100:00:00,720 –> 00:00:08,640The distinguishing mark of a righteous man in the unrighteous world is that he’s distressed,200:00:08,640 –> 00:00:13,840he experiences distress, you see the counterfeit believer takes a light view of sin. It doesn’t300:00:13,840 –> 00:00:18,959bother him, he finds a way to accommodate it in his own life. Live with it, become comfortable400:00:18,959 –> 00:00:24,400with it, say oh this is just something I can’t change. Welcome to Open the Bible with Pastor500:00:24,400 –> 00:00:29,920Colin Smith. Im David Pick Im glad you could join us today and Colin those who are troubled by600:00:30,480 –> 00:00:36,720a bad habit which is ultimately a sin in their life. It’s encouraging that that is a sign of700:00:36,720 –> 00:00:43,279a true believer. It really is and we’re in 2 Peter in chapter two and speaking about all this darkness800:00:43,279 –> 00:00:48,639and false teachers and counterfeit believers and all the rest of it and then Peter holds900:00:48,639 –> 00:00:55,200in on the one distinguishing mark of a genuine believer and he takes Lot as the example1000:00:55,200 –> 00:01:01,040and the distinguishing mark is just what you said being distressed over sin around and over sin1100:01:01,040 –> 00:01:05,760within and then he says for that kind of person God knows how to deliver that person it’s the1200:01:05,760 –> 00:01:09,839most marvellous encouragement. I think a lot of folks are really discouraged about the way1300:01:09,839 –> 00:01:17,199in which our culture is moving and the very distress over darkness is a sign of the presence1400:01:17,199 –> 00:01:22,879of light. And while there may be many listening today who will take comfort from that truth,1500:01:22,879 –> 00:01:28,320God will not allow the sin of this world and the sin of those who claim his name but don’t1600:01:28,320 –> 00:01:33,279want to deal with sin to go unpunished yeah that’s right and that’s at the core of second1700:01:33,279 –> 00:01:39,440Peter in chapter two he knows how to hold uh the angels who rebelled uh ready for judgment1800:01:39,440 –> 00:01:45,199and he has a day of judgment said that’s why no serious christian can ever be unconcerned1900:01:45,199 –> 00:01:50,480about the remaining presence of sin in our own lives so join us today if you can in the book2000:01:50,480 –> 00:01:57,120of two peter and chapter two today as we continue the message everything you need for deliverance2100:01:57,120 –> 00:02:01,360here is pastor Colin we’re homing in on the question how then do I know that I’m a real2200:02:01,360 –> 00:02:09,039christian and not a counterfeit christian well there is one distinguishing mark that2300:02:09,039 –> 00:02:13,199Peter draws out here I’m not saying it’s the only mark but it is one mark that he draws2400:02:13,199 –> 00:02:19,919out for us here and it’s very helpful it is hidden in your heart and therefore you2500:02:19,919 –> 00:02:24,160cannot know it for sure in other people but you can know it for sure in yourself2600:02:26,399 –> 00:02:30,479and just before we look at what it is let me just remind you that we do need to be very careful2700:02:30,479 –> 00:02:36,880about making false judgements find in my own spirit that i need to check myself because I2800:02:36,880 –> 00:02:44,000jump to conclusions too quickly again and again remember this when we read in verse two2900:02:44,800 –> 00:02:51,119of false teachers who deny the sovereignty of the Lord the sovereign Lord Jesus Christ3000:02:52,320 –> 00:02:54,240who’s writing this word about denying?3100:02:56,000 –> 00:03:01,039Peter! Peter! his pen must have quivered when he wrote the word deny3200:03:02,399 –> 00:03:10,960and you know if I’d been in the courtyard hearing this man call down curses and denying the Lord3300:03:11,039 –> 00:03:16,559three times, I might have been tempted to say well there you go you see he was a counterfeit3400:03:18,320 –> 00:03:23,119and I would have been dead wrong, would have been a premature judgment so be very careful3500:03:23,119 –> 00:03:27,839about making judgments. You can’t make, you see, because the distinguishing mark is hidden within3600:03:27,839 –> 00:03:32,479the heart, you can’t know it for sure of other people that’s why there’ll be some surprises in3700:03:32,479 –> 00:03:39,759heaven both in who is there and also in who is not there. You can’t know it in yourself what is it3800:03:39,759 –> 00:03:48,720here it is, Godly people are distressed over sin, that’s chapter two in verse eight.3900:03:49,839 –> 00:03:56,559Now let’s think about this Peter reminds us of a man called Lot who was a Godly man living in an4000:03:56,559 –> 00:04:03,119ungodly city. Lot had made a bad decision you can read about it in the book of Genesis where he4100:04:03,119 –> 00:04:08,399chose where to live and he experienced great unhappiness because he had chosen to live in4200:04:08,399 –> 00:04:16,239an unusually wicked city. But i want you to notice that Peter does not say anything about4300:04:16,239 –> 00:04:20,480Lot’s bad decision which is interesting because that’s the first thing that at least comes to my4400:04:20,480 –> 00:04:27,119mind and maybe yours when we think about Lot. Peter doesn’t say anything about his bad decision4500:04:28,399 –> 00:04:32,720that helps me because you know there are some decisions that we make in life that have lasting4600:04:32,720 –> 00:04:38,799consequences and if you could run your life again you would make a decision different. Talking here4700:04:38,799 –> 00:04:46,079about decisions of where to live, what career to pursue perhaps even a decision of who to marry4800:04:47,279 –> 00:04:53,600decision about where to locate and the truth is in the back of your mind if you could rerun the4900:04:53,600 –> 00:04:58,239last 20 years or 10 years or whatever it is you would have made that life decision differently5000:04:59,200 –> 00:05:05,119and it weighs on you and Lot made a decision that brought a whole lot of sorrow into his life when5100:05:05,119 –> 00:05:09,839he chose to live in Sodom and I think it is wonderful that Peter doesn’t say a single word5200:05:09,839 –> 00:05:20,239about it because as Peter looks back on the life of this man, see one bad decision can’t stop the5300:05:20,239 –> 00:05:30,000grace of God in your life. One movement that has lasting consequences can’t stop the grace of God.5400:05:30,000 –> 00:05:35,119The thing that matters about Lot is not that he made a bad decision that brought a lot of sorrow5500:05:35,119 –> 00:05:38,720in his life, that’s one thing that matters about Lot and that is that he was a righteous man.5600:05:38,720 –> 00:05:46,160That’s all that matters and Peter says it three times in verse 7 and 8. God rescued5700:05:46,160 –> 00:05:52,799Lot who was a righteous man, he was distressed by the filthy lives of lawless men for that5800:05:52,799 –> 00:05:58,399righteous man lived among them day after day, and he was demented in his righteous soul5900:05:58,399 –> 00:06:03,760by the lawless deeds that he saw and he heard. Three times, he was a righteous man. That’s the6000:06:03,760 –> 00:06:10,559one thing that matters about Lot, not his bad decision but that he was a righteous man.6100:06:10,559 –> 00:06:18,799Now, what is the mark of a righteous man in an unrighteous world? Peter says he was distressed6200:06:20,160 –> 00:06:26,640and he was tormented, and that was his experience day after day.6300:06:29,839 –> 00:06:35,040Here is the distinguishing mark of a righteous man in an unrighteous world.6400:06:35,040 –> 00:06:44,320He is distressed over sin. He’s distressed over sin in the world around him. He is distressed6500:06:44,320 –> 00:06:50,799over sin that remains in his own life and that he battles against. The distinguishing6600:06:50,799 –> 00:06:57,519mark of Lot, as a righteous man, was not that he was without sin. There is nobody without sin in6700:06:57,519 –> 00:07:03,040this world save our Lord Jesus Christ, and that is why he is our Lord and Savior and he alone.6800:07:03,040 –> 00:07:06,559The evidence that Lot was a righteous man is not that he was without sin,6900:07:06,559 –> 00:07:15,519but that he was distressed over sin wherever he saw it. That’s helpful. Because some of you7000:07:18,320 –> 00:07:22,559live and work in an environment, in business,7100:07:24,559 –> 00:07:29,920that causes you distress, tension in your conscience7200:07:29,920 –> 00:07:37,600every day. And you say, you know, you’re not off the world, you belong to Christ,7300:07:37,600 –> 00:07:41,839but you are in the world and you are doing business in an environment that you wish7400:07:41,839 –> 00:07:45,600was different from what it is. And you find there’s a distress and a torment7500:07:46,239 –> 00:07:49,600and you think wouldn’t it be nice to be a minister instead?7600:07:52,880 –> 00:07:55,440And I want to say to you,7700:07:56,320 –> 00:07:58,399I tell you there are people who go7800:07:58,399 –> 00:08:03,839into ministry for that reason and they never last. But I want to say to you, your distress7900:08:03,839 –> 00:08:10,320over that environment is a mark, a defining mark that you are the real thing. And I thank8000:08:10,320 –> 00:08:15,600God for it, and you should thank God for it when you feel the pressure of it. You’re like lot.8100:08:16,959 –> 00:08:20,320The distinguishing mark of a righteous man in the unrighteous world,8200:08:20,399 –> 00:08:26,160is that he is distressed. He experiences distress. You see, the counterfeit believer8300:08:26,160 –> 00:08:31,679takes a light view of sin. It doesn’t bother him. He finds a way to accommodate it in his own life,8400:08:31,679 –> 00:08:35,479live with it, become comfortable with it. Say, Oh this is just something I can’t change.8500:08:36,039 –> 00:08:39,640He sees it in the world around him and well you know, that’s just the way of the world. It doesn’t8600:08:39,640 –> 00:08:46,440really bother him. But if you are Christ, here is the distinguishing mark that you can see evidence8700:08:46,440 –> 00:08:58,760of in your own soul. If you are in Christ, you will experience distress over sin wherever you8800:08:58,760 –> 00:09:04,760see it whether it be around or within. Thank God for that distress. Can you see that mark in your8900:09:04,760 –> 00:09:13,400life? Does your own sin distress you or have you become comfortable with accommodating what you9000:09:13,400 –> 00:09:22,679have no intention of ever changing? Now the true Christian is distressed over sin. Lot is the model9100:09:22,679 –> 00:09:28,520of this. And the opposite therefore just reinforces the point, and you’ll see it in verse 22,9200:09:28,520 –> 00:09:36,200that unrighteous people, far from being distressed over sin, love sin. Speaking of the ungodly Peter9300:09:36,359 –> 00:09:44,760says—verse 22—of them, the proverbs are true—kids, listen up for this one—’a9400:09:45,960 –> 00:09:54,520dog returns to its vomit, and a pig, a sow, that is washed, goes back to her wallowing in9500:09:55,239 –> 00:10:02,200the mud.’ I think this is a marvelous verse for an illustrated talk to middle school students,9600:10:02,200 –> 00:10:09,239don’t you think? I mean, you read that and you go, oh, gross! That is disgusting—which9700:10:09,239 –> 00:10:15,799is exactly the effect that Peter’s words given by the Holy Spirit are intended to have.9800:10:16,359 –> 00:10:21,239A sinner who loves what is filthy and goes back to it is disgust—it is gross.9900:10:23,479 –> 00:10:26,200Now think about this, the dog returns to its own vomit.10000:10:26,200 –> 00:10:34,359It sniffs around what it is just thrown up. The dog is interested in it. It’s intrigued10100:10:34,359 –> 00:10:42,760by the vomit, because the dog loves the vomit, as the unrighteous man loves his sin.10200:10:42,760 –> 00:10:47,640That’s why he keeps going back to it. And, if you think about the pig that has just been10300:10:47,640 –> 00:10:55,880washed by the farmer, the pig goes back to wallow in the mud. Why? Because pigs love mud.10400:10:56,679 –> 00:11:03,479And sinners love sin and keep going back to it. Any change, therefore, in the dog10500:11:03,479 –> 00:11:09,400or in the pig, is not a change in nature, but it is merely temporary. The pig, when it’s washed,10600:11:09,400 –> 00:11:15,000looks better, but it never lasts, because it goes back to the mud and ends up as it was before.10700:11:15,000 –> 00:11:19,799The dog, that was sick, feels better. Isn’t that right? When you’re sick, you always feel better10800:11:19,799 –> 00:11:24,200when you got rid of it. Right? Okay? Feel better when you’ve been sick, but what does it do? It10900:11:24,200 –> 00:11:28,440goes back to its vomit, and, therefore, ends up being as ill as it was before.11000:11:28,440 –> 00:11:34,760So the pig looked better. The dog felt better, but neither were better. The change was only11100:11:34,760 –> 00:11:39,640temporary. Now, Peter is saying that’s the counterfeit Christian. Right there.11200:11:40,919 –> 00:11:45,080You had some kind of religious experience that had a temporary effect in your life,11300:11:45,880 –> 00:11:52,840made you look better, made you feel better, but you remained the same person that you were before,11400:11:52,840 –> 00:11:57,159and Peter says, in verse 20, if that’s you, you are worse off,11500:11:58,119 –> 00:12:05,559worse off than if you had never had that experience that only had a temporary effect11600:12:05,559 –> 00:12:13,479in the first place. Worse. I want to make this application.11700:12:15,239 –> 00:12:17,559We’re coming up to graduation time in the year.11800:12:18,280 –> 00:12:20,679And I want to speak to our high school students especially11900:12:20,679 –> 00:12:23,000and this throughout all of our services.12000:12:25,719 –> 00:12:27,159Some of you know Christ.12100:12:29,479 –> 00:12:31,159The Holy Spirit lives within you.12200:12:32,919 –> 00:12:34,679You love the Saviour.12300:12:36,039 –> 00:12:38,359You hate sin where you see it in your own life.12400:12:39,880 –> 00:12:42,520And as you go out to college, I have no fear for you.12500:12:44,280 –> 00:12:46,280And your parents’ need have no fear for you.12600:12:47,559 –> 00:12:48,520No fear for you either.12700:12:51,799 –> 00:12:55,880But there are others who are in a different position12800:12:55,880 –> 00:12:56,599and you know it.12900:12:57,640 –> 00:12:59,880Of course other people think that you love Christ13000:12:59,880 –> 00:13:02,440but you know in your heart that that is not true.13100:13:05,159 –> 00:13:06,760And here’s what’s going to happen to you.13200:13:08,119 –> 00:13:12,200You’re going to go in a few months to a university campus13300:13:13,159 –> 00:13:17,640and you’re going to find that there are people13400:13:17,640 –> 00:13:21,640who have never heard the gospel of Jesus Christ before,13500:13:21,640 –> 00:13:22,840they’ve never been in a church13600:13:25,239 –> 00:13:27,880and they hear the gospel and they receive it13700:13:27,880 –> 00:13:29,640and their lives are changed by it.13800:13:33,080 –> 00:13:34,440But with you it will be different13900:13:36,440 –> 00:13:37,960because you’ve heard it all before14000:13:37,960 –> 00:13:39,400and you are tired of it14100:13:39,400 –> 00:13:42,919and in your heart you can’t really wait to get away from it14200:13:45,159 –> 00:13:46,359and here’s the irony14300:13:48,359 –> 00:13:50,119having grown up in an environment14400:13:50,119 –> 00:13:52,039where you have become used to14500:13:52,039 –> 00:13:55,000pushing off the claims of Christ on your life14600:13:57,080 –> 00:13:59,640you have developed a hard shell around you14700:13:59,640 –> 00:14:01,239even as I’m speaking to you now14800:14:03,400 –> 00:14:08,919and you are in the worst possible spiritual position14900:14:10,200 –> 00:14:14,359I don’t know of any group in the world15000:14:14,919 –> 00:14:16,359that are harder to reach15100:14:17,880 –> 00:14:19,719then older people15200:14:19,719 –> 00:14:22,760who have become used to hearing the gospel15300:14:22,760 –> 00:14:24,760and not being affected by it15400:14:26,840 –> 00:14:28,119and you’re already on that track15500:14:30,520 –> 00:14:31,880see the truth is15600:14:31,880 –> 00:14:33,640and I do not exaggerate15700:14:33,640 –> 00:14:36,119every time the gospel is preached15800:14:37,000 –> 00:14:39,000every person who hears it has changed15900:14:39,400 –> 00:14:44,280because either in the hearing of the gospel16000:14:44,280 –> 00:14:47,640you are softened and drawn nearer to Christ16100:14:49,719 –> 00:14:51,559or in the hearing of the gospel16200:14:52,119 –> 00:14:52,919it comes to you16300:14:53,640 –> 00:14:55,239makes no difference in your life16400:14:55,239 –> 00:14:56,760and what happens is another layer16500:14:56,760 –> 00:14:58,840if that hard shell develops over your life16600:15:01,239 –> 00:15:02,840and I’ll tell you it’s not just16700:15:02,840 –> 00:15:05,719in a secular campus that this is true16800:15:05,719 –> 00:15:07,880you could be going to a christian campus16900:15:07,880 –> 00:15:09,559and just be under the radar17000:15:09,559 –> 00:15:11,239as a counterfeit Christian17100:15:11,239 –> 00:15:12,039and you know it17200:15:13,799 –> 00:15:15,479and everyone else assumes that it’s real17300:15:17,799 –> 00:15:18,919you know I hate your sin17400:15:20,760 –> 00:15:21,239you love it17500:15:23,239 –> 00:15:25,239so I’m making this appeal to you today17600:15:25,239 –> 00:15:27,400and especially that the high schoolers17700:15:27,400 –> 00:15:28,679are just on my mind and heart17800:15:28,679 –> 00:15:30,440as I have prepared this message17900:15:30,440 –> 00:15:33,000but others please hear this too18000:15:35,000 –> 00:15:35,500today18100:15:35,500 –> 00:15:39,179if you hear the voice of God18200:15:39,179 –> 00:15:40,539do not harden your heart18300:15:40,539 –> 00:15:41,659that’s what the Bible says18400:15:43,340 –> 00:15:45,419you yield yourself to Jesus Christ18500:15:46,539 –> 00:15:48,859you turn in repentance to Jesus Christ18600:15:48,859 –> 00:15:50,140you tell Jesus Christ18700:15:50,140 –> 00:15:52,780I have been pushing you away for years18800:15:54,380 –> 00:15:57,580and I cannot go on making this shell harder18900:15:57,580 –> 00:15:59,419O Lord I come to you19000:16:00,539 –> 00:16:01,659Now in your mercy19100:16:03,099 –> 00:16:03,599save me19200:16:03,599 –> 00:16:08,719because I don’t want to go on19300:16:08,719 –> 00:16:12,239as a counterfeit believer19400:16:12,239 –> 00:16:13,919we have to pause very briefly there19500:16:13,919 –> 00:16:15,039but we’ll be back shortly19600:16:15,039 –> 00:16:16,400so please stay with us19700:16:16,960 –> 00:16:18,320you’re listening to Open the Bible19800:16:18,320 –> 00:16:19,599with pastor Colin Smith19900:16:19,599 –> 00:16:20,719and a message called20000:16:20,719 –> 00:16:22,960everything you need for deliverance20100:16:22,960 –> 00:16:24,320part of our longer series20200:16:24,320 –> 00:16:25,760everything you need for life20300:16:25,760 –> 00:16:27,840based on the book of 2 Peter20400:16:28,559 –> 00:16:31,119if you ever miss one of the messages in the series20500:16:31,119 –> 00:16:32,880catch up or go back and listen again20600:16:32,960 –> 00:16:34,640by coming to our website20700:16:34,640 –> 00:16:37,039that’s at openthebible.org.uk20800:16:38,080 –> 00:16:39,840or on your favourite podcast site20900:16:39,840 –> 00:16:41,840by searching for Open the Bible UK21000:16:42,559 –> 00:16:43,919back to the message now21100:16:43,919 –> 00:16:45,039here again is Colin21200:16:45,679 –> 00:16:48,239Seven general characteristics21300:16:48,239 –> 00:16:49,760one distinguishing mark21400:16:50,719 –> 00:16:52,239here’s the last thing very briefly21500:16:52,960 –> 00:16:55,039two ultimate outcomes21600:16:55,679 –> 00:16:57,440now in the verse that we’re learning this week21700:16:57,440 –> 00:16:58,960and it’s a very important verse21800:16:58,960 –> 00:17:01,679there are obviously two outcomes of life21900:17:01,679 –> 00:17:04,400one for the godly and the other for the unrighteous22000:17:04,400 –> 00:17:06,000and they could not be more different22100:17:06,880 –> 00:17:08,400Peter makes an argument22200:17:08,400 –> 00:17:10,400that kind of leads up to this verse22300:17:10,400 –> 00:17:11,760and so let’s just follow it22400:17:11,760 –> 00:17:13,359it begins in verse four22500:17:13,359 –> 00:17:14,959he starts giving three examples22600:17:14,959 –> 00:17:18,000of how God deals with the unrighteous22700:17:18,000 –> 00:17:19,839and how he deals with the godly22800:17:19,839 –> 00:17:21,359and it’s always different22900:17:21,359 –> 00:17:22,640with the unrighteous23000:17:22,640 –> 00:17:24,079he starts with the angels23100:17:24,079 –> 00:17:24,640verse four23200:17:24,640 –> 00:17:26,880who rebelled and he sent them to hell23300:17:26,880 –> 00:17:29,199and he holds them in the gloomy dungeons23400:17:29,199 –> 00:17:30,640holding them for judgement23500:17:31,119 –> 00:17:32,479thank God for that by the way23600:17:33,599 –> 00:17:37,119I mean with the demons that God allows23700:17:38,000 –> 00:17:39,280to stop this earth23800:17:39,920 –> 00:17:41,119evil is bad enough23900:17:41,119 –> 00:17:43,520can you imagine what this world would be24000:17:43,520 –> 00:17:45,359if all hell was let loose24100:17:46,640 –> 00:17:48,640thank God that he keeps these rebels24200:17:48,640 –> 00:17:50,079in the gloomy dungeons24300:17:50,079 –> 00:17:51,199reserved for the day of judgment24400:17:52,800 –> 00:17:55,439evil only goes as far as the sovereignty of God allows24500:17:55,439 –> 00:17:56,880that’s what we learn from the book of Job24600:17:56,880 –> 00:17:58,319and we learn it supremely24700:17:58,319 –> 00:17:59,040from the cross24800:18:00,000 –> 00:18:01,520he’s keeping most of them locked up24900:18:01,520 –> 00:18:02,400thank God for that25000:18:03,359 –> 00:18:04,640it’s called common grace25100:18:06,479 –> 00:18:08,800second example is from the life of Noah25200:18:08,800 –> 00:18:10,640God did not spare the ancient world25300:18:10,640 –> 00:18:13,599when he brought the flood on ungodly people25400:18:13,599 –> 00:18:14,800but he protected Noah25500:18:14,800 –> 00:18:17,439so he does different things to these two different groups25600:18:17,439 –> 00:18:20,800and Peter wants us to learn from this25700:18:21,520 –> 00:18:22,400third example25800:18:23,199 –> 00:18:25,119from the time of Lot, verse 625900:18:25,119 –> 00:18:31,439God condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah26000:18:31,439 –> 00:18:35,439by burning them to ashes26100:18:35,439 –> 00:18:37,839and he made them, that’s these cities26200:18:37,839 –> 00:18:43,119an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly26300:18:43,119 –> 00:18:44,160Could that be clearer?26400:18:45,839 –> 00:18:48,319The burning to ashes of Sodom and Gomorrah26500:18:49,119 –> 00:18:50,160is Peter says26600:18:50,160 –> 00:18:52,479an example that God gives of26700:18:52,479 –> 00:18:55,599what is going to happen to the ungodly26800:18:58,000 –> 00:18:59,680But he says, verse seven26900:18:59,680 –> 00:19:03,280he rescued Lot, a righteous man27000:19:04,640 –> 00:19:07,199Now what do we learn from these three examples?27100:19:07,199 –> 00:19:08,560Well what we learn is this27200:19:08,560 –> 00:19:09,199Verse 927300:19:10,000 –> 00:19:13,359The Lord knows how to rescue Godly men from trials27400:19:14,000 –> 00:19:15,040You see that in Noah27500:19:15,760 –> 00:19:16,800You see that in Lot27600:19:18,640 –> 00:19:20,719Take that in and receive it as a promise27700:19:20,800 –> 00:19:24,160Brother and sister in Christ27800:19:24,160 –> 00:19:27,040God knows how to rescue the godly from trials27900:19:28,640 –> 00:19:29,520That’s his promise28000:19:30,640 –> 00:19:31,520You love the Lord28100:19:32,800 –> 00:19:34,400You grieve over your sin28200:19:35,680 –> 00:19:38,079You grieve over the sin in the world around you28300:19:39,040 –> 00:19:41,680Listen, God knows your trials28400:19:43,280 –> 00:19:46,239Your very distress is a mark of his grace in your life28500:19:46,239 –> 00:19:50,640And he knows how to rescue you from these trials28600:19:50,640 –> 00:19:51,920and he will rescue you28700:19:51,920 –> 00:19:53,040You can count on that28800:19:54,560 –> 00:19:57,760You have everything that you need for living a Christian life28900:19:57,760 –> 00:19:59,199in this ungodly world29000:19:59,199 –> 00:20:01,359through the knowledge of our Lord, Jesus Christ29100:20:01,359 –> 00:20:02,800You have everything that you need29200:20:02,800 –> 00:20:05,280for your intense battle against the flesh29300:20:06,239 –> 00:20:09,520and your knowledge of our Lord and saviour, Jesus Christ29400:20:09,520 –> 00:20:11,359And you hold onto this today believer29500:20:12,319 –> 00:20:16,160that God knows how to rescue the godly29600:20:17,520 –> 00:20:18,239from trials29700:20:19,839 –> 00:20:20,880Then there’s one more thing29800:20:22,719 –> 00:20:24,000The second part of the verse29900:20:25,199 –> 00:20:29,199God also knows how to hold the unrighteous30000:20:30,640 –> 00:20:31,839for the day of Judgement30100:20:33,119 –> 00:20:35,119while continuing their punishment30200:20:36,400 –> 00:20:37,760So you see, Peter is telling us30300:20:37,760 –> 00:20:39,520that there is a punishment for sin30400:20:40,479 –> 00:20:41,119That begins right now30500:20:41,119 –> 00:20:42,479Sin brings its own sorrow30600:20:44,239 –> 00:20:46,000Brings its own consequence in life30700:20:46,000 –> 00:20:47,760The way of the sinner is hard30800:20:49,359 –> 00:20:50,719But there is worse to come30900:20:50,719 –> 00:20:52,880for those who will not turn from their sin31000:20:52,880 –> 00:20:54,959Those who love it and remain in it31100:20:56,479 –> 00:20:58,079God holds the unrighteous31200:20:59,280 –> 00:21:00,560for the day of judgement31300:21:02,880 –> 00:21:05,119If the truth about you today31400:21:05,119 –> 00:21:06,239as you sit in church31500:21:07,839 –> 00:21:09,199is that you love your sin31600:21:10,400 –> 00:21:12,239and you will not turn from it31700:21:14,160 –> 00:21:17,199If that is the truth of you today31800:21:17,760 –> 00:21:19,359then you need to hear this31900:21:19,359 –> 00:21:22,800Right now, this is what God is doing in your life32000:21:24,400 –> 00:21:27,119He is, right now, continuing your punishment32100:21:29,280 –> 00:21:31,439And right now He is holding you32200:21:33,040 –> 00:21:35,439for the day of judgement32300:21:37,439 –> 00:21:38,560But if you love your sin32400:21:38,560 –> 00:21:39,839and you will not turn from it32500:21:39,839 –> 00:21:41,040that is your position32600:21:43,280 –> 00:21:46,319And dear friend that is not where you want to be32700:21:48,160 –> 00:21:49,839You do not want to be among32800:21:49,839 –> 00:21:51,839the unrighteous who love their sin32900:21:51,839 –> 00:21:53,359You want to be among the godly33000:21:53,359 –> 00:21:54,959who grieve their sin33100:21:54,959 –> 00:21:56,640and who repent of their sin33200:21:56,640 –> 00:21:59,439and turn in faith from their sin33300:21:59,439 –> 00:22:01,839to Jesus Christ, crucified for us33400:22:04,000 –> 00:22:05,040You say I hear that33500:22:06,079 –> 00:22:07,119and I’d love to do that33600:22:07,439 –> 00:22:10,000But someone is saying in the congregation right now33700:22:10,000 –> 00:22:11,439Yeah, but how can I change?33800:22:12,079 –> 00:22:12,959I know myself33900:22:12,959 –> 00:22:14,160I’ve tried to change34000:22:14,160 –> 00:22:15,520I’ll tell you what I’m like34100:22:15,520 –> 00:22:17,920I’m like the dog that returns to its own vomit34200:22:19,199 –> 00:22:20,479and you’re talking to me about34300:22:20,479 –> 00:22:21,520becoming godly34400:22:22,479 –> 00:22:23,359How can I do that?34500:22:23,359 –> 00:22:24,099Listen34600:22:25,520 –> 00:22:28,160God’s divine power has given us34700:22:28,719 –> 00:22:31,199everything we need for life34800:22:31,199 –> 00:22:31,439and…34900:22:32,800 –> 00:22:33,199Come on35000:22:34,319 –> 00:22:35,040godliness35100:22:35,839 –> 00:22:39,920In our knowledge of Jesus Christ35200:22:41,359 –> 00:22:43,199Who calls you, right now35300:22:45,439 –> 00:22:46,000to follow Him35400:22:47,199 –> 00:22:48,959By his own glory35500:22:50,160 –> 00:22:51,040and goodness35600:22:52,079 –> 00:22:56,160Isn’t it great that God knows how to rescue the godly from trials35700:22:56,160 –> 00:23:00,079He can and will rescue you from whatever you’re facing35800:23:00,079 –> 00:23:03,839You’ve been listening to Open The Bible with Pastor Colin Smith35900:23:04,319 –> 00:23:08,079A message called everything you need for deliverance36000:23:08,079 –> 00:23:13,119If you ever miss one of the messages you can easily catch up or go back and listen again36100:23:13,119 –> 00:23:17,520by coming online to our website openthebible.org.uk36200:23:17,520 –> 00:23:21,359Or by going to your favourite podcast site and there searching for36300:23:21,359 –> 00:23:22,880Open the Bible UK36400:23:24,319 –> 00:23:28,319Open the Bible is able to be on this station as well as our website36500:23:28,319 –> 00:23:33,760and the podcast because listeners like you give generously to support our work36600:23:33,920 –> 00:23:37,760so if you already support Open the Bible in this way thank you so much36700:23:38,400 –> 00:23:42,560If supporting Open the Bible is something you’d want to start doing this month36800:23:42,560 –> 00:23:46,160we’d love to say thank you by sending you Pastor Colin’s brand new book36900:23:46,719 –> 00:23:47,599Grow in Hope37000:23:55,359 –> 00:23:56,719Who is this book for?37100:23:57,520 –> 00:24:00,800Well this is for everybody who wants to have hope37200:24:00,800 –> 00:24:03,280and I think that’s absolutely every person37300:24:03,280 –> 00:24:04,479We all need hope37400:24:05,040 –> 00:24:10,599and if you would like to have hope drip-fed into your life for 30 days37500:24:10,599 –> 00:24:14,479then Grow in Hope is a devotional that will do just that37600:24:14,479 –> 00:24:16,959It’s full of the promises of God37700:24:17,520 –> 00:24:20,560it shows that hope comes from God37800:24:20,560 –> 00:24:23,359it comes to us through the Lord Jesus Christ37900:24:23,359 –> 00:24:26,400and it comes to us by His marvellous Grace38000:24:26,800 –> 00:24:28,160So 30 days of hope38100:24:28,160 –> 00:24:30,079I think that’s something that everyone can use38200:24:30,079 –> 00:24:32,640and I hope it’s going to be a blessing to everyone who reads it38300:24:32,640 –> 00:24:36,160So Pastor Colin’s book Grow in Hope is our gift to you38400:24:36,160 –> 00:24:40,640when you set up a new direct debit of five pounds per month or more38500:24:40,640 –> 00:24:43,439or a one-off gift of 60 pounds or more38600:24:43,439 –> 00:24:45,920to support the work of Open the Bible this month38700:24:46,479 –> 00:24:48,880Full terms and conditions are on our website at38800:24:49,040 –> 00:24:50,079OpenTheBible.org.uk38900:24:51,520 –> 00:24:52,880and you can give online39000:24:53,439 –> 00:24:57,119Don’t forget though to leave your full name and address when you donate39100:24:57,119 –> 00:24:59,439so we’ll be able to send you your gift39200:25:00,319 –> 00:25:03,839For Open the Bible and Pastor Colin Smith, I am David Pick39300:25:03,839 –> 00:25:05,280Thanks for being with us today39400:25:05,280 –> 00:25:14,079and we look forward to having you join us again next time39500:25:14,079 –> 00:25:21,760God is eternal, he’s outside of time39600:25:22,959 –> 00:25:25,920The world looks very different to him than it does to you39700:25:26,800 –> 00:25:38,400Find out how different next time on Open the Bible