Message "They Skipped It" by Pastor Dan Wilson

ROM 2:1 NKJV ... "Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things."

JAM 2:10 ... "For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all."

LUK 18:13-14 ... "And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me a sinner!' I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."

Therefore no one is judged by the Law, but everyone is granted mercy to the extent that they grant mercy to others. "And the Lord restored Job’s losses when he prayed for his friends." (Job 42:10)

See the LORD's prayer.

///

What does this have to do with the message in the video?

Here is a transcript of his conclusion:

• .
  .
  .
  [00:37:42]
  
  You know, Jesus told the story (He told lots of stories).
  
  One of the stories He told was of a guy who owed his master millions of dollars. Millions! And his master called him in to account. And the man fell down on his knees begging and crying and said, "I'll pay you! I'll pay you! Just let me go." In the Greek, it's very clear that the man, if he ... no matter what happened for the rest of his life, he would never, ever actually be able ... it wasn't even, it wasn't even a possibility to repay. It was beyond the scope of possible. That's how much he owed.
  
  And finally the master said, "Look, you can't repay me; but I forgive you. Your debts are wiped clean. You can go home." (You see, back then, if you couldn't pay your debts, you became owned by the person that you owed. And they could sell you as a slave to someone else and ...) "You're done! You're forgiven. You're free to go."
  
  The man's on his way home. He sees a guy who owes him the equivalent of ten dollars. He grabs him by the throat, threatens to put him in debtor's prison. The man asks for forgiveness. He won't give it to him.
  
  [SILENCE. COUGH IN THE AUDIENCE]
  
  I'm broken. I might not be transgendered, and I might not be a homosexual; but I'm broken. And I know I'm broken [TEARFUL VOICE]. HOW DARE I sing amazing grace, how sweet the sound ... and then turn in the next breath and say, "But it's not for you!" We might not be able to cure them -- whatever that means -- but there is one thing we can do.
  
  DO YOU NOT KNOW THAT IT IS THE GOODNESS OF GOD that leads people to repentance? When that boy sat in that pig pen, eating ... desiring the pig's food, he... he came to his senses and the first thought he ... was, "My Father! My Father is so good that his servants are better off than most people."
  
  We can't change people. It's not even our business. That's God's business. But what we can do is say, "God forgave me. God's healing me. And I won't trade Him for anything." And then love them the say way He loves us; because Jesus said, "They will know that you are mine when you love each other as I have loved you."
  
  [THE END]
  [Silence]
  [Closing hymn: No.495, Near the Heart of God]

See the last paragraph in bold.

If no one can stand beside the Law before God and be counted as righteous, but still be counted -- because of His grace -- as righteous, then it behooves us to extend such great mercy to others in equal measure. It is our compassion, a reflection of His character, which makes us righteous. Such righteousness is called in theological circles, "the righteousness of Christ apart from the Law".

As it is written, "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast." Eph. 2:8-9

///

The devil knows your name
But calls you by your sin


The Lord knows your sin
But calls you by your name.

The devil says love is
accepting your sin.

The Lord says love is
lifting you out of your sin

The devil paints a picture (in bleak colors)
of what you are

The Lord paints a beautiful picture
of what you can be through His grace.

Follow the first and he will lead you into despair, darkness of sin, and death.

Follow the second and he will lead you into peace, the light of righteousness and eternal life.