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Worship 4

June 15, 2016

John 4:24 “God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”

Psalm 51:17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; A broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.

Isaiah 57:15 For thus says the high and exalted One Who lives forever, whose name is Holy, “I dwell on a high and holy place, And also with the contrite and lowly of spirit In order to revive the spirit of the lowly And to revive the heart of the contrite.

Matthew 15:8 ‘THIS PEOPLE HONORS ME WITH THEIR LIPS, BUT THEIR HEART IS FAR AWAY FROM ME 9 ‘BUT IN VAIN DO THEY WORSHIP ME, TEACHING AS DOCTRINES THE PRECEPTS OF MEN.'”

Isaiah 1:13 “Bring your worthless offerings no longer, Incense is an abomination to Me. New moon and sabbath, the calling of assemblies– I cannot endure iniquity and the solemn assembly. 14 “I hate your new moon festivals and your appointed feasts, They have become a burden to Me; I am weary of bearing them.
15 “So when you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide My eyes from you; Yes, even though you multiply prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are covered with blood.

Malachi 1:10 “Oh that there were one among you who would shut the gates, that you might not uselessly kindle fire on My altar! I am not pleased with you,” says the LORD of hosts, “nor will I accept an offering from you.

It seems as if worship is what people think we give to God, but that is profoundly wrong. Man can do nothing for God. While it may sound odd and even strange, true worship is when man is emptied of self (to some degree, not perfectly) and God fills the man with Himself and beholds His own manifested glory in and through the human being. Worship is not what we give to God, but worship is what God does through man. It could also be said that worship is not what man gives God, but is instead what God grants man. God’s love for man is recognized and manifested in God’s giving man a love for Himself in and through Christ, so we can at least see something of the picture that worship is an aspect of God giving man Himself.

What man normally thinks of worship is really idolatry and it makes God to be an idolater as well. If God loves man and focuses on the so-called needs of man rather than His own glory, then God is an idolater and does not love Himself with all of His Being. If God is not His own chief end, then God is an idolater. These are not some crazy statements made with a total lack of reverence, but they should force us to look at what is going on in the church meetings today. God is said to be focused on man and the needs of man and one never hears of how God is focused on Himself and His own glory. If God the Father loves men and the things of men more than Christ, then the Father is an idolater. If the Son loves men more than the Father, then the Son is an idolater. The Son does all things out of love for the Father and for His glory and as such He is perfect in holiness.

This, or course, has huge ramifications for what is seen as worship and what goes on when the church gathers. Man must seek the God-centered God (the only true God) in order to worship rather than seek to give something to God. Man must love the God-centered God who loves Himself, yet he must do that out of the love God works in man or men will love god out of self-love. Even sinners love those who love themselves and as long as men think that God loves them they will love Him, though indeed it is only self that they love rather than the true God. What goes by worship it seems the vast majority of times, then, even in Confessional churches with orthodox creeds, is really the worship of self. Yes, Christ died for sinners, but what does that mean? Did He love sinners more than the Father and so gave Himself for them? No, that would make Him an idolater. We need to hear of the cross of Christ who loved the Father and gave Himself in the place of sinners so that instead of being in worship of self we will worship the true and living God.

Let us then enter (in our imaginations) a local congregation that considers itself Reformed and generally evangelical. What would we expect to find? We would expect some announcements and a prayer or two. We would hear about all the activities of the church in the coming week or perhaps hear of our possible blessings. We know that an offering would be taken and we will be told what blessings we will have if we contribute. We will sing songs about how Christ gave Himself for us and some basic things. We will then most likely hear a sermon that takes a passage of Scripture where the text is explained and then the application is made by giving us things to do. But where is God? Where is the supreme and sovereign God preached about where our hearts are drawn off of ourselves and God takes over? Is there a place for the true God in our modern services? If He came down in the services (we think we are doing Him service) and took over, would we want Him to depart and leave us in our little comfort zones? Throughout the whole of Scripture when God came on the scene men and women fell on their faces and cried out for mercy. Sinners are not comfortable in His thrice holy presence. Do we really want the true God to come to us?

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Christ and the Law 3

June 11, 2016

Galatians 3:16 Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say, “And to seeds,” as referring to many, but rather to one, “And to your seed,” that is, Christ. 17 What I am saying is this: the Law, which came four hundred and thirty years later, does not invalidate a covenant previously ratified by God, so as to nullify the promise. 18 For if the inheritance is based on law, it is no longer based on a promise; but God has granted it to Abraham by means of a promise. 19 Why the Law then? It was added because of transgressions, having been ordained through angels by the agency of a mediator, until the seed would come to whom the promise had been made. 20 Now a mediator is not for one party only; whereas God is only one. 21 Is the Law then contrary to the promises of God? May it never be! For if a law had been given which was able to impart life, then righteousness would indeed have been based on law. 22 But the Scripture has shut up everyone under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. 23 But before faith came, we were kept in custody under the law, being shut up to the faith which was later to be revealed. 24 Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith.

Paul was fighting against the Judaizers who wanted to bring something into the Gospel and add one little something men were supposed to do in order to be saved. He tried to show them that 430 years before Moses led the children of Israel out of Egypt and God gave them the Law, the promises had already been made. Before the Law came to Israel the Gospel came to Israel and the covenant with Israel concerning the Gospel had already been made. The Law cannot possibly contribute to the salvation of those that God had already promised salvation apart from the Law.

A driving question to this day is why God sent the Law when men are not saved by it and in fact are condemned (at least the condemnation is manifested) by this Law. Galatians 3 gives us at the very least part of the answer. If the thought of why God sent the Law after He promised the Gospel has never been something you have thought of, then please give it some thought. Not only is this a revelation of the New Testament, it is something that is very relevant to our day. If God gave the Law with and for a purpose that the Law is not being used for, then it should make us nervous and wary about this. The Law was given so that all men would be shut up under sin.

This deserves to be repeated over and over until it is driven to the depths of our heads and our hearts. The Law was given so that all men would be shut up under sin. It was never given as something men could keep and thereby be holy, but instead it was given to show us our unholiness and inability to get better by the Law. It was given to show us our hearts and those hearts are provoked by the Law and thus we see that they are full of sin and are sinful by nature. The Law was so far from being given so that people could earn righteousness by it for salvation that the text tells us that it shut up everyone under sin so that the promise by faith in Christ might be given to those who believe. Notice the point and the glory of that point. The Law was not given in opposition to the Law, but it was given so that the promise could be carried out.

This point is so vital that it must be repeated because our hearts are drawn by a spiritual or fleshly gravity (so to speak) to the Law for blessings or for salvation. We live by the free-grace of God which is to say that we live by promise rather than by the Law. Before this faith came, which is to say, before Christ came who was the fulfillment of the promise and so people had faith in Him more specifically, we were in custody by the Law and we had no other place to go. The Law was used to shut people up under sin which shut people up to the faith later to be revealed. This shows the place of the Law and it was and is to lead people to Christ where the promises of the Gospel are fulfilled. The Law came 430 years after the promises of the Gospel and it can never supplant the Gospel or add to the Gospel. The Law leads and drives people to Christ and they are justified by faith alone.

We live in a day where free-grace is under attack from all sides. We live in a day where the true work of the Law has been changed from what it was supposed to be for to what it was not to be for and will never be for. The Law was to be a tutor or instructor of men and their hearts as to their sin and their sinful natures. The Law has no place in the Gospel itself and at best an advisory role in sanctification. Christ is the Gospel and Christ is our sanctification. The Law shows us our sin and is used by the Spirit to convict us of our sin and drive us out of self-love and self-strength into despair of self and looking to Christ alone. It must never have any other place.

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Christ and the Law 2

June 10, 2016

Galatians 3: 16 Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say, “And to seeds,” as referring to many, but rather to one, “And to your seed,” that is, Christ. 17 What I am saying is this: the Law, which came four hundred and thirty years later, does not invalidate a covenant previously ratified by God, so as to nullify the promise. 18 For if the inheritance is based on law, it is no longer based on a promise; but God has granted it to Abraham by means of a promise. 19 Why the Law then? It was added because of transgressions, having been ordained through angels by the agency of a mediator, until the seed would come to whom the promise had been made. 20 Now a mediator is not for one party only; whereas God is only one. 21 Is the Law then contrary to the promises of God? May it never be! For if a law had been given which was able to impart life, then righteousness would indeed have been based on law. 22 But the Scripture has shut up everyone under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. 23 But before faith came, we were kept in custody under the law, being shut up to the faith which was later to be revealed. 24 Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith.

Justification is said to be justification by faith alone, though it really means justification by Christ alone and justification by grace alone through faith alone. Abraham believed the promise of God concerning the seed (which was Christ) and it was reckoned to him as righteousness (Genesis 15:6). Abraham, then, was declared righteous in the eyes of God before the Law was ever given. We see that Abraham was a descendant of Eve and as such the seed of the woman can be traced to him. The seed of the woman would come through the seed of Abraham and in fact would be the Christ. But again, no Law was given until 430 years after Abraham.

Romans 4:1 What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, has found? 2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. 3 For what does the Scripture say? “ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS CREDITED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS.” 4 Now to the one who works, his wage is not credited as a favor, but as what is due. 5 But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness, 6 just as David also speaks of the blessing on the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works.

Clearly, then, Abraham was not justified before God by keeping the Law or by any work. It was when Abraham had faith in the coming seed which was Christ, he was declared just and he had righteousness imputed to him. Once again, over and over our hearts must hear that Abraham was justified and was declared righteous before there was any written law for him to keep. If Abraham would have been justified by works or even had a few works that assisted God in justifying him, then he would have had something to boast about. But Abraham had nothing to boast in but free-grace and the free-grace that the coming seed would purchase in his place.

Abraham did not work for righteousness because the text just above tells us that the one who works his wage is not by grace of favor, but it is what is due to the person. On the other hand, the person that does not work for salvation/justification but believes in God who justifies the ungodly, that person’s faith (in Christ) is credited as righteousness (because the person is united to Christ). There is no need for works for justification because the person is perfectly justified by Christ. Abraham was a blessed man because God credited righteousness to Abraham apart from works. Abraham was justified by Christ before there was a law for him to keep. This is a point we need to hear over and over.

Abraham was justified by grace alone through faith alone and that occurred 430 years before the Law was given. Justification was always by grace alone through faith and this is emphasized in the New Testament over and over. The Law was never given as a way of justification and not as a way of sanctification. The Law was added because of transgressions, that is, it was given to show us our sinfulness and open our hearts to how sinful and helpless we are. The Law was not given as a way we can have life, but to show us Christ who is to be our life. The Law does not justify us, but Christ justifies us. The Law does not sanctify us, but Christ is our sanctification. The Law has no power at all, but all power is in the hands of God to do as He pleases.

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Christ and the Law 1

June 9, 2016

Galatians 3: 16 Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say, “And to seeds,” as referring to many, but rather to one, “And to your seed,” that is, Christ. 17 What I am saying is this: the Law, which came four hundred and thirty years later, does not invalidate a covenant previously ratified by God, so as to nullify the promise. 18 For if the inheritance is based on law, it is no longer based on a promise; but God has granted it to Abraham by means of a promise. 19 Why the Law then? It was added because of transgressions, having been ordained through angels by the agency of a mediator, until the seed would come to whom the promise had been made. 20 Now a mediator is not for one party only; whereas God is only one. 21 Is the Law then contrary to the promises of God? May it never be! For if a law had been given which was able to impart life, then righteousness would indeed have been based on law. 22 But the Scripture has shut up everyone under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. 23 But before faith came, we were kept in custody under the law, being shut up to the faith which was later to be revealed. 24 Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith.

The purposes of the Law (regardless of whether it is civil, ceremonial, or moral) must not be allowed to stand in the place of Christ. If the Law was not meant to save sinners and not sanctify them either since Christ is the justification of the believer and Christ is the sanctification of the believer, then what purpose was and is the Law? This is a vital question and it is not an easy answer. However, it simply must be dealt with honestly and biblically. We can answer this question differently with different theological categories, but we cannot arrive at the biblical truth without answering the question from the biblical point of view.

The question (v. 19) comes from the background of how the Law came 430 years after the promise to Abraham. The promise of Christ to Abraham is the glorious promise of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. God made a covenant with Abraham that He was going to bring forth the seed from Abraham and this covenant was one of promise. The Law, which came 430 years after Abraham, did not invalidate the promise of Christ to Abraham. In fact, if we read this in context, the Law came about to show us the need of Christ. The Law did not come in as a way of life or as a way of holiness, but instead it came about to show us our great need of a Savior.

This must be a point that drives deeply into our souls. The purpose of the Law was to be a tutor or teacher to prepare for Christ. The promise was for Christ and the Law, which came over 400 years later, was not against the promise and did not add or change the promise. The Law was part of the plan to keep men under custody of the Law and be their tutor to take them to Christ. The Law does not stand against sinners in this sense, but it is to show them and teach them of Christ. The Law does not stand against believers and has no power over them to curse them or have authority over them.

When we step back and look at the picture that Galatians gives us, we can see that the Law had a good purpose. The Law was and is centered upon Christ and was never meant for anything else in terms of what its primary goal and function was. “Why the Law then?” The question of Paul was answered (by him) in what follows: “It was added because of transgressions.” The Law was added because of transgressions. On the surface of it that seems rather meaningless. However, Paul is driving at a point for us. The Law was ordained through angels. The Law had a purpose and the Law had an end. The Law was ordained through angels, yet the promise came by God Himself. The Law had an end and that was when Christ (the seed) who was and is the promise would come.

We are left beholding the glory of God and His wise and sovereign plan in bringing forth Christ to save sinners. While many would want to divide the civil, ceremonial, and the moral laws at this point, the Bible does not do so and in fact will not allow it. Since the Law was added because of transgressions, it had the moral law in mind as well. Since the Law cannot impart righteousness, we can know that the moral law was in mind there as well. The Law in all of its aspects came in order to be a tutor to lead people to Christ. The Law is not opposed to Christ in truth and the Law does not replace or instruct Christ in truth. The Law came because of transgressions which is to say that it came to show men their sinful hearts and expose their sin. That is the major reason for why it came. It came to show sin.

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The Almost Christian 8

June 7, 2016

Acts 26:28 Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.

Matthew 7:13 “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. 14 “For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it. 15 “Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 16 “You will know them by their fruits.

Luke 13:24 “Strive to enter through the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able.

Look upon things to come as the greatest realities; for things that are not believed work no more upon the affections than if they had no being; and this is the grand reason why the generality of men suffer their affections to go after the world, setting the creature in the place of God in their hearts. Most men judge of the reality of things by their visibility and proximity to sense; and, therefore, the choice of that wretched cardinal becomes their option, who would not leave his part in Paris for his part in Paradise. Sure, whatever his interest might be in the former, he had little enough in the latter. Well may covetousness be called idolatry, when it thus chooses the world for its god. O! consider—eternity is not dream; hell and the worm that never dies, is no melancholy conceit. Heaven is no reigned Elysium, there is the greatest reality imaginable in these things; though they are spiritual, and out of the ken of sense, yet they are real, and within the view of faith. “Look not therefore at the things which are seen, but look at the things which are not seen; for the things that are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.” (The Almost Christian Discovered, International Outreach, Inc.)

It is a very, very important point here by Mead that the grand reason why most men have their affections go after the world is that they don’t see eternal things as the greatest reality. If it is true that our hearts go after the things we think of as the greatest good for us, then it is clear that most people seek worldly things or even religious things that have to do with this world and do not see eternal things as the greatest reality. The world is what takes the hearts of men and the world is what men chase after with the greatest and highest of their affections.

Mead then sets out for us a reality that should be quite striking to us. Most men, which in our day seems to be virtually all men, judge the reality of things by their visibility and proximity to the senses or sense. This is quite a profound and telling position. Men go by what they hear, see, and taste rather than what is best for them. Men want what they want right now rather than seeking God for eternal things. This is a terrible result of the fall. Regardless of how obvious it is that eternal things are best for men, the eyes and hearts of men are on their present pleasures.

The Scriptures are clear that greed and/or covetousness is idolatry, but most likely it is rare for people to think of themselves as idolatrous or as being guilty of coveting. As Mead points out, however, a covetous heart chooses this world as its god. This shows us the terrifying reality of a covetous heart. God beholds a covetous heart as a person that has a god in that heart. This shows us what a person looks like to God that has a pursuit of the world that is greater than eternal things, which is to say greater than God. This is not just some little desire; it is a full-blown wickedness that is having other gods before God.

How can a covetous person strive to enter the kingdom at the narrow gate? How can a covetous person be so deceived as to think that s/he is truly striving to enter? The Scriptures speak of our deceptive hearts and how deceptive riches are. How deceptive the covetous heart must be to be deceived by riches and blinded to eternal things! The mouth of hell gapes open and each person stands upon the precipice of eternity each moment, yet the desire for things of this world blinds people to eternal things. Men and women appear to be so blinded that they pursue the things of this world with great intensity and yet they will say that they are living for the things of eternity. How close these people may appear to be Christians, but how far they are from the reality of it. These people do not have changed hearts, but instead they have hearts trained in greed and trained in deception of themselves and others. It is only the free-grace of God that can open blinded eyes and grant contrition for the wickedness of greed and idolatry.

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The Almost Christian 7

June 6, 2016

Acts 26:28 Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.

Matthew 7:13 “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. 14 “For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it. 15 “Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 16 “You will know them by their fruits.

Luke 13:24 “Strive to enter through the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able.

Look upon things to come as the greatest realities; for things that are not believed work no more upon the affections than if they had no being; and this is the grand reason why the generality of men suffer their affections to go after the world, setting the creature in the place of God in their hearts. Most men judge of the reality of things by their visibility and proximity to sense; and, therefore, the choice of that wretched cardinal becomes their option, who would not leave his part in Paris for his part in Paradise. Sure, whateve his interest might be in the former, he had little enough in the latter. Well may covetousness be called idolatry, when it thus chooses the world for its god. O! consider—eternity is not dream; hell and the worm that never dies, is no melancholy conceit. Heaven is no reigned Elysium, there is the greatest reality imaginable in these things; though they are spiritual, and out of the ken of sense, yet they are real, and within the view of faith. “Look not therefore at the things which are seen, but look at the things which are not seen; for the things that are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.” (The Almost Christian Discovered, International Outreach, Inc.)

The title or phrase “almost Christian” is something of a terrifying one. In one sense there is the idea that the elect cannot fail to be a Christian, yet when one looks at the words of Christ in terms of the efforts of men it should shock us and make us think. We should be careful to note that it was the words of Agrippa to Paul and how Paul had almost persuaded him to be a Christian. No one can be almost persuaded to actually become a Christian in reality as that is the work of God, but it is telling in terms of the human side.

It is also quite telling that Jesus, who knew all about sovereign grace, told people to strive to enter at the narrow gate. He did not tell them to take it easy since God had determined who would enter, though indeed God has to regenerate a heart for a person to enter the kingdom, yet He still told them to strive. We should also take this to heart in how we speak to people. It may seem to them that they just need a little more persuasion or a few more works to get over the edge, but that is simply not true. However, they are to strive to enter.

It may be the case that we cannot have a perfect fit between men striving and the sovereign grace of God, but we can know that both are taught. I would argue that there is no real tension between the two but that men should strive against their sinful selves and strive while seeking the Lord to give them grace and praying for a new heart. Men should strive in their seeking of the Lord and in seeking by the means which He may show them grace. God uses preaching to bring men to Himself, so men should apply themselves diligently to hearing Christ preached. God uses the Word by His Spirit to work on the hearts of men, so men should apply themselves to reading the Scriptures. No, the Scriptures do not regenerate a man, but the Holy Spirit does while men listen to them. This may be a mystery to us, but men should seek the Lord according to the ways He has set out.

When men are under the true preaching of the Word God may convict them of sin, of righteousness, and of the judgment to come. When men are under the true preaching of the Word of God, men may have a sense of the terrible reality of eternal things opened to them. Men come to a sense of the reality of eternity through more than just bare words, but God has to give them a sense of the reality of eternity. When men only hear with the ears, the affections of their hearts are not really moved from worldly things. It is God who must give men something of a sense of eternal things before they are moved to seek Him and plead with Him to change their hearts. Indeed it is a huge problem when men have the creature set up in their hearts, but only grace can deliver them from that. Yes, men must strive against themselves and in prayer to the Lord, but only grace can make them really strive and only grace can deliver them from the creature.

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The Almost Christian 6

June 5, 2016

Acts 26:28 Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.

Matthew 7:13 “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. 14 “For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it. 15 “Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 16 “You will know them by their fruits.

Luke 13:24 “Strive to enter through the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able.

Look upon things to come as the greatest realities; for things that are not believed work no more upon the affections than if they had no being; and this is the grand reason why the generality of men suffer their affections to go after the world, setting the creature in the place of God in their hearts. Most men judge of the reality of things by their visibility and proximity to sense; and, therefore, the choice of that wretched cardinal becomes their option, who would not leave his part in Paris for his part in Paradise. Sure, whateve his interest might be in the former, he had little enough in the latter. Well may covetousness be called idolatry, when it thus chooses the world for its god. O! consider—eternity is not dream; hell and the worm that never dies, is no melancholy conceit. Heaven is no reigned Elysium, there is the greatest reality imaginable in these things; though they are spiritual, and out of the ken of sense, yet they are real, and within the view of faith. “Look not therefore at the things which are seen, but look at the things which are not seen; for the things that are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.” (The Almost Christian Discovered, International Outreach, Inc.)

What will it take to get men to strive to enter through the narrow gate and to follow on the narrow way? Whatever else it will take is that they must look upon eternal things as the greatest realities. Satan brings temptations to men and wants them to focus on how wonderful those things are to the senses and how pleasurable those things will be to the flesh. He also does not want them to think of eternal realities and tries to dull them to anything like that. However, the blindness of fallen hearts and the deceptive work of the devil do not do anything to the reality of eternity, but they do blind us to that reality. In a sense they work to lessen how eternity appears to us.

While men say that they believe in eternity, and in some way they do as God has written these things on their hearts, unless these things become a deeply held belief they have no real effect upon the actions and thinking of men. When men only have a surface belief and not one that has sunk into the depths of the soul, they will have no affections for eternity at all. They will have a surface belief and yet not have one that absorbs their whole being, which is to say that they will be guided and tempted by things that appear more real to them. This must be driven into our hearts. A simple belief or a surface belief is not enough.

Men do not really think that God should have the greatest part of their hearts when in fact the things of the world provide them with security and pleasure much more in line with their sinful hearts. Their superficial beliefs about eternity are passed over quite lightly and they may even give a nod to them as they follow their sinful hearts. It is not only people who are obviously of the world that do this; however, it is also the practice of those who fill the churches. People are religious for the things they can obtain in the world as well. One can obtain much honor from others and glowing statements from other for religious devotion or knowledge of the Bible. However, being religious for the present things of this world is no better and perhaps more deceptive than those who have just a little religion. We must look at our own hearts in this matter.

Have I truly sought for God at the narrow gate? Am I really following hard after Christ on the narrow way? Do I truly know that all my seeking and following hard cannot earn grace for me? Do I truly know that the things of eternity are so pressing on men and that even now that my heart and mind are guided by those things rather than the things of the world? Do I truly look to Christ and hold to Christ alone as opposed to just believing with some relatively superficial belief that Christ alone saves? The free-grace of God in Christ will break a person’s heart and that will lead to a person seeing eternal things as the real reality.

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The Almost Christian 5

June 4, 2016

Acts 26:28 Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.

Matthew 7:13 “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. 14 “For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it. 15 “Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 16 “You will know them by their fruits.

Luke 13:24 “Strive to enter through the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able.

Take heed of resting in a form of godliness; as if duties could confer grace. A lifeless formality is advanced to a very high esteem in the world, as a cab of dove’s dung was sold in the famine of Samaria at a very dear rate. Alas! The profession of godliness is but a sandy foundation to build the hope of an immortal soul upon for eternity. Remember, the Lord Jesus Christ called him a foolish builder, “that founded his house upon the sand,” and the sad event proved him so, “for it fell, and great was the fall of it.” O therefore lay thy foundation by faith upon the rock Christ Jesus; look to Christ through all, and rest upon Christ in all. (The Almost Christian Discovered, International Outreach, Inc.)

Matthew Mead wrote his book in the 1600’s, but his words should pierce hearts in all times. The Pharisees, though they had many problems and many false teachings, did indeed rest in a form of godliness. It would appear that this is a great deception in our day as well. What duty can we do that will bring us grace? What duty can we do that will bring God into our debt or bring and obligation upon Him to save us or do what we want? The New Testament looks at the formality of the Pharisees with utter disdain, but it is perhaps even more clear in the Old Testament.

Isaiah 1:10 Hear the word of the LORD, You rulers of Sodom; Give ear to the instruction of our God, You people of Gomorrah. 11 “What are your multiplied sacrifices to Me?” Says the LORD. “I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams And the fat of fed cattle; And I take no pleasure in the blood of bulls, lambs or goats. 12 “When you come to appear before Me, Who requires of you this trampling of My courts? 13 “Bring your worthless offerings no longer, Incense is an abomination to Me. New moon and sabbath, the calling of assemblies– I cannot endure iniquity and the solemn assembly. 14 “I hate your new moon festivals and your appointed feasts, They have become a burden to Me; I am weary of bearing them. 15 “So when you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide My eyes from you; Yes, even though you multiply prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are covered with blood.

Revelation 3:16 ‘So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth.

What did God think of the duties that the Israelites performed in the Old Testament? What did Jesus think of the duties the people of the church of Laodicea? Duties, or forms of godliness, are simply reprehensible to God because they have no life in them and no love for Him and His glory. They are actions that men do that are the forms of godly actions but they are worse than nothing in the sight of God.

You can almost hear the shocked voices of the Israelites. “But Lord, these are good cattle and good rams. These are the best I have. You have commanded us to do this and we are doing it, so why are these such an abomination to you? How can you hate our very works that you commanded us to do?” We might also words like those in Matthew 7:”Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. 22 “Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ 23 “And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.’”

How solemn we should be when we read these words and how solemn and reverent we should be as we approach the throne of the living God. Could it be that my heart is not right as I do my duties before the Lord? Could it be that my works are not pleasing to God? Do I think that my works and duties are pleasing to Him just because I do them? Could it be that my prayers are not heard by God and He intentionally does not hear them? Could it be that I am lukewarm, though I may be the warmest person I know in the things of religion, and that Jesus would spew me out of His mouth? Are my sacrifices and deeds nothing more than a trampling upon holy things? Oh how we need to search our hearts and pray that God would open our eyes to what truly pleases Him. We must not merely rest in our duties, but our hearts need grace to open our eye and rest in Christ alone.

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Musings 110

June 3, 2016

Galatians 3:17 What I am saying is this: the Law, which came four hundred and thirty years later, does not invalidate a covenant previously ratified by God, so as to nullify the promise. 18 For if the inheritance is based on law, it is no longer based on a promise; but God has granted it to Abraham by means of a promise. 19 Why the Law then? It was added because of transgressions, having been ordained through angels by the agency of a mediator, until the seed would come to whom the promise had been made. 20 Now a mediator is not for one party only; whereas God is only one. 21 Is the Law then contrary to the promises of God? May it never be! For if a law had been given which was able to impart life, then righteousness would indeed have been based on law. 22 But the Scripture has shut up everyone under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. 23 But before faith came, we were kept in custody under the law, being shut up to the faith which was later to be revealed. 24 Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith. 25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. 26 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.

The point that the human heart has such a hard time with is that it can never earn the slightest favor or standing with God by the Law or by good works. People are constantly turning to the Law or their own good works or something about them as a basis of a good standing with God. It seems as if the Law has a pull on the human heart and it is hard for the heart to turn from the Law and look to Christ alone. The human heart seems to always be pulled by Law and self-righteousness or the ability to do something to earn even a little before God.

Paul wants the people to know that the Law was never given for anyone to obtain the slightest shred of righteousness, merit, or a good standing before God. This is utterly vital. Human beings are born dead in sins and trespasses and by nature are children of wrath (Eph 2:1-3). It is only by the free-grace of God that they are regenerated and granted life in their souls (Eph 2:4-10). Paul would have the people learn that they have no hope in themselves or in the Law and that their only hope is the free-grace of God in Christ Jesus. Human beings are shut up under sin and can do nothing to release themselves from that bondage. Only the power of God operating by grace alone can do that work.

But the Law does have a work to do, though it is one that is denied by the vast majority of our day. The Law is a tutor to show men their need of Christ and it is their tutor to bring men to Christ in one sense. Until men are convinced of sin, they will not be convicted of sin in any deep way at all. Until men are convicted of sin and feel that they are guilty, they will not begin to see their bondage to sin and their inability. The Law can show men these things to a measure or to a degree, though the real convictions and the realizations of his inability can only come as God shows these things to men.

As long as men think that all they have to do is believe, they will think that they have the power to believe when they want. The Law in the hands of the Spirit will show men that they have no ability to give themselves a believing heart. The Law can be used by the Spirit (it is His job to convict of sin) to convict men of sin to the degree and to the point where they utterly despair of all hope in themselves. Until they reach that point, they will still be looking to self and the strength of self. The Law does not tutor men by just teaching them about a few things, but instead when the Law is used by the Spirit it goes into the depths of the soul and convinces them of their utter inability. It is in doing this that the Law is then a tutor to bring men to Christ.

While the Law has nothing to do with men obtaining merit before God, it has a job to do in the hands of the Spirit to show men how they cannot obtain merit before God. While the Law has nothing to do with men earning righteousness before God, it can be used by the Spirit to show them how unrighteous they are in the presence of a thrice holy God. While the Law has no ability to give men and not ability in man to tell man about, it can be used by the Spirit to show men their complete and utter inability in the things of God. How backwards we are when we use the Law as a way to obtain merit or righteousness before God, because the Law was never given for that purpose and in fact was given for the exact opposite purpose. This may be one reason why there are so many false conversions in the world and why unconverted men are so confident of their conversions. They have never been tutored by the Law and as such they have never been broken from all hope in themselves and as such have never truly been to the true Christ.

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Musings 109

June 2, 2016

Galatians 3:17 What I am saying is this: the Law, which came four hundred and thirty years later, does not invalidate a covenant previously ratified by God, so as to nullify the promise. 18 For if the inheritance is based on law, it is no longer based on a promise; but God has granted it to Abraham by means of a promise. 19 Why the Law then? It was added because of transgressions, having been ordained through angels by the agency of a mediator, until the seed would come to whom the promise had been made. 20 Now a mediator is not for one party only; whereas God is only one. 21 Is the Law then contrary to the promises of God? May it never be! For if a law had been given which was able to impart life, then righteousness would indeed have been based on law. 22 But the Scripture has shut up everyone under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. 23 But before faith came, we were kept in custody under the law, being shut up to the faith which was later to be revealed. 24 Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith. 25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. 26 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.

It seems as if the Law has become more important than Christ in some circles today. Whatever position one takes on the many issues, one has to understand that the Law does not nullify the promises of God and that the promises of God are by free-grace. The Law came four hundred and thirty years after God made a covenant with Abraham based on His promises and those promises were of free-grace. The Law was never able to impart life, but instead it pointed to Christ who alone can impart life. The Law cannot give righteousness at all before God, either in the Old or New Testaments, but instead this is by free-grace alone.

I Timothy 1:8 But we know that the Law is good, if one uses it lawfully, 9 realizing the fact that law is not made for a righteous person, but for those who are lawless and rebellious, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers 10 and immoral men and homosexuals and kidnappers and liars and perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound teaching, 11 according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, with which I have been entrusted.

The Law, which is good, must be used in a lawful way. What does Paul mean when he says that the law is not made for a righteous person? He has already taught us in Romans that no one is righteous, no not one. Perhaps he means it in a different sense. Perhaps a person that has Christ is righteous because of Christ as opposed to being righteous in and of himself. The point is, however, that the Law is not made for a righteous person. The Law is, however, made for the lawless and rebellious sinners. The Law is made for those who are acting or living in a way that is contrary to sound teaching which is contrary to the glorious Gospel of the blessed God. Notice the distinction that this passage draws out. It makes a distinction between those that the Law was not made for and those that the Law was made for. Perhaps the distinction is not as obvious as we would like, but the distinction is between those who are saved by the glorious Gospel and those who are still in rebellion against God.

Those who live according to the glorious Gospel live by the grace of God and are not condemned by the Law, but those who do not live by grace are condemned by the Law. All those apart from Christ only have the Law as their standard of righteousness and as their way of obtaining righteousness, but of course the Law condemns them. The Law condemns all who trust in it, but the Law is intended to be a tutor to Christ. Those who are tutored by the Law rather than attempt to earn righteousness by it flee to Christ as their righteousness. No one (other then Christ) has ever kept any of the Law for a moment in a way that would justify them, but all who are truly tutored by the Law and flee to Christ are justified by Christ alone.

What we see is a very clear teaching on the Law, though it does not answer all the objections. What we must see, however, is that we are to live by Christ and not by the Law. We are to rest in the finished work of Christ and not try to keep rules about the Law. We are to love Christ instead of trying to please Him by keeping the Law. It is the life of Christ in us that moves us to love and keep the heart of the Law, but trying to keep the rules of men will do nothing but lead to legalism and will result in our not living by Christ and His grace. We cannot live by free-grace and yet by the Law at the same time. The Law is to tutor us in coming to Christ, but once we are there beware of coming under the Law.

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