In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of knowing and believing in the truth of redemption and salvation. He highlights that there are various views on how a person can be fitted for heaven and have their sins forgiven. The preacher shares a story about a woman named Janet who struggled with understanding how to believe in the right way. He emphasizes that believing in Jesus is not a matter of the head or the heart, but a simple act of faith. The preacher encourages listeners to read and understand the Bible for themselves to grasp the truth of salvation.

Get you to turn please to the book of Colossians chapter 1 Colossians Chapter 1 right after the book of Philippians Of course if you don't know where Colossians is you probably don't know where Philippians is either But if you're having a difficulty with that get someone to show you they'll help you verse 14 Colossians 1 verse 14 in whom we have Redemption through his blood Even the forgiveness of sins Read it again in whom we have Redemption through his blood even the forgiveness of sins Now just for a verse that I'm going to be referring to turn to 1st John chapter 5 The word that I committed it entirely to memory But as I haven't I'm going to have to look at it 1st John chapter 5 and verse 12 two verses in fact verse 12 he that hath the Son hath life and He that hath not the Son of God hath not life These things have I written unto you That believe on the name of the Son of God that she may know That she hath eternal life and that you may believe on the name of the Son of God in particular that expression These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God that she may know that she hath eternal life Now that is all we're going to read and we trust that God will bless these passages with what we're going to say from them. I Simply want to look at this term that is found here this verse in Colossians chapter 1 and break it down into three very simple portions I want to look first of all at the truth of redemption and redemption really here is the thought of a Releasing on the payment of a ransom. I'm aware There are three in fact four words that are used in your Bible for redemption. I won't go into that I don't want to weary you with it but the particular word that is used here is the thought of a term of releasing at the expense of And that's how it brings in to by the shedding of the blood of Christ So the means whereby the ransom is paid the release is procured is by virtue of the death of Christ But I want to look at it simply in the term of salvation because that's what redemption is It is an aspect of salvation looking more at the truth of what we have been delivered from and purchased by Than other terms to be used consistent with this truth. So there's three things I want to say from this verse about Redemption or salvation number one? It's found in a person. It's found in a person Number two, it is a real possession. It is something you can and must Have a number three it had a price not a price that you must pay But there was a price that had to be paid to make it a provision for you And so three things we're going to look at tonight First of all, it's found in a person when it comes to the truth of redemption or salvation the thought of a person being delivered from their sins and what they righteously require as to the judgment of God for all their trespasses and disobediences We find out that this world there has almost as many views on how this can take place as there are different facial expressions You'll sometimes look at people or talk to people and in the run-of-the-day I might talk to 15 or 20 different people and if I ask them how is a person going to be fitted for heaven? How is the person going to know their sins are forgiven how they are fit for the presence of a holy God? And as many as the people I asked normally there is some difference into the in the views that they hold Reminds me one occasion of two men that were walking down the street There were in fact both men who were preaching the gospel And they saw a bookstore as they went by and a book caught their eye Oftentimes a person who is selling books secondhand books will put one of his most outstanding or eye-catching novels or books out in the front and this book was there and Blazing across the face of it was this a hundred ways to get to heaven a hundred ways to get to heaven One turned around to the other he said well, we know 99 of them are wrong The other man said this any man that would write a hundred ways to get to heaven be sure of it all Hundred of them are wrong all hundred When it comes to the truth of getting to heaven having your sins forgiven it is not found by an ordinance It's not found by joining the right church or belonging to the right religious body It is not found by pursuing a particular style of life or culture of life Salvation is found in a person It is found in a person that person is the person of Christ It is impossible to separate the person from the provision the soul that trusts Christ Receives the provision that was made at Calvary when he laid down his life for sinners the person accepts the Provision that was made at Calvary for their sins has thereby trusted the Savior that provided it They are inseparably linked together and so in this meeting tonight Regardless of what culture what background what country what age group? God's salvation God's salvation The reality of your sins forgiven being made right with God and sure of heaven is all found in a person Do I remember there's a lady is very dear to me in fact her husband I'll refer to him on Thursday night was very instrumental in seeing me reached and saved and her name is Janet and I've heard different times how she was saved She'll tell it sometimes in a company when they're we're sitting having a sing-song in the home Nice to hear how the sisters got saved You know sometimes the brethren do so much talking you can't hear much from them But sometimes I just like to sit down and hear them and we're telling our testimonies and in the home There is nothing wrong with it And you hear that sister just sometimes I've heard some of the young ones and just sit back and tell you a story You're just at the end of it. You're your eyes are filled with tears Janet was one of these individuals Let me just tell your story briefly Janet McFadden the first time the preachers came to her home came in the form of two men Albert Ramsey and another man Robert McIlwain They had asked to borrow the field that belonged to her father-in-law that was just down from their house the old little farm and The tent was set up no more than almost twice the distance of this tent from their house And so they had no argument or excuses as far as why they couldn't get there It wasn't the fact that they didn't have enough money to buy fuel Or that the trip was too long that they had to get the children back in time for school The matter of fact, there's very few people to have that excuse when it comes to the gospel But there was the tent anyway, and it was right down and the two men came in They asked and I said would you come out to the gospel meetings? Well, you come on here the gospel And then Janice said what he's preaching Robert McIlwain said I'm preaching that a person can know for sure that they're going to have it And that their sins could be forgiven in this life in this world and set them for the next And she simply said shrugging them off Well, I'm saved already and she knew she wasn't the moment she said it but she said it to get the preachers off her trail They asked her. Well, they used an expression. We sometimes use at home. It's probably used here It's probably where we got it from and they said this those that know it best long to hear it more than the rest and And they said well since you are saved you'd love to hear the gospel preach now she was a real bind So she said well, I'm a busy woman, but I'll drop down tonight At least I'll come once and she came to the gospel meeting During the course of that gospel in the gospel would preach in such a way that God blessed his words There wasn't only somebody got saved in the tent that night, but Janet McFadden got really disturbed They were almost somewhat surprised when the next night she showed up again And this time there was no promise extracted from her to come. She just came on her own The next night she came again the next night. She came again and that went on for four weeks Finally one night going out of the tent. She turned around to mr. McIntyre. She said Robert I Told you I was safe and I'm not saved. I'm not saved. I Just said that and I have no excuse and I really want to be saved But I've been trying to get saved in these meetings and I can't get saved. I just can't So Robert said well, I'll tell you what after we finish shaking hands at the door and praying in the tent We'll come up to your house and we'll just come in for a little visit Told me afterwards and I preached with Robert many times. He said it was one of the most Fear and trembling trips that I ever made. He said I sat in her driveway in the car for about 20 minutes praying that God would give me wisdom and Helped me to listen when I should listen and talk when I should talk and say something that had some Eternal worth and value under the guidance of the Spirit of God Then he went into the house And he said what's the matter Jen? She said I'm trying to get saved I'm really trying she sat there with John 3 and 16 in front of her the gospel of John And he said well read John 3 and 16 reads. She read it quietly said no No, I want you to read it from your Bible. She almost started to quote it You know when people are concerned about their souls never mind getting them to quote verses by memory Get them to go to their Bibles and read it from the Holy Writ And she looked down at her Bible. He said read it loud enough for us to hear but at the same time Read it for yourself to understand think about what you're reading So she started for God so loved the world That he gave his only begotten Son That whosoever believeth and she said there's that word How will I know when I believe Robert said read it again? She started again for God so loved the world That he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth. She said believe believe believe How will I know what I'm believing in the right way? How will I know whether I'm believing with my head or with my heart that's nonsense either believer. You don't believe Never mind this head and heart the Bible doesn't talk about that. It talks about he that believeth And anyway, she turned around and he said read it again So she started reading it again for God so loved the world But he gave his only begotten Son That whosoever believeth and she was just about to say there it is when all of a sudden she just slipped by at it She said whosoever believeth in him in Him She turned around she said I've been all taken up with my believing Thinking that my believing would save me but salvation is in him. It's him that died of the cross for me It's him that redemption is found in salvation is found in him The moment a person responds to him he that hath the Son hath life He that hath not the Son hath not life, but the wrath of God abideth on him You see friend in this meeting tonight We're not telling you to join a gospel hall You could belong to every gospel hall in the United Kingdom and die in your sins and go down to hell because there's no salvation And that we're not telling you to be baptized. So believers should be baptized Once they trusted Christ But you could be baptized to the point you've been in every tank and have it done in every place you can think of and Dying your sins and go down to hell We're not telling you to clean up your lives to get to heaven So some of you could use a good clean it up with your life Just to be better citizens, but you could be the model citizen in your community and die in your sins and go down to hell We are telling you that in whom We have redemption through his blood Even the forgiveness of sins that salvation is found in the person of Christ I went to visit a man on one occasion His name was Don Stenicka an unusual name In fact, it's Polish. So don't say too much about it Because we're actually not too far away from it And I went to see Don and Don came from a Christian family I don't know if you knew this Stenicka fell down an aisle away He had a godly mother and a godly father His mother had passed away and his father died shortly after Don wasn't saved. He was about 64 years old. His wife was saved. She wasn't in the assembly, but she's a saved woman And myself and another man I was preaching with art where we went up to visit them At that point in time Don had great disabilitation from a form of cancer that he'd been told he had six months to live We went to see and I must admit he was uncomfortable. He had a hard time sitting still But I said Don, would you please come to the meetings? We'll make you as comfortable as we can. I'll pick you up if you'll come He said no, I have a way of getting there Peter said I'll come And he would be there about two nights a week. You know, he did that Out of respect for his mother. His mother was the saved woman out of respect for his mother. That's why he came He told me I went to see him three or four times They always talked about cattle and I don't even know enough about cattle, but I made small talk anyway And I try to get around to something spiritual at the same time I thought as long as I can get him come to the meetings. I'm not going to bombard him. I Give him places to read in his Bible and finally the last time I went there before the meetings were over I said to him Don I Want to talk to you very plain. I can't take this just making small talk anymore I'm not going to be here much longer. You haven't got a lot of time. So I said to him what about salvation Don? What about salvation? What about salvation man? What about it? He turned around and here's what he said Peter I'm sorry to tell you this, but I'm not interested in it. I said no Don don't say it that way say it like this I'm not interested in him. Oh He said no, I didn't say that. I didn't say that. I said I'm not interested in it. I said Don Salvation is in the person of Christ That day when that child was held in the arms of that man He looked and he said let now thy servant depart in peace for mine eyes have seen My salvation and he wasn't looking at a baptismal tank and he wasn't looking at a church And he wasn't looking at a lifestyle. He was looking at a babe The Savior himself the Son of God He said I never thought of it like that. I said that's right Don Salvation is not an it. It's him And if you're not interested just say this I don't want him Don't get very quiet And it was a tearful party But I can remember a month after Don died I got a letter in the mail it was from his wife Marisa Nicka Here's what it said on such and such a date Don wanted you to know That he trusted and he had in three big letters H I M He trusted him and he was right with God and he was going to heaven And he wanted you to know Can I speak to you tonight very kindly at the same time? Can I speak to you as if you and I are the only two people in this meeting? The salvation of your soul and where you will be forever all depends on this what you do with Christ As many as received him to them gave you power to become the sons of God even to them that believe on his name Salvation is found in a person in whom Salvation is a possession we have We had you know, there are people that tell me they tell me I'm presumptuous I've been called a lot of things presumptuous don't really bother that me that much But this man told me one time he said where do you get off going around telling people, you know for sure You're going to heaven. You can't know for sure. I said listen, sir You're just saying I can't know for sure cuz you don't know for sure And if the only things that a person could know is what you know, there wouldn't be much to know in this world I said the most important thing that a person can know. I know I know I Know I have eternal life. I know I'm going to happen. You say why you're a good living boy. No No, I was a dragon for nine years in prison three times But I could go back to that night when I trusted Christ as my Savior And the words of the Lord Jesus as valid that night as they will be for all eternity him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out These things are written unto you that believe in the name of the Son of God That you might feel know That you might hope know that you might guess know that you might know Know you have eternal life. The Bible teaches you can know it and you must know it Remember one time I was picking strawberries in the field And I was this lady had evidently heard about me cuz she turned around as I was coming by She used to let you pick as many berries as you want and put them in a basket And then you dump them into a big bucket carefully, so you didn't bruise them all their strawberries And then I'd put them in the trunk of car and you just guys you go by you'd say six quarts Of course, he trusted you. He don't trust anybody but Christ And I took the strawberries and I was going by and I said six or seven quarts and she said Where do you get off saying you're going to heaven for sure? Well, I thought well, I said well hang on a minute now, I'll put these in the truck. I'll be right back So my shame I didn't find my New Testament in the car. I blame my wife for moving it, but it was me. I Went back to where she was Here's what she said you can't know for sure that you're going to heaven you can't know You can hope but you can't know I said if I can show you in the Bible that you can know for sure Will that be enough for you? She said it would be but you can't fairly religious critter So anyway, she pulled out her little Bible. She had a little Bible, but she didn't you have to look at it I said, how about this verse then John 3 and 36? He that believeth on the Son and he finished it for me half everlasting life I said, let's just break that down into everyday language. He what does that mean? Well, she said it doesn't just mean man. It means whatever person what is it believer? Well, she said that means that they're depending on I like that depending on trusting believing On the Sun what she said it doesn't mean the Sun in the sky It means the Son of the God who died on the cross for us. I said, that's good. What does this mean half? But she kind of mumbled a little bit. I said pardon ma'am. What does it mean? Well, she said it means has I said could you say a little louder please I didn't catch that has Fine Everlasting life. What's that mean? She simply said it means they have a life in heaven with God now that might be not all it means but that'll do It's like can I take your own language? whatever person Is depending on the Son of God that died on the cross for them? has right now a Home-in-heaven with God has right now. That's how I know she just turned around said well, that'll be $3 and something. That's me out to the car My time is up. Let me just say this salvation found in a person the person of Christ The Son of God that loved you and gave himself for you The person that receives Christ receives salvation Salvation is a possession You may not have much in this life But if you have Christ you have everything and if you have everything but Christ you have nothing And salvation at a price Redemption through his blood to provide salvation for you sir took nothing less than the death of Christ at Calvary He died for our sins that you might know the forgiveness of sins. God bless his work