On What Basis Are You Here? (Alistair Begg)
Without the preaching of the cross, without preaching the cross to ourselves all day and every day, we will very, very quickly revert to faith plus works as the ground of our salvation. So that to go to the old, Fort Lauderdale question, if you were to die tonight and and and you were getting entry into heaven, what would you say? If you answer that, and if I answer it in the first person, we've immediately gone wrong. Because I. Because I believed. Because I have faith. Because I am this. Because I am continuing. Loved ones, the only proper answer's in the third person. Because he, because he. Now, think about the thief on the cross. And what an immense I can't I I can't wait to find that fellow one day to ask him, how did that shake out for you? Because you were you were you were you were cussing the guy out with your friend. You'd never been in a Bible study. You never got baptized. You you didn't know a thing about church membership, and and yet and yet you made it. You made it. How did you make it? That's what the angel must have said, you know, like, what are you doing here? Well, I don't know. What What do you mean you don't know? Well, like, because I don't know. Well, you know, we Excuse me, let me get my supervisor. They go get their supervisor angel. So, wait just a few questions for you. First of all, are you, are you are you are you clear on the doctrine of justification by faith? The guy said, I never heard of it in my life. And and what about, let let's just go to the doctrine of scripture immediately. These guys are staring and eventually in frustration he says, on on what basis are you here? And he said, the man on the middle cross said, I can come.