The “Whosoever Will” Passages

Introduction: Approaching Divine Sovereignty with Humility and Faith

0:00 As one of God's servants has said, to say that God is sovereign is to declare that God does as he pleases, only as he pleases, and always as he pleases. As we approach this subject, we have sought to approach it in a reverent manner. We've sought to approach it with this basic presupposition that wherever the scripture leads us, there we follow. Also, we've sought to approach it with the realization that there are many things in the word of God which cannot be fully embraced by the mind as far as understanding the why of God's dealings, but they may be received in faith.

0:45 And as Watson, the old Puritan, has declared, faith may swim in areas where reason may only wade. Then we've sought continually to approach the scriptures and this subject with that disposition of faith. This is the part that takes the place of a subject before a sovereign, the place of a learner before the teacher. We have not sought to come to the scriptures and to shape and mold them after the pattern of our own predisposition, but we've sought to have our minds molded and shaped upon the anvil of the word of God.

1:26 We have seen that God is sovereign in creation. God is sovereign in providence. God is sovereign in the realm of grace. His sovereignty and grace is clearly taught in the four key words used again and again in the New Testament and the Old as well.

1:46 Elect or chosen, foreknown and foreknowledge, predestined or predestinated, and called. And until the meaning of these words can be twisted or until the words themselves can be extracted, extracted from the scripture by the God who placed them there, then the truth of God's sovereignty and grace will stand as long as the word of God stands, and that will stand forever. For though heaven and earth pass away, our Lord said, My words shall never pass away. Then we have looked at those particular passages which in a very distinct and categorical way

2:27 set forth the truth that God is sovereign in the realm of grace, that is, he saves whom he will. And he saves according to his own eternal purpose. Having spent a number of weeks in looking at these particular passages and in studying these words and their use in the scripture, I began last week to deal with another aspect of this subject called, for the sake of convenience, objections to divine sovereignty. For one finds that in seeking to teach and preach this truth that is found from Genesis, Revelation, that perhaps there are few other truths which, more rapidly, stir up the mud

3:10 of human depravity than the truth of divine sovereignty. Perhaps there are no other areas of God's truth concerning which even professing Christians are more quick so just to push under the rug than those that assert that God rules and reigns in his world, and, particularly, in the realm of grace. こちらには完全の国家 Caカツを合わせて愛卒の圧力に応!..

Addressing Railers vs. Humble Inquirers

3:32 seeking to clear away these problems and objections, I am in no way trying to kowtow to any who would rail upon this truth. When anyone comes railing at the truth of divine sovereignty, there's only one way to answer it, and that's to just quote the words of Romans chapter 9, where Paul says, But nay, O man, who art thou that replyest against God? Shall the thing formed say to the thing that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? And whenever I find someone coming, you know, with red face and sort of bulging at the neckline and the veins standing out and saying, It's not fair, it's not right, I won't discuss with them. But you see, they're not coming with an attitude of humility

4:17 to the word of God. They are not coming with a disposition of a childlike scholar sitting before the infinite mind of God as revealed in Scripture. They are coming as railings, to the truth, and the Scripture says, Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou be like unto him. But I'm dealing with this subject of objections to divine sovereignty, not for that class of people, for there is no way to reason with such, for they will not be persuaded, though God himself should step out of heaven in visible form. They'd be sure it was a devil if he ever

4:55 said anything about divine sovereignty, for they're convinced that whatever the Bible teaches, it can't teach that. All the evidence notwithstanding, they will not believe otherwise. But I'm aiming these few messages dealing with objections to divine sovereignty to those of God's children who do long to go wherever the Bible leads them. They do long to walk down any path prescribed by the word of God. They do have that disposition that says, Lord, I don't want to compress you into my size

5:28 seven and a half head, or whatever size yours is. They have a disposition that recognizes, O God, your thoughts are not my thoughts, and mine are not yours. As the heavens are high above the earth, so are your thoughts above my thoughts, and your ways above my ways. They do have that basic attitude that longs to revel in the realm of faith, where reason cannot comprehend. And they do have a basic disposition of subjection to the word of God, and

5:57 that attitude of childlike teachableness. And they have that basic disposition of subjection to the word of God, and that attitude of childlike teachableness. And it's for such that I'm aiming these messages. So if there be any railers among us, I don't know of any, but if there be, I would not flatter your pride. For you see, until you're brought by the

6:14 spirit of God to the place of humility, God will not teach you. For the scripture says he resists the proud and gives grace to the humble. The scripture says, unless you be converted and become as little children, you shall in no wise enter the kingdom of heaven. And so my word to you is not a scriptural reasoning through the problems of divine sovereignty. It's a word of exhortation

6:38 to bend the neck of pride and fall prostrate before the living God. Place your hand upon your mouth and recognize you're but a creature. God is God. Thou art man. Be still, listen, and learn.

Review of Previous Objections: Why Witness? Why Pray?

6:54 But for those of you, and I believe there are such, with that basic disposition of subjection to the word and humility before God, you have some problems. And in order that this truth of God's word might be more precious to your heart, and in order that you might, in your conversation and witness to others, be more able to convey it accurately, for your sake, I'm spending these few nights on this subject. Last week, we covered two of these common objections to the doctrine of God's sovereignty in the realm of grace. They were these.

7:32 God has elected people to life. If God has purpose to save a people, why witness? Why seek to win men to Christ? If God has purpose to save his people, and if, as Jesus Christ said, it is true that all that the Father giveth me shall come to me, then why urge upon men the claims of the gospel? Well,

7:59 we answered that from the scriptures by seeing that, God commands us to witness and to preach to all men. That should be reason enough. But not only does God command us, love impels us. The love of Christ constrains us, not restrains us, but constrains us.

8:16 All the difference in the world. To restrain is to hold back. To be constrained is to be held in to a given course of action by an impelling motive. And Paul says the love of Christ constrains us to bear witness to his saving grace.

8:32 To all men. And then the apostolic example directs us to do so. For the scripture says they went everywhere, they that were scattered abroad, preaching the word. And then the fourth and basic all-encompassing reason, God who's ordained the end has ordained the means. Election is not

8:53 salvation, but is unto salvation. I hope you'll remember the illustration of that poor man floundering in the Passaic River.

9:02 The purpose is to go in after him. That's election, but that doesn't get him out of the river. He's got to be delivered. And the purpose of God's heart to save floundering sinners is election.

9:15 But election is not salvation, but unto salvation. And I trust you as God's people will know well. Second Thessalonians 2.13, know what it says and be able to use it when anyone brings this objection to you. For Paul says,

9:31 God be thanked that he has a God who is God. From the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the spirit and belief of the truth. God has chosen you to salvation by means of the work of the spirit and belief of the truth. And there can be no belief of the truth until there is exposure to the truth.

9:54 And then we concluded our study last week by handling, seeking to handle the objection, why pray? That's a real problem. I can remember when this, first began to grip me. If God has ordained whatsoever comes to pass, if Ephesians 1.11 is

10:10 true, he works all things after the counsel of his will. If Daniel 4.35 is true, he doeth according to his will in the armies of heaven and earth, and none can stay his hand and say unto him, what doest thou? Then why should I pray? How in the world can the feeble whimperings of a sinful

10:32 creature, a sinful creature, a sinful creature, a sinful creature, a sinful creature, a sinful creature, affect a mighty sovereign God like that? That's a real problem. Well, let's just not let him be that great God, and let's whittle him down so he's like mom and dad, where we can twist their arm and get what we want. Is that what we shall do with our God? Whittle him down, where he can be like

10:52 other human beings who can be cajoled and bullied by our persuasion? No. We've got to understand, again, several basic scriptural principles, and then we'll be able to embrace with the whole heart the truth that he's sovereign, and at the same time, we'll be able to seek him earnestly in prayer. We pray because God commands us. That's the first reason. And then the second

11:16 reason, our prayers, the scripture teaches, are woven into the fabric of the sovereign counsels of God. God, in laying out his purposes, has woven the prayers of his people into the fabric of his working. There's a beautiful picture of this. We didn't look at it. We didn't look at it.

11:35 We didn't look at it last week in the book of the Revelation, where, as God is about to pour out the last vials of judgment in the end time, it says that the prophets saw before God these golden vials full of odors, which are the prayers of the saints. And the prayers of the saints are those cries to God, O Lord, how long before thou avenge our blood upon those that dwell on the earth?

12:06 God is working out his purpose in the great panorama of the events of the last time. The prayers of his saints are involved in tipping the scales of judgment. God's eternal purpose to bring judgment somehow takes into it and draws up into its very fabric and warp and woof the prayers of his people. And we looked at our Lord, who, though he knew that his resurrection and exaltation was certain, yet he prayed, Father, glorify.

The Third Objection: What About the 'Whosoever Will' Passages?

12:36 Thou me with the glory which I had with thee before the foundation of the world. Now, tonight, we shall have time to deal with just one more of these objections. And yet it's so basic, and I hear it quite often, and I trust it will be helpful to you. This is the third objection to the doctrine of divine sovereignty and grace, or, if not an objection, a problem.

13:01 And I'll state it to you as it's usually stated to me. What about the whosoever...

13:08 What about the whosoever will passages? What about the whosoevers? Now, let me state the objection. Someone is confronted with the truth of Scripture that out of the mass of lost humanity, all equally deserving of judgment, all equally deserving of eternal destruction, that God has been pleased for reasons locked up in his own heart, no foreseen faith or repentance or goodness or anything else, but for reasons known only to him, he has picked out of the mass of humanity a people whom he'll redeem and give to his son.

13:47 And the son for that people will die and be raised again and intercede at the right hand of the Father until he brings them safely to glory. When they hear that truth, they say, well, that's wonderful. Sometimes they say that, other times they don't. But this objection comes, well, if that's true then, why does the Scripture say whosoever? Doesn't the Bible say in John 3.16,

14:11 God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish? Doesn't the Scripture say in John 4.14, whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst again? Doesn't the Scripture say in Romans 10.13, for whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved?

14:33 Doesn't the Scripture say in Revelation 22, I believe verse 17, the Spirit and the Bride say, come. And whosoever will, let him come and take of the water of life freely. And so in their minds, there's a contradiction between God's clear intention to save some and his equally clear invitation to all. And this creates a problem.

15:01 God has chosen some. God has purposed to save some. And yet God invites all. And this is a real problem, a real tension.

15:09 Now, I don't want to create problems where they don't exist, but is this a problem to you? I know it has been to some of you, because some of you have asked, well, what about the whosoever passages? And if it hasn't been a problem to you, it will be. Sooner or later, someone will ask you, say, you believe the Bible teaches that God chose people for no reason except that he chose them because he loved them? Yes.

Principle 1: Distinction Between God's Purpose and its Execution

15:33 Well, what about the whosoever passages? How would you answer that objection? Well, in order to think our way through this scripturally, I want us to collect our thoughts and cluster them around two main principles of the scripture. First of all, I want you to cluster your, or think with me as we cluster a few scriptures and a few thoughts around this principle that there is a difference between the purpose of God, the purpose of God, and how God executes that purpose.

16:08 And you don't want to mix the two things. Now, there are certain facts clearly revealed in scripture. Number one, Christ is freely preached to all men in the gospel. Christ is freely preached to all men in the gospel.

16:23 Now, the scriptures are so full of things that could support this, I don't know where to begin to quote them. Christ is freely preached to all men in the gospel. You have the command to preach the gospel to everyone. The gospel to every creature.

16:41 And the gospel is a setting forth of Jesus Christ preached to all men. Secondly, forgiveness is freely promised to all who will repent and believe. Whosoever believeth in him should not perish. Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord.

16:59 Whosoever will let him come and take of the water of life freely. Now, keep those two things before you. Forgiveness is freely preached in the gospel to all men, indiscriminately. Forgiveness is freely promised to all who repent and believe.

Illustration from Acts 13: Paul at Antioch

17:17 But now, get the third principle. Those who do repent and believe are those whom God has set apart for himself. And I want you to see these three facets of this one overruling principle in a specific passage of scripture. Will you turn to Acts chapter 13.

17:38 They say one picture is worth more than a thousand words. Well, one example is maybe worth more than ten minutes of my trying to preach on something. Let's look at a scriptural example. All right.

17:55 Acts chapter 13. And here we have Paul preaching at Antioch. Acts chapter 13. Now, what did Paul preach?

18:11 Well, you can look at several sermons that he preached or snatches of several sermons. Perhaps we could backtrack. Back up to verse 29 would be a helpful place to pick it up. Speaking of Christ.

18:26 When they had fulfilled all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree, laid him in a sepulcher, but God raised him from the dead. He was seen many days of them that came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem who are witnesses unto the people. And we declare unto you glad tidings. Here's the good news.

18:45 How that the promise which was made to the fathers, God had fulfilled the same unto us their children. And that he hath raised up Jesus again. And then he quotes from the second Psalm. And after preaching Christ freely to these men.

18:59 Now notice verse 38. Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins. We've got the first two principles. Christ is freely preached to all men in the gospel.

19:14 Secondly, forgiveness is freely promised to all men in the gospel. To whom? Verse 39. By him all that believe are justified from things by which he could not be justified by the law of Moses.

19:31 Christ freely preached to all men in the gospel. Forgiveness freely offered on condition of faith. In Bible faith always involves repentance. As many of you I'm sure know from our study of the interrelationship of these two things.

19:47 But now who does believe? Well later on Paul preaching at a subsequent date to the same group of people. And we read in verse 48 the following words. And when the Gentiles heard this they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord.

20:04 Now I want you to read out loud with me the last part of verse 48 together. And as many as were ordained to eternal life believed. You see? It doesn't say as many as believed were ordained.

20:19 You've got the tail wagging the dog. But get it the other way around. And get the dog wagging the tail. And as many as were ordained to life believed.

20:34 Now you see in this one passage you have those three principles. Christ freely preached to all men in the gospel. Declaring the facts of who he is and what he's done. That's gospel preaching.

20:47 It's not coming at man with a baseball bat of human persuasion. And human personality and emotional and psychological pressure. And trying to batter men to make a decision. No.

20:58 Preaching the gospels. Declaring the facts about Christ. Who he is. What he did.

21:03 What necessitated his mighty work of atonement and resurrection and exaltation. And then after proclaiming who he is. We are then to tell men that in him forgiveness is freely offered. And we indiscriminately set forth the Savior.

21:19 As a willing, able Savior to all who believe. But now the issue is this. Who does believe? And the scripture says out of those group who heard the message of Christ.

21:30 Freely preached. Forgiveness freely promised. Those that were ordained to eternal life believed. So you see God's purpose to save some.

21:41 Does not alter or affect his command to preach to all. Or the promise that forgiveness is free. That forgiveness is for all who will believe. You see his purpose of election simply assures that some will believe.

Man's Inability and God's Effectual Work

22:00 And if it were not for that purpose. The gospel could be preached for eons of time. And not one of the fallen sons of men would ever embrace it. Why?

22:12 Because they are spiritually blind. The scripture says in Ephesians 4.18. The understanding is darkened.

22:25 1 Corinthians 2.14 declares. The natural man receives not the things of the Spirit of God for their foolishness unto him. Neither can he know them.

22:34 That's a word of ability. It's not a matter of sincere desire or anything else. If a man is blind and his optic nerves are dead. You can put a thousand watts of light on a sheet of paper.

22:46 And hold it two inches from his nose. But he cannot see. He has no faculty or facility to see. The scripture says that men in their natural state cannot perceive the things of the Spirit of God.

23:00 The scripture declares the understanding is darkened. The mind is darkened. The scripture declares that the God of this world has blinded those that believe not. Lest the light of the gospel should penetrate.

23:13 The scripture declares in Romans 8.7. That the carnal mind is enmity against God. It is not subject to the law of God.

23:21 Neither indeed can it be. That's a word of ability. It cannot be subject to him. And so God's purpose of election secures.

23:32 And assures. That saving response to the gospel. So that the shaft of divine light is sent into the darkened sinner's heart. Who by nature could see no glory in Christ.

23:47 He could hear of the dying love of the Savior till doomsday. And see nothing to ravish his heart. When that light is sent into his heart. As Paul declares in 2 Corinthians 4.6.

24:00 God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness. Hath shined in our hearts. To give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. Then he sees.

24:11 And when he sees Christ. Then he embraces him. Not with the physical eyes. But with the eyes of the soul.

24:18 The human will is such. It's rebellion against God. Enslaved by the darkened understanding. And the perverted affections.

24:27 That the will it says. Will not and cannot be subject to him. God by the mysterious operations of his spirit. Takes out that heart of stone.

24:37 He subdues that rebel will. And the first actings of that will. Are those of glad subjection to the rule of a Christ. Whom previously he did not love.

24:49 And whose rule he willfully. And deliberately rejected. Saying I will not have him to reign over me. To whom he now says.

24:58 Lord. What will thou have me to do? And so as we think of this objection. That is often brought.

25:06 There is no contradiction. There is no real. Collision of truth here. God has commanded us to freely preach Christ.

25:16 To promise freely. Forgiveness to those who repent and believe. But man's nature and state in sin. Is such that if God did not take the initiative.

25:28 If God did not purpose. To take away the blindness. And subdue the rebel will. And draw the sinner.

25:36 He would not come. And our Lord categorically states that in John 6 44. When he says no man can come to me. That's a word of ability.

25:46 Except the father. Which hath sent me. Draw him. 1 Corinthians 12 3 says.

25:51 No man can call Jesus Lord. Except by the Holy Spirit. Again. This is a word of ability.

Illustration from 1 Thessalonians 1 and Acts 17: Paul at Thessalonica

26:00 Now. I don't know who God has purposed to save. That's locked up in his heart. But I do know that he's purposed to save his people.

26:10 Through the preaching of the gospel. Now you turn to a passage. Another passage. Where we see these principles illustrated.

26:17 I think in a very practical interpretation. In a very practical and beautiful way. In 1 Thessalonians chapter 1. 1 Thessalonians chapter 1.

26:29 As you keep your finger in 1 Thessalonians chapter 1. I want you to turn back with me to Acts 17. We're going to sort of flip between those two passages. All right.

26:42 Acts 17. Is the account of Paul's missionary endeavors. At Rome. I mean at Thessalonica.

26:54 I'm sorry. And then. We have his letter to that young church. Subsequent to his missionary endeavors there.

27:00 Now. When they had passed through. And. And.

27:04 Thippolis. And. Apollonia. And came to Thessalonica.

27:08 George Gergelis could do a lot better on those words than I do. There was a synagogue of the Jews. And Paul as his manner was. Went in unto them.

27:20 And three Sabbath days. Apparently. Measuring the time in terms of. Just the Sabbath days.

27:26 But including the time in between. So apparently three weeks. Reasoned with them out of the scriptures. Now what did he do?

27:34 Well he preached the gospel. Notice. Opening and alleging. That Christ must needs have suffered.

27:40 And risen again from the dead. And this. That this Jesus. Whom I preach unto you.

27:46 Is Christ. And. Some of them believed. And consorted with Paul.

27:52 And Silas. And the devout Greeks. A great multitude. And of the chief women.

27:56 Not a few. Now as you read through this. You see these same basic factors. Christ is freely preached.

28:04 Forgiveness is freely promised. Some believed. Now why did some believe? Why you say?

28:10 Because some of them exercised their free will. Is that right? Well. Paul.

28:17 Having been away from the situation for a while. He's going to write back to them now. And he's going to tell them why they believed. Now I think we ought to take his word for it.

28:25 Don't you? Well let's look at 1 Thessalonians chapter 1. And Paul's going to tell us. His answer to the question.

28:32 Suppose we could get Paul aside. And say now Paul. You remember when you preached down there in Thessalonica. You said I sure do.

28:38 I had a rough time there. They got to kind of bully me around there. And caused a little uproar in the city. I didn't get an invitation by the.

28:46 Mayor to come on back. And hold a citywide campaign. But I had a good time there. And the Lord was pleased to bless his word.

28:53 Well Paul what happened? Well I went into the synagogue and I preached. Well what did you preach? I preached Christ.

28:58 Well what did you say about him? Well I told the facts of his death and resurrection. Well what did you then tell the people? I told them that in him there is forgiveness.

29:05 If they'd repent and believe. They would find forgiveness. Well Paul what happened? Well some of them did repent and believe.

29:12 Yes they did Paul. Why? Now see there's the issue we're driving to. Why did they repent and believe?

29:19 Well 1 Thessalonians chapter 1. He answers. Verse 2. We give thanks to God always.

29:26 For you all. Making mention of you in our prayers. Remembering without ceasing your work of faith. And labor of love.

29:33 And patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. In the sight of God our Father. Knowing brethren beloved. Your election of God.

29:45 For. He says this is what convinces me. That you are his chosen ones. Our gospel came not unto you in word only.

29:55 But also in power. And in the Holy Ghost. And in much assurance. You see when Paul went into Thessalonica.

30:04 He didn't know those whom God had purposed to save. God's elect don't have a spot on the forehead. Or a stripe on the back. Or a circle on the leg.

30:15 They're known only to God. So as Paul went into the synagogue. He preached Christ freely. He preached forgiveness freely.

30:23 He commanded men to repent and to believe. And God was pleased to attend the word with power. And a group of believers was called out. And now as he writes back to them.

30:34 He said the reason you were called out. Is because the gospel came to you. Not in word only. To many it came in word only.

30:43 All they heard was a ranting raving apostle. That's all they heard. But you people heard the voice of God. The reason the gospel came to you in power.

30:55 Was because you were the elect of God. Knowing brethren your election. For our gospel came in power. You see the electing purposes of God are hidden.

31:05 And they become manifest. In the effectual call of the gospel. Election is locked up in God's heart. And in God's knowledge.

31:15 But it becomes unlocked. When we see the gospel powerfully operating. Upon the hearts of men. And people being brought to faith and repentance.

31:25 So that wherever there is faith. And repentance. We do not magnify the man. Who repents and believes.

31:32 And pat him on the back. Because he cranked up his will. And decided for Christ. No.

31:38 We do like Paul. We magnify the God of all grace. Who purposed to save a rebel sinner. And without that purpose.

31:46 He never would have been saved. This is what Paul did. That's how Paul viewed it. When he writes up the report.

31:54 He doesn't magnify men. He doesn't even magnify the instrument. He magnifies the God out of whose heart. And by whose power.

32:03 A people was brought. To Jesus Christ. The purpose of election is secret. They become manifest in the effectual call of God.

32:14 And the effectual call of God. Is revealed in repentance and faith. And all the fruits of it. And you read it in that first chapter.

32:23 They became followers of the apostles. And of the Lord. The word of God sounded out from them. They turned from their idols.

32:30 Here were all the fruits. Of the gospel coming. Not in word only. But also in power.

No Contradiction: The Harmony of 'Whosoever Will' and Election

32:37 So. Taking us around the circle. Back to where we started. Is there any contradiction between saying.

32:44 Whosoever will may come. And believing that God has purposed to save some. None whatsoever. None whatsoever.

32:52 For the way he's purposed to save them. Is as the general call. And the promise is given. Whosoever will may come.

33:00 Those in whom he effectually works. They will to come. And they come on his terms. Turning from sin.

33:06 Bowing to Christ as Lord. Embracing him as their all in all. No man will come on those terms. Unless God has done his work with grace.

33:16 Old Adam isn't up to complying with those terms. If coming simply means nodding your head. To a few facts about Christ on a cross. To get fixed up when you die.

33:25 Lots of people come on that basis. But to come to a Christ who says. If you come to me. And hate not father and mother.

33:31 And brother and sister. And your own life also. You can't be my disciple. A Christ who says.

33:36 If any man will come after me. Let him deny himself. And take up his cross. And follow me.

33:41 To come to a Christ who says. Cut out right eyes. And cut off right hands. And deal brutally and mercilessly with sin.

33:50 No beloved. No man comes. Unless God by his grace. Is pleased to change.

33:57 His heart. And so we preach freely. Whosoever. We preach freely the promise.

34:04 That those that believe. Shall be saved. And we preach in the confidence. That God will bring to faith.

Application to Unbelievers: Desperate Seeking of Mercy

34:12 Those whom he has purposed. Now in conclusion. You say what kind of hope does that give to a sinner. Some of you sitting here tonight.

34:20 You've not come in the scriptural sense. You've never seen any glory in Christ. That has ravished your heart. You've never seen that he is a savior.

34:30 Perfectly suited to your sin sick soul. You've never had your heart go out after him. With deep longings for his salvation. Does this glorious truth of the word of God.

34:44 Say anything to you tonight. Yes it does. For I'm authorized as a servant of Christ. To set before you Jesus Christ.

34:53 In all the glory of his person. And the perfection of his work. As the only hope of sinners. And to declare to you in his name.

35:01 That if you repent and believe. You'll find mercy. But you say I can't repent. What you mean is you don't want to repent.

35:10 You love your sins. That's why you don't come to him isn't it. You love your sin. You love to rule your own life.

35:19 You want your own way. And the reason you don't come. Is that you won't come. You don't want to embrace a Christ of light.

35:28 Who demands that you pluck out right eyes. And cut off right hands. You take the darling bosom sins. And be done with them.

35:36 You don't want a Christ who calls you on those terms. You will not come. Oh but you said tonight. That a man won't unless God works in his heart.

35:46 Do you really believe that. You say yes alright then. Fall on your face and start crying to God for mercy. Ask him to work in your poor blinded stubborn heart.

35:54 Plead with him. That by his grace. He would draw you. You see the doctrine of God's election.

36:02 Is no excuse for you and your impenitence. If you say you believe it. Then it shuts you up to seek mercy. From God.

36:10 And if you say you believe it and really don't. It unmasks your hypocrisy. For if you really believe that salvation. Is in his hands.

36:18 You'll fall upon your face in desperation. And cry to God to have mercy. Then you have his promise. Whosoever call shall be saved.

36:26 There's mercy for those that seek. You see the idea. Is in our hip pocket. And we just can sort of pull out the key of free will.

36:35 Anytime we want. This is what's brought the apathy and indifference upon us. People say if you preach that God is sovereign. And saves whom he wills.

36:43 That'll create apathy. Now let me use an illustration. Suppose this room were locked. Every door locked.

36:53 And someone said. Smell fire. This place might be on fire. Suppose we're all engaged in some kind of recreation.

37:01 Having a good time. And the fire got bad enough. You just open the key and get out. You see you'd say oh well.

37:09 Fire's not too bad yet. Let me go on playing my game. If you had the key in your pocket. And knew that anytime you chose to.

37:17 You could go and unlock the door. You wouldn't get desperate about the smell of smoke. Would you? You'd say well I'll stay to a reasonably safe period.

37:25 And then when I feel the danger's great enough. I'll go and unlock the door and get out. Suppose there was the smell of smoke. And the outside did.

37:39 You'd get desperate. And we'd all be found at these two, four, six, eight doors. Pounding. Desperate.

37:49 Somebody help. Get me out. You see the realization that you didn't have the power to get yourself out. Would make you desperate to seek help from another source.

37:57 And oh beloved. If God would do something in our generation. This is what I'd long for his glory. That he'd do.

38:05 Send upon us by his spirit. Such an awareness of the utter sinfulness. And the depravity of the human heart. That sinners begin to realize.

38:13 Oh God the key is not in me. Oh Lord son of David. Have mercy on me. Have mercy.

38:23 All of the pictures in the gospels. Of those physical healings of desperate lepers. Most commentators and good sound sensible Christians agree. That they are illustrations of spiritual truths.

38:35 Those people that were touched of Christ. Came with desperation. He was passing by once. And a malady that only he could cure.

38:43 And so they pressed through every difficulty. The woman with the issue of blood. Pressing through the throng. Until she touched him.

38:52 She thought she could ring him up on the phone any day. And have him come and pay her a house call. She wouldn't have come with desperation. That blind man heard the commotion.

39:00 And the crowd passing by. And what's all this about? And they said Jesus. Jesus the healer from Nazareth has come to town.

39:08 While he's a great way off. It says he runs. Without exposing himself to all kinds of dangers. But he didn't care.

39:16 It says he came running. And he fell down. And said son of David have mercy. The disciples said shhh.

39:25 Got no time for you. Don't bother him. And it says he cried the louder. Son of David have mercy.

39:33 Why? Because he knew he didn't have the key in his pocket. And the only one who had the key was passing by. And he might not ever pass by again.

39:41 So he said son of David have mercy. I trust the spirit of God. Will show you the desperate blackness. And depravity of your heart.

39:50 That you'll get desperate to seek grace. Some of you adults and friends and visitors. You've never been desperate. It's because you still think you've got the key in your pocket.

39:58 But I declare to you tonight. You don't have the key in your pocket. The key is held in the hands of the son of David. He said I have the keys.

40:06 Of death and of hell. He's got the keys. And he bids you fall down. Before him and seek mercy.

40:18 Whosoever will may come. Blessed truth. And if you find it in your heart to come. He offers mercy.

40:26 He promises he'll receive it. Say it's not in my heart. I don't want to come. Then go to the one who has the key.

40:34 And can make you willing in the day of his power. Isn't that a wonderful gospel to preach? Do you young men preparing for the ministry. Think that's a constraining.

Application to Believers: Ascribing All Glory to God

40:42 And a narrow gospel to preach. A free. A willing and able savior. I trust that tonight.

40:52 Some of you may close with Christ. And what does this say to you. And to me as Christians. That's the practical application of this truth.

41:01 To those who are not joined to Christ. What does this say to us as his people. Well I hope it says to us. What every one of these studies.

41:10 I hope has said to us. Did I come? Yes. Have I believed?

41:19 Do I believe? In a repenting manner woman? Yes. Why is it so?

41:29 My repentance was but the bringing to light. Of his eternal purpose. To make me an object in the vessel of his mercy. And so I must fall upon my face.

41:38 Not pleading for mercy. But ascribing all glory to him. Who extended mercy. Distinguishing particular mercy.

41:46 There were many others. Who heard the whosoever will. Who had no will to come. You find that in your heart.

41:55 You had a will to come. Where did it come from? From the God who works in us. Both to what?

42:03 To will. And to do. Of his good pleasure. So I trust that the scriptures tonight.

42:14 Have clarified. And set before us in a way. That will be helpful to our edification. And helpful in our witness.

42:23 That there is no contradiction. Between God's purpose to save us. And the greatest people. And God's promise.

42:31 Of whosoever will. Let us pray. Lord we bless and praise your name tonight. For such a savior.

42:49 As our Lord Jesus Christ. Able. Willing. Freely offered in the gospel.

42:59 Oh God it grieves us to think of the years. That we despised his grace. Counted his wounds. And his blood.

43:08 Of no worth. Oh God. Remember not against us. The sins of our youth.

43:19 But we thank you that in mercy. You opened our blinded eyes. And subdued our rebel wills. And you've drawn us to yourself.

43:29 Oh God for those. Here tonight. Who've not been drawn. Oh be pleased to draw them.

43:38 Make them desperate. Shake them from the lethargy. And the indifference. That would delude them.

43:47 And the fear. That would make them. To be in their pocket. Oh Lord recognizing.

43:55 That only you have the key. That can unlock the prison door. May they begin to cry. May they begin to seek.

44:06 We pray that you'd bless this word. To the heart of both. Those that are joined to you. Those that are yet strangers to your grace.

44:15 We plead with you Lord. To dismiss us from this place. With the benediction of your presence. We may be zealous.

44:25 To obey your command. Constrained by love. To proclaim the message to. Those with whom we work.

44:34 And the neighbors on the block. And the friends at school. Oh God make us a people. Zealous to proclaim.

44:42 This wonderful message. Make us a people. Prayerful. And utterly dependent upon the Holy Spirit.

44:50 To apply it with power. To call out sinners to yourself. Hear us. Oh God in our hearts cry.

44:59 And accept our praise for your goodness. And being with us. This day. We pray through Jesus Christ our Lord.

45:09 Amen.