welcome to this episode of real Christianity my name is Dale Partridge reach week I offer 15 to 20-minute answers to tough the illogical and pastoral question this is 100% listener supported audio Ministry of relearn. Org and for those who don't know our mission a tree learn.org is to educate and equip ordinary Christian to plant biblical confessional and missional house churches for more information just visit relearn. Org forward slash house okay have you ever feared that your inability to obey God's word would lead to the failing of your face have you ever worried that you're not obeying enough to please God no I know that this is a very real concern for many people this has been an issue that I've had to deal with in my own life in the past we're going to unpack this important discussion
 I just a minute but before we begin I want to talk about House Church I just for a second here for those that are interested in exploring the idea of planting or starting or being a part of a bit Little House Church I want you guys to consider picking up a copy of a book that I wrote along with our theological Advisory Board it's titled House Church and the subtitle of this book is really not actually a book is more of a document that goes over the theological convictions the order the Liturgy the structure the doctrines of what a Biblical House Church really looks like the theological nuts and bolts of a gathering because getting together with a few Christians and their Bibles isn't necessarily a church now in this little booklet you'll understand and learn what does make up a church and how do we do that according to scripture how do we gather according to scripture tells the great little book it's very cheap
 I think it's between 10 and 15 bucks you can buy that on our site again at relearn. Org forward slash house again that's a relearn. Org forward slash house is if you are struggling with a habitual use of pornography you're looking at it over and over again and you want to be set free you're ready to be set free from the bondage of pornography there's a great resource that we've created it's a gospel centered resource if you or anybody you know is struggling with pornography consider checking it out at standard victory.org again that's stand and victory.org all right today is question is from Henry and San Diego he asks Pastor Dale I feel like I'm drowning in Temptation and while I fight back with morning devotion and worship and prayer some days I feel like I'm just going to give in to
 my sin and fail God I want to be obedient but I feel like I don't have what it takes to keep God's Commandments how can I ensure that I'll stand strong and not fall out of God's will okay thank you for this question Henry I'm hoping that you're listening to this episode I think this is actually a common concern among Christians however I don't think this is a practical question meaning I don't think what you need is a list of scriptures that will help you stay in God's will as you have put it I think this is more of a theological issue now I could be wrong but I think you might be might be operating under an incorrect understanding of the Gospel now I could be wrong as I said but just stay with me for a second I say that because you said quote I feel like I don't have what it takes to keep God's Commandments
 the first that's absolutely true you don't have what it takes to keep God's Commandments nobody has what it takes to keep God's Commandments and talk I would say is that the Central purpose of God's law in the Old Testament was to make people realize or his people realize that they are unable to meet its demands and their obvious need for a savior because they couldn't get the law they needed somebody that could but this is actually the beauty of the Gospel right we're not saved by our ability to keep God's Commandments and maintain a holy life we're saved by Jesus has ability to keep all the Commandments and by his holy life right and by faith in our face God has attributed or imputed Jesus is perfect righteousness and Holiness to us who believe forever that word is important forever
 in other words we're going to send and fail and fall but that doesn't change the status of our Salvation because our Salvation is not dependent upon the fickleness of man but on the perfect Miss of Christ okay so to say that another way that we don't need to fear that are failing character will threaten our Salvation because our Salvation isn't founded upon our character it's founded upon the character of Christ now you might be wondering okay they are you being licentious here you know you just kind of Permitting Unholy Behavior you know I'm just saying I'm just saying I'm not saying go do whatever you want because your righteousness in Christ and not yourselves is that what I'm saying because the truth is you actually could do that you could keep doing what you wanted wouldn't change your salvation if you're boarding again Christian you can send and it would have no effect on your status as a child of God
 Romans 8:1 even says there is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus now just because we can doesn't mean we should end this is exactly the reason why Paul said in Romans 6:1 through to he says are we to continue in sin that Grace May abound let me stop there for a second because it will abound the grace will abound but then verse 2 says certainly not polished teaching us something really important here and pay attention for those that are that are listening especially Henry hopefully you're listening to pay attention Paul is saying that the reason Christians shouldn't send is not because we fear that it you know if we do we will fail to meet the standard of God's law that's not the motivating factor wheat we don't send because it would be ignoring the Abundant mercy and Grace that we receive through God's love
 in other words Born Again Christians aren't motivated by the fear and the law were motivated by the grace and the love we don't fear that we're not enough we know that we're not enough and that's okay because we also know that Christ is enough and it says it's his righteousness that we stand upon not our own this doesn't mean that God doesn't call his children to walk in obedience to his commands he does he calls for holy living but our obedience is not what saves us I really like what Charles Spurgeon once said his obedience is not the root of salvation but it is it's fruit right saved people obey. That's what they do with an Evidence of that not perfectly but there was an obvious evidential fruit in their life additionally I would say
 they do not obey God because they need to they obey God because they want to which is going to lead to my second point and I want to make I want you to pay attention because it's really addresses an important part of this question that Henry asked
 I heard the stone Henry of concern for your own your ability to obey and your concern is a good thing it's evidence of a heart that wants to please God but you're worried that you you you know you're not equipped with the ability to maintain obedience is what I think out of step with what the scripture teaches of the matter let me explain what a Christian is Born Again they're sealed for Redemption Romans 8:30 says and For Those whom he predestined he also called and Those whom he called he also Justified and Those whom he justified he also glorified there is an unbreakable chain of redemption these are events right in in in Eternal history right predestined called you come to Faith Justified
 glorified right this is like a chain link together if you're if you're saved if you're part of that that first chain length and you will be saved Forever This is why Jesus can promise you eternal life if your salvation could be lost or if it was depended upon your Works to keep you saved he couldn't promise eternal life John 10:28 Jesus says I give them eternal life and they will never perish and no one will snatch them out of my hand to sit on that for a second they will never perish you can rest in the fact that that you're not going to find yourself outside of God's salvific power with your Disobedience if you're truly born again but God doesn't just promise is eternal life he also promises that will be made by sanctification of the spirit to be like his son Jesus Philippians 1
 six as and I'm sure of this that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ so again this idea that Jesus taught God is the starter the initiator of your faith he who began a good work in you will take it to its completion right he's the author and the finisher of your faith so I want to make an important Point here and the New Covenant God does not merely command obedience he gives it right it's a fruit of those who are saved now anyone can modify their behavior to be in alignment with God's commands that's what the Pharisees did it's self-righteous and therefore sinful however okay when you're just doing it to be an alignment but only those that are actually in Christ can produce obedience that pleases God because it's actually driven by love it's driven by the Holy Spirit and I would say in fact outside of your faith in Christ you and I can't produce God glorifying obedience
 again this is this is what scene in the Pharisees right they're not doing God glorifying obedience outside of our faith in Christ any Act of obedience hear me on the outside of your faith in Christ any Act of obedience is done from self-righteousness which is sinful which is why Paul says in Romans 1423 for whatever does not proceed from faith is sin and it's why Isaiah Isaiah 64:6 says even our righteous Deeds are like a filthy garment to God the only Earthly obedience that is accepted by God is The Obedience accomplished by those in Christ or operating by the spirit in Deuteronomy 31-6 God spoke
 about the the New Covenant that would eventually come to pass he said and I'm going to quote hear the Lord your God will circumcise your heart and heart of your Offspring so he's going to do it so that you will love the Lord your God with all your heart with all your soul and that you may live any love that we have for God can't be attributed to our self-righteous ability but to the work that God did in us right he's the one that gave us the new heart so that we will love God Ezekiel 36:26 227 God says I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you I will take the Heart of Stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of Flesh I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes and you will keep my
 judgment and do them right so this is this is the writings of the Old Testament predicting the theological and spiritual shift is coming in the New Covenant the Covenant the word you can read more about that Ezekiel 11:19 through 20 as well but the Bible says to give credit where credit is due and I think we often out of self-love and pride Pat our own back when it comes down to obedience like we choose like righteousness and feel pretty good about ourselves but that's in every time you have said no to sin for the glory of God it was not you but Christ in you every time you said notice in because of morality sake it was sinful because it was done from self-righteousness and not from Faith right so I'm just hoping that you're catching all this here but Henry
 God's election of you as his son is an eternal commitment to you he's going to provide you with everything required to maintain your status in the New Covenant doctrines read that this means it by your election you will be called and not calling you will be given a new heart capable of repentance and Faith through that face you're going to be justified Justified State you will be Sanctified and you will obey and you will follow your Shepherd you will hear his voice as Jesus says and lastly in that sanctify State you're going to die physically but your soul will not and at the coming of Christ your body will resurrect and you will be glorified with him. That's the promise of the Gospel John Piper once said
 God not you will unfailingly work in us all the conditions required for salvation so that he may get all the glory for God says in Isaiah 48 I am the Lord that is my name I will not share my glory with another it's so if you believe you're faithful obedience is driven by your own capability and somehow your Works have contributed to your salvation or kept you save then you're taking away from God's glory all of our spiritual fruit is a result of him every single bit of it therefore he must get the glory so to close are we called it a yes for called obey obedient again as a vital evidence of someone who is truly saved are we saved by our obedience or kept
 saved by our ongoing obedience no no were saved and kept by Christ's obedience and sacrifice alone and so guys let's just you should spend a moment today just reveling and not truth that you who have been called and have been Justified will be glorified and you will be given everything you need to be carried all the way until the end so to resources here I'm going to give you two song recommendations these are good songs for you to listen to these will be available on the website on the post page for this episode this is episode number 103 titled 10 Christian Disobedience prevent salvation and the songs I want to recommend to you is one is by Norton hall band I will link the Spotify
 link on the article but it's titled he will hold me fast fantastic song resting in Christ another one by modern post is titled grace alone and it's the acoustic version and so take a peek at those two songs listen to the lyrics they're beautiful I hopefully those are helpful as if your regular listener to this show thank you and if you haven't left the review would you consider doing so just take a minute right now like right as we're about to close this episode would you take a minute go to the iTunes app tap on our show tap the Stars you don't even need to write anything but if you choose to write something I'll read it so thank you guys for those who have left her with you and if you haven't just take a minute to do that it would be very helpful for the ministry my name is Dale Partridge thank you for joining me on this up to the real Christianity we will see you next Wednesday
 thank you for listening to this episode of real Christianity if your regular listener to this show would you perfectly consider making a donation to support our ministry efforts simply visit relearn. Org forward slash donate again at 3 learn.org for donate and for those looking to explore the idea of joining or planting a church in your home you can download our free pdf ebook titled the basics of biblical House Church by visiting relearn. Org house lastly do you have a few logical question you would like answered on the show The Mayor question a tree learn.org for question thanks for joining us on this episode of real Christianity will see you next Wednesday