Not For Anything Wrought in Us

When God saves, He does so both as Judge (declaring righteous) and as Physician (doing something in the sinner's heart). The works of the Judge and the Physician are inseparable but must never be confused or grounded on each other.

Now, am I talking double talk? I hope not. But you see, assumed in that statement, not for anything wrought in us, is the fact that in every justified person something has indeed been wrought in him. In other words, whenever God saves as a judge, He also saves as a physician.

12:31 - 12:52 Read in full sermon

The point: Refuse to rest your peace on anything God has worked in you; ground it exclusively on what Christ has done outside of you.

Quoting Buchanan, Martin explains that grounding justification on the Spirit's work in us is a singularly refined error because it substitutes the work of one divine person (the Spirit) for another (Christ). It looks spiritual while quietly dethroning Christ.

which makes it to rest on the indwelling presence and the gracious work of the Holy Spirit in the human heart. It is a singularly refined form of opposition to the doctrine of justification by the imputed righteousness of Christ, for it substitutes the work of one divine person for that of another. You see, it's substituting the work of the Spirit for the work of Christ. And it's plausible because it seems to do homage to the doctrine of grace by ascribing to the presence and operation of the Holy Spirit all the effects that are wrought in the life of a believer.

15:42 - 16:31 Read in full sermon

A vicious murderer is wonderfully transformed in character and pleads before the judge on the basis of his changed heart. The judge is glad, but the broken law still demands satisfaction. So even a regenerated sinner cannot plead God's work within him as the ground of acquittal.

No more than a vicious, angry, bitter criminal who murders, commits rape, is a thief. That man may be wonderfully transformed in terms of his character and disposition into a sweet, docile, law-abiding man. But when he appears before the judge charged with all his crimes, it will not do for him to say, Oh, judge, a marvelous transformation has occurred in me. Something wonderful has been wrought in me.

30:53 - 31:23 Read in full sermon

Driving home: You've made your heart your Savior, and no wonder you're miserable. I'd be miserable living with a Savior like that.

The initial act of faith is captured in the hymn 'Just as I am, without one plea, but that Thy blood was shed for me' - the convert did not come pointing to tears or stirrings of love but only to the shed blood of Christ.

Some of you sit there shaking your heads, and you ought to. How did you come? You came in the language of that hymn, just as I am without one plea, but that thy blood was shed for me, and that thou bidst me come to thee, O Lamb of God. I come.

41:27 - 41:45 Read in full sermon

The point: Let the posture of self-renunciation you had at conversion become your continuous disposition; do not swap naked faith for self-inspection.

Read the biographies of the holiest men who ever lived. Their dying prayer was not 'Lord, look at what You've done in me.' It was the publican's prayer: 'God, be merciful to me, a sinner.' They died in the same self-renouncing faith with which they first came to Christ.

I'd be miserable living with a Savior like that. You see, dear Christian, listen The initial act of faith Must become the continuous disposition of faith The initial act Must become the continuous disposition When you read the biographies Of the holiest men who've lived You know what their dying prayer Most frequently was Not, oh God, what a wonderful thing to lie upon a deathbed and reflect upon all the things you've done in me. And all the things I've done by your grace. No, no.

43:33 - 44:15 Read in full sermon

The point: Begin with Christ, continue with Christ, and end with Christ as the ground of confidence; the Spirit's work in you is never the anchor of assurance.

When Paul answers the challenge 'Who is he that condemneth?' he does not start with Christ and drift to the Spirit's work in the believer. He starts with Christ, continues with Christ, and ends with Christ - died, raised, ascended, interceding.

but he occupies himself exclusively with that which God has done in Christ. Look at the language. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died.

48:23 - 48:38 Read in full sermon