The sermon, rooted in Ecclesiastes 12 and drawn from a powerful personal experience in a morally decaying oil town, delivers a sobering, urgent call to repentance by confronting the reality of death and the eternal consequences of unrepentant sin. It emphasizes that while physical death is inevitable, the true danger lies in the second death—the eternal separation from God described as everlasting punishment, banishment, and conscious suffering in the lake of fire. Through vivid accounts of dying individuals, including a woman who died unrepentant despite last-minute appeals, the preacher underscores that no profession, wealth, or human effort can save one from divine judgment. The message is clear: time is short, the soul is eternal, and the only refuge is immediate, heartfelt faith in Jesus Christ, who offers deliverance from both physical and spiritual death. The tone is deeply pastoral yet unflinching, combining grief, urgency, and hope, urging listeners to respond now while the opportunity remains.

The sermon asserts that Jesus Christ's lordship is absolute, divinely ordained, and universally applicable, demanding total submission, ownership, and obedience from every person. It emphasizes that true salvation requires not merely accepting Christ as Savior but surrendering to Him as Lord, rejecting any notion of compartmentalizing faith or maintaining rebellion against His authority. The preacher warns against a distorted gospel that offers salvation without repentance or moral transformation, calling such teaching a perversion that leads to spiritual deception. Drawing on Scripture and historical figures, the message insists that genuine faith manifests in lifelong obedience, recognizing Christ's sovereign claim over every aspect of life, including possessions, time, and will. Ultimately, the sermon calls listeners to a radical, Spirit-enabled surrender, where Christ is crowned Lord of all, not just in words but in daily life, as the only path to eternal salvation.

The sermon centers on the sobering reality of death and the eternal consequences of unrepentant sin, drawing from Ecclesiastes 12 to illustrate the inevitability of physical death and the soul's return to God. Through a powerful personal narrative from a young preacher's ministry in a corrupt oil town, the message confronts the audience with the daily presence of death, the fear of judgment, and the urgent need for repentance while there is still time. The preacher emphasizes that while physical death is certain, the second death—the eternal separation from God in the lake of fire—is the true horror, described as eternal punishment, banishment, and unending suffering. He warns that no amount of wealth, influence, or last-minute remorse can save one who dies without faith in Christ, and calls listeners to immediate surrender to Jesus before it is too late, urging them to respond while they still have breath, conscience, and opportunity.

The sermon confronts the modern world's denial of death and judgment with urgent theological realism, grounding its message in the inescapable truth that 'it is appointed unto men once to die, and after that the judgment.' Drawing from personal experiences in a dying city and poignant stories like that of Dixie, it emphasizes that every human life faces a final reckoning before a holy God, making Christ's atoning death on the cross not a mere option but a divine necessity. The preacher calls listeners to repentance and faith, warning that the opportunity for salvation is not endless, and that many, like Dixie, may die without repentance, facing eternal separation from God—the 'second death'—a reality underscored by Scripture and confirmed by the agony of the dying. With a tone that is both pastoral and fiercely urgent, the sermon pleads for immediate response, urging the audience to reject worldly distractions and embrace Christ while there is still time, affirming that only in Him is there hope beyond the grave and victory over death's sting.

The sermon presents a urgent, prophetic call to reclaim the true gospel in an age of spiritual deception, emphasizing that the central message of Revelation 14 is a radical demand for total allegiance to Christ as Creator and Lord, not to the anti-Christ system that masquerades as religion. It warns that the gospel today is not merely informational but a divine summons to fear God, give Him glory, worship Him alone, and reject all false systems that compromise Christ's authority, especially those that dilute the cross with moralism or cultural accommodation. The preacher underscores that genuine faith requires costly discipleship—surrendering family, status, and security—illustrated by a powerful testimony of a Jewish woman who chose Christ despite losing her family and home. The message is both a warning and a call to courage: the final battle is not for political or cultural victory, but for the soul's total commitment to Christ, with the mark of true discipleship being zealous obedience and unwavering loyalty to the Lamb, even in the face of persecution.

The sermon centers on the urgent necessity of knowing the true, holy God revealed in Scripture, arguing that eternal life is not merely an endless duration but a transformative relationship characterized by personal, experiential knowledge of God through Jesus Christ. It confronts the modern tendency to create a softened, accommodating god who tolerates sin, warning that such a god is a mere idol and leads to spiritual deception; true salvation requires a radical repentance that abhors sin and self, not just a desire to avoid hell. The preacher insists that God's holiness demands the punishment of sin, and that salvation is not a transaction based on human will or effort, but a divine work in which God draws sinners to Himself through conviction, repentance, and faith—only possible when individuals surrender their self-reliance and embrace God's terms. The message is both convicting and urgent, calling for a revival rooted in genuine prayer, a return to biblical holiness, and a rejection of religious compromise, affirming that God will not compromise His holiness to save anyone, and thus must send the unrepentant to hell to preserve His justice and glory. The ultimate call is to know the God of the Bible—the holy, sovereign, and wrathful God who demands total surrender and offers salvation only through Christ.

The sermon emphasizes the assurance of forgiveness and freedom from sin, repeatedly asserting that sins are "taken away," and connects this to the ultimate victory of God and the righteous judgment of humanity. Drawing on Scriptural passages from Revelation and Hebrews, the message underscores the importance of discipleship and active faith, warning against a superficial understanding of Salvation divorced from daily commitment and participation in the "means of grace." It challenges a generation perceived as prioritizing personal experience over obedience and calls for a return to a Biblical understanding of God's authority and the necessity of witnessing to His truth, ultimately anticipating a future hallelujah chorus celebrating God's just and righteous judgments.

The sermon emphasizes the paramount importance of unwavering commitment to Christ amidst growing spiritual deception and the rise of antichrist. Drawing on Scripture, particularly Revelation 14, the message calls for a return to foundational truths, urging listeners to fear God, give Him glory, and worship the Creator rather than false idols. It warns against complacency and easygoing religion, advocating for a Gospel that challenges the status quo and demands absolute surrender, recognizing that true faith often entails significant personal cost and separation from worldly allegiances, ultimately finding solace and strength in Christ's authority.

This message was delivered by Brother Barnard sometime in the early 1960's, apparently at 13th Street Baptist Church whose pastor at the time was Brother Henry Mahan. In 1986 yours truly (Thomas Ray Floyd) was given a cassette tape recording of this message by Brother George Calhoun who was then director of the Mt Olive Tape Library. The Lord sent this message to my heart with power to awaken me to my lost condition and save me from lost profession by grace alone through faith alone in Christ Alone. I happily share it with our friends with a prayer it will be a blessing to many. You can hear more of Brother Barnard's faithful preaching at Mt Olive Tape Library (Greenville Seminary), and the Rolfe Barnard Library. Both of these ministries are on Sermon Audio.

A new MP3 sermon from Still Waters Revival Books is now available on SermonAudio with the following details:

Title: Lordship Salvation, Free Grace & the Sovereignty of God

Subtitle: Rolfe Barnard Sermons

Speaker: Evangelist Rolfe Barnard

Broadcaster: Still Waters Revival Books

Event: Sunday Service

Date: 11/11/2013

Bible: 1 Corinthians 12:3; Acts 8:22-23

Length: 24 min.