How I Want To Be Found Of Christ

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
There's a battle going on for the soul of me.
He's the worthy. But I'm saying, within the arms of God,
dear bride, she's the keeper of the Sorge of Christ.

Speaker 2 (00:21):
I'll not surrender. I'll have surrender. I'll not surrender.

Speaker 3 (00:35):
I know I'll always be a godspel.

Speaker 4 (00:40):
Defender, Ladies and gentlemen, Rick Brightenbaw of the Gospel Defender Ministries,
This gospel message will encourage and equip those who have
ears to hear to be a Christian. I hold with
the umber of a gospel defender.

Speaker 2 (01:08):
Survey.

Speaker 3 (01:13):
Survey rial low, a godspel.

Speaker 4 (01:25):
Ladies and gentlemen. The coming of Christ will be the
greatest event ever be held in the lives of those
who are alive at that time, and even those who
are not. It will attract more attention and be seen
by more people than any blockbuster movie. It will dwarf

(01:46):
any rock concert, athletic contest, or political rally. No one
will miss it, not even unbelievers. Every human being of
every nation will witness it simultaneously, and when the final
trumpet sounds, the day of Judgment will commence, and all

(02:10):
the nations will be gathered together before Him and He
will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides
his sheep from the goats. We will find ourselves in
one of those two groups, the sheep or the goats.
To one, he will say, calm you, blessed of my

(02:30):
Father inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation
of the world. To the other, he will say, depart
from me. You curse it into everlasting fire, prepared for
the devil and his angels. Whether or not you believe
it or like it, God's Holy writ declares you will

(02:53):
be part of that great assembly on the judgment day.
This message is not to prove He is again. This
message concerns, whether dead or alive, how you should want
to be found of Christ when it takes place. Apostle
Paul frequently speaks of how you should be found when

(03:14):
Christ returns. For one thing, you ought to want to
be found standing in the righteousness of Christ. It is
in Philippians three, verses eight and nine that Paul speaks
of this condition. I count all things loss for the
excellence of the knowledge of Christ, Jesus my Lord, for

(03:35):
whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and
count them as rubbish. That I may gain Christ and
be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which
is from the law, but that which is through faith
in Christ, the righteousness which is from God. By faith.

(03:57):
When Jesus returns, God forbids that you be found believing
that you are good enough to deserve heaven. May God
find you standing in the righteousness of Jesus that is
received only after obeying the Gospel requirements to receive salvation.
Jesus said in Matthew five, verse twenty, unless our righteousness

(04:21):
exceeds the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, we will
by no means enter the Kingdom of heaven. The Scribes
and Pharisees were self righteous religious people. There are more
than a few in religion who are afflicted with the
same unspiritual disease as were the Scribes and Pharisees, believing

(04:45):
they are righteous because of what they have done or
not done. The only righteousness these people have is the
same righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, self righteousness. But
it was not only the scribes and Pharisees. It was
also Paul's own kinsmen in the flesh. To the Roman

(05:08):
Church of Christ, Paul wrote in Chapter ten, verse two,
concerning his lost kinsmen. They have a zeal for God,
but not according to knowledge. He said. In his words,
they were ignorant of God's righteousness and sought to establish
their own righteousness without submitting to the righteousness of God.

(05:32):
Paul said in Romans one, verse seventeen, the righteousness of
God is revealed in the Gospel. It isn't only the
unchurched who are ignorant of this righteousness of God. Religion
is also filled with people who are ignorant of it.
They are well meaning people who pay their taxes, obey

(05:53):
the laws of the land, and occasionally go to church,
but they have never obeyed the word of God to
be saved by the blood of Christ. In their uninformed
and misinformed, unrighteous minds, they think they are good enough
to go to Heaven. Someday they will be shocked to
discover at the judgment bar of Christ their self righteous

(06:18):
goodness will not be good enough. The Bible says, unless
one is standing in the righteousness of Christ, that person
is not and never will be good enough. So if
you are interested in standing in the righteousness of Christ,
lend me your ear. Contrary to popular religious preaching, simply

(06:41):
believing in Christ is not enough to procure his righteousness.
James wrote in James two verse nineteen. Even the demons
believe and tremble. Even the demons who possessed indwelt a
man in Mark chapter five, I believed in Christ when

(07:02):
Jesus came across the man's pathway of life. The demons
recognize Jesus for who he was. They confessed him as
the son of the Most High God. But they begged
him for mercy. There is more to the account. But remember,
even those demons believed in Christ. There is more to

(07:26):
standing in the righteousness of Christ than merely believing that
He is. Also, contrary to popular religious preaching, repenting of
sins is not enough to place a person in the
righteousness of Christ. Repentance is necessary to receive salvation. It
is essential to receive salvation, but repentance is merely deciding

(07:50):
to change the course of one's life, to stop doing
what is not right and to start doing what is right.
Millions have repentance in front of stadium platforms where a
gospel crusade has been held. Millions have repented at prayer altars.
Millions have repented in private closets. Their lives have been changed.

(08:16):
There has been a complete transformation in the way that
person lives his or her life, but a serious problem
remains to be solved. Following their repentance from sin, their
old sins, their past sins have not been forgiven washed
away by the blood of Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God.

(08:38):
They still still bear the guilt of sin. Also, contrary
to popular religious preaching, confession of one's faith is not
enough to place a person in the righteousness of Christ.
Confession of one's faith is important. It too, is essential
to receive salvation. After all, Jesus did say in Matthew ten,

(09:02):
verse thirty two, whoever confesses me before men him, I
will also confess before my Father, who is in Heaven.
Romans ten, verse nine. Apostle Paul combined confession with belief
and said both are necessary to be saved. If you
confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in

(09:25):
your heart that God has raised him from the dead,
you will be saved. It would be good if those
who preach this verse as if this is all that
is required to stand in the righteousness of Christ, would
remind their audiences that Romans ten verse nine was written
to a Christian audience, the church in Rome, not to

(09:51):
an audience of lost sinners. The confession and the belief
of this verse applies to Christians. Us continue to confess
and continue to believe after receiving salvation if they hope
to be saved. Romans ten, verse nine is not a
plan of salvation verse or alien sinners. So what is

(10:16):
it that places one in the righteousness of Christ where
there will be ready for the coming of Christ. You
must allow the Word of God to answer this question,
rather than a commentary or a piece of gospel literature
written by an uninspired writer, or a YouTube message preached
by someone who does not know God or his word.

(10:40):
What saith the Lord, ladies and gentlemen, We admittedly and
unashamedly isolate one verse from the entire New Testament to
find our answer, knowing there is not another verse or
chapter or book that contradicts what this one solitary verse says.
Verse is in the Book of Galatians, chapter three, verse

(11:02):
twenty seven. Listen closely, for as many of you as
were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. But wait,
you say that verse does not say anything about standing
in the righteousness of Christ. It talks about putting on Christ. Well,

(11:23):
thank you, I appreciate your noticing that. Methinks you have
a sharp mind. So here is my question to you.
Have you ever been in a piece of clothing before
and without first putting on that piece of clothing? It
would be difficult for you to ever convince someone who

(11:44):
has a mind to believe one is in a shirt,
a blouse, a sweater, or a coat before and without
putting on that shirt, blouse, sweater, or coat. Try telling
someone you are in a coat while the coat is
draped over your arm or draped over your shoulder. Telling

(12:05):
someone you are in a coat while the coat is
hanging on a hangar in a closet. Come on, man,
You're not that stupid. But pulpits have stupid preachers standing
behind them who have convinced their congregations to be as
stupid as they are by believing a person can stand

(12:26):
in the righteousness of Christ without first putting on the
righteousness of Christ. Ladies and gentlemen, you do not wear
the righteousness of Christ until you put on Christ. And
you do not put on Christ until you are baptized.
Into Christ. Until that takes place, you are wearing the

(12:48):
same righteousness worn by the scribes and Pharisees who had
no place in the Kingdom of God. Self righteousness. Religion
is wall to wall with people who believe they put
on the righteousness of Christ, either before or without ever
being immersed in water for the remission of sins. First,

(13:09):
we speak to those who have been convinced they have
been and are clothes with the righteousness of Christ, having
never been obedient to the New Testament plan of salvation,
authored by God Almighty and revealed by God the Holy Spirit.
We note only two verses of Holy writ to expose
the air of thinking it is possible to be found

(13:31):
righteous in the eyes of the eternal Judge on the
day of judgment without ever being immersed in water for
the reason stated in the New Testament. To receive the
remission of sins, Jesus the Christ, the Son of God Almighty,
said in Mark sixteen, verse fifteen, he who believes and

(13:54):
is baptized will be saved, but he who does not
believe will be condemned. There are many who believe the
second half of that statement, but do not believe the
first half of that statement, Ladies and gentlemen, like it
or not, you cannot get to the second half without
first going through the first half. We know what the

(14:16):
first half says. It's printed on the page of Holy
writ in some Bibles, it is even printed in read
and it cannot and will not ever be removed. He
who believes and is baptized will be saved. Since there
are dozens standing in line waiting to tell us what
they believe those words are saying, let me tell you

(14:39):
what I believe. They are not saying. They are not
saying he who believes is saved. They are not saying
he who believes is saved and will be baptized. There
is no one alive who can convince anyone, not even
those who reject baptism being necessary for salvation. The first

(15:01):
half of Mark sixteen, verse sixteen says either he who
believes is saved or he who believes is saved and
will be baptized. There is not a preacher of any
credibility who will read the first half of Mark sixteen,
verse sixteen that way. They will not read the first
half that way, because clearly that is not what is written.

(15:23):
And since they will not read the first half. That way,
they tell us what the first half says is explained
by the second half. But he who does not believe
will be condemned. They are more than anxious to tell
us what Mark sixteen, verse sixteen says will condemn a
person unbelief, but they refuse to tell us what Mark sixteen,

(15:46):
verse sixteen says that saves a person belief and baptism.
Ladies and gentlemen, this is nothing less than rank dishonesty
we expect in politics, but must have poor in gospel preaching.
Ladies and gentlemen, this is mishandling the word of God

(16:07):
that leads millions to believe they can put on the
righteousness of Christ without obeying what God's word says must
be done to put on that righteousness. Millions have been
persuaded by silver tongues and fair speeches to not be
immersed for their salvation, believing they will be accepted by

(16:28):
the Son of God at his judgment seat without wearing
His righteousness. Those who preach this apostasy are guilty of
the most damnable high crime and misdemeanor. We have noted
those who are never immersed to receive the remission of
their sins. And now we note those who have been immersed,

(16:51):
but not to receive salvation, believing they were saved without it.
Only have said concerning those who are never immersed, and
also be said of this group, with the exception being
they do believe they should not moss, but should be immersed.
Why they believe this is anyone's guess. But if I

(17:13):
had to make my best guess, it would be because
this is what they have been told by their preacher.
It cannot be because it is what the Bible says,
because it doesn't. It is their preacher's denomination or training
that says baptism is not necessary for salvation, but you

(17:35):
should be baptized once you have been saved. It is
a convenient way to soothe everyone's conscience. I should be baptized.
But if I'm not, I am all right with God.
Let's try that with a few other things and see
if that makes sense. I should believe. But if I don't,
I am all right with God. I should repent. But

(17:58):
if I do not, I am all right with God God,
I should confess. But if I do not, I am
all right with God. I should live as a Christian.
But if I do not, I am all right with God.
These beliefs remind me of what some Christians say. I
should be faithful in my attendance, but if I'm not,
I am all right with God. I should give the

(18:20):
Lord my tithes and offerings. But if I don't, I'm
all right with God. I should read and study my Bible,
but if I don't, I'm all right with God. These
beliefs are as false as is the belief that baptism
has nothing to do with salvation. They are all found
in the same book, the Book of Imagination. As essential

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as it is to be immersed into Christ, to put
on the righteousness of Christ is that Christians must be
faithful to Christ. To keep on the righteousness of Christ
as essential as it is to have a coat on.
To be in the coat, it is essential to keep
Christ on. To be in Christ. How do I want

(19:06):
to be found of Christ when he returns? I want
to be found in his righteousness. To be in his
righteousness demands that I be found walking in truth. Apostle
John wrote in Second John, verse four, I rejoice greatly
that I have found some of your children walking in truth.
As we receive commandment from the Father when Christ returns,

(19:31):
I want to be found faithfully walking in truth. The
only absolute truth we have is God's word, he said
in John fourteen, verse six. I am the Way, the Truth,
and the life, Jesus said in John seventeen seventeen. Your
word is truth, Jesus said, His word is the truth,

(19:54):
the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. Feelings, emotions, dreams,
and visions and so called latter day revelations are not
divine inspired truth. I do not want to be found
walking on those paths of deception when Jesus returns. But
I want to be found more than walking in truth.

(20:17):
I want to be found running in the truth. As
the apostle Paul ran. I want to be found running
the race to receive the prize, the imperishable crown, running
and preaching and teaching the Gospel message to help the
save stay saved, to help the lost obey the Christ,

(20:41):
and to be faithful to the Christ. But I do
not want to be found in Christ only walking and running.
I want to be found in Him fighting, not as
one who beats the air, but as one engaged in
a battle for my eternal, everlasting spirit, your life. I

(21:07):
want to be found of Christ, wide awake, watching and
waiting for the return of Christ. I do not want
to be found of Christ spiritually asleep at the end
of his great mount Olivet discourse, Jesus said in Mark thirteen,
verses thirty five through thirty seven. Watch therefore, for you

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do not know when the Master of the house is
coming in the evening at midnight, at the crowing of
the rooster, lest coming suddenly he finds you sleeping. What
I say to you, I say to all watch. Apostle
Paul wrote to the Church of the Thessalonians. In God,

(21:52):
the Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ, the day of
the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. Therefore,
let us not sleep as others do. Let us watch
and be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and
love and as a helmet the hope of salvation. I

(22:13):
want to be found of Christ, prepared as were the
five wise virgins of Matthew twenty five, with my lamp
trimmed and filled with oil, brightly shining. I want to
be found of Christ, shining as a light in the world,
holding fast a word of life. Ladies and gentlemen, I

(22:36):
want to be found of Christ, steadfast, immovable, abounding in
the word of the Lord. This is how I want
to be found of Christ when he returns. The question
is how will he find you.

Speaker 1 (23:00):
There is a battle going on for the soul of me.
He's the worthy, But I'm saying, within the arms of God.

Speaker 3 (23:14):
De heer bride, She's the keeper of the.

Speaker 1 (23:18):
Sort Jesus, the Church of Christ.

Speaker 2 (23:20):
I'll not surreyender. I'll not surreyender. I'll not surredender.

Speaker 3 (23:33):
I dollways be a godspel defender.

Speaker 4 (23:42):
Ladies and gentlemen. Right in boss speaking, you have just
heard another. Gospel Defender Ministry is broadcast brought to you
by the Church that Jesus built, that preaches all the
Word to.

Speaker 1 (23:57):
All the world.

Speaker 4 (23:59):
Jesus said in Mark sixteen, verse sixteen. He who believes
and is baptized will be saved. So find someone today
who will immerse you into Christ today before it is
everlastingly too late. Our mailing address is Gospel Defender Ministries,

(24:23):
Post Office Box five seven five Chillicothy C H I
L L I C O T H E. Chillicothe, Ohio
zip or five six zero one. You can also contact
us to the world Wide Web at Gospel Defender dot

(24:49):
o RG, or by email at A Godsdeath a g O,
S D E F A gosdeth at Roadrunner dot co.
At your request, written transcript or an audio copy of
today's message will be sent to you free of charge,

(25:11):
with no obligation from you, now or in the future.
We need to hear from you as soon as possible,
so please contact us today now until you and I
meet again. Our prayer is that you will be steadfastly

(25:31):
sent for the defense of the Gospel