Not For Anything Done by Us

When a man works so many hours for so much pay, the pay is a debt owed by the employer. If our doings enter justification, God becomes our debtor. The moment justification is reckoned by debt, grace goes out the window - they are utterly incompatible.

You are in the debt consciousness. When a man goes out and puts in so many hours and receives so much pay, the pay is a debt owed to him by the employer. He's performed so much in the way of service for such a length of time, he has now placed his employer in debt to him. And until he receives his pay, the employer is his debtor. Now the apostle says, if our doings, enters in any way to our justification. Justification is a matter of God's debt to the doer. And the miniature in the realm of debt to a doer, you've thrown grace out the window. Isn't that what he says? They are utterly incompatib...

17:13 - 18:05 Read in full sermon

A man full of hate kills a fellow citizen and is sentenced to die. In prison the king works a real transformation - he now loves the king and his laws, writes letters of confession and affection, calls in witnesses, and pleads for his life based on his changed heart. The king says: I am delighted you are changed, but the law says murderers must die. No amount of subsequent good deeds can satisfy the broken law.

But in this situation there is a law for the willful murderer who destroys the life of another out of passion and anger and for selfish reasons. Now imagine with me a man who has a heart full of venom and hatred to the king, to his laws, to his subjects. And one day that attitude of hatred breaks out when he grabs a fellow man. citizen of that kingdom by the throat and plunges a knife into his heart and he kills him. The witnesses see him. He's brought to court. He's judged. He's condemned. And he is sentenced to die and to be executed within a matter of a few days. Now suppose, for the sake o...

28:32 - 29:23 Read in full sermon

Driving home: The strictness of the law is the answer to Calvary. There is no answer to the shrouded heavens, no answer to the piercing cry, but that God is strict in the implementation of His law.

Almost only counts in hand grenades and horseshoes - not in God's law. James 2:10 says whoever keeps the whole law and stumbles in one point is guilty of all. The law is a unit; one breach ruins the whole.

Heard it said, almost counts only in hand grenades and horseshoes. Almost counts only in hand grenades and horseshoes. And with God's law, almost doesn't count. Whosoever shall keep the whole law and offend in one point, James says, is guilty of what? Guilty of all. The law is a unit.

35:33 - 35:57 Read in full sermon

The point: Submit yourself to the righteousness of God by repudiating all your own performances and venturing solely upon Christ.

Pastor Martin wishes God would materialize a little black cloud over every man, woman, boy, or girl who has some subtle confidence in his own doings - and wonders how many black clouds would appear over the congregation this morning.

Whatever it is, the Scripture says, as many as are of the works of the law are under a curse. Whether they're moral works, religious works, benevolent works, anything you do that becomes anything upon which you stand to be acceptable with God puts you under a curse. As many as are under the works of the law are under a curse. And oh, if God would this morning, I know He won't. And I know there are wise reasons why He won't. But I could wish that He would materialize before our very eyes that condition. And over every man, woman, boy, or girl who's sitting here this morning has some subtle conf...

43:00 - 43:58 Read in full sermon

The point: Face the reality of the conflicting witnesses: conscience accuses you of sin, the gospel declares no condemnation in Christ. Do not hush either voice - hear both, then let faith triumph.

You rise to have your devotions, and within five minutes a family member ruffles your spirit and you've sinned. The moment of truth: will you find a reason not to pray, or come to God in spite of and in full light of your sin? Faith embraces conscience's verdict AND rests on the gospel.

On your way to have your devotions in the morning. And as you do, your wife or your husband or your kids do something that ruffle your spirit and you haven't been up five minutes and you've sinned. On your way to have your devotions. Alright, what are you going to do? Alright, there's the moment of truth. What are you going to do? You've got to do one of two things.

54:43 - 55:07 Read in full sermon

The point: Stop being a mess of self-absorbed groaning; find joy in Christ's finished work so that you become a light to unconverted neighbours.

Some believers have become such messes that all their prayer time is groaning about themselves and every conversation is a transcript of their latest soul agony. They have no outgoing testimony, no joy - because they have never settled that pardon rests on another's work.

You're no good to God. All your time in prayer is spent groaning and moaning about yourself. All your time talking to people is giving a transcript of your latest agony of soul. You have no outgoing, joyous testimony to the unconverted. You're one mess. And you're going to continue to be a mess until you learn that the ground of your pardon and acceptance is

60:31 - 60:58 Read in full sermon