Well greetings friends. This is Herbert W Armstrong with the Good News of the World Tomorrow. Why were you born? You probably never knew it — never even stopped to wonder about it, but you were put on this earth for a purpose. There is just one overall supreme goal for your life, whether you have ever found it or not. Many Sons Brought To Glory Our Real Purpose in Life Become Begotten Sons of God Purpose in Suffferings
Now compared to the immensity of this whole universe you are pretty small. Viewed from a mile up in a plane you are just a tiny speck. Viewed from a larger mainliner four miles up in the air you aren't even visible at all. You are only one out of billions of people here on this earth. Yes you are pretty small, pretty insignificant. Why should the great God who created not only this entire earth and all that exists and all that lives on this earth, but also all of the suns, the stars, and the millions of times larger than this earth — some of these planets, some of the stars like our sun, millions of times larger than the earth — all of the galaxies, the Milky Way clear beyond the imagination of man for vastness. Why should a God of such immensity be concerned about you as an individual?
You don't think He is? Oh, but my friends He is. He is very deeply concerned about you, because He put you here for a purpose. And most of you don't even know what that purpose is — you are not even working toward it. It is almost impossible to believe I know. No wonder the question is asked in Hebrews the second chapter and the sixth verse:
"What is man that thou [God] art mindful of him? Or the son of man that thou visitest him? Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands [well here comes the answer. Here is the amazing, the awe inspiring, almost unbelievable answer listen — it follows right here]; Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet [that is all the things here on earth now. All things are to be later, my friends, that you don't even dream of]. Thou hast put all things under in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him." (Hebrews 2:6-8)
Yes that means exactly what it says. You can't believe it can you? That means that nothing is not put under subjection to man's feet, ultimately at least; "But now [for the present] we see not yet all things put under him [It hasn't been perfected yet — the purpose has not yet been accomplished. But this is why God is mindful of you, my friends, so listen]. But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels [just as we are] for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain [who is Christ, the captain] of their salvation perfect through sufferings." (Hebrews 2:9-10)
Now notice the third chapter and the first verse. "Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling [that's a calling, that's why you were put here for that calling, that purpose — partakers of the heavenly calling], consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus;" (Hebrews 3:1)
You know we work at a vocation, a profession, a calling here on earth. Oh my friends, most of us have missed the real calling — the big calling — the reason that we are put on this earth in the first place.
Now Jesus Christ became a born Son of God by a resurrection from the dead. You read that back here in Romans first chapter and the fourth verse where it is speaking of Christ concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord in the third verse. "And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:" (Romans 1:4)
Now He became the Son of God by a resurrection from the dead. Jesus Christ ascended to heaven — there He was glorified. And once again here is the description of the glorified Christ. Not even the Christ as He was on this earth for forty days after His resurrection, but after He had ascended to heaven, after He was glorified — here is the description.
The first chapter of Revelation the fourteenth on to the sixteenth verses. "His head and his hairs were like white wool, as white as the snow; his eyes were as flames of fire [His eyes absolutely like flames of fire]. And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters. ...and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength." (Revelation 1:14-16 paraphrased)
There my friends, is the picture of Christ as He is now — the glorified Christ. That is the way He is and did you notice that I read to you back here just a moment ago that "...it became him, for whom are all things, by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory." (Hebrews 2:10)
Speaking of Jesus how "in these last days God has spoken unto us by his Son [the third verse] ...Who being the brightness of his glory [of the glory of God] and the express image of his person...[yes He looks like God. He is one of the family of God. And it is a family relationship. He is the Son and there is the Father; now notice]: Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power [or sustaining, upholding all things — everything in the universe, if you get other translations. He upholds, he sustains all powers, all forces, all energies — this entire universe. He keeps the great planets coursing in their spaces up in the air. The way they travel in their courses. And] ...all by the word of His power. Now], when he had by himself purged our sins [which He did by His shed blood on the cross here on this earth — then He ascended to heaven], sat down on the right hand of the Majesty [that's God the Father] on high." (Hebrews 1:3)
Now then notice the eighth verse: "unto the Son [speaking of Christ] he saith, [this is what the Father says] Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom." (Hebrews 1:8)
All power in heaven and earth has been given unto Christ. And He sustains, He upholds the universe by His power and by the power of His word. And He is God, He is very God and the Father says unto Him: "unto the Son saith He, thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a scepter of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom." (Hebrews 1:8)
Think of that my friends; there is the glorified Christ. And now I want you to notice how and why the great, the tremendous God is mindful of you. Just you one little insignificant impudent little individual — small and insignificant as you are — God is mindful of you. God is very much concerned about you, WHY? I want you to read that tenth verse again. Hebrews the second chapter and the tenth verse.
"...it became him [Christ], for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, IN BRINGING MANY SONS UNTO GLORY" (Hebrews 2:10). Christ is the Son of God by a resurrection from the dead. Now 'IN BRINGING MANY SONS UNTO GLORY.' As He has come unto glory until His face shines like the very sun in all of its power and strength and full brightness. His eyes like flames of fire. He has been brought to glory and now in bringing many sons to glory.
It's in your Bible. Have you been reading over passages like these and never believed them, my friends? Can you conceive, can you understand, can your mind grasp what it all means — how tremendous it is? You were born yes, born only of a mortal human flesh. Born of the dust of the ground, but nevertheless my friends born to be one of those MANY SONS that are to be brought unto glory. That Jesus is bringing to glory. One of those many sons that it is God's purpose to bring unto glory.
Jesus Christ is only the firstborn of many brethren. You were given your present existence for the very purpose of becoming one of those brethren. To be born again by a resurrection as a born Son of God as Jesus became a Son of God by a resurrection of the dead. He was born a Son of by a resurrection from the dead. Now your Bible says that if and when you are, you shall be like Him for you shall see Him as He is (I John 3:2). You shall be made like unto His glorious body. You shall be like Him and I just read to you how He is; His eyes like flames of fire, His face shining with the brightness of the sun in full strength.
How bright is that? Can you look on the sun with your naked eyes without a smoked glass or something in front on a bright day, when there is no cloud, no fog, nothing between you and the sun? That is how bright is Christ's face now. That is the glorified Christ. Christ in His glory and when He comes to this earth again, He's coming in all of His power and all of His glory.
Little and insignificant as we are we have been given minds like God. We are given the possibility of becoming a Son of God. And yet what do we do? We — most of us — spurn it, we sneer at it, we scoff at the great glory that God has in store for us.
Well, now I would like to have you turn to the eighth chapter of Romans. Romans the eighth chapter, the seventeenth and eighteenth verses.
Listen, we are to be begotten as children of God and if children then heirs; heirs of God. You read in Galatians 3:29 that if you are Christ's you are Abraham's children and heirs, HEIRS, according to the promise. Now here we are heirs now; not possessors, not inheritors — yet — during this life. Just heirs — if children — then we are heirs. Now let's go up a little above this, let me read you a little more in this eighth chapter.
Here we are carnal minded; to be carnal minded is death. Well a carnal mind is a natural mind, unless he has been converted. A great scientist is a carnal-minded man and he can have a very great mind. He can have a very great mind, but it is a carnal mind. A carnal mind can become a very great mind. But "to be carnally minded is death;" (Romans 8:6)
I don't care, my friends, how great you are in the science of this material universe, in material thought, in material accomplishment here on this earth. If you are carnal minded, it is death and you are going to die and it is the most certain thing in your life.
But to be spiritually minded is life and peace, because, verse 7 — this is Romans 8, I was reading verse 6 a moment ago — now verse 7. "Because the carnal mind [that's the natural mind], the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be." (Romans 8:7)
No the carnal mind is angry and resentful and bitter against the law of God. It's rebellious and it turns the other way and you have been rebellious my friends. And you have rebelled against God and you have sinned and sin is the transgression of His law and all of us have.
Now then, but on the other hand: "...you are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you [then you are subject to the law of God, then you are not enmity or in opposition to God any longer]. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his" (Romans 8:9). He isn't a Christian; I don't care how much he professes, I don't care how much he claims he is, I don't care how loud he shouts about Christ, I don't care how many churches he has joined.
"And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin [the transgression of the law] but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you" (Romans 8:10-11).
In other words in the resurrection you'll be quickened, energized, made alive for evermore; changed instantaneously from mortal to immortal and from human to divine.
Now, "Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh [it's a way of living, it's a way of life and we must not go on living after the flesh. Carnal- minded, disobeying the law of God]. For if you live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. For as many as are LED by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God" (Romans 8:12-13), and no one else.
If you are not led by the Spirit of God you are not a Son of God. If you do not have — and you cannot retain the Holy Spirit of God unless you are led by the Spirit of God — then you are not Christ's, you are not a Christian; I don't care what you profess. I'm just reading it out of the Bible and your Bible says the same thing. I don't care which translation you have. It says the same thing essentially — it may be just in different words.
Now "For you have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear: but you have received the Spirit of (adoption) sonship, whereby we cry, Abba, Father" (Romans 8:15). A spirit of sonship that is begetting us now as very sons of God and we shall be born, as Jesus was, by a resurrection as the very sons of God.
Now listen, "The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we also may be glorified together" (Romans 8:17). Jesus had not been glorified on this earth my friends, but when He went to heaven He was glorified and now His face shines with the brightness of the sun. He is the glorified Christ and you are to be like Him, if you are converted if you are finally saved. You shall be like Him and we shall be glorified together.
"For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time [and there are some sufferings in the Christian life I'm coming to that] I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us" (Romans 8:18). Oh, no wonder you read, "that eye has not seen and ear has not heard nor has it entered into the heart of man the marvelous, the tremendous, the immense things that God has in store for us." (I Corinthians 2:9 paraphrased)
And if you grow in grace, if you overcome, if you endure unto the end and grow spiritually and develop character you are to be a born son of God. That's why God is concerned about you, small as you are. God is so big, God is so immense, God is so great that He can be conscious of and that He can be very much aware of and very much concerned about a little tiny insignificant speck like you. And He is and you are very precious, if and when you yield yourself to God. Otherwise my friends you can be more despicable than any animal that breathes and you can go down to death. You are subject to rotting and decaying you are subject to corruption and you will rot and decay and be corrupt. "The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God..." (Romans 6:23).
And if you will surrender to God, if you will accept Christ as Savior, if you will make your calling and election sure, if you will live the Christian life; then your destiny is so great that you can't even conceive it. You must make your decision.
Oh I tell you my friends, it's greater than you have ever heard. It's greater than you have ever heard preached. It's greater than has ever entered into your mind or your heart.
Now then I would like to have you notice verse 29 here just a moment too in the eighth chapter of Romans. "For whom he [God] did foreknow he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son" (Romans 8:29). To be conformed to the very image of His Son. That's not the image of Christ as He was on the earth — He was according to the image of all men then. And we have borne the image of the earthy, of the original Adam. We shall bare the image of the heavenly; as He is now. As He is now that He is glorified.
God did predestinate those that He "...foreknew to be conformed to the image of his Son that he might be [He, Christ] might be the firstborn of many brethren." (Romans 8:29)
The firstborn of many brethren; now there's a mention about predestination. Predestination is mentioned here a number of times in two principle passages and places in your Bible. That has been quite a stumbling block for a lot of people that have never understood. I think it's been a long long time since I have announced that. My friends I have a very illuminating booklet that will make this mystery of predestination clear; would you like a copy? It will clear it up.
So many people have wondered did God predestinate some to be absolutely lost and others to be saved? The answer is No — that is not what predestination means. Let me just answer that much of the question now. I am going to reserve the rest for the booklet. You cannot find one passage in your Bible that says that anyone was ever predestinated, predetermined to be lost. That it is impossible for anyone who is ever been born to be saved. The door is not slammed shut on anybody my friends, you make your decision.
But "...whom he did foreknow he also did predestinate to be [What? Not to be lost, but to be] conformed to the image of his Son" (Romans 8:29). Have you been predestinated to be conformed to the image of His Son, my friends? You certainly have never been predestinated to be anything else. I will tell you that. You'd better write and get that booklet, there is no charge. Request the booklet on 'Predestination.' You have never read anything like it. Very attractive booklet and there is no charge. I haven't put that on the air for a long time. Write in for that booklet on 'Predestination.' it will open your eyes. Don't expect to get something you already know. I couldn't help you if I'd give you the same thing you already have. It is going to be a great surprise to you; and it's going to make it clear if you will yield your heart and your mind to God — if you really want His truth.
Now listen, if you are converted, if you are begotten of God, if you overcome, if you grow spiritually, if you are led by the Holy Spirit; you're endeavoring — and by the power of God you can — to live by every word of God and if you endure unto the end, then listen you are to become one of the divine persons that constitute the Kingdom of God just as Jesus became one by the resurrection of the dead. But, just as Jesus learned by suffering, as I read to you a moment ago back there in Hebrews, so you and I have to learn and to grow spiritually. Now I just read to you here in Romans 8:18 "For I reckon [says Paul under inspiration] I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us." (Romans 8:18)
Now then, just as Jesus learned by suffering so you and I have to learn. And we have to grow spiritually more and more like God until by His divine power finally we are made holy and perfect — as He is perfect — by a conversion from mortal to immortal, from human to divine, which will take place by the method of a resurrection if you are dead or an instantaneous change if you are still living at the time of the second coming of Christ and the resurrection of the dead in Christ.
And so my friends you have been called to a calling — a divine calling. And you are admonished to make your calling and your election sure. And it is a life calling the real Christian has to work at it. But now how?
I've just come to the beginning of what I want to say and time is almost up. How are you going to do it? How can you live a real Christian life? You know all the way through the book of Acts you read that Christianity was called a 'Way.' It was represented there and described time after time as a 'Way'- a Way of life. Well, here in just a few little places in the eighteenth chapter of Acts and the twenty-fifth verse, how Apollos here who was a great orator but hadn't understood very well. This man was instructed in the 'Way' of the Lord, but he wasn't fully instructed.
So Pricilla and Aquillia found that he wasn't and they came to him and expounded it says in the next verse the twenty-sixth. They "expounded unto him the WAY of God more perfectly" (Acts 18:26). Yes, the Way of God more perfectly.
Now in the very next chapter, the nineteenth chapter, you read this where Paul had come to Ephesus here at this time. "But when [divers] ones were hardened and believed not but spake evil of that way [which is the Christian way of life], before the multitude, he [Paul] departed from them and separated the disciples, disputing daily in the school of one Tyrannus" (Acts 19:9).
Now let's see, "So mightily grew the Word of God and prevailed" (Acts 19:20), you read in verse 20 and in verse 23,"And the same time there arose no small stir about that way" (Acts 19:23). About Christianity about that way.
And so it goes my friends. You find it all the way through the book of Acts. That is just on one or two pages that I happen to open to here in the book of Acts, across the two pages. It is a Way. How are you going to live that Way? It is your calling. It is your life profession. It is what you need to be working at — but how? How can you live a Christian life?
You're admonished in your Bible "Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall." (I Corinthians 10:12)
How can you prevent falling? Now that's what I wanted to talk to you about. I see that time is too near gone to start it and I'm going to take that up in my next program. I want to tell you some very illuminating things, my friends that you need to know about how to live a Christian life. There are two main things you need to do and if you neglect them and most of you are neglecting them, you need to take heed lest you fall.
You're told to "work out your own salvation with fear and trembling." (Philippians 2:12)
Are you doing it?