 Amen. Okay, so you're there in Romans chapter 8. Keep your place there. We're going to be going to Romans chapter 8 a few other places but mainly Ephesians and Galatians after that. Now Romans chapter 8, and when I started looking at preaching this sermon I know we did a section, a few verses of Romans chapter 8 in a sermon called The Book of Life. But let me just say that, you know, we are going to preach through Romans chapter 8 tonight, but there's a lot here. This could be a sermon series in itself, and I could take six weeks and preach on Romans chapter 8. But we're going to just preach through it tonight, so I am sure that I will miss something here, but what I want to do is I want to just at least explain the main doctrines that are being taught in Romans chapter 8. So if we look at Romans chapter 8, we see that, you know, the first part of Romans chapter 8 is really heavy with this talk of the spirit. And it's talking about, of course, when you see the capital spirit in the New Testament, we're talking about the Holy Spirit and, you know, the third person of the Trinity. So we're going to see in Romans chapter 8 this idea that kind of we talked about in Romans chapter 7, whether, you know, we haven't seen this war between the flesh and the spirit. You know, we know that we're going to see in Romans chapter 8 that we are indwelled with the Holy Spirit when we get saved. Okay? So in Romans chapter 8 and verse number 1, we start off kind of where we left off with some of the themes in chapter 7, where the Bible reads, there is therefore no condemnation to them, which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit. So here we see this idea that you can walk after the flesh, or you could walk after the spirit. Now turn to Galatians chapter 5. Let's look at this idea of walking in the spirit. What does that mean? To walk in the spirit. In Galatians chapter 5. Galatians chapter 5 and look down at verse number 16. And the Bible reads, this I say then, walk in the spirit and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh. And these are contrary, the one to the other, so that you cannot do the things that you would. So here we see this once again, just like Romans chapter 7, the spirit is fighting the flesh and the flesh is fighting the spirit. And the Bible says in verse 18, but if you be led of the spirit, you're not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these. Adultery, these are the works of the flesh. Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envies, murders, drunkenness, revelings and such like. So he says, and you know, more things like that. Of the witch I will tell you, of the witch I tell you before, as I've also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. So what we're going to do is we're going to look at, because that's a very confusing verse for a lot of people. And there's a lot of heresy that comes from that verse, people that teach, people that are in the flesh will not inherit the kingdom of God. Because that's pretty clear that if you don't inherit the kingdom of God, you're not going to heaven. But if you look at that list and you look at those things, idolatry, you're probably not doing witchcraft, but hatred, variance, emulations, wrath. Have you ever been angry and wrathful? You know, basically that's a pretty comprehensive list in itself. And then he says, and such like of the witch I told you before. He's like there's even more things to that list. So to say that anybody that does anything on that list is not going to go to heaven is pretty ridiculous. So let's look at the idea of this inheriting the kingdom of God. Turn to 1 Corinthians chapter 6. And let's just look at that verse or that phrase inheriting the kingdom of God in the New Testament. In 1 Corinthians chapter 6, we see other people that will not inherit the kingdom of God. So I just want to do a quick little Bible study on people that won't inherit the kingdom of God and find out who these people are. Because what if it's us? We want to know, right? So let's look at it. 1 Corinthians chapter 6 and verse number 9. Because I know I've been wrathful towards people before. So so far I'm in a lot of trouble here. So let's look at it. 1 Corinthians 6 verse number 9. Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God. Well that's even weirder. Because the Bible says that there's none righteous. So now what are we talking about here? So now like nobody's going to heaven for sure. If we interpret this the way a lot of people interpret this. Be not deceived. Well then he lists even more things. Neither fornicators nor idolaters nor adulterers nor effeminate nor abusers of themselves with mankind nor thieves. And we're not going to preach a sermon on verse number 9 there but we could. Nor thieves nor covetous nor drunkards nor revelers nor extortioners shall inherit the kingdom of God. You ever been covetous before? You ever wanted something that somebody else had before? You ever seen someone with a nice car and been like I wish I had that car? Amen. You ever start thinking in that way that you want things you know keeping up with the Joneses? We preach the whole sermon on covetousness. Has that ever been something that you've ever struggled with or let it in your life? Because if you interpret this the way people that preach teach works-based salvation and interpret this. That means you're not going to heaven. Okay? Now turn to 1 Corinthians chapter 15. Just one you know a few chapters over. Same book of the Bible. Let's look at this. Other people that you know will not inherit the kingdom of God. Other people that will not inherit the kingdom of God. 1 Corinthians chapter 15 and verse number 50 we'll start reading. Now this I say brethren that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God. So now nobody's going to heaven. Flesh and blood. I mean everyone's flesh and blood. Behold neither doth corruption inherit corruption. Behold I show you a mystery we shall not all sleep but we shall be changed. Here's the answer. In a moment in the twinkling of an eye at the last trump for the trumpet shall sound and the dead shall be raised incorruptible. You are going to be resurrected incorruptible. But right now in your physical body you are corrupted. You have this sinful flesh. So when it's talking about all these things that people do when it talks about wrath and covetousness and list. Whatever sins out there that people struggle with that you know it just saying that you know what you have the flesh right now. But that flesh is not going to go with you to heaven. At the rapture your physical body will be made perfect. You will be made perfect at that point. Okay let's keep reading. In a moment in the twinkling of an eye at the last trump for the trumpet shall sound and the dead shall be raised what? Incorruptible and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption and this mortal must put on immortality. So I hate to break the news for you today but when you got saved your flesh did not get saved. When you got saved it was your spirit that was saved. The Holy Spirit indwelled you and your soul was saved. But your flesh will not be saved will not be made incorruptible until you are risen at the rapture physically. Because we're not going to go up to heaven with all these lusts that we have on earth. There's not going to be sin in heaven. We're not going to have the lusts of the flesh in heaven. You will be made incorruptible. Okay in verse 54 did I read that? So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption you just keep saying it again and again and this mortal shall have put on immortality. Then shall be brought to pass a saying that is written death is swallowed up by victory. So there you see you know why you know we will not inherit the all these sinful people will not inherit the kingdom of God. Flesh and blood will not inherit the kingdom of God. Your incorruptible body is what's going to inherit the kingdom of God. Okay go back to Romans chapter 8. So once again you know we see this battle against the flesh look at verse number 2. For the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus had made me free from the law of sin and death. We talked about this before as well. When you got saved you were freed from the law. For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh your flesh. God sending his own son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin condemned sin in the flesh. Look the law couldn't do it or we couldn't do it. So that's why God had to become a man in the person of Jesus Christ and do it himself. Because look there's really two ways to heaven. The Bible teaches this. There's two ways to heaven. Keep the whole law or believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. Good luck with the first one. Right? Because the Bible says in James 2.10 turn there. I know you all know this especially those of you who are soul winners. What does the Bible say? For whosoever shall keep the whole law and yet offend in one point. He is guilty of all. You have to keep the whole thing and not just the ten commandments everything. Nobody can do it by the time you're you know one you've broken it or two or five or whatever. It's we have this sinful nature. We couldn't keep the law. So that's what the Bible is saying that the law could not do God sent his own son to do. Okay. Look at verse number four. That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit. For they that are in the flesh do mine the things of the flesh. But they that are after the spirit the things of the spirit. Now this is very interesting and very important. We're going to talk about this in more specific detail on Sunday morning in the sermon there. And I don't want to give it too much away but here's what the Bible is saying here. It's like when you get into the things of the flesh you are not going to like the things of the spirit. Because this war is going to take over and it's very true. If you look at things like you know the worldly things that people are into whether it be you know TV programming or whatever. All the things that we're telling you the Bible says you should separate from. It's because if you get into those things you will have no interest in the Bible. You will have no interest in the things of the spirit. You will have no interest in coming to a church like this. You know it's a perfect example of why you see all these carnal Christians. Even a saved Christian who has not changed anything in their life. They're going to be going to these liberal lame churches. And that's why you see so many people in these liberal churches. Because there's nothing of the spirit there. Because they're carnal. They're not going to be told what the Bible says at that church. Because if you're in the flesh and you're not planning on getting out of the flesh. And walking after the spirit you don't want to know what the Bible says. That's what it says here. You're not going to like it. That's why I said you know churches like this. In general it's been my experience and I'm sure people more experienced than myself will tell you the same thing. That people will either get right or they will get out. Because if they're in the flesh and they have no intention of changing. I mean why would you want to come here? I mean it would just be like abuse for yourself. Why would you want to know? Because your spirit is going to hear the words of God. And if you're not changing your life it's just going to mess you up. You're not going to like it. Unless you're trying to actually walk towards the spirit. So that's the importance of separation that you see here. For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh. Mind the things of the spirit. It's kind of you know it builds on itself. As you get into the things of the spirit you're going to find more joy in the things of the spirit. We're going to talk about this in a specific detail on Sunday morning. But that's definitely how it works with me. I mean it's one of the reasons that I gave up my job that I was in. And I kind of moved into just a different career when I came here. Because I know it's not a sin to be in that job. But basically if I minded the things of the flesh, if my mind was there. And my heart was in that job. Because I mean I poured everything into my job. And I knew that if I would have gone down that it would have been hard to put my heart here. But this is where my heart is. And that's where I want my heart to stay. So I mean that's just a small example. But I mean sinful things are much worse. Alright look down at verse number six. Romans chapter eight verse number six. For to be carnally minded is death. Boy I mean there's just a sermon in every verse here. For to be carnally minded is death. But to be spiritually minded is life and peace. To be carnally minded is death like physical death. That's what it's talking about. Sin will like physically kill you faster. You know I'm reminded of you know at Verity Baptist Church in Sacramento. We were right next to this methadone clinic or whatever it was. And we constantly saw these people walk by. And the policy at Verity Baptist Church Sacramento. Was that if somebody wanted to come off the street and come to church. If they would sit through a church service they could come in. And that'll be our policy here too. If people will sit through a church service they can come in. You know we wouldn't just let somebody come in and get coffee and donuts. And then stumble out the door. You have to sit through a church service. We would tell them at the front door. And most of the time they could never make it. They fell asleep. They just laughed or whatever. It was you know there was bad situations. But there was one lady I remember who actually she came off the street. And she actually did come into church. And she got saved after church. You know one of the personal workers came up to her and she got saved. And she actually started coming to church. And she was living on the streets. And she wanted to get baptized. And she got baptized and her family came. And her family had long left this woman. So it was a big deal for her children to come and see her get baptized. It was a big deal because she had burned up. Most of these people on the streets have burned every bridge that they have. Okay and her children came back for this. They saw her get baptized. Sadly a few weeks later she got you know caught stealing something from the church. And she was kind of told you know you can't come back if you're going to take things from the church and all this. And I remember it's sad first of all. I mean what I'm about to tell you but I remember seeing her. You know you wouldn't see her for a month or two. And then you would see her again. And I'm telling you you could see this woman's body dying. I mean she was in this sin. And I mean it's amazing what the human body can take first of all. But you could just see this woman what her lifestyle was doing to her. And it was very sad but that's you know to be carnally minded is death. If you want to be a saved she wasn't any less saved. But if you want to go fall into all kinds of sin and go and just you know do whatever. You know you're going to die sooner. It is the bottom line. But to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God for it is not subject to the law of God. Neither indeed can it be. And then we kind of see this whole idea wrapped up in verse number eight. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. So it's about being in the flesh is about it's not pleasing to God. And being in the spirit is pleasing to God. So it's about being pleasing to God. Now let's look at this idea of the spirit being in us. Look down at verse number nine. But you're not in the flesh but in the spirit. And if so be that the spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the spirit of Christ he is none of his. Now that's talking about salvation. If you are none of Christ you are not saved. So if any man not have the spirit of Christ that's proof that the spirit of Christ is in you. When you get saved turn to Ephesians. Ephesians chapter one. And once again only your spirit is saved now. Verse number ten says this again. And if Christ be in you the body is dead because of sin. Your body is still dead. But the spirit is life because of righteousness. Because of Christ's righteousness. And verse number eleven. But if the spirit of him that raises up Jesus from the dead dwell in you. He that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies. By his spirit that dwell within you. So here we see that the spirit is the tool that's going to quicken your mortal body. On that last day. On that day of the rapture. Look at Ephesians chapter one in verse number twelve. The Bible reads talking about the spirit in you. That we should be praised to the praise of his glory. Who first trusted in Christ. And whom he also trusted. So that you heard the word of truth. The gospel of your salvation. In whom also that after that ye believed. Ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise. So you believed you were saved. And you were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise. Notice the capital S. Which is the earnest of our inheritance. Until the redemption of the purchased possession. Onto the praise of his glory. So just a little bit of a eternal security tidbit here. We'll go into it deeper at the end. But you see how that's the earnest of your inheritance. To believe that you could lose your salvation. Is to believe that God is going to lose his down payment on you. God put a down payment on you. With the Spirit. It's the Holy Spirit in you. Is the earnest. When you put earnest money down on a house. It's a down payment. It's a money payment that says you know what. I'm coming back to purchase this house full price. It's a small payment to hold that house for you. God put the Holy Spirit down. As earnest payment for you. Think about that. You think he's going to just throw that away? He'd be throwing himself away. First of all. It makes no sense. Ephesians chapter 4. Which is the earnest of our inheritance. Until the redemption of the purchased possession. Until the praise of his glory. And he purchased you through the blood of Jesus Christ. Now to be a carnal Christian. Here's a great verse about the Holy Spirit being in you. And proving that you can be a carnal Christian. You don't want to be. But you can be. Look at verse number 30. Ephesians 4 and verse number 30. You have this Holy Spirit in you. Maybe when you sin. This Holy Spirit will just leave you. Maybe that's how it works. But look down at verse number 30. And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God. Whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. That's a great verse. Number one. You're sealed unto the day of redemption. You're sealed. That's it. And number two. The Holy Spirit when you. How do you grieve the Holy Spirit? When you're not walking in the Spirit. When you're walking in the flesh. The Holy Spirit is still with you. When you're walking in the flesh. And it's grieved. The Bible says that it's grieved in you. The Holy Spirit is, think of this. The Holy Spirit is the tool. It's the mechanism God uses to keep us. Think of it that way. To literally, literally seal us. Look back at Romans 11 again. 811. But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you. He that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwell in you. Now, can you imagine how confusing this chapter is first of all to people that don't understand salvation? Can you imagine? I mean, Romans is one of these books and especially Romans chapter 8 where you know that somebody who's not saved that tells you, oh yeah, I've read the Bible. They're a liar. There is no way. You would be so confused by this if you don't understand salvation. You would just be totally perplexed. I actually talked to a guy today. I don't want to get off on chasing squirrels here. But I talked to a guy today and I really tried to not get in these types of conversations. But the guy was just saying so much crazy stuff. Like I wasn't asking him anything. He's just saying all these weird things. And I finally said, and he said something along the lines of did you know that all the problems in the world are because of overpopulation? And I'm just like, oh, I can't be quiet. I can't be quiet. So I had to say something. And I was like, well, the Bible says, be fruitful and multiply. The Bible says that children are a blessing. The Bible says, and I said the Bible says like twice. He's like, oh, the Bible. And I knew this. And he's like, the Bible is written by men 2,000 years ago, wrong. And I'm like, well, the Bible, first of all, it was 3,500 years ago. It was written by 40 different plus authors. And there's not a single mistake in it. And they all point to the same person. It's like it can't be written by men. And he's like, oh, yeah, well, no, that's not true. There's all kinds of contradictions in the Bible. Now, here's the crazy thing. And this is exact. I didn't argue anymore with the guy. But here's what I said. I said, you know what the funny thing about the Bible is? It's the only book that people will talk about like they're experts on when they've never read it. Think about it. One of my favorite books is called, other than the Bible, is called The Tale of Two Cities. It's one of my favorite books. And I can't imagine any, I've never one time had someone come up to me and tell me, oh, let me tell you about that book. And here was the plot. And here's what happened. And here's why this guy did this when they've never even read it. It never happens. No one would ever do that with any other book. Think about it. With any other book, a novel, a historical book, anything. No one would ever come up and start in a room, especially if people that have probably read the book, and start talking about how they know everything about it, except with the Bible. Isn't that weird? It's just, I don't know. I'll figure it out one day. I don't know why it is. But, you know, he's never read it. And, but I'm like, have you read it? Oh, I've read parts of it. No, you haven't. You read one verse. You were completely confused and you closed it. Right? Or someone quoted you something from the NIV that you think you might have understood and you still didn't understand it. You know, I mean, it's just, it's crazy. But anyway, the Bible must be so confusing to people who have salvation wrong. Once you get salvation right, it's a free gift. It's just I'm believing on the Lord Jesus Christ and it can't be lost. All this makes sense. All this makes sense. And plus, you have that spirit inside you to help you interpret it, to help you understand it. Look down to verse number 12. Let's continue. Now, we see another, another theme coming up in Romans 8. Verse number 12, the Bible says, Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if you live after the flesh, you shall die, again, consequences to sin. But if you, through the spirit, do mortify the deeds of the body, you shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. It doesn't mean you will follow the Spirit. It says if you're led by the Spirit, you know, you are the sons of God. It doesn't, I'm being led by the Spirit. I don't have to listen to the Spirit. Okay, I should. Look at verse 15. Let's look at this idea of adoption. For you have not received the Spirit of bondage again to fear, but we have received the Spirit of adoption. Whereby we cry, Abba, Father, turn to Ephesians chapter 1 and verse number 5. The Bible says, Ephesians chapter 1 and verse number 5. The Bible says in verse number 5, Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ who himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, again in Galatians chapter 4, the Bible says, But when the fullness of time was come, God sent forth his son, made of a woman, made unto the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the what? The adoption of sons. Look, this is the idea, is that when you got saved, you became a child of God. You became a son, lowercase s of God and daughter of God. You're a child of God. This is a great, soul-winning lesson to give to somebody who doesn't understand how this could work. And you can't just tell people that you can just go do whatever you want. Are you kidding me? I could just walk after the flesh. But the Bible says that the Lord loveth whom he chaseneth. If you were adopted as a son, God will chasen you. Hebrews 12. Look down to verse number 16. Again, he just continues to beat this in. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our Spirit, that we are the children of God. And if children then heirs, heirs of God. And joint heirs with Christ. If so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. Look, that's saying that anything that we go through or we endure in this life will be nothing compared to the eternity that we are going to live. You know, no amount of suffering, no amount of anything that we deal with in this life, in this dying body that we have will even come close to the eternity that we're going to live in heaven with God. You know, our time here is like this. Whereas, you know, it's just an infinity of eternity. You know, Pastor Jimenez put it this way one time. He said, what we do here defines how we will live for eternity. Think about that. When you think about how you want to live your life on this earth. So we see that we're adopted into God's family. God is our, you know, he's our adopted father. And he'll chasing us as children, okay? And if he's not chasing you, you know, well, that means you're not saved. But you're going to be chastened if you're saved. Look at verse number 19. For the earnest expectation of the creature, we see now a different theme coming up here. For the earnest expectation of the creature, waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who had subjected the same in hope. Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption. There's that corrupted body again into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. Look, this is a broken world that we're living in, okay? And not only they but ourselves also which have the first fruits, turn to Galatians 5, have the first fruits of the Spirit. Even we ourselves grown within ourselves waiting for the adoption to wit the redemption of our body. Again, that redemption of our physical bodies at the rapture, our bodies not saved yet. But turn to Galatians 5. I don't want to just jump right past the first fruits of the Spirit there without mentioning this. Galatians 5 and verse 22. Let me turn there as well. Galatians 5 and verse 22, the Bible says this. Now we read about all these bad things, right? The things of the flesh, idolatry, witchcraft, verse 20, you know, the works of the flesh in verse 19, and there's all these horrible sins, envying, murder, drunkenness, revelings. But in verse 22, the Bible says, but the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance, against such there is no law. In verse 24, and they that are in Christ have crucified the flesh with the affections and lust. So the Bible is saying that the fruits of the Spirit are all these wonderful things. And the Bible says that you get the first fruits of the Spirit. The first fruits are the first, the best, right? When you have the first fruits of the crop, of the harvest, you know, that's the best, that's the top, that's the first of the fruit. It's not the worst 10%. So God gave you the first fruits. So what are you going to give Him? It's really what it comes down to. God gave you the first fruits. You know, that's why, you know, He wants, you know, the first works done by us. The first works of going out and spreading the gospel. The first works of discipling people. You know, how we live our life. You know, the first fruits of your finances too. I've actually had people ask me the question, when you tithe should it be, you know, and I'm not going to preach about money, but when you tithe should it be before or after taxes? Well, first fruits, right? So God wants the best of everything from you because that's what He gave to you, okay? The first fruits. Turn to 1 Thessalonians chapter 4. And let's look at this last, let's look at one last verse on the redemption of our body. And we'll find out when that's going to happen. 1 Thessalonians chapter 4. Look down at verse number 14. 1 Thessalonians chapter 4 and verse number 14. Of course, this is talking about the rapture. And the Bible talks about who's going to get raptured. And in verse number 14, the Bible says, for if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them which also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with Him. Sleeping in Jesus means they physically died, they're in heaven, but their bodies are in the ground, in the grave. For this we say that unto you by the word of the Lord that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout and with the voice of the archangel, with the trump of God and the dead in Christ shall rise first. So that's when people will be resurrected bodily and they will receive that in corruption, okay? Look at verse number 24. Romans 8 verse 24. And we see kind of another theme coming up. For we are saved, so you can tell that in verse number 23, he's talking about salvation, the redemption of your body in that resurrection. For we are saved by hope. But hope that is seen is not hope. For what a man seeeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that which we see not, then we do we with patience wait for it. So let's talk about this biblical hope that Paul is talking about in these two verses. Turn to Hebrews chapter 11. I want to show you the biblical path to hope and what he's talking about here. Because that could be kind of confusing when you just read that through. He's saying we're saved by hope. Well, I thought we were saved by faith. Let's take a look at this. We're going to see how these tie together, okay? I mean, this is one of the beautiful things about the Bible. I mean, this is once again, why words matter? You can't just go change words in the Bible. You can't change single words in the Bible because then you do have mistakes. But you see here how beautiful this writing is and how it all ties together. Look at Hebrews 11 in verse number one. Now faith, now here's another word. Now faith is the substance of things hoped for. The evidence of things not seen. So we see that what is hoped for is what? Faith. So you see how Paul in Romans 8, 24 and 25, how that just ties perfectly together. Now turn to Romans 10, 17. I don't want to give away Romans chapter 10, but I'm sure there's other things there. Romans 10, 17. Let's take this a little bit further. Romans 10 in verse number 17. So now we saw faith is what is the substance of things hoped for. Look at verse 17. So how do we get this faith? We need to get some of this stuff. So then faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God. Look back at verse number 14. I kind of went backwards on this one, but let's just go back to verse number 14 in Romans chapter 10. So now we see that faith comes by hearing the word of God. And then the Bible says here it says, How shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? So believing is salvation. And they get salvation when they hear, but they haven't heard. And how shall they hear without a preacher? So what I'm trying to get you to understand here is that when you go out soul winning on Saturday, you are an ambassador of hope to people. Because how could they hear without you? And faith that they need for hope comes by hearing from you. And then that is where they get hope. That's biblical hope right there. I mean, are you depressed? You can have hope if you're saved. Look at Titus chapter 1 of verse 2. You all know it in hope of what? In hope of eternal life, which God that cannot lie promised before the world began. So you as a soul winner can be an ambassador to hope for people. I don't care how depressed you are. If you realize, if you do a good, I don't care how depressed someone is when you knock on the door, and you do a good job of getting the message of the gospel across to them, you will make their life. I mean, think about that. You have the ability to make someone's eternity on Saturday. I mean, that's pretty amazing that God gives us that responsibility. So I mean, when you think about it that way, I mean really what we've been given by God, what really can go wrong in your life? You know what I'm saying? I mean, what really can go wrong in my life knowing what I have hope in. That I have hope in this eternal life. You know, Paul said in Philippians chapter 1, go ahead and turn there. Paul lived a pretty miserable life most of the time that I read anyway. He was not having a good time on this earth physically. He had joy. He had joy, but physically by our standards, we would say Paul's life was not great. He suffered a lot physically. Look at Philippians chapter 1 in verse number 21. Paul says this, For me to live as Christ and to die is gain. He's saying if I die, that's just even better because I get to go be with Christ. But if I live in the flesh, this is the, but if I live in the flesh and he's talking about staying alive and not dying, this is the fruit of my labor. Yet what shall I, what I shall choose, I what not. For I am in a straight betwixt to having a desire to depart and to be with Christ, which is far better. Nevertheless, to abide in the flesh is more needful for you. So Paul, I mean think about this guy now. Paul is in a situation where he's like, you know what, personally I would rather just die and go be with the Lord. I mean, that's a guy that's probably suffering, right? He's probably suffering in his life a lot. And if you read the Bible, you can read about those sufferings that Paul went through. But he says, you know what? It's more needful for you that I stay here. Isn't that great? And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide and continue with you all for your furtherance and joy of faith. That you're rejoicing maybe more abundant in Jesus Christ for me by my coming to you again. So he's like, you know what? I personally would just rather die because that's just gain. When you die, that's just gain for you. When you die physically. So I mean that's part of the reason that I guess that is the reason that you should not fear anything except what the Bible tells you to fear, which is God. You should not be afraid of what people could do to you, what people could persecute you with. You know, you should not live your life in fear except of God, the Bible says. Because to die is just gain. You just get to be with Christ immediately. You know, bring it on. That's your hope. Look down to verse number 26. Of course, these are the verses that we kind of, you know, we're getting to the verses that we've preached through. So I'm not going to re-preach this sermon, but now that we understand what these mean, it'll make more sense to us. In verse number 26, likewise the Spirit also help with our infirmities for we know not what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit itself make an intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. The Bible is saying the Spirit will help you pray. Will help you pray for what you need. And He that searches the hearts knoweth what is in the mind of the Spirit because He make an intercession for the saints according to the will of God. And then verse number 28 is a verse that many people use kind of out of context, I think, but the Bible says this. And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to His purpose. So this is basically saying, you know, people will use this to say, oh, God's just going to make everything better for everybody all the time. You know, this is the magnet you have on people's fridge all the time, that everything's just going to be great all the time. But what this really means, if you notice those three verses or those four words, it says, and we know that all things work together for good to them that love God. So what does it mean to love God? I'll just read for you, John 14, 15. Jesus said, if you love me, keep my commandments. So if you're saved and you're keeping the commandments of God, meaning you're walking in the Spirit, here's basically what this verse means. If you want God's plan A for your life to work out because God, He looks down at you as a saved person and He wants you to be saved as soon as possible. He would love for some soul winner to walk up to you when you're seven or eight years old and get saved. That's basically what verse 28, 29 and 30 talk about, how God wants you to be saved. That's His plan, that's His calling for your life. And if you get saved and then walk in the Spirit, God's plan for you is going to work out. God's going to use you if you turn and walk in the Spirit after you get saved. Now, you say, well, you know, I got saved, 10 years went by and I didn't do anything. I was still in the flesh. Well, guess what? You know, there's a plan B and a plan C and a plan D for your life. You look at the men in the Bible. I've mentioned this before. Moses didn't even start his greatest works. He didn't really do anything for the Lord until he was 80. So it's never too late to start, you know, working that plan, start walking in the Spirit and let God use you in this life. Now, there's things, you know, your plan B is probably not going to be as great as your plan A was. If you go out and get divorced, you're probably not going to be a pastor. You're not going to be. Right? So there's things you can do to mess up your life, but there's always still a plan B, a plan C, a plan D where God can use you. As long as there's breath in you, you can be used of God. That's what the Bible is saying in Romans 8, 28. To them that love God, God will work things out for the good, which is to use you in this life. Look, this is about your life in Romans 8. It's about your physical life on this earth. That's what he's talking about. This walking in the Spirit or walking in the flesh. He's talking about this is where your works matter. I mean, we talk so much about works not mattering and works not mattering, but after you're saved, this is where your works count, folks. This is what Paul is saying. Get it together. Walk in the Spirit and let God use you in your life. Let God, Romans 8, 28 you for your whole life. You should explain this to people after you get them saved. You should explain to someone at the door who had no hope, who was just wasting their life, which everybody is. I don't care. I don't care if you make $10,000 a year. You make $0 a year, or you make $200,000 a year. All these unsaved people are wasting their whole life. And then they're going to go to hell. I mean, if you get somebody saved, please plead with them a little bit from the Bible and tell them, please don't waste your life. Let God use you. Here's what you can do. I mean, everybody wants to be important, right? Everybody wants to do wonderful things, right? Everybody already is wonderful in their own mind. How would you like to actually do wonderful things for the Lord in your life? I mean, take some time with people and go through some of this. Take 10 minutes. You already took 20 minutes, 30 minutes to get them saved. Hey, you know, make them the next soul winner. All right, where were we at here? I lost my place. Okay, Romans 8, 29. So these are the verses we preached through. See the book of life, sermon. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his son, that he might be the first born among many brethren. Moreover, whom he did predestinate, them he also called, and whom he also called, them he also justified, and whom he justified, them he also glorified. God wants everyone to be saved. He's calling everyone to be saved. He's calling everyone to be conformed to the image of his son after they're saved. He wants everyone to walk in the spirit. This is what it's talking about. Okay, verse 31. What shall we say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? I love that. He that spareth not his own son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? More of Romans 8, 28, right there. Verse 33. Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? Elect meaning, you know, I'm not going to preach on that, but elect, God's elect is the saved. It's those who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. It is God that justifies, who is he that condemneth. It is Christ that died, ye rather that is risen again, who even at the right hand of God who also maketh intercession for us. This is saying that you're saved, and who could charge anything, who could say that you're guilty once God has saved you. Nobody. It's God that condemneth. It's God that justifies. He's using those two words as contrasts. It's talking about salvation. Turn to John 3.18. Now this is talking about, you know, no one will ever be able to lay anything to your charge if you're saved. Because you're saved. You're washed. Isaiah 1.18 says, Come now, let us reason together, sayeth the Lord, though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow, though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. Your sins are washed away. In John 3.18, look at this idea of who can condemn you. The Bible says, he that believeth on him is not condemned. But he that believeth not is condemned already. Why is he condemned? Because he had not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. So when you've believed, you're not condemned. Isaiah 8.35. We get even deeper into this idea that once you're saved, you're always saved. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sort. Notice how it says who shall separate us from the love of Christ. It doesn't say who shall separate, you know, all love from God. It's not talking about all love towards Christ. It's talking about Christ's love towards us. And it's saying all these things, tribulation, distress, persecution, any of these bad things, the sword being killed. Once you're saved, there's nothing man can do to separate us from God. Verse 36. As it is written, for thy sake, we are killed all the day long. There's already several Christians that Paul knew that are killed already. We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things, there's nothing better than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. I mean, just in case he doesn't miss anything, he's like, nor any other creature. Nothing living. Or any kind of tribulation or anything. The Bible teaches so clearly eternal security. So clearly. Turn to John 10.28. I'm sure you all know this as well. Nothing can separate you from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Nothing. It doesn't say that you will love God like you should, because the Bible says if you love me, and by the way, saying you love God doesn't mean you love God. If you want to show your love to God, what do you do? You keep the commandments. You walk in the Spirit and not the flesh. The flesh is with you. You have a choice. Walk in the flesh, walk in the Spirit. If you love God, you will walk in the Spirit. That's Romans 8. Look at John 10.28. But luckily, God has more character than we do. Luckily. I mean, thank God that he has more character than us. The Bible says in Romans 10.28 I give unto them eternal life and they shall never perish. So if you ever perish after you believed on the Lord Jesus Christ and you have everlasting life, this is a lie. And I give unto them eternal life and they shall never perish. Neither. And then you just even more and more and more on top of it. In case there's people out there that want to twist his word, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father which gave them me is greater than all and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. So Jesus' hand and the Father's hand both have your salvation. No one can get it out of there. Not even you. I mean how could you teach salvation could be lost? And I mean, is this unclear? Neither death nor life nor angels nor principalities shall separate us from the love of God. Is that a riddle? No, these are clear Bible verses. You can make the argument that we had to go back and forth in the first part of Romans 8 and talk about walking after the flesh, talking after the spirit, do some Bible study there. But once again we use the Bible study tip that if there's a clear if there's an unclear verse in the Bible that is contradicting clear Scripture you need to study it out more. The Bible is deep my friends. I mean we could have preached 6 sermons 7 sermons, 8 sermons on Romans chapter 8 more. I mean I feel like I just skimmed over it. Look and this is really what got me when I was unsaved is that these people that oh it's about belief but you can lose it it's not logical. It's not logical. Believing that you have to work to get saved is no difference no different than believing you have to work to stay saved. It's the same thing. And everyone should be able to any logical thinking person should be able to understand that. And then of course you know the Bible backs it up but just that logical thought God's not illogical the Bible makes perfect sense. So we end Romans 8 with just a ceiling of eternal security here it's great. Okay Romans chapter 8 let's bow our heads and have a word of prayer. Dear Heavenly Father we thank you for the book of Romans we thank you for this chapter we thank you for your promise to us Lord we thank you for the hope that that promise gives us that hope of eternal life Lord we thank you for just this wonderful scripture that you've given us and all the depth of things that we could continue to learn for the rest of our lives Lord I could read this book for the rest of my life and not and just keep getting more and more from it and it just gives me more motivation it gives us more motivation to stay in the spirit and to stay in your word and just continue you know fighting this battle between the flesh and the spirit Lord Lord we thank you we thank you for your Holy Spirit bless this church and everyone in it in Jesus name we pray Amen