promises convey a sense of certainty. He said, "All that the Father gives me will come to me." This is what some call the effectual call. There is something irresistible about this call. All will come whom the Father gives. Now, some get angry at this kind of statement. They want man to have more say in his own salvation story. They want free will to be paramount. Let me just say, your will is not free even here tonight. There's no drink in here, right? Is there any coffee in here? No? Well, that's a bummer. You're not, like some do in some charismatic churches, you're not writhing around on the ground and laughing uncontrollably. Why? Because it's not allowed here. Try it. No, please don't. Don't do it. But if you do, you're going to find out really quickly that your will isn't free. Somebody's gonna do something.

So, Jesus says that all whom the Father gives Jesus will come to him. They will respond positively to the call of God. Now think about that for a second. Just think about it for a second. If it was any other way, if salvation were subject to the will of man, or if it were dependent on man, then nothing could be certain about salvation. And to say a statement like, "All that— that all would come whom the Father gave Jesus," it wouldn't make sense. Think about that for just a moment. If Jesus died for the sins of man but left the responsibility up to man to respond to the Gospel, then wouldn't it be possible for no one to respond? And if it were up to man and no one responded positively to the Gospel, then would Jesus have died for nothing? He would have died for sinners, but no one would be saved? No, God did not leave the response to an enormous sacrifice of Christ in the hands of sinful man. God causes those who he is saving to respond positively to the message of salvation in Christ. They believe on Jesus and they come to Jesus by faith, and Jesus gives them everlasting life and will raise them up at the resurrection.

He says, uh, for I have come down from heaven not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of the Father who sent me, that of all he has given me, I should lose nothing but raise it up at the last day. Jesus will never cast out anyone whom the Father sends him. And now we learn that Jesus will never lose anyone that the Father gives him. He won't cast you out, and he won't lose you. This is the keeping power of God. And that is the point of perseverance of the saints. It's not the saint's power to keep himself, but God's power to keep the saint from falling completely and finally. God started salvation. It was his plan for his pleasure and glory, and he will see it through. He will keep his plan from failing.

Concerning this passage, Martin Luther wrote, quote, "This is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing." He's quoting Jesus. And then he said, "He will not only refrain from expelling and rejecting anyone, but he is also resolved to keep them with him and preserve anyone else from taking them from him." He's not going to let anybody take you and he's not going to cast you out.

To drive the point further, Jesus says— and now we'll turn to John chapter 10, a few chapters over, starting in verse 27. He says, my sheep hear my voice and I know them and they follow me. Verse 28, and I give eternal— I give them eternal life and they shall never perish. Neither shall anyone snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of my Father's hand. I and my Father are one.

Now, this is a similar passage to the one in John chapter 6, except here Jesus, he's responding to Jews who asked him, how long do you keep us in doubt? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly. And Jesus tells them that they don't believe because they're not his sheep. So many times Jesus would say, if you have ears to hear. These had physical ears, but they did not have ears of believing faith. They wouldn't hear because they couldn't hear. They were not his sheep.

We see three different doctrines in these verses. In verses 27 through 29, we see election, the effectual call, and perseverance. My sheep. Why? Because God has elected them and given them to Christ. Is everyone elect? No. Only those who come to Christ. Of course, the nation of Israel was called elect. They were elect out of all the other nations on earth to be God's peculiar people and to be a blessing to all the earth. But that's a discussion for a different day. Here we're talking about election unto salvation, election to be one of Christ's sheep.

My sheep hear my voice. Those who are elect hear Jesus's voice. This also says the opposite. Those who are not elect don't hear his voice because they're not his sheep. But his sheep hear him. And then Jesus says these beautiful words, "And I know them." Jesus knows them intimately. This is a loving knowledge of his sheep, a caring love, a preserving love. And they follow me. Christ's sheep follow their shepherd. They follow their master. They follow their Lord.

Verses 28 and 29 gives us the wonderful double guaranteed promise of being preserved by the keeping power of God. Verse 28 says, and I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall anyone snatch them out of my hand. We are in the hand of Christ. And no one will snatch us out of his hand. And he goes on to say in verse 29, my Father who has given them to me is greater than all. No one is able to snatch them out of my Father's hand. We're in the hand of Christ and we're in the hand of the Father. No one's taking us out of his hands. I am the Father— I and my Father are one. This is a double guarantee. We are in Christ's hands and the Father's hands.

Now, that's two passages. Now let's turn over. I know we've gone over this recently, but we'll look at it again. Turn over to Romans chapter 8. Romans chapter 8. And we're gonna begin at around verse 26. We looked at this a bit earlier, but not exactly these verses. Says, likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses, for we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself makes intercession for us with groanings that cannot be uttered. Now he who searches the hearts knows the mind of the Spirit— knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because he makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to his purpose. For whom he foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover, whom he predestined, these he also called; whom he called, these he also justified; whom he justified, these he also glorified.

What shall we say then? To these things? What shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also give us all things? Who shall bring a charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died and furthermore is also risen. Who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or the sword? As it is written, "For your sake we are killed all day long; we are counted as sheep for the slaughter." Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am 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 created thing shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ our Lord.

That's an amazing section of the word. I mean, all the word is amazing, but wow. And I know you've heard that lots of times. You've heard that passage lots of times. You've probably read it lots of times. But because these passages are so profound, I want to remind us of a few points. This entire passage is talking about the security of the believer, the awesome message that there is no longer any condemnation, that we have been given the spirit of life, which is the Holy Spirit. And although we live in this world and we may suffer for the cause of Christ, it is all worth it. This is a very different message from the song I told you about earlier that was being played at the Commonwealth Games. No, this message of— this is a message of hope and of joy And no sacrifice— there's no sacrifice we can make today that can compare to the glory that will be revealed when Christ returns and we are ultimately glorified.

Did you catch it in verse 26? That's why the Spirit helps us in our weakness. When we don't know what to pray, in verse 26, He helps us because there is a need per— for perseverance. He prays and makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God. Just as Jesus prayed and made intercession for Peter the night before the crucifixion. Jesus prays. The Spirit prays for the Father to keep us from falling. That's why all things work together for good. All those sufferings, all those sacrifices, they work together for good because of the ultimate glorification of the believer according to the will of God and the intercessory prayers of Jesus and the Holy Spirit. Wow! Now that, that's some keeping power. No one can separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus.

He says, what shall I say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? Who shall bring a charge against God's elect? In verse 34, it says, 'Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of the Father, who also makes intercession for us.' Oh, my screen just went blank. Okay, that scared me. It came back. Okay.

Praise God for a wonderful Savior. Praise God for grace. He won't cast us out. No one can snatch us out of His hand. No one can take us from the Father's hand. Jesus and the Holy Spirit are making intercession for us according to the will of God for our glorification and for our good.

Now, one more passage. Four passages. Turn to Philippians chapter 1. Now, I know this is a verse— I know Pastor Johnny talks about this verse, how it's misapplied, mainly because it's, um, it's a very, um, it's about the church as a whole. And not to individual believers. And people love to pluck out verses and say, that's the verse, that's my verse, you know, that's, that's about me. No, it's not about you individually, but it is about what God is doing in his church. So Philippians chapter 1, verse 6: being confident of this very thing, that he who has begun a good work in you— and it should be you all, probably— will complete it until the day of Christ. This verse is literally saying that he who has begun a good work in you all, he will complete it. All the believers in Philippi will be ultimately brought into glorification. True believers. They will be conformed into the image of Christ.

Now this is ultimately fulfilled in heaven, but it's also happening now. We are currently being sanctified by God. You are currently being preserved by God because he finishes what he starts. He has begun to conform us into the image of Christ, and he will complete what he has begun to do.

I know there's 4 passages. Um, how am I doing on time? Doing okay? Um, just one more Very quickly, bonus passage. John chapter 17. John chapter 17. And we're looking at the high priestly prayer of Jesus. And I'm— I don't know who's taken the class with me, How to Study the Bible. Quite a few of you have been through that at one point or another. And we talk about repeated phrases, you know, like, likes, things that are like, things that are unlike, and then repeated phrases. I want you to— there's a couple of words here as I read through this passage, and I just want you to pick up how many times they're said.

John chapter 17, verses 1 through 26. Jesus spoke these words, lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour has come. I'm just going to stop there real quick. All through the Gospel of John, he's saying, my hour has not yet come, my hour has not yet come. Now he's getting ready to be crucified, and he says, Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son also may glorify you, as you have given him authority over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as— and this is what I want you to look at— you have given him. OK, the word given. Let's just keep a focus on how many times you see that. And this is eternal life, verse 3, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. I will glorify you on earth. I have finished the work which you have given me to do. And now, O Father, glorify me together with yourself with the glory which I had with you before the world was.

I have manifested your name to the men you have given me out of the world. They were yours, you gave them to me. And now here comes your second word. And they have kept my word. Now they have known all things that you have given me are from you, for I have given to them the words which you have given me, and they have received them and have known surely that I came forth from you, and they have believed that you sent me. I pray for them. I pray for them. I do not pray for the world, but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours. And all mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them.

Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and And I come to you, O Holy Father. Keep— there's your word— keep through your name those whom you have given me, that they may be one as we are. While I was with them in the world, I kept them in your name. Those whom you gave me, I have kept, and none of them is lost except the son of perdition, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. But now I come to you, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have joy— my joy fulfilled in themselves. I have given them your word, and the world— and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.

I do not pray that you should take them out of the world, but that you should keep Keep them from the evil one. They are not of this— of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them by your truth. Your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I also sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified in the truth. I do not pray for those— these alone, but also for those who will believe in me through their word. So if you want to place yourself in the Bible, there you are right there. That's your— that, that's us.

And they all— that they all may be one, as you, Father, are in me and I in you, that they also may be one of us, that the world may believe that you sent me. And the glory which you gave me I have given them, that they may be one just as we are one. I in them, you in me, that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them as you have loved me. Father, I desire that they also, whom you gave me, may be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory which you have given me, for you loved me before the foundation of the world. O righteous Father, the world has not known you, but I have known you, and these have known that you sent me. And I have declared to them your name and will declare it, that the love with which you love me may be in them and I in them.

There's a whole lot of giving and keeping happening in those passages. The Father gave, and Christ is praying that the Father keep those whom the Father gave. We are in the Son's hand. We are in the Father's hand. The Son is interceding for us. The Spirit is interceding for us according to the will of God. So how are believers supposed to cope in a world full of deception, full of hatred for the things of God and for those who belong to God? If we were on our own, we would fail. But we're not on our own. God the Almighty will finish what he started. He will never leave us nor forsake us. The perseverance of the saints is the keeping power of God. That's our message.

Father God, thank you for your word, Lord. Thank you, Father, that you called us, that you chose us, that you elected us, that you have justified us, that you are sanctifying us, that you will one day glorify us, Lord. And may you receive all the glory for your wonderful grace and your wonderful mercy, Lord. You didn't have to do anything. And some get mad that you didn't save more, and I say you didn't have to save anyone, but you did. So thank you, Lord, for your grace. And thank you, Lord, for your word. And pray that you would receive all the glory and honor in Jesus' name. Amen.