Have You Been Changed l Voddie Baucham

as we come to the end of Genesis chapter 42. we come to a a very interesting passage of scripture as it relates to preaching and teaching because In this passage of scripture we have Joseph testing his brothers the question is how how does Joseph's testing of his brothers fly or relate to me to which I would respond just wait because it absolutely does because all of us need to answer the question that Joseph is basically asking of his brothers and that question is this have you been changed that's that's what he's trying to figure out

have you been changed or are you the same men that you were who sent me to this place that's very interesting and challenging question for us have you been changed because you can take that question to an extreme and completely misunderstand and misapply the gospel if you ask some people how do you know if somebody's a Christian they will answer you you ask them questions and see if they believe the right things however others would argue if you want to know somebody's a Christian you you watch their lives and see if you live the right

way well which one of those is right the answer yes Christians believe the right things and behave the right way but they behave in accordance with what they believe and oftentimes if we're not careful we will fall into the ditch on either side of this road we will fall into the antinomian ditch that says it doesn't matter how you live as long as the information to which you give mental assent is the right information and then you can fall on the legalism side of the ditch that says well all that information is just information what

matters is that we do the right things but as we look at Joseph and these seven tests that he gives his brothers I believe they correspond to some tests that we ought to give ourselves and if you will remember we'll make several references to it this morning but if you will remember when we were in first John first John is a book filled with a number of tests three main tests in particular and so when we read in first John 5 13 that that famous verse everybody knows first John 5 13. I write these things

to you who believe on the name of the son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life when you get there and that sounds really good until you ask a question what are these things and that's the question we tried to answer when we read the first John says I write these things to you who believe in the name of Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life what what are these things well a couple of them will look at here but when we went through first

John we saw that John is basically making the argument that right belief will lead to right behavior and that we need to examine ourselves based upon what is being produced in our lives difficult to juxtapose those things at times but today we will try to do so look with me if you will Genesis chapter 42 beginning at verse 12. and there are seven tests test number one verses 12 to 16. that test is is Benjamin still alive look at verse 12. and you have to back up and remember at verse 11 that very profound statement

that they made in verse 11. We Are All Sons of one man we are honest men your servants have never been despised and again they've never been spies however they've been murderers and slave Traders spies not a tough leap amen so he asks them a few questions since they have made an assertion about their character look at verses 12-16 he said to them no it is the nakedness of the land that you have come to see and they said we your servants are 12 brothers the sons of one man in the land of Canaan and

behold the youngest is this day with our father and one is no more that's that's interesting we're we're there's there's actually 12 of us okay we're we're good guys we really are good guys and there's actually 12 of us except the one that our daddy wouldn't let us bring because of the other one that we kind of got rid of but other than that you can trust us verse 14. but Joseph said to them it is as I said to you you are spies by this you shall be tested by the life of pharaoh you

shall not go from this place unless your youngest brother comes here send one of you and let him bring your brother while you remain confined that your words may be tested whether there is truth in you or else by the life of pharaoh surely you are spies so there's the first test test number number one is Benjamin still alive Joseph doesn't know the answer to this question he has no idea if the men who stand before him are older more vicious versions of the scoundrels who sent him on his journey or if they had actually

been changed if they could actually be trusted now let me say here that this is not going to the question of whether or not Joseph forgives his brothers Joseph has already I would argue forgiven his brothers since forgiveness essentially goes to the heart of Retribution and withholding that retribution from another if he hasn't forgiven his brothers the minute he realizes that it's them they get what they have coming to them but the fact that they don't get what they have coming to them immediately is evidence I would argue of Joseph's forgiveness of his brothers but

there's a difference between forgiving somebody and trusting them and he's testing them and the first test is is Benjamin still alive go get my baby brother Benjamin and bring him back they don't know who Joseph is Joseph is not saying these things outright he doesn't they don't know what kind of tests he has given to them but he has said twice here that they're being tested test number one is is Benjamin still alive test number two will someone volunteer to go verses 16 and 17. we already saw in verse 16 send one of you and

let him bring your brother while you remain confined that your words may be tested whether you are whether there is truth in you or else by the life of pharaoh surely your spies verse 17. and he put them all together in custody for three days there's a question number one is Benjamin alive the second test is actually related to the first test if Benjamin's not alive nobody's going to volunteer to go get it if Benjamin's not alive and these men haven't changed one might volunteer to go get Benjamin to get away from them but they

won't allow him to volunteer because they know that we left so test number two is will someone volunteer to go there's a third test verses 18 to 20. and that test is what will someone volunteer to stay look at verse 18. on the third day Joseph said to them do this and you will live for I Fear God if you are honest men let one of your brothers remain confined where you are in custody and let the rest go carry grain for the famine of your households and bring your youngest brother to me so your

words will be verified and you shall not die and they did so there's the second test will somebody volunteer to go or the third test rather will somebody volunteer to stay or actually that wasn't for the the third test well somebody volunteer to stay well somebody volunteered to go nobody did secondly will somebody volunteered to stay it's Benjamin alive we don't know will somebody volunteer to go get Benjamin not so much will somebody volunteered to stay here while the rest go and get Benjamin well there's a fourth test if you look at me beginning in

verse 24 or just verse 24 gives us that test then he away from them and wept and he returned to them and spoke to them and he took Simeon from them and bound him before their eyes here's a fourth test will they abandon another brother these are the same guys that I know then what's going to happen to Simeon again Joseph hasn't seen his brothers in over 20 years but if they are the same men that they were the last time he saw them Simeon will be abandoned in Egypt but if they're not the same

if God has wrought a change in their hearts they are not going to abandon another brother in Egypt the fifth test 24-28 that test quite simply is will they steal the money look at verse 24. turned away and wept he comes back and he gets Simeon verse 25. Joseph gave orders to fill their bags with grain and to replace Every Man's money in his sack and to give them Provisions for the journey this was done for them verse 26. then they loaded their donkeys and their grain and departed and as one of them opened his

sack to give his donkey fodder at the lodging place he saw his money in the mouth of the sack he said to his brothers my money has been put back here it is in the mouth of my set at this their hearts failed them and they turned trembling to one another saying what is this that God has done to us what is this that God has done to us will they return the money again if you don't know the way this thing ends that's the question you're left with right now is Benjamin alive don't know

will somebody volunteer to go get him don't know if somebody volunteered to stay how about if I just take Simeon will they come back and get Simeon fifthly if the money is put back in their size well to be honest about it or will they take the money and leave their brother again the question is simple have they been changed two last questions beginning in verse 35. back in 29 just just to bring us up to speed when they came to Jacob their father in the land of Canaan they told him all that had happened

to them saying the man the lord of the lands spoke roughly to us and took us to be spies in the land but we said to him we are honest men we have never been spies we are 12 Brothers Sons our father one is no more and the youngest is this day with our father in the land of Canaan then the man the lord of the land said to us by this I shall know that you are honest man leave one of your brothers with me and take grain for the Famine of your households and

go your way bring your youngest brother to me then I shall know that you are not spies but honest men and I will deliver your brother to you and you shall trade in the land verse 35. here's the last two tests by the way these are tests that Joseph gives indirectly and they are these does their father trust them does my daddy trust these boys that's an indirect test that Joseph is giving if these boys have been changed my father Jacob will trust them and they will send my brother he will send my brother Benjamin

with them if their hearts have not been changed if there has not been a transformation in these ten men and they are the same untrustworthy men as I suspect since Benjamin is not with them then Jacob my father will not be able to trust them with my brother test number seven will Benjamin trust him well Benjamin trust him well my baby brother Benjamin be willing to go with these men because remember their sibling rivalry they don't like Joseph Joseph's the favorite son why because he is the son of the favorite wife who was not able

to Bear children and if you remember this favorite wife who was not able to Bear children for Joseph and another boy that boy was Benjamin so if all Jacob has to remind him of the favorite wife the one he wanted in the first place was Benjamin and Joseph is now gone they have to be changed men in order for him to trust them is the sibling rivalry still there do these men still hate The Offspring of my mother simply because we were The Offspring of my mother verse 35. as they emptied their sacks behold Every

Man's bundle of money was in his sack and when they and their father saw their bundles of money they were afraid and Jacob their father said to them you have bereaved me of my children Joseph is no more and Simeon is no more and now you would take Benjamin all this has come against me then Reuben said to his father kill my two sons if not just Valiant of him not not me kill my two sons if I do not bring him back to you put him in my hands and I will bring him back

to you but he said my son shall not go down with you for his brother is dead and he is the only one left if harm should happen to him on the journey that you are to make you would bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to sheol I want you to hear what you just learned about Jacob he hasn't been changed the root of the problem with his boys is favoritism and what does he say no you can't have Benjamin because the other one that I loved more than I love you you took him

away from me he's gone now the only one left he's got 11 Sons he's got 12 one he doesn't know he still has but he's got 11 sons and the words out of his mouth are the only one left is Benjamin still holding on to the favorite wife here's the other thing he says Benjamin he says simeon's dead how about that so much for no man Left Behind amen Simeon he doesn't say you know what everybody all of us you boys get your things you boys get that money Benjamin come on you ride with me

we are all going back to Egypt because I'm not losing another son no Jacob says uh I got two boys gone now because simeon's a write-off and if what's required to get him back is to risk losing Benjamin then it's done see chapter 42 doesn't hold out a lot of hope for us the end of chapter 42. I'm glad that Genesis doesn't end at chapter 42. amen anybody else glad that Genesis does it into chapter 42. but Genesis chapter 42 if we just take it in and of itself it does not leave us with a

great deal of Hope the brothers have been tested here's one that we know that there's seven tests and there's one of them that we get an affirmative answer to and that's test number one is Benjamin alive well we got the answer to that when we get to end to the end of chapter 42. yes Benjamin is alive very good how about number two somebody gonna volunteer to go get him uh no how about number three somebody gonna volunteer to stay uh no how about number four are they going to come back and get Simeon so

far the answer is no number five are they going to return the money so far the answer is no number six does Jacob trust them the answer no number seven this Benjamin trusts them we have to assume that the answer to that is also no so as linked as chapter 42. there is still a need for the intervention of almighty God in this family as late as chapter 42 we are still seeing all of those things that have brought us to this place of great peril as late as chapter 42 you still can't answer these

very necessary questions in the affirmative as late as chapter 42 and that's late in these men's lives as their 50s and 60s for the older boys still can't answer the question in the affirmative why is that important here's why that's important we need to recognize that this doctrine that we've talked about this great doctrine of election that we've talked about has to be understood in its entirety we have to understand that Jacob and his sons though they have been called out by God carved out by God elect by God that God's electing work ultimately brings

about a change in Those whom he saves and we haven't seen that yet they don't just need to have someone in their past history who had an encounter with God where God made a covenant for us to be able to look at chapter 42 and say oh that's okay they're all right no they're not okay they are not yet transformed they're not okay it's not enough that they belong to the right family it's not enough that they're part of the right lineage the question is have they been changed and that's the same question for you

have you been changed or are you one of those countless numbers of people in our greater culture at Large who answer the question are you a Christian in the affirmative and base it on the fact that number one so process of elimination Christians are you a Christian well let me see I'm not a Muslim I'm not a Buddhist um not a Mormon I'm not yes I'm a Christian process of elimination Christians or or secondly that other group of Christians that are those Christians by inheritance are you a Christian yes my mother was a Christian my

grandmother was a Christian of course I am a Christian how about those others those individuals who argue that because I had an experience one time I'm a Christian I can remember the day I can remember the hour I can remember the moment I can remember the tears that were streaming down my face I can tell you with certainty that because of that experience in that moment in time yes I am a Christian but we don't ask the other question is there evidence of that in your life have you been changed yes but I I prayed

a prayer and I asked Jesus into my heart have you been changed didn't you hear me I said I cried yes I know but have you been changed and if you press that point with the average person in these United States of America who says that they're a Christian ultimately here's the response you will get who are you to judge me but Joseph's asking these questions of his brother and I'm going to argue that we need to ask these questions of ourselves now in order for us to do this there has to be some groundwork

laid so let me do a couple of things now number one I I want to read you from the scriptures several passages that allude to some of the same tests that Joseph was giving to his brothers directly and indirectly and I also want to explain this in the context of our understanding of the doctrine of salvation specifically in our understanding of the doctrine of sanctification because we've got to understand this let me give you this first of all Matthew chapter 7 verses 15 through 20. Matthew chapter 7 verses 15 through 20. I won't have you

turn to all of these but uh at the end of The Sermon on the Mount we just finished up a few months ago here's where we were beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves you will recognize them by their fruits our grapes gathered from Thorn bushes or figs from thistles so every healthy tree Bears good fruit but the disease tree Bears Bad fruit a healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit nor can a disease tree bear good fruit every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut

down and thrown into the fire thus you will recognize them by their fruits and you say well that's great but he's talking about prophets yes he is very next verse verse 21 not everyone who says to me Lord Lord will enter into the kingdom of heaven but he who does the will of my father who is in heaven as many who are going to come to Jesus on that day Lord Lord did we not prophesy in your name and in your name perform many miracles and cast out many demons and I'll say to them depart

from me I never knew you you worker of iniquity the question have you been changed just like Joseph was asking his brothers he doesn't know he didn't sit his brothers down and say hey brothers I'm Joseph can you guys tell me whether or not I can trust you tested them by the way it's not an unbiblical concept the Bible says you should test yourself second Corinthians chapter 13 and verse five examine yourselves to see whether you were in the faith test yourselves or do you not realize this about yourselves that Jesus Christ is in you

unless indeed you fail to meet the test test yourself again in our culture the extent of the test is I remember a moment where I was very sincere insufficient evidence insufficient evidence the question is have you been changed first John chapter 2 verse 29. if you know that he is righteous you may be sure that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of him have you been changed listen to this from Lorraine Bettner in his classic work the reformed doctrine of predestination but listen to this I want to read this and I want you to

hear this carefully vetner rights and this is in his answering objections section because one one of the objections to the doctrine of election one of the objections to the doctrines of Grace one of the objections is well if you believe in election and predestination then don't you believe that people can just live any way they want to live so Bettner takes that objection head-on and here is his response the objection is sometimes made that this system encourages men to be careless and indifferent about their moral conduct and their growth in Grace on the ground that

their Eternal welfare has already been secured this objection is primarily directed against the doctrines of election and the perseverance of the Saints again if you believe in the doctrine of election and the doctrine of the perseverance of the Saints which some people falsely give this title this what this one saved always saved which is translated as Once you walk down the aisle and pray a prayer no matter what happens after that you're automatically going to Heaven by virtue of you having walked in aisle and prayed a prayer so people usually mean when they say once

saved always say they're not talking about this same Doctrine so that's the argument listen to better as he responds this objection however like the one to the effect that this system discourages all motives to exertion he's talking there about evangelism that's the argument well if you believe in the doctrine of election and predestination why are you going to go to evangelism um the answer to that question is twofold one because God told me to and two because the doctrine of election and predestination is the only thing that guarantees my success in evangelism we will be

successful in evangelism because of the doctrine of election and predestination it's completely answered by the great principle which we hold and teach namely that the means as well as the ends are foreordained don't miss this God's decree that the Earth should be fruitful did not exclude but included the sunlight the showers the tillage of the husbandmen Etc if God has foreordained a man to have a crop of corn he also foreordained him to plow and plant and cultivate and to do all other necessary things to secure the crop just as a purpose to build includes

the healing of stone the squaring of Timbers and the preparation of all other materials which either into the structure I'm sorry which enter into the structure and as a declaration of war implies arms ammunition ships and all other necessary equipment so the election of some to the Eternal enjoyment of Heaven includes their election to holiness here it is not the individual as such but the individual as holy and virtuous that is predestined to eternal life you can't separate the two you can't separate the two God does not just elect certain individuals to have a certain

Eternal destiny but the life that is produced in them is consistent with his election of them so I ask again have you been changed that's the question that Joseph's brothers eventually have to answer in the affirmative and you and I have to answer that question as well have you been changed or are you depending upon a long ago and far away experience that has not been followed up by evidence that it meant anything have you been changed here are the universal elements of those tests there are four seven tests four of them are Universal and

we need to ask ourselves these questions right here right now today question number one do the sins of your past continue to characterize your present through the sins of your past continue to characterize your present what is that that's test number one is Benjamin still alive that's what he's asking he's asking do the sins of your past continue to characterize your presence we could also say this about the test with Simeon simeon's abandoned here in Egypt do the sins of your past continue to characterize your present now here's what I didn't ask you what I

didn't ask you was have you on occasion in your life struggle with something that you struggle with before in the past that's not what I asked you I asked you do the sins of your past continue to characterize your presence are you still that same person is that who you are is that what characterizes you is that the way you walk it's in the First John 3 15. everyone who hates his brother is a murderer and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him that goes straight to the heart of the question

that he's asking them have you been changed or are you different listen to this from First Corinthians chapter six verses 9 through 11. or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God notice he didn't say do you not know that those haven't prayed a prayer will not inherit the kingdom of God he didn't say do you not know that those who haven't walked an aisle will not inherit the kingdom of God he says do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God when God Saves

you he makes you righteous he continues do not be deceived neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who practice homosexuality nor thieves nor greeting nor drunkards nor revilers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God and if your sin was not listed there it's only because he ran out of room amen so if you're sitting there going glad I don't struggle with any one of those trust me you're in the list next line and such were some of you but you were washed you were Sanctified you were justified in the name of

the Lord Jesus Christ and by the spirit of our God Amen Hallelujah praise the Lord such were some of you can God save a man from the most wretched of sins yes God can and he saves a man and he rescues a man and there is a change a man has changed when he's saved but what does this mean again we have to be very careful let's drill down a little further here listen to our confession of faith on the question of sanctification because this does raise questions chapter 13 of sanctification in our confession of

Faith there are three paragraphs here and I want to read all three of these paragraphs here they're short paragraphs but I want to read these because you've got to see this overall picture of sanctification in order to deal with this properly because once whenever in the midst of our culture you start talking about righteousness and the way that we live immediately people want to fold their arms turn up their nose and call you a legalist immediately no no we're saved by grace alone amen grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone to the glory of

God Alone amen you get absolutely no disagreement whatsoever but that salvation produces something listen to our confession chapter 13 on sanctification number one they who are united to Christ effectually called and regenerated having a new heart and a new spirit created in them through the virtue of Christ's death and Resurrection are also further Sanctified really and personally through the same virtue by his word and Spirit dwelling in them the Dominion of the whole body of sin is destroyed and the several lusts thereof are more and more weakened and mortified and they more and more quickened

and strengthened in all saving Graces to the practice of all true Holiness without which no man shall see the Lord sin is broken in you and you're made righteous Holiness increases in your life and without that Holiness no man shall see the Lord are you saved by that no you're not saved by that but you are most assuredly saved to that and saved for that have you been changed paragraph two this sanctification is throughout and the whole man yet imperfect in this life their abideth still some remnants of corruption in every part once arise a

continual and irreconcilable War the flesh lusting against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh there's the answer to the other question are you saying I got to be perfect no the doctrine of sanctification does not teach that you have to be perfect amen but it is a process and we make progress and the other thing is we War we War are you battling that sin or have you excused it are you warring against that sin or do you have a reasonable justification for your practice thereof are you fighting with everything that God has planted

within you or have you given up the fight because you found a group of people who will give you a pass you know one of the greatest evidences that a person either doesn't understand this Doctrine or is not born again is that all too familiar phrase well Nobody's Perfect if that's your response be afraid be very very afraid because that's not the way the believer responds to sin the believer responds to sin with hatred the believer responds to sin and repentance the believer does not respond to sin or those who bring his sin to him

with well Nobody's Perfect the believer recognizes that this is a battle that this is a war and the believer is always ready to engage in that battle and engage in that war and never ever ever to give it up third paragraph and which war although the remaining corruption for a time May much prevail yet through the continual supply of strength from the sanctifying spirit of Christ the regenerate part does overcome and so the Saints grow in Grace perfecting Holiness in the fear of God pressing after a Heavenly life and Evangelical obedience to all the commands

which Christ as head and King in his word hath prescribed to them amen we gain victory we gain ground God changes us by the way in the scriptures that's borne out listen to this first John 1 5-10 if we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness we lie and do not practice the truth but if we walk in the light as he is in the light we have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus his son cleanses us from all sin if we say we have no sin we deceive

ourselves and the truth is not in us there's no Perfection here if we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness if we say we have not sinned we make him a liar and this word is not in US there's the picture that first test to the sins of your past continue to characterize your Presidents your present or do you bear evidence of the work of sanctification being wrought in your life by the power of the Holy Spirit yeah but you don't know my

sin no I really don't and I don't have to here's what I know I've said it before and I've said it again it's not bigger than a dead Jesus whatever your sin is it's not bigger than a dead Jesus and if the power of God the spirit of God can raise Christ from the dead what is it that you think he can't do in your life have you been changed the second of these areas have you learned to love your brothers first are the sins of your past continue to characterize your presence secondly had you

learned to love your brothers two three and four test two will someone volunteer to go and get Benjamin 10 3 will someone volunteer to stay while the other brothers go and get Benjamin test four will someone come back for Simeon all of these tests point to the same question have you learned to love the brothers that's a question that Joseph is asking his brothers and that's a question that is asked of every new testament Saint John 13 34-35 a new commandment I give to you that you love one another just as I have loved you

you also are to love one another by this all people will know that you are my disciples if you have walked an aisle and prayed a prayer no if you have love for one another that is why the doctrine of adoption is so important in the order solutis or the order of Salvation we've missed that we've completely lost that doctrine of adoption and we understand you know a election and and we understand justification and sanctification and glorification and we get that but we forget that adoption is a part of that God adopts us into his

family and as being adopted into the family of God there's two evidences that we ought to look for number one do we begin to look like and conform to the family into which we have been adopted and number two do we love that family as our own do you love the brothers do you love the brothers do you recognize the Church of the Living God as the most real family that you will ever have do you see that do you do you get that do you recognize that or do you somehow believe that there is

a unity in a bond that is stronger than the unity and the bond between God and Those whom he saves and those who are part of the family of the elect have you gotten that yet have you realized yet that ultimately we're going to spend eternity not necessarily with those who share our blood and our veins but with those who have been washed by the blood of Christ have you come to that realization yet that even those in your blood family that even in your blood family there are people in your blood family to whom

you are close but there are others who are your brothers and sisters for real you follow me are you like me do you have those in your blood family that you wish would become part of your real family I do I have members of my blood family and I beg God for it that they would become members of our real family have you been changed do you love the brothers do you love the church do you love to gather together with the Saints do you look forward to the Lord's Day till you look forward with

anxious anticipation to those moments where we come together in this place and lift our voices to our Heavenly Father and unite our hearts as brothers and sisters Redeemed by God and set apart for Jesus Christ do you love the brothers listen to this first John 5 1-5 everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God everyone who loves the father loves Whoever has been born of him by this we know that we love the children of God when we love God and obey his Commandments for this is the love of God

that we keep his Commandments and his Commandments are not burdensome but everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world and this is the victory that has overcome the world our faith who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the son of God have even changed and finally Philippians 2 3-4 do nothing for rivalry or conceit but in humility count others more significant than yourselves Let each of you look not only to his own interests but also to the interests of others have you been changed do you

love the brothers or is this someplace you gather so you can kick off a box is the worship of the Lord and The Fellowship of the Saints as vital to you as anything else in this world or is it merely your duty that you're afraid not to do because you're trying to please God have you been changed the third of these four do you exhibit Godly character when nobody when nobody's looking do you exhibit Godly character when nobody's looking it's number five test number five is will they steal the money will they steal the money

what's the question the greater question that's being asked is do you exhibit Godly character when nobody is looking that's the question that's the one you have to answer because the fact of the matter is we can all learn to go along and get along we can all be socialized into the community of the church we can all have our Behavior modified because of our exposure to one another we we all have just enough desire for other people to like us for us to do the things that are necessary for that to take place but that

is not the test of authentic Christianity the test is is that who you have become when nobody is watching you Ephesians chapter 5 verses 7 through 14. therefore do not become partners with them for at one time he were Darkness but now you are light in the Lord we walk as children of light for the fruit of the light is found in all that is good and right and true and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness but instead expose them for it is shameful

even to speak of the things that they do in secret but when anything is exposed By the Light it becomes visible in anything that becomes visible is light therefore it says awake o sleeper and arise from the dead and Christ will shine on you is that you fourth and final test have those closest to you seen a change in your walk as well as your talk have those closest to you seen a change in your walk as well as your talk this is test six and seven does Jacob your father trust you because if you've

been changed Jacob your father will have seen that change and Jacob your father will trust you if you haven't there's no way you're coming back here with Benjamin does Benjamin trust you or does my baby brother know what you did to me and still see it in your eyes and in your heart have those closest to you seen a change in your walk as well as your talk those who know you those who live with you those who walk with you have they seen it and here I'm not asking I'm not asking if you have

been able to satisfy the critics newsflash you will never be able to satisfy the critics you know what I mean by this question if your life has been changed those closest to you will see it and they will know it Matthew 5. or the first Proverbs 23 24 listen to this directly applied to this particular test that Joseph gives his brother the father of the righteous will greatly Rejoice he who fathers a wise son will be glad in him amen Joseph's basically asking are you that son have you become that son to Jacob Matthew 5

14-16 you're the light of the world a city on a hill cannot be hidden nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket but on a stand and it gives light to all in the house in the same way let your light shine before others so that they may see your good works and give glory to your father who is in heaven have you been changed finally second Corinthians 5 17-18 therefore if anyone is in Christ he is a new creation the old has passed away behold the new has come have you

been changed or do the sins of your past continue to characterize your present have you learned to love the brothers has God created in you a desire to love the brothers Unity with the brothers and identity with the brothers do you exhibit Godly character when nobody's looking have you seen the change have you recognized a difference in the man in the mirror finally have those closest to you seen the change in your talk as well as your walk now let me be careful here's here's what I'm not asking what I'm not asking is are you

willing to redouble your efforts and be better at outward adherence to these things that's not the question I'm asking I'm asking you has God done this in you as evidence that the work of Christ has been applied to your heart as evidence that you have been converted as evidence that you are genuinely and authentically born again and the child of God I'm not asking you what you can produce I'm asking you what's been produced in You by God have you been changed do you Delight in these things do you yearn for these things War for

these things by the power and presence of the spirit of God in your life or have you just become accustomed to making the excuses we've got an excuse around every corner if you want one do you use them or do you deny them for some it's the excuse of your heritage isn't it amazing how just about every Heritage there is has an excuse for some form of sinfulness Amen whether it's my Irish heritage and my drunkenness whether it's my you know red hair and my temper whether it is my you know Latin blood and my

short fuse whether it is my you know my my my background as a black person and the oppression against which I get to rage in other words we all can point to something to excuse our sin do you some of you may not have it in your heritage you may have it in the form of a diagnosis there's sin in your life that hasn't been overcome well you know the people who don't believe the Bible have told me that there's an excuse for this thing that the Bible calls sin that they don't they got a

name for it can you use that how about your past foreign hurt you someone abandoned you someone scarred you someone mistreated you someone brutalized you someone stole from you and because of whatever it is fill in the blank because of whatever it is God just needs to understand that with everyone else it's sin but because of what you've been through it's different we could go on but I don't think we have to every one of the sound of my voice knows exactly what we're talking about and exactly what's at stake and the question Still Remains

have you been changed what if the answer is no if the answer is no be very careful and precise here if the answer is no then your response is not to come before God again and say oh God I'm so sorry that last time I promised you to do better and I really didn't do better but this time I mean it more than I've ever meant it before news flash you're a liar and secondly you're an idolater well I'm not an idolater I'm praying to God yes you're praying to God the only one who can

overcome your sin and promising him that you are going to do what only he can do that's idolatry no your answer is to run to the cross to run to Christ that's your answer your answer is to believe what the Bible says about him your answer is to turn from your sin and make a beeline for the cross your answer is to trust in him and his finished work and nothing else your answer is by his grace to be bathed in his forgiveness and as a result of that to be strengthened in your inner man

to both will and to work for his good pleasure that is your answer it is Christ and him alone because the question is not have you changed the question is have you been changed if the answer is no then flee to the Redeemer Savior and changer of Souls let's pray father as we bow we confess our great need of you our great need of the work that you have accomplished a completed on the cross of our great need of the application of that work to our lives as we come to you abandoning all else and

clinging through repentance and faith to Christ as our only hope father I pray that as we place the mirror up against our lives you would rescue us from work's righteousness that you would guard us from the enemy's desire to misconstrue and misinterpret anything that I've said guard us from partial hearing grant that your truth might be heard and heated rescue us from all of those things upon which we have a tendency to depend and Grant by your mercy that those perhaps even in this room who've been deceived by the father of Lies to find Grace

would be made whole would come to Christ could be redeemed grant that we might examine ourselves and that in doing so find nothing in which we might boast but much for which we give thanks this is our prayer the earnest desire of our souls and we ask it in Christ's name and for his sake amen