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Transcript of message from TV Broadcast 501 -- taken from Closed Captioning Text -- Brother Thomas: Turn with me to Romans chapter 10. I had to take my wife's Bible. I got to where I can't see my Bible. As least I can't make it out very well. Paul was writing here and he said, "Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. For Christ," listen to this. "For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth." I just want to pause here because this is so true. It's not a matter of doing this or doing that. It's a matter of do you have Christ. Then he said, "For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them." In other words if you are going to be saved by doing, you can't miss one tittle, one iota. You've got to keep everything perfectly. How many of you want to be saved like that? Don't raise your hand. I'll have everybody look at you, say there's a big fool here. ( laughter ). "But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above) Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.) But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. "For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him, For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not heard?" I was talking to this brother here from India. He says if you were over there never heard Christ's name. Can you imagine people in this world today never heard Christ's name? And then he goes on. "How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? As it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." I'm gonna conclude with that verse. But here's the thing--Jesus had to be anointed. He never preached a sermon. He never did a thing 'till after He went and was baptized of John in Jordan. And then He went to Nazareth and that's when He stood up and said, "The spirit of the Lord is upon me because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor ..." and so forth. And that's exactly what every man needs. How much gospel today is preached in the anointing? -- Brother Jimmy Robbins: Oh my, very little. -- Brother Thomas: Very little, that's exactly right. I'll tell you what they do, they send 'em to school. And they have a prescribed...it depends on what kind of denomination it is. Every one has his method. And then they give him a diploma telling what all he did, his accomplishments and that's supposed to equip him to preach the gospel. I went off to school and I stayed down there about a week in Lakeland, Florida. I never will forget it. I got so miserable and uncomfortable 'till I finally said, Lord, I'm gonna leave here. I prayed. I asked Him, I said, I don't know what's wrong, Lord, but I know something's wrong. And He told me, He said, well He said, what did you start to do the other day? You know I thought...everybody told me...this is another thing, you can't listen to men. Everybody told me you need to go to school. Prepare for the ministry. That's like going to the school to teach mathmatics or something. You don't teach this Bible because you went to school. ( congregational amens ). You teach this Bible because God opens it up to you and because it's in your heart. Hallelujah! But what I'm trying to say is this, Christ was God's Son, His only Son. Now, you're a son of God if you've believed on Christ. The same righteousness that Christ had is imputed to you. Your righteousness ain't worth a cent. It's like filthy rags. ( congregational amens ). But His righteousness is perfect before the Father, and it's placed to your account. Praise God! And when He reached that place up there and the Lord has His angels up there to receive you unto glory. They'll say, go on. Pass on. Because you won't be clothed in your own righteousness. You'll be clothed in his righteousness. That's wonderful isn't it? ( congregational amens ). That's wonderful, isn't it? Hallelujah! That is wonderful. Let's go back to Romans, chapter 10 for a little bit. "Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth." Now that's true. It's not doing, it's believing. But it's not just believing with your head, it's believing with your heart. You'll never be the same once you believe in Christ with your heart. You'll never be the same. Praise God for that! And without that kind of faith, "It is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him." I believe that, don't you? ( congregational amens ). I haven't gone yet but I believe I'm going to heaven when I leave this world. And when we leave this world we don't take our body with us. Our spirit goes. They plant this old body back in the grave and it disintegrates. It goes back to the dust. But you're gonna have a new body. It'll be brand new. You'll even like to look at yourself in the mirror, because you'll be such a change. Thank God for that! ( congregational amens ). I don't want to go there with all this arthitis and everything else that's wrong. That'd be something--me hobbling along up there in heaven, wouldn't it? ( laughter ). What about you? You kids now, I saw these beautiful young people up here. You don't feel what I'm talking about now. But you will if the Lord spares you. If Jesus don't come, you'll feel it. One of these days you'll say something's wrong with my knee. And then you'll say something's wrong with my neck. Then you'll say my shoulder hurts. It's nothing but just getting old--growing old. The Lord let that happen to us. It's for our good. That makes us realize we ain't gonna be here forever. ( congregational amens ). My mother's dead. My father is dead. My grandparents are all dead and some of 'em were saved. Praise God for that. And I'll see them. They're already there. They'll be waiting on us. But, I'll tell you one thing,unless we bow the knee to the Lord Jesus Christ there's no hope for us--no hope. We don't have any life. Christ is "the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father," he said, " but by me." You don't get to the Father except through Him. God sent His Son into the world "that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." And I believe in him. Do you believe in him? ( congregational amens ). Say amen. That's good. That's good. Hallelujah! Well that's a very important thing because Hebrews 11 and verse 6 says, "But without faith it's impossible to please him: For he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him." I believe it, don't you? ( congregational amens ). Praise God for that. Then here in Hebrews chapter 11, that's the sixth verse I just quoted. It says, verse 7, Hebrews 11, "By faith Noah being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith. By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. "By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles"-- means tents-- "with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. Through faith also Sarah herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised. Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable. These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth." That's what we are. ( congregational amens ). We're just pilgrims and strangers. We're just passing through. Hallelujah! That's wonderful isn't it, that promise there? Let's go on here just a little bit. "By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called: Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure." You know God...he offered up Isaac. He was fixing to kill him, you remember. He took him up into the mountain. Somebody ask him, my father where is the sacrifice? He said the Lord will provide a sacrifice. And of course, he had Isaac there with him. When he got up there that's all he knew. And he wasn't one to withhold his only begotten son from the Lord. He built the altar, laid the wood and had Isaac up there. And then God sent an angel. He spoke to 'em in the wilderness, told him that he was just gonna try him and he turned him loose. Isn't that wonderful? ( congregational amens ). This is what he's talking about here, "Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called:" See, he was fixing to offer up Isaac. "Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure. By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come. By faith Jacob, when he was a dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph; and worshipped, leaning upon the top of his staff. By faith Joseph, when he died, made mention of the departing of the children of Israel; and gave commandment concerning his bones. "By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents, because they saw he was a proper child; and they were not afraid of the king's commandment. By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season." That's the problem you have right here now and that's one of the most difficult thing that you have to turn loose-- the pleasures of sin. Somebody says, oh, I don't believe...oh it's just...this flesh loves sin. It loves sin. And your flesh is your great enemy. I believe it was Paul that said I know that in me - that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing. There's nothing good in your flesh. And I know how you are. You're romantically inclined when you're young--boy or girl. But you'd better stay close in the church and look to God. He'll lead you. And he'll bless you and he'll give you a wife or a husband, whichever you need in time. And it'll be the one that you need, not the one you want. ( congregational amens ). Hallelujah! I thank the Lord. My wife was a Mormon. Of course I didn't know the Lord back then. I married--we married. She told me, she said well one thing I want you to know I'll never quit my church. They are very devout, Mormons are. Well, I didn't pay a lot of attention to that. Just went on, and the Lord saved both of us. ( congregational amens ). Hallelujah! I was saved and then she followed me. Praise God! And she's still with me. We've been married 57 years. Is that long enough? ( laughter ). That's long enough if the Lord wants to take me tonight. Hallelujah! To be absent from the Lord is to be present...or absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. Going on in this Hebrews 11 it says...24, alright thank you. "By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season." That was Jimmy that said that wasn't it? You know Jimmy...I met Jimmy when he was just a boy. We sort of had some of the same old customs that the apostate church has. We had a vacation Bible school and he was in there. He used to remind me of some of the things I did. I told the kids, I said watch this cookie now. I'm going to make it disappear. I brought it back and eat it. ( laughter ). Course I was just kidding those kids. -- Brother Jimmy Robbins: He was the one who taught me how to eat cookies. ( laughter ). -- Brother Thomas: Anyway I think the Lord spoke to Jimmy then. But he went on back to West End and he stayed I don't know how many years, but he grew up and gained about 300 pounds. ( laughter ). -- Brother Jimmy Robbins: You need to get back to the preaching and quit meddling now. -- Brother Thomas: Don't talk back. ( laughter ). One thing about it, he was coming to the Tabernacle here in church you know and somebody asked him one day, where do you go to church? Well I go the Bible Tabernacle. Is that where C. Parker Thomas is? He said, yeah, that's where he preaches. Well he came and he's been with us ever since. Somebody said one time about somebody who'd come to our church and later said, he don't lose very many of 'em. I don't. Praise God! I preach the gospel to them. I preach a gospel that lasts. And I can tell you that you can be confident with those things which he has begun in you. He'll perform it unto the day of Jesus Christ. ( congregational praise ). Jesus said, "My sheep hear my voice and I know them, and they follow me, and I give unto them eternal life: and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My father which gave them me is greater than all and no man is able...." 
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