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Devotions from Gospel Chapel Ministries HOME SERMONS SERMON NOTES
UNDERSTAND THE LIMITATION
"And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." (JOH 3:14-16)
Our text reveals that our blessed Saviour gave Himself, and God gave His Son (see the emphasis the comes on that word that), "That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life." Our central motive and the theme on which we want to center is to see His purpose. The words "That whosoever believeth," is the entire theme of this message.
God the Father, in His love, gave His Son to suffer, bleed, and die. He gave His Son as a propitiation for our sins. We want to see the condescension of God in giving His Son. "That whosoever believeth…should not perish, but have everlasting life." Notice in verse 15, "as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up." Why? "That whosoever believeth in him…." Do you see the emphasis on "That whosoever believeth?" Do you see that the Father has put reconciliation in place? "That whosoever believeth…should not perish."
The negative implication of our text we find in our Saviour’s words in MAR 16:16. "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned." See why it is so important that we believe, because those who believe not shall be damned. All of this preparation for our salvation was made "That whosoever believeth…should not perish but have eternal life."
The atonement is not limited, but the blessings obtained in the atonement are limited. Salvation is limited to those who believe. Do you know what that does? That removes the limitation from God’s side and puts it on our side. It brings the responsibility home: all those who are damned are damned because they believed not, not because the atonement was limited. The only limitation in the gospel is "those who believeth." The Lord has given His own Son, and the Son of God has been lifted up on the cross "That whosoever believeth … should not perish but have everlasting life."
Seeing that the blessings obtained in the atonement are limited to those who believe, it is very urgent to rightly understand what it is to believe. Can you think of anything that’s more important than to rightly understand what it means to believe? Our eternal salvation - or our eternal damnation - depends upon it.
A mere intellectual belief is not saving! I can have a historical knowledge of the crucifixion of Christ and truly believe it to be true, but that is not saving. There is often much feeling associated with an intellectual belief. I can think back to when, as a little child, I used to hear the explanation of how Christ was crucified, and I could become very emotional about that. I could really feel emotional and sympathetic towards the poor Saviour: to think that these terrible people had done all this to Him! Yet there was no salvation in that. Those feelings and emotions have no salvation in them. It’s still an intellectual belief, even though we may have great emotions connected with it.
The emotions may become very deeply stirred, while faith is nothing more than a morning cloud which passes away. The next morning those emotions are gone, and nothing has been altered in my heart at all. Nothing has changed. This is why all the the feelings are not connected with believing – there is no relationship at all.
"But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it. [There was joy in receiving the Word, they heard it, and they believed it! See what was missing.] Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended." (MAT 13:20-21)
What was missing? What was missing was the washing of regeneration, the new attitude, and new desires. A right attitude towards sin was missing, because when persecution arises for the Word (when for the sake of the Word certain habits and attitudes have been given up) in the face of persecution the fallen will cleaves to the things of earth.
All these feelings, emotions, joy, and intellectual belief have no salvation in them. These truths are fearfully solemn! Today, there are so many who do not endure unto the end. They believe - they even have joy in believing - but when persecution arises for the sake of the Word, they become offended. They cannot endure to have everything of the flesh cut off and crucified. They cannot endure the washing of regeneration of the Holy Spirit.
As we see from MAR 6:20-27, King Herod heard John the Baptist "gladly." There was joy in hearing John the Baptist. He was emotional, but when the dancing of the daughter of Herodias pleased the king, he went against his own conscience.
MAR 6:26 says, "And the king was exceeding sorry…." He had to start seeing where he was going to put his values: his honor before those to whom he had made such a foolish oath, his honor before such a sinful woman who had danced so beautifully, or his feelings. Verse 26 continues, "yet for his oath's sake, and for their sakes which sat with him, he would not reject her."
Persecution because of the Word had arisen, and now he has become offended. What does he do? Verse 27: "And immediately the king sent an executioner, and commanded his head to be brought: and he went and beheaded him in the prison." These are solemn truths. This is where the true believer emerges. Do we stand for the authority of the Word, and do we understand the washing of regeneration of the Holy Spirit so that we are able to have everything of the flesh cut off for the purifying of our souls? That is believing. Amen
Father of heaven, almighty King,
How wondrous is thy love,
That worms of dust thy praise should sing,
And thou their songs approve!
[Since by a new and living Way
Access to thee is given,
Poor sinners may with boldness pray,
And earth converse with heaven.]
Give each some token, Lord, for good,
And send the Spirit down,
To feed us with celestial food,
The body of thy Son.
The feast thou hast been pleased to make
We would by faith receive,
That all that come their part may take,
And all that take may live.
Let every tongue the Father own,
Who, when we all were lost,
To seek and save us sent the Son,
And gives the Holy Ghost.
Our sermons and devotions are a ministry of Gospel Chapel located in Conrad, Montana. We also have a daily devotion and sermon notes on-line. We pray this devotion has been a blessing to those who read it. Thank you.