Definition and Object

Driving home: The object of saving faith is not the atonement of Christ. ... I submit this morning, dear ones, that is not the truth of the Bible.

Martin uses the analogy of 'a plague on your house' to condemn liberalism for making man his own savior, contrasting it with the true object of salvation.

Liberalism, which denies that men, are innately sinful, and that God is so holy that He will judge sin, even if it means sending a great multitude into the lake of fire, into eternal conscious torment, and in denying the holiness and justice of God and the sinfulness of man, liberalism says to people, you're your own savior. Oh, you may be a little bit maladjusted, and you may be a little bit out of whack with your environment, but basically you've got that spark of divinity and culture and education and the rest will fan it, and you're your own savior. And we look at the house of liberalism a...

10:34 - 11:13 Read in full sermon

Driving home: The object of saving faith is not the atonement of Christ. ... I submit this morning, dear ones, that is not the truth of the Bible.

He extends the 'plague on your house' analogy to Romanism, which places salvation within the church, further contrasting it with the true object of salvation.

For liberalism has made man his own savior. And then Romanism comes along and says, no, God is holy, man is sinful, he needs salvation, and he has instituted a church. And within the confines of that church, salvation's to be found. And outside that church, no salvation.

11:14 - 11:34 Read in full sermon

Driving home: The benefits of His cross and the demands of His crown are inseparably joined in His salvation.

Martin uses a personal anecdote of knocking on a door and being asked to separate 'Al' from 'Martin' to illustrate that Christ cannot be received partially; His person is indivisible.

it's a production of human ingenuity to somehow patch up the terrible terrible effects of the defective concepts of saving faith the implications of saving faith then are these if you would know the benefits of His cross you must be willing to bow to the demands of His crown faith is receiving Him who is He? He's the Lord Jesus Christ well I can't receive half of Him if I come to your home and knock on the door and you say who is it? and I say it's Al Martin and you say well Al you come in but Martin you stay out I'm in a convent I don't know what to do so I'm not going so I knock again and yo...

32:05 - 32:50 Read in full sermon

Driving home: The benefits of His cross and the demands of His crown are inseparably joined in His salvation.

He uses the image of Christ standing at the door (Revelation 3:20) holding out His pierced hands and wearing a crown to illustrate that He offers both the benefits of His cross and the demands of His crown, which cannot be separated.

you say but Martin you come in but Al you stay out and I don't know what to do because you see those two words stand for one total personality and either I come in or I stay out do you see this in Revelation 3.20 behold I stand at the door and knock who stands? he doesn't say my opponent stands at the door and if you accept my opponent you'll be saved he said I stand at the door who is he? you read Revelation 1 he's the glorified Christ that John saw head and hairs white like wool eyes as a flame of fire feet like undefined brass John sees him in all the glory of his enthronement as prophet pr...

32:50 - 33:35 Read in full sermon

The point: As you communicate the gospel to others, don't assume they know the nature of faith; spell it out and tell them they must be willing to bow before the Lord who died.

Martin shares his personal testimony of struggling for ten years to snatch the benefits of the cross without bowing to Christ's crown, illustrating the hollowness of such a 'salvation' and the peace found only in full submission.

not only to take the benefits of his wounds but to bow to the implications of his crown I plead with you as you communicate the gospel to others don't assume that they know the nature of faith spell it out to them and don't tell them they can be saved if they'll accept the fact that Christ died they must be willing to bow before the Lord who died and that's all the difference in the world as I have said perhaps on one or two other occasions I never doubted he died for sinners like me and for a period of probably ten years I tried desperately to snatch at the benefits of his cross so that I wou...

44:09 - 44:54 Read in full sermon