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Devotions from Gospel Chapel Ministries HOME SERMONS SERMON NOTES
SOLEMN TRUTHS
"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, "That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life." The central theme we will focus on is the purpose; it is the word "that" which will be the focus of the entire theme of this message.
God, the Father, in His love gave His Son to suffer, bleed, and die as a propitiation for our sins "that...." We want to see the condescension of God in giving His Son "That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life."
Notice in V:15 that as Moses lifted up the serpent, so the Son of Man had to be lifted up. Why? "That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life." Do you see the emphasis placed on the word that? Do you see that what has been done to put reconciliation in place is from the Lord's side
The negative implication of our text can be found 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." Do you see why it is so important that we believe? Those who believe not shall be damned. All the preparation of salvation was made "that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life," but that is only one side of the situation.
The blessings obtained in the atonement are limited. The atonement is not limited; carefully note the difference; it is only the blessings obtained in the atonement which are limited unto those who believe. Salvation is limited to those who believe. It brings the responsibility home that all those who are damned will be damned because they believed not; that puts all the responsibility squarely on our account. It is not because the atonement was limited. The only limitation found in the gospel is--the blessings of the atonement are limited to those who believe. The Lord has given His own Son; He has been lifted up on the cross "that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life."
Since the blessings obtained in the atonement are limited to those who believe, it is very urgent to rightly understand what it is to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. Can you think of anything that is more important than to rightly understand what it means to believe? Our eternal salvation or 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. As a little child I became very emotional about the story of the crucifixion, to think that those terrible people did all this to Jesus! There was no salvation in those emotions and feelings of sympathy. We need to understand that it is merely an intellectual belief, even though we may have great feelings and emotions connected with it.
The emotions may become very deeply stirred while faith is nothing more than a morning cloud which passes away. Why? The next morning those emotions are gone; nothing in the heart has been altered. All those emotions and feelings are not connected to believing the historical fact of the event. Something is missing.
MAT 13:20-21 says, "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 while they heard, and they believed it]; 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." What was missing? The washing of regeneration of the Holy Spirit was missing; the new attitude and desires were missing. A right attitude towards sin was missing.
When "persecution ariseth" for the Word, i.e., when one must give up things that please the flesh to obey the Word of God, he falls by the wayside. Then he gives up the Word instead of the sins that are cleaving to him. Do you see the error? All the feelings and emotion, joy and believing intellectually, had no salvation in them; he was still not saved from his sin.
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 by the Holy Spirit.
As we read in MAR 6:20-27, Herod heard John the Baptist "gladly," but see what was wrong. He had joy in hearing John the Baptist; his emotions were effected, but when the dancing of the daughter of Herodias pleased the king, he went against his own conscience.
MAR 6:26-27 says, "And the king was exceeding sorry [He came to a crossroads; he had to decide where his values lay. Would it be his honor before those whom he made such a foolish oath, a prostitute who danced so beautifully, or his feelings when he heard John the Baptist. Now see what he did]; yet for his oath's sake, and for their sakes which sat with him, he would not reject her. [Persecution because the Word had arisen, and what did he do?] 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 is sorted out. Do we stand to the authority of the Word? Do we understand the washing of regeneration by the Holy Spirit that we can have everything of the flesh cut off for the purifying of our souls? That is true believing.
Whether or not we believe in the Lord Jesus Christ may be gauged by our attitude and actions a lot more safely than buy our knowledge, emotions, or certain experiences. These are deceiving; our gauge must be our attitude and our actions which are renewed by God's grace. Do we understand what it is to be renewed in the spirit of the mind? The washing of water by the Word changes us, and that is a much better and safer gauge. Amen.
Naught have I gotten but what I received,
Grace hath bestowed it since I have believed;
Boasting excluded, pride I abase
I’m only a sinner saved by grace!
Once I was foolish, and sin ruled my heart,
Causing my footsteps from God to depart;
Jesus hath found me, happy my case,
I now am a sinner saved by grace!
Tears unavailing, no merit had I,
Mercy had saved me or else I must die;
Sin had alarmed me, fearing God’s face,
But now I’m a sinner saved by grace.
Suffer a sinner whose heart overflows,
Loving his Savior, to tell what he knows;
Once more to tell it would I embrace
I’m only a sinner saved by grace!
~Author: James M. Gray, 1851-1935
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.