All right, this is lesson 16 in our series Doctrine for Living, studying the sum of saving knowledge, November 10. So just so you know where we are, we're, Lord willing, finishing today the third of the chapters of the Sum of Saving Knowledge. It's not clear. I guess chapters is the best term for them. There's one more to come. And that, Lord willing, will also be four lessons. So planning on finishing mid-December, four more weeks. But today, as I said, we're looking at the, conclusion of the third chapter. Remember this chapter has given us warrants and special motives to believe in Christ. Our authors have in mind, especially those who are weak in faith, maybe new believers, maybe those who have been believers for a while but struggle with assurance of salvation or Really, all of us at various times need encouragement and understanding, again, the foundation of our faith in Christ and why we have justifying reasons, that's what Warren's meant back then, for believing in him. So, our main text today is John 3, 35 through 36, so I'd encourage you to turn there. There are a lot of Additional scripture references that I hope will help us understand what is being said there, both in John 3 and in the explanation of it. But as in the other parts of the chapter, our authors focus on one main text. So we looked at Isaiah 55, 2 Corinthians 5, and then last week in 1 John 3. And this week it's John 3. So I'll read verses. To get some context, I'll read verses 31 through 36. But as I said, we're really focusing on the last two verses of the chapter. This is the chapter in which John 3.16 appears. And maybe we'll refer back to that. But here, I'll pick up the reading at verse 31. He who comes from above is above all. He who is of the earth is earthly and speaks of the earth. He who comes from heaven is above all. And what he has seen and heard, that he testifies. And no one receives his testimony. He who has received his testimony has certified that God is true. For he whom God has sent speaks the words of God. For God does not give the Spirit by measure. especially these two verses. The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand. He who believes in the Son has everlasting life and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life. But the wrath of God abides on him. Now it's striking that they pick passages that are so full of meaning that it's hard to get through all of this even in our 45-minute class. But I think you'll see again that they draw out from these two verses, especially 35 and 36, very rich truths. They go over much of the theological ground or make use of the theological study we've already had. They talk about the covenant of redemption, covenant of works, covenant of grace. But all of these are really, again, toward pressing us to see the certainty of our salvation in Christ and why we need not fear whether he would receive us as we come to him, that we are guaranteed this hope of everlasting life as we look to him. So before we go through the doctrines that they set out, and there are five points plus the usual bit of reasoning at the end, I want to talk about some of the background in terms of the doctrine. the Gospel of John, and I'll do that in connection really with the first point that they make, but this is where we're going to dwell a little bit more on the background. So those of you who received, especially the first several posted notes, you might be ready to find your verse. So the first part of verse 35 says, the Father loves the Son. And it's worth thinking about for a while what that means. That's the first point. They split this 35 and the 36 into these observations. And that's the first point they dwell on, that the father loves the son. So I'd like to think about that for a while before we actually look directly at their comments, because that has a very rich scriptural background. So the first truth is that God is love. And supremely we see that God is love and the loving communion among the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. This is apart from God creating anything, apart from any purpose of God in terms of the decrees that he made contingent on his free will. It is true of God that God is love and his love is supremely shown in that communion among the three persons of the Godhead. And yet what they emphasize here, especially as we go through the passage, is the fact that that love of God flows into this contingent will of God. That's the word that's used. That is his free decision to enter into this covenant of redemption. So it is especially in the fact that God sent his son that we see the love of the father for the son. And then, of course, we'll see the love of the Father and the Son for us and the working out of that. So in general, one principle in studying who God is is that the missions of God, so think especially of the Father sending the Son or the Father and the Son sending the Spirit, reveal the procession, that is, who God is in himself. The Son is begotten of the Father and the Spirit proceeds, sorry, is, yeah. is from the son and the father as well. So the fact that the love of the Father for the Son is shown in the sending of the Son is no surprise, because that's who God is. That love of God is who he is. But let's think a little bit about how the Father's love for the Son is especially shown in the sending of the Son, what our writers have referred to from very early on in our study as the covenant of redemption. decision before time that the father would send the son, the son would be willing to come to take on a human nature to bring salvation to his people. And again, we've looked at some of these verses before, but Isaiah 42.1 is the first one I'd like to look at and who ended up with it. Behold, my servant whom I uphold, my elect, one in whom My soul delights. I have put my spirit upon him. He will bring forth justice to the Gentiles. All right. So as I said, we actually looked at this in connection with the covenant of redemption. Seems like a long time ago. But there the father speaks of the servant. So viewing God the Son as the one incarnate who is coming for our salvation. And he says that he delights in him. This is the love. The Father loves the Son. This is the Old Testament background. This is the background before time began. In the sending of the Son, you see the Father's delight for the Son. Again, it's a very rich truth to think about. We'll look at a lot of references and then try to put them together to some extent. But notice also the way the Holy Spirit enters in. So it's just one verse. Would you read it again, Mark? It's kind of easy to... So it is the father's delight in the son, which causes him to put the spirit on the son, to, if you like, equip him for the ministry that he's being sent for. Now, if you think back about the verse before our pair that we read in John 3, what did verse 34 say? He whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God does not give the spirit by measure. So supremely on the Son of God incarnate, God poured out his Holy Spirit for the purpose of being our Savior and for the glory of the Son, as we'll see is, you might say, the highest call for that. So when our authors turn from John 3, 35, the father loves the son, and you start to say, well, where does all this about the covenant of redemption come from? Well, it's there in the Bible. It's there in the background that they've already given us. But I'd like to read some other references. These are in the New Testament. So there's like bang, bang, bang, several in a row. John 5, 20. where the father loves the son and shows him all things that he himself does. And he will show him greater works than these that you may marvel. OK, so that's the son. Speaking of the fact that the father loves the son, John 17, 22 through 26, a little bit longer passage. The glory which you have given me, I have given to them, that they may be one, just as we are one. I in them, and you in me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that you sent me and love them, even as you have loved me. Father, I desire that they also whom you have given me be with me where I am, so that they may see my glory which you have given me. For you loved me before the foundation of the world, O righteous Father, although the world has not known you, yet I have known you, and these have known that you sent me. And I have made your name known to them, and will make it known so that love with which you love me. So several times in those verses, this is what's usually called the high priestly prayer in John 17, before the crucifixion, he reflects on the love of the father for the son before the foundation of the world, and yet connected with his sending. And that one verse, you know, that they may know that you have loved me even as you have loved, that you love them even as you have loved me is connected with the sending in verse 23. A couple more, and then we'll try to reflect back on it. So Ephesians 1.6. It's in the middle of a sentence. It's OK, because that sentence goes on for, I don't know, a dozen verses. So this is one case where I'm just going to ask you to read that one verse, Jody, if you would. So how is it that we're blessed? It is because we are in the Beloved, and that's the Son. So again, the love of the Father is emphasized again and again, the love of the Father for the Son. And then Colossians 1.13. Colossians 1.13. He has rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son he loves. So why am I dwelling on this point? Well, first of all, We live in a world created by a God who is love. And that God who is love is supremely shown of the love, you might say, internal to God, the fact that the Father and the Son are in this loving communion. That should shape the way you think about everything, and especially the way you think about God. So it's a very central and important part of the teaching. The second thing is that you should remember always that the goal of our salvation isn't just our salvation, but it's the glory of Christ. So if we kept reading more of that sentence in Ephesians 1, or all the way through Ephesians 1, you'd see again and again Paul emphasizes, this is so that the son may be exalted. Or in Colossians 1, that he might have preeminence. So the way the father's love is shown for the son is that he is exalted and he is glorified. So lots of references there that you could look at, Philippians 2. I decided at some point not to keep reading scripture references. If we see the father loving the son that way, then we should love the son that way. We should exalt him in recognition of the great love that the father has shown for the son. But there's something more there, and that's the emphasis is that because the father loves the son, we can be assured of his love for us. So we are accepted, Jodie's verse, in the Beloved. Because the Father loves the Son, we can be assured that the Father loves us. And that's really the point that is being made here in the discussion in the Covenant of Redemption. I tried to step back a little bit and think about the Trinitarian love in terms of its own end, but here the encouragement for us is that if we ever doubt whether God is merciful to us, we should remember that as long as we are in Christ, we have the everlasting love of the Father on us. There's great joy and encouragement. There's great assurance in that. It's John 3.16, right? God so loved the world. How do we know that God loved the world? Well, he gave his only begotten son. He gave us the one who is supremely the beloved. And that's then the firm foundation, to use the language they like to use here, of our assurance. that we have acceptance with the Father. I'm not planning to spend this much time on each point, but I think this is an important point to make. John Owen, in his book on communion with God, short version of the title, points out that often believers struggle with the love of the father for them. They may understand that the son loves them because he died for them, but the father seems maybe more distant. Some people think the father's just angry all the time or whatever. And Owen recognizes that that's a struggle. And he actually writes a third of the book on that topic. But he says, the first step toward understanding the love of the Father for you is to understand his love in Christ and that you are accepted in Christ. And that's kind of the, I don't think he uses the word ladder, but that's kind of the way you can rise to understanding the love of the Father. by the fact that he loved the Son and that you are united to the Son. We are sons in the Son. We are adopted and received. And that's maybe our first entry into understanding the great depths of the Father's love for us. So the point of the study today is to give us a warrant and special motive to believe in Christ. What is the father's love for the son, right? First part of John 3, 35, the father loves the son. How does that help you to have assurance that you will be accepted as you come to Christ and that you should turn to him? Right. Yeah, good, good. I made this point, I guess it was last week before, but there's sometimes a temptation in the question of assurance to look in ourselves. Is my love sufficient? Do I waver too much? And there is a place that's more or less where they go in the last chapter, although it's infused with the same point of view. But this directs us at the beginning to look outside of ourselves, to look at Christ and the love of God in Christ. And that stabilizes us when we're in turmoil about whether we could be accepted, whether God would really love us. It is to flee to Christ or our union with Christ that it grants us that. Good, any other thoughts on? OK, so this is what they used to do. The father loveth the son. And then they take like 20 minutes on just a little piece of it. I try not to do that for each of the other points. Any thoughts, further thoughts on that? Yeah, it's ready. Yeah. Good. Yeah, that's right. It's a declaration from God of our standing that doesn't depend on our growth and holiness. Good. Thank you. All right, so let's turn then to the second point that they make, which is the next clause in verse 35. Now I've lost my place. And has given all things into his hand. The father loves the son and has given all things into his hand. And here, as I said, they're connecting the love of the father with the equipping, if you want to use that word, of the son for the work of redemption. And that's the way a father would love a son, is making everything ready for that work which has been part of the covenant of redemption to be carried out. And it's a very rich statement and the sum of saving knowledge. I'm gonna read the David Whitlow updated version, but it's also up there. That for the fulfilling of the covenant of redemption, the father is given to the son as he stands in his capacity as mediator or God incarnate, the word made flesh. all authority in heaven and earth, and all necessary equipment to execute it. That's what furniture or furnishing means there. The riches of grace, spirit, and life, and all power and ability, all that is implied by the union of the divine nature with the human, or the fullness of the Godhead dwelling substantially in his human nature, has been given to him. All that is afforded by the indivisible, all-sufficiency, and omnipotence of the inseparable, everywhere-present Trinity, that is a mouthful, has been given to him. And all that the work of redemption can possibly require has been given to him. For, and now they quote this verse, the Father says he has given all things into his hand, in particular for accomplishing his work. So this is one of the things that's so rich about the Sum of Saving Knowledge. They could just talk about how the father sent the son, but instead they go all the way back to the Sum of Saving Knowledge proper, that first chapter, who talked about God as the triune God, talked about the son as having a human and divine nature, what's usually called the hypostatic union, so two natures in one person. All of that is behind that the Father has given all things into his hand. So just from what I just read, I'd like for you to reflect a little bit on what did you hear that would indicate an all-sufficient Savior, one who would give us a warrant to believe? Authority, okay. And so in connection with that Matthew 28 18, so I didn't get much warning there someone have yeah I Okay, so they echo that language, and that's what Liz was picking up on. By the way, so their Old Testament background, at some point I had to stop passing out scripture references, but Psalm 2.8, right, what is given to the son, and Daniel 7.14 also referred to this authority of the son. What other parts of that paragraph on the Father giving all things into his hands struck you. Should be up here, too, in case you didn't catch. Yeah, right. Right. Right. Yeah. Uh-huh. Right. No. Yeah. Go ahead. That's right. Yeah. All things are in his hand. Good. Yeah. Just to emphasize again the point that we made when we looked at the first chapter. We don't have a merely human Savior. I think when someone from one of the cults knocks at your door and you get past the wrong view of the Trinity and the Scriptures and so forth, you'll realize that salvation is of works and not of grace. And that's because if you have only a human Savior, then he's gonna need some help, right? You need to do your part too. But the tremendous emphasis here is on the fact that he is not merely a human savior, but he is God and man. God incarnate, the word made flesh, and the union of divine nature with the human. They really want us to catch that point. They keep saying that over and over again. So let me ask, what is the distinction then? Christ has all authority in heaven and earth. They seem to be stressing the union of the divine nature with the human, doesn't God already have all authority in heaven and earth? So I'm getting here at a distinction which is important historically for the Reformed Presbyterian Church, but I think it's a biblical and important distinction. So why did Jesus say all authority has been given to me in heaven and earth at that point? Wasn't he already God and didn't he already have all authority in heaven and earth? There's a word that they use here at the beginning of two, or close to the beginning of two, sorry? Right, good. Okay, so in the capacity of the mediator, so this is, if you like, Genesis mandate or Psalm 8 fulfilled, right? The one who is man was intended to rule over the earth, but he fell in that and now in the God-man, in the incarnate Lord Jesus Christ, we have the one who has authority over all things because he has won the victory and he is given authority for that specific reason to work out the salvation that he has accomplished. So that emphasis, especially on the mediatorial authority of Christ, more big words, is important in the discussion here, but it's important also in our understanding of the way Christ is prophet and priest and king in our salvation and in respect to the world that he rules over. Any other thoughts on that point? I said I was gonna move faster, let's see if we can do it. Let me just encourage you if you wanna look further at points along these lines, Westminster Confession of Faith, chapter eight, paragraph three. A lot of this emphasis on the way the son was especially made ready, if you like, in his incarnation for our salvation as the God-man, that God has given all things into his hands. OK, well, let's move on. So we're going to try to get through this. So they're just going through this like clause by clause. Verse 36, then. First part, he who believes in the sun has everlasting life. So what's the importance of the tense of the verb there? So a little bit of that. He who believes in the sun, not that verb, but the other one, has eternal life. Has it now. Good. So it's not will have eternal life, although that would be true. It is has eternal life. And that, I think, is what they're emphasizing at this point. they say it is begun now as the earnest of the full possession. So the earnest is the down payment, the substantial allocation that assures you that the thing you're being offered will, in fact, be given to you in the future. So the eternal life that we have is begun now. And here, they make six points about this. And I decided in the interest of time, maybe instead of going through them all, if we could, oh, thanks, Dan. Dan's always anticipating what I'm going to talk about. If we could reflect on these six points, and you can highlight ones that are especially helpful for you. Maybe before we do that, I should point out So the fourth point, by a pawn and infestment. I thought at first that was a typographical error. No, that is the right word. Infestment, in Scotland back then, it meant title to the inheritance. So there's that same idea of having a title to the inheritance. So pawn is a pledge, and an infestment is a title to the inheritance. And in verse five, I don't know if we think of Christ as an attorney for believers in quite this way, but again, this is an obsolete now use of the word, but an attorney meant a mediator or an advocate, or at least that was probably the meaning they had in mind here. So Christ is our advocate. So look at those points, and again, how does this encourage us to know that Eternal life is not just something in the future, which would be wonderful. But if we're speaking now of our hope and of our doubts in terms of our lack of assurance, what are the points that they make here that especially encourage you to know that it's a sure thing? We have the earnest of the full possession. Can you read them from that distance? I don't know. I think you can. Right. Right. Good. So many of these are picking up the words of scripture without necessarily giving the scripture reference. So that's Hebrews 6, 17, and 18, a passage that we looked at before. If God swears something, then you can believe it's true and it's going to happen. And it says specifically in that passage that it is that we might have that hope as an anchor for our souls. So good. Thanks, Tim, for highlighting that one. And number one there, that speaks to that irrevocable decree. Right God doesn't back off of the decisions he made and say whoops Yeah, so that's Ephesians 1 would be a Passage if we read more of that long sentence that would encourage us in that so God's purpose doesn't change so Why do we have it now? It's because, in effect, it was determined in eternity past, right? That's why we have it now. Vicki? I've been reading some sermons by Calvin, and he makes a point about how easily we believe lies, the things we read on the internet. Calvin didn't say that. His point is, why are we so slow to believe what God has through time, through so many witnesses given us these promises, and yet we are quick to doubt and question God. Oh, very helpful. Thank you. Sobering and searching question. Yeah. Good. I'll highlight number four. This pledge and title to the inheritance in the modern translation is a connection with the Lord's Supper. So every time we have the Lord's Supper, or every time we anticipate having it, or reflect on having had it, we remember again that Christ is given to us, and that pledge that is in the Lord's Supper, which is something of the original meaning of the word sacrament in Latin, is this pledge, and that's the promise that's held forth to us in the Lord's Supper. So that should be, for us too, a way of assuring us. Other ones you want to highlight here? OK. I'll, sorry? Number two. OK. Bisexual calling. Right. And then the life by God. Yeah. So again, scripture language there. 1 Thessalonians 5, 23 and 24. He who called is faithful and he will do it. So that goes back to God doesn't change his mind. He said he's going to do something. He is faithful and he will do it. Good. Yeah, so All of these are an encouragement to you and I'll leave them with you as a way to reflect further on the this same point this these objective truths these are things that are outside of ourselves that cause us to believe that we have a a Savior in Christ and that He will receive us as we come to Him. And you notice they're all connected with Christ. We are elect in Christ and all of these things, although referring to the Father or the Son specifically, are all pointing to our union with Christ ultimately. OK, but we're not going to finish if I don't move on. All right, so then the last part of verse 36, they divide into two parts. And this is a sobering statement. He who believes in the sun has everlasting life. And he who does not believe the sun shall not see life. That's the next part they take. And then, but the wrath of God abides on him. So this is in parallel with a verse. Actually, I think, Tim, this is the one you quoted last week, and I said we were going to study it this week. I was confusing the two because they have similar thoughts. So John 3, 16 through 18, for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life. This is just like 20 verses above where we are. For God did not send his son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved. He who believes in him is not condemned, and then to where we are in the study. But he who does not believe is condemned already because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. So we turn here to, as I said, a very sobering part. We've talked about the love and mercy of God and the way we have assurance that all who trust in Christ will be recipients and will have sure possession of it. But now our authors turn to what they call a fearful certification. God is promising, God is stating certainly something else, and it's a fearful thing. And what they say is if a man received not the doctrine concerning righteousness and eternal life to be had by Jesus Christ, and then they quote this, he that believeth not the Son shall not see life. The way they interpret that is, that is not so much as understandeth what it meaneth. The one who refuses to believe doesn't even understand what it means. You might say they don't have a comprehension of what life is. In the context in John 3, seeing life was entering the kingdom of God. So it had to do with possession of, but I think not understanding what it means is implied in that statement also. Both here and in the next clause, I think it's worth reflecting on the fact that in presenting the gospel, we've seen not only an invitation to life, but also a warning. And we saw that last week that it was a commandment to believe on the Son of God. And so I'll ask again, something we talked about a little bit before, but how in your Evangelism or maybe in your thinking in your own soul How do you how do you combine those two things the the truth that God is love and that all? Who believe in Christ have everlasting life with a warning of? the wrath to come how do you How do you combine those? I'm not going to use the word balance. I'm not sure what that would mean exactly here, but how do you combine those as you think about evangelism or about your own response to the gospel? So I'll ask, have you had occasion when you're speaking of the truth of the gospel, not only to speak of the hope of eternal life, but of a warning of condemnation and of wrath? How do you know when to bring that up? Well, it's a difficult question. Yeah, I was just hoping to see if anyone had had thoughts about that on their own. Yeah, Sam. For more mature Christians, or people who you know are of the faith, you may focus more on the goal that you're working on, and less on your sin in their lives, and say, hey, if the fruit is not matching up with good candy, or the word, there is punishment for it. Good, thank you. That's really helpful. I think people generally, too, have a very low view of God's holiness. So when we approach this subject of sin and hell, it's like, well, I've tried. I've tried hard. Or this person has lived a good life. Isn't that enough? And they just can't seem to get past what they see as an effort. Right, so misunderstanding the holiness of God, as you said at the beginning, is, I think, a key difficulty. Awfulness of sin. I mean, they say, well, how can a good God send anybody to hell? All they want to say is, God is love. Right. That whole God is love. Yeah, but he's also rad. Right. So let's go ahead and turn to that last clause, because that's kind of, Maybe if you were reading this for the first time and you weren't clued in, like you just thought of this view of God, you know, we've just talked about the love of the father for the son, but now there's, but the wrath of God abides on him. What's that about the wrath of God? I thought God was a God of love. And the God being a God of love is understood in terms of the God of love is a holy God. He loves holiness. He loves because of who he is. And so the warning here is that the one who does not believe the Son of God shall not see life, but the wrath of God, and notice again the tense of the verb here in the original, the wrath of God abides on him. It's not a future wrath that's particularly addressed here, although that again is true. It is the fact that the wrath of God abides on him. I think this is the verse you quoted last week, Tim, or maybe the reason you quoted it. He who does not believe is condemned already. That is here in the study of the sum of saving knowledge, don't want to run out of time, is a point that we've already seen made over and over again. In the second main part of the book, in the practical use of the sum of saving knowledge, they talked about how the law in itself would condemn us because of sin and righteousness and judgment. And so even one who is not come to the point of rejecting the gospel, the wrath of God abides on them. But then they went on to point out that in the gospel itself, you have the same warning about sin and righteousness and judgment for the one who rejects. And that's why, I'll read this part, what they say, paragraph five. He further certifieth that if a man receive not the doctrine of the Son of God, he shall be burdened twice with the wrath of God. This is a sobering statement. Once as a born rebel by nature, he shall bear the curse of the law or the covenant of works. And next, he shall endure a greater condemnation in respect that light being come into the world and offered to him, he hath rejected it and loved darkness rather than light. And they're alluding to John 3, 18. Sorry, I lost my place here. Where did I write down that reference? Anyway, they're referring to earlier in John 3, just above here. So now I've lost where I'd written that down. So this double burden is a sobering warning, which is they understand to be meant by the wrath of God abides on him. There is already a condemnation because this rejection not only of the law of God, but of the way of deliverance from the condemnation that comes from the law, which is in Christ. He's under wrath in this life and in the next life. Yeah Right and and the way they the way they're getting that is It's specifically he who does not believe the son so we're not talking about here people who have not heard the gospel and and therefore wouldn't reject it in the sense that we're talking about here we're talking about people who have had the gospel, but do not believe the son. I think that's what they're getting at. They're not only condemned because of their sin against the law, but because of their sin against the gospel in the sense that they rejected it. So yeah, I think when they say double burden, they don't mean present and future, they mean the double condemnation that comes because of rejecting the law and the gospel, if you want to put it that way. That's my understanding of what they're saying. These are not things to joke about. These are very serious and sobering things. They help us reflect on our own evangelism that when we're bringing the gospel, we're bringing the opportunity for life and also the danger that comes with the greater condemnation of rejecting Christ. But there's still the call to missions to take the gospel that people may hear. And last week I run over I'm going to try not to do that this week. So let me just turn then to the closing Argument the syllogism is the term that's used here. Hence may the weak believer strengthen his faith So again, all of this is a way for us to be strengthened in our faith By reasoning from this ground after this manner Whosoever believeth the doctrine delivered by the Son of God and findeth himself partly drawn powerfully to believe in him. So actually Let me read what David, because they didn't parse sentences back then the way we do, so let me read it here. Therefore, let the weak believer strengthen his faith upon these grounds by reasoning as follows. Whoever believes the doctrine delivered by the Son of God and finds himself drawn powerfully to believe in him and follow him, partly by the sight of life in him, and partly driven by the fear of God's wrath, may be sure of a right to and share of eternal life through him." And then the weak believer says, though sinful and unworthy, I do believe the doctrine delivered by the Son of God and do feel myself drawn powerfully to believe in him and follow him, partly by this sight of life and partly by the fear of God's wrath. Therefore, I may be sure of my right to and share of eternal life through him. So the encouragement, again, is not that we come to Christ because we're perfect, because he will accept us, because we've done everything that he would expect of us in the law. The assurance and the encouragement that comes from this is whoever believes in Christ has eternal life. The one who casts himself on Christ has eternal life. That's what qualifies you to be a believer. That's what qualifies you to be accepted by Christ. It is because Christ is acceptable, right? It is because we are accepted in him. And so we can strengthen our faith instead of looking, again, at our own, you know, wavering uncertainties at the sure truth of the gospel and the assurance that that gives us. OK, further thoughts on that or comments? Study as a whole? Any other reflections? OK, well, let's close in prayer.