That's really what false religion is. It's a place to hide from God, not a place to find God. So when people think they're pious and they defend their faith and they go around saying, we're holy and we're serving God, you can look at them and say, you're a liar. You're either deceiving me or you're deceiving yourself. Because if you really, sincerely wanted to know God, you would come to the truth and to Jesus Christ. But when you bring that up, so what do they do? They get mad, they get defensive, they get scared, they run back to their holes, their hiding places. And so... And then what I did was just brought different verses from throughout the scripture for each point But I'm only going to look at Romans and Genesis for this You have the sheet if you want to look at other just to look at how these things are brought up All right, first of all we need to understand again where we stand in the great and scheme of things. Are we just an accident, the product of mechanistic, impersonal evolutions? No. Man was created by a personal God in the image of God, and he knows it. Man knows that he is made by God, and he's accountable to God, even though he suppresses that knowledge and fights it and lives contrary to it. Romans 1, again, we saw it Sunday, but Since we're doing something different tonight, we'll go at it again from this angle For those who were here Sunday, I'm referring to we used Romans 1 to show the sins of America Exactly what Romans 1 is picturing is what's happening in our country today. And so I just wanted to show how it's not an accident that we're getting where we're getting. It's exactly what God said would happen when we turn from Him. Verse 18. For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who hold the truth in unrighteousness. God is not hiding the fact that he's holy, and that he hates sin, and that all sin will be punished. He makes that very clear. All ungodliness, that sins against God, false religion, impiety, blasphemy, idolatry, that's all going to be judged, and all unrighteousness. Lying stealing, you know murder adultery all our sins against our fellow men all these things are going to come up in judgment All right, and why are men living this way because they're holding the truth and unrighteousness Now they have the truth But the word hold there means to hold under or suppress. They're suppressing the truth they have. They're keeping it out of the picture, out of sight, trying to bury it, cover it, or forget it, so that they can continue in their unrighteousness. That's why. See? They're trying to continue in their sin. And even though the truth would turn them from their sin, still, they try to deny or ignore or avoid the truth so that they can have their sin. All right, why is this so? Why does God reveal His wrath against men's sin? Because men are without excuse. Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them. For God has showed it unto them. All right? The things that may be known about God are clearly revealed to men. How? By His creation. So the invisible things of him, that's speaking of his spiritual essence, God is a spirit, he's invisible, from the creation of the world are clearly seen. So he's saying the creation clearly reveals God's nature. And that it's understood, being understood by the things that are made, that's men. Or men understand by virtue of the creation of these invisible things of God. That's why there's a general recognition that there's a God. You know, even in America, with all its sin, they'll say 95 or 6% or whatever of people believe there is a God. And, you know, to different degrees. Of course they believe that. It's something God has put in us. It's an innate awareness by our very creation in God's image. And so, That means that we're really in trouble, aren't we? Knowing that, we still continue to live in rebellion against Him? Yeah, that's right. So as the things that are made understand His eternal power and God-haven. Right? So that He's an eternal, almighty deity. No, it's His. Not theirs. His. There's only one God, right? So that they are without excuse, without excuse. No one's going to be able to stand before God and say, I didn't know, I didn't have a chance. I, I, no one. If there was never a Bible, if Jesus Christ never came to this earth, if never a man heard a word from God throughout history, there's enough that can be known to God by the very things He made that everyone should have realized, wow, there's a God that made me and that I'm going to have to answer to. I better seek to honor Him. That's all that would be necessary. Men don't need anything else. But what this is saying is, even though creation is enough to damn men, to show that they are without excuse, it's not enough to convert men. Just see, the creation doesn't turn anyone to God. It's not enough to bring a person to salvation. It can make them without excuse, but it cannot bring them to prayer. Alright, here's why they're without excuse. Because of that, when they knew God, well, if they knew Him, A lot of people try to explain history this way. Men started out very primitive, and then they started noticing things around them, and they started coming up with all these very pagan concepts, like polytheism, many gods. And then as time went on, they progressed, and they made greater strides, and they became more refined and more intelligent, and so they developed to where they believed in one God. You know, instead of polytheism, monotheism. And so they're saying religion is developing over time and getting better and better. That's the exact opposite of the truth. That's the exact opposite of the truth. Men started with a right and accurate knowledge of God, and they turned from it, and they were... And by turning from the truth, they fell into all these pagan concepts, and that brought them into polytheism and all the deep degradation and immorality that goes along with false religion. And men are getting worse and worse, not better and better. And evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. So things are getting worse all the time. Men are getting farther from God, more in darkness, more lost than ever were. Adam started out with perfect knowledge of God. He walked with God. And after that it was downhill until God destroyed the earth with a flood. It wasn't because it got better. Hasn't been getting better since and what did jesus say when he comes back at the end of the world? It's going to be just like noah in the ark again All right, so They glorified him not as god. They didn't acknowledge him for who he was Neither were they thankful. They didn't show gratitude for his benefits and blessings But became vain in their imagination Notice, they started out good and went bad. Became empty, futile, or useless in their thinking. Now, you listen to people. Let them tell you what they believe or what they think about God and religion. Shake your head. They're so far off. It's unbelievable. Their imaginations have become. And they don't know it. They think that's what they're saying right. That's really lost. And so it says, and their foolish heart would darken. professing themselves to be wise, they became fools. Notice. Became. Not started out and got wise. Started out wise, became fools. See, it's a downhill. Men are not progressing, they're regressing. We're getting worse, not better. Anyone that thinks we are is missing the boat. What did they do? They changed the glory of the uncorruptible God. No, He's the Spirit. Eternal, unchangeable, infinite, pure and perfect. And they made it into an image like, made like to corruptible man into birds and four-footed beasts and creeping things. There you have idolatry and paganism coming in. Notice, they changed God's glory into these shameful things. They debased his glory. Wherefore, God also gave them up. All right, you departed from me, now I'll turn you over to something, to uncleanness. Why is it people act like the only thing we are is a mass of flesh, and our whole purpose in life is to gratify that flesh by sexual behavior? Why do they act like that's their whole end of existence? Is that just somehow happens to be how it works out? Is that where we are on the great, progression of evolution or in a sexual stage? No, they turned from God and what did He do? He judged them. He judged them. How did He judge them? It says, He gave them up to uncleanness, to the lust of their own heart. Are you on me? I'll give you up to your own lust. Men are just running after every kind of filthy thing there is. That's why men are doing that. To dishonor their own bodies between themselves. Why? Because they changed the truth of God into a lie. Or that word there means exchange. They had the truth of God, and here's what they said. And I don't want this. So they traded it in. Oh, that's a lie? Yeah, I'd rather have that. I'll take that instead. I'll trade in my truth for your lie. That's exactly what they did. They turned from God to Satan, from the truth to the liar. And how was that shown? They worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Think about it. Everything is an offense unless it concerns Jesus Christ, right? You can't talk about anyone in a derogatory way unless it's Christ. That's okay. Why? Because He's the Creator, and all these other things are creatures, and they honor the creature above the Creator. And that's because it's the Creator they hate. He has to be praised, and they don't. So there you have it. Man was created by a personal God. He knows it. And he's going to answer to that God now. Actually, that's the next point. Now, what does he know about this God? He's a God who is holy. He's a God who hates sin and who must punish it. You know, people aren't going to be surprised when they go to hell. You may be shocked to think it was them. You might have thought it couldn't happen to them. But that won't surprise them. Why? What's Romans 1.32 say? After listing all their crimes, who knowing the judgment of God. Oh, they know that too? Yeah, that God is a judge. They're going to have to give an account to Him. He's going to render every man according to his deeds. And every man is a sinner. So what is every man facing? It says, knowing the judgment of God that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them. They know God's judgment is on them and that they are going to die. They know it deep down. That's the greatest fear of men. They live all their life in that fear. They may try to, again, deny it or hide it, cover it up. But they have it. It's in the depth of their being. They know there's a God that's going to destroy them for their sins. They live all their lifetime in subject to bondage through fear of death. And they go on in their sin. because their hearts are so hardened and darkened that nothing will turn them from it, short of a miracle of God. Nothing. Every transgression and disobedience shall receive a just recompense, a reward. Romans 3, 1 through 8, or 3 through 8, Paul has been indicting the Jews now just like in chapter one. He was indicting the Gentiles What if some did not believe What if there are those who didn't believe what God's Word said? It says shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect They get a nullified what God said by not believing I always tell people, you don't believe God's going to judge you someday and cast you into hell for your sins? Does that mean it's not going to happen? Just because you decided not to believe it? You may see a train coming to hit you, and you can stand there and say, I don't believe this is going to happen. Well, it's going to run you over just the same. Well, that's what he's saying here. God forbid, yea, let God be true, but every man a liar. When it comes down to it, if man says one thing and God says something else, guess whose word is going to come out? Whose word is going to stand? God's. Every time. As it is written, that thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged. You know, we condemn God for what he says. You know, we try to out-think God by saying our word, our ideas, is going to be what's going to is how it is. We may judge him, but in the end, he'll overcome. His judgment is the last and final and is just. He'll be justified and vindicated in everything he says. All right, here's some perverse thinking. But if our unrighteousness commend the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unrighteous who take his vengeance? I speak as a man. Well, if I'm lying with my false ideas, and that, you know, by contrast, shows how God's word is true, well, then aren't I doing God a service by my lies? Right? If my unrighteousness only makes his righteousness more apparent, then aren't I really honoring God? How do you like that for thinking? Is that sound thinking? Is that going to pass with God? No, Paul says this is human manner of speech. God forbid. For then how shall God judge the world? And God is going to judge the world, not based on our perverse reasoning, but on His truth. For if the truth of God hath more abounded through my lie unto His glory, why yet am I also judged as a sinner? Now here I am telling lies, and God's truth, you know, again, when you put them together and compare them, it makes His truth show itself so much clearer. So then, why would He judge me as a sinner if that's the outcome of my lying, my lies? And not rather, as we be slanderously reported, and as some affirm that we say, let us do evil, that good may come. That's the ultimate conclusion. If my falsehood and my sinful living will in the end turn to God's glory when he judges it, can't you say you can do evil to get good out of it? No, he says, whose damnation is just. Anyone who thinks like that deserves to go to hell, because that's very wicked thinking. And that's really what he's saying here. God will judge the world. And those who follow lies will be judged as sinners and not somehow patted on the back and given thanks for proving how true God is by their own lies and unrighteousness. So, God is a holy God. He hates sin and He will judge it. And man is accountable to God for his actions. Oh, I want to go to Genesis 1. I said I would do this. Now verse one says, in the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth. There we have the creation. Verse 26, God said, let us make man in our image, after our likeness, and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, In the image of God created he him, male and female, created he them. There you have it. God made man from the beginning and man knew God right from day one. He knew what God was like. We'll see that in a minute. Romans again. You ever notice that science and philosophy doesn't seem to follow what I'm saying? You ever heard them telling this about man's origin and history? They don't, do they? Is that because they're right and the Bible's wrong? No, the Bible's right. Why don't they tell you what I'm telling you right now? They're suppressing the truth in unrighteousness. That's exactly why. Now, you go to the colleges and you have professors. And they say, we know all these things. We've heard it. You know, they stand up there and they spot us, tell you how, you know, all their... Great thinking what's the Bible say about professors professors professors profess themselves to be wise when they are fooled and They don't know what they're talking about. Yes Right any science that kind of is the Bible is a science falsely so called it's not true science. I God didn't create the world and tell us how he did it in the Bible and then leave evidence around that contradicts what he did. He doesn't contradict himself that way. Whenever science claims to contradict the Bible, it's not science anymore. It's philosophizing and speculating and things of that nature, but not true science. then it becomes theory, and it's wrong theory. Man is accountable to God for his actions. God's a personal God, and He has authority over men. He made us in His image, and we have to answer to Him. Romans 2. How do we know that man should be judged? Can men say, I didn't know, No, why can't they say that? Every time a person says that's wrong. You shouldn't do that. What are they? Whether consciously or not There's right and wrong in it If you do wrong, you're gonna have to be punished for it. And if you do right you'll be blessed and so they know enough of right and wrong and to tell someone else what they're doing is wrong, so how can they claim they didn't know what they were doing themselves? And that's what Romans 2 says. In verses 1 through 3, it says, Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judges. Oh, inexcusable again. Not based on the creation this time, based on what? Conscience, our own knowledge of right and wrong that God has put in us. Inexcusable, whoever thou art that judgest. For wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself. Every time you tell someone else you did something wrong, you're condemning yourself. Why? For thou that judgest doest the same thing. And the fact that you can say they did wrong means you know what's wrong. You're doing it. How can you say you didn't know you were doing wrong? Or how can you tell God, how can you judge me? I didn't know what I was doing. No, yes you did. But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things. And thinkest thou this, O man, that judges them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God? And you think you can set yourself up with God and pronounce judgment on others, and somehow God's going to let you get by? So there right there is an acknowledgment, a conscious or unconscious recognition that there is right and wrong, and that people are going to be judged for wrong, because they judge themselves, one another. But after thy hardness and impenitent heart, there's why people don't turn to God, they have a hard and impenitent heart. Treasure unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath, and revelation of the righteous judgment of God who will render to every man according to his deeds. God has said he's going to judge the world for their sin. God has given evidences of that throughout history. There's different times when he directly judges to show that's what he's going to do ultimately in the full sense. But his final judgment is at the end of the world. That's when his judgment is going to be final and complete. That's the day of wrath and revelation in the full sense of the righteous judgment of God who will render to every man according to his deeds. All right, and then you go down, verses 11 and 12. For there is no respect of persons with God, for as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law. And as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law. And then verse 16 says, in the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel. What is this telling us? Some men have not a single word of God, not a single word of scripture whatsoever. Does that mean that they're off the hook? Does that mean that they're not accountable, they're not going to be judged? No, that doesn't matter. Having the scripture is a great blessing. The Bible says that God only gave one nation his word one nation Only one in the whole history of the world. He gave one nation his word Yeah, 147 verses 19 and 20 Telling about God's work in creation, in his providential care of the earth, sending rain and snow and wind and such. Verse 19 of Psalm 147. He showeth his word unto Jacob, his statutes and his judgments unto Israel. He hath not dealt so with any nation. And as for his judgments, they have not known them. Praise be to the Lord. You know, God decides who gets His word and who doesn't. And He determined that only one nation would receive His word. Of all the nations of the earth, in all of history, one, Israel. And He left all the other nations in darkness. The Bible says that God suffered the nations to walk in their own ways. What that means is, He just let them go in darkness. He didn't tell them anything. He just said it. He turned them over and He never even gave them a single word from heaven. So there's a great advantage to having God's word, but when it comes down to, if I don't have God's word, am I off the hook? Does that mean I won't be judged? Not at all. You'll be judged based on what light you have. In other words, those, it says, who sin, have sinned without the law, shall also perish without law. Does it say they didn't have the word of God, so they can be saved and go to heaven because they didn't have any chance to hear it? There are a lot of people who live and die. I mean, especially in the old, imagine before the time of Christ, but even in our day, I've heard there are 200,000 people die every day, never heard the name of Jesus. You know they go straight to hell? Not having heard the name of Jesus doesn't make it any better for them? Like, oh, no, the less I know, the better off I am, because how can I be held accountable for something I don't know? It doesn't matter. They are accountable by their very, you know, creation. They have the creation around them. They have the conscience within them, and they're without excuse. They won't be judged as severely as the Jews who had the law, but they sinned in having the law. And how about those who have the gospel? They'll be judged to the highest degree, because that is the clearest and final revelation of God, the gospel of Jesus Christ. They will be judged more severely than anyone else. But the fact of not having the Bible, that sin, It's a great blessing to have it, but it won't in any sense lessen their judgment in the sense that God has a special second way of saving people. There's no salvation but in the name of Jesus. If 200,000 people a day die without hearing that name, they die and are lost. They perish. And there's no other way around it. God doesn't have a second way to heaven. He doesn't have a plan B. That's why missions are so important, getting the gospel out. But it says that God actually did not give his word to the nations all through the ancient world from the time of Adam until the time of Christ. It says he allowed them to go on without any scripture and that he only gave israel his word and then of course with the gospel he said preach it to every nation but even today there are people who have never heard and that's why the church needs to get out because jesus said that it has to be preached among all people every single Various groups and before the end can come and we know that in heaven. There's going to be some from every people tribe tongue and nation It's going to get out Everybody before that end comes because they have to hear to believe and they can't hear without a preacher So evidently the Lord's going to reach them before the end All right, so man's accountable to God Romans 14 12 says this also and So then, every one of us shall give account of himself to God. Now if that isn't a sobering thought, nothing is. That should be the most Austin thought anyone could ever consider, I myself, by name, I'll use my name since that's who I am, Craig's also, I'm going to stand before Almighty God at the end of the world and give an account for myself. I'm going to do that. I'm going to have to. Every one of us will. I ought to be living for that one time. That should be what I have foremost in my mind. Whatever I do each day, I'm going to have to give an account of myself for my time, my thoughts, my word, my actions, where I go, what I do, how I use my money, everything. I'm going to have to do that. Well, did man know that he was accountable to God from the beginning? Genesis You saw right in chapter 1, God gave man dominion over his earthly creation. And he gave them some commands to obey. So right away, he asserted his authority. And he established the fact that man was to be under God in obedience to him. He'll be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth and subdue it and have dominion. So right away, that was arranged as we know it today. Chapter 2, verse 7, the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life. And man became a living soul. Because he was right with God and without sin. And the Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden, and there he put the man whom he had formed, and out of the ground made the Lord God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food, the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil. All right, so here he sets up man's living quarters. And then down in Verse 15, he says, and the Lord God took the man and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, of every tree in the garden, thou mayest freely eat. But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it. For in the day that thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die. So what's he doing? He's giving man some commands, some rules to follow. He's telling man, you know, you are accountable to me. You must do as I say, and you'll have to answer to me for your actions. And should you disobey, then death will come upon you. The very same thing that Romans says, they know the judgment of God, that they who commit such things are worthy of death. We've known it right from the beginning. You know, Adam lived a long time, 900 some years. You don't think he was telling each and every generation what his experience was. God did this, and God told me this, and I did this, and this is what happened, and this is why it is like it is. You don't think he was preaching that all those 900 years? I'm sure he was. He was a constant witness to these facts. So did men do all these things right from day one? Sure they did. So what did they do with it? Well, you know, they did sin. And they did fall. But that's our next point from Romans. Romans. You know, in one sense, we think, have I done anything worthy of death? Oh yeah, every sin and any sin is worthy of death. But in one sense, that's kind of like an after-the-facts question. The moment Adam sinned, he brought death upon all his descendants. In other words, that's the point when the decision was made that we sinned and brought death on ourselves. That's already an established fact. We enter the world with that already determined and already having happened. It's not like we have to wait and see how we do in our life. That goes back to the very original sin of Adam. But Romans 3, beginning of verse 9, we see that man, man universally, all men, are guilty, condemned. Well, I want to say they're lost sinners before God. What is the condition of man since the fall? Romans 3, 9. What then? Are we better than they? And that's a reference to Jews. Paul is proving all Jews and Gentiles are equally sinners and condemned. And so he's saying, are we Jews better than they Gentiles? Now, the Jews felt that they were a cut above. They had special privileges. And so they thought that made them better somehow. No, and no wise, for we have before proved, both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin. All. And that's a comprehensive, Jews and Gentiles and everybody. As it is written, there is none righteous, no, not one. There is none that understandeth. There is none that seeketh after God. Oh, I think I want God. Oh, are you an exception to this? No. None. They are all gone out of the way. They are together become unprofitable. It's a lump condition all together. There is none that doeth good, no, not one. Their throat is an open sepulcher, with their tongues they have used to see. The poison of asps is under their lips, whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness. Their feet are swift to shed blood. Destruction and misery are in their ways, and the way of peace have they not known. There is no fear of God before their eyes." No fear of God before their eyes. Chapter 1 again, we can pick up where we left off. Verse 26, remember they worshiped false gods. For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections. Now he talks about sodomy, homosexuality, for even their women to change the natural use into that which is against nature, and likewise also the men. leaving the natural use of the woman burned in their lust one toward another, men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error, which was meek." Now there's a proper judgment for that. AIDS is one of them, and there's others, all kinds of venereal disease and other things. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, notice, they didn't like keeping God in their knowledge. God gave them over to a reprobate mind to do those things which are not convenient. What things? being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness, full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity, whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful. We went into some of those Sunday, but that's the condition and behavior of men. Why isn't everybody doing this all the time to the full degree? Why not? Aren't there some people that are fairly decent and moral? There's only one answer to that. God's restrained grace, common grace. God does not take his hand off us completely to where we would go if he was to let us go. If that ever happened, this world would be unlivable. It would be a complete chaos. I mean, you couldn't have society. So God does restrain sin, but all are sinners, and many times these things break out in many individuals' lives. Chapter 5 of Romans, verse 19, it says there, For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, All right, Adam's fall brought sin upon all those who are descended from Adam, the whole human race. So man is a lost sinner before God. We see that in Genesis again. Genesis chapter 3. God told him not to eat. The devil told him go ahead and eat. And verse 6 says, And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her, and he did eat. And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed big leaves together, and made themselves aprons. And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day. And Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God, amongst the trees of the garden. And the Lord God called unto Adam and said, where art thou? That's the only reason anyone comes to God, is he pursues them and calls them back. And so you go on, and he tells about how he pronounces judgment upon them. He also promises to send a redeemer, a seed of the woman that would crush the serpent's head. And then finally, he makes clothes clothes out of skins to clothe them with. And then it says that he drove the man that he had created out of the garden to till the ground. And then it tells how Amity started having children, Cain and Abel. Sin soon showed itself in Cain's murder of Abel. Cain tried to deny what he did. and when God brought him to task for it. And what happened? What did Cain do? God pronounced a judgment on him. Verse 16 of chapter 4 says, Cain went out from the presence of the Lord and dwelt in the land of Nod on the east of Eden. Remember how God placed at the east of the Garden of Eden, cherubims with a flaming sword to keep the man out. Evidently, that was the place where man had some kind of fellowship with God or recognition of God. What was the first thing Cain did? He went away from the presence of the Lord, and then he set up civilization. He started building cities and having children. And that's what man's been doing ever since, going away from God, raising up earthly empires, and trying to live without God. But you find out that man is a lost sinner. Chapter 5 says that all the days Adam lived were 930 years and he died. Death came upon him just like God said it would. And soon after that, verse chapter 6, Verse 5 says, the Lord God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And he repented to the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and he grieved him at his heart. And the Lord said, I will destroy the man whom I have created from the face of the earth. both man and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air. For it repented to me that I had made them. But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord." In other words, it was a universal fall, universal condition of sin, universal condemnation. But God gave grace to one man, Noah. And the whole rest of the world was destroyed in judgment. hate, it says, were saved. Noah's wife, his three sons, and their wives. And even among them, there was a Ham and his son. And how, you know, they were not true believers either. They sinned as well. But man is a lost sinner before God. That's very clear. So, I think that's where we'll and for tonight. Any questions? You can find the same message anywhere in the Bible, over and over and over again. You can present the gospel from almost any place in the scripture. It's there in more different forms than you can even count. But I'm just, like I say, taking Romans as a logical starting point and then just going back to the beginning to show where these things all came from and how they've been the same from the beginning and will be to the end. Man's a sinner as he's always been, and Jesus is the Savior as he's always been. And not just since he came, the Bible says that he's the Lamb that was slain from the foundation of the world. And men in the Old Testament had the promise, just like Adam knew who the true God was, and he knew of his sin and fault, he knew that God promised to send the Redeemer. He had that knowledge, and I'm sure he passed it on to his children. Man is without excuse. Even if no one ever hears of Christ, he's a sinner, and we're condemned for our sin. God does not owe us a savior. You know that, don't you? He's not obligated to give us that. If he gives it to some and not to others, he's not wronging anybody. And those are some of the hard truths of the gospel. But they are truths, and we can't try to minimize them or try to make them more palatable to human thinking. Now we ought to be on our faces humble before God that he would ever think about doing anything for us after we sinned and no less than send his son for us to die and that he was pleased to bring that knowledge to us and then even having the knowledge no one can turn to him. Because of our sin we we hate that knowledge And then when he turned turns our hearts and changes our hearts to come in and believe that is amazing grace That's what God did for Noah. Noah was no better in the rest of the world He found great God Chose him and changed him and saved him and he might preserve the Humanity so that Christ could come with the same line, you know and have a continuity right from heaven not start from scratch Yeah God preached the gospel back in Genesis 3. The day Abed-Eve sinned, He came to them and told them about Christ. And it's been there right from the beginning. And hey, Abraham rejoiced to see Christ's face. Wherever the Holy Spirit of God opened eyes and brought faith, he pointed them to Christ. You know, God instituted right with Adam. When he had those animals killed, And he took their skins and clothed Adam and Eve, and he was saying that sin brings death, but I will accept a substitute, a death in the place of the sinner, so that that sinner can be covered. Clothed, you know, made acceptable to God. He showed them that, and right from Adam and Eve, they sacrificed.