This sermon emphasizes the importance of truly being born again and understanding the seriousness of sin. It highlights the need for personal responsibility in seeking salvation, the difficulty of righteousness, and the significance of repentance. The speaker stresses the need to acknowledge and confess all sins, allowing God to repair every 'hole' in our lives. The message also focuses on the continuous growth in knowing Jesus and living a life that pleases Him.

One of the concerns that I have for many in our churches is this. That many people in our churches are not born again. I am not sure if all those who think they are born again are really born again. So, it would be a terrible thing if all of you come here for the conference and even one person sitting here finally goes to hell. I want to make sure that at least as far as I am able to make the message clear so that nobody has any doubt. No preacher or elder can make sure that you go into God's kingdom. But, that's your own responsibility. But, we can only show you the way. So, if you have understood the seriousness of sin, then you see how difficult it is to be saved. Some people think it is very easy. See what it says in 1 Peter 4 verse 18. It is with difficulty that the righteous person, if it is with difficulty the righteous person is saved, what will become of the godless man and the sinner? So, what does it say there? It is very difficult for a righteous person to be saved. And if it is difficult for a righteous person, imagine what is going to happen to the godless person. And if it is difficult for a righteous person to be saved, imagine what is going to happen to the godless person. No, no, this is a very easy way. God, I have told you to come into my heart, now I am in good health. You need to understand the way God has made for salvation. In our last session, we saw how serious sin is in God's eyes. In our last session, we saw how serious sin is in God's eyes. We saw how great is the holiness of God, and how great is the sin of man. I will show you two or three examples. In Genesis chapter 3, we read that God told Adam, that if you eat from this forbidden tree, you will die. In the same day, you will die. Genesis 2 verse 17, In the day you eat it, you will die. Physically, he did not die for 930 years. But that is also the same day, because the Bible says, one day with the Lord is a thousand years. That is why nobody lived more than a thousand years in the human race. That is why nobody lived more than a thousand years in the human race. Because the day they sin, they die. So in God's eyes, a thousand years is like a day. Nobody can live more than a thousand years. But spiritually, they died in the same moment. That means their connection with God was broken. It's like the plug being pulled out from the socket. Connection with God is broken. Now the question is, how many sins are required for this connection to be broken? In Genesis 3, you read they committed only one sin. And immediately they were thrown out of paradise. That is written in the beginning of the Bible. To teach us, that one sin is enough to cut your relationship with God. Now we don't think like that. Our children also, we give one more chance, one more chance, one more chance. Even in the school, okay you fail, you can do the examination again. Most offices, they will not sack you from your job because you made one mistake. But with God, it's different. God is light and there is no darkness in Him at all. So one sin is enough to cut your relationship with God. You don't need to commit five sins or ten sins. Whether you commit one sin or ten thousand sins, your connection with God is gone. It's like if a vessel has got one hole or thousand holes, whatever is in it leaks out. You say, God, you are so strict with one sin. And I ask you, with one hole in a vessel, you won't collect milk in it? You are so strict. If there is one hole, Why you are so strict? God is also like that. One sin in your life is like one hole in the vessel. You know very well, whether it's one hole or a hundred holes, you will not collect milk in that vessel. So, God is also like that. That is how sin is. We don't see sin in the same way and that is why we play the fool with sin. We keep on making holes in the vessel. We say, it's okay. Now, you can repair the hole, but you must repair it immediately. Immediately. Because you got only one vessel. You got only one life. The wonderful news is that the hole can be repaired. But if you don't repair it, then you are lost. So, first thing you must confess, there are holes in my vessel. These are all the holes in my vessel. This one, this one, this one, this one. Name the sins that you know. Lord, I want you to repair all of them. I can't do it. But I want you to do it. That is the meaning of repentance. This is the object of repentance. Lord, I really want to give up these sins. I want you to fix these holes, that there is no leak in my vessel anymore. If God sees that you are serious, He will fix every hole. Don't say, I can't get victory over anger. I also can't. I was also a slave to anger. In my home and other places. But God fixed it. None of us can fix these holes, but God can fix all of them. All of us are slaves to all these sins. Some holes are bigger, some holes are smaller. But you know, it doesn't make a difference in your vessel, whether the hole is big or small. All of them, milk leaks out. One is a big slave to lust, another is a small slave to lust. What difference does it make? It's like a big hole and a small hole in a vessel. And it's like one man gloating, your hole is big and my hole is small in my vessel. What difference does it make? Both of them, milk is leaking out. It's like a joke. You are a bigger sinner than me. If I were to draw a picture, It's like two people holding milk in a vessel. One has got a big hole, it's flowing down. One man has got a small hole, the milk is also flowing down. And you can see in the picture, both milk is flowing out. And the man in the small hole is saying, you are a bigger sinner than me. I am not such a big sinner. The man in the small hole is saying, you are a bigger sinner than me. It's a joke. What does it matter? Both vessels are empty. We must have some sense. God says, all have sinned. Everybody's whole vessel has got holes. The number of holes doesn't matter. If you have more holes, it takes longer time to fix it. But we have to admit, One sin is enough to send Adam and Eve out of Eden. When speaking to children, We sometimes tell them like this. Supposing all the people in the world were good. Nobody has got any holes in their vessel. And you are the only one in the whole world, Who has committed sin. Think of it like that. Each of you. Right now. Everybody in the world was good except you. You are the only sinner. Now my question is, Would Jesus have come from heaven To die only for you? The answer is yes. Even if you are the only sinner in the world, We have to admit it to children. And that's how we adults also must understand it. That has helped me. Lord, if all the people in the world were good, And I am the only sinner. I know you would have come from heaven To die only for me. Because even one sinner Is precious in God's eyes. And he loves even one sinner like me. When I understood it like this, It is much easier for me to love Jesus. Because I think, I am the only sinner. And he came from heaven To die only for me. The bible says, Don't be a busy body in other people's matters. The bible says, Don't be a busy body in other people's matters. So it is not my job to find out If other people are sinners. I know my sin. And Jesus died for me. That is salvation. When you say Jesus died for the world, That is not salvation. That is just history. When you say Jesus died for the world, That is not salvation. That is just history. That is like saying, Shah Jahan ruled India. So what? Jesus died for the sins of the world. That is true. There is no salvation there. Salvation is when I see Jesus died for me. You see it for yourself. Then it is your salvation. Otherwise, It is just history. So, The second thing we need to see is this. There is only one sinner in the world. All the others are good. And I am the only sinner. Jesus came to die for me. The second thing I need to see Is I have committed only one sin. Not two thousand or million like I have done. I am the only sinner. And I have committed only one sin. Okay? Now the question is, Does Jesus still have to die for one sin? Committed by one sinner? Yes. Otherwise I will go to hell. So you need to see it like that. First of all, That you are the only sinner. And second, You have committed only one sin in your whole life. I know that is not true. But you imagine that that was true. That you have committed only one sin. Jesus had to die for you. Then you will realize, You cannot say, Oh, that fellow is a great sinner. I am not such a great sinner. What difference does it make? Even if you have committed only one sin, Jesus had to die for you. Same amount of suffering, Jesus has to go through, Even if there is only one sinner, And he has committed only one sin. All that he went through on the cross, He still has to go through, For one sinner, Who committed only one sin. Why am I saying it like that? Then you understand, How serious one sin is. That for one sin, Adam and Eve were thrown out of Eden. And for only one sinner, Who committed only one sin in his life, Jesus had to come and suffer all that and die. I don't know whether you have seen it like that. So when you see it like that, You realize that sin is a very serious thing. And when sin was upon Jesus, My sin and your sin, God looked away from him. I can't look at that. No, no, no. But Lord, this is not my sin, It's somebody else's sin. No, I can't look at it. God cannot look at sin, When it is on his own son. How will he look at sin in your life? You see on Calvary, When our sin was on Jesus, The Bible says, God forsook him. That means, He said, I am not going to have anything more to do with you. Why? Because that is how bad sin is. Sin is a terrible thing. We need to see it like that. Only when we see it like that, We see the seriousness of sin. Then we understand, How wonderful it is to be saved. See, I'll give you another example. Once upon a time, The most terrible disease the world knew was cancer. But there is some amount of treatment for cancer, And people can live even 20-30 years, After it's treated. Yeah, there are cases like that, I know. But now there is another more terrible disease called AIDS. And for AIDS, There is no cure. It's a sexual disease. It's a punishment that God has given to People who indulge in that type of sin. And when people get it, They just die. They've just got to wait to die. But, Sometimes, Before they die, They accept Christ. And, Some of them are saved. Some of them are saved. But they don't get healed. Because they've got this disease, they die. No cure for it. So, Sin is worse than that. You need to see that. Supposing, One day, Some doctor, Discovers a cure for AIDS. And you've got AIDS, And you're about to die. And this man has discovered a cure. He's a good man, And he gives it out free. Or even if he charges for it, He'll be willing to pay 1 lakh, 5 lakhs, Any amount for it. Because that's going to save your life. Even if you pay 1 lakh for it, You will still be so grateful to this man, For discovering something that saved your life. Why is it so many believers Are not grateful to Jesus like that? I find many people Are more grateful to some doctor, Who treats them of some sickness, Than to Jesus, Who died for their sins. Some doctor who did a complicated operation, And saved you from death. So grateful to that man. But they're not so grateful to Jesus, Who gave his life for them. How do we show our gratitude to Jesus? Not just by clapping our hands. It's by giving our life to him. And so, the reason why Many people are not grateful to Jesus like this, Is because, first of all, they have not understood The seriousness of sin. The reason for that is, They have not seen the seriousness of sin. If a doctor gives you medicine For your cold and fever, You won't be so grateful to him. If you don't go to a doctor, Your cold and fever will be cured. If a doctor gives you medicine For your AIDS disease, You will be so grateful to him. If a doctor gives you medicine For your AIDS disease, You will be so grateful to him. It's even cancer. Suppose you go to some illiterate old lady in a village, And doctor says, You've got cancer. In the x-ray, you've got cancer. If you come immediately for operation, We can cure you. If you come immediately for operation, We can cure you. She has never heard the word cancer in her life. She thinks it's like some cough and cold. Who's going to spend 5000 rupees for an operation? She sleeps peacefully at night. But if you are an educated person, And you hear that you've got cancer, You will not sleep peacefully at night. Why? Because you know how serious cancer is. How is it you can lust with your eyes during the day? Or shout at somebody? And like that old lady, You can sleep peacefully at night. How you can sleep so peacefully? How that old lady can sleep peacefully after being diagnosed with cancer? Shall I tell you why? She doesn't know how serious cancer is. And spiritually, you are also an illiterate person. You don't know how serious sin is. And spiritually, you are also an illiterate person. You don't know how serious sin is. If an educated person finds out that he has cancer, He won't sleep peacefully at night. Similarly, an educated person, He won't sleep peacefully until his sin is settled. If I have a bad conscience, I can't sleep at night. Leave alone sleeping at night. I can't live even for a short time in the day. It's like a thorn in the foot. If I keep on walking with that thorn in the foot, How long can I walk? My brothers and sisters, We really want to appreciate salvation. you have to recognize the seriousness of sin. That is the big problem with many believers. They have not understood what a wonderful thing salvation is. They have not seen how serious sin is. Do you know God is so holy that even one sin cannot stand in front of Him? And we have not only sins which bother our conscience, there are so many other sins which we don't even know. You know in our life, we can see only about 10% of the sins How can we stand before God? That is impossible. Because even if you get rid of the 10% of sins you know, I want to make this very clear. If I say my conscience is clear, I can also say today, my conscience is clear. I don't know of any sin that I have not confessed to God. I don't know of any sin that I have not confessed to people. Absolutely 100% clear between God and man. But even when I say that, that is only 10% of my life. Because I can see only 10% of my heart. In the other 90%, there are so many sins in my life which I have not even seen. There are so many sins I am doing right now, which I don't even know is sin. How do I know that? Because in the past years, there were many things which I did not know was sin. Now I know it. How did I know it? Because I came closer to God. And 10 years from now, when I come closer to God, I will discover that some of the things I am doing today was also sin. Today I don't know. You must be humble enough to acknowledge this. When I understood this, it removed all pride from me completely. Many of us are proud because they say, I have got a good conscience. Praise the Lord. But let me tell you, even though you have got a good conscience, that is only 10% of your life. There is a whole area of your life which you cannot see. With somebody who is more mature than you can see. See, if I am more mature than you, I may be able to see things in your life which you cannot see yourself. I will use an example. Supposing a first standard 5 year old boy is drawing the picture of a man. Yeah, that may be the best picture in the first standard and he gets first prize. Because among all the 5 year olds, that is the best. But now in the 10th standard, when 15 year old draws a picture of a man, that is 10 times better than this 5 year old. So when the 15 year old looks at that 5 year old's drawing of a man, he says, you got first prize. There are so many things wrong in it, I can show you. See, this ear is not the right size, you made it so big. You got first prize with all this? Yeah, because that is at his level. When the 15 year old draws a man, some artist will look at that, an experienced artist. He says, you think your photo is so good? Everything is wrong with it. You give it to me, I will give you 1 mark out of 100, that's all. See, as we grow, we get more ability in drawing, if you are an artist. Spiritually also it is like that. At your level, you may be very good. But someone who has come closer to God, he is surprised that you are so proud of your spirituality. He may not say it to you, but he knows there are 101 things wrong I can see in your life. But he is kind to you and doesn't tell you. Otherwise you will get discouraged. But you are in the first standard. So you have drawn the best diagram you can draw. If you are faithful, if you walk with God, that picture will become better. If you spend another 20 years studying in some art school, then you draw a man, it will almost be like a photograph of that man. You have seen some of these great artists, how they draw the picture of a man, it is almost like a photograph only. We can say that our Christian life is to show the beauty of Jesus Christ, the picture of Jesus Christ in our life. We want to draw the picture of Jesus in our life. In the beginning, you draw with your life. We don't draw it with paper and pencil, we draw it with our life. Right now, with your life you have drawn a particular picture of Jesus Christ. You may be the best picture in your class. In your assembly you may be the most spiritual brother. But you are like a first standard child drawing a picture of a man. Another person who has grown in the Lord, he looks at you, at your picture of Jesus. He sees so many things wrong. But he won't tell you, because you will get discouraged. So he encourages you, by telling you, the ear must be a little smaller. And like that encourages you to become more like Jesus. If you listen, that is the purpose of these conferences. So that we can draw the picture of Jesus much better in our life. Little by little, you become so much like Jesus in your life. Your words, your attitude, everything you do, where you talk to people. That people go away feeling, I have seen something of what Jesus is like now. That should be your goal in life. That was my goal, even as a young man. In my early years, I was like the 5 year old drawing a picture of a man. That was the best I could do. But I decided, I am going to improve this drawing. I am going to improve this drawing. So, I was willing to learn from other people who know better than me. I look at somebody who is a little more like Jesus. I try to learn from him. Say, God, the ears are not correct in my picture. Or, the legs are not correct. Little by little, over a period of many years, Our picture of Jesus becomes more like the real Jesus. That should be your goal in life. You must not be happy. I am never happy because I still don't feel I am showing Christ perfectly in my life. I know it is much better than it was 10 years ago. But I am still not happy. This doesn't look like Jesus still. I see certain areas, I am still working on it. Have you got this desire? Or are you, you know, you can be an elder brother in a church. My picture is better than all the people in my class. That is like the 5th standard, 1st standard boy who is always happy with that same drawing. 10 years later, he is still drawing the same type of picture. Haven't you got victory over any more sins in the last 10 years? Your standard is same as it was 10 years ago? I have seen some brothers in our midst. They are good brothers. Very good brothers. They are at this level. I see them after 10 years. They are good brothers still. Same level. That is sad. Supposing a boy tells me, my son, how much do you get? I ask a boy here. How many marks did you get in Maths? 100%. Very good. I ask another boy. How much you got? 100%. Wonderful. Not to 10 years, I come to the conference again. The boys have grown up. How much you are getting? 100%. Other boy 100%. But, it's not the same. This chap has failed for 10 years, he is still in 1st standard. He is still getting 100%. Is that a great thing? No. He has failed in all the other subjects, so he is still sitting in 1st standard. And he is getting 100% in Maths. But the other person has gone to 11th standard by now in 10 years. There is a lot of difference between that 100% and this 100%. So, when you say your conscience is clear, that's like saying you got 100%. But which class? Is it the same class you were in 10 years ago? I hope you are understanding what I am saying. Because I have seen some brothers and sisters. I think I know brothers more because I talk to them more. But my wife has told me it's the same with many sisters. They are good people. They don't seem to grow. They are always happy with one level of conscience. I tell you, I am not happy. Next year, I want my conscience to be more sensitive than this year. In the next one year, I want to discover some sins in my life which I have not seen today. Will you pray that prayer? Lord, in the next 12 months, will you please show me some new sin in my life which I can't even see today? That is like a student saying in mathematics, I want to study something in mathematics in the next one year which I don't know now. That's what you want your children to study. Every year, you want them to study something new, not the same old subjects every year. You won't send your child to a school where they study the same things every year. You spend so much money to get new books for them. Because they have to study something new. It must be the same in your personal life also. See, what is eternal life? When we say we accept the Lord, we got eternal life. See John chapter 17. This is the definition Jesus himself gave. If somebody were to ask you, what is eternal life? Many of you would say, eternal life means I am going to live forever. But do you know the people who go to hell also live forever? Because Jesus said, the worm keeps on biting them forever. Forever. If that is eternal life, then people who go to hell also got eternal life. So eternal life doesn't mean I live forever. No, here is eternal life. John 17 verse 3. Eternal life is to know God. And to know Jesus Christ. That's how he called it eternal life. That's why you can have more and more of eternal life. Like when I got married, I knew my wife little bit what type of person she was. But now I have been married 37 years. I know so so well. You know, I know exactly what she will do in a particular situation. Supposing, when we were first married. Somebody came home and said, we want to consult with your husband, something to do. My wife would have to say, ok wait, he will come back next week, you come and meet him. But today, after 37 years, somebody comes home and says, you know, we want to find out what your husband will do in this situation. You can say immediately, I know what my husband will do. How she knows? Because she has watched me for 37 years. You can say, without consulting my husband, I can tell you, I know what he will do. That is the meaning of knowing your husband. It's like that when we are born again. You know in the old testament, God would say, go here, go there. One pillar of cloud turns left, right. And would tell David, go and fight the enemy now. Another time he said, don't go today, go tomorrow. That is how he led them in those days. But now, God gives us his Holy Spirit. As we get to know him, even without clear guidance, I can take a right step. That is new covenant guidance. Just like my wife married me, I am married to Jesus Christ. If my wife was always fighting with me, even after 37 years, she will not know what my... But if you have lived in good fellowship, then she knows so much about me. So, if you have lived in fellowship with Jesus year after year, you know so much about his ways. That is eternal life. Many things I did not know the answer for, but now I know God. I know why he does certain things. I know what he wants me to do in a particular situation. Like old testament people, I don't need a voice from heaven saying, do this, go here. I don't need God to say like he told Abraham. Or to David. God doesn't have to say to me, Zak, do this. I am in the new covenant. I am married to him. As I walk with him, I know him so well, that even without a voice, without guidance, I take the right decision. Many people say, an angel came and told me. I don't need an angel. That is all old testament. I have Jesus. When you have Jesus, why do you need an angel? So, I am not impressed when somebody says, I saw an angel. Nowadays, that has become a fashionable thing in Christian circles. You know, like this, women's dress style changes. Men's dress is almost the same all the time, but women's dress style changes. First the blouse is like this, then the blouse will have a little thing over here like that. First, his hand shirt will be like this, then it will be like that. My shirt was like this 20 years ago, and now it is like this. So, women's dress style changes all the time. Similarly, many things are changing in Christian circles. Now, what is fashion in Christian circles? I saw a vision. I saw an angel. Don't be bothered by all these fashions. If you know Jesus, I say, let him know an angel, I know Jesus. It's like somebody saying, I know the peon in the president's office. Or chief minister's office peon, I know that person. You can know the peon, I know the chief minister myself. That's like somebody saying, I saw an angel. Okay, good. I know Jesus himself. Are you both, you want to know the peon or you want to know the master? Not only know the master, I am married to the master. What are you talking about, the peon came to your house? I am living with the master everyday. Don't be deceived by all these fashions in Christianity. I don't need an angel to tell me. See, it's like if my wife and I live together, I don't have a secretary between me and her. In the same way, between Jesus and me, there is no secretary. I don't need an angel, I don't need Mary, I don't need a pastor, I don't need anybody. So, I am not interested in seeing an angel. Don't waste your time waiting to see an angel praying. Seek to see Jesus in your heart. That is eternal life. To know Jesus. To know what his mind is about me. To see if he is happy with my life. I am like a wife who is always wanting to please the husband. Won't your husband like a wife like that? Yes or no? You like a wife who is always trying to please you. That's the type of wife I want to be to Jesus Christ. Saying, Lord, now I am going to do this. Are you happy with this? The Lord says, no, I am not so happy. Lord, I don't want to do that. Lord, I am planning to go here. He doesn't say no. Sometimes you see in a person's face, he is not very happy. You ask your husband, shall I do this? He is a very good husband. He won't say no. Don't go. No, no, no. This looks a bit unhappy. Then don't do it. That's how it is between me and Jesus. Lord, shall I do this? I feel in my heart, he is a little uneasy. Say, no, Lord, I don't want to do it. You live like that. Your life will be a very happy life. Some other thing, you say, Lord, shall I do this? As if he is smiling, sure. You can do it immediately. You know, we can live every day of our life like this. Like that, you will come to know Jesus more and more and more and more. This is eternal life. You know, there are many expressions people use about being born again. Somebody says, I am born again. Somebody says, I am converted. Somebody says, I have repented of my sins. Somebody says, I am a child of God now. I am born again. Or somebody says, I have accepted the Lord. So many ways people say it. But of all these ways, I feel the best expression is, I know the Lord Jesus. Because that's what he said here. Eternal life is to know Jesus. That means you are always seeking to learn from Him. Always seeking to do what pleases Him. To be a disciple means that. Always learning from Jesus every day. And I want to do what pleases Him. All of you young people, If you decide from today, I want to know Jesus. I want to know Jesus like a personal friend. You know, people talk a lot about prayer. Many of you have heard me for 20 years. How many sermons have you heard me preach on prayer? All these money loving preachers, they all preach on prayer. Fasting and prayer. You see, what is the use of all this fasting and prayer if you still love money? They talk about prayer, big big sermons. Now I want to give you a little homework. You read the New Testament. Read the New Testament. And show me one sermon on prayer that Jesus preached or that the apostles preached. Jesus spoke two parables on prayer that I know. Maybe two or three. And then He taught us six lines of Lord's Prayer. And I don't find Him preaching on prayer. He prayed. But He never preached on it. Today people preach so much on prayer. I decided to follow Jesus. He never preached sermons on prayer, so I also don't preach on prayer. It's like healing. Jesus never preached one sermon on healing. Do you know that? The apostles never preached one sermon on healing. Look for it, you won't find it. Jesus healed. Today, so many books and sermons on healing. But actually healed hardly anybody. Don't be deceived by today's preachers. The only thing they want is money. And they preach things which are not in the Bible. That's what I ask people. How is it all these preachers can fool so many believers? Because those believers don't know the Bible. When I tell people, do you know that Jesus never preached a sermon on healing? They don't know that. He prayed. He didn't preach sermons on prayer. I'll tell you what I have learnt about prayer. Somebody asked Mother Teresa. What do you do when you spend time with God? She said, God listens to me. And then what do you do? I listen to God. That's what I also do. I listen. What is God trying to say? I want to hear. What is He trying to say to me? You know the major part of prayer is that. To listen. Supposing you are talking to a very godly man. Let me give you an example. Supposing this brother is a hundred times more godly than me. And I spend one hour with him. In 59 minutes I talk to brother Vincent. In 59 minutes I talk to him. And he listens patiently. And he speaks for one minute. You'll never do that. Because if the other person is more godly, you'll let him talk more. And imagine if you are talking to God. And you talk and talk and talk and talk for half an hour. And say Amen. And you go. What an insult. Even in a telephone you won't talk like that. Talk, talk, talk for half an hour. And say okay good bye. This is how some people pray. This, this, this, this, this, this, this. Amen. Okay I'm going. Stop that. Listen. God wants to talk to me. I'll tell you my testimony. I talk very little. But God already knows everything. What am I going to tell him? God brother Vincent is sick, please heal him, God says I know that, you listen to me first, listen, listen, then you'll get to know Jesus, let's pray.