I invite you to turn in your Bibles to John chapter 12. And we're right at the end of the chapter. We've got a setting here. that we need to talk about this morning, and we're all familiar with it, this setting of unbelief. You're familiar with it if you're parents with young children in the home. You're familiar with it in the workplace. We're all familiar with it in our culture. And so how do we get our heads around that? What is the theology of unbelief? And how do we actually act in that particular setting? Those are questions that we are going to be looking at in this text this morning. If you're visiting here with us, we give ourselves here, at least it's been my pattern and the pattern of my beloved predecessor, just to open up God's Word, take a particular book and work through it chapter by chapter and verse by verse. That means I can't avoid a thing, because if I avoid a thing, you're going to call me on that avoidance. And this might be one of those passages that I want to avoid because it grates at us. The sovereign, omnipotent power of the living God. Absolutely sovereign. And yet, and yet, man, absolutely culpable and responsible for his actions. So we see both of those things here. So we're going to begin at verse 37. I know in the ESV translation you've got that heading. Don't let the headings confuse you. They're not original, neither are the verses, but a new thought is picked up in verse 37. We're going to read to the end of the chapter, and this is the Word of God. These are the evangelists' comments under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Though He, that's Jesus, had done so many signs before them, they still did not believe in Him, so that the words spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled. Lord, who has believed what He heard from us, and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? Therefore they could not believe." For again, Isaiah said, He has blinded their eyes and hardened their heart, lest they see with their eyes and understand with their heart, and turn, and I would heal them. Isaiah said these things because he saw His glory and spoke of Him. Nevertheless, many even of the authorities believed in Him, but for fear of the Pharisees, they did not confess it, so that they would not be put out of the synagogue. for they love the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God. And Jesus cried out and said, whoever believes in me believes not in me but in him who sent me, and whoever sees me sees him who sent me. I have come into the world as light so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness. If anyone hears my words and does not keep them, I do not judge him. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world. The one who rejects me and does not receive my words has a judge. The word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day. For I have not spoken on my own authority, but the Father who sent me has himself given me a commandment, what to say and what to speak. And I know that his commandment is eternal life. What I say, therefore, I say as the Father has told me. Amen. Let's pray one more time together. We earnestly ask, blessed Heavenly Father, our Heavenly Father, that you would do a work in the hearts of your children this morning. that we would marvel at your grace, your unmerited favor toward us, and that we would be confident as we exit this place proclaiming the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. We pray for those who are yet unsaved, that this passage would not confuse them, but that they would see that they are culpable for their rejection or their acceptance of the gospel, and that they will even be judged by it at the last day. And produce in them what you alone can produce. Saving faith, we pray, for Jesus' sake. Amen. So this morning we're presented with two biblical truths, which to us as hearers, they present a conundrum. There's mystery here. We cannot wrap our limited minds around them Nor should we try to force them together, because when we try to do that, we end up either sacrificing one or the other. And you see this throughout the history of the church. So here are the two truths. On the one hand, we have the truth of God's absolute sovereignty in all things. And on the other hand, we have the truth of man's responsibility with regard to his actions, but chiefly here in his response to the gospel. So those two things we've got this morning. We've got to deal with it. We've got to look at it. from a theological perspective, and then we have to answer, well, how do we actually live in light of these two truths? Well, I thought it would be good to go back to the 19th century for starters and hear from the prince of preachers. His name is Charles Haddon Spurgeon, if you didn't know. This is what he said. That God predestines and yet that man is responsible are two facts that few can see clearly. They are believed to be inconsistent and contradictory, but they are not. The fault is in our weak judgment. Two truths cannot be contradictory to each other. If, then, I find taught in one part of the Bible that everything is foreordained, that is true. And I find that in another scripture that man is responsible for all his actions. That is true. And it is only my folly that leads me to imagine that these two truths can ever contradict each other. I do not believe they can ever be welded into one upon any earthly anvil, but they certainly shall be one in eternity. They are two lines that are so nearly parallel that the human mind, which pursues them farthest, will never discover that they converge. But they do converge. And they will meet somewhere in eternity, close to the throne of God, whence all truth doth spring." That's grand. What we as believers need to do, because we can't get our mind around them, is just to believe the Word of God and everything that it says, and hold these things in tension. These two biblical truths are presented to us in the midst of unbelief, a context that we are all too familiar with in our culture. Now, I imagine if John the Evangelist was attending some evangelical churches in our day, They would say something like, God is in control of everything. You just have to kind of sit back and watch him do the work. That's not John. John is writing this gospel that you might believe, and that by believing you might have life in his name. He's got no problem putting that responsibility on his hearers. And he's also got no problem recording that God is sovereign over all things. So we have an example. in that blessed disciple of the Lord and our dear brother. Now, this is an interesting portion in the book. Remember, we've got a prologue, we've got an epilogue, two bookends. We've got part one and part two. Some people throw in an additional part. But whether you believe that there are two parts or three parts, this is where part one or part one and two, if you're a three-parter, comes to an end. The end of the public ministry of Jesus Christ. Now, time for some evaluation on Jesus Christ and his ministry. It's been going on for three years. Now, I want you to imagine yourself for a moment that you're a church that is without a leader. I want you to imagine yourself that you've got a seat at the table of the board or of the search committee, and you have been given the profile and the dossier of Jesus Christ, but you haven't been told his name. You haven't been told his name. All you have before you is some of his characteristics and three years of ministry. And in that dossier is recorded the number of followers he has gained over three years. Now, here's the searching question. Would you hire him? Be honest. Would you hire him? Would you hire somebody like that? Now, if you're struggling with that question, that means that the world is creeping in. Because the answer ought to be, of course we would hire Jesus Christ. And what we always want to look for, and this is just as a side application in people, workers, whether vocational and non-vocational, is fidelity to the word of the living God. Because fruitfulness belongs to who? God. And Jesus Christ was perfectly faithful. Now, notwithstanding that, we're still left with this question. Why? Why is it that so many reject the gospel and the free offer of eternal life in Jesus Christ? So, we've got John's explanation here. The evangelist gives us a little bit of commentary, and then what John does, just to sum up Jesus's ministry, is he gives Jesus's example in this setting of unbelief, and in that background right before us, that background of the theology of unbelief. How does Jesus act? How ought we to act? So John's explanation comes in verses 37 to 43. D.A. Carson has said this is a theology of unbelief, and what you have here is you've got God's perspective, looking at unbelief in the world. Why is it? You've got God's perspective, and then you've got our perspective, the two views. God's perspective in verses 37 to 41. Let me reread it for you. Though he had done so many signs before them, they still did not believe in him, so that the words spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled. Lord, who has believed what he heard from us, and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? Therefore they could not believe, for again Isaiah said, he has blinded their eyes and hardened or deadened their heart. Another translation, lest they see with their eyes and understand with their heart and turn and I would heal them. Isaiah said these things because he saw his glory and spoke of him. Now, in case you're wondering, well, was this sort of unbelief symptomatic of just Jesus' day? And of course, the answer is no. This is symptomatic of the entire course of human history. The people in Jesus' day, just to go before this day, were just like the people in Moses' day. The people in Moses' day saw many miraculous signs but remained in unbelief. Take, for example, what's said in Deuteronomy 29, verses 3 to 4. With your own eyes you saw those great trials, those miraculous signs and great wonders, but to this day, listen to what is said, the Lord has not given you a mind that understands or eyes that see or ears that hear. And again, it's the same in our day. We need to be confronted with this. And we need to plead with the omnipotent living God to overcome unbelief in those whom we hold dear. We are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, to one a fragrance from death to death and to the other a fragrance from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things?" Interesting how Paul orders it there in 2 Corinthians 2, 15-16. He first of all tells us the first kind of response that we're going to get. And I would actually hazard against the majority response. You are going to be a fragrance from death to death. Expect it. But also from life to life. Now, to answer the question, why so much unbelief? Well, our text teaches here, people disbelieve so that God's word might be fulfilled. That's verse 38. Carson makes an astute point. He says, this unbelief was not only foreseen by Scripture, but on that very account necessitated by Scripture. Not just foreseen, necessitated by. Very strong language, but true. So some reject the gospel message because God said they would reject it. And indeed, some therefore reject the gospel message because God ordained that they would. Is God still a God who is merciful and gracious and kind? Does the Bible teach that as well? Toward the lost? Of course He is. Of course He longs to see the lost saved, but we also have this other truth. Why does He do that? Why does God do anything that He does? For His own glory, that it might be displayed. And in those rejecting Him, that His perfect justice might be displayed. But more on that in a little bit. John wants to prove his point, and he gives two examples from the prophecy of Isaiah. Example number one, Isaiah 53 verse 1, we find it in the latter half of verse 38. Who has believed what he has heard from us, and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? That great chapter predicting the suffering servant and his work on behalf of sinners. Then we have example two. Verse 39b to verse 40, quoting Isaiah 610. Make the heart of this people dull, and their ears heavy, and blind their eyes, lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed. John next informs his readers in verse 41 that these Old Testament texts are applicable to the unbelief surrounding Jesus because Isaiah was positioned to see and speak of Jesus in advance. Now where did he see Jesus? In the book of Isaiah. Class? Isaiah 6, 1. In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple. Isaiah saw Jesus." He's positioned, therefore, to speak about this unbelief surrounding the ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ. Now, the objection might be out there. The part God has in this unbelief and rejection, it rubs me the wrong way. Now, if that's the case with you, bear in mind four things. I'm going to quote from Carson here. Number one, God's sovereignty in these matters is never pitted against human responsibility, as we will see. Number two, if you want me to send this to you afterwards, I'll gladly do that. God's judicial hardening, that's what's going on here. They're hardening themselves. He's giving them over to that hardening. He's hardening them. It's not presented as the capricious manipulation of an arbitrary potentate cursing morally neutral or even morally pure beings. but as a holy condemnation of a guilty people who are condemned to do and be what they themselves have chosen. Number three, God's sovereignty in these matters can also be a cause for hope. For if he is not sovereign in these areas, there's little point in petitioning him for help. Well, if he is sovereign, the anguished pleas of the prophet, like in Isaiah 63, verses 15 to 19, and of believers throughout the history of the church, just makes sense. And number four, God's sovereign hardening of the people in Isaiah's days, commissioning of Isaiah to apparently fruitless ministry, it's a stage in God's strange work. that brings God's ultimate redemptive purposes to pass. I love that last point, because if you're at all just dipping your toe into church history, you see this happening all over the place. I often like to cite that example in North Africa. It was a Christian part of the world for many, many centuries, and then the Muslim hordes come in, and a lot of those Christians killed, and all those testimonies snuffed out, and the Christian witnessed what happens to it. It spreads. Spreads north, praise be to God. Spreads to Europe, praise be to God. Amazing. Jesus is ever the strategic general. We worship the one in heaven who laughs over the machinations of man. Now, you will notice that sandwiched between those two proof texts is the following, therefore they could not believe. That is a statement of inability. God said that they would not believe, ordained that they would not believe, therefore they could not believe. So again, do we chafe at that? No, I don't like that. What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God's part to leave them in unbelief? What's the answer? No. By no means, Paul says in Romans 9, verses 14 and 15, for he says to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I have mercy and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion. We're all deserving of condemnation. God would have been perfectly just to leave us in our sins. Second question, do we then reason who can be held accountable? For nobody can thwart his will. Is that the next question that you ask? Starting to get a little bit confused in your mind? Look at how Paul answers. You're a Christian and somebody else is asking you about Romans chapter nine. You should just go to Romans chapter nine and answer like Paul. You will say to me then, why does he still find fault? For who can resist his will? Notice Paul doesn't even answer it. Who are you, oh man, to talk back to God? Well, what does molded say to its molder? Why have you made me like this? Has the potter no right over the clay to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use? As if to say and to infer, you've got a responsibility. The Bible calls you to repent. Repent. You are accountable. Third question, already answered, why does He leave some in unbelief? We've answered it in part. Paul answers, verses 22 to 24, Romans chapter 9, what if God, desiring to show His wrath, does God get glory from the outworking of His justice and wrath? Yes. What if God, desiring to show His wrath and to make known His power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction in order In order, there's another reason here, in order to make known, believer consider this, in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy. Look around the world, look around the ruined mass of humanity, look around and see all those souls heading to eternal perdition and you have been plucked as a brand from the burning and all because of God's mercy and grace. And all we can cry out is glory be to the living God for saving me. In order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory, even us whom he has called, not from the Jews, but only also from the Gentiles. So that's God's perspective on unbelief. Man's perspective. John continues in his commentary. Verse 42, nevertheless, something else I have to say here. Many even of the authorities believed in him. Got to check that. What kind of belief is he talking about? John has talked about different kinds of belief. Some is not saving, some is saving. Which one is he talking about? He's talking about non-saving belief. But for fear of the Pharisees, they did not confess it. They would not be put out of the synagogue, for they love the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God." John could have left this theology of unbelief in God's sovereignty, but he moves on to speak about unbelief from man's perspective. And so we discover that not only is God sovereign over unbelief, but man is totally culpable, totally responsible for his unbelief. Nevertheless, he says, now he speaks of a kind of belief that we have seen before. It is spurious. It is not saving belief. But then he gives two connected reasons why they didn't believe. We've seen them before. They are reasons that still hold true today. Reason number one, verse 42, second half. The reason why people reject Jesus is because they fear what they will lose in this life. They didn't want to be put out of the synagogue. There was status there. There was economic stability there. Remember the parents of the blind man? They didn't want to kind of cough up on the truth because they feared, John 9, 22, that they would be put out of the synagogue. Why do people reject Jesus? Because they fear what they might lose in this life. That fear is somewhat justified. You will lose everything. In a sense, in this life, you have to lose your life to gain it. But you will gain everlasting life. You might lose a job. You might lose friends. You might lose life if you follow Jesus. But if you follow Jesus, you have life and life to the full. Second reason. Why do they reject Jesus? Verse 43, because they love the glory that they get in this life. Now, we've seen that before. Jesus actually challenges, John 5, 44, how can you believe when you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the holy God? And truthfully, the way that this actually works is that we think that we can commend ourselves to God to enter into his heaven. And that's looking for glory in this world. Then we would have something to boast about. But the Christian gospel says you have nothing. But everything you need is found in my Jesus, God says. Believe in him. Reject your own glory. Reject your own self-righteousness and embrace him. But John says people struggle with that. No, I've done quite a bit, just like that proud Pharisee in the temple. I fast twice a week and all those different things. And when people reject Jesus for these reasons, fear of what they would lose and glory in this life, part of what the issue is is that their internal judgment scales are way out of whack. I've said this before, they weigh the glory of this life over the glory of the life to come. And they weighed time as greater than eternity. And I would just urge you, if you're not a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, allow this portion of God's Word to speak and ask the question, is my faculty of judgment out of whack? and then line it up with what scripture says and embrace the Lord Jesus Christ that you might avoid eternal damnation and no eternal life in Jesus Christ. So John explains unbelief. God's perspective, he said it would be so, he ordained it would be so. Man's perspective, he disbelieves Jesus for fear of what he might lose in this life and because he loves the glory of man. Now, the Bible, by way of application, teaches both of these perspectives, and so application number one would be hold both of them. This is what is called, I don't like to throw a lot of terms around because they often come with a lot of baggage, but this is true Calvinism. Okay, this is true. This is not hyper, this is true. True Calvinism is compatibilism. Man's responsibility, God's sovereignty compatible. To quote Carson again, number one, God is absolutely sovereign, but His sovereignty never functions in Scripture to reduce human responsibility. Number two, human beings are responsible creatures, that is, they choose, they believe, they disobey, they respond, and there is moral significance in their choices, but human responsibility never functions in Scripture to diminish God's sovereignty or to make God absolutely contingent. That is well-balanced and true to Scripture. I can send you that one, too. Second application. Beloved in Christ, praise God for His mercy and grace that we are among the believing. Didn't John already tell us this in his prologue? But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, there's responsibility language all in that verse, John 1, 12. He gave the right to become children of God. That's the end of it, just John 1.12. No, John 1.13 follows, who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. Responsibility, God's sovereignty, in two verses. Now, one of the questions that arises from such a context of unbelief, and particularly God's sovereignty in that unbelief, is how are we to conduct ourselves in the midst of unbelief? The question is easy to answer. We just look to Jesus as our supreme example. Point number two, verses 44 to 50. Less time here. So what's Jesus' example in the midst of unbelief? It's proclamation. Jesus cried out and said. There's no passion in that as well, urgency in that as well. Here apparently, said one writer, is his final public challenge to the crowds a deft summary of many strands in his teaching. So we proclaim. We proclaim the Word of God. We proclaim the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. Who do we proclaim it to? How many categories of people out there? Two. Jesus proclaims to two categories of people. Notice it in the text. First of all, he addresses believers. It's so beautiful. Whoever believes in me, believes not in me, but in him who sent me, verse 44, and whoever sees me, sees him who sent me, I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness. So Jesus proclaims the gospel message. His coming into the world and what his coming effects or accomplishes for believers. This is a word of encouragement. He's saying, look at what you have come to. Look at what is yours by sovereign grace. So number one, belief in Jesus is the key that unlocks the door to this salvation. Whoever believes in me, verse 44. Number two, belief in Jesus means believing ultimately in the Father who laid out this plan of salvation in this Jesus, saying yes and amen to it. Whoever believes in me, believes not in me, but in Him who sent me. You're not just believing in me, but in the Father's eternal plan of redemption in me. And number three, belief in Jesus results in the blessing of seeing God. And whoever sees me, sees Him who sent me. Look at what you've come to. Jesus sums up. I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness." So that's the gospel. Jesus came into the world as life, living that perfect life, dying that atoning death on Calvary's cross. He fully man. He fully God. infusing that life and that death with infinite worth. It's why He can exhaust the wrath of God. Do our sin on the cross. Not only because He's a man and can die, but He's God. What's going on at the cross is an eternity of wrath. Do your sin on the cross, being exhausted. It's incredible to think about. Only one who is infinite in his nature can satisfy divine wrath. But he also has to be a man. Jesus came into the world as light, that whoever puts their faith in him might not remain in darkness, groping about and looking for purpose and looking for meaning in life, but rather they see God, and in seeing God they have life, what is called eternal life, John 17, 3, even life to the full. So what's the application to us? Well, in the midst of unbelief, we too are to be in the business of proclamation of this gospel to ourselves and to our brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ. But it's no rote proclamation, or rather, it's not a proclamation that just kind of rests or contents itself in the milk of the gospel. It's time for roast beef. Is it not? The roast beef of Jesus. We are about, at Sovereign Grace Community Church, speaking this gospel in ever-deepening ways that we might grow into Christ and grow into this life that we have been saved for. And we always accompany that by fervent prayer to that end. You remember Paul hearing about the Colossians. He says, you know, we have not ceased to pray for you. Praying what? asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will and all spiritual wisdom and understanding so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing it in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might for all endurance and patience with joy." Jesus speaks to believers. This gospel is about belief in me. This is the Father's plan of redemption. And you seeing me, embracing me, believing on me, have come to the Father. Look at what you have come to. But he also speaks to unbelievers. There's an appeal in verses 47 to 50. It's a warning. If anyone hears my words and does not keep them, I do not judge him. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world. The one who rejects me and does not receive my words has a judge. The word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day, for I have not spoken on my own authority. But the Father who sent me has himself given me a commandment." Can you imagine it in eternity past? What to say and what to speak. And I know that his commandment is eternal life. What I say, therefore, I say as the Father has told me." So, Jesus' proclamation of the gospel to believers, it focuses primarily on the good news, what we have come to. Jesus' proclamation of the gospel to unbelievers focuses on the bad news, for those who reject it, judgment. Two elements here. First element, Jesus says to you this morning through this weak preacher, there's no judgment for you at present. That's what he says. Isn't that a mercy? It's astounding to me. You're here and you're drawing breath. You have a home to live in. You've got clothes on your back, food in your belly. You have a job that you can go to or a school that you can go to. You're playing as a kid in the home and enjoying all those wonderful things of childhood. That's God being merciful to you. He wants you to turn to Him. What a mercy on the part of Jesus to you that there's no judgment at present. You need to mark it. You need to believe in the gospel while we are still in this gospel day. This gospel day has been for the last 2,000 years, and it will continue toward you until the moment of your death or until Jesus Christ returns, whichever comes first, and then it's too late, because that's element number two. No judgment at present, but Jesus says to you, certain judgment in the future. The one who rejects me and does not receive my words has a judge. The word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day. You will be judged by the word of this gospel on the last day. That's kind of a strange way to put it. How does that work itself out? Well, the gospel says, believe on Jesus and you'll what? Escape the judgment. So in the day you stand before Christ, you will be assessed by that word. Did you believe it or not? And because you did not, you will be placed in that category of unbelief, and being placed in the category of unbelief, you will then be cast out into the lake of fire forever." Judged by the gospel. Anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. Revelation 20 verse 15. Notice how Jesus, in verses 49 to 50, couches the answer to that question of what it means to be judged by the gospel. He couches that rejection not simply in terms, again, of the gospel He has spoken, but ultimately in terms of the gospel the Father had given Him to accomplish this eternal plan of redemption. This is the biggest thing in the world. All of world history revolves around this thing, and you're rejecting it. It's a rejection of the plan of redemption of the Father himself. The scripture bears out this judgment elsewhere. Romans 2.16, on that day, when according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus. We've got this context of unbelief. We've heard an explanation of it from God's perspective, from our perspective. What is our responsibility in it? Be like Jesus. Proclaim the gospel. Talk about Jesus amongst yourselves throughout the course of the week. Build up one another in the faith and be out there, whether you are gifted for evangelism or not. You are light in this world. Proclaim that gospel to believers and unbelievers alike. One of the things that we will do, we have a baptism interview. We had one last week as well. Be encouraged by that. One of the things we do is we get the person to share their testimony with us. It's a really joyous time. Don't be intimidated by it. But one of the other things that we occasionally do is just pretend that, you know, I'm not a Christian and you've got to explain the gospel to me. You've got two minutes. Just do it. You've fallen short of the glory of God. Hell is the judgment. Infinite penalty to your sin. You cannot work hard enough to get to heaven and get out of that predicament. But then there's Jesus. Jesus came into the world, and he attained all the perfection that you need in his life. And he paid for sin at Calvary's cross, past, present, future. The Father accepts that by raising him from the dead. You believe in him. All that he has done becomes yours." How long is that? A minute? It's something like that. So that's a bit of a spoiler for the one that we're going to interview, but be that as it may, for you who do not believe, believe. And for those of us who do believe, proclaim belief in the Lord Jesus Christ. Now, I want to wrap this up because, well, and in wrapping this up, not just talking about God's sovereignty in terms of salvation, but just God's sovereignty and human responsibility in general, often we get muddled. When it comes to our responsibility, because we'll come across a passage in scripture, we'll, oh, that's so encouraging, and we'll forget the human responsibility in part, and our mind becomes all kind of muddled. So we get all sorts of promises and statements in God's word, God's perspective, and then we've got human responsibility as well. Sometimes we get muddled. So here's a general rule of thumb when you get muddled. The passages that give us God's perspective in a particular thing in the Christian life are designed to encourage us to take monumental efforts in achieving that thing. Can I say that again? It sounds counterintuitive, but that's the reason they are there. The passages that give us God's perspective in a particular thing in the Christian life, they are designed to encourage us to take monumental efforts in achieving that thing. Examples are helpful. So let me ask you some rhetorical questions. Statements about God, promises, and then let's move on to responsibility. So statement number one, has God prepared beforehand the good works we are to do? What's the answer? Therefore, let's walk in them according to the gifts He has given and in daily dependence on His grace to perform them. I struggle with all my energy, Paul says. Not I, but God who struggles in me. Both things going on there. Second question, will God preserve us to the uttermost? Yes. Therefore, let us fight the good fight of faith, and let us daily take hold of the eternal life to which we have been called. Will God sanctify us and make us like Christ? I'm losing you. I'm getting like one yes now. It's not good enough. Will God sanctify us and make us like Christ? Therefore, let us esteem very highly and love those who labor among us. Let us be at peace among ourselves. Let us admonish the idle. Let us encourage the faint-hearted. Help the weak. Be patient with them all. Let us see that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone. Let us rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. Give thanks in all circumstances. Let us not quench the spirit. or despise prophecies, let us test everything, hold fast what is good, let us abstain from every form of evil, let us work out our salvation with fear and trembling, knowing that it is God who works in us, both to will and to do His good pleasure. Here's another one. Has God set a time for the great and glorious day of Jesus' return? Therefore, let us wait for and speed the coming of that day." 2 Peter 3, verse 12. And how do we do that? We do it through prayer and proclamation. And lastly, will God save the elect from all nations? Will the father draw to himself all whom he has given to his son? Yes. Then let us get out there, speak the gospel to all with passion, with urgency, and so gather the elect and win souls for Christ. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, we come to you and we acknowledge our finiteness. We believe in your word. and help us to live in accordance with all that Scripture says. For Jesus' sake we pray, amen.