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Bibleline Bibleline, here God’s Word on Bibleline, everywhere, every time. Here God’s truth on Bibleline. Welcome to Bibleline with Dr. Ralph Yankee Arnold, pastor of Calvary Community Church in Tampa, Florida. Clearly declaring the Gospel of Jesus Christ through the radio and the internet. Your regular prayers and monthly support make it possible for a Bibleline to continue on the air. You can reach us toll-free at 1-800-576-3771. Online donations may be made by clicking on the donations link on the BibleLineMinistries.org homepage.

We pray that you will enjoy our commitment to the clear gospel of Jesus Christ and that today’s concluding message of this teaching will be a blessing to you and your family. When he died on the cross, he says it is finished. Now, there’s nothing anybody else had to do for the payment of sin. He paid for all the sins of the world so that everybody in the world should have eternal life and go to heaven. And all that you have to do, all that I have to do, is believe that when Christ did it, he did it for me.

And if I believe he did it for me, that payment is put to my account by faith alone in Christ alone. You have the free gift of eternal life. Now take your Bible and turn there to the book of 2 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians and chapter five. 2 Corinthians chapter five and verse 21. Verse 21 says on page 12, 33, He says, for He, God, hath made Him, Jesus Christ, who no no sin, get to be sin for us, to be sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God.

All right, so Jesus Christ comes into the world and He’s perfect. I’m not. I have sin. So God will not allow sin in heaven, but He will allow righteousness in heaven, because that’s a perfect place. So Jesus Christ, this hand representing Christ, and this hand representing mania, I have sin, He has righteousness. So the Bible says that if I will believe that Christ paid for all of my sins on the cross came back from the dead, payments made. And I believe Christ did it for me.

God gives to me His righteousness. Now if I have His righteousness, that makes me as righteous as God. I go to heaven on what He did. He became sin for me. He didn’t sin. He became sin. He took every sin of every person in the whole work paid for sin on the cross. Once and for all. Never has to be done again. So whenever you and I believe that Christ did it for us, He gives us His righteousness. But here’s the thing to remember in Romans chapter 3.

Jesus Christ is the righteousness of God. So when He gives me His righteousness, what He’s really doing is giving me Himself. I’m going to heaven because I am in His Son. I’m going to heaven because I am in Him. He is my righteousness. I don’t have righteousness. Now, while we’re right here, take your Bible and look there in the book of Philippians in chapter three, the book of Philippians, real quick.

It’s such an important verse that you need to see it. Philippians chapter three and verse nine. Verse nine, you and I have sinned. God says, do not be found on the day of judgment, trusting in your righteousness to get you to heaven. Because God says, you don’t have any righteousness. There is none that doeth good, no not one, all have sinned and come short of God’s perfection. So no man can save himself.

So the Bible says, Jesus Christ came into the world. He is perfect. He is righteous. God says to go to heaven, you have to be as perfect as righteous as Christ in order to live for all eternity. So get what he says in verse nine and be found in him not having my own righteousness, which is of the law that he’s trying to earn it. Work for it. But that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness, which is of God.

by faith. So there is a by works righteousness and a by faith righteousness. By works you’re trying to earn it. God says don’t be found trusting in your works to get you to heaven. He says but trust in his righteousness. He will give you his righteousness be found in him. Having his right to that’s why we get to go to heaven. That’s why Christ came into the world. Now look at number four. Number four, why he became the first fruits of them that slept.

Turn in your Bible to 1 Corinthians in chapter 15. 1 Corinthians in chapter 15. This is the resurrection chapter in the Bible. Has an awful lot to say about the resurrection. And if you’ll notice here in 1 Corinthians, I want you to look there first of all, in verse two, because he’s talking about how he declared unto him the gospel, the good news. So Christ came into the world. Where’s the good news in that? Christ died on the cross.

Where’s the good news? He was buried. Well, where’s the good news? Well, he came back from the dead. Why is that good news for me? Did you know there’s a lot of people who believe in the death, burial and resurrection of Christ, and are not going to heaven. A lot of churches talk about it every week. They talk about the death, the burial and the resurrection of Jesus Christ, and heaven got a clue where they’re going to go when they die.

That’s because they haven’t heard. Why did he do it? Most people think, but he did that to help me to live better so I can get good enough to go there. He’s a help give me the strength and the grace that I need to walk that straight and narrow way. And if I do it long enough, I’m going to make it someday. Praise Jesus. That is not why he can’t. He’s not a trailblazer. You know like Daniel Boom and David Crockett blazing a trail and now boy he’s going to pour me and I got a…

No, for example. You’re right in the middle of the ocean. Can’t swim. Help, help, help. I come by my little motorboat and I say, what’s the problem? I’m drowning. I can’t swim. I said look it’s only 1500 miles to the coast of America. You just do the best you can and try hard, but you’ll make it. Now, was I a savior? No, I wasn’t a savior. Well, what if I pull up alongside of them and I say, look, there’s a lesson on 10 easy lessons on how to swim.

Just read those lessons and follow those and you’ll learn how to swim. Now, see, what a good deed that was? But am I a savior? No. What if I come up alongside of him and I jump out of the boat and I say, now watch what I do. And you do exactly like me and I do the dog paddle, the breath stroke and the back stroke and everything. Oh man, I can give it all. And I give him his, you know, two minute lesson.

Now you do just like me. And head in that direction. And you’ll make it. Now I might be a good example. example. That might be a good way, sure, and you know, probably, but that’s not a Savior. Okay, well, what if I come up there in my little motorboat and I reach over there and I get him a pile of water, put him in the boat and take him 750 miles and kick him out and say, now you make the rest of the way by yourself.

Not a Savior? No. I need to take him out of the water, take him all the way to the land. When I trusted Christ as my Savior, I’m trusting Him to take me all the way to heaven. And He’s the only one that can get me there. I don’t help. I don’t do the dog paddle. I don’t do the breaststroke. I don’t retain any lesson on how to swim. I trusted Him as my Savior 50 years ago in a little old living room and it never has to be done again.

My going to heaven totally 100% depends on Him. I’ve had people say, well, I don’t. I don’t just pray for so-and-so. He’s almost saved. You’re either 100% saved or 100% lost. Nobody goes to hell. Well, I was only 10% more now automated. You’re either saved or you’re lost. You’re either trust them or you don’t. I’ve had people say, have you trusted Christ? I’ve been a Christian all my life. No, you have it. Nobody is better Christian all their life.

There has to be a day when you were saved. A day when you were born in the God’s family. You might not remember the exact same thing. and the hour and so forth like that. No, I can’t. You may not. But there has to be a day when you trust the Christ as your Savior. And if you don’t know of such a day, I would. You know, I just, I didn’t say it all my life. No, you know, there has to be a time when you trusted the Lord.

You may not remember all that, but you know, I recall there was a time when I put my trust in Him. I believe Christ died on that cross and He paid for my sins. You’re not raised a Christian. I mean, just because you were, you know, you walk into a garage and make you an automobile. I can go a long way with that tip, but I’m not going to. But it’s so important for a Christian to realize that foundation, as we’re talking about in San Diego, has to be rock solid.

I know I have believed in Christ and my salvation is secure and that I’m going to heaven whenever I die. But Christ came back from the dead. And when he came back from the dead, why is that so important? Because he can’t save anybody if he’s still dead. And he says he’s coming back someday. Well, he can’t come back if he didn’t get there. That’s why it’s also important because you see, it hinges upon the fulfillment of his promise, his word.

He says that he would die, and in three days he’d come back from the dead. And if he doesn’t, he’s a liar, and if he’s a liar, he’s not God, and our sins were never paid for. But he did come back from the dead. Now I want you to see this. Here in 1 Corinthians in chapter 15, look in verse 20, but now is Christ risen from the dead and become the first fruits of them that slept. For since by man came death, by man also came the resurrection of the dead.

The first man there in verse 21, for since by man came death that’s Adam. By man Christ also came the resurrection of the dead. For in verse 22 says, for as in Adam I’ll die even so in Christ shall all be made alive. So whenever anybody born into the world as a son of Adam, we all have a sinful nature. We all die. All those who trust Christ as Savior, well they made alive. So I’ve been born twice. Once from the line of Adam, to my mama and daddy and their mommy and daddy and all the way on down goes all the way back to Adam.

But 50 years ago in a little old 11 room in Athens, Georgia, I trust it, Christ is my Savior. So my new birth only goes back 50 years. The other one goes back a longer time. But Christ came back from the dead and He is the first fruits. It means that He’s the first one to come back from the dead, but He came back on His own power. You see, all the other ones had to be raised, but He said, I have the power to lay down my life and the power to take it up again.

And he says that he is the one that died, that little kernel of corn, and because of that, there’s going to be a harvest someday. And that’s where you and I come in. One of these days the graves are going to open and we’re all going to be caught up to meet the Lord in the year. And so shall we ever be with the Lord. Look at number five. Why he became the author of eternal salvation, eternal salvation, not temporary salvation.

Look there in Hebrews chapter 5, Hebrews and chapter 5. These are some very, very good verses. You see, you need to understand this so that you can defend your faith. As you witness to people, there’s people going to challenge you and ask you to prove that in the Bible and you’ll be able to say, in the Bible it says in blah blah blah blah and you know your book. It is the will of God for God’s children to know the word of God.

You’re supposed to know this book and you’re going to answer to God on why you don’t know it. Knowledge is power and this is the power that you need for your Christian life. This is the power you need to witness. Knowledge. Knowledge is power. So he says here in Hebrews And chapter 5, look what he says here in verse 8. Verse 8, though he were a son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered. Now we’re talking about Christ as a man.

And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation. You see, for something to be eternal, it has to be perfect. So when he became the author of eternal salvation, he became the author of a perfect salvation. You see, the salvation that God has has to make you perfect, or it doesn’t help you. When I trusted Christ as my Savior, my new birth, I was just like that holy thing. I was born without a sinful nature, my new birth.

Not my first one. My first one has a sinful nature. That’s when you see. But I got another one that you can’t see. It’s a new birth born of God. It’s a holy thing. And because of that, I have a perfect salvation. I am a perfect child of God. It has no sinful nature. It cannot sin. And if it can’t sin, it cannot die. And that’s why when you’re perfect, you can go to heaven. Only perfect people get to go to heaven.

not good people, perfect people. So when you trust in Christ as your Savior, your new birth is perfect in the Lord. And now God wants you to grow, to become mature in the Lord. But He makes a statement. He says here in verse nine, being made perfect, He became the author of eternal salvation under all them that obey Him. He said, Oh, I knew there was a catch to this. The word obey here means to all those that believe him.

Take your Bible and just turn to the book of Romans in chapter 10. Romans chapter 10. So important to see this. Romans chapter 10. And notice there in verse 16. 4, they have not all obeyed the gospel to those that obey Him. How do you obey the gospel? believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved. So to obey the gospel is to do what the gospel says. Believe it. He that believeth hath everlasting life. And God will never cast you out and never lose you.

Look what else he said. For Isaiah said, Lord, who hath what’s that word? Believed our report. So obey and believe is what it’s talking about. So when Christ became the author of eternal salvation to all those that believe the gospel. So when you believe it, you’re saved forever because it’s perfect. There’s nothing that can stop it. God says, he’ll never cast you out. He said, I’ll never lose you. You have eternal life and if it lasts forever, then where are you going to go when you die?

And all your sins are paid. He says the sacrifices made in the Old Testament could never pay for sin. And they continually did it year after year. He says, but a body has not prepared me. So he came. He made one payment for sins forever and it’s all done. Take your Bible and look there in the book of Hebrews, chapter 10. Hebrews and chapter 10. You see why you need a Bible at this church? We use the Bible. We want people to know what God says, and that’s more important than anything else in the world.

There’s a lot of churches that they don’t even use a Bible. Well, you’re going to feel kind of naked around here. It’s like in the whole wild west days when you went out and didn’t have a pair of guns on your hips, you know. You just were ready to go out and face the world. You’ve got to have a sixth gun. Well, you need a Bible here in Hebrews in chapter 10. Look what he says there in verse 10.

And verse 10 makes a statement, by the which will we are sanctified, made pure and holy, through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once from. So we celebrate Christmas. Christmas is when God took on flesh. A body was prepared and he never sinned and so for 30 years until he began his ministry, which is what the priests had to do in the age of 30. He began his ministry for three and a half years and nobody could find any fault in him.

Nobody. That’s why Christ made the statement, which one of you can ventist me of sin? If I sin, name it. Now, none of us can do that, can we? Would you say to your wife, I ain’t never done anything wrong? I am Mr. Perfection. I’m goody-goody two shoes. Could you say that? Could your wife say that? I don’t think so. You know, it’s amazing. The women can really, they can go shopping all day and all night long and never get tired.

Never wear out and a man he can go to a store and he got to find a bench to set on on or Something there let me go drink and coffee at our cafe while you finish up and when we get to weird Tires can be worn out. He got a bit of energy left and a woman’s just all wear on left And she’s ready to go and spend some of them. I Have no idea where that came from you know So there’s got to be a point there.

I have no clue what it is all Look in verse 12, verse 12, but this man, this man, after he had offered one sacrifice, four sins for how long? Forever. Sat down on the right hand of God. In other words, it’s done. Payments made, finished. There’s nothing for anybody to do. The payment has been made. Now look in verse 14, for by one offering he had perfected for how long? them that are sanctified. Those who have trusted Christ the Savior, you have been made pure and holy and set apart.

You belong to the Lord. I belong to the Lord. In God’s eyes, I know this is hard for you to accept. I’m perfect because I’m in Christ. Now you take Christ away and I’m just as bad as you. What do you think I was going to say? God says that we have all sinned and comes sort of God’s perfection but once you trust Christ the Savior in Christ you’re good to go. You’re good to go. I’m ready to go.

And that means from now on I’m good to go. I can’t go to hell. I can’t go to hell today. I can’t go to hell tomorrow. I can’t never go to hell. I can’t go to hell if I tried. I haven’t tried but I can’t go to hell because he gave me a perfect salvation. I am sanctified forever. He had perfected all those that believe this good news. Now, take your Bible and turn to these last two verses. I’m just going to have you look at these last two verses.

You’ve probably never seen them before Ephesians chapter 2, Ephesians chapter 2, verse 8 and 9, this is on page 1251 in an old school for a reference Bible. Now look at the verse, this is the reason for Christmas. If you’re going to celebrate Christmas, celebrate the gospel. That’s what it’s about. That’s the good news. The good news is not that he came and was born. The good news that he died and came back from the dead, paid for my sins.

So in verse 8, 4 by grace are you saved? See, God can’t save you by your works. No man’s good enough. You have to be perfect. That’s why the church can’t save you. Giving money is not going to make you any better than you already were. You have to be perfect to bring forth perfect works. A center, bring forth sins. We have to be good to bring forth good works. He says, there is done good. All have sinned to come short of the glory of God, of the perfection of God.

So he says here, for by grace are you saved through faith, that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works lest any man should boast. All that we can do is brag upon what Christ did for us. But no man can take credit for his salvation, because he cannot and did not save himself and he did not even help. He by himself paid for our sins. By himself, I like that in Hebrews chapter one verse three, by himself.

That’s powerful. Anyway, look up here. This hand represents you and me. The wallet represents sin. While we all have sin on us, God loves us, but he hates our sin. For us to pay for the sin is eternal separation from God. And since we’ve all sinned, we’re all condensed. We’re all in the same boat. Nobody’s any better than anybody else. to go to heaven, you have to be perfect. It’s righteous as God. But nobody’s perfect, nobody’s righteous. Because of sin, we can’t get in.

So how am I gonna get there? A body has not prepared me. Jesus Christ came into the world with born of a woman. As the Bible says, in due time, in due time. Christ was born right on schedule and he lived for 33 and a half years without sin. And he chose to die for our sin because he loved us. Paid for it on the cross came back from the dead. One payment forever. Never have to be done again.

And he did it 2,000 years ago. When he was on the cross, you were on his mind and he paid for your sins. Now he says, will you believe he did it for you? If you believe he did it for you, he would give you as a freak yet everlasting life. You get to go to heaven, oh what he did. If you have never trusted Jesus Christ as your savior, if you never believed it, that he did it for you, you’re not saved.

You’re not a Christian, you will not go to heaven. It’s that simple. That’s why it’s so important for you. Will you trust Jesus Christ in him alone as your only hope of one to heaven? And once you trust them, you are saved. And you never have to do it again. If you trusted Christ of your Savior six months ago, you don’t have to do it again. If you trusted Him 20 years ago, you never have to do it again.

If you trusted Him as your Savior last week, you don’t have to do it again. You can only get saved one time. He can only give you turn like once. He can only save you from hell once because He paid for all of your sins when he came the first time. Let’s pray, shall we? Every head bound, every eye closed, no one looking around him. If you’re here this morning, and perhaps you never trust the Lord, why not just talk to the Lord and say something simple like this?

Lord, I know I’m a sinner, and I realize I cannot save myself. I want to go to heaven. And I believe you dattle that cross and pay for my sins. And this morning, right now, I believe you did it for me, and I’m trusting you as my Savior. And friend, God said, if you would believe just that much, He would give you as a free gift of everlasting life and you get to go to heaven on what Christ did for you.

So it hits by a nice close and no one looking around. I’m gonna ask in just a moment to raise your hand, raise your hand as not Savior. It just lets me know that what I said made sense to you. And you’re saying, preach that made sense to me and I will trust Christ right now and I’d like you to pray for me. We’ll just slip in it very quickly the right back down, then we’ll all just accomplish them.

Once you trust Christ as Savior, it’s eternal life, and you’ll never cast you out. Then when else before we close, just live it up real quick, but right back down. Our Father, we do thank You so much for all You’ve done for us. We’re thankful for this time of year when people’s hearts, and their minds are toward perhaps more spiritual things, hopefully because of Christ. Though they celebrate His birth, we pray that they’ll understand why it came. They realize the free gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ.

And so if we thank you so much for all you’ve done for us, for the one that indicated that they would trust to savor this morning. And followed by doing so, you guarantee eternal life that you’ll never cast them out and have a losing. Bless each one here. In Christ name we pray, Amen. You’ve been listening to Bibleline, A teaching ministry of Calvary Community Church in Tampa, Florida, with Dr. Ralph Arnold. We pray that you are blessed by today’s message.

If you have enjoyed our commitment to the clear gospel of Jesus Christ, you can reach by the line and pledge your support to keep us on the air in your area by dialing toll free, 1-800-576-3771. That’s 1-800-576-3771. To listen to today’s message again or to obtain a free download of any of our Bibleline programs, just go to our homepage at BibleLineMinistries.org and click on the Radio Broadcast link. If you are in the area, we welcome you to visit us.

The address for Calvary Community Church is 4811 George Road, Tampa, Florida, 33634. Our Sunday morning services begin at 10-30 and at 6 o’clock on Sunday evening. broadcast of our services may be seen by clicking on the Calvary Community Church link at BibleLineMinistries.org. Thanks for joining us on Bibleline, and now a closing thought from Pastor Arnold. Friend, one day it will happen. The trumpet will sound, and we will be changed. Caught up to meet the Lord in the air. So live today and every day.

every day, believing that the Lord is coming soon and just keep looking up.