Matthew 5:1-16

The King’s Expectations

January 3, 2016

First Baptist Church

Jackson, Mississippi

USA

What’s the number one thing?

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1 Corinthians 10:31 NKJV 31 Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of

God.

January Memory Verse

Joshua 1:9 ESV

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for

the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Please Pray For

The Pastor Search Committee

Ross Aven Rodney DePriest

Laurel Ditto Susan Lindsay

Chris Maddux Joe Young

Paul Moak, Jr. (Chairman)

Sunday

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Matthew 6:5-18

Approaching the King

January 10, 2016

First Baptist Church

Jackson, Mississippi

USA

Today

Matthew 5:1-16

The King’s Expectations

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Matthew 5:1-16 NKJV

The Beatitudes

1 And seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain, and when He was

seated His disciples came to Him. 2 Then He opened His mouth and taught them,

saying:

3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit,

For theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. 4 Blessed are those who mourn,

For they shall be comforted.

5 Blessed are the meek,

For they shall inherit the Earth. 6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,

For they shall be filled. 7 Blessed are the merciful,

For they shall obtain mercy. 8 Blessed are the pure in heart,

For they shall see God. 9 Blessed are the peacemakers,

For they shall be called sons of God. 10 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake,

For theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.

11 “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil

against you falsely for My sake. 12 Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is

your reward in Heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before

you.

Believers Are Salt and Light 13 “You are the salt of the Earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be

seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled

underfoot by men.

14 “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it

gives light to all who are in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before men, that

they may see your good works and glorify your Father in Heaven.

Matthew 5:1-16 NKJV

J. Vernon McGee's

Thru The Bible

http://a5.mzstatic.com/us/r30/Podcasts6/v4/32/5f/79/325f79f3-a0f1-02e5-5382-

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John MacArthur, Jr.

(born June 19, 1939)

Radio program: Grace to You

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The Sermon can be divided like this:

1. Relationship of the subjects of the Kingdom to self (Matt. 5:1-16).

2. Relationship of the subjects of the Kingdom to law (Matt. 5:17-18).

3. Relationship of the subjects of the Kingdom to God (Matt. 6).

4. Relationship of the subjects of the Kingdom to others (Matt. 7).

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It should be kept in mind as we consider the Gospel of Matthew that Matthew is

making no attempt to give us a chronological record of the life of Christ.

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He is presenting Jesus in his Gospel as King, and he follows a pattern which is a

movement in bringing the King and His claims to the nation Israel.

• This is important to observe because if we miss the movement in Matthew,

we miss the purpose of this Gospel.

The first king (Adam) sinned and left a curse; the second King (Jesus) was sinless

and leaves a blessing.

The first Adam was tested in a beautiful garden and failed; the last Adam was

tested in a threatening wilderness and succeeded.

Because the first Adam was a thief, he was cast out of paradise; but the last

Adam turned to a thief on a cross and said, "Today you shall be with Me in

paradise" (Luke 23:43).

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These men had an exchange with God on the two most significant days in the

history of mankind; the day man was lost and the day man was saved!

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The Old Testament, the book of the generations of Adam, ends with a curse; the

New Testament, the book of the generations of Jesus Christ, ends with the

promise, "There shall no longer be any curse" (Revelation 22:3).

The Old Testament gave the law to show man in his misery, and the New

Testament gives eternal life to show man in his bliss.

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Those who do not love the King cannot live like the King.

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Introduction To The Sermon On The Mount (Matthew 5:1)

Although we will consider each chapter of the Sermon on the Mount separately,

let's first consider it as a whole.

The Lord Jesus gave four major discourses while on Earth.

Matthew records three of them:

(1) the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew chapters 5 -- 7;

(2) the Mystery Parables Discourse, Matthew chapter 13; and

(3) the Olivet Discourse, Matthew chapters 24 -- 25.

The Sermon on the Mount is the manifesto of the King.

The Mystery Parables Discourse gives the direction that the Kingdom of Heaven

will take after Christ's rejection.

The Olivet Discourse is prophetic, looking toward the future.

There is a fourth discourse, recorded in John's Gospel, which deals with new

truths and relationships in view of Christ's death, resurrection, ascension, and

intercession.

You and I are vitally connected with this latter discourse.

While the Sermon on the Mount is in Matthew 5 -- 7, excerpts of it are in the other

Gospels, also.

It is unlikely that our Lord gave it only one time.

Jesus repeated a great deal of the truths that He gave us in the Sermon on the

Mount and probably gave this message on many occasions.

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Luke records only a portion of it and mentions the fact that our Lord came down

and stood on the plain, indicating that this was a different occasion.

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Matthew's account is probably only a part of the Sermon on the Mount.

Jesus probably gave a great deal more than we have here in this passage but

this was given for our learning and our understanding today.

Two things to be considered by way of introduction to this section.

Theologians to the far left treat the Sermon on the Mount as if it were the only

important part of Scripture.

The question is not whether you feel that the Sermon on the Mount is all the

Scripture that you need, the question is: Are you living it?

The content of the Gospel is not found in the Sermon on the Mount.

There is absolutely no mention of the death and resurrection of Christ.

What is the Gospel?

Paul said to the Corinthians, "...I declare unto you the Gospel: that Christ died for

our sins according to the Scriptures; And that He was buried, and that He rose

again the third day according to the Scriptures" (1 Corinthians 15:1, 3-4).

The Gospel is not in the Sermon on the Mount, and that is the reason a great

many people like to claim it as their religion.

If the Sermon on the Mount is God's standard (and it is) and you come short of it,

what are you going to do?

Do you have a Savior Who can extend mercy to you?

Do you know the One Who can reach down in grace and save you when you

put your faith in Him?

To reduce the Christian message to the Sermon on the Mount is a simplicity

which the Scriptures would not permit under any circumstances.

To do so is the extreme left point of view but then there is also the extreme right

point of view.

The extreme right wants to rule it out entirely.

It is true that there is no gospel in the Sermon on the Mount, but it is tragic indeed

to give it to unregenerate man as a standard of conduct, and to tell him that if

he tries to measure up to it, he is a Christian.

The Sermon on the Mount is Law lifted to the nth degree.

Man could not keep the Law in the Old Testament so how in the world can he

keep, in his own strength, the Sermon on the Mount which is elevated to an even

higher degree?

It is likewise true that the modus operandi for Christian living is not really found in

the Sermon on the Mount.

It gives the ethic without supplying the dynamic.

Living by the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit is just not one of the truths taught

in the Sermon on the Mount.

Paul says: "For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh,

God sending His Own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned

sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk

not after the flesh, but after the Spirit" (Romans 8:3-4).

You don't find that teaching in the Sermon on the Mount.

It contains nothing of the ministry of the Holy Spirit.

However, it does contain high ethical standards and practices which are not

contrary to Christian living; in fact, it expresses the mind of Christ which should

be the mind of the Christian also.

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The great principles set down here are profitable for the Christian to study and

learn, but he can never attain them in his own strength; he must go elsewhere to

look for the power.

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What you have in the Sermon on the Mount is a marvelous electric light bulb, but

you do not have the generator that produces the power that will make the light.

It is the light, not the bulb, that is all important.

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The primary purpose of the Sermon on the Mount is to set before men the law of

the Kingdom.

In Matthew we are talking about the King Who has come to present Himself.

John the Baptist was His forerunner, and the King called disciples to follow Him.

Now Jesus enunciates (lays down) the law of the Kingdom.

This is the manifesto of the King and the platform of the Prince of Peace.

It will be the law of this world during the Millennium, and then it will find full

fruition.

Christ will reign on Earth in Person and will enforce every word of it.

The Sermon on the Mount will finally prevail when He Whose right it is to rule shall

come.

How could anyone who acknowledges Him today as Lord despise this

document or turn from it.

The Christian who calls Jesus Christ Lord, will seek to do what He commands, but

he can obey only in the power of the Holy Spirit.

It is worse than futile to try to force the Sermon on the Mount on a gainsaying

and rebellious world.

Only the Gospel of the grace of God can make men obedient to Christ, and it

was given to bring men into obedience to God.

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The Sermon on the Mount needs to be preached to bring conviction to the

hearts of men.

This document lets men know that they have sinned, and it reveals that none are

righteous and that all have come short of God's glory.

The Christian can take the principles set down in the Sermon on the Mount and

consider them in the light of other Scriptures.

This will provide a wider view and a better understanding of the mind of Christ.

For example, only here can you find Christ's definition of murder and adultery.

Christ took two of the Exodus 20 commandments and lifted them to the nth

degree, "Thou shalt not kill" and "Thou shalt not commit adultery”.

Are these the only two which He lifted to a higher level?

The answer seems to be obvious.

These are the only two which are recorded in Matthew - apparently, He did or

could lift each commandment to a much higher level of attainment.

If it could be said of the Mosaic Law, "...for by the works

of the law shall no flesh be justified" (Galatians 2:16),

then it would be ten times more difficult for a man to be

justified by the Sermon on the Mount.

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Try putting down upon your own life these two commandments: "Thou shalt not

kill" and "Thou shalt not commit adultery."

J. Vernon Magee illustrates this point with a personal story.

This incident took place during his first pastorate when he was a lot more blunt

than later in his career.

An elder in the church he served in Nashville, Tennessee, invited him to speak at

a Chamber of Commerce luncheon.

This elder was a very wonderful man.

He was the vice-president of a bank in the city, a member of the Chamber of

Commerce, and when he asked Dr. Magee to bring a brief message, he said,

"You won't have but a few minutes, but I want you to give these businessmen the

Gospel."

Well, I arrived at the place a little early, and there were several men standing

around. I went up near the speaker's table, and there was a man there who

shook hands with me and began to rip out oaths.

I had never seen such a fine-looking, well-dressed man curse as this man did.

Finally, he said to me, "What's your racket?" I told him that I was a preacher, and

he began to cover up immediately. He apologized for his language.

He didn't need to apologize to me; he needed to apologize to God because

God heard him all the time -- which I told him. Then he wanted me to know that

he was an officer in a certain liberal church, and he boasted, "The Sermon on

the Mount is my religion."

"It is?" I said, "Let's shake hands."

"I congratulate you -- you've got a wonderful religion! By the way, how are you

doing with it?"

"What do you mean?"

"You said that the Sermon on the Mount is your religion. Are you living by it?"

"Well I try."

"That's not quite it. The Lord said that you are blessed if you do those things, not if

you vote for them. Are you keeping it?"

"I think I am."

"Do you mind if we take a little test?"

"All right."

"The Sermon on the Mount says that if you are angry with your brother you are

guilty of murder. Are you keeping that one?"

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"Well, that's pretty strong, but I don't think I have been angry enough to kill

anyone."

Then I quoted the one the Lord gave on adultery: "Whosoever looketh on a

woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart" (v.

28), and asked him, "How about that one?"

"Oh, I guess that would get me."

"Well, I imagine that there are several things in the Sermon on the Mount that

would get you. Apparently you are not living by your religion. If I were you, I'd

change my religion and get something that works."

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People very piously say that the Sermon on the Mount is their religion, but all

they mean is that they think it is a good document and a very fine expression,

but it doesn't affect them one whit.

I found out later that the man I was talking with had two wives -- one at home

and one at his office.

If the Sermon on the Mount is your religion, you had better make sure you are

keeping it because it is loaded with law.

If you will look at the Sermon on the Mount honestly, it will bring you to a Savior

Who died for you on the cross.

The Sermon on the Mount sets before us great principles and high goals.

We need to know them, but they reveal how far we come short.

Matthew's record of the Sermon on the Mount is only a skeleton of Christ's actual

message.

The Sermon can be divided like this:

1. Relationship of the subjects of the Kingdom to self (Matt. 5:1-16).

2. Relationship of the subjects of the Kingdom to law (Matt. 5:17-18).

3. Relationship of the subjects of the Kingdom to God (Matt. 6).

4. Relationship of the subjects of the Kingdom to others (Matt. 7).

The Sermon on the Mount opens with the Beatitudes.

It is well to note that they are be-attitudes, not do-attitudes.

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They state what the subjects of the Kingdom are -- they are the type of person

described in the Beatitudes.

Verse 1 makes it clear why this discourse is called the Sermon on the Mount.

First it should be noted that the Lord did not actually give the Sermon on the

Mount to the multitudes.

He gave it to His disciples, those who were already His.

Relationship Of The Subjects Of The Kingdom To Self (5:1-16)

And seeing the multitudes, He went up into a mountain: and when He was set,

His disciples came unto Him: And he opened His mouth, and taught them,

saying: [Matthew 5:1-2].

Although He did not actually give the Sermon on the Mount to the multitudes, He

gave it to the disciples because He saw the multitudes and their need.

Therefore, it was given to the multitudes indirectly.

In our day, men need first to come to Christ.

While the Kingdom is actually in abeyance, the present state of it is a place

where the seed is being sown, and the seed is the Word of God.

Our business in the world is to sow the seed, and the Day is coming when Christ

will establish His Kingdom upon this Earth.

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"Blessed are the poor in spirit:

For theirs is the kingdom of Heaven." [Matthew 5:3].

This verse says, "Blessed are the poor in spirit." It doesn't tell you how to become

poor in spirit; it just says, "Blessed are the poor in spirit."

In these twelve verses, our Lord used the word blessed nine times.

The Psalms open with the same word: "Blessed is the man..." (Psalm 1:1).

This is in contrast to the curses of the Mosaic Law.

Joshua was told that when the people of Israel were come over Jordan, they

were to stand on Mount Gerizim to bless the people.

And then the curses were to be given from Mount Ebal.

The blessings from the Sermon on the Mount are in sharp contrast to the curses

from Mount Ebal, and they far exceed the blessings from Mount Gerizim,

because Christ alone can bring those blessings.

In our day only the saved sinner can know his poverty of spirit – "Blessed are the

poor in spirit."

The Sermon on the Mount, instead of making folk poor in spirit, makes them

boast -- like the man J. Vernon Magee referred to.

He was boasting that the Sermon on the Mount was his religion, and he was

trying to kid himself and others into thinking that he was keeping it.

He wasn't keeping it at all; it was just making a hypocrite out of him and there

are a lot of those around.

Only the Spirit of God can reveal to you your poverty of spirit.

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The Lord Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount was not telling His disciples how to

become citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven.

They already were citizens of the Kingdom.

We Christians today are actually very poor in spirit, we are spiritually bankrupt,

but we have something to give which is more valuable than silver and gold.

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We can react to our spiritual bankruptcy in one of several ways.

Like the Pharisees we can deny our spiritual destitution and pretend we are

spiritually rich.

(also see Revelation 3 - Laodiceans)

Or, like monastics, we can admit our condition of spiritual bankruptcy and try to

change it in our own power and by our own efforts.

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Or we can admit our condition and then despair over it to such a degree that

we try to drown it in drink, escape it by drugs or by activity, or give up

completely as Judas did.

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Because they can find no answer in themselves or in the world, these people

conclude that there is no answer.

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Or, like the prodigal son, we can admit our condition, mourn over it, and turn to

the heavenly Father to remedy our poverty (see Luke 15:11-32).

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Paul expressed it this way: 'As sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet

making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things"

(2Corinthians 6:10).

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"As poor, yet making many rich" is referring to spiritual riches which are

available to everyone who belongs to Christ.

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Ephesians 1:7-8 NIV 7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in

accordance with the riches of God’s grace 8 that He lavished on us. With all

wisdom and understanding,

How, then, do we become poor in spirit?

Almost by definition, it cannot start with us, with anything we can do or

accomplish in our own power.

Nor does it involve putting ourselves down.

We are already down; humility simply recognizes the truth.

And simply being hopeless, helpless, and in need obviously is no virtue.

That is not God's will for anyone.

His will is to get us out of that condition and into blessing.

The fulfillment of that goal depends on His sovereign, gracious work of humbling.

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The next beatitude is:

"Blessed are they that mourn:

For they shall be comforted." [Matthew 5:4].

It is interesting to note that the same thoughts expressed in the Beatitudes can

be found elsewhere in the Scriptures.

The poor in spirit are referred to in Zephaniah 3:12.

Micah is an example of those who mourn and are comforted (see Micah

chapter 7).

"Blessed are the meek:

for they shall inherit the earth." [Matthew 5:5].

We also find this in Psalm 37:11.

The meek are not inheriting the earth in this day in which we live.

So apparently the Sermon on the Mount is not in effect today.

However, when Christ does reign, the meek will inherit the earth.

How do you become meek?

Our Lord was meek (power with control) and lowly, and He will inherit all things;

we are the heirs of God and joint-heirs with Jesus Christ.

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We are told that the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering,

gentleness, goodness, faith, temperance, and meekness.

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Only the Spirit of God can break you and make you meek.

If you could produce meekness by your own effort, you would be proud of

yourself and then out goes your meekness!

Meekness is not produced by self-effort but by Holy Spirit effort.

Only the Holy Spirit can produce meekness in the heart of a yielded Christian.

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The Christian who has learned the secret of the fruit of the Holy Spirit can turn

here to the Beatitudes and read, "Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the

earth," and see that the rewards of meekness are still in the future.

Paul asked the Corinthian believers, "Do ye not know that the saints shall judge

the world? ..." (1 Cor 6:2).

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The Beatitudes present goals which the child of God wants to realize in his own

life, but he can't do it on his own.

You may have heard of the preacher who had a message entitled "Meekness

and How I Attained It."

He said that he hadn't delivered his message yet, but as soon as he got an

audience big enough, he was going to give it!

Well, I have a notion that he had long since lost his meekness.

Meekness can only be a fruit of the Holy Spirit.

The essential difference between being poor in spirit and being meek, or gentle,

may be that poverty in spirit focuses on our sinfulness, whereas meekness

focuses on God's holiness.

The basic attitude of humility underlies both virtues.

When we look honestly at ourselves, we are made humble by seeing how sinful

and unworthy we are; when we look at God, we are made humble by seeing

how righteous and worthy He is.

We again can see logical sequence and progression in the Beatitudes.

Poverty of spirit (the first) is negative, and results in mourning (the second).

Meekness (the third) is positive, and results in seeking righteousness (the fourth).

Being poor in spirit causes us to turn away from ourselves in mourning, and

meekness causes us to turn toward God in seeking His righteousness.

Meekness is necessary because only meekness gives glory to God.

Pride seeks its own glory, but meekness seeks God's glory.

Meekness is reflected in our attitude toward other children of God.

Humility in relation to fellow Christians gives God glory.

"Now may the God Who gives perseverance and encouragement grant you to

be of the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus; that with one

accord you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus

Christ. Wherefore, accept one another, just as Christ also accepted us to the

glory of God" (Romans 15:5-7).

Then in Matthew 5:6 we are told:

"Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness:

For they shall be filled." [Matthew 5:6].

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What about the natural man; does he hunger and thirst for righteousness?

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The ones I meet do not!

"But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are

foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually

discerned" (1Cor. 2:14).

The "natural man" is in contrast to the spiritual man who has found that Christ is

his righteousness -- "...of him are ye in Christ Jesus, Who of God is made unto us

wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption" (1Corinthians

1:30).

"Blessed are the merciful:

For they shall obtain mercy." [Matthew 5:7].

This beatitude is so misunderstood in our day because it makes our obtaining

mercy conditional on our being merciful.

This is not the condition on which we obtain mercy -- "Not by works of

righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, by

the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost" (Titus 3:5).

"But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar

people; that ye should shew forth the praises of Him Who hath called you out of

darkness into His marvelous light: Which in time past were not a people, but are

now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained

mercy" (1Peter 2:9-10).

"Blessed are the pure in heart:

For they shall see God." [Matthew 5:8].

No honest man can say that his heart is pure.

How can the heart of man, which is desperately wicked, be made clean?

The Lord Jesus said, "Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken

unto you" (John 15:3).

It is by the washing of regeneration that we are made clean.

Only the blood of Christ can cleanse us from all sin (see 1John 1:7).

"Blessed are the peacemakers:

for they shall be called the children of God." [Matthew 5:9].

Can you name one peacemaker in the world right now?

There is no one today who can make peace.

Christ alone is the great Peacemaker.

He made peace by His blood between a righteous God and an unrighteous

sinner.

"Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord

Jesus Christ" (Romans 5:1).

"Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake:

for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven." [Matthew 5:10].

The application of this beatitude to our day and to the remnant of Israel during

the Great Tribulation is easy to see.

But can it apply to the Kingdom which is to be established?

Won't all evil be removed in the Kingdom?

Many Scriptures show that in the Millennial Kingdom there will still be evil in the

world because it will be a time of testing.

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The outbreak of rebellion at the end of the Millennium reveals that evil will be

present during the Millennium (see Revelation 20:7-9).

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Matthew 5:13 NKJV 13 "You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be

seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled

underfoot by men."

"A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid." [Matthew 5:14b].

God's people in any age and under any condition are both salt and light in the

world.

The Scots translate “flavor” by the more expressive word tang.

"If the salt has lost its tang."

The problem today is that most church members have not only lost their tang as

salt, but as pepper they have lost their pep also.

We have very few salt and pepper Christians in our day.

Now salt doesn't keep fermentation and that type of thing from taking place, but

it will arrest it.

You and I ought to be the salt in the Earth and have an influence for good in the

world.

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Christians are also the light of the world.

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Certainly in the Kingdom the believers are going to be the light of the world.

This is a tremendous principle for us.

We need to be a light in our neighborhood and wherever we go.

We have no light within ourselves, but the Word of God is light.

Being a light means giving out the Word of God in one way or another.

This doesn't mean that you should be quoting Scripture all the time, but it does

mean that you are to share the light that God has given you.

It is very easy to cultivate a relationship, then quietly and graciously introduce

that person to a Bible-teaching church or radio program.

There are many ways in which we can be light in the world.

"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and

glorify your Father which is in Heaven." [Matthew 5:16].

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There are those that feel the Sermon on the Mount is anthropocentric, or man-

centered, rather than theocentric, or God-centered.

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But, obviously, the Sermon on the Mount is not anthropocentric, man-centered, it

is theocentric.

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Does this verse say, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your

good works, and glorify you and pat you on the back, and give you a gold

medal and a loving cup?"

No!

This verse says that you and I are to let our light so shine in this world that we

may glorify our Father which is in Heaven.

The Sermon on the Mount is God-centered.

During the Millennium, during the Kingdom here on earth, everything which is

done and said will be God-centered.

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And in the present age, in this lost world in which you and I live today, our prime

motivation should be to bring glory to God.

This is something that every Christian should consider very seriously.

The aim and purpose of our lives should be to glorify our God.

It is the number one thing!

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The Plan of Hope & Salvation

John 3:16 NKJV 16 “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever

believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

John 14:6 NKJV 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the

Father except through Me.”

Romans 3:23 NKJV 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

Romans 6:23a NKJV 23a For the wages of sin is death,

Death in this life (the first death) is 100%.

Even Jesus, the one who doesn’t deserve death, died in this life to pay the

penalty for our sins.

The death referred to in Romans 6:23a is the second death explained in

Revelation 21:8.

Revelation 21:8 NKJV 8 “But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral,

sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with

fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”

Romans 5:8 NKJV 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners,

Christ died for us.

Romans 6:23b NKJV 23b but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Revelation 21:7 NKJV 7 “He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be

My son.”

Romans 10:9-10 explains to us how to become an overcomer.

Romans 10:9-10 NKJV 9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that

God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one

believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto

salvation.

Romans 10:13 NKJV 13 For “whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.”

If you have questions or would like to know more, please, contact First Baptist

Church Jackson at 601-949-1900 or http://firstbaptistjackson.org/contact/