We turn to the twelfth chapter of Romans. I remind you that there are eleven chapters of doctrine. We have completed those. Now there are five chapters of application. Starting in Romans chapter 12. We looked at verse 1 last time. This time it's verse 2. I believe to get the context we should read both verses. So Romans 12, 1 and 2. I beseech you, therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. Be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Let's begin with a brief review of what we covered last week as we looked at Romans 12 verse 1. We noted that verb beseech, it means to urge, to entreat, to implore, I've read that the Speaker of the House got down on his knees and all but begged some people that they would vote for the health care plan. You can picture that kind of beseeching. That's a little something of what Paul is doing for you and me today. I beseech, I implore, I urge, I entreat you. This is an appeal to make the only right choice. An appeal to make the only right choice. based on compelling considerations. And the compelling consideration? The mercies of God. Based on the favors of God given to us who are undeserving, we are besought to yield ourselves to God. What mercies? Well, God purchased us. God pardoned us. God has perfected us in Christ. And we have paradise awaiting us. Oh, the mercies of God. And so we are encouraged to present our bodies a living sacrifice. And we are told that that action is acceptable unto God. Now that's very encouraging, because God does not accept everything that man throws up to him. Some offerings are an abomination to God. But God does find acceptable the presentation of our bodies as living sacrifices. They're like burnt offerings, sweet savors, consumed on the altar, all ascending as an incense before God. And so the teaching of last week was entire surrender of God in everything. This action is called our reasonable service. rational, spiritual. Nothing else, nothing else would make sense. There is no other rational choice than for believers to present themselves entirely unto God. That's what we discussed last week. Now we go on to the text today, Romans 12.2, and be not conformed to this world. but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. So our text for today consists of two charges and a goal. The first charge is negative, don't do this. The second charge is positive, do do this. And the goal is to prove something. What we are not to do is to be conformed to the world. I'm sure you've heard the explanation. To be conformed means to be pressed into the mold. There's a mold of the world, you press into it, take on its shape. We are not to be conformed to the world, we are to be transformed to be like Christ. Think with the mind of Christ, the motive of Christ, And the goal is to prove the will of God. So we are to surrender our lives, yield all our plans, hopes and dreams, present all our possessions, our very bodies, to achieve this goal, proving what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Now what does that mean? Do you, O Christian, Understand what is your objective. Are you proving the good and acceptable and perfect will of God? So we need to pause on that verb prove. Our mission is to prove. The Greek verb there is dakimazo. It appears a number of times in the Bible. We're going to look at a few. The first one will be in 1 Corinthians 3 if you want to be turning over there. That verb, dakimatsu, applies to testing metals by the severity of the fire. What is this? Is this gold? Is this lead? Is this silver? Is it just dross? Is it of value, no dross? Put it in the fire. Prove it. And let's see what comes out. And we'll know what it is. We go to 1 Corinthians chapter 3. We see the same concept, to prove something, to demonstrate, to investigate and ascertain and discern what it is. Is this the will of God? Is that the will of God? Is this partially the will of God? Is this the perfect will of God? That is our mission, to have it discovered in us and manifested through us to others. that you may prove what is a good and acceptable perfect will of God. So 1 Corinthians 3, this is a text abused in the Roman church to justify the doctrine of purgatory, but it has nothing to do with purgatory. 1 Corinthians 3, let's start reading in verse 11. For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation, gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble, every man's work shall be made manifest. For the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire, and the fire shall try it." Dakematsu. Every man's work of what sort it is. So the foundation is Jesus Christ. We build the right sort of stuff, it's like gold, silver, precious jewels. We put the wrong sort of stuff on it, wood, hay, stubble. It'll be thrown in the fire and we'll see, it'll try it and reveal the nature. Now notice, this is not purgatory, because it's not souls being cast in the fire, it's the works. And it's not to determine salvation, salvation is already done. This is a judgment on the believers' works, whether or not they were valuable to heaven. You see, we do not have our works tested to determine whether or not we go to heaven. Our works were judged in the body of Jesus Christ and we are saved by grace. But now, God does take account of our works, and we will see one day if they were works of value to Him. And what will determine their value, whether they were gold, silver, precious jewels, or wood, hay, stubble, was the motive behind it, as we shall see. And so we're looking at illustrations of proving that help us to understand Romans 12.2. The first one is 1 Corinthians 3. Another one in actuality, not in text, would be Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Their faith was tried in a fiery furnace. They came through as gold, which is, by the way, a verse in Job chapter 23 and verse 10. Job says, when he had tried me, I shall come forth as gold. Peter speaks about it, let's turn to that text, 1st Peter chapter 1 and verse 7. I'm just showing that from the beginning through all scriptures. There is this concept of here's an appearance of something, put it in the fire and let's see what comes out and we'll know what it is. And our mission today is to have the will of God thus tried. We've seen in 1 Corinthians 3 that our works shall be tried. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were put in a fiery furnace. Their faith was tried. My dad Abraham, his faith was tried when he was told, sacrifice your own son. Angel of the Lord said to him in Genesis 22, 12, now I know that thou fearest God. And in 1 Peter 1, verse 7, We are told what is described as the trial of your faith being much more precious than of gold that perishes, that it will be tried with fire. Is my faith genuine or is it a piece of wood, plastic that's just sprayed with gold paint? Put it in the fire, you'll see. God tests, tries our faith. Faith is more precious than gold. So as we go back to our text, Romans 12 and verse 2, we see here clear meaning. We are not to do this, which is be like the world. We are to do this, to think like Christ, so that we can ascertain and demonstrate the good and acceptable and perfect will of God. A purged and renewed mind is essential to a successful inquiry and demonstration of the will of God. Now I'm going to ask you to turn to one other place, Ephesians chapter 5. Ephesians chapter 5. We have the same idea expressed here as we do in Romans chapter 12. I thought if we read through one it would help us to comprehend the other. So we're going to read carefully verses 1 through 10 of Ephesians chapter 5. Be ye therefore followers of God as dear children, and walk in love as Christ also hath loved us. So have the mind of Christ, the motive of Christ, and have given themselves, look at this, for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savor. So when we're called to put ourselves on an altar, we're just following the pattern of Christ. He did it. But, now look out, here's the world, fornication and all uncleanness, it means any kind of impurity or covetousness, let it be not once named among you as is fitting, as becometh saints. Neither filthiness, that means obscenity, nor foolish talking, that's buffoonery, nor jesting, that's wording a doubtful morality, double entendres, that sort of thing, which are not convenient, that is not suitable. None of this fits being a Christian. That's being like the world. But rather, here's what a Christian does, giving a thanks. See, talk takes on a whole new earnestness when one becomes a Christian. You reevaluate everything, no longer do what the world does. Four, going back to the text, verse five, this you know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man who is an idolater hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no man deceive you with vain words, for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Be not ye therefore partakers with them. Do not be conformed to this world. For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye a light in the Lord. Walk as children of light, for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth. Now look at the final verse. Proving, same word, proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. This is the way, Daki Matso, you try and reveal what is the will of the Lord. You see, there is this will that God has. Well, I go to the Presbyterian church, I go to the Lutheran church, I go to the Baptist church, we're Muslims, we're Buddhists, but you know, it all seems to wash out about the same. People really don't know, and there doesn't seem to be much difference in the way life's turned out. That's the argument some people have. But we say, no, there is the will of God out there. and it is good, and it is perfect, and it is acceptable. And if you get in vain in that, in unsync with that, it will explode with truth, and you'll see it, you'll believe it, and a whole new different experience and profession. Well, let's see it. Well, there's a system here. You've got to leave the world, don't be pressed into its mold, and you have to take on the mind of Christ. There's a process here with this goal in mind, proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. I believe we can organize this charge in Romans 12, verse 2, under three headings. Three headings. The first is rich dividends. By that we mean proving what is good and acceptable and perfect unto God is a rich reward, a goal worth pursuing, rich dividends. Our second heading was rigorous discernment. We're going to have renewed minds. We need to detect what we've been missing before. We need to try the spirits whether they be of God. We need to have rigorous discernment to see what is of the world, what's acceptable, what we should leave away, what is the best and the highest. Rich dividends, rigorous discernment, and finally we're going to speak on radical divide. You think the world and the will of God are just like this? There's a radical divide between them. A radical divide between the world and the will of God. So that's our goal for today, looking at those three points. We'll start with the first one, rich dividends. Romans 12, verse 2 says, don't do this, do do this, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. That's a rich dividend. We can ascertain for our benefit and demonstrate for others' benefits What is the good, acceptable, perfect will of God? Good meaning that which promotes the honor and interest of God. Good in essence. Acceptable meaning it's pleasing to God. Perfect meaning it's completely and utterly right. Wouldn't you like once to get something completely and utterly right? And the will of God, oh, to know it fully. to know the most effective way to witness for Him. Don't you think I labor on that? I know I am charged, you are charged, we are charged corporately for advancing the Word of God. Well, how do we do that? Is it door-to-door this? Is it internet that? Is it transformed life when conversations come up? Is it declaring the truth in front of Minerva's? I want to know and I want to carry out what is the will of God, the best way in this culture, in this time of life, trusting in the Holy Spirit, working through the Word of God, to reach humanity with the Gospel. What is the will of God concerning how to witness? What is the will of God to know how best to spend my time? Or to know the counsel of the Lord in difficult matters? to know his mind on translations and music and worship and behavior and marriages and child rearing, and to know the deep things of God, to know all that can be known and experienced in this life. that God might be honored and loved and sought and found and known and enjoyed as can occur even now. Oh, to know that perfect will of God, to prove it. I think this is in the camp of Moses seeing God's glory. This is entering into the Holy of Holies. This is the transfiguration. This is Paul's glimpse into paradise. This is John seeing and hearing things in heaven that he's not allowed even to record. That you might prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Oh, there are rich dividends before us, but what is required is rigorous discernment. A clear concern in this text is that there be no conflict, no hypocrisy between what we profess and how we live. We need discernment. I was reading a commentary by Wiest on this verse and he says, all external changes, if the mind is not changed, would be useless or would be hypocrisy. Christianity seeks to reign in the soul, and having its seat there, the external conduct and habits will be regulated accordingly. Hence the charge to be transformed. Do you all know what that word is in the Greek? Have you heard this before? Metamorphol, from which we get the English word metamorphosis. You were as a worm. Here's your opportunity to become a butterfly. worm as the world, butterfly the mind of Christ. Be metamorphosed, undergo metamorphosis from what you were before you were saved, what the world is, change, change, change, change into what is the mind of Christ. What a wondrous way to spend our time being transformed. You know that same word is used in Matthew 17, 2 to describe the transfiguration of Christ. Matthew 17, 2, Jesus was transfigured before them, metamorphosed. And his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light. Metamorphosis of Christ. The same word is used in the text we refer to in 2 Corinthians 3 in verse 18. 2 Corinthians 3.18, but we all with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord are changed, metamorphosed into the same image from glory to glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord. So the charge is to be transformed. But transformation, so that we be in the world and not of it, can be a slippery thing. And these next chapters in Romans, it's going to explain it in some detail. I'm just going to give a couple principles that are of concern as we go through transformation. Understanding what is the world, what we are not to be pressed into, how to live spiritually while we live in the world. I'm going to give you three words. The first one is motivation. Motivation. We understand that the world may do great things, but not please God because of their motivation. reading a book now about John Adams and Abigail Adams, and they did much good. I don't mean to say anything I shouldn't say, but you get to a portion when you read through Mrs. Adams, who was a First Lady, of course, wife of the second President of the United States, declared very clearly her Unitarian beliefs. She says, I'll never be convinced that three can be in one and one can be three. So she absolutely denied the deity of Jesus Christ, denied the Trinity. So people can do many wondrous things, but may not be pleasing to God. We look at Proverbs chapter 21 in verse four, and it says, a high look and a proud heart and the, you may know the next thing, plowing of the wicked. is sin. Even the plowing, even the most mundane activity is sin if the heart of the person is not right with God. And so we know the world, we're not supposed to be oppressed in the world's mode, does great deeds but don't please God. So a major change from the world and a continuing focus for believers must be what is our motivation? What is our motivation? Ephesians Church, in Revelation chapter two, Jesus says, I know thy works, I know what you suffer, I know what you won't allow, I know this and that and these good things that you do, but I have this against you. Got the wrong motive. You've left your first love, is what he says. You get that right or I'm just clearing you out. So we see motivation. When we were in the world, it was wrong. The world still has it wrong. Do many wondrous things, perhaps, but not honoring God from the heart. If I'm a Christian, we must say, do I have the right motivation? You know what Paul says in 1 Corinthians 13? He lists the greatest achievements that a Christian could achieve, speaking with tongues of men and angels, has the gift of prophecy, understands all mysteries, has all knowledge and all faith, can move mountains, bestows all his goods to feed the poor, gives his body to be burned, but he's got the wrong motive. I zero out, he says. Prophets mean nothing. Another important truth concerning motivation is that the world can be sloppy and presumptuous in ascribing motivation to others. Don't you see that in our culture today? Liberals ask of conservatives, why are they against illegal immigration? Why are conservatives against illegal immigration? Well, they're racist, can't be anything else. See, the motive, you just hate people. You hate people who are a different color of skin or something. Why are conservatives against false religions or deviant morals and lifestyles or welfare fraud? Oh, that's just all dog whistles for haters. The irony is they hate haters so much. But we can get sloppy and presumptuous about what is the motivation of other people for what they do. We're warned to be very careful with that. Believers can do the same thing. We can make lifestyle choices and people figure it's for this reason or for that reason. It may not be. And so we are counseled in 1 Corinthians 4 and verse 5. Therefore judge nothing before the time. Until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness and will make manifest the consoles of the heart, he's going to show you what the motives were. And then shall every man have praise of God. So that's one consideration when we're talking about don't be pressed into the world's mode, don't have their system of motivation, get the motivation right. all for the love of God, all for love of people, all for the glory of God. Second word is assimilation. We must beware exposure to the world such that, like the Jews in Canaan, we learn its ways and get a snare for our souls. That's how things are described in Psalm 106 and verse 35. And God says, look, you're going into a wicked land. I'm talking wicked, wicked land there in Canaan. And you're going because I'm clearing them out. The cup of their iniquity is full. But here's my burden, God says to his people, that you learn their ways. You are enticed and you'll live by and then you marry into and then you assimilate the world. And we read in Psalm 106.35, this summary, They mingled among the heathen and learned their works and they served their idols, which were a snare unto them. And so when we're told, leave the world, take on the mind of Christ, one principle to apply is the principle of assimilation. Have I taken on the world? Is the world still in me? I mean, we have a local denominational university. professing Christianity, at least in name, that can hire as their president a woman who as United States Congresswoman advocated for abortion rights. We have another local university professing Christianity that puts on a rock musical presenting Jesus as a painted face clown. I understand the arguments about making him relevant and that sort of thing, but a painted-face clown I have trouble with. You know, in the original showing of Godspell, John the Baptist is smoking a cigar. He baptizes Jesus, who's a clown, with a sponge. No blood is shed. Jesus is fixed to a chain-link fence. There's no resurrection. People wrote that, now you can Christianize it up some and so on, but I still bring up the question of whether or not we're assimilating into the world in a way that does not please God. I'll give you a third illustration. There's a local church here deemed as one of the fastest, if not the fastest growing church in the nation. but it is yoked, it is sent out by, it has not declared separation from a mainline denomination that struggles even with the topic of lesbian pastors. We're told be not unequally yoked with unbelievers. Come out and be a separate and touch not the unclean thing. Believers across the board may find themselves privately entertained by television shows like The Family Guy, or The Big Bang Theory, or Seinfeld, or those probably all dated, I'm sorry, I don't know the latest ones. Or we can be entertained by movies, countless in name, that mock and defy virtually every standard of righteousness originating in heaven. And so the issue of assimilation comes up, doesn't it? What is our motivation? We must have rigorous discernment concerning our assimilation. And the third word under this second category here, rigorous discernment, is purification. Purification. Motivation, assimilation, purification. It's not easy to know how precisely to intermingle with the world. Not being needlessly weird on one hand, while at the same time avoiding defilement. But let us indeed note that according to this text, consecration is the great general duty of the redeemed. Self-consecration in our whole spirit and soul and body to God who has called us into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ. For this is the will of God, the Bible says. This is the will of God, even your sanctification, 1 Thessalonians 4.3. Jesus wants to purify unto himself a peculiar people, Titus 2.14. And so we are told in James 4 and verse 8, cleanse your hands, ye sinners, and purify your hearts, ye double-minded. Let's not rationalize away purification. Jesus wants to purify unto himself a peculiar people. In fact, if you would go with me now to John chapter 17. Let's look at the high priestly prayer of the Lord Jesus Christ. John chapter 17, verse 15. I pray not that thou should take them out of the world, He knows what the world is, the world system, the cosmos, all that's in the devil's hands. Can't take them out, they got to work there, but thou should keep them from the evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them through thy truth. Thy word is truth. As thou has sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify myself that they also might be sanctified through the truth." So he says, they're going in their world, but I want them pure. And in God the Father protect them, sanctify them, sanctify them. The will of God that we be pure. So we have laid before us rich dividends, A rigorous discernment is required for all serious believers as to motivation, assimilation, purification. But know there ultimately is, this is my last point, there's a radical divide. There is a radical divide between the world and the will of God. Read something by Charles Spurgeon this week. He said, what would you think of me if the criminal who took a knife into my brother's heart, if he becomes my friend, I never rebuke him, stay with him, don't separate myself from him, and we're all good old buds for the rest of the day. Paraphrasing. He says the world, and we when we are in it, drove the knife into Christ. And now that we're redeemed, we're still going to love it like the old days? There's a radical divide between the world and the will of God. We look again at the charge. You want to know and display the will of God? Be not conformed to this world. John Wesley summarizes our orders this way. Do not conform to the maxims, habits, feelings, styles, and manners of a wicked, luxurious, and idolatrous age of people who know not God. Albert Barnes, speaking on Romans 12.2, says, The design of this passage is doubtless to produce a spirit that should not find pleasure in the pomp and vanity of the world, in which we regard all vain amusements and deities with disgust and leave the mind to find pleasure in better things. No surprise here, given the abundance of the scriptures on this topic. I'm just going to remind you of a few of them. Perhaps you've memorized 1 John 2, 15 through 17, where we're told, love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man, any one of us, nobody's got an excuse here, nobody does. If any man loved the world, what? Love of the Father's not in it. The love of the Father is not in you, if you love the world. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away through judgment, and the lust thereof. But he that doeth the will of the Father abideth forever." John says later in that same letter, 1 John 5.19, the whole world lieth in wickedness. We read in Galatians 1.4, Jesus Christ gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father. And finally, Ephesians 2.2, we read, wherein in time past you walked according to the course of this world, in time past you did, before you were enlightened and redeemed, according to the prince of the power of the air. Who's that? That would be the devil. the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience. Time pass, suffice. You know, I have an article here, I was reading this yesterday. Concerns Tennessee State Senator Mark Green, if you're familiar with him. He was presented by President Trump as his candidate for Secretary of the Army. State Senator Mark Green. Seemed to have an impeccable resume, he's a physician, Iraq war veteran, West Point graduate, deployed three times overseas, got all the experience, all the credentials, but he's got this against him. He doesn't believe boys should go to girls' bathrooms and girls to boys. I'm being a little trite there, but there are various LGBT groups who denounced him because they see him as a social issues warrior. They have searched his records and found that he is against the transgender movement. And secondly, and there's where the Muslims come in, he doesn't believe that students in public schools should learn about Muslim beliefs and religious practices. You gotta get rid of him. You understand what we're saying here? This communicates, and this is with a Republican president, not the most conservative, but nevertheless, could be worse is what I'm saying, that what is being declared here is if you are a Christian, you are deemed unfit for public office. That's where we are today. Is that not right? You believe this stuff when the Bible teaches you are unfit to govern in this country. So I'd like to conclude by helping to define what is the world. I know this sounds harsh, but the world is the enemy of God. And I prayed before this service started that God would put a stink on the world, not for you and me to be bitter, not for us to be judgmental in an unspiritual manner, not for us to castigate others or anything, but to recognize we're not to be conformed to this world. What is the world? The world is vulgar comedians, and vulgar actors and actresses, and vulgar entertainers, and vulgar athletes. Not that all athletes are vulgar. I'm talking about those who are vulgar. Same with professors, politicians, anonymous bloggers, military personnel, employers, staff, crowds, individuals, neighbors, people standing in lines, and often children with vulgar language and defiled minds with no end to their cesspool imagination and exposure. Filthy dreamers that defile the flesh despise dominion and speak evil of dignities. That's the world. The world is spiritual confusion. Doctrines and rituals which have risen from demonic influences. Methods which salvage pride and sanction desires of the flesh. Most of all, it is beliefs which contradict the Word of God and the way declared by the Son of God. The world is rejection. Rejection of the most obvious facts of science, that everything has not evolved from nothing, that chaos does not rise, evolve into order, that life carried in the womb is not mere tissue, that there are but two genders. The world is confusion in the area of science. The world is rejection of the authority of God. Look within your blackened heart, look to the stars, look to the mores of your culture, look to your dead religion, look to philosophy, vain deceit, traditions of men, look to your poets and songwriters, look anywhere the world says, but to the Scriptures and to the Scriptures God. The world is proud, haughty, murmurers, complainers, walkers after their own lusts, with mouths that speak great swelling words, who presume their lips are their own, and who are ignorant that they shall give account to God for every idle word they utter. It is whining, whispering, conspiring, and undermining. The world is the love of pleasure, fine food, soft beds, big buildings, pretty faces, pleasant scenes, lots of leisure, vacations, comforts, instant gratification, fast travel, the latest devices, pedigrees, prominent homes, praises of men, and prestigious parties at the expense of fasting, mourning, and weeping. Love not the world. Love not the world. Be not conformed to the world. The world lives for today. cares little for their maker's desires, resists the appeal of their conscience, justifies compromises, suppresses truth, mocks rebuke, indulges the flesh, laughs at the cost, wipes their mouths and say, I have done nothing wrong. The world lays up treasures on earth where moth and rust corrupt and thieves break through and steal. It ignores impending death and makes light of the judgment of God. the world killed Christ. I tell you, there's a radical divide between the world and the will of God. Amen? Friends, we can aspire, we can seek, and we can find. Oh, to know the deep things of God, to know all that can be known and experienced in this world, that God might be honored and loved and sought and found and known and enjoyed as can occur now. This is Moses seeing God's glory. That's the perfect will of God. This is what our search is for. This is what can be proved. This is entering into the Holy of Holies. This is the transfiguration. This is Paul's glimpse of paradise. This is John seeing and hearing things not to be written down. I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. May we pray. Oh, that the Holy Spirit of God would do what no human endeavor can do. Bring upon us, impress upon us, profoundly, deeply, broadly, what is the will of God. Lead us, Lord, that each of us with rigorous discernment Comprehend more and more clearly how to live in this world but not of it. Knowing the great charge that we have, the great opportunity, and the evils that are all about us. And finally, we pray that there are souls here still out of the world haven't escaped it by pleading the blood of Christ. May this be the day that person comes to Jesus Christ. and believes on the Lord for the salvation of their soul, deliverance from the judgment to come, hope of eternal life. We pray this in the name of Jesus Christ, our Savior. Amen.