Revelation 2:5 ‘Therefore remember from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you and will remove your lampstand out of its place– unless you repent.
The Gospel of the glory of God in the face of Christ can only come by grace and grace alone. The Gospel of grace alone is really the Gospel of Jesus Christ alone. Since Luther it has been common to say that souls are justified by faith alone, but that was his way of protecting the doctrine of justification by sovereign grace alone which protected the doctrine of Christ alone. All spiritual blessings are in Christ (Eph 1:3) and that means that there are no spiritual blessings in any other place or location, which is also to say that all grace is in Christ and all grace must come by Christ.
We can also see the beauty of the Gospel by seeing the glory of God in the face of Christ, which once again shows us that the Gospel is all about God shining forth Himself in and through Christ. This also shows us that the Gospel is for only those who have Christ and that must come by grace and grace alone. There is nothing that can be added to the work of Christ and if nothing can be added to the work of Christ in the Gospel, then the Gospel can only come to sinners by grace alone. There is nothing that would cause God to save sinners other than His love for Himself and His own glory, so there is nothing that would move God to send His Son to die for those who hated Him other than His own glory. This, once again, moves the spotlight to the grace of God which is the theatre of glory and is where all of His attributes gather together (so to speak) that His grace would shine forth in them all and the great luster of God would be on brilliant display in and through grace. How puny and ludicrous it is for man to think that he can add one thing to the Gospel which Christ has worked in perfection and with perfect sufficiency. How ludicrous it appears for man to think that he can work enough to add one iota to the work of the Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ.
The beauty and glory of God in the Gospel of Christ alone and grace alone can barely even be stated with human words much less exaggerated. However, if the glory of this Gospel is so great, far greater than the whole universe, how great must that judgment be that would darken and harden the hearts of men that they would not see the Gospel. How awful must that judgment be for those who set out a system which is opposed to the Gospel of grace when Paul wrote so strongly against them. Yet even more, how awful it will be for those who think that they preach a message of grace and yet it is diluted with works that they have brought in. But it must be said that even those things are judgments of God to a people which hate Him and refuse to listen to the Gospel of grace.
It certainly appears that the pulpits in our nation are full of those who don’t really believe the Gospel of Christ alone and of grace alone. Many teach a gospel of works and that is quite clear, but there are also many who are orthodox in their creeds who have brought in works and added them to the Gospel of grace alone. But again, to repeat former posts, one little condition brought into the Gospel of grace alone that man can keep in his own strength makes the Gospel less than Christ alone and grace alone. But why do men do this? It is because they are in darkness, are blinded, and are hardened. Why are men blinded and hardened? It is because God hardens them and blinds them. It is His judgment upon them. But why will He give people ministers who are blinded and hardened? It is because the people are also under judgment and God gives them ministers who blind them under the guise of truth. This is a very hard message, but just because it is hard does not mean that it is not true. Listen to the words of Jesus and then the words about Jesus. He preached the truth, but even it was meant to harden some. Judgment comes when God removes the Light, but also to some who hear the truth. We are utterly dependent on Him.
John 12:36 “While you have the Light, believe in the Light, so that you may become sons of Light.” These things Jesus spoke, and He went away and hid Himself from them. 37 But though He had performed so many signs before them, yet they were not believing in Him. 38 This was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet which he spoke: “LORD, WHO HAS BELIEVED OUR REPORT? AND TO WHOM HAS THE ARM OF THE LORD BEEN REVEALED?” 39 For this reason they could not believe, for Isaiah said again, 40 “HE HAS BLINDED THEIR EYES AND HE HARDENED THEIR HEART, SO THAT THEY WOULD NOT SEE WITH THEIR EYES AND PERCEIVE WITH THEIR HEART, AND BE CONVERTED AND I HEAL THEM.”
God Loves... Himself 
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