Not Everyone that Says Lord Lord, Part 1

Introduction: The Solemn Warning of a False Profession

0:07 Matthew chapter 7, and we are going to consider this morning verses 21 to 23. In this section, the closing section of the Sermon on the Mount, our Lord has been giving to us some very clear warnings concerning the dangers that beset any person who is truly interested and concerned about entering the kingdom of heaven. First of all, the sermon is, in the very real sense, a charter of the kingdom of God. In it, our Lord describes the characteristics of those who are in His kingdom of grace.

0:51 He describes the laws and the principles by which their conduct will be governed, both Godward and manward. And then He concludes this sermon by urging upon men to enter into that kingdom by way of the narrow gate. And the narrow way. Speaking in figurative language of what the Bible calls, in theological terminology, conversion.

1:19 And for each one who's concerned about the kingdom, for each one who's concerned about true conversion, our Lord issues some very sober warnings. He warns, first of all, of the terrible possibility of a false conversion. In verse 13 of Matthew 7, He says, He spoke of those who enter in at a wide gate and they walk upon a broad road that leads to destruction. And in our study of that section, we saw that that wide gate is the gate of a counterfeit conversion leading to the broad road of spurious Christian experience and ending up in destruction.

2:02 And now, for three or four weeks, we studied the second great danger for all who are interested in the kingdom of God. And that's the danger of false prophets. And our Lord begins in verse 15 by saying, Beware of false prophets. And now we come in verses 21 to 23 to consider the third great danger involved in this matter of entering the kingdom of heaven.

2:29 The Lord says, beginning with verse 21, Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter the kingdom of heaven. But he that doeth the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say unto me in that day, Lord, prophesied in thy name, and in thy name have cast out devils, and in thy name have done many wonderful works. And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you.

3:08 Apart from me, ye that work iniquity. The terrible danger of a false conversion, of false prophets, but here the awesome danger of a false profession of Christianity. I hardly agree with one servant of God who has said concerning these three verses, and I quote, These surely are in many ways the most solemn and solemnizing words ever uttered in this world, not only by any man, but even the Son of God himself.

3:51 The reason they are is that they leap over all that is called time, and they bring us face to face with the most sobering scene in all of God's universe, that of the day of judgment, when men's eternal destinies will be officially pronounced. The results of that pronouncement, eternally fixed.

4:19 Do you get that? The reason they are so sober is that they reach down beyond everything that is called time, and they bring us face to face to that day, when the destinies of all men will be officially pronounced. The results of that pronouncement will be eternally fixed. Would to God that the rank and file of professing Christians were as familiar with these words as they are with John 3.16,

4:58 for God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son. Would to God that the professing church were as familiar, with these words as they are with Romans 10.13, for whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. For the same Holy Ghost who has spoken those gracious words of gospel promise, has spoken these sobering words of warning.

5:25 Not everyone who says, Lord, Lord, shall enter, but he that doeth the will of my Father, and many will say, Lord, Lord. Listen to them. I never knew you. You see, Satan hates these words.

Satan's Opposition to These Words

5:44 And so on the one hand, he's moved upon unregenerate men in the realm of what we would call liberal theology, who deny the necessity of blood atonement, who deny the necessity of the regenerating work of the Spirit. And they've merely taken some of the, what we would call, the wonderful fruits of the Sermon on the Mount, the ethics of the Sermon on the Mount, and they say the only gospel we have is the gospel of the Sermon on the Mount. Love your neighbor. Turn the other cheek.

6:13 Go the second mile. And so you have that great bulk of liberal Christianity, if you want to call it that, never facing the implications of these words. And then there's been the subtle movement of the enemy, bringing to pass a scheme of scriptural interpretation, which takes the Sermon on the Mount, and takes it to another age, and says, well, that's for the Jew back then, and maybe for the Jew in the Kingdom age, but it's not really directly for the church in this age, and we've reared a generation of men and women who are ignorant of the sobering implications of these verses.

The Simple Affirmation: Not Everyone Who Says 'Lord, Lord'

6:52 This morning, my only purpose is going to be that we make a simple exposition of the verses, and then the Lord willing, next week, if He spares us and brings us together again, to think of some of the implications and the applications of those verses. What do we have in the text before us? Without any great elaboration, what do the words themselves mean? And I can almost wish that all I could do this morning would be to ask every one of you to sit quietly, read the verses through, and then ask you to sit and meditate on them for five minutes, and then read them through again, and then silence for five minutes, read them through again, and then another period of silence,

7:36 and do this for 45 minutes. Perhaps it would have a far profounder effect than any comments that I could make upon the text. Perhaps. You're living with these verses for three days.

7:49 Something begins to happen to you.

7:53 Sobering words. Notice, first of all, the simple affirmation of our Lord in verse 21.

8:02 First of all, He affirms something positively. Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, should say He negatively affirms it, and then positively, but he that doeth,

8:24 what does He mean? Well, the kingdom of heaven,

8:29 in a real sense, a two-fold kingdom, it's the kingdom of grace now. Everyone who's born of the Spirit, who is justified, who is cleansed by the blood of Christ, who is joined to the Lord Jesus, is right now in the kingdom of grace. In the future, when our Lord comes again and takes us to Himself, it will then be the kingdom of glory. And the kingdom of heaven encompasses both of these.

8:57 The kingdom of grace, the kingdom of grace, the kingdom of grace, the kingdom of grace, the kingdom of grace, the kingdom of grace now, and the kingdom of glory to come. Sometimes, grace has more reference to one or to the other. You remember in the Beatitudes, we read of those blessed are those who are meek, or those who are poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. That's the kingdom of grace now.

9:16 But you notice our Lord is speaking here in the future. Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter the kingdom of heaven. So what our Lord is saying is basically this. Not everyone who says, Lord, Lord, will be in heaven in that day when time is no more.

The Peculiar Danger of Special Revelation and Assent

9:37 Now, you can't enter unless you do confess Him as Lord. The Lord is not in any way knocking correct confession of Himself. A Christian is basically one who believes certain things about Jesus Christ, and in the light of those things has been enabled to make certain heart responses to Him as He is. He is revealed in the Scripture.

10:01 Let's not think that a Christian is someone who's simply got some nice notions and some good feelings. The Scripture says in Romans 10, verses 9 and 10, If thou shalt confess with thy mouth Jesus as Lord, there is a theological presentation of Christ that is necessary before there can be any saving embrace of Christ. There is but one Christ who is the Savior of sinners. He is the Christ who dwelt with the Father, from eternity, who became incarnate in the womb of the Virgin, who was born in Bethlehem, who lived a sinless life, died upon a Roman cross, came out of a tomb and went back to the Father,

10:43 and there He sits as the only hope of poor lost sinners. Now, nobody is a Christian who doesn't believe that and doesn't confess that. If thou shalt confess with thy mouth Jesus as Lord. Now, it must be joined to something more than that, but it must be joined to something more than that, but it must be at least that.

11:02 Let us not think that a man is a Christian who simply has some good notions about Christ and some woozy sentimental feelings and attachments for Christ. No. Though Jesus said, Not everyone who says, Lord, Lord, shall enter, He is also saying, Unless we do say, Lord, Lord, from the heart, we cannot enter. There must be proper confession.

11:26 But what our Lord is saying is that the expression of the Lord is that the expression of that confession is not enough. Ascent to the truth is not enough. Confidence and zeal in expressing that truth are not enough. Notice, He says, Not everyone who says unto me, Lord, Lord.

11:48 Now, nobody can say that until they've been exposed to the truth.

11:53 And no one says that unless they in some measure believe that He is Lord and believe it with some degree of vehemency, for they affirm it. Not everyone who says, Lord, Lord. They're glad to confess with some measure of zeal that He is the Lord. Now, this should strike fear to our hearts, for there's only one class of people who can be guilty of this terrible sin of a false profession.

12:22 It's only those who've heard about the Lord Jesus Christ. It's only those who've been the recipients of special revelation. There are two ways that God reveals Himself to man. We read in Psalm 19, Romans 1 says that from the creation of the world, certain things can be known about God, namely His everlasting power and His divinity.

13:00 Now, that's general revelation. All men are the recipients of general revelation. But no man ever looked at the sky or the mighty rolling of the sea and knew about someone who came from heaven by way of a virgin's womb and went back to heaven by way of a Roman cross and an open tomb. A man can look at the stars and the moon and the mighty ocean until the eyes fall from his sockets and he'll never know of redeeming love.

13:30 He'll never know of a mighty triumphant death at which the Son of God spoke those words. It is finished. He won't know anything of that. That requires special revelation.

13:42 That special revelation that comes in terms of the gospel, that comes in terms of what we read in Romans chapter 10 where Paul says, How shall they call on Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach except they be sent? How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of them that bring the gospel of peace.

14:04 Whoever is guilty of this falsehood, false profession is someone who has received special revelation. That includes everyone here this morning.

14:17 This could not be preached to the heathen, bushed somewhere in the deep recesses of the mountains of New Guinea. It couldn't be preached to them for they've never heard many of them but there is such a person as the Lord Jesus Christ.

14:34 So this is the peculiar danger of those of us who've been the recipients of special revelation. Secondly, it's the peculiar danger of those of us who see the reasonableness of this revelation and we have said to people who thumb their nose at the gospel having heard it, these are people who see the reasonableness of it. They see that the gospels are not dealing with a myth but they're dealing with the facts. This is what makes Christianity unique.

15:04 God does not come to us primarily with a glob of propositions but He comes to us with these mighty saving acts. The virgin birth, the sinless life, the death, the open tomb. These are facts of history recorded by the inspired historians. And so the only ones who can be guilty of this false profession are those who not only are the recipients of special revelation but they see the reasonableness of that revelation and they ascend to it.

15:38 What I see Him to be in the gospels, there's only one explanation for His person. He is the Lord. Not only that, but they confirm their ascension. They confirm their ascension with a lip confession.

15:50 They're not secret believers. Ask Him, His Lord. Not everyone who says, Lord, Lord. Now, beloved, do you see why this is a sobering text?

16:00 For the great majority of you gathered here this morning have not only been the recipients of divine revelation, you see the absolute reasonableness of that revelation. You've ascended to it. And if I were to start here and move right back, you would verbally consent and assent and confess that revelation. And it's true.

The Positive Affirmation: He That Doeth the Will of My Father

16:21 It's to such people that our Lord gives the warning. Not everyone who says unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven. That's the negative affirmation. Now notice the positive.

16:36 Be that my Father who is in heaven. In a negative way, our Lord says, mere assent and reception of the truth of revelation is not enough. What is needed is this. ...of heart and life to the truth,

16:58 that we confess. For not everyone who says, Lord, Lord, shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he that is doing the will of mine who is in heaven. Take the words at their face value. What do they seem to say?

17:14 Well, after spending a number of hours with the text and checking a number of commentators, I came back to the simple conclusion that they mean exactly what they say. What is our Lord saying? He's saying this, that the only people who will be found in the kingdom of glory are those whose reception of grace is such as has made them the willing born slaves of Jesus Christ and of the will of God. That's what he's saying.

17:47 Not everyone who says, Lord, Lord, shall enter, but he that is doing the will of God. And what is that doing an expression of? It's the expression of a heart that's been brought subject to the revealed of the gospel, full obedience. Not complete in detail, but universal in desire and in attitude.

18:18 Embrace in which ones I shall reject. Not perfectly obeying every expression of the will of God, but a heart that is turned in the direction of the expression of the will of God. Let me say that again. Obeying every expression of God's will, expression of the will of God.

18:48 Saying, well, I'll keep the second table of the law, my duty to my fellow man, but I'm not too concerned about it. I'm not too concerned about the first table of the law, my responsibility to God. On the other hand, not saying, well, I'll love God and I'll keep His name holy and reverence it and keep His day holy, but I don't care about these practical outworkings in my responsibilities to others. No, our Lord said, those who enter the kingdom of heaven are those who are doing the will.

Not Salvation by Works, But Salvation That Produces Works

19:21 Whose confession of Christ as Lord is a revelation of the fact to the character and the submissive will, only they enter the kingdom of heaven. Ah, but someone objects. Isn't that salvation by works? Who spoke these words?

19:41 If we could be saved on the basis of what we do, there'd have been no Christ here on earth to say these words. Right? For why did He come? Himself.

19:58 In the book of Hebrews, Lo, I come. In the volume of the book it is written of me to do Thy will, O God. A body Thou hast prepared me. For what purpose?

20:08 That He might give it up in death. He is not teaching salvation by works. This would be a contradiction of His very presence there upon that mountain, teaching men the truth of God for the only reason God was united to humanity in the person of Jesus Christ. Is that the only way men could be saved was by the grace of God that would provide an acceptable sacrifice for sin?

20:33 Salvation by works. For what is the will of God? When the will of God is expressed to you and me in our natural state of sin and enmity to God, our state of being dead in trespasses and sin, you know what God's will is? Let me tell you what it is on the basis of the word.

20:56 Acts 17.30, we read this. God commandeth all men everywhere to repent. For me, for every one of us.

21:08 The expression of the will of God to us as the gospel comes to us is that we repent, that we acknowledge ourselves to be helpless, hopeless, hell-deserving sinners, that we turn from our sin in our own righteousness, in our rebel ways, and we turn to God in Jesus Christ. What is the will of God? 1 John 3.23 says this, For this is His commandment, that we should believe in the name of His Son, Jesus Christ.

21:38 Who, if the will of God, shall enter the kingdom of heaven? The first expression of that will is that we repent of sin and that we cast ourselves upon Jesus Christ alone for mercy. So in a minute, this immediately severs the concept of a salvation of works. Ah, but listen to me, and listen carefully.

22:00 Every soul who hears the command of God to repent, every soul who hears the command of God to believe, is enabled to repent and to believe, also hears the command of God to lead a holy life, to walk in obedience, to carry out the precepts of God. It's not a salvation by works, but a salvation which produces works. The Holy Spirit, who said in Ephesians 2.8 and 9, By grace are you saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works,

22:45 lest any man should boast, says in verse 10, For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto. So God's salvation takes in everything from the bringing of His people to faith, to singing them of good works. Ephesians 4.3 says, This is the will of God, even your sanctification, by works, producing works of obedience and of holiness.

The Necessity of Ongoing Repentance, Faith, and Obedience

23:26 This morning, dear friend, sitting before the sound of my voice and before the word of God, if you are not doing the will of God from the heart, by the Spirit, you have no grounds to claim you're a Christian. Listen, for true repentance is not an act once performed, but the acquisition of an attitude. If you cannot point to sins which this past week you've confessed before God, which you've poured out before Him with some measure of grief and sorrow,

24:09 you're not doing the will of God, for He commands all men to repent. He commands us to believe, and if you're not a believing man or woman, if you've not known what it is this past week to flee to Christ afresh and anew and plead nothing but His mercy, if you've not known what it is to seek to keep His commandments, opt in word and deed, at home, at the shop, in the place of business, it is said, not everyone who says, Lord, Lord, shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he that is doing the will of my Father. This is why Hebrews 5.9 says, Christ became the author of eternal salvation,

24:53 unto all that obey Him. 16.22 says, If anyone loved not our Lord Jesus Christ, let him be accursed. Let me ask you something this morning.

25:11 Do you believe anybody who goes to heaven who doesn't love Christ? There's no place there, wouldn't there? I think we're all, are we all agreed there? Nobody will be in heaven who doesn't love Christ, right?

25:24 Now Paul says by inspiration, If anyone loved not our Lord Jesus Christ, let him be accursed. The only proof I have that I love Him. Well, the Lord told me. He said in first, in John 14, in verse 21, He that hath my commandments and keepeth them, he it is that loves me.

25:42 Verse 24, He said, If a man keepeth not myself, not my sayings, he that loveth me not, keepeth not my sayings. Tie the two together. Upon all those who love not our Lord Jesus, who love me, he will keep my commandments. This morning, Lord, Lord shall enter the kingdom of heaven, he that doeth the will of my Father.

The Story of the Young People and the Two Questions

26:15 I can never forget the story that was related to me. It's a true story. I've never met the man who was involved in this, though I know of him. But he went to a church in Florida, and he was to speak to a group of young people.

26:30 He stood up and he said, Now, young people, before I talk to you, I want to ask you a question. It was a group probably of 50 or 60, as I remember the facts, as they were related to me. He said, How many of you sitting here today are doing the will of God? Raise your hand.

26:47 Well, maybe I haven't explained myself. So he began to explain. Now, I'm not asking you, are you perfect? How many of you sitting here today, with all of your heart, your turn in the direction of God's precepts, be His will, you seek to do it, you may stumble in speaking, but you're moving in the direction of doing the will of God?

27:13 In your personal life, in your thought life? Well, he began to get the idea, and a hand went up here, and a hand went up there, and a hand over here, a hand there, and he just kept asking the question until finally all he could get was about one-third of the group to raise their hands. Now, I said, I want to ask a second question. How many of you have accepted Christ, and you know you're going to heaven if you die in the next minute?

27:37 He went up immediately. What was the trouble with those two-thirds of those kids? They didn't understand this. You see, when he asked, how many of you have accepted Christ, and you know you'll go to heaven if you die in the next minute?

27:56 Everyone. A hand went right up. He said, I want to announce my text to you tonight. And you know what his text was?

28:34 It's not enough, says our Lord, knowing that each added blessing is also a potential curse. He warns us, lest the blessing of the precious truths of the Sermon on the Mount should turn around and be our curse, saying in essence to all who listen to him,

29:17 who are fascinated by his teaching, who are impressed by the authority, as we'll read later on at the end of the chapter, he's saying to them, in essence, it's not enough. All to my teaching you see who I am. And it's worked out in your life. You shall not enter the kingdom of heaven, as we'll see when we get down to the closing section about the two builders building on two different foundations.

A Startling Revelation: Many Will Say 'Lord, Lord' in That Day

29:47 That's the whole thrust of what he's saying about those who hear and do not to hear. So there is at the outset this very sentence of the Sermon on the Mount which is at the outset this very simple and yet searching affirmation of our Lord, negative, not everyone who says Lord, Lord, positive, but he that doeth the will of my Father. Now will you consider with me for the next few minutes a startling revelation in verses 22 and 23. The simple affirmation of verse 21 and now a startling revelation in verses 22 and 23.

30:28 When will that revelation be made? Notice. Many will say unto me in that day. That day leaps over the boundaries of time brings us to the day toward which all history moves.

30:42 This morning the day to which every heartbeat of yours right there in that pew is moving you closer. Right now in these few pauses as that heart beats within your breast each heartbeat is saying this. Again the scripture says it's appointed unto me the man once to die and after this the judgment. The man shall stand before him

31:27 and notice imperceptibly the Lord who many times spoke in terms of his true humanity. Here he says many will say unto me in that day and in so doing he openly asserts that he is God that he is judge of the world that he holds the destinies of men in his own startling revelation first of all because of the great number involved. Notice what our Lord says in verse 22

32:09 many unto me in that day shocking thing enter it the straight gate for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction and many there be which go in thereafter of the many who walk the broad road to destruction is a great number

32:49 who've been recipients of the glory

33:27 and the glory and the glory of God which have in itself been delivered by God and by all who believe and who are れて by God in this present time and for all who believe that they might see even in the day the time of

34:08 death and problems caused by lung cancer and excessive cigarette smoking. And when that report came out, and it was put in the Reader's Digest and in our papers and the rest, you remember there was a great decline in the cigarette sales for a while. But then it wasn't long before the cigarette sales went up again and the problem was solved. What happened?

34:29 If I were to go out today in the street and find the man who's cutting off probably ten years of his life, sucking away on his cigarettes, and say to him, Sir, do you believe the Surgeon General's report was true that many, many people are going to die a premature death because of lung cancer? What do you think he'd say? He'd say, Sure, I believe that. Nice American citizens!

35:10 If you'll be one of them, what would his answer be? Not me. A neurology doctor to whom I've gone for some time and who's been an instrument, I believe, in God's common grace to help relieve me of a plaguing case of asthma and hay fever. Sir, he's operated so many times on cancer-filled lungs that he's a doctor.

35:53 He's carrying on a one-man crusade there in the Lancaster County area to try to somehow awaken people to what they're doing to themselves. When he sees people come to him and he knows that all things being equal comes and remove a cancer or a clot and say there's no hope, imagine the frustration, the power to inform them and warn them.

36:24 The Holy Ghost is pleased to do so. Something that I can't do. The majority of you will go out of here this morning and say,

37:08 I believe every word the pastor's saying. But who's going to make up the many?

37:21 Who's going to make up the many? They're not going to be brought! Say unto me, Lord, Lord.

38:04 The rocks and their cream prophesied in thy name. They speak in the name of Jesus.

38:16 Sound in preaching, but listen. Miraculous.

38:32 Convinced was a graceless man, he prophesied. Venus apparently had every power to work. Miracles that the other 70 had when our Lord commissioned them to go out and cast out demons to raise the dead and heal the sick. No indication, but that Judas did not have.

38:51 The Lord does not question their truthfulness, their confession of creed, sound in their preaching.

The Terrible Sentence: 'I Never Knew You; Depart From Me'

39:22 He said many will be spoken. Last of all, they're terrible because of the sentence that will be issued by those words. Will you notice the wording?

40:08 Ye that work iniquity. It seems to be almost a play on words. The Lord says, now look, you've made your profession to me.

40:20 Before men in my name, how can unregenerate demons and the rest? We'll deal with that. We're not going to go into the problem. We just want to see the truth that's here on the surface.

40:40 You've made your profession that he never savingly knew them. Then will I will profess unto them, I never knew you. To know in the sense of affection. To know in the sense of personal relationship.

41:00 To know in the sense of personal identity. The Lord. Jesus knows them in his omniscience. That's why he sees through the veneer of their mere profession and their religious zeal and activity.

41:12 And he sees that they are not his. But when he says, I never knew you. He's speaking of the word know in the sense of intimate acquaintance. That is the peculiar possession of the true children of God.

41:24 His knowledge, his delivering power, and his grace to others. But they themselves were strangers to it. I tell you dear ones, a text like that ought to drive every preacher on. His face as it's driven me who handle divine truth.

41:51 Startling one because he says these people were never savingly known by him. Secondly, it's startling because they'll be forever doomed by the word of Christ.

42:12 I never knew you. Depart from me. What three words can carry greater sense of pathos than that?

42:30 For who is he? The source of all light.

42:37 Body meant and expression of all pure holiness. and righteousness and goodness and truth and to depart from him.

43:03 Get it? To me today, the proof of grace is of grace.

43:25 No proof of grace at last

44:01 is the evidence he produced. Where do you find it?

44:17 Judas never knew what it was to mourn his corrupt and wicked heart.

44:25 He never knew what it was to be stripped down at the feet of Christ. Nothing but mercy. He was never found like Peter at the feet of Jesus saying, Lord, apart from me, I'm an uncleanless man.

44:51 In 2 Timothy 2.19, the foundation of God standeth sure. Having this seal, the Lord knoweth them that are his. That secret, he knows those.

45:02 Then the next part, everyone that nameth the name of Christ.

Call to Honest Self-Examination and Assurance

45:10 This the Lord willing more next week, but let me say today, don't any of you make the exercise or the presence of gifts the measure of your confidence? Seek to discern with the same honesty that you'll have in the day of judgment. Seek to discern. Seek to discern the evidences of grace.

45:30 Notice how our Lord dealt with his own in that way. In Luke, the 10th chapter, we have the record of how they came back after a preaching mission.

45:41 He had appointed the 70 to go.

45:46 And we read in verse 17, Luke 10, 17, And the 70 returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name. And he said unto them, I beheld Satan, and his lightning fall from heaven. Lord, I give you power to tread on serpents and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you, notwithstanding in this rejoice. Not that the spirits are subject unto you, but rather rejoice, because your names are written where?

46:24 In heaven. He said, don't rejoice. The attitude that any one of us can have is the attitude expressed by the disciples when they heard our Lord say, one of you shall betray me. They didn't turn to one another and say, ha, it couldn't be me.

47:01 I don't know what he's talking about, but sure, not me. They turned one to another and said, Lord, is it I? Long to know that as a result of the message today that the majority of you gathered in this place will go home and spend some time with God searching out the basis of your confidence that you're a Christian. You can't lose.

47:28 You have nothing to lose. For if you're a child of God and you go before the Lord and say, Lord, I want to be sure. I don't want to be one of the many that say, Lord, Lord, I've asked in your name and I ain't in prayer meeting. Lord, I don't want to be one of the many.

47:49 So my being, if you're His, will do only one thing. It'll just deepen your assurance. That's all it can do. If I've got a bill, deposit some money, and the man looks at it and says, I'm not quite sure.

48:10 Maybe this is counterfeit. One bill for sure is real. After that close examination, I'll be confident of any bill in my pocket. That's a real one.

48:24 That's the real thing. And so you and I, I have nothing to lose if we go before our Lord. If we are His, He will simply confirm afresh to our hearts as we discern the evidences of grace. Ah, but listen.

48:40 If you're one of these many, you're in that state now where it's a false profession. A person who believes the Surgeon General report but says, not me. An operating table and the doctor opens him up and turns and sighs to his colleagues and says, no hope. Sew him up.

49:04 Sends him home and gives him three months to live. It's too late. And oh, beloved, when the Spirit of God speaks and says, many will say, Lord, Lord, don't go out saying, not me.

49:17 On that day when you stand before Him, you're summoned to the bar of God.

49:25 So what have we to lose by honest self-examination? Now that's not the whole of the Bible, but that's where we are this morning. And that's where we better mind the Lord this morning. When we come to the parts that are more glorious and turn our eyes heavenward and behold Him, then we want to, we want to do that.

Urgency for the Unconverted and Prayer for All

49:43 When the Scripture faces us as it does this morning and sobers us and searches us, if we value our never-dying souls, there's only one thing for us to do, to go down before our Lord and say, O God, is it I? For not everyone who says unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he that is doing the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say unto me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name and in thy name cast out demons and in thy name done many, wonderful works? Then will I profess unto them, depart from me, I never knew you, ye that have worked iniquity.

50:24 Has it been rather uncomfortable for you this morning? I don't mean the close air.

50:36 Has it made you rather disturbed, uneasy?

50:40 Rather defacing a mere man, quoting the words of God, than to face the living God himself. I plead with you, let your uneasiness drive you to a place of prayer. Value your soul enough to seek God's faith. Be a minimum from this assembly.

51:04 Beloved, though I have not spoken with the passion and the compassion and the urgency that I know a text like this demands, I pillow my head tonight knowing that if any of you join the many, the clean of your blood,

51:22 draw your soul, pay the most precious possession we have, even our immortal, never-dying souls.

51:49 To those among us who say so glibly, Lord, Lord, but who are not doing your will, who are not in earnest about knowing and then performing, the revealed will of God. Lord, today, today, may today be the day when your word shall pierce through that thick layer of deceptiveness and to be disturbed and wounded by the wounds of your spirit and your word until they seek your mercy in the person and work of the Lord Jesus.

52:28 We pray, God, for those who are your own, who no doubt, some of whom will go through a period of intense, agonizing, searching of heart. Lord, we thank you that the blessed result of that will be the wonderful confidence that they are your own. So seal your word to our hearts and give us grace to obey. We ask in the name of our Savior and our Lord, even Jesus Christ.

52:58 Amen. In closing this morning, just two stanzas of hymn number 531.

53:10 531. One and two stanzas, one and two.

53:27 This saving joy of Jesus

55:06 and wounds of the spirit portion of all others.

55:23 Three folk at the door. I don't want to.