0:12 like brother Sur said uh it's really a privilege uh to come come as a church and come around God's word um it's a privilege to hear it's a privilege to understand it's privilege 0:31 to practice and uh transformed by his spirit and be a witness on this earth like u once uh I heard from um mean I read a 0:48 quote of uh brother Sadhu Sunundar Singh he said the greatest privilege on this earth we have is that we can take up our cross, deny ourselves and and take up 1:05 our cross and follow Christ. Once we close our life on earth, we don't have that privilege again. Uh he considered that as a great privilege. You know in scriptures when we read certain verses 1:25 uh many verses like that but I just thought about few uh it makes us to think it makes us to think one one of the words where Paul said in 2 Corinthians 11 he said 1:43 said about another Jesus means Paul was telling about another Jesus then we have to think Lord uh am I on right track or am I growing toward the right Jesus or another Jesus. See 2:01 that makes us to think. Uh otherwise if that was not written then we would have thought that Jesus means Jesus everything is same. Uh this person believes in this doctrine and calls on Jesus. This person believes in this 2:16 doctrine and calls on Jesus. But it's all intellectual understanding and the faith which which is in the head head knowledge rather. And another verse I think of Jesus was saying in Matthew 15 where he said these 2:35 people say so many things with their mouth but their heart is far away. In fact, Jesus was quoting Isaiah because that also makes us to think oh um there can be a mismatch in what we say and 2:53 what we believe in our heart. So we we could see that during Jesus time people who said oh we know God we worship God we're serving God and they killed Jesus. So there such contrast can happen and uh 3:12 another verse I can think of Peter saying uh 1 Peter 5 he spoke about this is the true grace of God. Oh that means there is something called false grace otherwise he wouldn't have said that 3:29 this is the true grace. See when we read these verses which makes us to think Lord uh help us to know in the midst of all the knowledge all that being preached is my own life founded on the right 3:49 foundation or not that's very very important otherwise uh means like Paul said in 2 Corinthians sorry 2 Thessalonians chapter 2 where God allows certain people to be deceived because they don't love the truth so as to be 4:08 saved. Um that's quite possible. God has uh allowed all these things so that we will diligently seek him. He is the rewarder of those who diligently seek him. So God wants us to search him and 4:25 find him. it's our uh u uh obligation or necessity. So I was thinking about this verse 2 Peter chapter 1 uh 2 Peter chapter 1 verse one 4:42 uh Peter writes like this a bond servant and apostle of Jesus Christ to those who have received a faith of the same kind as ours by the righteousness of our God 4:59 and Savior Jesus Christ see um he is specifically saying there are certain kind of faith we have received that means Peter and all those who were in touch with Peter in fellowship with 5:14 Peter Paul and many godly ones apostles see they received certain kind of faith that's what he's emphasizing this also makes us to think oh there is certain kind of faith which leads to godliness is a certain kind of faith 5:33 doesn't lead us to godliness or rather relationship with Jesus. He has who have received a faith of the same kind of uh kind as ours. It's something which I thought and uh uh I wanted to 5:53 um think about this and share what is in my heart and then I would like to turn to Romans chapter 1 verse 5 here what Paul writes Romans chapter 1 verse 5 6:13 it says According to the verse four, last part says, "According to the spirit of holiness, Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom we have received grace and apostilhip 6:32 to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles for his name's sake." So here Paul is kind of trying to emphasize we have received 6:49 grace and apostilhip to bring about the obedience of faith. We have heard about faith. We hear much about faith because our life begins with faith, continues with faith. It's a work of the Holy 7:03 Spirit and we grow in faith. But here Peter is specifically sorry Paul is specifically saying that there is a certain kind of faith which leads us to obedience. It's called obedience of 7:21 faith. Even in chapter 16 also he mentioned mentions about obedience of faith. If we read through Romans is a kind of a stepby-step progress where oh sinners religious sinners justification 7:37 seriousness of sin and uh how we can be we can master sin overcome sin and the life in the spirit it's all progresses gradually chapter 16 again it's like a brackets it says obedience of faith I I was 7:55 thinking about this see how we are born again. Today we have some baptisms uh where some of the brothers and sisters who have received the faith and received that born again experience will be 8:11 sharing. So how we are born again? So first we received a faith that helped us to see uh that we are sinners. we were convicted that we were sinners. That's a faith actually. It's it's very very 8:30 important faith. Uh in fact uh if I have to say uh what is the first uh touch from God or first connection with God? How it is established or but God is trying to uh kind of touch our heart 8:49 speak to us from the birth. God is trying to use so many means to uh help us to uh communicate that faith that what is that faith that is something is wrong in you something is not okay. I I received that faith means 9:08 it started more uh strongly working from when I was 21 year 22 years like that I was born again at the age of I was a Catholic I was born again at the age of 25 means that time it came so powerfully that oh I always thought that oh there's 9:27 something because of that uh I'm not having peace in my life I don't have joy in my life I I find so much confusion. Oh, because of this, because of that uh circumstances, maybe upbringing. Oh, this failure. Oh, if this had not 9:44 happened, oh, maybe it would have been better. All these things, it's all running in the mind. And uh maybe bitterness grows because of that and unrest and unforgiveness, dissatisfaction, discontentment, so many 10:01 things. But uh the the when the touch of God comes rather faith comes to us. Oh, it's nothing of that. It is me the sinner. That's why I have a problem 10:17 because between me and my God there is something called sin which need to be dealt which is blocking because of me is there is no block from God's side. That's a block from my side. See that is 10:34 a faith and what that leads to and leads to obedience of faith that is what what is the next step I will acknowledge Lord it's not that this not even you nothing else it's me 10:54 the sinner I want to repent see this is when faith comes to a man even to Paul you can think of. See Paul was rushing on doing so many things but something hit him when he saw Stephen got killed. He saw 11:12 something quite different that hit him. The faith came into him means like something started working. Then when Jesus spoke to him that became very clear and evident and then he what what happened? What's the result of God's 11:29 speaking or rather faith coming into the heart the certain steps he had to take. he has to obey or all of us we we have done that all those who are born again we acknowledge and repent and say Lord 11:45 it's me I am the sinner nobody else even Satan is not responsible for this I am responsible and I want to take a step to acknowledge and obey in repentance I want to repent 12:04 see that's So it grows. See what what happens. Genuine faith leads to obedience. Then the faith grows more to see more clearly the sacrifice of Jesus. 12:20 What Jesus did, what Jesus means, what exactly Jesus did to remove that block, that sin which was blocking me and God. See that that's how faith grows. Then we accept that uh the sacrifice of Jesus. 12:38 See it's all see like we see and faith grows and we accept we take one step at a time. It's called obedience of faith. We go one step at a time. That is the true faith rather. It's a true faith and then um then we receive something more 12:57 from God that is an assurance of forgiveness. assured that Lord because of you you took the punishment I have been forgiven. See the thing is that's the see in fact uh Jesus said in Luke 10 sorry Luke 15 where he said for this 13:17 reason the heaven rejoices when a s sinner repents the whole heaven rejoices because see he's responding to the faith he's receiving. See if the response is not taken. See, most of us or rather 13:32 some of us maybe uh receive faith but it's only intellectual faith. If there is no response or obedience then it will not grow. It is only intellectual faith. This is what the the dangerous thing which is happening rampantly around the 13:50 world where people think that uh oh I received faith but there is no response. there is no obedience then they think that they are okay. So, oh somebody believes this or do you believe this? Do you believe this? Do you There is no 14:06 repentance. There is no response to the faith received and then it is not obedience of faith. Then it is not a complete salvation. Then if they are baptized and make them to believe that they are okay, they are really born 14:21 again, then they only suffer actually. See, then they the growth won't come. So then there's some more faith comes. Oh, I think 2 Corinthians 5:15 5:15. Yes, it says if you believe that Jesus died, 14:41 then you don't have right on yourself. See the displacement happens. The faith comes that Jesus died and with that what what is the obedience? Obedience is oh I have to displace myself. The self which is sitting on the throne which is the cause of all the 15:00 calamities of my life. It has led always away from God and that self of me the one who is sitting on the throne should be displaced. And if Jesus died, Lord Jesus, thank you very much. You worked 15:18 out my salvation to forgive me. remove that uh wrath of God, anger of God. Thank you very much Jesus. You took the anger of God. You took the punishment. You suffered. You shed the blood. That has been accepted by the father and 15:36 fa father um uh like raised Jesus. Father raised Jesus by approving. Yes, I have accepted this because of that uh I have been forgiven. Now I have I have to respond by obedience that Lord it's not 15:54 me no longer I Lord but Christ lives in me Lord Jesus you take that place but self always through throughout our life it's a battle self wants to come and sit on the throne but we have to consciously by the help of the spirit we have to say 16:11 no to flesh and ask Jesus to come the holy spirit to come and take over see this is the step when we are born again but it has to continue. I want to see some more verses uh where yeah it says uh Philippians 2 21. 16:30 See here Paul says for they all seek after their own interest not those of Christ Jesus. See who are these people? For they all seek after their own interest not those of Christ Jesus. See Paul is talking about Timothy and the 16:50 many others. He is comparing he was comparing. What is he saying is these people who say that they have faith but there there is no response in uh obedience. There is no obedience. But Timotei is not like that. Timotei is 17:13 not seeking his own interest. But he is seeking God's interest. See, this is called obedience of faith. So if I have received faith, true faith from God, there is an obedience. Uh obedience in not seeking my own interest. If I am 17:31 seeking my own interest, I am coming to God. Uh Lord uh you do this for me, you do this that for me and okay me me oh my joy my peace my this thing my that thing my money my property my health this that then what's the difference between the 17:49 people who have faith in other gods who go after their those other gods in seeking their own interests and there's no difference between them and us so that's why so It's very important that we uh have to examine our 18:07 own heart. Lord, is this faith leading me to obedience? If it is not leading me to obedience, that faith will remain only in the head. It doesn't sink into heart and it doesn't make a difference to our life. 1 Corinthians 13:5 um where 18:24 Paul's writes about love. He says that love does not seek its own. That means if I have recognized the love of God, I will not seek my own anybody. You see even in home matters if if I'm thinking about me me then 18:43 maybe I have not received the true faith the faith which leads to obedience. Even Romans 15:3 says it says about Jesus Christ did not seek his own. In fact, it is talking about uh kind of dealing with weak people in the church. Like somebody 19:02 who is weak in faith, we give space. Husband is strong in faith, he has to give space for his wife's weakness. If wife is strong and wife has to give space for husband's weakness. Uh if husband and wife parents are strong, 19:19 they have to give space for children's their weakness. See that is faith. If I have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, then I give space. You know why I have to give space? I am obligated to give fa space to those who are weak. Because God 19:37 also has decided to give me space for me. He's strong and I'm weak. He said yes, I will give you space. I I will uh cooperate with you. see that that because of that we have obligation even mercy why we have to show mercy to 19:56 others because I have received mercy that's that's very important see if I say that I have received mercy from God I have an obligation to u it's called obedience of faith if I have faith I obey the lord in giving space to others 20:14 that's that becomes my obligation even 1 John 3:16 uh I would like to See in regard to church rather see we know love by this you know this is love one John is saying and that he laid down his life for us 20:33 and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. So here see it's it's combination of faith received and faith leads to obedience. See oh you received faith. Oh, he died. Like we heard earlier we he 20:53 died also I will also die. I will also lay down my life for brothers whom I see. See like the many people are eager to break bread. But u what is the implication? Oh I believe that Jesus died for me but when I break 21:10 bread I directly saying I want to yield myself to this body what I see around. And if I don't have that kind of a kind of an obligation or obedience then what I received faith is it's an intellectual faith. Uh I I I see uh I am 21:29 okay but I don't have any obligation because I am not exercising my faith in obedience. That is where we fail. 1 John 4:20. If someone says I love God and hates his brother, he is a liar. For the one who does not love his brother whom 21:48 he has seen cannot love God whom he cannot cannot see. See here again the faith and obedience comes. If you say you have faith that God loves you then you have an obligation to love your brother. If you hate your brother then 22:05 the faith you have in love of God is fake. So that's what he is trying to say. In John John 13:35 it says by this all men will know when people know that I am a disciple that when I like that 22:23 you are my disciple if you love one another that means what is love is Lord help me to help my brother help my sister to become better disciple of you better child of you see that that's the obligation see you are disciple when you 22:41 are helping others to be a better disciple. We we have an obligation. That's how u Jesus demonstrated. And then again Jesus spoke about humility. That is Matthew 5:3. If you uh if you believe me, you will have poverty of spirit. 23:00 Blessed are the poor in spirit. Theirs is the kingdom of God. See, there is a weakness in us. The that is that's what it does. What faith does? Faith will help us to recognize our weakness. We are so weak, helpless. If you see Jesus, 23:17 see like we read last week like in Isaiah 53. So today Jesus is portrayed very differently. But Isaiah says who will believe this message from us when we say that he grew up like an ordinary person and uh he was tempted in all 23:37 points and he was treated badly. There was no attractiveness. People rejected him. All that he went through because he see he could have asked God to do something in whoever opposes him. He could have asked angels 23:55 to come and do something. He could have done that. But no, he he believed father is in control. My father is on the throne. I don't have to fight. Maybe god has something in in in all these things. 24:14 When God allowed all allows me to be cheated or beaten or scolded or illreated, persecuted. My father has something something good in store for me. See, he didn't revile. 24:32 We read that in 1 Peter 2. Think he didn't revile. He he didn't try to justify himself, prove himself, nothing. See, he was like a treated like a scum. One one phrase says that he was treated very badly. He was not attractive to 24:48 people. This fellow this this fellow is nothing. That's because of obedience of faith. He didn't want to promote himself and say I will do this. Oh, I'll promote myself. No, there is no uh promoting by 25:05 himself. He knew if father tells me to be like this without preaching to anyone telling anyone anything let everybody misunderstand and I am okay with that and one fine day father will take care of everything see that's how see this is 25:24 obedience of faith just because Jesus believed my father is on the throne you know he went through all is so father had a plan in all these things. That's what we see that I think uh in 25:43 um Matthew 8 also we see that the centurion said see Jesus you have power and authority that is because uh he saw that this man uh is under some authority. He he is obeying he's obeying 26:01 some authority. So he has authority. See it's it's connected. So he the centurion recognized. See this is obedience of faith. Jesus kept quiet in his own position. He was under authority and centurion recognized this man has 26:21 spiritual authority. He can pray and it will be answered by the father. That's how we see that. That's why in James 4 we read that God gives grace to the humble. So who who is growing here? Those who are uh receiving faith 26:39 and obeying what God tells them only those are growing in grace. So I would like to read one more verse uh in James itself. James chapter 1 it's a well-known verse. So it says 26:57 consider it all joy. You know this faith whatever we are receiving it has to be tested. It has to be tested. Who will test? God himself will test. So God is God's word says James saying that uh chapter 1 verse two 27:17 consider it all joy my brethren when you encounter various trials knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance the faith tested leads to endurance that's when the obedience comes when we 27:35 remain quite under the testing of God and let endurance have its perfect result so that you may be perfect and complete lacking in nothing. That's what God is trying. Brothers and sisters, I'm not speaking like an expert. I've been 27:52 tested almost every day. I have to go back to God and say, "Lord, uh is my faith okay?" See, sometimes we may go through some situations. See, like recently we had unexpected deaths of two brothers. uh what will happen I mean like your 28:11 family find it very difficult even one of one of the brother was an elder of a church effective member and an effective elder of a church so what's the question is Lord what's happening and then Lord is testing each one do we 28:31 speculate question God or crumble under uh doubts and fears and anxieties or we say like uh James says consider it all joy Lord we don't understand but uh we 28:50 just obey and do what you are saying I I like the phrase uh what Jesus told John the Baptist he said uh to fulfill the righteousness see when he came to take water baptism um John John the Baptist said, "No, I'm supposed to be baptizing 29:09 you. Why? Why I should baptize you?" Then Jesus reaction was, "No, it is for the righteousness sake." See, I I was thinking about that. See, whatever we need to do, God has told me uh let me do it. That's all. Uh do I understand 29:25 everything? No, I don't. I may not understand. I don't want to understand. God will take care because God has told me I will do it. That's how Jesus lived. For Jesus life was very simple that let me fulfill the righteousness. Okay. Uh 29:41 somebody is accusing I'll keep quiet. That's righteousness. Uh father is not telling me to say anything in reply. So I'll keep quiet. So he he kept on living like that. That's how even with baptism or in in anything he just kept on doing 29:59 what the father was telling as a righteousness. Oh, this is right in God's eyes. I will do it. That's all. Then life was not complicated for Jesus. So if we walk that path, it's very simple. So okay, I have to forgive my 30:14 wife. Yes, I have to forgive. That's a righteousness. But uh oh you why you should do this and speculate. Oh, was she right? I was I right? No. All this speculation will lead to confusion. No, just uh father is in control. See, 30:32 that's that's what he is saying. Even 1 Peter 1:6, it says in this you greatly rejoice even though now for a little while if necessary you have been distressed by the various trials. So trials will come so that the proof of 30:50 your faith being more precious than gold which is perishable even though tested by fire may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Yeah, we leave it to God. 31:06 But faith should develop and uh that how it develops when it goes under uh obedience like see I just obey God what God is saying and faith will grow and the result is in God's hand. See like 31:24 the seed uh you know when when a farmer sws a seed uh you know he doesn't look at it. He just it goes into the um ground. It has to undergo various 31:39 pressures, air pressure, water pressure, soil pressure and so many things and then one day life will come and we have to live it like that. Many things uh like Jesus did. See obedience of faith 31:57 is I keep obeying. I keep doing what the father is telling me to do and result not in my hand. Result in is in god's hand. That's how Jesus had tremendous rest. See otherwise what happens? Uh we see uh Lord uh I want answers to 32:14 everything uh I find difficult until you tell me clearly I will not obey. Then that's not obedience of faith. That is obedience of reasoning. that doesn't doesn't work. So obedience of faith is I leave it in God's hand and 32:33 God will take care. So uh I was thinking about this I think Hebrewsap 11. See Hebrews 11 verse 7 verse 7. By faith, Noah being 32:49 warned by God about things not had seen in reverence prepared the ar prepared an ark for the salvation of his household by which he condemned the world. See there is a principle in the world. We'll do uh what we see what we understand 33:08 only that we do. But no, he received a faith and God spoke to him. He just responded and he was seen as a as a fool for 120 33:24 years. He was seen as a fool for 120 years. Now, oh, we respect and value brother uh sorry Noah, but uh he went through that. Why? because he received a 33:41 faith and he kept on obeying God. The Lord told he goes and he was a preacher of righteousness. He preaches, everybody laughs at at at him and he goes back to build the ark. Everybody laughs at him. He goes back. He kept on. This is called 34:00 obedience of faith. That's how we need to live. Faith is not oh it's it's not that oh it's not reasonable. No, it's it's beyond reason. See, all these people found results in their life because God was even Jesus' life. See, 34:18 God was watching. They they didn't uh want to prove to anyone, explain to anyone, but God proved their life. That that's what we need. Brothers and sisters, see, God has to prove. Oh, some misunderstanding. Okay, let there be 34:33 misunderstanding. Lord uh what I am supposed to do keep quiet keep quiet I will redeem you at the at the right time that's what Jesus has shown us that's called obedience of faith say like a wife uh an unbelieving husband uh what 34:49 am I supposed to do my husband is not cooperating whatever it is daughter you keep doing what father is telling that's all that that's what we see in 1 Peter 3 35:05 3 1 and two just just keep up to what you have to obey but that's all the result will come that God will uh make things to happen like by faith Abraham verse 8 when he was called obeyed by going out to a place which he was to 35:25 receive for an in inheritance and he went out not knowing where he was going By faith he lived as an alien in the land of promise as a for see so many things what is this today we know that they got the result even about job also 35:44 oh he didn't find it was means at that time it was not clear for him or things but one thing he received faith in his heart that god is in control and he kept on obeying what father was saying even though externally didn't look all that 36:03 okay see that's how we our faith is developed brothers this is the true faith this is the true faith this is the faith which Peter is talking about you see by faith verse 23 uh Moses he takes 36:18 steps see faith always leads to take step see these who are taking water baptism faith came into their heart they took a step to repent acknowledge and believe Jesus and then receive that 36:35 assurance. It's not intellectual thing. Receiving an assurance in the heart is not intellectual thing. See, intellectually uh it's all there. But when the pressures of life come, we get shaken. If the the assurance comes into 36:54 our heart, even pressures of life will refine faith to a greater heights. See we see oh somebody like brother Zach, brother Ian, many godly ones how they grew. See they re received an assurance in the heart and then they kept obeying 37:13 and their faith was tried and tested and they grew more in faith. What is the result? A fantastic life um life or a kind of unshakable life. We can say that kind of life will come only when we 37:31 entrust it to God and keep asking God to fill us with the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit will work in our heart and keep producing the strength in us so that we can face trial and uh we are not shaken because that assurance uh that 37:48 faith and obedience this faith and obedience leads us to the greater strength strength from God and helps us to stand in trial. That's what we must desire. That's what happened with Jesus. See, you think about Jesus. I would like to read that 38:04 verse. Hebrews 12:1. After um 11th chapter, all the Old Testament thing, many things happened externally. But what is the better thing? This what happened with Jesus? The obedience of faith that is written here. Let us run 38:21 with endurance the race that is set before us. What is that race? Fixing our eyes on Jesus. The one who had faith in the father and kept obeying all that father said and interested everything in father's hand. The author and perfector 38:41 of this kind of faith. Peter says those who have received our kind of faith. What is that? The faith which was in Jesus Peter received Paul received that was working. What is that? That is called obedience of faith. It's a faith which 39:00 helps me to obey and what is it? Without questioning and trusting the father and then what is the result? He he was who for the joy set before him endured the cross. Yes, endure. We have to endure because our 39:18 faith is being tested. So it it results great joy in heaven. See like even those who are taking baptism, those who are born again when they repented the rejoicing in heaven only heaven re recognizes that. But people may not 39:35 recognize but those who are born again can recognize. But here we can recognize what Jesus went through. He endured the cross despising the shame has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him. See again and again we 39:54 have to look at Jesus. I want that kind of faith. I want to go that kind of path of obedience and receive greater grace, faith and then I want to live an unshakable life like Jesus did who has 40:12 endured such hostility by sinners against himself so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. So what writer is saying is if you don't look at Jesus there is a chance that you stop obeying God 40:29 or you will go to uh people who have only intellectual faith and those who are not tested. I like uh company of those who always uh avoid the cross, avoid to follow Jesus, 40:47 uh avoid to taking up the cross and denying theirel and I want to enjoy with the people who discuss about this doctrine, that doctrine, so many things and when they are tested, they will fail. May the Lord help us that we walk 41:05 this path and we receive this kind of faith which leads us to obedience and help us to grow in the Lord. We rarely hear what we heard this morning here. Obedience of faith. 41:22 Normally in other churches you only hear about faith. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved. That is scripture. No doubt but they don't emphasize further than that because the 41:41 gospel is Jesus said neither will I condemn you. He didn't stop there. He said go and sin no more. And obedience of faith. 42:03 If you dig deep into the scripture, it is scriptural. It is the true gospel. We heard Paul saying in 2 Corinthians 11 about three things, false things. Paul's 42:22 grace different Jesus different spirit. So this you don't hear in other churches they just think that this is some some 42:39 other denomination things like that. But this is the same Paul who wrote about the true grace, the true Jesus, true gospel is also saying here 42:56 that there is another Jesus who says come to me I will forgive your sins and then you live as you want. This is one kind of Jesus. We don't 43:13 preach this Jesus and a different spirit, a different spirit that will not give you the inner strength to obey. obedience of faith 43:35 that will not give you the inner strength to obey and follow Jesus. Just before Jesus left the earth, he said in Matthew 28:18 and 19, he said, "Go into all the world, preach the gospel, and baptize them in the name of 43:53 the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you." This is what most churches leave it. They don't emphasize on it. 44:12 Believe on the Lord Jesus. Come to him and be baptized. Your ticket is reserved in heaven. That is a false gospel. That is a false Jesus. That is a false spirit. The real Jesus tells you, "Neither will I condemn you 44:30 when you come to him in repentance and faith." Then he also tells you go and sin no more. And the Bible says you are not under law to sin but you are 44:49 under grace. Romans 6:14. So that sin shall not have dominion over you. If a person is under true grace of God, sin will not have dominion over him. Gradually, eventually, 45:08 slowly but steadily, he overcomes all conscious sins and he gets victory in his life and he lives a victorious life. He is not defeated every day like he was 45:27 before. There is no change. If there is no change in those of you who are taking baptism today and if your own parents and siblings 45:43 are not convinced about the change that has happened in your personal life, then you're not really born again. You better face up to it. And maybe it is good for 45:58 you to postpone your baptism. Pause it. There are people whom who came here, who were baptized elsewhere, who came here and heard the gospel properly, understood it properly, 46:16 repented it, repented of their sins properly, and then they took their baptism meaningfully. a second time. So don't be under that category. If you are really if you have really repented 46:36 and forsaken your sins, confessed it to the Lord, you have found mercy. And if you just conceal them, you'll find no grace, no mercy, and you'll continue as if nothing has happened to 46:55 you. A genuinely bornagain Christian is one whose old things passed away, have passed away, and everything has become new. He's a new creation in Christ Jesus. 47:14 2 Corinthians 5:17. If any man is in Christ Jesus, he's a new creature. Old things passed away. Behold, all things have become new. Has it been noticed by your parents, siblings, your friends, your relatives, your colleagues 47:33 or your classmates. If that has not happened and you are still joining them in their sin and mockery about things of God, then check yourself whether you are 47:51 really in the faith. bold desire to sin is put off. When you come to Christ, 48:08 there is the Bible says the old man is crucified. The flesh is crucified and a new man is put inside of you by the Holy Spirit. 48:26 And that new desire that hates sin, what you once liked, hates sin and loves righteousness. That's why Jesus was anointed with the oil of gladness above his companions. It 48:45 says in Hebrews, because he hated sin and loved righteousness, if that is not happening in your life, my dear brothers and sisters, those who have already been baptized, if a change is not taking place in you 49:03 on a daily basis and you're not overcoming sin, conscious sin, I'm talking about, you don't want to consciously sin. I was talking to a brother who is going to take baptism outside before the 49:19 meeting. I asked him do you want to sin? Not that whether you will sin. Do you want to sin? Ask that question to yourself. Do you want to sin 49:36 knowingly and consciously? And every true bornagain child of God will say no. An emphatic no. I don't want to sin and grieve the heart of God. 49:55 Like Joseph said, even though he didn't live even under the old covenant, he lived before the law. And he said, "How can I sin against God?" So he had a very sensitive conscience. 50:13 He puts us to shame. And he said that he fled from that scene. And he had to face prison and all those things for the next 50:33 perhaps 10 total years. And then God who was looking what was happening in secret in Joseph's life, he rewarded him publicly by exalting him and making him the second ruler in 50:51 Egypt. My dear brothers and sisters, if you have genuinely repented, there will be a change, gradual change. There will be a hatred in you towards sin and the old way of living. You don't want to 51:10 live like the way you lived, but you want to press on towards perfection. The Lord says in Hebrews chapter 8, Hebrews chapter 8 51:29 10 and 12 he says in the last days I will make this covenant with my people. The Lord says, "I will put my laws into 51:47 their minds and I will write them upon their hearts." In the old covenant, he wrote them upon the tablets of stones. But now he says, I will put the my laws into their minds and I'll write them 52:05 upon the tablets of their heart and I will be their God and they shall be my people. And verse 12, for such people he says, I will be merciful to their iniquities 52:24 and I will remember their sins no more. I will remember their sins no more. And if God says I will remember your sins no more, 52:43 then why should you remember your sins? When Satan comes and tells you, you remember what you did that day or yesterday or today morning. What will be your answer? 53:00 talk back to the devil and tell him, "My sins have been forgiven. I have repented of it." And the Lord has forgiven them. And he says, "I will remember their sins no 53:19 more." Then who are you to tell me? My sins are forgiven and I am a new person. I am a changed person. Old things passed away. Behold, all things have become new. 53:37 Old desire of sinning is gone. And I hate to sin. I love righteousness. I love to obey the Lord. And today, brothers and sisters, you are witnessing to the outside world and to the spirit 53:58 world that you no longer belong to Satan. You belong to Jesus Christ. And baptism is an outward sign of an inward change that has already 54:18 happened in you because you have been born again. You repented of your past and you know the uh assurance that you have been accepted. you're a child of God. 54:36 And because of that, Jesus said, "Go and baptize them and teach them to obey all that I have commanded you." So if after baptism you are not being taught to obey 54:56 unlike in many churches um they just leave you at that after baptism they think you are ready for heaven. Brother we have a long way to go between baptism and our final call. 55:13 We have a long way to go. But in the meanwhile, if you take it lightly and you live like the rest of the world, you don't know that you may have lost your salvation. 55:32 We don't believe in that. Once saved, always saved. We believe you can be saved. If you are not careful to walk in obedience to the Lord, you can lose your salvation like it has happened in scripture in few 55:50 cases. So dear brothers and sisters, be encouraged that God has forgiven your sins and has given you the assurance in your heart. That you are a child of God. You 56:10 no longer belong to Satan or the world. You are a new creation in Christ. And the Lord is your father. God is your father. And the Holy Spirit is your helper and Satan is being crushed under your 56:29 feet on a daily basis. So that is your birthright. Then after that to such people Peter says in Acts 2:38, repent, believe, be baptized 56:48 and receive. Receive what? Receive the Holy Spirit to be strengthened in the inner man to live and to serve in the years to come. 57:07 May the Lord be gracious to you and help you. obey him in the waters of baptism and guide you in the coming days to become more and more conformed to the image of Jesus Christ. 57:24 Shall we bow our heads in prayer? Our father in heaven, we thank you for these dear young people who have decided to follow Jesus, 57:44 who have come to the point of repentance of their old ways and sins and want to commit their life to you. Lord, thank you for forgiving them, for giving them the assurance in their heart 58:02 that they belong to you. Now, as they go into the waters of baptism, we pray that you will help them to come out as new creatures in Christ. And also, we pray that you will pour out your spirit upon them. You'll fill them 58:20 with the Holy Spirit that they will be strengthened in the inner man to keep your commands and to put the devil under their feet in every situation and to walk in obedience 58:37 and to walk before your face, Lord Jesus, the rest of their life. keep them from the evil one because they belong to you now. We thank you and praise you for this time. We bless you in Jesus name. 58:54 Amen.
