The title of my message this morning is Living Under Grace. Now the implication of that subject is clearly the doctrine of Holy Scripture. In Jesus Christ, God's people are totally, totally free from the law. There is absolutely no sense in any way, to any degree, that the believer may be said to be under the law, obliged to the law, or live by the law. Today I'm calling for you who know God to devote yourselves. I'm calling for us to devote ourselves. in unrestrained commitment to the Lord Jesus Christ, to live in this world for the glory of God. And the basis of my appeal, as throughout the New Testament, is free grace. I offer no rewards if you will do what you ought to. I present no threats if you refuse. God's people do not live by the law. They are not motivated by the law. God's people are neither mercenaries nor are they forced servants. But rather I make my appeal on the basis of the fact that in Christ we live by grace, we live under grace, and we live because of grace. The Apostle says we are dead to the law. Dead to the law. Christ is the end of the law. The law was our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ. But now that we've come to Christ, the schoolmaster no longer has any power over us. Therefore, the Apostle urges us to stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ has made us free. And be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. Those who live by the law are those of whom the Apostle Paul says, I fear for you. I'm concerned lest I had bestowed great labor upon you in vain. I fear for you because somebody has beguiled you. Somebody bewitched you. Somebody has cast a spell over you. You are attempting to walk before God Almighty on the basis of legal acceptance. You're attempting to gain peace with God. You're attempting to gain sanctification before God. You're attempting to gain the smile of God by something you do. I fear for you. I fear you have missed Christ altogether. Now let's begin this morning with Romans chapter 6 and verse 11. Let me bring you up to this passage. In chapter 3, beginning at verse 19, the apostle declares to us that we are justified freely by the grace of God without the works of the law. And he continues that all the way through the fifth chapter. He gives us example after example of justification, argument after argument for free justification by the shed blood of Jesus Christ alone, by the obedience of Christ unto death alone. As we died by the disobedience of one man, Adam, and were brought unto the sentence and curse of spiritual death by the sin and fall of one man, Adam, So all who live before God live by God's grace in perfect righteousness through the obedience of the second man, Adam, the Lord from heaven, the last Adam, the Lord of glory, our Lord Jesus Christ. As we became sinners by Adam's transgression without doing anything, so God's elect are made righteous by Christ's obedience without us doing anything. Freely we are justified by the grace of God. Then in the first four verses of chapter six, the apostle tells us that we as believers have professed that we are indeed righteous before God. In Believer's Baptism, we have acknowledged our confidence in the fact that when Christ died, we died. When he was buried, we were buried. When he arose, we arose with him. And Paul argues in verses 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 of chapter 6 that we who have made this profession have now declared that we live henceforth unto God and we walk with Him in the newness of life. Now, look at verse 11. Likewise, reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God. Now this is what it says. Rex Bartley, God Almighty reckons you dead to sin. Dead to sin. Dead to it. Dead to it. He reckons that your sin, as far as his law is concerned, has got nothing to do with you. Dead to it. And he reckons you alive to God. I lied to God by Jesus Christ the Lord. And you professed that you are. I remember when it happened. You professed that you died, that you were buried, that you rose again. You professed that you walked with him in the newness of life. Now it says you reckon just like God reckons. Reckon that you are indeed dead to sin. and alive to God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Verse 12. Let not sin therefore reign in you. Now this is his explanation. This is the inspired explanation of this reckoning. I reckon I'm dead to sin. I reckon I'm alive to God because God says so. Therefore, let not sin reign in your mortal body. That you should obey it in the lust thereof. Verse 14. For sin shall not have dominion over you. Sin shall not have dominion over you. No longer boss. No longer rule you. No longer dominate your life. No longer control you. It doesn't say sin shall not be in you. He doesn't say sin will be eradicated from you. He doesn't say that the power and lust and violence and corruption of your heart will somehow be diminished. It will not. What He does say is don't let it rule you. Don't let it rule you. Don't let it rule you. How come? Because you're not under law. Oh, what a motive. What a motive. It's never going to condemn you. It's never going to be charged to you. God's never going to punish you for it. You're not under law. You're not under law. But under grace. What then, shall we sin? This is the second time Paul raises this question because it is a question commonly raised by legalists, commonly raised by self-righteous men, commonly raised by people who still really think somehow by what they do they will maintain God's good favor and their good standing with Him. Oh, you can't tell people that. Don't tell people they're not under the law. Don't tell people God will never charge them with sin. Don't tell people God will never be less gracious to them if they sin. Don't tell people that God will never deal with them on the basis of their sin. Don't do that! Because if you do, they'll say, let us sin that grace may abound. What? What then? Shall we sin? Because we're not under the law, but under grace. Boy, that's the most absurd thing I ever heard tell of. God forbid, God forbid. Verse 17, but God be thanked that you were, that reads a little awkward to us, but he's saying that though you were, though you were the servants of sin, and you were. Every last one of us, no exceptions. We walked according to the course of this world, according to the lust of our flesh. Among the children of disobedience, among whom we also had our conversation in the times past in the lust of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and we were just like everybody else by nature, children of wrath. All of us. chose the high road of moral uprightness and self-worth and ambition and respectability, wanting men to see us for what we think we are, wanting men to see us for what we make of ourselves, the high road, the lust of your flesh. Same thing. As far as God Almighty is concerned, there is absolutely no difference in setting your heart as a young boy to pursue being President of the United States or setting your heart as a young boy to be head of the mob. No difference at all. As far as God Almighty is concerned, there's absolutely no difference in setting your heart to be a missionary and spend all your days preaching and teaching the Bible and religion, and setting your heart to be a harlot, a pimp, or a pusher. We walk after the lust of our flesh, every last one of us. Men approve of one and disapprove of the other. Men smile at one and frown at the other. God Almighty frowns at the lust of our flesh. Among whom we were ourselves the willing servants of sin. But, oh, because God stepped in. Because God broke the iron chains of our bondage. Because God stopped us in our madness. Because God brought us to an end of ourselves. Now you have obeyed from the heart. And that's what conversion is, Bobby. It's obedience from the heart. No father can give it to a son. No mother can give it to a daughter. If that were possible, we'd all give it to our sons and daughters and keep it from yours. Because that's just exactly the kind of folks we are. But you, by the grace of God, you who believe, you have obeyed from the heart. Look at it. That form of doctrine. which was delivered to you. Oh, thank God for good doctrine in a good form. That form of doctrine is the gospel of God's free and sovereign grace preached to you in the gospel. That gospel preached to you constantly as Christ is declared. And he is set before you in a sound form of doctrine. I despise dead, dry, cold, calculated theological opinion men call doctrine. I despise dead doctrine. But oh, how I delight in that form of doctrine revealed in this book in the form of a man who is himself God, Jesus Christ the Lord. which was delivered to you. You've heard the gospel, been preached, you obeyed it from the heart. Now then, look at verse 18. Being then made free from sin, you became the servants of righteousness. We were the servants of sin. But now we have become the servants of righteousness. And that's not a suggestion, Rex. That's a statement of fact. The difference between the whole religious world, be it Reformed or Fundamentalist, Protestant or Papist, and the gospel of God's grace is the whole religious world says you ought to be the servants of righteousness. The gospel declares those who know God are. They were the servants of sin. Now they are the servants of righteousness. Let me see if I can illustrate it for you. It's not original with me. Nothing is. Thomas Boston illustrated it like this. He said the believer is a man or a woman who is found in a dark, dark dungeon with shackles. chains, manacles, and filth, pollution, corruption, serving a horrible master, Satan, Apollyon, the serpent, the devil, and loving it. Loving the filth, loving the chains, loving the manacles, Loving the bondage. Loving the darkness. Loving the corruptions he serves. And the Lord God comes in almighty grace. Comes into the dark dungeon where he is. And he breaks the chains and the manacles. And he turns on the light. Causes the light of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ to shine in his heart. And he takes that prisoner of darkness and translates him into the kingdom of God's dear son. And now, here's the believer free! No chains. No bondage. No manacles. No darkness. No corruption. Free in Jesus Christ. Loving to serve his master. But his old heart's still the same. His old flesh is still corruption. He no longer lives in that dark dungeon called the flesh. He lives rather in the kingdom of light called the spirit. But his flesh is still flesh. And his flesh still loves the darkness, the dungeon, and the manacles, and the chains, and the corruption. And his old master comes and bids him come over and serve in my dark dungeon. And the believer says no. Oh no, I don't have to do that no more, you're no longer my master. And I no longer serve you. But his old master never gives up. He keeps bidding him, sometimes openly, sometimes silently. He keeps bidding him, come over and serve in my dungeon. And the believer says no. Sometimes he finds himself gathering up his tools, heading back away. I'm not your servant. And sometimes before he knows it, He finds himself back in the dungeon, in the darkness, in the corruption, trying his best to put the manacles and chains back on. And his master comes, and he says, you don't belong there. You're my servant. Walk in light. The believer is one who has become now the servant of righteousness, willingly, gladly, because he's been set free by Christ. Now knowing that I'm dead to sin, freed from the law, saved by the free grace of God in Jesus Christ, I have one question that weighs heavily on my heart. One question that constantly has been the driving force of my life for 33 years. One thing that motivates me. as a governing principle of life in every relationship I have with you, my friends, my brothers and sisters in Christ, with the world around us, with that dear lady, with our family over in Lexington, every relationship. And yet at the same time, this is the most troublesome heavy burden I deal with every day. Now here's the question. How can I, how can I live in this world for the glory of God? Nothing is of greater concern. I hope nothing is of greater concern to you. This is the question I want to try to answer in this message, and I'll be brief, but I've found the answer in the scriptures. And I know when I get done, there'll be plenty of room to say a lot more, and I'll probably have more to say on it another time, but I hope when I get done, this will be more burdensome to you than it's ever been before, every one of you, including the preacher. You see, there is nothing in the life of a believer there is nothing in the life of the believer there is nothing in the life of the believer so important as the will of God and the glory of God how can I illustrate that make you hear me you have some idea how much I cherish this lady here compared to the will of God and the glory of God she's nothing and if she interferes with it she must be counted an enemy and she understands that and the same is true of her whether therefore you eat or drink Whatsoever you do, do it to the glory of God. Whatsoever you do in word or in deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by Him, that God in all things may be glorified. How can I live here for the glory of God? Number one. Turn to Colossians 2. Colossians 2. Answer this question, we've got to start at the beginning. The only way on this earth you can live here for the glory of God is to live by faith in Christ. Religion is the most frustrating thing in this world. It's the most frustrating thing in this world. You know what preachers all over the country are doing? All over the world. Religion for 2,000 years. Throughout the history of man. You know what religion tries to do? Religion tries to get folks to act like they've got what they don't. It tries to get folks to act like they are what they're not. Religion tries to get everybody to be a movie stage actor. A hypocrite. The most frustrating thing on this earth is to try to live the Christian life without Christ. Most frustrating thing on this earth is to try to live for Christ and not know Him. And that's what religion does. You remember how cleverly and simply Brother Bruce Crabtree described it in his message here on the Maniac of Gadara during our conference? No, it wasn't here. It was up in Scottsbridge. You didn't hear that. He said that maniac, the folks tried to make him better by putting chains on him. And he will hold the matter. And that's what religion does. Religion comes and puts you in chains. And that just makes you worse. But our Lord comes and says, loosen him. Let him go. Set him free. Now, if you would live for Christ, you've got to live by faith. Colossians 2 verse 6. As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, walk in Him. Walk in the Spirit, we're told. Galatians chapter 5. And you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. What on earth is that talking about? Walk in the Spirit. Oh, that means we live the higher life, a deeper life. Folks are so confused they don't know what's higher or deeper. But you've got to do something. Do something to make yourself feel spiritual. Do something to make yourself feel humble. Do something to make yourself feel pious. Do something to make yourself feel close to God. Do something to make yourself appear to be spiritual. No! Walking in the Spirit, Bob's walking by faith. We no longer live in the flesh, we live in the Spirit. Be filled with the Spirit. To be filled with the Spirit is to live under the rule and dominion of the Spirit of God. Living by faith in Christ. And you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. How did you receive Christ Jesus the Lord? How did you first receive Him? If Skip Bradfelter and Don Fortner have received Christ, this is how we received Him. We came to Him as empty-handed, bankrupt, naked, helpless sinners with not one thing to offer God. I mean not a feeling, not even an emotion, not a shred of righteousness, not a thread of goodness, nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing with which to commend myself to God. Now walk in Him, just like that, just like that. But preacher, surely you don't, yes I do, I mean exactly that, with nothing to commend yourself to God. And I promise you, West Rose Bloom, if somewhere along the way you pick up something that will commend you to God, you haven't yet received Him. That's exactly right. As you receive Christ Jesus, how do you receive Him? If I have received Him, I've bowed to Him as my Lord and Master. I've lost my life to Him. That's what it is to receive Christ. It's not walking down an aisle, it's not saying I believe in Jesus, it's not saying the sinner's prayer, it's not learning the right doctrine. Those things may be involved in those things, at least believe in Him may be involved in those things and is involved in that. But faith in Christ is nothing more or less than willingly Bow Him to His dominion as your Lord and Master. He's Lord. He's Lord. And His people want it that way. Do what you will. I'm yours. I'm going to worship you and serve you no matter what you do. And I'm going to worship you for doing it. How did you receive him? I'll tell you how we received him. If we received him, Larry would come to him like a bride comes to her husband. But not just any bride. Can you imagine how Gomer received Hosea? When he found her in her naked degradation. and corruption, and shame, and filth. And he came and said, I bought you with the silver of my sweat and the gold of my blood, and I betrothed you to me. And I've given myself to you. And I'm going to make you to be mine in righteousness. Yes, I'm going to make you faithful to me. And she said, oh. That's how we received him. You? You've loved me? You redeemed me? You called me? Oh, wonder of wonders. How do we receive Him? Trusting Him for everything. Walk with Him that way. Trust Him alone for acceptance with God. Trust His wise and good providence. He's a good master. Trust in the Lord with all your heart. In all your ways acknowledge Him and lean not into your own understanding and He will direct your paths. Walk in Him. Walk in Him. Follow His example. Do His bidding. Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it. Just do it. And don't even talk flesh and blood about it. Just do it. Just do it. I had a letter last week from a fellow. None of y'all would know him. I'm the only person here who knows him. Very successful salesman. Strikingly handsome young man. Got a family. Some woman he works with has been chasing him. And he wrote and he said, Brother Don, can you recommend some good stuff for me to read on flesh, dealing with flesh. And I sat on the letter for two or three days. I wrote him back while I was gone this past week. And I said a number of things, but when all said and done, I said to him, you don't need to read anything else. All the reading in the world is not going to change a thing. You can read every article, every puritan, every rote, every book, every chapter he ever wrote. It's not going to change anything. You know what's right. Now just do it. Boy, that's not very profound, is it? Try it. Just do it. Either you will or you won't. As you've received Christ Jesus, the Lord, so walk in Him. So walk in Him. Secondly, turn to Romans chapter 12. If we would live in this world for the glory of God, we must strive to remember what the Lord God has done for us by his grace I beseech you therefore brethren by the threat of the law I beseech you therefore brethren if you would get a good crown in heaven anybody got a bible that reads like that? I wonder why preachers talk like that That's not the way God talks. I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God. Have you ever experienced the electing, redeeming, saving, preserving, keeping, forgiving mercies of God in Jesus Christ? If you have now, I beseech you, by that present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God. Boy, that's asking for a lot. Read the next line, which is your reasonable service. What on earth could be more reasonable? What on earth could be more reasonable? What could be more reasonable? that for me to be to that woman a loving, good, caring husband, everybody tell yourself, that's just reasonable. She's been a good woman, a good wife, caring about me. What could be more reasonable than for this sinner to devote himself to the glory of God? Thirdly, if we would live in this world for the glory of God, we must seek his will and his glory above all things. Let me tell you what I don't mean and what I do mean. Don't ever try to show anybody that you're a Christian. Don't ever do it. Don't ever try to show anybody that you're pious. Don't ever try to show anybody that you're devoted to God. Don't ever try to show anybody that you don't live like other people do. Don't ever try to show anybody that you're different. I want the world to know we're different. You're not. You're just not. I do mean this, we ought to be consumed, utterly consumed with the love of Christ and love for Christ. Years ago, true story, years ago, there was a young man, an upstart preacher, who became very, very influential very quickly. A lot of people wanted to hear him. People gathered wherever he came, lots of people to hear him. And there was an older preacher whom he had known growing up who was now not able to travel, not pastoring, sort of just waiting to die. This young preacher took off one time for a week and had a long drive to go visit the older preacher. He wanted some counsel. And just before he left, he said to the old preacher, he said, he said, could you give me one word of advice that I won't forget, I could take with me and help me in my life of ministry for Christ. And this is what the old man said to him. Don't ever lose your sweetheart love for Christ. Oh, what counsel. If I could take a young man, a young woman, I'm not much one for counseling, but I could take a young man, a young woman, think about marriage, They want to get married, I'd say to them, do everything you can to keep your sweetheart love for each other. Oh, now grow beyond that, but don't ever lose that. Grow beyond that, but don't ever lose that. Sons and daughters of God Almighty, don't ever lose your sweetheart love for Christ. So that you count all things but loss for him. Count everything but dung in comparison with him. That's what it is. That's what it is. To be found in him. Having his righteousness and not your own. That you consider everything else totally insignificant and repugnant. That would stand in the way of the desire found in these words, oh, that I may know Him, that I may know Him in the power of His resurrection, in the fellowship of His sufferings, be made conformable unto His death. Do you remember when David was driven from his throne And after Absalom was dead, he came back and Ziba went out with those others to meet David when he came back across the brook coming back to Jerusalem. Ziba, that man who was Mephibosheth's servant, and he deceived Mephibosheth and deceived David. And David took everything that belonged to Mephibosheth and gave it to Ziba. When he came back to Jerusalem, he confronted Mephibosheth. And Mephibosheth told him, you remember that crippled son of Jonathan, whom David had fetched from Lodibar and brought into his house, made him as one of the king's sons. Mephibosheth said, Ziba tricked me, and I had no man to saddle my ass, I couldn't go meet you. And David said to Mephibosheth, he said, well Mephibosheth, it's a little too late, I've already given Ziba everything. Do you remember his response? He said, let Ziba have everything, I've got my king. Let him take it all, it doesn't matter. My lord the king has returned, and that's all I want. One more thing. If we would live in this world for the glory of God, let me give you two things. We must live in this world dealing honestly with ourselves before God. Honestly. Don't come talk to me about what you are. I don't need to hear it and you don't need to tell it. But don't ever quit telling God what you are. Don't ever imagine that you have grown one hair's breadth above sin. Merle Hart, my dear friend and brother, whom I highly esteem as a man, is nothing but sin. And everything he does is sin, corruption, and violence. And his pastor, whom he loves and esteems highly as his pastor, In His best estate is just sin. David, I can't do anything but sin. Even in my thoughts, just sin. Well, Preacher, what's your hope? A perfect substitute. I confess my sin. And he's faithful and just to forgive me my sin and cleanse me from all unrighteousness. Now, here's the last thing, Ephesians 4. If we would live in this world for the glory of God, we must simply learn to walk in love. I can't think of a text in all the Bible more important than Ephesians 4 beginning at verse 32. Paul's teaching us how to live. That's the subject matter, isn't it? He's telling us how to live in this world. This is how you do it. Be ye kind one to another. Isn't it amazing the meanest people I've ever met in my life are religious folks? Is that true? The meanest people I've ever met in my life are religious folks. If I got in trouble, I'll be honest with you, if I went out in the world and I got in trouble, the last people I would want to meet up with are preachers, deacons, and church folks. Last folks on this earth I'd want to meet up with. Except for those who know God. Because they've learned to be kind. Tender hearted. Tender hearted. You know how tender hearted you are with your own son and daughter? When they're engaged in something that makes you so mad you'll break their neck? Still tender hearted. Because they're yours. Because they're part of you. Because they're only reflecting what you are. Tenderhearted. Forgiving one another. That's what kindness does, isn't it? Well, I'd forgive him if he'd straighten up and act right. That's not how God forgave you, is it? I'd forgive him if he'd turn around and repent! That's not how God forgave you, is it? Did God bet on you to do something before He forgave you? Forgiving one another. How? Boy, that's asking a lot. Not for a forgiven sinner, it's not. Even as God, for Christ's sake, has forgiven you. Be ye therefore followers of God. Followers of God. The whole religious world wants you to follow religion. Dress funny, talk funny, walk funny, act funny. Followers of God. Well, that means you don't wear your hair down below your earlobe. That means you don't wear a beard. That means you don't wear your skirt a certain length. That means you don't wear shorts. God is Spirit. Frankly, He's less interested now in what you wear. Well, what's that mean? Followers of God. Imitators of God. Well, how do you imitate God? Walk in love. As God also has loved us, and given himself for us, an offering, a sacrifice, a sweet-smelling Savior. Children of God, do what you can for Christ. Today and tomorrow and the next day. Just do what you can. That's what our Lord said concerning that woman who brought that alabaster box. That old gal out of whom he cast seven devils. She brought that alabaster box of ointment and broke it over his head Washed his feet with her tears, and wiped them with her hairs, and kissed them, and kissed them, and kissed them. And all the disciples stood around and pointed the finger. What a waste! A waste! Why, she took a year's wages and just threw it away! Oh God give me grace to throw my life away for the honor of Christ. That's what you can do. Do what you can for Christ's sake. And that's how we must live in this world for the glory of God. I need thee, oh, I need thee. Blessed Savior, give us grace to honor you. Give us grace to honor you. Amen. All right, let's turn to number 25 in his Songs of Grace book. I think that's the one I want. Yeah.