The Sum of the Christian Life

In one of his sermons, preached towards the end of his life, the reformer Martin Luther, expounding I Tim 1:5-7, explains the difference between faith and love, justification before God and that before man. He concludes how faith in the one Mediator and clinging to Him and His righteousness alone is the sum of the Christian life. He says,

This, then, is the right, pure doctrine, which should be cultivated and in which the people should be instructed so they can tell how they are to be justified both before God and before men, and so that they will not interchange and mix up faith and love or life toward God and life toward men.  This is what those vainglorious preachers should be doing, since they want to be regarded as masters of the law, in order that it may be well known and observed in Christendom.  For even when it is taught in the best possible way it is difficult enough to learn it well, especially for us, who have been so habituated and trained in the doctrine of works and pointed only to the law and ourselves.  And besides this add our own nature, which is itself inclined in this direction.  It is thus so rooted and strengthened by habit and the heart so strongly influenced that we cannot get away from it or think anything except that, if I have lived a holy life and done many great works, God will be gracious to me.  Thus we must contend both with our nature and with strong habit.  And it will be exceedingly difficult to get into another habit of thinking in which we clearly separate faith and love for the muck still sticks and clings to us, even though we are now in faith, so that the heart is always ready to boast of itself before God and say:  After all, I have preached so long and lived so well and done so much, surely he will take this into account.  We even want to haggle with God to make him regard our life and for our sake turn his judgment seat into a mercy seat.  But it cannot be done.  With men you may boast:  I have done the best I could toward everyone, and if anything is lacking I will still try to make recompense.  But when you come before God, leave all that boasting at home and remember to appeal from justice to grace.

Let anybody try this and he will see and experience how exceedingly hard and bitter a thing it is for a man, who all his life has been mired in his work righteousness, to pull himself out of it and with all his heart rise up through faith in this one Mediator.  I myself have now been preaching and cultivating it through reading and writing for almost twenty years and still I feel the old clinging dirt of wanting to deal so with God that I may contribute something, so that he will have to give me his grace in exchange for my holiness.  And still I cannot get it into my head that I should surrender myself completely to sheer grace;  yet this is what I should and must do.  The mercy seat alone must prevail and remain, because he himself has established it;  otherwise no man can come before God. [1]

I say that, if we are ever to stand before God with a right and uncolored faith, we must come to the point where we learn clearly to distinguish and separate between ourselves, our life, and Christ the mercy seat. But he who will not do this, but immediately runs headlong to the judgment seat, will find it all right and get a good knock on the head.  I have been there myself and was so burnt that I was glad I was able to come to the mercy seat.  And now I am compelled to say:  Even though I may have lived a good life before men, let everything I have done or failed to do remain there under the judgment seat as God sees fit, but, as for me, I know of no other comfort, help, or counsel for my salvation except that Christ is my mercy seat, who did no sin or evil and both died and rose again for me, and now sits at the right hand of the Father and takes me to himself under his shadow and protection, so that I need have no doubt that through him I am safe before God from all wrath and terror.  Thus faith remains pure and unalloyed, because then it makes no pretensions and seeks no glory or comfort save in the Lord Christ alone. [2]

 

Footnotes  

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[1] Martin Luther, The Sum of the Christian Life, Luther's Works Vol. 51, p. 284;

[2] Ibid, p. 282

 

Jesus On Justification By Faith Alone

It is contended by some that the Reformers and much of Evangelical Protestantism is based on an unbalanced understanding of Pauline teachings and that the balance would be found only if considerable attention is given to the message of Jesus also. This pitting of Paul’s teachings with Jesus and creating a false dichotomy between them is no longer the sole property of liberals or Catholics, but alarmingly even some well known Evangelicals have made such statements too. 

The Evangelical response to all such attacks is that, if rightly understood, all the teachings of Jesus and Paul are one and the same. The right understanding of the gospels is only possible if one is well versed in the doctrine of Christianity, which is laid mostly, though not exclusively in the Epistles.  The question that is often raised against Evangelicals is regarding their understanding of justification by faith alone. Did Jesus teach that? Did Jesus teach propitiation, imputation and faith alone?

One answer to such queries is this rich sermon by Dr. Albert Mohler Jr., the president of Southern Seminary, Louisville, Kentucky.  Dr. Mohler takes the parable of Jesus in Luke 18:9-14 and teaches how Jesus did teach justification is by faith alone.  The key to understanding how this sermon defends the Reformers’ understanding of justification comes from understanding the meaning of a Greek term, used in the passage.  Outside Reformed circles, this parable is never taught properly. This parable is often misunderstood, or lightly understood.  Often it is just used to teach some moralistic sense of humility  the need for broken-hearted prayer. It is more than an exhortation to prayer and humility; it also deals with our justification.  The passage when exegeted faithfully brings out the gospel in bright colors. It is also noteworthy that it is in this context of justification by faith alone, that true humility is to be understood and practiced.  Dr. Mohler does a fine job, both as an exegete and as a preacher.  Preached on the Reformation Day last year at Capitol Hill Baptist church, this sermon is highly recommended for all Christians.

Reformation Sunday  Listen  |  Download

The Heart of The Gospel

One doctrine that may rightly be called the heart of the gospel, so much so that if a church has it, it has the gospel and if a church loses it, it does not have the gospel, is but the doctrine of justification by grace alone through faith alone.  Luther called it the "doctrine by which the church stands or falls"[1].  If that is true, then we have to lament over the fact that today, vast majority of Evangelical churches have fallen. For there is no deep and proper grasp of this fundamental and foundational doctrine either in the pulpit or the pew.  As a result of this horrendous condition, many a professing Christian is caught up in a performance driven Christian life. They claim to have peace and joy when they keep all the religious rules their denomination has taught them.  Or be drowning in gloom and doom, if they fail to keep up with it. On the one hand, they claim to live by faith in Christ and yet on the other hand, live like pagans trusting in their own works.

What is often forgotten by these legalistic Christians is, that no matter how sanctified one be, the righteousness one has, be it the Spirit-wrought righteousness, is not a perfect righteousness, that would give us the liberty to do away with the perfect righteousness of Christ. Unless one has some unbiblical notions of becoming perfectly sanctified while on earth, our righteousness, even the Spirit-wrought one, is never perfect and only progressing to be perfect. Hence all through our Christian life, we need to base our acceptance before God simply on the basis of Christ alone. Remember a legalist is not merely someone who is going around condemning people with erroneous understanding of the law, rather a legalist is anyone who trusts in his own obedience and not in the obedience of Christ for us. His death as our pardon and His life as our perfection is the exclusive and firm gospel-foundation, on which one needs to live the Christian life. It is quite grievous that most churches these days do not teach anything about this liberating and gracious goodness of the good news. They are all so caught up in heralding one imperative after another. 

D.A Carson, research professor of the New Testament at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, Illinois, expounds Galatians 2:11-21 and unpacks in a very gripping manner this truth of justification in Christ alone. After his exegesis, he then moves onto real practical aspects of what it means to believe in our acceptance and standing before God on the basis of Another's Perfect Righteousness. It is quite alarming that this truth about Christ's imputed righteousness alone being our Perfection before God is not carefully studied or appreciated by today's pastors. Thus churches are full of people who are struggling to please God with their own works. Moreover these pastors who are ignorant of the gospel are rather preaching only rules, regulations, imperatives and obligations.  The role of the gospel in motivating us to good works is merely assumed or sometimes even forgotten. Thus the church is lost in this ocean of legalism, forgetting the gospel truth that our standing before God is not based on our righteousness. As John Piper said,  "our good works is never the root but the fruit of our justification."[2] 

Carson's exposition is rich with exegetical insights and theological precision. His  deep knowledge of the original languages and years of experience in exegesis in these languages, makes his sermon exegetically sound and sensitive. May this sermon awaken the hearts and minds of Christians who are lost in a paganistic understanding of living their Christian life. For as Carson says, “We are justified because 'Christ loved me and gave His life for me.' And everything else is paganism”. [3]

An Apostolic Disputation – and Justification  Listen | Download

Footnotes  

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[1]  Traditionally attributed to have been said by Luther, though many modern scholars do not agree with this. However it could very well be a derivative of Luther’s writings on justification, like the one quoted here from his introduction to Galatians,

In this epistle, therefore, Paul is concerned to instruct, comfort, and sustain us diligently in a perfect knowledge of this most excellent and Christian righteousness. For if the doctrine of justification is lost, the whole of Christian doctrine is lost. And those in the world who do not teach it are either Jews or Turks or papists or sectarians. For between these two kinds of righteousness, the active righteousness of the Law and the passive righteousness of Christ, there is no middle ground. Therefore he who has strayed away from this Christian righteousness will necessarily relapse into the active righteousness; that is, when he has lost Christ, he must fall into a trust in his own works. (Martin Luther, Luther’s Works – Volume 26: Lectures On Galatians 1535, trans. Jaroslav Pelikan, p. 9.)

[2] John Piper, Did Jesus preach the gospel of Paul, T4G 2010.

[3] D.A Carson,  An Apostolic Disputation – and Justification, Clarus 2008

Why Justification Is Not By Works

The Bible is emphatic in its teaching that God’s justification of sinful mankind is not by works of the law, but by faith alone in Christ alone. Despite the clarity of the Scriptures regarding this most crucial doctrine, much of Christendom is caught up in a works-driven religion. Justification as a free gift appropriated by faith alone is truly a humbling doctrine for our proud race. 

  

Expounding Paul from Galatians 2:15-21, Jonathan Christman, pastor of Heritage Baptist church, Owensboro, Kentucky, states four main reasons why justification is not by works alone. Christman argues that justification by works of the law is first of all futile, secondly sinful, thirdly self-centered and finally blasphemous. This message is not just for unbelievers but also for believers to know what kind of salvation they have received. To fully grow in our salvation, we need constant reminders of our justification and how it is entirely by grace alone and through faith alone. This will help believers from drifting into a works based relationship with God and enable them to stand on Christ alone.  At the end of the day, none of us are accepted before God due to our piety or devotion or obedience. Rather it is only on the basis of the atonement work and  the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ alone. Grasping this truth is of utmost importance in a believers life. A believer who embraces this liberating truth of God’s gracious justification in Christ would make much progress in his sanctification, daily disciplines and in his ministry to others.

A large section of Christians sadly do not believe in preaching these gospel truths to believers. They have moved away from the gospel into some “weighty doctrines”, not understanding that we cannot divorce our teachings on the Christian life from the central message of the Bible – the gospel of God’s grace. At the center of this central message lies justification by faith alone in Christ alone.

Note To Self : Death To Self  Listen | Download

The Gospel in Everyday Life

Evangelical author and speaker Jerry Bridges addresses the issue of gospel in our daily life. He expounds Galatians 2:15 – 20, to show how the apostle Paul relates on a daily basis to his justification in Christ. Bridges shows how every believer should live consciously in the present reality of their justification in Jesus Christ. 

 

Bridges first lays the foundation of what the Christian doctrine of justification by faith is. After laying this foundation and showing how this serves as the context for understanding Galatians 2:20,  he ventures into expounding it. Perhaps you have never heard verse 20 quoted in light of the meaning of its context.  Very often Christians quote verse 20 as an isolated verse and completely forget about its context. However Bridges shows how this verse when interpreted in light of its context, teaches the glorious truth of living in the present reality of our justification in Christ.

Like the Galatians, we are so easily persuaded by our flesh that we can gain favor before God through our spiritual performance rather than solely depend on the performance of our Lord Jesus Christ for us. However Bridges reminds us that we should always look outside of us for our justification and this we have to do daily. For we do not earn favor from God by doing our spiritual disciplines, rather we humbly receive the favor which Jesus has earned for us. The central thought of Bridges’ sermon is summarized in the following quote, which should humble us and make us radically Christ dependent and gospel centered.

“Through His death on the cross and His sinless life, Jesus Christ has earned every blessing and every answer to prayer that you will ever receive.”

In these days of resurgence of a gospel-centered theology and methodology, especially among Reformed Christians, Bridges offers an excellent, wise, exegetically sound and deeply practical sermon on living the gospel-centered life.  He shows how this is not a novel concept we are inventing in our day and age, but rather one believed in and taught by Christians of past centuries. Bridges specifically notes how the Puritan John Owen used to teach the same things in his day. However Bridges reasons that living the gospel-centered life is older than even the Puritans and goes back 2000 years into apostle Paul’s teaching in Galatians 2:20.

This message will make the hearer deeply grateful for the gospel of our blessed Lord Jesus Christ and will constrain him to live in light of the gospel everyday.

Very highly recommended.

The Gospel in Everyday Life Listen | Download

Jerry Bridges (born December 4, 1929, Tyler, Texas, United States) is an evangelical Christian author, speaker and staff member of The Navigators. He is author of several books, including, the Pursuit of Holiness, the Gospel for Real Life, and the Discipline of Grace. He has been on the staff of The Navigators since 1955 and currently serves as a resource person to the Navigators University Students Ministry in the United States. Jerry and his wife Jane live in Colorado Springs, Colorado. They have two married children and six grandchildren.