Pride and Sin

I want to thank Cody for the sermon, and I appreciate that, as we are preparing for Passover. I appreciate that. And as we think about the Passover, Jesus Christ, at the last Passover that He kept as a human being, in His prayer, He said something very interesting, and that is in John 17, verse 4. So if you turn with me to John 17, verse 4. John 17, verse 4. That was after the Passover ceremony, and then He talked with the brethren, there were the disciples, from about John 13 through to John 16. And then in John 17, it's His prayer, and in verse 4 He says, After he find you on earth, as He prays to the Father, He says, I have finished the work which you have given me to do. What a statement to say! I have finished the work which you have given me to do. Are we going to be able to say that at the end of our physical lives? And are we going to be able to say to God, I have finished the work which you have given me to do. Reverend, we all have a work to do. We all have a responsibility to support and do our part of God's work.

Are we finished? Now, there is an interesting race where what counts is to finish. And that's a marathon. It's not to start, but it's to finish. We have started a marathon, a spiritual marathon, and our job is to finish. Now, in South Africa, every year there is what they call an ultra marathon. It's actually 56 miles between Peter Maresburg and Durban. And one year is down the hill from Peter Maresburg to Durban, and another year is uphill from Durban to Peter Maresburg.

And so it switches every year. But it's a 56 mile ultra marathon that you have to complete within 11 hours. And it starts at 6 in the morning. And at 6 in the morning there are thousands, literally tens of thousands of people, if not maybe hundreds of thousands. I mean, really. It takes a long time before the last ones actually in that pack start running.

But, you know, it's live on TV in South Africa and watch it all the time, the whole race. And you have the front runners, you know, the ones they're going to finish, they're going to break the record, whatever it is. But then you have those that are there to finish the race. Now, obviously there is a certain price if you finish within maybe 7 hours or whatever it is, and there's a different price if you finish within 10 hours.

And then there's like another one if you finish it on 11th time. And it's interesting to see because, you know, at that last moment, that is the most exciting part of the race. It's not to see the ones that come in front. It's actually to see those coming in at the 11th hour. And the point is there are some that are just about falling, and the other ones next to them pick them up and help them. And help them to finish before the 11th hour. That's why they call it comrades because it's people go together as they make little teams and they encourage one another and they help one another.

And it's just so fascinating to see the the the comradeship. I think that's probably the right word. How they help one another to finish the race. Brethren, we started a Christian race. Basically, baptism is the start of the race. But brethren, baptism is only the first step. You have to finish it. You have to go on.

And you know what? That ultra marathon is not easy. You get people, they get cramps, and they give them water and this and that. But wow! It's just amazing! You gotta keep going. The key is to finish. The key is to finish. And Christ said, I have finished the work. Now, this race was a lot tougher than ours, but it didn't.

Look at in John chapter 4 verse 34. John chapter 4 verse 34. There in John chapter 4 verse 34, in a sense, that is the beginning of the race. You know, when the gun goes out and it says, alright, you start the race. John chapter 4 verse 34, it says, and Jesus said to them, my food is to do the world who sent me and to finish his work. When he came to earth, he started that race, and he was very committed and understood clearly that he had a job to do.

My world is to finish the race, to finish the work. Look at Paul in 2 Timothy chapter 4 verse 7. 2 Timothy chapter 4 verse 7. 2 Timothy chapter 4 verse 7. For I have fought the good fight. I have finished the race. This is the last book he wrote. This is the very last book he wrote. So he knew his days were, that's it. And so he said, I have kept the faith. Christ said, I've finished the race. Paul said, I've finished the race. What about you and I? Are we going to be able to say, are we finished the race?

You know, one of the important things about this Christian life, things that we have to do, is summarized in the Sermon on the Mount. And Christ in the Sermon on the Mount told us, turn with me to Matthew chapter 5, starting in verse 1. Matthew chapter 5, starting in verse 1.

And he says, and seeing the multitudes, he went up on a mountain, and when he was seated, his disciples came to him, and he opened his mouth and told them, saying, blessed are the poor in spirit. This is the very first beatitude, the very foundational beatitude of the Christian race. And he says, blessed are the poor in spirit. In other words, blessed are those that are humble, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. In other words, if you are humble, and you finish the race with that humble attitude, you will inherit the kingdom of God.

In other words, you will finish the race. So one of, let's call it, the basic attitudes that you and I need to have is to be humble. Are we humble? Are we poor in spirit? Now, usually, to be able to answer a question, a good way to answer the question is to look at the opposite side. And opposite side is, are we proud? Are we proud? So let's look at pride. And I would like to ask you to turn to Isaiah chapter 5 verse 5. Daniel, Isaiah chapter 5 verse 5. I was talking about Israel. He says, The pride of Israel testifies to his face. Therefore, Israel, if ranked stubbornly in the iniquity, Judah also stumbles with them. The pride of Israel shown in the face. You know, when people are arrogant, it shows in the face. It shows in the face. You know, there's that arrogant kind of look. It shows in the face. And end result is sin. It's iniquity. He says, they stumble in the iniquity. So pride and sin go hand in hand.

There's an interesting situation with Jeremiah. Jeremiah was a prophet that had to do a job. He had to go out and preach. And the success rate of converted people was practically zero. Zero. But he was discouraged. Sure. It's like I sometimes say, well, we're preaching the gospel and very few people coming to church. Jeremiah's success rate was practically zero. He still had to do it. He still had to preach the gospel. But look at an example of the situation in Jeremiah chapter 13. Jeremiah chapter 13.

In Jeremiah chapter 13, he has an analogy that God asks Jeremiah to do. So he takes this clothing that they have, and then he says, now take this, let's call it underwear, and hide it. After it's really dirty. Hide it in the crack of a rock and leave it there. And then he picks it up after a few days, for whatever number of time it was. And he said, and look at it in verse 7, and there was the sash, like this item of clothing that he had to put there. It was ruined! It was profitable for nothing! It was rotten!

And Yah is the situation where God is bringing an example that the pride of the nation made them, in God's eyes, to be ruined, to be nothing. Look at verse 10. It says, This evil people will refuse to hear my words, who follow the dictates of their hearts, and walk after other gods to serve them and worship them, shall be just like the sash, which is profitable for nothing. You know, brethren, when we are proud, we end up in a situation where we'll end up to be profitable for nothing.

Pride is a big sin, and that's why the first beatitude is, be poor in spirit. Really, when you think about it, that was probably the first sin. That was probably the first sin. You see, because turn with me to Ezekiel chapter 28. And Yah in Ezekiel chapter 28, it's talking about Satan, and the first few verses is talking about the King of Tyre, but it first is actually about the Prince of Tyre, so it's reflecting to a human being. And then, starting from verses 11 and 12, it's talking about the King of Tyre, which is now drawing it to a spirit being. So it's bringing that knowledge to a spirit being. And it says, on the latter part of verse 12, says, You are the seal of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. Now, that's clearly not a human being, a seal of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. That was how God created this being. That was, God created them with very wise being, very beautiful being, and really, as far as God could do, as perfect as could be. And it says, You are in Eden, the Garden of God, the real Eden. Not the physical Eden, the real Eden, the spiritual Eden. Every precious stone was your covering. And then he, I like, mentions the different stones, precious stones. And it says, The worship of your timbros and pats was prepared for you, kind of hinting that it was very experienced and capable living music. Very probably a highly competent musician. And from the day you created. Verse 14, You were the anointed carom who covers. So it clearly says, You were a carom, not a human being. Look at verse 15, You were perfect in your wise. You were absolutely perfect.

God says that this being he created was perfect from the day you were created. Till, till, iniquity was found in you. There was a moment in time over the course of time. Where this feeling of said, I'm so clever, I'm so wise, I'm so beautiful, I'm better than everybody else. Yes, he was better than the other angels. He had more skill than the other angels. And this he allowed to go to his head. Till, iniquity was found in you. And therein is the problem. How did it start? Basically, he allowed these thoughts and he says in verse 17, Your heart was lifted out because of your beauty. And you corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor. In other words, he got bigger than himself and he was very big. Surely, God created him with all his talent, but he allowed to get into his mind. Look at another example in Isaiah 14. Isaiah 14, which is a parallel scripture to the same situation, Isaiah 14, verse 13 and 14. Isaiah 14, verse 13 and 14. And he's talking about the same being. He says, For you said in your heart, it was inside you, somewhere inside you, Isaiah, he said, I will ascend into heaven. I will exalt my throne above the stars of God. In other words, above all the other angels. I will also sit on the Mount of the congregation, on the far sides of the north. I will ascend above the heights of the clouds. I will be like the Most High God.

I think you can see that is not an attitude which is humble and put in spirit. And here in lies a problem, a potential problem for any one of us. First, for leaders in the church, because it's so easy for a leader in the church to be, Hey, I'm the pastor and everybody comes and greets me. I'm so important. It's so easy. And we've got to free my number. Or anybody can do, you can be very good on your job. And he says, I know how to do this. I am great in this profession. I am very skilled. Or, you know, they didn't listen to my opinion. You know, I told them and they didn't listen. That's why. Why didn't they listen to me? You know, I'm deeply offended because they didn't listen to me. Or I'm deeply offended because the leaders are not listening to these other people. You know, how can they? Whatever. We've got to be careful of these types of attitudes. Because regrettably, what happens is, sometimes it takes years, years of this little leaven brewing. Like, you know, brewing, like this. Brewing. And then you get to a point and it says, ah, coming to church is a waste of time. It's just this man waving his hands. And then this long sermon. It's a waste of time. And we've got to be careful. Oh, I'm going to start my own church because I know it better. Brethren, this can even start on little things. It's little things. Sometimes it's a tiny little thing. It's a tiny little thing. You know, it's like, it's just a tiny little crack. And then that little crack, a year or two later, it gets a big crack. And then ten years later, it's a huge crack. It's like sending a rocket to the moon and it's only a micro-anor But over the years, or over a long time, over many miles, it misses the target.

That is a proclivity that you and I have in our nature. That is a problem that you and I have by our own nature. Why? Because there's a vibe out there that is continuously broadcasting into our minds. You can see the little kids. You bring them out the right way, but suddenly they've got this little tendency. Hey, it's going to be my way. And it just, it comes in. And you know, Satan is a master, he's an expert, he's super clever to ever so subtly, ever so subtly or so subtle, but ever so subtly to bring that little thing that he's just going to say, I don't like that.

And that's why he says he deceives the whole world. Revelation 12, verse 9. He deceives the whole world. I think the whole world means the whole world includes you and I. Because if you and I are not careful, you and I will be swung by that. And how many times have not you and I had things that said, where does that come from?

Because it's out there. It's like listening to a radio and you know, it's got all these little different things there and our brains is kind of subtly picking it up. And we have to, quote unquote, deliver it.

You know, we have to take it out. Like we're in the sermonette is maybe the vibe is, you know, I want to do it my way and not the other people's way, you know, thinking about other people, the golden rule. And when things don't go my way, oh, we even got a song, I'll do it my way, don't we? But when things don't go my way, what is the end result in us? Typically, we get angry, you know, we get upset because it doesn't go my way.

Because it doesn't go my way. I'm angry. Why? Because our human nature way is vanity. Vanity or vanity? You look at Ecclesiastes all the time. Vanity or vanity? You just read the book of Ecclesiastes. Vanity or vanity? By the way, the book of Ecclesiastes is a good book to read during the Feast of Tabernacles. In fact, it's recommended to do that. So vanity or vanity? Because it's a time when you've got a bit more money, you know, so you've got to realize it's all vanity.

But you know, when you and I allow this to become greedy and to become like I want it for myself, and you're gonna fight for it, like competition, like factions, like political things for me, my way, and what is the end result? Strife. Strife. And that's why the Bible typifies that as leaven. Not that there's anything wrong with leaven, but the principle, the analogy of leaven is that it puffs up.

You put a little bit of leaven into bread and give it time. Yes, it requires time. But over a period of time, it puffs up the bread. Which is the opposite of being flat and humble. So that pride puffs up. And so that sort of vanity, that sort of, didn't get it my way, or I want it.

I will, like we read in Ezekiel, I will do this and I will do that, you know. That is a very key ingredient in human nature that we have to be careful. It's my opinion. Oh, I go to Brazil sometimes and I've encountered people say, oh, but the way I see it is this way. I know if people are going to tell me that, I'm kind of just about, maybe I should, because maybe that's not too loving, so I've got to be careful.

But I feel like saying, I don't care the way you feel, I care the way God feels. And I have to say it in a loving way, but I need to convey that meaning. You know, I understand the way you feel, yeah, but don't you think it's more important to be considerate about the way God feels and God thinks. So I have to be careful because, you know, like I said, please pray that I exercise it with discernment and with love. But we have to point people to the way.

It says, this is the way, walk in it. It's not, well, sweep it under the carpet. So you have to have the guts to say that is incorrect, but we've got to say it in love. So yeah, it's a challenge, you know, so we've got to do this. But you know, you think about this thing of becoming big in one's eyes is a big problem. You know the story of the first king of Israel, Saul. You know, he was literally in his own eyes. You read that in 1 Samuel 9.

They couldn't find him. He was hiding somewhere. Where is he? Well, he's disappeared. We couldn't find him. He was hiding. 1 Samuel 10 as well. It shows that story. But then later on, he lasted for certain things and he wanted what he shouldn't have when he was told, go and wipe out the Amalekites, or that spirit, basically the spirit of terrorism and whatever it is and what it is. And that is prevalent today in the world today. That attitude is prevalent today. You see, he did not finish the race that was set before him. He didn't really repent. In fact, if you read the story then, Samuel 9, 10, 11, around all the way to about 15, you read that section.

It says, well, it wasn't me. It was the people. It was the people, you know. I mean, it's the people that wanted to do that. But you read that also. It says, he wanted to be honored. You look at it. Look at Samuel 15, 1 Samuel 15, verse 30. He says, he wanted to be honored. He says, well, don't tell the people this, but still praise me. He goes to the Prophet and says that.

You see, brethren, Satan creates circumstances. Remember, circumstances. Opportunities. For us to just feel a little bit, they shouldn't have done that. My nose is a bit twisted and I get a bit hangry. And then, if you allow that attitude to breathe and to grow, if you and I don't kind of put it on check straight away, it could get out of hand. It could get out of hand. And then, we feel like I've not been listened to. They'll never do what I say. Can you see that? I mean, has it ever crossed your mind to say things like, they'll never do what I say.

Oh, what I say, what does it matter? You know, I mean, sometimes you act as if you're very humble. Oh, well, I'm nobody. But maybe the problem is actually the opposite. So, it's very easy to be... Now, think about this. This is a nice way of putting it, at least in my way of thinking. It's a nice way of putting it.

It's very easy to get a degree, a B.I. You know what a B.I. is? It's a bad attitude. It's very easy to get a bad attitude, a degree to be graduated on this. A B.I. Of becoming bitter, of becoming irritated, of becoming resentful. It's very easy to get a B.I. So, brethren, your struggle, my struggle, our struggle, never ends. We are on this marathon, spiritual marathon, and all the time we've got to struggle against pride, against vanity of ourselves, the influences that come upon us into our nature could come from Satan or from society, whatever it is. But we all have to overcome ourselves, even in the world tomorrow.

Yeah, maybe they don't have bad influences from Satan or from peers, but there might still be some bad peers, you never know. But the point is that people, even in the world tomorrow, will have to overcome their own selves. Because what we call is overcome till the end. And people in the world tomorrow, even though they're born into, quote-unquote, a wonderful world, they will still have to overcome self. So, brethren, let's look at a few scriptures like Mark chapter 8. Mark chapter 8. Mark chapter 8.

Mark chapter 8, verse 31. Mark chapter 8, verse 31 to 34. And then he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. So, yeah, indeed, he was killed on Wednesday, and after three days on the Sabbath, he rose again. So, indeed, that happened. And he spoke these words openly. Now, it's amazing, they didn't get it. They didn't get it. But anyway, yeah, is it? Then Peter called Christ aside. Hey, come, let's go, yeah, in the corner. We need to talk, you know. I want to talk to you. Christ, don't say that! Peter rebuked Christ!

But when he had turned around and looked at his disciples, when Christ rebuked Peter and said, Get behind me, Satan! Wow! He didn't say to Peter, no, Peter, calm down. This is not going to be so. He said, Get behind me, Satan! Wow! Imagine Christ speaking to you like that. That is powerful. For you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of man.

Do you know what Christ is saying there? If somebody says, Oh, well, you've got a big trial and you don't need to go through this trial. That's what Peter was telling Christ. But you and I don't have the mind of God, and maybe this trial that we're going through is the very thing that we need. So that we will be glorified with Christ. You read Romans 8 says, If we suffer with him, we will be glorified with him. You know what it says? You'll be heirs of God and coheirs of Christ. And he says, If you suffer, if you suffer with him, you will be glorified with him. And therefore, what he's saying is, there is you and I have to deny ourselves, and you and I must be willing to suffer and to serve others. Think about the golden rule. Exactly. We must empty ourselves of the pride and vanity. We must empty ourselves of my way. That's exactly what Christ did. Turn with me to Philippians 2. Philippians 2. This is such a powerful scripture. Philippians 2. Verse 1 through 8. Therefore, if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord and one mind. What was the mind of Christ? Let nothing be done through selfish, and there was vanity and all those things, selfish, ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind. That's humility. That's the first beatitude. Poor of spirit. Let each esteem others better than himself. As we are in the sermon here, better than ourselves. Putting others first. Let each of you look out not only for your own self-interests, but also for the interests of others. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.

Who? Be in the form of God. It was he was of the God-kind. He was of the kind of being, of being like God, being God, of that kind. Do not consider it robbery to be equal with God. It wasn't something that was an identity theft to say, I'm equal to God. You read that in John 1.1, it says, the world was of God and was God. It was not identity theft. And in fact, one of the translations says, it considered not robbery to be equal with God. One of the translations says he did not see a problem in opening his hand and let that go. In other words, he has a being, and the best example might be, one example that I can think of is, say for instance, you're a human being. And he say, look, I'm going to stop being a human being and I'm going to become a little ant to help these ants, whatever it is. And not only that, I'm going to end up being squashed to nothing. I mean, the gap between humankind and an ant is far less than the gap between God-kind and humankind, mankind. So it just gives you what Christ was prepared to do. He gave it up. He opened his hand and let it go. He considered it not robbery. Like he emptied himself of his privileges. He emptied himself of his privileges. He was not forced. He of his convolution did it. He made himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant. He was the form of a man. He was of the form of God, and he became of the form of man. He was a mankind, and coming in the likeness of man. And befounding appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. That is the mind of Christ! He's on the mind of, says, oh well, they didn't listen to me. Oh well, you know, I want to send up to whatever like him. Like Satan did, but he was prepared to come down and to end himself so that him, through his death, could open the way for our eternal life. Therefore God has highly exalted him, so that every knee should bow before him, and every tongue should confess that Christ is the Lord. So, Christ did that. But look at verse 12. Therefore, my beloved, therefore my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence. What is our job? What is our job? Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. In other words, finish the marathon. Work it out! Work it out! Don't say, oh well, I've got all these problems, oh poor me. Of course we have problems. I have problems, you have problems, we're all in the same boat. We all have difficulties. We all have challenges. But we've got to work out our own salvation and not give up. We have to voluntarily serve and give and keep going ahead. We must be prepared to do what's symbolized by the foot washing ceremony, to humble ourselves, to have an attitude of service, of forgiveness, of letting go. Now look at the other side. Oh, I have committed an unportable sin. Look at the other side. I can't have committed an unportable sin. I'm sorry, I'm afraid. God can't forgive me. God can't forgive me. And you know what? If you have that attitude, you probably haven't.

Because you may be saying, well, I've consented in my mind to commit that sin. Oh, yeah, I was tempted. I tried to resist. But the more I resisted, the more I wanted to do it, until finally I just gave in and I consented it and I did it. I did it knowingly and therefore wasn't that sinning willfully and wasn't that therefore the unportable sin. But you know, repentance is a change of mind and attitude. Soul was not humble. Repentance is a total change of attitude of heart. It's a humble spirit. And you and I need God's Holy Spirit to help us make that change. Look at 2 Peter 1. It's a beautiful scripture. 2 Peter 1. We'll start reading in verse 3. This is grace and peace. While we're in verse 2, grace and peace, we're multiplied in you in the knowledge of our God and Jesus Christ. In other words, we have to multiply, grow in grace and peace and in the knowledge of God and Jesus Christ our Lord. You know, that's how Peter begins this letter and that's how he ends. Right at the end, he says, grow in grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. That's kind of the theme of this letter. He starts with that and ends with that. But look at that. He says, verse 3, It was God's Holy Spirit, which is God's divine power, has given to us all things that you and I need that help us to have eternal life and to be like God through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue. By which, in other words, by that Holy Spirit, by which that power, divine power, have been given to us exceeding great and precious promises. That through these, you might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. Brethren, you and I need to put on the divine nature. We gotta get rid of lust, of pleasing self. We gotta become God-centered based on humility and exalting God, being submissive to God and having outgoing concern for the others by sharing and giving and helping. But not a way of self, of pride, but a way of humility. Now, you see different attitudes, don't you? You see an attitude of, I'll have it my way. And there's another attitude that says, I'm a piece of rubbish and I need God's help to change. In the end, it's a matter of attitude. What sort of degree are you getting? Are you getting a B.I.? A bad attitude? Or you getting a G.I.? A good attitude? A godly attitude? Does Paul struggle? Why do you just have to read Romans 7? It says, the things that I don't want to do, I do. And then he says, who will rescue me? I am struggling, but who will rescue me? Thank God, through Christ, that he will help me. Because by myself, I can't do it.

Look at Romans 7, verse 19. Romans 7, verse 19.

For the good that I will to do, for the good that I desire to do, yeah, it's the attitude, you see? It's the will, the desire, the attitude, the good that I will to do. I do not do. But the evil that I will not to do, in other words, the evil that I don't want to do, that I do, that I practice. Did he commit the unportable, sir? No. His overall desire, his attitude, was to obey God's law. Yes, he did suffer the pull of nature, of human nature, of self-exaltation and pride. Yes, he did have an incident, yeah, or maybe an incident dead, that he was overpowered and maybe had the wrong thoughts. But that was not an unportable sin. Look at Romans 8, verse 1. There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. Do not walk. In other words, they are not woefully, intentionally walking that way. They're walking in the light. Sure, we all truck, but that is not our desire, that's not our intent, that's not our attitude. Look at verse 2. For the law of the Spirit, of life in Christ Jesus, has made me free from the law of sin and death.

The law of sin and death, that's our human nature. Look at the previous chapter, Romans 7, verse 22. I delight in the law of God according to the inward man. My attitude, my desire in the heart is to obey God, to keep His laws and His commandments. The law of His mind, with the help of God's Holy Spirit, was to fulfill the Ten Commandments. But it says in verse 23, that I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind. You know, I see this fight in my mind. You know what? That's good, because it shows that you got God's Holy Spirit. Because if He didn't have that fight, that means you were just going the wrong way. Good, because God's Holy Spirit is working in your mind, is working you, and you are striving, and you are... Yeah, sure, we all struggle. Yeah, maybe some of us struggle more than others. In this thing, others struggle more than another thing. We're all different. But it's good that you are struggling, because it shows that God is working in your mind, is working in helping you to overcome. That's why it says, oh, rich and man, that I am. Who will deliver me from this body of death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Brethren, our sins, as I have 59 verse 2, have separated us from God, have cut us off. But when you and I accept Jesus Christ by committing to repent and to believe in Him, which we did at baptism, and we do it every time. We get on our knees and get before the throne of God, as it says in Hebrews 10, and we get before that throne and say, through a new and living way. And we say, help me right there. You don't have to wait for Passover. You don't have to wait for atonement. Right there at that moment, you can get the help that you need and to be cleansed. And yet, that moment, you can walk right into the Holy of Holies, through Christ, through that veil. What a blessing! It's a new and living way. Wow, it's so powerful! By being reconciled by Jesus Christ's sacrifice, by being at peace with God, and then with Jesus Christ's life, by Him, therefore, due to His life, sending us His Holy Spirit and being our advocate by His life, by living, by their, by being our defense advocate. Always defending us when the accuser, Satan, accuses us before we cross the ground, and He sure has grounds to accuse us. He sure has many grounds to accuse us. But our defense advocate is there, and he says, I'm paid for it. I died for it. I died for her. Believe. Believe. Now, it doesn't mean you don't have to do your part, please. You gotta do your part, but you have to believe as well. Look at Romans chapter 5. Romans chapter 5, just one or two chapters behind. Romans chapter 5 verse 8. But God demonstrates His own love towards us in that while we were all sinners, still sinners, Christ died for us. We were sinners! He already died for us. In fact, some of our children haven't even been born, or grandchildren. And they were sinned, and Christ already paid for this. Much more than, having now been justified by His blood. In other words, we're made right with God. We have been forgiven and made right. That connection between us and the Father has been reestablished. We've been justified. We're now right with Him by His blood. We shall, future, be saved from wrath through Him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, that connectivity, that connection, that relationship is now at peace. You're not guilty, but you are at peace. You are now forgiven. You have a relationship with the Father. That's reconciled. We shall be saved by His life. How? By sending as His Holy Spirit, by Him being our defense advocate, by Him intervening for us, and all the time He is helping us along the road.

If we endure till the end, if we don't give up on the outer marathon, you see, if you give up on the outer marathon and throw it away, then you haven't finished the work. You see, God's got to work. You know, yeah, in the emblem of the Church of the United... Church of God, He says, preach the gospel, prepare the people. There's two legs. Yes, we've got to preach the gospel. But the other leg of the work is, prepare a people to rule in the world tomorrow with Christ as co-eds. And so part of one portion of our work is to prepare others but ourselves. And others, for example, our children, mothers, mothers, you have the biggest job, the most honorable job of all mankind. And that is to raise up sons and daughters of God in a Godly way. Mothers, it's a big job to train your children and God has put that responsibility on your shoulders. It's a big job! Oh, I'm just a mother! It's a big job! You have a responsibility to train Godly children. It's a big job. But we have to endure to the end. Matthew 24 verse 13. Matthew 24 verse 13. You know, that's at the end time and it says, you know, times will get critical and there will be terrible things. And it says, and Lordness will abide the love of manuel wax called brethren. We are there. I'm sorry. We are there. You just have to open your eyes to look at politically, morally, whatever it is, we are there. We've never been like this because if this blows up, now there'll be atomic bombs going around all over the place with people that don't have great sense of whatever. That has never happened before. But you see, it never happened before that the Gospel's been preached to the whole world as a witness and now it's been preached. We are there. But verse 13, but he who is in Jews to the end, you and I have to finish the race. That's it! I know some of the trials might be difficult. Some of the trials you might say, I give up. Don't give up. You can't give up. It's like you get through these people in a marathon, but even when they get to the tenth hour or whatever it is, it's just like I could give up. And they just keep that. They pull out that strength, I don't know from where, but they just have to keep up. And sometimes somebody else is helping them, but they just gotta keep going. And it's amazing. Sometimes you see that 11th hour and they've got the clock running and it shows 60, 59, 58 seconds to go. And you see the lost people seeing the clock and just pushing and throwing themselves over the line just to finish. That's what we gotta do, brethren. Spiritually speaking, we gotta just go to the end and finish the race.

Brethren, For God, It's like we've already done it. And God looks at it. It's day. It's day. You will be there. Because God will do His part, He says, I will never leave you or forsake you. You know that story about the footprints, you know, and then, oh, why there was only footprints? Well, the reason there was only one footprint is because I carried you to finish the ultra marathon of the spiritual race. He's there. But don't give up. Don't give up. You read other scriptures like confess, forgive, do not sin. The main point is you've got to keep having that right attitude. You've got to keep on to going on to live the right way. We've got to push on till the end. There's no questions about it. We have to. We all have to. Brethren, God's will is to forgive us. He gave his son for you and I while you had sinned. His will is to forgive you. As long as your attitude and intent is to walk his way. As long as your attitude and intent is to keep pursuing. And if we watch out against pride and sin because those are the big killers. If however you decide, you no longer want to go God's way. If you deliberately and intentionally change your attitude and your desire. If you reject the lead and the prompting of God's Holy Spirit. If you choose deliberately a life of rebellion and contempt and disregard God's leave of his Holy Spirit to go his way. For our good then indeed we are in danger of an apartment of sin.

Because that is not stumbling on the way. You see it's a question of attitude. Is your attitude of desiring to do what God pleases? Understanding that you and I have slipped up but you can always stand up and keep going? Or is attitude a deliberate and willful and fixed purpose to go against God and says, I will not repent. I hate God. Is that your attitude? Of course it isn't. If you have to choose this one, I want to serve God. I want to please God. I fail. I'm messed up again. I'm going to stand up again. I'm going to keep going. How many people in the marathon they trip? They fall. But they get up and sometimes on their knees, they're crawling and then they push, but they keep going. Keep seeking the things above. It's not too late. It's never too late. Just get up and go. The eleventh hour has not come yet. Just keep going. Just keep going. If you desire to repent, repent. If you desire to be humble, if you desire to be flat like an 11 bread, you can. You have not committed an unpardonable sin if you want to repent. That's probably the easiest way of defining it. If you want to repent, you've not committed an unpardonable sin. Therefore, repent, be humble and go forwards.

That's why we need to submissive to God. To God first. Man, there's a lot of opportunities at work where we learn submission. Women, there's a lot of opportunities where we learn submission in the home, but we need submission instead of fighting back. Run the race with endurance. Stay humble. And then, you will be able to be with Christ when He comes, because those that will be with Him, Revelation 17, verse 14, are who? Those that will be with Him are those that are cold, and you and I have been cold. Those that will be with Him are those that have been chosen, and you, by the mere fact that you've been baptized, you are chosen. But those that will be with Him are those that are faithful. Says Me, Cold, chosen, and faithful till the end. Therefore, brethren, as you and I are running this spiritual marathon, let us stay humble in an obedient spirit by keeping the right attitude always till the end.

Thank you.