If you'll turn back with me this evening to Romans chapter 8, I want to continue there at least for today before we move on. Romans chapter 8, and we're looking at verse 29. speaking about the eternal work of God. Before man ever got here, God had already determined all things. So, being there now, would you bow with me as we seek our dear Father's face? Our Father Man is so far beneath thee. The highest of our thoughts won't even reach the ground level of where your feet are. As high as the heavens are above the earth, so are thy thoughts above our thoughts, thy ways above our ways. Father, we thank you for the Spirit of God that teaches, enables us to have some understanding of your person, of the work of the Lord Jesus Christ, in time the Spirit of God to bring all the sheep into the fold. Dear Lord, help the hearers and the speaker today all for thy glory and for the exaltation of Christ our Lord. In his name we pray, amen. Romans chapter eight, in verse 29, Paul said, for whom he did foreknow, whom God did foreknow. He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. As I told you this past Lord's Day, I am speaking on this and hopefully some other basic biblical truths. that the children of God need. And we covered these many years ago, but there are some young ones that have come along and we've not covered in their lifetime, nor were we able to leave the previous teachings. We lost all those. And I just want to set these before all of you again so that you might have something later on. Biblical truths that have, for the most part, been neglected by the religious gatherings in America. It is a lot easier to build a house of feasting than a house of mourning. Paul said we're better off going to a house of mourning because there we learn the end of all men. But that doesn't excite us as a party spirit laughter, fun, dance, music. But these are far more necessary, especially for our eternal well-being. To build a house of feasting. Well, you can do that, declaring Many things, not getting into heavy doctrine, or as what they call heavy doctrine, but these things are for the children. And by the Spirit of God, we are able to know all things as recorded in scripture. It's better to declare the benefits derived from a dying Savior, pardon, peace, eternal life, joy, everlasting happiness on that other shore. A lot easier to declare these. These are easier to hear than to declare that every follower of the Lamb of God is to have a personal cross. you take up your cross and follow me. Well, there's only one purpose and one intent for a cross in your life, and that is to bring about a process of dying. It is a lifelong process where our own nature is losing its strength, its stamina, And the new being of God within is that that is directing our paths. Jesus said, he that taketh not his cross and followeth after me is not worthy of me. Now, house of feasting, it's easy to build. As I said, laughter, entertainment, music, Never, never suggesting anything that might bring a degree of sadness or a degree of uncertainty as to the future. Not even bring up the future if you want to build a house of feasting. Or you can share with them a 15 minute little sermonette, even mentioning Jesus from time to time. but it doesn't get any deeper than that. I want to stand on that day, that judgment day, when the works of all men shall be judged, not to be in those that are condemned or among the preachers, that were not faithful to their congregation and to their sheep. So my desire in approaching this is to leave behind some fundamental stones attached to the chief cornerstone are, as Paul said, being built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone. Everything is built and attached to Christ Jesus, the cornerstone. I also mentioned to you last week about Samuel setting up a stone between Mizpah and Sheen, and he called it Ebenezer, and said to the children of Israel, hitherto hath God, hath the Lord helped. So we need some of those places that we can look back and say, God helped thus far, which gives me much hope. that he will help in the conclusion of this and the complete structure of his church. Joshua had some of the men of Israel to take up a stone as they crossed Jordan. They crossed on dry land because God brought them to the bank of that river when it was overflowed. and dried it up, and they, as in the Red Sea, walked across on dry ground. And Joshua had 12 stones, 12 men gather one a piece, and on the other side, Jordan, they would stack these together. The purpose, Joshua said, when the children asked, What meaneth these things? And it could be told them, the children of Israel, your fathers and your grandfathers crossed over Jordan on dry land. So all of us need those things to remind us from time to time. how the Lord dealt with us in the past, how he is dealing with us today, the work of the Lord throughout every generation, all the way from Adam, and then especially from the cross and the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ to the time we now exist in. The way of truth, truth itself. especially what some call hard doctrine, has all but departed from our land in the last 100 years. What will it be if the Lord tarries in the next century? Will there be truth left? Well, I'm certain that there will be, For God will always have a church and he will always sustain that church and nourish up the members of his true church by his word. It may not be out in public, it may not be large, but until the Lord Jesus comes again, God will have a church. And it as all is built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, all stones attached to chief cornerstone. What will it be here? Is there a possibility that we will not exist as a people and as a body of believers When these little ones are grown, hopefully the Lord will have a place where truth is declared. Paul said, I know after my departure, grievous wolves shall enter in, not sparing the flock. It will happen here. You men, generation under me, you will be tried. You will be asked to stand when at times you will stand all alone, like no but very few on the outside that are standing with you. Again, in covering all of this, I want to remind you what Solomon said, the wisest of all men He said, the words of the wise are as golds and as nails fastened by the master of assemblies. I know that I cannot qualify, do not qualify as being wise, but I do know also this, that the master over the church can take the words of man, and make them applicable unto his children. Somewhere, maybe someone will pick up this and see again where we were, how far we have departed from that. Now, Jesus Christ, through the apostle Paul, Paul, by the unction and direction of the Holy Spirit, said, for whom he, that is God the Father, did foreknow. Now in the sense of God being omniscient, meaning that he knows all things, God knows, has always known. There can never in God something new occur. He who knows all things has known all things from all eternity. No generation, no church, no teachings in any society has ever caught God off guard. Whom God did foreknow. So you and I cannot understand such a thing as this infinite God knowing all things. But the question to you is, did God predestinate anyone based on Him knowing what they would do? There is that thought in the mind far more in religion with that thinking than true thinking. Religious people, religious organizations, they don't want to put all this in the hands of God. They want to leave feeble man, incapable man of doing something. So they say that God saw what man would do concerning his son. Therefore, He chose or predestinated according to his foreknowledge that in all things. Now, if that's true, that would make Jesus Christ and every convert co-partners in salvation. Jesus did his part. by coming to earth as an infant, a hapless little being dependent upon mother and father, having emptied himself and becoming obedient unto the will of God. So that Jesus grew in wisdom and in knowledge And at 30, he entered into his final three years and the ministry here on earth. There fulfilling the law of God, but that was done from childhood up until his death, when it was finished. Fulfill the law of God for all that will be in glory, dying for our sins. But here's where the Armenians gotta put man in this. Jesus did his part. Now man does his part by accepting what Jesus did and who he is. And all those that declare that and teach that, I wonder, how much of the crown will be worn by the Lord Jesus, the central figure, the central theme, and the glory of heaven itself, the Lord Jesus. But if man has such a vital part, then what part of the crown will be awarded to man? like the old ungodly country, I guess it was country hymn, me and Jesus got a good thing going. That's blasphemous to even think like that. Now, I used last week, I used the third chapter in the London of Confession, that which we all ascribed to here, London or Philadelphia. And I quoted the first part of that. Now it's dealing with the foreknowledge of God. The second part in the confession of faith is, although God knows whatsoever may or can come to pass upon all supposed conditions, Yet hath he not decreed anything because he foresaw it as future. God did not predestinate. The elect will not be in glory because God saw what they would do when they were offered Jesus. When they heard the gospel, they would accept him. Whom God did foreknow. But that does not mean that God decreed anything because he saw it as future. He, in that foreknowledge, predestinated all, we'll get into the all later on, to be conformed to the image of the Lord Jesus. As to the foreknowledge, all things are included. When you're talking about God knowing, the very hairs of your head are numbered. Are not five sparrows sold for two farlings? And yet none of them, not one of them fall into the ground without your father knowing about it. Not one is forgotten. Jesus said, all of you consider the lilies. They do not toil, yet Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of those little lilies that my father dresses and provides for. conformed to his image. That statement makes any sincere student of the word of God, anyone desirous to know that his foreknowledge does not include all men due to the fact that all men will not be conformed to the image of the Lord Jesus Christ. Will all be Christians? Is everyone going to heaven? Is everyone you know today being conformed to the very image of that firstborn son? God's foreknowledge includes all men that are between the two eternities, all events, all circumstances, and the very thoughts of all men, plus the activity, not only of men, but of all God's creatures. But as to those that will be conformed to the image of his son, surely no one could possibly conclude Every man since Adam to the last born, God predestinated to be conformed to the image of his son. You couldn't possibly believe that. There's too much evidence around. Wide is the gate, broad is the way, narrow the way and the gate that leadeth to everlasting life and few that be their own. Just look around. Now listen to what Paul said in 1 Corinthians 15, 22. For as in Adam all die, every man, woman born, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. Well, there again, Something is brought up here for us to consider. A careless reader or one intent on proving his beliefs might use the word all here to include every single person throughout the world. Now, if you believe that, then my question to you is this. All these of Adam's race are they and have all been made alive by the quickening power of the Spirit of God. In Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all. Well, in Adam, all of us got our natural old man and along with his nature. In Christ shall all. That couldn't mean everybody. Only those in Christ shall be made alive. If all Adam's race was made alive by the quickening power of the Spirit, then they either had to reject or follow him. How can a dead man, all of us, born into the world, dead in trespasses and sin, like Adam died the day he ate the fruit. Oh, he didn't die physically, but the breath of God, the soul died that day. Adam and Eve walked out of the garden. So all cannot mean every single individual. If that is so, then everybody will be in glory. None will be in hell. Do not twist the scripture, dear ones, to fit your beliefs. Well, this is what my father and grandfather, and this is what the church of old believed. They might be right, but you will not inherit eternal life based upon whether your father and grandfather were right. We all stand alone here. And we enter glory based upon the work of God in our souls, quickening all his children, making all of them alive, bringing us from death to life, and God, by the Holy Spirit, and the breath of God in our soul, we become, once again, a living soul. So many, so many, because they will not give up that which they were taught. And to deal with this, well, in Adam, in Christ, all be made alive, then they'll come up with their own teachings. Some made alive by the Spirit will fall from grace. Some made alive, some of the all made alive by the Spirit might not choose Christ as Savior, might not let Him as if man has the ability to let God. Both of these ideas is nowhere close to reality and both are robbing Christ of His power. He said in John 18, nine of them, which thou has given me, I've lost none. Everyone that you gave me, Father, I pray they be with me. I pray that they might be one as you and I are one, that they may be one in us. And if, all those given to Christ, none of them lost, then they will be with him. That means salvation and eternal life is certain. It is a given, it is without doubt. All that the Father gave Christ will be with him in glory. So you've got to conclude, either salvation from the first workings, the quickenings, the making alive of the Spirit, to the last work prior to man's exit from the soul world here below, have been conformed to the image of the Son of God. And either God is in complete control or God and man working together is what brings about man's salvation. If from beginning to end, it's not all of grace, than our calling and our election is because God saw in us what good works we might do one day. Listen to Paul writing to Timothy in 2 Timothy 1.9. If you want to turn there, 2 Timothy 1.9. Who hath saved us? and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began. So God looked down through time and he saw that you, you'd be a good boy, you'd be a good girl, You will accept my son and therefore I'm going to include you in the purpose and work of grace. No children, that's not even close. Listen to this rambling and man-made conclusion where all men are in this foreknowledge of God Now come up with this. Though God did not predestinate us according to our works, he did predestinate us because he saw our faith and response to the gospel. That statement cannot clear up anything, but only makes the waters that we are in here in Romans eight More muddy or more unclear. He saw our faith. Well, he didn't see our works, so salvation not based upon works. But salvation being based upon faith, God saw one day that I would exercise faith. With this line of reasoning, these take faith out of the realm of works. and make it an act all men have at their disposal. Everybody born into the world has this faith to either accept or reject the Lord Jesus Christ. Again, Paul in 2 Thessalonians 3, 2, all men have not faith. And in light of Ephesians 2.8, by grace are you saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, through faith, it is the gift of God. No man has saving faith, no man. God must in grace give that gift to all chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world, and our predestination had nothing to do with anything that we could do, not even believe on. How can you believe in him in whom you've not seen? How? Just some questions to think about. Now back to the term predestinate. In the Greek language, dat, or other places translated differently, it is used only six times in the New Testament. In Acts 4.28, determined before, Here in Romans 8, 29, and 30, you find the words. In 1 Corinthians 2, 7, the word ordain is the same as predestinate. Twice in Ephesians 1, 5, having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself. Why'd he do that? Again, I ask that God see what we might do one day, born into the world that we would exercise our faith and come to this God that we did not know and could not know, predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself according to the good pleasure of his will. That's the only reason. It pleased God, if you are a child of God, to save you. Ephesians 111, in whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him that worketh all things after the counsel of his own will. I realize that when we use the word predestination and linger on it, well, out in the religious world, one is called a hardshell or a fatalist. or one that is against soul winning. We're just taking the scriptures and wanting the scriptures in the hands of the Spirit of God to be taught us. You think that little baby was born with faith? You think that little one was born, would grow up and one day exert his or her powerful will? How did they get life to begin with? Before ever conceived, did they decide, I think I'd like to have life? Did they decide that they're parents? Now if these things are in the natural, What is it about us that thinks, though they are not in the natural, yet they are in the spiritual realm? Nicodemus, our Lord said, except a man be born of water and of the Spirit. Except a man be born again, he cannot see, he cannot enter the kingdom of heaven. Now for this religious leader, at least had enough interest that he wanted to hear from this one called Jesus. He said, Master, how can these things be? Can a man enter the second time into his mother's womb to be born again? Oh, Nicodemus, art thou a master in Israel? And no, not these things. How then can you teach others? No, the little one did not exercise faith to get his natural life. He did not. No more is the infant that is born into the family of God, responsible for choosing. God had to make him alive. And from that birth, a life in pursuit of God, following him, hearing him, and faithful to all his commands, That little one will continue to grow up as John speaks about the young men, the babes, and the fathers. So all in Christ, once God birthed you into the family, there was this thing called predestination where God had determined that you might be like unto his son. And he gave you life and he started you on a pathway of learning Jesus and of being conformed to his will. So that somewhere down the road you could say, not my will, Lord, but thine be done. Wherever you have me go, whatever you have me do, I did not become your child because of something in me or because of something I did. I became your child because of the eternal love you had. And by sending your son, redeemed me as one in Adam's fallen race into becoming a son of God. And everything, dear child of God, that takes place in time only manifest the eternal purposes of God. We talk about the accident that happened We talk about this that took the life of that one way too early. And some, and many do die young. But in the plan of God, all things are determined by God. Now by man's carelessness, he can bring about some of these things. I'm talking about being a part of the family of God. I'm talking about whatever comes your way in that family, God has ordained it. And by it and through it, you, will be conformed just a little more to the image of his son. Before it ever came, God had determined when. God had determined the amount of weight that that affliction or that cross would be upon you. Not to destroy you, not to put you down where you could never get up, no. For you know this, as low as you get underneath are the everlasting arms of God. So if it comes to pass in your life, it is only in the will of God for your good. All things work together for good. to those that love the Lord. Well, part of our conformity is our love increasing as the months and years pass by, increasing for our Savior, for our Father, and thankfulness or the Spirit of God. Directing the steps of a good man are directed by the Lord to the end that God have many sons in glory conformed to the image of that elder brother. Dear ones, you know a lot of religious people In that number, how many do you know that have an interest in the death of Christ? No more than a fact in history. Well, I know all about the cross. I know what took place there. How many wanna know him? This is eternal life, that they might know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. That's it. That's the work of God. But to linger at the death of Christ, I'm very thankful for every scripture. But as I get to those places in the New Testament, closer and closer to Christ's end, and then actually reading again this year, all that happened to my Lord, It's a grievous thing. I'm thankful the Lord has told us these things. I'm thankful that my Lord loved enough, loved those that the Father had given him, that he would endure what he did. Oh, blessed be his holy name, both now in the church and forever. May he be exalted once again in his church. His exaltation in his church, in our own lives. You, again, know a lot of people that claim to be Christians, but in that number, how many are being conformed into the image of Christ? They attend the services faithfully on Sunday, they listen to the preaching, and they come back the next Sunday as they did the previous Sunday. No growth, no development, and lack of concern because these things did not take place in their life. Well, after all, they accepted Jesus when they were six or eight, or remember when they were 12 or 13, but they've had no need of him since. They weren't converted. No. Folk, the majority of people believe, used to be a majority, the way it's going now, I don't know if even a majority of the people believe that Christ came, that Christ was real. But then those that claim to be Christians, most of them believe that the work of God was completed 2,000 years ago at the death of Christ. That's it. From then on, it was up to all of us as soul winners, to gather in all these souls we could. Bless to the numbering glory. That was settled from the foundation of the world. That was paid for. Well, a lamb slain from the foundation of the world. Some 4,000 years later, the most horrible of deaths and the greatest of all pain. But it had to be that those that God had predestinated before the world began could be saved. That number was settled from the foundation of the world. Christ was paid 2,000 some years ago at Calvary. But all those will be in glory. I lay down my life for the sheep, John 10, 15. So I can boldly now in all this, boldly and accurately state to you that the Lord Jesus has yet to reject one single person that has ever approached him in repentance. Any sincere seeking soul will be saved. Well, you said that number. Well, in that number, God's going to make certain that one day the Spirit of God quickens, makes them alive. Then all of a sudden they realize that at the end of life here, it doesn't end my life. Actually, it is only the beginning. End eternal bliss with God and Christ. and the fellow saints of the Lord are all alone in hell, though untold numbers there. You'll still be all alone. But I don't want anyone to misrepresent me and say, well, that preacher doesn't believe that anybody wanting to be saved can be saved. They had to be elect. God didn't tell you to find out about your election. God told you to repent and believe. I told you, come. Mr. Spurgeon dealt with especially the doctrine of election this way. He said, over the door, as all of us enter in glory, there's this sign up there, whosoever will, let him come and take of the waters of life freely. And they get through the door and they turn around and look on the backside over the door. On the backside, there was a sign, elect from the foundation of the world. Election and predestination never closed the door on one honest, sincere, seeking sinner. He will save to the uttermost. that seeking sinner and the end result of the work of God for all his children conformity to the image of his son. Do you think Christ is going to have a bride in glory that was not espoused to him in time, and walking with him, got to know him, learn him, and love him. 1 Corinthians 15, 49, Paul said, as we've borne the image of the earthly, so shall we also bear the image of the heavenly. I still got a lot of wool out of him, way too much. But I have hope that there is the image of the heavenly being formed within. And as the image answers to the original, so shall every child of God answer to the original. my heavenly bridegroom, my heavenly elder brother, born into the family of God, bearing his image. As in water, faith answereth to faith. Proverbs 27, 19. You, walking along the shore of the water, you're looking in and there is an image of you kneeling down at the water's edge. As in water, face, entrance to face, Well, in Ephesians 5, it is said that Christ loved the church and gave himself for it, that he might sanctify it and cleanse it by the washing of water by the word. So the word of God is compared to water. And as I open the scripture and I look at them daily, I'm looking to see the image, the reflection in this dear book of Christ my Lord. And as I see that image, I'm losing part of the identity of my old nature. and being brought more and more into the image of God's dear son. So as God decreed from eternity, the image of his firstborn, that's what the image of all his children would be conformed to. If there is a possibility of that failure, then God cannot be God. If it will not happen as God ordained, as God predestinated, as God determined before, then God ran into a problem that he did not foresee or he did not possess the power to bring to pass that which he decreed. What do you think? You think God ever ran into a problem? You think God ever needed a greater power? to ensure his ordained will be accomplished. Not so, dear soul. Our eternal God, having all power, knowing all things, and for his church, he determined she'll look like and behave as his son. Reach that completely in this life? No, it never will happen here. But we are growing in grace and in the knowledge of the Lord. And in that knowledge contained in his book, we're seeing his face. and beginning to bear the image of the heavenly.