Well, good morning to everyone. We finally reached the end of December, so only five more months till spring. You can look forward to that. Hey, that's the truth. You can add that up if you want. 

This is the last Sunday of the month, and so we turn to the Gospel of John for our communion service, and we'll be studying John 8 this morning and the story of the woman caught in adultery. This is a disputed text, if you notice something in your Bible just between the critical text, majority text, and manuscripts, but it's in our Bible, and it's a tremendous story, so we're going to look at that this morning. 

In John 12, 46, Jesus said, “I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in me should not abide in darkness.” And if anyone hears my words and does not believe, I do not judge him, for I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world. He who rejects me and does not receive my words has that which judges him. The word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day. In Luke 19, 10, it says, “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.” 

In Jesus' first coming, He did not come to judge the world. That judgment will come. All judgment has been granted to the Son, and at His second coming, He will come in judgment. Jesus came in the flesh as a man in order to die in our place for our sins, to save us from the wrath to come. He came to seek and to save that which was lost. He came to die on the cross. 

The text that is before us this morning is a wonderful text in this regard. It is a very convicting text, as we will see, for those who do not believe, who sit in judgment of others in self-righteousness and condemnation. But it is also a text that highlights the promise of Jesus, the promise of forgiveness, of salvation, of life in His name. 

We saw in John chapter 7 that Jesus is an invitation, an invitation to life and regeneration and rivers of living water. In John 8, we see that Jesus is a promise, and the promise is this: no condemnation. John 3.17 says, “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” 

We will see that religion does not understand this promise, for in religion, self-righteous, man-centered religion, we find only condemnation, judgment, and no hope of life. But for those who believe, who understand their sin and their need for a Savior, Jesus is that Savior. Jesus is the promise of salvation from condemnation, from judgment, from the wrath of God for our sins. He does not condemn us. 

The great theological conundrum that we will explore in our text this morning is a reconciling of the grace and mercy of God with His justice. We see a woman caught in adultery, guilty, deserving of death, and yet Jesus does not condemn her, does not stone her as the law prescribes, the very law of Moses given by God on the mount. The law speaks of God's justice and wrath. Romans 4 tells us that the law brings only wrath. 2 Corinthians 3, Paul calls the law engraved on stones a ministry of condemnation, but it is the law given by God, it is the law that requires justice, it is the law that is a reflection of the character and nature of God. 

And yet God is mercy, God is love. God's desire is for this woman and every man and woman to believe Jesus and be saved from His wrath. So the greatest question we can ask is this: how can God's wrath and justice be satisfied for my sins and at the same time His grace and mercy be shown to me as a sinner? How can God remain just and be the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus? 

These are great and profound questions that come to light in our text this morning, and God's word has clear answers to these questions. We don't have to wonder, we don't have to wander aimlessly in the vain traditions handed down from our fathers. We can know with certainty the way to life, the answer to my great and desperate need as a sinner before a holy God, and that answer is Jesus. The promise of God is found in Jesus Christ alone and through faith alone in Him. 

So the context of our text is found in the proclamation, the invitation of Jesus in the temple on that last day of the great feast to come to Him, to receive life, living water springing forth from within. And we saw that there was division and confusion among the people, hatred and plotting from the religious leaders. And the last verse of chapter 7 says this, “and everyone went to his own house.” 

And then we pick it up at John 8 at verse 1, “But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. Now early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people came to Him, and He sat down and taught them. Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery, and when they had set her in the midst, they said to Him, ‘Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery in the very act. Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned. What do you say?’ This they said, testing Him, that they might have something of which to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger as though He did not hear.” 

So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let Him throw a stone at her first.” And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground. Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last, and Jesus was left alone and the woman standing in the midst. 

When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, “Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you. Go and sin no more.” 

I've given you four points on your outline. First a woman caught in adultery, second the law, third convicted by their conscience, fourth neither do I condemn you. 

Well first we see in our text that Jesus is back in the temple the next day teaching the people, and while He's teaching the people, the religious leaders bring in a woman and put her before Him in the midst of all the people. And this woman was caught in adultery in the very act, they proclaim. 

I want you to imagine this scene. On the one hand you have Jesus teaching in the temple with the crowds of people listening intently, learning about the Kingdom of God, and on the other hand, you have the religious leaders, those in power with control over the people through their perverted works-righteous religion that they have developed, and they are plotting. They're plotting to trap Jesus, as they always were. 

They've been scheming, searching for some way to pin Him in the corner, to give Him an unsolvable situation, a theological conundrum that would trap Him. They've tried this before many times, and one would think that they might learn. They always come with an A or B question meant to incriminate Jesus either way He answers, but Jesus always answers C. He always confounds them and exposes them for who they are. 

So we see the intent, the motive of the religious leaders. They do not care about this woman. They're not even concerned about justice or the law of Moses, and they certainly do not understand mercy or care for this woman's soul. They only want to trap Jesus because they want rid of Him. He threatens them, their corrupt power and prestige, their control over men, their false religion, and all its trappings. 

And we see again and again that they want to kill Him; they are seeking to kill Him, and that day will come. Just a few months from now, we are rapidly approaching the cross in God's time. 

So they drag this poor woman into the middle of the temple in the midst of the crowd before Jesus, cast her on the ground, propose this question to Jesus. Here she is caught in the very act of adultery, she's guilty. Interestingly there is no man. The law calls for the man to be stoned as well. Perhaps the man was involved in the scheme from the beginning, we do not know, but if the scribes and Pharisees were truly interested in justice and keeping the law, then the man would be there too. They were not. 

And I think about this woman's sin, her private darkest sin being exposed right in the temple among the people as she faces death by stoning. Can you imagine having your secret sin, your darkest sin exposed, brought to light right here this morning in this church service before all your brothers and sisters in Christ? It's a stunning thing to ponder. 

And yet this is the circumstance for this woman caught in adultery, and she is simply a ploy to the religious men to accomplish their end. No compassion, no mercy, no conscience regarding her condition or circumstance. But Jesus loved her. Jesus came to die for her, to save her from this very sin and all her sins. 

So He's dealing with the scheme, the intent and motive of His enemies, but He's also concerned with this woman, with her person, her shame, her sin, her guilt before God. And He has compassion. He offers mercy and grace and salvation from sins and wrath through faith in Him. 

And we see this again and again throughout Jesus' ministry, His compassion for the sinner, for the outcast, for the tax collector, the prostitute. In Matthew 9, Jesus said to the Pharisees, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. But go and learn what this means: I desire mercy and not sacrifice, for I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” 

He gave them parables teaching this same truth. Turn over to Luke 15 with me. Luke 15 at verse 1, it says, “then all the tax collectors and the sinners drew near to Him to hear Him. And the Pharisees and scribes complained, saying, ‘This man receives sinners and eats with them.’ So He spoke this parable to them, saying, ‘What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one which is lost until he finds it?’ And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost. I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance.’” 

The ninety-nine here are not truly just, for all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, but they think they are just. They believe they are righteous. They do not know their sin and their need, and therefore they will not come to Jesus in faith. He goes on to give the story of the lost coin, the lost son, and makes clear that he came for this very purpose, to seek and to save that which was lost. 

So we see the woman caught in adultery, and we see the law. If you look at verse 4, it says, “They said to him, ‘Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery in the very act. Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do you say?’ This they said, testing him, that they might have something of which to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with his finger as though He did not hear.” 

The law did command that the adulterer, man and woman, be put to death. Leviticus 20 verse 10 says, “The man who commits adultery with another man's wife, he who commits adultery with his neighbor's wife, the adulterer and the adulteress, shall be put to death.” The law is clear, the punishment for adultery is death, and they sought to stone her. 

Truly their motive was to give Jesus a question He could not answer without impugning Himself. If He said not to stone her, then He set Himself against the law of Moses, and they could accuse Him. If He said to stone her, then His entire message of grace and mercy, of salvation for the sinner through faith in Him, would be compromised. And He had exercised this grace with so many sinners before, healing them, forgiving their sins. 

In Mark 2, we read the story of the paralytic. It says, “Again He entered Capernaum, and after some days, and it was heard that He was in the house, immediately many gathered together, so that there was no longer room to receive them, not even near the door, and He preached the word to them. Then they came to Him, bringing a paralytic, who was carried by four men, and when they could not come near Him because of the crowd, they uncovered the roof where he was. So when they had broken through, they let down the bed on which the paralytic was lying. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, ‘Son, your sins are forgiven you.’ And some of the scribes were sitting there and reasoning in their hearts, ‘Why does this man speak blasphemies like this? Who can forgive sins but God alone?’ But immediately when Jesus perceived in His spirit that they reasoned thus with themselves, He said to them, ‘Why do you reason about these things in your hearts? Which is easier to say to the paralytic, “Your sins are forgiven you,” or say, “Arise, take up your bed and walk?” But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins,’ He said to the paralytic, ‘I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.’ Immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went out in the presence of them all, so that all were amazed and glorified God, saying, ‘We never saw anything like this.’” 

Jesus had the power to forgive sins. But on what basis? You see, the Pharisees thought that they had found the one question that could not be answered. They only understood the law, understood sacrifice, religious rites, and rituals. They did not understand mercy and grace. 

And they do present a theological conundrum. How could God be just, punishing all sins, and have mercy for this sinner, saving him from wrath? This is the question that man could never answer. This is the question that no religion of man has ever approached. But God, but God, God has the answer. 

How could Jesus exercise mercy toward this poor sinner lying in the dust before Him? How could He offer her grace and life? Only by the cross. And He must have felt the weight of that reality in this very moment. It was coming, looming. Only a few months away now, the cross, my brothers and sisters, Jesus would die for this woman's adultery. For this very sin that was displayed before Him at this moment, and He knew that. 

And not only for this sin, but for all her sins, and for the sins of the whole world. This is the only way that God's justice, His righteousness, could be displayed at the cross. You see, when men sinned throughout history, even throughout Jesus' ministry on this earth, and He did not judge, when men sinned and God did not execute judgment, but rather passed over those sins previously committed before the cross, His righteousness, His justice, was opened to accusation, called into question. 

And because of His nature, because of His character, who He is, His justice must be displayed, must be made manifest, carried out. And the scriptures teach us that this happened at the cross. That God's mercy and grace were reconciled to His justice and wrath for every sin at the cross. This is God's way. 

And it's the only way that Jesus was able to not pick up stones with the Pharisees. He could have done that. He could have executed this woman according to the law of Moses. She was guilty, she stood condemned, and the punishment would have been just; God's justice would have been maintained. 

But Jesus did not come to judge, but to save. And that salvation was accomplished at the cross. The law and the legalists demanded justice, but what they did not understand was that this justice applied to them as well. 

Look at verse 7. “So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, ‘He who is without sin among you, let Him throw a stone at her first.’” And again, He stooped down and wrote on the ground, and those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last, and Jesus was left alone and the woman standing in the midst. 

So we see the woman caught in adultery, we see the law, and we see the religious men convicted by their conscience. They come to Him in a rage, dragging this woman, stones prepared in hand, it's like an Antifa rally in Minneapolis, and the pallets of bricks are ready to go. Sorry, I pondered whether I should use that or not. 

And they put this question to Jesus in their rage and anger toward this woman for her egregious sin. And Jesus just stoops down and moves His finger through the sand. I don't think He was writing anything necessarily; you can read a lot of commentaries about what Jesus wrote in the sand, but we don't know. But I think He was letting the moment simmer down a bit, taking the wind out of their sails, the crescendo would pass. 

So He acts as if He does not hear them, and they continue asking, persisting, and He stands and makes this piercing statement, “He who is without sin among you, let Him throw a stone at her first.” 

This statement cuts them to the heart, convicts them in their consciences. You see, religion does not understand this. They do not understand the sin of all men. Religion allows you to climb the ladder, to set yourself above others and sit in judgment of them. The only problem is that the ladder is infinitely short of the righteous standard of God. All are sinners, all have fallen short of the glory of God, all deserve wrath and eternal death for their sins. 

And this is the very message that Jesus conveyed with these few words: You all deserve to be stoned. You're all guilty before a holy God, and worse, you don't even know it. At least this woman knows her sin and her need. You religious hypocrites are no better. He who is without sin cast the first stone. 

And this is the very thing that every man needs, to be convicted in his conscience by the truth of his condition, his separation from God and his need for a Savior. It's a stark contrast between the religious self-righteous man and the one who knows he is a sinner, deserving of the judgment of God. 

Turn over to Luke 18 with me, please. One of the best passages illustrating this truth. Luke 18 at verse 9, it says, “Also, Jesus spoke this parable, to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and despised others.” That's the definition of a religious man. Who trusted in themselves and their works that they were righteous and despised others. This is the very context of our text this morning. 

Verse 10, “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee, the other a tax collector.” The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, literally prayed to himself, “God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. I fast twice a week, I give tithes of all that I possess.” 

He says, “Thank you that I'm not like other men.” But he is like other men, even worse. Verse 13, “And the tax collector standing afar off would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven but beat his breast saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner.’” I tell you this man went down to his house justified rather than the other, for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled and he who humbles himself will be exalted. 

The true need of man is to realize his desperate state, his sinful condition before a holy God so that he might run to the Savior and plead for mercy, for grace, seek salvation through faith alone in Jesus alone. They were convicted in their conscience, but they did not fall down and worship Jesus and plead for His mercy. 

The message of our text is this: every man is a sinner deserving of judgment. God would be just, would be righteous to send every man to hell forever, but this is not the heart of our Savior, our God. God is just, but He is also love; He is also mercy and grace. He desires that all men come to the knowledge of the truth and be saved, and so Jesus turns the table on these men who came to stone this sinner and says, “You too are sinners. Perhaps you should stone each other.” 

He who's without sin, cast the first stone at her. And they all leave, one by one, the oldest to the youngest, perhaps because they were wiser in their age, realizing their utter defeat in their circumstance, or maybe because they had accumulated more sins to be convicted of. But they went out, leaving only Jesus and the woman before Him. 

Verse 9, “And those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing in the midst.” When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, “Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?” 

She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.” Neither do I condemn you. God has chosen to give grace and mercy to those with a contrite heart, those who know their sin and turn to Jesus in faith. And in Him, we are forgiven. He died for us, in our place, for our sins, and in Him, there's no condemnation. 

Let's look at Romans 8, verse 31. Romans 8, 31. Paul says, “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own son but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things, all things necessary for salvation?” 

“Who shall bring a charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Who is He who condemns? It is Christ who died and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?” And then he gives a comprehensive list, right? Nothing, nothing shall separate us from the love of Christ. 

All judgment has been committed to Jesus, and Jesus is the one who died for us, whoever lives to make intercession for us. He is for us. And if God is for us, who can be against us? Jesus was for this woman in grace and mercy. He knew her sins, all of her sins, but He came to die for those sins and to accomplish her salvation and yours and mine as well. 

I want to look at Romans 3 before we come to our communion time here. Romans 3, beginning at verse 19, to try to more clearly answer this question we've been discussing. Romans 3, 19, “Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore, by the deeds of the law, no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin.” 

Let's keep a finger there. The law brings only wrath. By the law is the knowledge of sin. The law is a tutor that leads us to faith in Christ, showing us our need, convicting us in our conscience, but it is the goodness of God that leads us to repentance. And after faith has come, we are no longer under the tutor. We're no longer under the law. The law has served its purpose. 

Look at verse 21, Romans 3. “So there's no one justified by good works, by the works of the law. But now, the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the law and the prophets, even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ to all and on all who believe, for there is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” 

“Whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood through faith to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.” 

Those men that day could not conceive in their religious minds and hearts the salvation plan of God. Righteousness is necessary in order to enter the kingdom of God. Jesus said, “You must be righteous as my Father in heaven is righteous. You must be perfect as God is perfect in order to enter heaven.” 

But the law cannot bring righteousness; religion cannot bring righteousness, for we are lawbreakers, sinners, deserving of wrath. The law brings only wrath. The law came through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. But now, He says, but now the righteousness of God is revealed. The very righteousness of God, the righteousness that we need to enter heaven. How? 

How can a man be made righteous? Through faith in Jesus Christ. This righteousness is a gift, is imputed to the man who believes Jesus, who trusts in Him alone in what He accomplished in His one-time death on the cross, His burial, and resurrection. How could Jesus answer the conundrum, the question, the theological riddle that no man, no religion could ever solve? One way, the cross. 

Verse 23, again, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” Redemption is a free gift. We are justified freely by His grace through faith is for all who believe. And in verses 25 and 26, we see God's answer to the question presented in our text in John 8, how can God be just and at the same time justify the believing sinner? 

Verse 25, “Whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood through faith.” God gave Jesus as a full and complete satisfactory sacrifice, an atonement for sins, a propitiation by His blood. We receive this gift through faith. 

So please notice with me what the rest of this verse says, and on into verse 26. God had more in mind than just our salvation. His righteousness is at stake. It says God set forth as a full satisfactory payment, Jesus, for an express purpose. What's His purpose? To demonstrate His righteousness. 

Now, follow with me. It says, “because in His forbearance, God had passed over the sins that were previously committed.” This is the very thing we see in our text. This is before the cross. This is under the law of Moses. And the law of Moses demanded the death of this woman. God's justice demanded the death of this woman for her sins. 

And yet, Jesus does not judge. God does not condemn her and stone her. How can this be? In His forbearance, He passed over the sins that were previously committed. And again, this leaves the righteousness of God in question. Every time a man sinned in the Old Testament and God did not strike him dead, punish his sin, it was a passing over. It was God's forbearance. 

This word translated forbearance means to hold back or to restrain. God was holding back, exercising restraint, concerning His judgment for the sins of men. But that restraint is lifted. His wrath is poured out at the cross. And here's the key, His righteousness is demonstrated. 

Notice verse 26, “to demonstrate at the present time, the time of the cross, His righteousness that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.” To demonstrate at the present time His righteousness. 

Now let me just say, my friends, that if there were sins that were passed over at the cross, if Jesus did not die for all the sins of every man past, present, and future, then relating to this express purpose of God in verses 25 and 26, God's righteousness would have not been demonstrated. There would still be sins out there unpunished, passed over. 

Now it seems quite clear to me that this demands a universal payment. But as we see so clearly in verse 26 and back in the previous verses, as well as in the following passages in Romans 4, the imputation of God's righteousness is dependent on faith. We only receive the righteousness of God, the very righteousness demonstrated at the cross when we believe. 

Jesus died for all sins, but salvation is only for those who believe. The imputation of our sins to Christ and God's righteousness to us is effected through faith. So when Jesus passed over the sins of this woman, this adulterous woman, or when He forgave the sins of the paralytic, when He did not execute judgment, exercise His justice, He could only do this by looking ahead to the cross, where He would die for her sin of adultery, where He would die for all of her sins, and for mine, and for yours as well. 

Where God demonstrated His righteousness, punishing every sin, and yet exercised His love and mercy, justifying the one who has faith in Jesus. I just want to give you a couple passages that I believe kind of clarify this truth. 

What's the reason that men are not saved? That they do not obtain the righteousness of God? Romans 9.30. “What shall we say, then, that Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness have attained a righteousness, even the righteousness of faith? But Israel, pursuing the law of righteousness, has not attained to the law of righteousness. Why? Because Christ didn't die for their sins. His death was insufficient for them. Is that what it says? No. Because they did not seek it by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at the stumbling stone.” 

John 3.16. “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. He who believes in Him is not condemned. But he who does not believe is condemned already. Why? Because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” 

Why is he condemned? Why does he not receive the righteousness of God by imputation? Because he's not believed Jesus. That is why. 

Romans 4.3. “For what does the Scripture say? Abraham believed God and it was accounted to him for righteousness. Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt, but to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness. Just as David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works. Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord shall not impute sin.” 

At the cross, the cross we remember here this morning as we come to the Lord's table, God demonstrated His righteousness by placing the sins of the world on Jesus and punishing every sin. But it is the one who believes Jesus that receives the gift of God's righteousness through faith. 

That woman received grace and mercy that day rather than wrath. And for one reason and one reason only: because of the cross. Because Jesus took that wrath for her. And He's done the same for you and for me. If we believe, if we trust in Him alone, then we will receive His righteousness and eternal life as God is just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. What a promise we see in our Scripture this morning. What a gift that God offers to every man. 

Let's close in prayer. Father, we thank You for the cross. We thank You for giving us this ordinance, Lord, to participate in, often as You commanded to remember what You've done for us, to remember Your body broken, nailed to the cross, Your blood shed for us, Your death in our place for our sins. And thank You that it is by faith alone and You alone that we can receive righteousness, be justified, and know that our home is forever in heaven. Thank You for that promise. In Jesus' name. 

My hope is in the Lord, who gave Himself for me, and paid the price of all my sin at Calvary. For me He died, for me He lives, and everlasting life and life He freely gives. No merit of my own is anger to suppress. My only hope is found in Jesus' righteousness. For me He died, for me He lives, and everlasting life and life He freely gives. 

And now for me He stands before the Father's throne. He shows His wounded hands and makes me as His own. For me He died, for me He lives, and everlasting life and life He freely gives. 

His grace has splendid awe, tis my God to believe, and recognize His work of love and Christ receive. For me He died, for me He lives, and everlasting life and life He freely gives. 

Today we're going to start with the doctrine of sin. That's my plan. But if you have questions on specific doctrines or general, can you lose your salvation, those kind of questions, send them to me and we'll work on it until the Lord comes. Thank you.