Nice & Wavy
Well-Known Member
I believe that it is obvious, to even the most casual observer, that there is a certain word which denotes the highest degree of certainty and assurance. The word to which I refer is the word "S-U-R-E-L-Y"; yes, "SURELY".
I don't doubt that we've all experienced, at some time in our life, the bitter disappointment that follows the fact that we have been the victim of a falsehood. Yes, even those whom we may have considered our best friends will, under certain conditions, distort the truth to satisfy their own selfish desires. Ah, but not so with God! No, in all the history of mankind, not once do we know of God, the Creator, telling a lie. No, not once do we find an incident where God failed to keep His promise. And what's more, He never shall; for He would cease to be God, if He did!
The very essence of God's character is one of absolute holiness, with a bitter hatred for sin. That's why we're told in Romans 3:4, "Let God be true, but every man a liar." This fact is confirmed in Titus 1:2, where we read that "God cannot lie"; and in Hebrews 6:18 where we're reminded that it is "impossible for God to lie." Yes, and it is a real comfort to all truly "born again" Christians who are SURE of being in Heaven for all eternity; why? - because God has promised eternal life to all who accept His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, as their own and personal Saviour.
What I'm leading up to is simply this, in the biblical book of Genesis, the first book of the Bible, we read the very first promise of God in verses 15-17 of chapter 2. Over in Isaiah 53:4, near the middle of the Bible, we have a most important and prophetic promise of God. Then, in the last chapter of the last book in the Bible, Revelation 22:20, we read the final promise in the word of God.
Now with the imperative help of the Holy Spirit of God, I would like to bring before you some interesting and vital facts concerning these three promises involving the word "SURELY". And in doing so, I trust that you will give heed to the fact that these three promises, respectively, bring before us man's ruin, God's remedy, and man's responsibility, in view of the imminent return of the Lord Jesus Christ, which will terminate the day of God's marvelous, matchless, and sovereign GRACE.
First of all, we read in Genesis chapter 2, some facts concerning God's placement of man in the beautiful Garden of Eden. Yes, man was created pure and sinless from the hands of God, and he was placed in an earthly paradise with all that he should possibly desire. And the only requirement imposed upon him by his Creator, was that he should not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil; and then comes the warning and promise of God, "for in the day that thou eatest thereof, thou shalt SURELY die." Now you'll notice that God is very clear in His promise; no room for being misunderstood. He makes it quite clear as He declares in all simplicity, "thou shalt SURELY die."
And I'm sure, that most of you reading this message today, are familiar with the most important facts concerning what immediately followed this warning, and promise of God. Satan came on to the scene, discredited the word of God, beguiled Eve into eating the forbidden fruit and then giving it to her husband, Adam, and in one bold stroke of S-I-N, sin, mankind had fallen. Yes, mankind was ruined in the sight of a Holy, Just, and Righteous God. He had sinned against the God of all creation, and he had disobeyed the One in Whose image he was formed. He was now spiritually dead, and from that moment on, his body began to die physically. And something that was unknown before, began to take place. The beautiful flowers, plants, bushes and trees began to die. And eventually the ground was cursed, and all because of S-I-N, sin.
All that God required of mankind, in order to have eternal life, with full communion and fellowship with his Creator, was simple obedience concerning not eating of the forbidden fruit. But mankind had other ideas, so he yielded to "the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life". And today, if a person is not "saved", or "born again", through faith in God's only Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, that person is SPIRITUALLY dead, separated from God, and is but a short time away from the unavoidable, and promised PHYSICAL death.
Now perhaps someone is thinking, "Well, just because Adam and Eve sinned, and were spiritually dead, is no reason for me to be spiritually dead also." When our first parents succumbed to the lies of Satan, we fell right along with them, because we, being descendants of Adam, have inherited that same sinful nature. That's the reason we read in I Corinthians 15:22, "In Adam all die." And then God tells us in Romans 5:12 that "Wherefore, as by one man (Adam) sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned."
Yes, and the man after God's own heart, David the Psalmist, reminds us in Psalms 51:5, that we've all been born in sin and shapen in iniquity. And it is just as natural for you and I to sin, as it is for a fish to swim, or a dog to bark. Furthermore, since we are inheritors of a sinful nature, contrary to God, it is therefore necessary for us to be regenerated, or "born again", by the Holy Spirit and word of God, if we ever expect to reach the glories of Heaven. That's the reason that the Lord Jesus Christ, three times over, told the religious leader Nicodemus, in John chapter 3, that "except a man be born again, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." Whether you believe it or not, God's word declares that you're spiritually dead if you've never been "born again". Over in Ephesians 2:1, the Apostle Paul reminds the assembly at Ephesus, "And you hath He quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins."
Now, let's be honest about this matter, and just take God at His word, because as we mentioned earlier, "God cannot lie", and "it is impossible for God to lie". In the prophecy of Ezekiel, chapter 18 and verses 4 and 20 both, God says that "the soul that sinneth, it shall die." And the Apostle Paul reminds us in Romans 6:23 that "the wages of sin is death", and the wages of sin have never been reduced. Yes, God's word clearly and unreservedly declares that everyone of us, if we're not saved, is spiritually dead, and all this is because of S-I-N, sin. Our sins and iniquities have SURELY separated us from our Creator, God; and we can only be restored to a new and proper relationship with God, through faith in His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Now that leads us to our second main "Scripture Text" of assurance, which is Isaiah 53: verses 4 and 5. There God tells us, "SURELY, He (meaning the Lord Jesus Christ) hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed." Well, to a sinner like me, those words of assurance are worth more than all the wealth in this world. And if I had no other claim today, then I claim the God-given fact that His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, died for my sins at Calvary's cross. Yes, God says "SURELY", and that's good enough for me, but is it good enough for you ? I sure hope so!
The word of God declares in Romans 3:23, "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God"; and the reason is simply because if we're not saved, then we're spiritually dead; but it doesn't stop there, Ah no! God has provided the only sacrifice for our sins in the person of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Yes, over 1900 years ago, the Lord Jesus Christ was crucified on Calvary's cross; He was the Just One dying for we, the unjust, so that He might bring us back to that new and proper relationship with His Father, God, the One in Whose hand is our every breath. And even though He, Himself, was sinless; the Lord Jesus Christ became sin for us, so that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.
Anyone reading this message today can become a child of God, through simple faith in the precious blood that God's Son shed at the place called Calvary. And in I John 1:7, we're told that "the blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, cleanseth us from all sin." Again, in I Peter 2:24, God declares that His Son "bare our sins in His own body on the tree." Then I think of that simple statement of fact in I Corinthians 15:3, "Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures". (If anyone so desires, please PM me about How to give your life to Jesus Christ.)
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I don't doubt that we've all experienced, at some time in our life, the bitter disappointment that follows the fact that we have been the victim of a falsehood. Yes, even those whom we may have considered our best friends will, under certain conditions, distort the truth to satisfy their own selfish desires. Ah, but not so with God! No, in all the history of mankind, not once do we know of God, the Creator, telling a lie. No, not once do we find an incident where God failed to keep His promise. And what's more, He never shall; for He would cease to be God, if He did!
The very essence of God's character is one of absolute holiness, with a bitter hatred for sin. That's why we're told in Romans 3:4, "Let God be true, but every man a liar." This fact is confirmed in Titus 1:2, where we read that "God cannot lie"; and in Hebrews 6:18 where we're reminded that it is "impossible for God to lie." Yes, and it is a real comfort to all truly "born again" Christians who are SURE of being in Heaven for all eternity; why? - because God has promised eternal life to all who accept His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, as their own and personal Saviour.
What I'm leading up to is simply this, in the biblical book of Genesis, the first book of the Bible, we read the very first promise of God in verses 15-17 of chapter 2. Over in Isaiah 53:4, near the middle of the Bible, we have a most important and prophetic promise of God. Then, in the last chapter of the last book in the Bible, Revelation 22:20, we read the final promise in the word of God.
Now with the imperative help of the Holy Spirit of God, I would like to bring before you some interesting and vital facts concerning these three promises involving the word "SURELY". And in doing so, I trust that you will give heed to the fact that these three promises, respectively, bring before us man's ruin, God's remedy, and man's responsibility, in view of the imminent return of the Lord Jesus Christ, which will terminate the day of God's marvelous, matchless, and sovereign GRACE.
First of all, we read in Genesis chapter 2, some facts concerning God's placement of man in the beautiful Garden of Eden. Yes, man was created pure and sinless from the hands of God, and he was placed in an earthly paradise with all that he should possibly desire. And the only requirement imposed upon him by his Creator, was that he should not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil; and then comes the warning and promise of God, "for in the day that thou eatest thereof, thou shalt SURELY die." Now you'll notice that God is very clear in His promise; no room for being misunderstood. He makes it quite clear as He declares in all simplicity, "thou shalt SURELY die."
And I'm sure, that most of you reading this message today, are familiar with the most important facts concerning what immediately followed this warning, and promise of God. Satan came on to the scene, discredited the word of God, beguiled Eve into eating the forbidden fruit and then giving it to her husband, Adam, and in one bold stroke of S-I-N, sin, mankind had fallen. Yes, mankind was ruined in the sight of a Holy, Just, and Righteous God. He had sinned against the God of all creation, and he had disobeyed the One in Whose image he was formed. He was now spiritually dead, and from that moment on, his body began to die physically. And something that was unknown before, began to take place. The beautiful flowers, plants, bushes and trees began to die. And eventually the ground was cursed, and all because of S-I-N, sin.
All that God required of mankind, in order to have eternal life, with full communion and fellowship with his Creator, was simple obedience concerning not eating of the forbidden fruit. But mankind had other ideas, so he yielded to "the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life". And today, if a person is not "saved", or "born again", through faith in God's only Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, that person is SPIRITUALLY dead, separated from God, and is but a short time away from the unavoidable, and promised PHYSICAL death.
Now perhaps someone is thinking, "Well, just because Adam and Eve sinned, and were spiritually dead, is no reason for me to be spiritually dead also." When our first parents succumbed to the lies of Satan, we fell right along with them, because we, being descendants of Adam, have inherited that same sinful nature. That's the reason we read in I Corinthians 15:22, "In Adam all die." And then God tells us in Romans 5:12 that "Wherefore, as by one man (Adam) sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned."
Yes, and the man after God's own heart, David the Psalmist, reminds us in Psalms 51:5, that we've all been born in sin and shapen in iniquity. And it is just as natural for you and I to sin, as it is for a fish to swim, or a dog to bark. Furthermore, since we are inheritors of a sinful nature, contrary to God, it is therefore necessary for us to be regenerated, or "born again", by the Holy Spirit and word of God, if we ever expect to reach the glories of Heaven. That's the reason that the Lord Jesus Christ, three times over, told the religious leader Nicodemus, in John chapter 3, that "except a man be born again, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." Whether you believe it or not, God's word declares that you're spiritually dead if you've never been "born again". Over in Ephesians 2:1, the Apostle Paul reminds the assembly at Ephesus, "And you hath He quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins."
Now, let's be honest about this matter, and just take God at His word, because as we mentioned earlier, "God cannot lie", and "it is impossible for God to lie". In the prophecy of Ezekiel, chapter 18 and verses 4 and 20 both, God says that "the soul that sinneth, it shall die." And the Apostle Paul reminds us in Romans 6:23 that "the wages of sin is death", and the wages of sin have never been reduced. Yes, God's word clearly and unreservedly declares that everyone of us, if we're not saved, is spiritually dead, and all this is because of S-I-N, sin. Our sins and iniquities have SURELY separated us from our Creator, God; and we can only be restored to a new and proper relationship with God, through faith in His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Now that leads us to our second main "Scripture Text" of assurance, which is Isaiah 53: verses 4 and 5. There God tells us, "SURELY, He (meaning the Lord Jesus Christ) hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed." Well, to a sinner like me, those words of assurance are worth more than all the wealth in this world. And if I had no other claim today, then I claim the God-given fact that His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, died for my sins at Calvary's cross. Yes, God says "SURELY", and that's good enough for me, but is it good enough for you ? I sure hope so!
The word of God declares in Romans 3:23, "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God"; and the reason is simply because if we're not saved, then we're spiritually dead; but it doesn't stop there, Ah no! God has provided the only sacrifice for our sins in the person of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Yes, over 1900 years ago, the Lord Jesus Christ was crucified on Calvary's cross; He was the Just One dying for we, the unjust, so that He might bring us back to that new and proper relationship with His Father, God, the One in Whose hand is our every breath. And even though He, Himself, was sinless; the Lord Jesus Christ became sin for us, so that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.
Anyone reading this message today can become a child of God, through simple faith in the precious blood that God's Son shed at the place called Calvary. And in I John 1:7, we're told that "the blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, cleanseth us from all sin." Again, in I Peter 2:24, God declares that His Son "bare our sins in His own body on the tree." Then I think of that simple statement of fact in I Corinthians 15:3, "Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures". (If anyone so desires, please PM me about How to give your life to Jesus Christ.)
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