Salvation Is of Christ, Not of Man |
JUSTIFIED IN CHRISTWe should be in a bad condition indeed, if our salvation was suspended on conditions of our own performing. God's everlasting love, His decree of election, and the eternal covenant of redemption, are the three hinges on which the door of man's salvation turns. When man fell from God, infinite justice put a lock upon the door - a lock which nothing but the golden key of Christ's blood and righteousness can open. The Holy Ghost is, as it were, the omniscient keeper of the door; and He lets no souls in but such as He Himself has washed and justified and sanctified in the name of our Lord Jesus, and by His own efficacious grace. I should as soon expect to be saved by my sins as to be saved by my good works. Augustus Toplady DEAD, WITHOUT DESIREThe dead body of Lazarus was not more incapable of performing the functions of common life than we, by nature, are of performing one spiritual act, or even of feeling one spiritual desire; till He, who by His commanding Word, raised Lazarus from the grave, is pleased, by the power of His Holy Spirit, to raise us from the death of sin unto a new life of righteousness. John Newton SALVATION BY GRACESalvation is wholly of grace; not only undeserved , but undesired by us, till He is pleased to awaken us to a sense of our need of it. And then we find everything prepared that our wants require, or our wishes conceive; yea, that he has done exceedingly beyond what we could either ask or think. Salvation is wholly of the Lord, and bears those signatures of infinite wisdom, power, and goodness, which distinguish all his works from the puny imitations of men. It is every way worthy of Himself, a great, a free, a full, a sure salvation. It is great, whether we consider the objects, miserable and hell-deserving sinners; the end, the restoration of such alienated creatures to his image and favor, to immortal life and happiness; or the means, the incarnation, humiliation, sufferings, and death of his beloved Son. It is free, without exception of persons, or cases, without any conditions or qualifications, but such as he himself performs in them, and bestows upon them. John Newton It Is Highly ReasonableIs it not highly reasonable to affirm that God knows us better than we know ourselves? That what He says deserves our attention? That what He promises must be worth our while to seek in the way which He has appointed? Let reason work fairly upon these plain data, and it will confirm all that the Scripture declares concerning the guilt and depravity of man, and of the method of his recovery by faith in the blood of Jesus. That fallen man needs a Saviour: that his salvation is a work too great for a creature to accomplish; that he cannot be saved without a proper atonement made for his sin; nor unless his mind be enlightened, and renewed, by the powerful agency of the Holy Spirit. These points, reason, though unable to discover, or fully comprehend, can so far demonstrate, as to prove the impossibility of salvation upon any other grounds, if scriptural representation of the character of God and the heart of man, be admitted as a true one. John Newton SPIRITUAL BLINDNESS Those passages of Scripture wherein the Gospel-truth is compared to LIGHT lead to this familiar illustration. Men by nature are stark blind with respect to this LIGHT; by grace the eyes of the understanding are opened. Among a number of blind men, some may be more ingenious and of better capacity than others. They may be better qualified for such studies and employments which do not require eyesight than many who can see, and may attain to considerable skill in them; but with respect to the true nature of light and colors, they are all exactly upon a level. A blind man, if ingenious and inquisitive, may learn to talk about the LIGHT, the sun, or the rainbow, in terms borrowed from those who have seen them; but it is impossible that he can have (I mean a man born blind) a just idea of either; and whatever hearsay-knowledge he may have acquired, he can hardly talk much upon these subjects without betraying his real ignorance. The case of one mentioned by Mr. Locke has been often quoted. He believed, that after much inquiry and reflection, he had at last found out what scarlet was; and being asked to explain himself, "I think," says he, "scarlet is something like the sound of a trumpet." This man had about the same knowledge of natural light as Nicodemus had of spiritual. Nor can all the learning or study in the world enable any person to form a suitable judgment of divine truth, till the eyes of his mind are opened and then he will perceive it at once. John Newton Job said, "I know that my redeemer liveth." Which of the two words should be of greater importance — my redeemer? The presumptuous person may claim the blessings based upon the fact that he has accepted the Redeemer as my Redeemer. The true believer embraces the promises as they are in Christ Jesus; He is my redeemer! All of the promises of the covenant are made to Christ Jesus and to His seed in Him. We claim the promises not upon the ground of anything we have done, but they are ours because of who He is, what He has done, and where He is now! There is a danger of being more taken up with the promises than the Redeemer, more interested in what was done than in Him who did it. Faith is to receive Christ; and having Christ, we have all in Christ. Henry Mahan My salvation never depended on my righteousness, and my assurance now does not depend on my righteousness. John Jasper, when asked, "What right do you have to be in heaven?" replied, "I am not here on my righteousness but on the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ." Paul said, "By the grace of God I am what I am." Henry Mahan Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. (Rom. 3:27) Someone
may think that the truth of election leads to pride — to teach that
we are the chosen people of God will puff a man up with pride! Quite the
contrary! The truth of God's sovereign grace in Christ is the very instrument
which cuts out pride by the roots. It is written: "Who maketh thee
to differ from another?" And what hast thou that thou didst not receive?
Now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory as if thou hadst not
received it" (1 Cor. 4:7)? If you are a believer, look about you to those of your own family still without any knowledge of Christ, perhaps wrapped in religious tradition and darkness. Now, I ask you, who made you to differ? Look about your neighborhood and see drunkenness, profanity, drugs, and broken homes. Now, I ask you, who made you to differ? Are you by nature better than they? Or were you in heart and principle more godly than they? Look into the prisons, institutions, or upon nine-tenths of the world bound in popery, superstition, and darkness and tell me who made you to differ? How can a sinner saved by His grace be proud? Look down into the realms of darkness and see the angels that fell, reserved in everlasting chains. Look at the whole nations who, like the angels, have been passed by in God's wisdom and judgment and tell me who made you to differ? A proud believer would be totally inconsistent with free grace! "Tis
not that I did choose Thee; Henry Mahan. I have planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase (1 Cor.3:6) No farmer can grow corn. He can plant corn; he can till corn: but only God can grow corn. In the same way, no man may "grow" a Christian. He can plant the seed of the word; he can cultivate that seed; but only God can cause it to grow and produce fruit. The means by which God "gives the increase" is called the New Birth or the Holy Spirit's calling. What Paul has written concerning this reveals several points about this aspect of a sinner's salvation: 1) That the efforts of men, no matter how zealous, are not responsible for the salvation of God's elect. None labored more zealously or more closely followed God's definition of the gospel than did Paul. Yet Paul never produced life in anyone! It is a sign of great arrogance when preachers recite the results of their ministries as though it were their accomplishment. 2) )The spiritual awakening of sinners is the work of God, for "God gave the increase." God, in whom is all power and authority, is able to give life to whosoever He wills. Furthermore, we know He is willing to give life, for He indeed "gives the increase." 3) )The work of regeneration is a work of God's grace alone, for "God gave the increase." God does not regenerate people because He is under obligation to men in any way. Neither the faithful preacher nor any who hear him can ever bring God into the position of debtor. Neither can ever obligate God to do anything. Rather, out of God's heart of free, sovereign grace, He makes His word powerful in the hearts of His people, and thus, by grace and grace alone, calls them from darkness into the glorious light of His Son. Therefore, when we go to church, let us not think for a moment that our being there or the preacher's studious labors require that God make His word profitable to us. Rather, let each of us go to church with this prayer, "Lord, make your gospel the power of God unto salvation to me! Joe Terrell Why should any of you consider it incredible that God raises the dead? (Acts 26:8) If someone told you that a man had raised himself from the dead, you would likely consider it a lie; a story worthy of supermarket tabloids. "That's incredible," you would think. (The word "incredible" means "unbelievable."). Yet, the "gospels" believed by many are just as incredible, for they require that one "dead in trespasses and sins" raise himself from this death, change his own nature, thus becoming suitable to approach God and find favor with Him. All who follow such "gospels" must come to despair, for they will, sooner or later, realize that such a work is beyond their abilities. Some of you may be in that condition. For many years you have sought to make yourself acceptable to God. You have outwardly acted like a Christian, gone to church, given your tithe, sought to obey the Law, and followed all the church's requirements. But in your heart you know that you are still "dead in trespasses and sins...without God and without hope in this world" (Eph. 2). I have good news for you! It would, indeed, be incredible for you to save yourself. But it would not be incredible for God to do so! Unbelief (which keeps us from God and is the evidence of an evil heart, Hebrews 3:12) arises from a dependence on the wrong person. We all, by nature, depend on ourselves. The Gospel tells us to depend on God! If I look to myself, it appears incredible that I should be raised from the dead someday and stand before God, holy and unblamable. But such a thing does not seem so incredible (unbelievable) when I look to God in Christ. Seeing that God has raised up Christ (who bore the sins of many) and seated Christ at His own right hand, it becomes a believable thing that God could do the same for even me, who bears only my own sin (that is, without Christ). Get rid of unbelief by fixing your eyes on God and His work rather than on you and your works! Joe Terrell If a man rose from the dead and told you that there was salvation for all who trusted Christ, would you believe him? If a man went to heaven, then returned saying that all who trust Christ go there when they die, would you believe him? If a man spoke face to face with God and told you that God said that all who trust Christ are saved eternally, would you believe him? Christ is such a man. Do you believe Him? Joe Terrell Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. (John 6:68) As it was with Peter and the rest of the disciples, so it is with all sensible sinners, and true believers, who see there is no other to go to for life and salvation, but Christ; not to the law of Moses, which accuses, curses, and condemns, and by which there is neither life nor righteousness; nor to any creature, or creature-performance, for there is a curse on him that trusts in man, and makes flesh his arm; nor to their own righteousness, which is impure and imperfect, and cannot justify before God, nor answer for them in a time to come; nor to their tears of repentance, which will not satisfy the law, atone for sins, or wash them away; nor to carnal descent, birth-privileges, a religious education, sobriety and civility, to trust to which is to have confidence in the flesh, which will be of no avail; nor to ceremonial services, or moral duties, or even evangelical ordinances, neither of which can take away sin. There is no other saviour but Christ to look to; no other mediator between God and men to make use of; no other physician of value for diseased and sin-sick souls to apply unto; no other fountain but His blood for polluted souls to wash in and be cleansed; no other city of refuge, or stronghold, for souls sensible of danger to flee unto and be safe; no other to come to as the bread of life where hungry souls may be fed; no other place of rest for those that are weary and heavy laden; nor is there any other where there is plenty of all grace and security from every enemy, as in Him; and therefore, to whom can they have recourse, but unto Him? John Gill Moses wrought wonders destructive, Christ wonders preservative: he turned water into blood, Christ water into wine; he brought flies and frogs and locusts and caterpillars, destroying the fruits of the earth, and annoying it; Christ increased a little of these fruits, five loaves and a few fishes, by blessing them, so that he herewith fed five thousand men. Moses smote both men and cattle with hail, and thunder and lightning, that they died, Christ made some alive that were dead, and saved from death the diseased and sick. Moses was an instrument to bring all manner of wrath and evil and sick. Moses was an instrument to bring all manner of wrath and evil angels amongst them, Christ cast out devils and did all manner of good, giving sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf, speech to the dumb, limbs to the lame, and cleansing to the leper, and when the sea was tempestuous appeasing it. Moses slew their first-born, thus causing an horrible cry in all the land of Egypt; Christ saveth all the first-born, or by saving them so; for thus they are called (Heb. 12:23). John Mayer As the doctrines of election and perseverance are comfortable, so they cut off all pretense of boasting and self-dependence, when they are truly received in the heart, and therefore tend to exalt the Saviour. … How do our hearts soften, and our eyes melt, when we feel some liberty in thinking and speaking of him! For we had no help in time past, nor can have any in time to come, but from him alone. If any persons have contributed a mite to their own salvation, it was more than we could do. If any were obedient and faithful to the first calls and impressions of the Spirit, it was not our case. If any were prepared to receive him beforehand, we know that we were in a state of alienation from him. We needed sovereign irresistible grace to save us, or we had been lost forever. If there are any who have a power of their own, we must confess ourselves poorer than they are. We cannot watch, unless he watches us; we cannot strive, unless he strives with us; we cannot stand for one moment, unless he holds us up; and we believe we must perish after all, unless his faithfulness is engaged to keep us. But this we trust he will do, not for our righteousness, but for his own name's sake, and because having loved us with an everlasting love, he has been pleased in loving kindness to draw us to himself, and to be found of us when we sought him not. John Newton Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. (Psa 51:7) In the Hebrew language there are two words to express the different kinds of washing, and they are always used with the strictest propriety; the one, to signify that kind of washing which pervades the substance of the thing washed, and cleanses it thoroughly; and the other to express that kind of washing which only cleanses the surface of a substance which the water cannot penetrate. The former is applied to the washing of clothes; the latter is used for washing some part of the body. By a beautiful and strong metaphor, David uses the former word in this and the second verse: "Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin;" "Wash me and I shall be whiter than snow." So in Jeremiah 4:14, the same word is applied to the heart. (O Jerusalem, wash thine heart from wickedness, that thou mayest be saved.) Richard Mast The sinner never leaves his sin till sin first leaves him. Did not death put a stop to his sin, he would never cease from sin. This may be illustrated by a similitude thus: a company of gamesters resolve to play all night; … their candle, accidentally or unexpectedly, goes out, or is put out, or burnt out; their candle being out, they are forced to give over their game, and go to bed in the dark; but had the candle lasted all night, they would have played all night. This is every sinner's case in regard of sin: did not death put out the candle of life, the sinner would sin still. Should the sinner live forever, he would sin forever; and, therefore, it is a righteous thing with God to punish him forever in hellish torments. Every impenitent sinner would sin to the days of eternity, if he might live to the days of eternity. "O God, how long shall the adversary reproach? shall the enemy blaspheme thy name for ever?" (Psalm 74:10). Forever, and evermore; or forever and yet — for so the Hebrew loves to exaggerate: as if the sinner, the blasphemer, would set a term of duration longer than eternity to sin in. The psalmist implicitly saith, Lord, if thou dost but let them alone forever, they will certainly blaspheme thy name forever and ever. I have read of the crocodile, that he knows no maximum size, he is always growing bigger and bigger, and never comes to a certain pitch of monstrosity so long as he lives. Every habituated sinner would, if he were let alone, be a monster, perpetually growing worse and worse. Thomas Brooks (1608-1680) None Other But ChristThen Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. (John 6:68) As it was with Peter and the rest of the disciples, so it is with all sensible sinners, and true believers, who see there is no other to go to for life and salvation, but Christ; not to the law of Moses, which accuses, curses, and condemns, and by which there is neither life nor righteousness; nor to any creature, or creature-performance, for there is a curse on him that trusts in man, and makes flesh his arm; nor to their own righteousness, which is impure and imperfect, and cannot justify before God, nor answer for them in a time to come; nor to their tears of repentance, which will not satisfy the law, atone for sins, or wash them away; nor to carnal descent, birth-privileges, a religious education, sobriety and civility, to trust to which is to have confidence in the flesh, which will be of no avail; nor to ceremonial services, or moral duties, or even evangelical ordinances, neither of which can take away sin. There is no other saviour but Christ to look to; no other mediator between God and men to make use of; no other physician of value for diseased and sin-sick souls to apply unto; no other fountain but His blood for polluted souls to wash in and be cleansed; no other city of refuge, or stronghold, for souls sensible of danger to flee unto and be safe; no other to come to as the bread of life where hungry souls may be fed; no other place of rest for those that are weary and heavy laden; nor is there any other where there is plenty of all grace and security from every enemy, as in Him; and therefore, to whom can they have recourse, but unto Him? John Gill HOW SHALL I GO TO GOD?
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