Glen Bond March 11, 2007 Picayune, MS Subject: Salvation is by POWER Every person is a sinner Christ died for sinners. 1 Peter 1:5 (the redeemed) Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. Romans 1:18 For the wrath of God is --revealed--(made known) from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; WHY? 19 Because that which may be known of God (power and majesty) is manifest in them; ( these unrighteous of men) for God hath shewed it unto them. 20 For the invisible things of him (God) from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they (the unrighteous) are without excuse: Every lost sinner is without excuse. What this means, in simple terms, is that every sinner has rejected Christ. 21 Because that, when (WHEN, not if) they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, (this shows the great spiritual famine that we have today, men are not aware of their ignorance) 23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. (this is shown today by the idols that are worshipped, like bro Edwin was saying. Manifested in all of the holidays.) 24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: 25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, (bad is changed to good, and good is changed to bad) and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. 26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: 27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. 28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;(def convenient : suitable; proper; becoming; appropriate. We could say perverse.) 29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, def - murder: to kill (a human being) willfully, deliberately, and unlawfully. You say, I have never murdered anyone. NO, maybe you haven't, but it doesn't say that you have. It says that you are full of it, wether any has ever spilled out or not. Matt. 15:19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: Murder comes from the heart. it COMES from the heart to produce death. it doesn't go into the heart after a murder has been committed. John 12:40 He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them. The natural man is blind to what he is by nature. Genesis 6:5 And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. Nothing has changed since then. 30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable (incapable of being appeased or pacified), unmerciful: 32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them. Who knowing the judgment of God - the world knows that judgement is coming. but being blind, they think that the judgement is for someone else. The gospel of Christ has now gone all over the world. Sinners have heard, and most have rejected it . Yet, there is one here and one there that the Lord saves. The Lord brings each of us in a way that we have not known. He works salvation in each heart by power. Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. Ezekial 33:29 Then shall they know that I am the LORD, when I have laid the land most desolate because of all their abominations which they have committed. The Lord never makes himself known to a sinner until he (God) has broken that sinner and laid waste to his life. Acts 13:38 Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man (Jesus Christ) is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: 39 And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses. You can't see that you can't believe. because you don't know what it is to believe. You must repent you must believe You must come to him. you must beg for salvation.