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Bibleline Bibleline, here God’s word on Bibleline, 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 Occupations through the radio and the internet. Your regular prayers and monthly support make it possible for Bibleline to continue on the air. It’s a great way to make a better life. It’s a great way to make a better life. O.R.G. homepage. We pray that you will enjoy our commitment to the clear gospel of Jesus Christ and that today’s first part of this two-part message was will be a blessing to you, you and your family.

I want to continue a thought about the letter that I had gotten. And the someone thing, because if you want to learn how to be a good, so winter, you need to know how to defend your faith. And so whenever they was to bring up scripture that seems like ithandlerSourceFile or work for or it looks like you can lose it. Never forget the simple verses like Ephesians 2, 8, and 9. Ephesians 2, 8, 9, 4 by grace are you saved.

That doesn’t change. Grace means it is not by your works. Grace means you did not, grace means you did not earn it, we did not deserve to go to heaven because of how good we are so good people but you got to compare good well perfection and and we’re not perfect we don’t go there because of our good deeds and always keep in the gospel clear and when he says not of works i want to know what that means.

What does that mean? Well lo and behold, it means not of works. When he says, it is the gift of God. What would that mean? It’s the gift of God. See there how simple the Bible is, but there’s some people who can’t believe it. And there’s those who know what you’re saying, but just don’t believe it because they believe, well, Jesus taught differently. And so this Niet a question, what is salvation then? This is the letter that was wrote to me, trying to straighten me out.

Is it something that is received at the very beginning by just crossing the door by the grace of God and presto? We’re saved forever no matter how we live after that. See, this is the part that people can’t believe. Once you trust Christ as Savior, they said, now if you don don’t live right after that, that’s the sign you really weren’t saved because if you’re safe, you’re not going to want to do that bad stuff anymore. The only problem is that sounds good logically, but And it’s just not true.

It just means you were born into God’s family. You have a new birth, but God didn’t take away your sinful nature. He didn’t change your body. He didn’t change the lust of the flesh that you have. That never was touched. Gave you a new birth. You now have a choice. You can live for the Lord or you can still live like the devil and still be a child of God and still go to heaven. But that’s one of the ways you find out are they really following me.

So when somebody asks you that question, you know they’re getting it. You mean to tell me. And then here they go. And I said, well, if that was true, that would be grace, wouldn’t it? And they don’t like that. See there is something inside of us that just can’t believe that you can just trust Christ as your Savior and not change the way you live. Now to me, I did. I changed the way I lived and who I lived for and all that.

But that wasn’t to be saved because I was saved. And I also know that if I didn’t serve the Lord, I’m still saved because I wouldn’t say because I promised God something. I must say because God promised me the free gift of eternal life. And if it’s eternal life, how long should it last? Forever. And that’s what I believe. He says, or is it a destination that is reached not just once the doors cross, but after traveling all the way to the end and obedience to God.

See, they believe that salvation by grace is just opening this door and going in, but now you’ve got that whole pathway that you’ve got to walk and you’ve got to live a certain way and if you don’t, well then it can kick you back out this door and any puppy is going to slam and shut. Now you don’t have a choice So you see, that’s not the way it is. Bible says, once you trust Christ as Savior, you’re in.

You’re in. It can’t be changed. You can’t go back because he made a promise. I give you eternal life. I’ll never cast you out. He’ll never lose me. So I have eternal life from now on, and I can know that now. So the person understands what we’re saying that just don’t believe it. He says, if it was simply the first going through the door, Paul was right and Jesus was totally wrong. Work can’t help us at all. But if it is the second going through the door and walking all the way to the end and obedience to God in order to reach the final destination of the kingdom of heaven, then Jesus Christ is the one who was right.

So he’s trying to split. Yes, Paul taught your say by grace without any work, But Jesus, He didn’t teach that. Jesus taught you had to earn your way to heaven. His faith plus your works. And so then He uses a scripture that we want to look at. This is what He says. And if our works are necessary to be saved and enter into the kingdom of heaven, then it was Paul who was wrong, as James confirms when he’s that faith alone don’t save nobody.

I think he made a double negative there, but anyway. He says, what ducked profit my man say he hath faith and hath not works? Can faith save him? For the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also, and he gives us James chapter 2. So let’s take a quick look get the book of James. You need to know, do not be afraid of the Scriptures. That seems to say, if you can’t say, I don’t know about that, but I know Ephesians 2.89 says, boom, boom, boom.

And they show you another verse that seems to say, you know, I don’t know about that, but I know John 3.16 said, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom. You keep just swinging your sword, swing in the verses that you do know and understand. Because you may not know all these ways and how to deal with all these people, with all these questions immediately. You have to learn. But now notice in the book of James it makes a statement in chapter 2.

Does it say that and ask the question can faith save Him? Well, look at that verse 14. What doth it profit my brother, though a man say he hath faith and have not works? Can faith save him? See that? So there it is, black and white. The only problem is, is that they don’t have to be in the Bible. If you’re talking about heaven, faith without works is the only way. Otherwise the Bible doesn’t contradict itself, but the Bible doesn’t contradict itself.

But if we’re talking about another issue, then that’s different. see when he says, what does that problem profit profit is something that you because of something you do. In other words, God says if you do this work, I’m going to give you this. So what is the profit? This is to the Christian. What’s it my bread means he’s already talking to the believer. Not talking to the lost man. Talking to the believer. He says and have you saved him.

The answer is the answer. The answer to this question in the context the answer is no Save him from what? Well look at it right before this because this is the context and where you find this mention See there in verse 12. So speaky You and I as a child of God are going to be judged by the law of liberty You and I as a child of God are going to be judged by the law of liberty, the Word of God, on what we say and what we do when we get to heaven and this is for rewards.

Remember salvation is always a gift to get to heaven. What you have when you get to heaven, the profit you have from living your life is going to be rewards for your service, for your works. So this faith alone cannot deliver or save you from this judgment seat of Christ that you and I are going to have to stand before. Because he makes the statement, for he shall be judged judgment without mercy, that have shown no mercy and mercy with your sins against judgment.

There is going to be at the judgment seat of Christ a rewarding Stand. And also, God will chasten his children. This is mentioned in chapter 4 of the book of James, where God chastens because of disobedience, because of rebellion. So the whole book of James, written on how to go to heaven, is to the bow of his Christian life. Now look what else he says here. You’ll notice down in verse 22, see us thou how faith wrought with his works and by works was faith made perfect or mature.

This is maturing in the Lord. It’s once you’re born in the God’s family, you’re a child, but you want to mature and grow strong in the Lord. Well, what happens is once you’ve trusted Christ to save you, God wants you to mature And look what he says there in James chapter one. James chapter one. And verse two says, my brethren, Paul can do the believers, counted all misery, counted all what? Joy, when you fall into divers, Tim Tays, there are different testings because different testings show where you are weak.

And that reveals to you what you need to work on. Does nothing wrong with that? And he says in this first three, knowing this, that the trying of your faith, you already have faith. God wants you to grow in your faith. And he says that the trying of your faith work with patience. Let acknow patience have her perfect work that you may be perfect or complete and entire desire and a wanting nothing, lacking nothing in your Christian life. So God has designed life with all kinds of pressures, testings, in order for you to grow strong in the Lord.

Now in this context, we’re talking about what did the prophet, my brother, if you say to somebody, be you warmed and filled, but you didn’t give him a thing to date. You didn’t give him a thing to put on. You really didn’t do anything. You just said words. God is going to judge us when we get to heaven, The Bible that you knew, I can quote a thousand verses.

It doesn’t matter, God’s not going togently reward you when you get to heaven, how many verses you memorize. We have kids memorizing verses in camps, but you’re not rewarded in heaven because of how many verses you memorize. Did you obey those verses? Did you obey them? And that’s what James chapter two is talking about. It’s not talking about how to get to heaven. So if you understand it in his context, You don’t have to worry about him. Look at the next statement, this thing that he had mentioned here.

He made the statement that inheriting eternal life results not only from believing in Him, but also from fulfilling the law of love given by God. Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? So you see that you’ve got to keep the law because this man wanted to know to know and Jesus told him to keep the law. Therefore, you are saved by your work. So take your Bible and look there in the book of582. Matthew, chapter 19, you need to find a way to explain a verse.

You may notnaissance remember everything, but you ought to make a couple notes in your Bible so that you can maybe recall or help you in somebody that throws this verse in your face. See there are 19 verses. verse 16, chapter 19, verse 16. And don’t worry about marketing in your Bible. That’s not adding to the word of God. It’s just helping you to explain what it means because you don’t have an infallible memory. Verse 16, and behold, one came and said unto him, good master, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?

He went to the right person, asked the right question. Do you think he got a good answer? He got a good answer even. All Jesus says was be perfect. That’s what he meant whenever he says about the law. Look what he says in verse 17. He said unto him, why call a style me good? There is none good but one. That is God. What good thing must I do in order to have eternal life? He says, why call a style me good?

There’s nothing good but God. So if I got to tell the person, you’re gonna have to be as good as God. Cause if that’s the good thing you’ve got to do, you’ve got to be as good as God. And if you call me good, are you saying I’m God? He says this, but if I will enter into life, keep the commandments. All right? That’s all you’ve got to do. the commandment. Give tomorrow law. How are you doing? Has anybody done it?

Nobody in fifteen years, fifteen hundred years up to this point had kept the law. So no man has ever kept the law. That’s why they had to do all the sacrifices. That’s the purpose of the temple and the sacrifice. That’s why they had to try to believe about it, do all the preaching. Why? Because they didn’t keep the law. They didn’t keep it. And now somebody’s going to keep the law. They didn’t even know what the law is. Name the 10 commandments.

Most people came. named the 10 commandments. Thou shalt not lie, thou shalt not steal, thou shalt not play marbles. John 3 says marble not, that I said unto thee. See some people just never figure these things out. So he says in verse 18, he sent unto him which? He said keep the law, keep the commandments.artney he said well which ones? Jesus said thou shalt do no murder, check, thou shalt not commit adultery, check. They’ll shall not steal, check. They’ll shall not bear false witness, check.

Under thy father and thy mother, check. And thou shalt love thy neighbors thyself, check. Boy, I’ve done everything, check it off. Now what? The young men said unto him, all these things have I kept from my youth up. What lack I yet? So he thinks I’m still lacking something. Jesus said to him, if thou will be what’s the next word? You want to be perfect, go and sell. God, no word, this is one of the commandments. You kept all those other ones, but you didn’t keep this one.

He says, go and sell all the thou hat and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven and come and follow me. Boy, everything’s all tied up in there. You’re perfect. But see, this was the one thou shalt not covet. You see, he didn’t mention those other ones. He left this one out. He mentioned all the rest, but this one. You think Jesus knew what he was doing? He’s using the law to convince a person they’re not as righteous as they think they are.

But if you want to go to heaven, just keep the law. Okay, do it. Be perfect. How you doing? All right. So that’s why you need to save you. He used the law to show a person that you cannot save yourself by keeping the law because only way you could do it, you’d have to keep it perfectly. But look at verse 22, but when the young man heard that say and he went away sorrowful for great possessions. Then said, Jesus unto His disciples, verily I send you that a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven.

And again I send you, it’s easier for a camel to go to the eye of an eagle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of heaven. When the disciples heard this, they were exceedingly amazed in and look at the next statement, who then can be saved. In other words, they realized that what Jesus had just told Him was impossible. So in verse 26, Jesus beheld them and said unto them, with men, this is what? Impossible. But with God, all things are possible.

So the man that’s using these scriptures, the proof that you can be saved by your works, proves just the opposite. Do you see that? Can you see that? I can see that, but some people cannot see that. In other words, don’t let go of your own ammunition because you think that they’ve got better ammunition and you don’t know how to answer that. Always hang with Ephesians 2, 8, 9, and 1 John 5, 13, and he’ll never cast you out and never lose you and so forth.

Stay simple in your mind. There’s nothing else in this book that will contradict that. You don’t have to worry. Don’t you, who you talk to, wherever they may be, how many degrees they’ve got after their name, it cannot and will not contradict the Ephesians 2.89, that you’re saved by grace, not by works of any kind at any time. No man’s works ever saves a man or keeps him saved. So now that you know that, we’ll move right along. The next statement I want you to see there is number two.

that’s on my notes. That final salvation is the result, not only of believing in Him, but also of persevering to the end, loving God and our neighbor. Without allowing our love to cool down. How much can it cool down before you’ve lost too much love? I mean love has got to be hot. Well, how cold can it get? You can’t get cold love. You can get them in How can traps? He says this, because iniquity shall abound the love of many shall wax coal, but he that shall endure unto the end the same shall be saved.

Now look in Matthew 24, Matthew chapter 24. They had asked the Lord a question. When is all these things going to take place? Because he was talking to him about, look at this beautiful temple here. He says, this thing is going to be done. destroyed, not one stone left upon top of another. So in verse 3 they came to him and they asked the Lord a question. This is before he was crucified. He said, and as he said upon the Mount of Olives, I’ve been there, that disciples came with him privately saying, tell us, when shall these things be?

What shall be the sign that I come in? And at the end of the world. So now he goes to and he answers that question. When’s the end going to come? So this is talking about a special group of people doing a special time. And this is doing the tribulation period. See there in verse 14, when he therefore shall see the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the prophets, standing the Holy Spirit, that’s during the seven-year tribulation period upon the earth.

All when he said this, that verse 15 is 2000 years in the future. That’s coming up pretty soon, I believe in our day. So when he talking about, and then shall the income, talking about when Christ comes back at the end of the tribulation period. So he says, all these things are going to go on, going to happen. And look what he says there in verse 9. Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted and shall kill you and you shall be hated of all nations for my name say well that didn’t happen to his disciples that he had there.

This is talking about the Jewish people in the last days when the time comes and Israel is going to be hated by all nations. So Israel has to be back in the land. Now they’re back in the land and all the nations even to the United Notions, hate Israel. It can’t be referring to the time in which the disciples lived at that time. He’s talking about down the road, the signs of the times that he’s talking about. And many, he says in verse 10, be offended and shall betray one another and shall hate one another.

And many false prophets shall arise and shall deceive many. And and because the iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax go.” Now this is the way our world is going right now, but he that shall endure unto the end the same shall be saved, and this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached, and all the world for a witness unto all nations, then shall the end come. So he’s talking about doing a period of time that’s in the future.

So when this was written, it did not apply to those disciples that were living right then. It’s the knowledge that’s broken down here so we can study it and read it. But he’s talking about those who will be at the end of the tribulation period. When Christ returns in power and great glory and the sign of thy coming. You see what he says here in verse 27? For as the lightning cometh out of the east and shineth even unto the west.

So shall also the coming of the Son of Man be. This is how you’ll see it. This is what it’ll be. But this hasn’t happened yet. And all those disciples, well, that way he told them to, they’re all dead. And none of this took place, but he is coming. And there’s going to be an end, but now look what he says in verse 21. For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time known or ever shall be.

and except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved. So we’re talking about people living at this period of time. And these people that will be alive at the end of the tribulation period is because Christ comes back and there’s the battle of Armageddon. And there’s a Jewish group remnant that I believe will be hidden Petra and they are going to be delivered and they will be saved twice. physically and then spiritually, because they will trust the Lord as their Messiah.

So this is not on you and I, haven’t to endure to the end. This is those who are alive at the end of this period of time. Yes, they are going to be saved physically, but saved spiritually and they will go into the kingdom. But look how much you have to know and understand to answer a verse that seems to say, It’s not like Ephesians 2 8 9 is one verse. But you use that one verse, this whole story cannot contradict John 3, 16.

God tells us how to be saved. Now, chapter 25, there is another issue that many bring up because it’s very difficult. And this is one of the statements that he makes. That the final entrance to the Kingdom of Heaven results not only from confessing Jesus’s Lord, but also from doing the will of the Father. Not everyone that says, saith to me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven. But he that doeth the will of my Father, which is in heaven.”

So that’s in Matthew in chapter 7, and we’ll look at that in just a moment. But he makes a statement about Matthew 25, and let me just read that to you. He said that inheriting the kingdom of heaven results not only from believing in him, but also from serving and helping others in their need. And lo and behold, this is what quotes, then shall the king say unto them on his right hand, come you blessed of my father and hear the kingdom prepare for you from the foundation of the world.

For I was hungry and you gave me made, I was thirsty, you gave me drink, I was a stranger you took me and naked, you closed me. I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison, you came unto me, then shall the righteous answer him, said Lord, when? And the king shall answer and say inasmuch as you have done it unto one of the least of these my brother, and you have done it unto me, and the righteous shall go into life eternal.

Now does the Bible say that? It says exactly that. It’s a quote right out of Matthew chapter 25. But how can you explain that when it seems like it’s based upon what you do? Well look what he says. Matthew chapter 25, looking verse 31. Matthew 25 verse 31 when Christ comes back at the end of the tribulation period in power, great glory, every eye will see him, Israel will believe on him. Verse 31, when the son of man shall come in his glory and all the holy angels.

Now this is not the rapture, this is seven years after the rapture and all the holy angels with him, then shall he set upon the throne of his glory. This is when he comes to as the king and he’s going to rule. Before him shall gathered all nations. He shall separate them one from another as a shepherd divided the sheep from the goats. And he shall set the sheep on his right hand the goats on the left. Sheep of the saved goats are the lost.

Then shall the king send to them on the right hand, coming you blessed of my Father. Inherent the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me me. I was thirsty. You gave me dream. I was a stranger. You took me in, naked in your clothes men. I was sick and you visited me. I was in prison and you came unto me. Then shall the righteous answering him and say, Lord, when saw we the hungry and fed the thirsty and gave the drink, when saw we the astrange and took the enter, naked and closed them.

Or when saw we the sick or in prison and came unto thee, then the king shall answer and send of them verily I send you, ends as much as you have done it unto one of the least of these my brother you’ve done it on the main now how would you explain this this is your invitation to join us for our third Sunday dinner held in the Florida Bible College of Tampa building on the Calvary Community Church campus the dinner is a family style covered dish dinner and a great way to showcase your favorite dish and pick up new recipes each month you have the opportunity to invite your family and friends to join us for our Sunday morning service at 1030 and then stay for our third Sunday dinner immediately following noon.

Third Sundays at Calvary Community Church where you’ll be fed spiritually and physically. Thanks for joining us on Bibleline. 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. And now, a closing thought from Pastor Arnold. Friend, one day it will happen. The trumpet will sound, and we will be changed. Cada can meet the Lord in the air. So live today and every day. Believe in that the Lord is coming soon.

Just keep looking up.