We are done? All right. We are going to continue. And now the rest of the conference is going to be in Spanish. So the concern that Luther had was the righteousness of God because he thought that with the righteousness of God comes the wrath of God. And notice that the next verse, verse 18, deals directly with what? For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness. So he's talking about the righteousness and unrighteousness, the measurement that you have. And for Luther, when he saw himself, was all unrighteousness. And when he saw the righteousness of God coming against my unrighteousness, there is no hope. But we thank God that the gospel did not finish there. And then, to complete the story, from verse 18, To the end, he makes a list of all the sins, heavy-duty sins, but then mix what he thought or we think that are little sins with the big sins, and they're all the same, no difference between them. In fact, I have a little short story to tell you. When God gave us the beautiful salvation, Mimi and I, we were jealous of all the evangelicals who grew in the Christian church. They know so much, we have to catch up. Everything died for us. Novels, newspapers, television. We didn't watch television at all because we just did not have the time to catch the Bible. And one day, we were resting and we turned on the TV. Within five minutes, the list of all these sins were there in that. And Mimi was looking at me, and I was looking at her, and I said, maybe she wants to continue. It's kind of interesting. And eventually, I went, and both of us went, ah. See, how sin has changed in the panorama of our life. And then we wanted to kind of pay off. We opened the Bible and guess what? God took us to Romans 118 and we went through that and we read it. And in our hearts we say, well, we are not that bad until the last verse it says, who who knowing the righteous judgment of God, Mimeo and I knew that, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same, but also approve of those who practice them. We were approving by watching. So we got included. So we get desperate. So Paul, presents, number one, the Lord Jesus in the first three and four, presents the righteousness of God, the gospel, the fact that he's not ashamed of the gospel, and then he wants to develop this concept of the gospel of salvation by faith alone. And he goes into chapter two, and in chapter two, really, God says, through the pen of Paul, do you want to be saved by doing your good works? Go right ahead. Do you want to be saved by fulfilling every single commandment you saw and being so right? Go right ahead. By the way, gospel opportunities come like this. When you ask somebody, and I'm getting into this on chapter two, when all chapter two says, if you want to be safe, all you have to do is fulfill all righteousness and the commandments, and you'll be safe. But no one can. When I go to the doctor, and I went to the doctor before I came for my annual check, and I said to the doctor, to the nurse, I said, am I going to die? And she says, no. I say, I'm not going to die. She says, not on my watch. I said, But am I going to die, right? She says, yeah. I said, are you going to die? She says, actually, coming to think about it, yes. And said, and what after that? Where are you going when you die? And she says, to heaven. I said, that's wonderful, why? She says, I'm a good person. I am, I don't do anything, I try to do, and she went on saying that she lives one day at a time, and she avoids sin, and then the next day, she relaxes a little, and makes up for it, and the following day, but I am a good person, I never kill anybody, things like that. So I said, I stay quiet, and then she says, what about you? But I was waiting, I was ready for her to ask the next question. And I said, I'm going to have him too. But I'm going to have him because I am bad. There is not a single one that is good. He says, it's a matter of fact that the commandments order us to love the Lord with all our heart, all our mind, all our soul, all the time. Do you do that? He says, not really. He says, God says not to call the name of the Lord in vain. Do you do that? He says, no. Come to think about it. Have you killed anybody? Says, no really, I say yes. Have you talked about anybody evil about someone? Says yes. God says to kill. And we went to the commandment within maybe 50 seconds. And she says, oh my. I said, then I'm going to hell. I say no. No, there is a solution. God knows that we cannot fulfill all the requirements, but he sent his son to fulfill the law completely for us, and when you trust and have faith in him, all your sins are forgiven and you are going to heaven. She says, that is way too easy. I say, yes! But you have to know who is this Lord Jesus. See, there is so many gospel opportunities. Just things like that. But this is what happened to this lady. She thought that she could fulfill all the requirements. And Paul in chapter two says, you who teach not to steal. What do you do? You steal. You, teacher of, a blind teacher of blinds. and ends with chapter two, and says there is no one that can fulfill the law, because he was speaking to the Jewish people who thought that they could be saved by fulfilling the law. No one can. Then he continues, as if it is not grave enough, he continues with chapter three, hammering at how awful and ugly we are. And then when he arrives in chapter 10, he says, when he begins to speak to us, we are better than the Jewish people, right? We are better than all these sinners. Look what he says in verse nine. What then? Are you better than they? We are not. Not at all. For we had previously charged both Jews and Greeks, that they are all on their sin. But part of all we do not understand. No one escapes. And then God has a way to get into our hearts. And look at the way he says, there is non-righteousness. Not, not one. There is none who understand. There is none who seeks after God. They have all turned aside. They have together become unprofitable. There is none who does good, not, not one. Phew. Their throats are like open tomb. With their tongues they have practiced deceit. The poison of snakes, of asps, is under their lips. Whose mouth is full of coarsen and bitterness. Their feet are swift to shed blood. Destruction and misery are in their ways. In the way of peace they have not known. There is no fear of God before their eyes. They don't even mention God. Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law. So go ahead. Be safe by keeping the law. They say you can't. It's so clear, isn't it? That every mouth may stop and all the world may become guilty before God. What a precious salvation. There is no way to be safe by confessions and by sacraments and by doing good things. No way. You do good things when you are safe. We do good things not to be safe, but because we are safe. Therefore, By the deeds of the flesh of the law, no flesh will be justified in his sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin. There is no way to be justified. Period. And that's the end of the gospel. No more gospel. If there had been a period there, we had been in big trouble. R.C. Sproul says that one of the most beautiful words in the Bible is the word B-U-T. Have you heard him before? Yeah. In fact, he used to have two signs on his desk. One is the word bat, B-U-T. And when you go to Ephesians, we were dead in trespasses and sins and all that. But God, who is rich in mercy, and he says that the good thing to present the gospel is to have your wife knit a little thing that say B-U-T and frame it. And somebody comes into your office and says, what is that? Let me tell you. Look, when all is grim and ugly, Verse 21, but now. The righteousness of God, apart from the law, apart from being trying to gain salvation on your own, is revealed, being witnessed by the law and the prophets. The law and the prophets already witnessed about Jesus coming to us. Even the righteousness of God, through what? Through faith in Jesus Christ. To all and all who believe. Salvation by faith alone. This is what the Reformation is all about. What is the instrument of salvation? Faith in Jesus Christ alone. Because there is no difference. All have seen and fall short of the glory of God. 24, how much do you pay for your salvation? being justified freely, ah, sola gratia, grace alone, freely by his grace through the redemption in Christ Jesus. Did you hear that? Sola fide, sola gratia, sola holy grace, through Jesus Christ alone. Now, why through Jesus Christ alone, whom God sent forth as a propitiation? I don't have the time to tell you about ECT, but I wish I had the time, evangelicals and Catholics together, but propitiation is not there. By his blood, through faith, to demonstrate his righteousness because of his forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed. He was able to pass it over. It doesn't mean that he doesn't see. He doesn't see through his fingers and gives salvation to anyone that he wants. He could have, but he can't. Because if he gives salvation to anybody without the person paying for his sin, God will violate his justice and his holiness. Every single sin of everyone has to be punished in order to hold truth, the justice and the holiness of God. And then, for the ones who trust in Christ, he punished the sin of them on Jesus. And he become, at the same time, the just, because he's faithful to his justice and his holiness, punishing sin on someone. and he becomes the justifier, the judge, and then declares you not guilty because someone paid for that sin. So every sin is going to be punished. And thanks be to God, for the ones who trust in Christ alone, their sin has already been punished forever, past, present, and future. This is no better gospel than that. What a deal! Wow! It's enough to get excited about it. Not that I can get excited, but. And why did he do that? Because he required righteousness. And the only pure righteousness is in God himself, which is in Christ. Look at this, what did he do that? To demonstrate at the present time his righteousness, that he might be just and a justifier. If he forgives sin without charging for that sin, he will not be just. Somebody has to pay. and he is the justifier of one, of the one who has faith in Jesus. Sola fide, solus Christus. I mean, this is beautiful. It's so good when the Bible speaks to us so clearly. If I'm going to be saved by myself, I'm going to say, I go to heaven because I am better than that person. I was able to understand, and I did good things. And God says, no, no, no, no, no. You are there because according to Romans 8, and we will get there if we ever get there, is now there is no condemnation for who? for those who are in Christ. Why? Because what we could not do for our sinful nature would not allow us to do, God did by sending his son in the likeness of sinful nature to fulfill the law perfect so that righteousness can be transferred to us. That's simple. Where is your Boston? It's excluded. By what law? Of works? No. But by the law of faith. It's the righteousness of Christ. That's why I told this nurse, I'm going to heaven. And when I arrive there, God will ask me, why should I let you into my heaven? And the answer is, because I am bad. I'm not good. You said in your Bible, there is not even one who is good. But I trust in the only one who is good, your son. And I'm coming with the righteousness of Christ, not my own. All I have to give God is my sin. I don't have any righteousness to give him. Therefore, we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds that he does of the law. Justified by that. When God And how that happened? By regeneration. We are dead in trespasses and sin. When they asked Jesus, when Jesus, Nicodemus said to Jesus, you're really doing a great thing here. You are a wonderful guy. Thank you very much. Jesus said, thank you. Nicodemus, you're a really nice person. No, no, no. He answered with the gospel. you must be born again in order to see the kingdom of God. And then he says, you must you must be born again in order to enter the kingdom of God. So how does that happen? God regenerates us when he wants to give us that faith of salvation for those that he has chosen before the foundation of the world. That's a difficult thing to deal with, but we'll deal with that on Sunday, so stay tuned. Or is he the God of the Jews only? Is he not also the God of the Gentiles and so on? So he makes the point, he labors from chapter 118 all the way to 320 on how horrible we are. And 21 switches. Says, but there is hope in the righteousness of Christ. And then in chapter four, He continues to labor with this faith alone and brings a witness in the person of Abraham. Abraham was declared not guilty by faith alone. That's why Abraham is the father, he's the first one who the Bible mentions here, explicitly by faith alone. Three, for what does the scripture says, Abraham believed God and he was counted to him for righteousness. So the salvation for the entire children of God, pre-cross and post-cross, is exactly the same. Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Abraham had faith in the Messiah that was to come. And God counted to him for righteousness. And then he labored by saying, if he had work, He will pay. In fact, that's one of the problems with the Roman Catholicism. That not only you can become sanctified by your works, but you can do so many works that eventually become meritorious works that you have accumulated more than what you need for salvation, and God is obligated to save you because you were so good. And whatever You did more that you needed to be safe is put into the bank of merits and then the Pope and the priest administer that bank and give it to you in the form of indulgences. That is not the gospel. Because here it says clearly there is no, nothing can you accomplish by yourself. Then it comes... I cannot stay a little longer in chapter four, I would love to. The way it explains so clearly that you can never pay for your faith is a gift. And then comes chapter five. Therefore, look at this. How many times it repeats? Being, having been justified by faith. At the moment that we are justified, the moment that you trust in Christ because he has regenerated you, you come up to life and the first thing that you see is your horrible sin. And the punishment that is coming after you and you see Jesus and you run to Jesus in an irresistible grace. It says, therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus. Imagine having peace with God when we're enemies of God. Through whom also we have access by works. Is that what it says there? by faith into his grace in which we stand and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also glory in tribulation and we realize that the things of this world add to nothing. You have to look at that coffin when you are there and people are saying nice things about you. Where is your hope? I'm living for that moment so people say nice things about me. It is the glorious thing to be in that coffin and know that you are in heaven, that you live for poverty. So he says, how this happen? When did we get safe? When we were trying hard to be safe? When we were almost a Christian? Nobody's almost a Christian. You are or you are not. You were safe when you were an enemy of God. Paul was safe when he was persecuting Jesus. And God came and say, Paul, I knock at your door, I want you to listen to me. Why don't you be coming? No. He jumped into his heart, broke into his conscience, threw him on the floor. He got up and he says, who are you? What? Lord. Submit to the authority of Christ. When this happened, verse 6, 5-6, for when we were still without strength, when we were sinners, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die, yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But we were not good, look what God did. But God demonstrates his own love toward us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. What are we safe from? We are safe from God. We are not safe from our sin. We are saved from the wrath of God. Listen to this. Much more then, having now been justified, that word is magnificent. I will probably ask Mimi to write me, to create something like justified. It's so beautiful. Being justified by his blood, we shall be saved from what? The wrath. through Jesus. For if we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his son. Much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. Notice that. He did not save us only by his death. He came to live a perfect life, to do the will of God that was to save his sheep. For if we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son. And not only that, but we also rejoiced in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now, not tomorrow, today, received reconciliation. Therefore, just so on and so on. And then we arrive in verse six, in chapter six. That's salvation. We are safe. We can die and go to heaven. And then they accuse Paul and accuse us of saying, I am safe. Now I can do whatever I want. Because God doesn't change his mind. I'm going to heaven. I can be a sinner because I believe and trust in Christ. Paul already thought that some people were going to do that. And that is the concept of the false plan, the false concept of salvation. There are people who say, I believe in Christ, I'm safe, and people in prosperity gospel say, okay, if you say that, you just paid this much, you are safe, and now you can do whatever you want, because you are safe, because you declare. That's because they were safe by men, not by God. God has to deal with the heart to make you confess with your lips that you trust in Christ. So chapter six begins like that. Now that I am saved, I can sin as much as I want. That's what Paul says, look. What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? How does he answer? Absolutely not. If you are safe, you are going to have such a delicate spirit given to you by the Holy Spirit that you hate sin. And you will say, why did I do that when I'm a child of God? or I can't do that because I'm a child of God. And something changed. What shall we say then? Shall we continue to sin? Certainly no, how shall we who died to sin live any longer? And then he develops in that chapter the whole concept that now we are slaves of Christ. We were never free. Before we were slaves of Satan. Now we are slaves of Christ. And we are going to use the same instruments of sin in our mind, our heart, our body, in order to glorify God. And you say, may never be. Don't you know that sin leads to death? What's the matter with you? You're a Christian. You cannot do Romans 2.24. Romans 2.24 says that the pagans blaspheme the name of God because of us. Because we take the name of Christ, we put it on us, we say that we are Christians and behave like devils. So the pagan says, look at those Christians. See? So chapter six says, no. Then chapter seven says, dealing again with righteousness, Paul says, now what I'm saying in chapter six is that you have to be just so perfect. Working so hard to become perfect, not to sin. And then he says, you can't. You can't. And in chapter seven, because the things that I want to do, I don't do. And the things that I don't want to do, I do. Oh, so people says you concentrate more on the sin to try to avoid it and to try to, that you become legalistic. And you don't let the spirit. And then at the end of that chapter, God solves the problem by saying, all you have to do is trust. Wretched man that I am. I cannot do it on my own. I have to depend upon the Holy Spirit. Now you can rest. And look at this beauty. Then chapter eight begins, and it says, oh, now I can relax. I am working on my sanctification, not in a legalistic way, but God who began this work on me will finish it up in me, according to Philippians 1.6. And then look at this beauty. There is, therefore, now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus. who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the spirit. See, now you are walking with the sensitivity against sin. For the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. And look at this one, for what the law could not do in that it was weak. Was it my flesh could not do? Through the flesh, I could not do it. Guess who did it? God. did it by sending his own son in the likeness of sinful flesh on account of sin. He condemned sin in the flesh that the righteousness, you see the whole point of salvation by faith alone in verse 117, it's all about righteousness. and the righteousness of God. That the righteousness requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the spirit. And then he continues to urge you. If you are a child of God, you are sensitive. You cannot be a carnal Christian. There is no such a thing. You have to be sensitive to the Spirit. There is something, and He has the power to give you that without going through the other extreme of the slavery of legalism. And then you can say, Abba, Daddy. You know, you fully realize that you are a child of God. And then comes something magnificent. in verse 24, for we are saved in this hope, pardon me, 28th, and we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are Call according to his purpose. Jesus throws another ball. You can do that only if God has chosen you before the foundation of the world. And that starts another fight. This was not a fight at the Reformation. They accepted that. But today, they fight it. And you will see that tomorrow at the Sunday school. Who for it? For whom he foreknew, because he created us, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. Whomever whom he predestined, he chose before the foundation of the world. This he also called. He only called and gave you the knowledge of the gospel and the faith in Christ to those that he chose before the foundation of the world. You don't like that? Rip that page of the scriptures. And while you are ripping that one, rip another thousand pages because it's there everywhere. Whom he called, this he also justified. In whom he justify, this he also glorify. What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can against us? He who did not spare his own son, but deliver him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give all things? Look for the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and the rest of the things will be added to you. Who shall bring charge against God's elect? That's what we are. Nobody. We have God in charge of us. And then he ends up saying, therefore nothing can separate you from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus. No hunger, no sickness, no worries, no nothing, absolutely no height, no width, no depth, nothing can separate you from the love of God. Wonderful, we are on the way to heaven. We are in heaven. We are glorified. We are seated already in heavenly places. And then chapter nine begins. In chapter nine, he says, objection! Objection! And I'm going to finish with chapter nine because There's not that much time, but I wish I can go a little farther, but see what happened, how it developed from 117? It is an amazing thing. That's why it is important to read, when you read the Bible, sit down and read an entire book in two or three sittings. Because you can see the flavor. It's not separated. There is a sequence. There is attachment one to another. It's very difficult to understand this if you don't come this way. I don't know if you agree with me, but it doesn't matter. But he finishes, chap, nothing can separate you from the love of God. And then he realizes, what about my brothers and sisters? who do not trust in Christ. When in John 3.18, he said, they are already condemned. He sees all his brothers and sisters in the Jewish community who reject Jesus. And guess what he said? He says, God, I would like to be separated from God. I would have liked from Jesus. What's the matter, Paul? You just said that no one can separate you. And now you are saying that you would like to be separated. I would love to go to hell. I would like to be anathema, separated from Christ, if that is able to save my friends, my Jewish people. I love my brothers and sisters, and some of them hate me for being in Christ. But I'm not going to go to hell for them, I'm sorry. No, I'm not going to be separated. But Paul, this tender love, and the way the Lord answers is, Paul, you're kidding. We already have a redeemer. We don't need another one to die for anybody. Who are you? And then Paul says, but why they have not believed? If they are the chosen people, if from them came the scriptures, from them came Jesus, why in the world they do not believe? Tell me. And God says, not everyone who is from descendants of Israel are Israelites. Not everyone are children of God. This applies well in John 1, in the Gospel of John 1, 9 on, 10 on, he says he came to his son and his son did not receive him. But what? But as many as receive him, to them what? He gave him the power, the right to become children of God. And who were there? Who were the ones who received them? Not because they were Christians or Israelites, not because of the blood, not because of the flesh, not because of the will of a man who says, say this little prayer and become a Christian, but what? Three words, but of God, but by the will of God. God is the one who gives you that faith to believe. So, the world has two group of people, the children of God and the children of Satan. And the children of God are only those who trust in Christ alone. To them he gave them the what? The right to become what? Children of God. That means the others are not children of God. So here comes, then God says, I tell you what, I know Paul and all the people out there are going to hate the word election, But the reason why I had mercy upon some is because election. I elected some to be saved before they were born, before the foundations of the world. And Paul raised his hand and said, that's not fair. That was amazing. I was teaching a conference. in a stadium. And they would have problems with the election, and they interrupt my conference to ask me if I believe in election. And I have to tell them, to make the story short, a man raised his hand and said, if you believe in election, that is unfair. And it was food for my plate. I said, are you Paul? Is your name Paul? He says, yes, how do you know? It happened to me. I said, because Paul already have dealt with that. I was amazing just to make this brief point that might help you. At that point he says, anyone who has a problem with election, I want to raise the hand of, this was there in a stadium, to ask people, raise your hand all of you who are elected. And only a few people raised their hand. Then I said, okay. All of you who trust in Christ alone for your salvation, are you sure that Jesus paid in full for your sin, and are convinced that you are going to heaven because of the righteousness of Christ in you, given to you by faith, please raise your hand. And everyone raised their hand. I say, all of you, raise your hand, are elected. How do you know if you are elected? If you trust in Christ alone for your salvation, you are elected. I don't know if you are elected, but you in your heart knows, and God knows. So Paul says, that's unfair. And God says, Paul, are you angry? Let me share something with you. Let me tell you a little story. You like stories, right? It was two babies. They were womb mates. Same mother, twins. They have not been born yet. They did not do anything good or evil yet. One I love, the other one I hated. You cannot read that almost without crying. And he says, why do you then blame me for sin if you are in charge of everything? Because another point of the Reformation is the sovereignty of God. He says, why do you? In other words, that's unfair. And God patiently answers him, said Paul. is not about justice. It is about mercy. By justice, everyone belongs in hell. But I will have mercy upon whom I want to have mercy. And I will harden those that I want to harden. Remember Pharaoh? Remember this? And Paul continues to argue with God. And God finally says, who cares? So what? That's 920. Who are you to argue with God? We don't fully realize who God is. We are just but creatures. He is God. And he introduces here in chapter nine that this faith alone that he was talking about in Romans 117, it is all about the mercy of God upon his elect, his children. that he has chosen before the foundation of the world. So let me read it to you, and we'll finish, promise. Let me read it to you, and you can see it within the context. I'm sorry that I am reading from the new cane, new King James. I usually read from the ESV, but I was given new eyes almost a month ago, and I'm using these big letters. But some people get confused and say, why didn't you read from the ESV? Because it is probably what you have there, right? I don't know what you have there. Chapter 9. And if you can follow with me, I will stop from time to time to make a little comment. But I tell the truth in Christ. I am not lying. He's not just kidding. My conscience also bear me witness in the Holy Spirit that I have great sorrow and continual grief in my heart, for I could wish that I myself were a curse from Christ for my brethren, my countrymen according to the flesh. That way I would like to be, I would have love to be, I would have like to be separated from Christ, a curse condemned. who are Israelites, to whom pertain the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the service of God, and the promises of whom are the fathers, and from whom, according to the flesh, Christ came, who over all the eternal bless God, amen, and gives glory to God. And God answers, but it is not that the word of God has taken no effect, Paul, for they are not all Israelites who are from Israel. Nor are they all children, because they are the seed of Abraham. Not all are children of God. But, and I say, your seed shall be called. That is, those who are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God. Does it match with John 1? But the children of the promise are counted as the seed. We are the children of the promise. God is going to save everyone that is a child of the promise. Not even one will escape. Because that's what Jesus came to live a perfect life and die. For this is the word of promise. At this time I will come and Sarah shall have a son. Goes back to the Old Testament. And then he says, and not only this, but when Rebecca also have conceived by one man, even by our father Isaac, For the children not yet being born, not having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to the election may stand not of works, but of him who calls. It's not by works, it's by election. It is amazing the glories of God in the election. Imagine that he did not pass you by. It was said to her, the older shall serve the younger. As it is written, Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated. Before we left Florida, we attended a banquet and a lunch for pastors. There was a woman crying. She had five children, one had died. And I thought, told Mimi, I said, she's uncomfortable crying for that child. And then we discovered she was not crying for the one who died. He was crying for the four who were not following Christ and were alive. And I heard her saying, I will give my life if they will come to Christ. That sounds like Paul, huh? What shall we say then, Paul says, is there unrighteousness with God? Since you are talking about righteousness, and now what? And the answer is, Certainly not. For it's not about righteousness, it's about mercy. For he says to Moses, I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whomever I will have compassion. Mercy is not justice. So then, it is not of him who wills, not of him who runs, but of God who has mercy. We were not looking for God. God ran after us. For the scripture says to the Pharaoh, for this very purpose I have raised you up, that I may show my power in you, and that my name may be declared in all the earth. Therefore, He has mercy on whom he wills. And whom he wills, he hardened. And that means God is not the author of sin. The only thing that he has to do is to take his hands off of protection and let us to our own heart. That goes back to chapter one. For those, God turned them to their own desires, put them on the shelf. You will say to me then, why does he still find fault? For whom has he, he's almost blaming God for his sin. And then God says, it's enough, Paul, verse 20. But indeed, O man, who are you to replay against God? Dear ones, we will never ever understand election. We tried to explain it, we will not, because his mind is way higher than ours. His ways are way different. Who are you to replace him? Will the thing form say to him who form it, why have you made me like this? Remember Job? Where were you when I put the stars and the moon? Did I ask you? So why are you trying to give me advice now? Does not the potter have power over the clay from the same lump, look at this, to make one vessel for honor, that's us, and another for dishonor? That's a hard doctrine. God creating people this way. And then, in other translations, he says, so what? Verse 22. In Spanish, y que? A ti que te importa, so what? What's the matter with you? What? If God wanted to show his wrath and to make his power known, endure with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath, prepare for destruction. and that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, solid Deo Gloria. To know that you are safe because of that. Even us, whom he called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles. And he repeats what is in Hosea in the last testament. I will call them my people who were not my people. And her beloved who was not beloved. And it shall come to pass in the place where it was said to them, you are my people. there they shall be called sons of the living God. That's awesome. Why cannot get better than this? When I finished that conference, when I finished that, when this person was fighting against election in this stadium, I decided to read chapter nine and explain it to them. And when I finished, the power of the Holy Spirit was so strong, I could not resist. But without fully realizing, I got on my knees with a microphone and began to pray. And I say, I do not understand you, God. But I am so glad that you did not pass me by. You, Jesus, were at Bethesda. There were hundreds of paralytics. He passed all of them by. He chose one. Why not all of them? I do not understand. I am not going to take my certificate of the pardon for my life and put it on your face and say, why didn't you save somebody else? I am just so glad. I don't know about anybody else, but I'm glad that you did not pass me by. And I was crying. And I got up. And Paul was on his knees. And he picked up the microphone, because that's the bad thing when you're teaching, you shouldn't have a microphone going around. And he took the microphone and said, I believe. The Bible convinced me. but I also was impressed because you Presbyterians and you Reform people are arrogant and they come to say, I am elected, ha, ha, ha. But God moved you with your tears in a special way too. And then he says something terrible. He says, I can't wait. on this Sunday to teach about election in my church. And I say, don't do that. And then we established a course in the seminary to teach the pastors how to present the doctrines of grace without losing one single member in the congregation. Thank you so much. This invitation is a joy to be here. We love you. And before I go, I have to thank you for two things. Number one, for lending us your pastor, for sending your pastor to teach. A reformation is going on in Latin America like you don't have any idea. We are fighting against prosperity gospel and other non-gospels. He went to teach and we are going to take him back. He has been elected to go. So I'd like to thank you for that. We need men like that. We need teachers that donate one week to teach 30 hours. to this class. And other people like Joel Bickey and Stephen Lawson and R.C. Sproul Jr. and Richard Pratt, people like that, they donate. For us, it is a blessing that your pastor is able to come and teach. Also, we'd like to thank you for this congregation for the help that you are giving to the seminary to fulfill this responsibility to take the gospel to the ends of Latin America. Thank you. We'll be back tomorrow morning. 915, we're going to do a little discipleship in here. Makes it easier to record. So we're going to be right back here tomorrow morning, 915.