Part 6
Scripture, like the Jews. Even those who have denied Christ, like Peter, or
persecuted and blasphemed Him, like Paul. Many who have fallen into
great sins are eternally ruined because they do not consider the grace of
Christ sufficient for their forgiveness and sanctification. When they believe
they have gone too far and are beyond all hope of recovery, they question
how they can live with their sins upon them (Ezekiel 33:10). This despair
silently works in many souls, causing them to become careless about their
souls and true religion. The devil fills some with abhorrent, filthy, and
blasphemous thoughts with the intention of making them believe their sins
are too great to be forgiven. However, such thoughts are often the least of
their sins, and rather the devil's sin than their own, as they are forced into
them against their will. But if their hearts are somewhat polluted within
them, Christ testifies that "all kinds of sins and blasphemies will be
forgiven, except the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit" (Matthew 12:31).
As for those guilty of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, the reason they are
never forgiven is not due to any insufficiency in the blood of Christ or the
merciful pardon of God, but because they never repent of that sin and never
seek God's mercy through Christ, persisting in obstinacy until death.
Scripture attests that "it is impossible to renew them again to repentance"
(Hebrews 6:5-6). Therefore, the merits of Christ are sufficient for all who
seek mercy by believing in Him.
There are others who despair of ever gaining victory over their lusts
because they have made many vows and resolutions in the past, and have
made vigorous efforts against them in vain. Such individuals must persuade
themselves that the grace of Christ is sufficient for them when all other
means have failed. They should have the faith of the woman with the issue
of blood, who, despite not being healed by any remedies prescribed by
physicians, believed that if she could just touch the clothes of Christ, she
would be made well (Mark 5:25-28). Those who despair due to the
magnitude of their guilt and corruption greatly dishonour and underestimate
the grace of God, His infinite mercy, and the infinite merits of Christ's
blood and the power of His Spirit. They deserve to perish with Cain and
Judas. In this wicked generation, many people who indulge in
licentiousness secretly harbor despair, which leads them to be desperate in
swearing, blaspheming, whoring, drunkenness, and all manner of
wickedness. No matter how heinous and abhorrent our sins and corruptions
may be, we must learn to consider them insignificant in comparison to the
grace of Christ, who is both God and man. He offered Himself up as an
infinitely valuable sacrifice for our salvation, through the eternal Spirit, and
is capable of recreating us as easily as He created the world with a mere
word.
1. You must firmly believe in the truth of the general free promise,
specifically in your own case, that if you sincerely believe in Christ,
you shall have everlasting life just like anyone else in the world.
You do not need to fulfill any works or conditions to have a share in
Christ, for the promise is universal: "Whoever believes in Him will
not be put to shame" (Romans 9:33), without exception. If God does
not exclude you, then you must not exclude yourself. Instead,
confidently conclude that no matter how vile, wicked, and unworthy
you may be, if you come to Christ, you will be accepted just like
anyone else in the world. You must believe in the great article of the
Creed—the forgiveness of sins—in your own case, when you are
personally concerned, for it will be of little benefit to believe it in
the case of others. This is what prevents many broken and wounded
spirits from coming to the great Physician when they are convinced
of the abominable filthiness of their hearts, realizing that they are
dead in sin without even a spark of true grace and holiness. They
think it is pointless for people like them to trust in Christ for
salvation, believing that Christ will never save someone like them.
But why so? At worst, they can only be lost creatures, and Christ
came to seek those who are lost. If those who are dead in sin cannot
be saved, then all must despair and perish, for no one has any
spiritual life until they receive it through believing in Christ.
Some believe themselves to be worse than others, thinking that no one
has as wicked a heart as theirs, and even if others are accepted, they will be
rejected. But they should know that "Christ Jesus came into the world to
save sinners" (1 Timothy 1:15), and that God's purpose is to "show the
immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus"
(Ephesians 2:7), which is most glorified by pardoning the greatest sinners.
It is simply our ignorance to think ourselves as nobodies, for everyone else,
just like us, is naturally "dead in trespasses and sins." Their minds are
hostile to God, not submitting to His law, and they cannot do so (Romans
8:7). "Every intention of the thoughts of their hearts is only evil
continually" (Genesis 6:5). They all have the same corrupt source of
abominations in their hearts, even though we may have exceeded many
others in various actual sins.
Others believe that they have stayed too long and therefore will find no
place for repentance, even if they seek it earnestly with tears (Hebrews
12:17). But behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of
salvation (2 Corinthians 6:2), as long as God calls you through the gospel.
Although Esau was rejected for seeking earthly blessings rather than the
spiritual blessings of the birthright, those who seek the enjoyment of Christ
and His salvation as their sole happiness will not be rejected. If you come
into Christ's vineyard at the eleventh hour of the day, you will receive your
reward just like those who came early in the morning, because the reward is
given by grace, not merit (Matthew 20:9-10). In this regard, you must
firmly believe that Christ and His salvation are freely given as a gift to
those who do not work to earn any right or title to Him, or any worthiness
or deservingness to receive Him. Simply "believe in him who justifies the
ungodly" (Romans 4:5). If you place any condition of works or good
qualifications between yourself and Christ, it will become a partition wall
that you can never climb over.
1. You must firmly believe that it is the will of God for you to believe
in Christ and have eternal life through Him, just like anyone else.
Your act of believing is a duty that is highly pleasing to God, and He
will assist you in this work, just as He assists anyone else, because
He calls and commands you through the gospel to believe in Christ.
This encourages us to embark cheerfully on the task of believing, as
when Jesus commanded the blind man to be called, and they said to
him, "Take heart; get up, he is calling you" (Mark 10:49). A
command from Christ made Peter walk on water (Matthew 14:29).
In this matter, we are not to delve into God's secret of predestination
or the purpose of His will in His gracious invitations and
commands, through which we are required to believe in Christ. This
divine will is affirmed by His oath: "As I live, declares the Lord
God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the
wicked turn from his way and live; turn back, turn back from your
evil ways, for why will you die, O house of Israel?" (Ezekiel 33:11).
Christ testifies that He "would often have gathered your children
together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were
not willing" (Matthew 23:37). And the apostle Paul testifies that
"God desires all people to be saved" (1 Timothy 2:4), and so on.
You must reject and dismiss all thoughts that contradict this conviction.
Even if only a few are saved, your salvation will not make the number too
great, for few will join you in the duty of believing. Even if the wrath of
God is revealed from heaven against you through various terrible
judgments, and the Word of God and your own conscience condemn you,
and it seems as if Christ regards you no better than a dog, as He did the
Canaanite woman (Matthew 15:26), you must interpret all these things in a
positive light—that their purpose is to drive you to Christ—just as the
curses of the law and all their dreadful consequences served the purpose of
leading you to Christ (Romans 10:4). If a prophet or an angel from heaven
were specifically sent by God to proclaim the sentence of eternal damnation
against you, it would be your duty to believe that God sent them to give you
timely warning for the very purpose of believing and turning to God
through faith and repentance. Jeremiah prophesied against the Jews,
declaring that God would "pluck up, break down, and destroy" them
because of their sins, yet he himself taught them that if they turned from
their evil ways, God would relent of the disaster He had pronounced against
them (Jeremiah 18:7-8, 11). Jonah preached nothing but certain destruction
to Nineveh, announcing that the city would be overthrown in forty days
(Jonah 3:4), yet the intention behind this terrifying message was for the
people of Nineveh to escape destruction through repentance.
The most severe and absolute declarations of divine punishment against
us in this world must always be understood with a hidden provision of
salvation for us, based on our faith and repentance. We should believe that
God pronounces His judgements against us in such a terrifying manner so
that we may escape them by seeking refuge in His free mercy through
Christ.
Be cautious of entertaining thoughts that God has decreed to show no
saving mercy to you, or that you have already committed the unforgivable
sin, or that it is futile for you to attempt the act of believing because God
will not assist you in it. If such thoughts prevail in your hearts, they will
cause more harm than the most blasphemous thoughts that frighten you or
the grossest sins you have ever committed because they hinder your belief
in Christ for salvation. "The Spirit and the Bride say, 'Come.'" Christ says,
"Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the
free gift of the water of life" (Revelation 22:17). Therefore, we must reject
all thoughts that hinder us from coming to Christ as extremely sinful and
harmful, arising from our own corrupt nature and Satan's deception, and
completely contrary to the mind of Christ and the teachings of His Spirit.
And what reason do we have to entertain such unbelieving thoughts? Has
God made us part of His inner circle, enabling us to know that He has
decreed our damnation before it becomes evident through our final unbelief
and impenitence? As for the unforgivable sin, it consists of "renouncing
salvation through Christ with a whole heart, after we have come to know it
and have been convinced of its truth by the gospel." It is the sin that the
Christian Hebrews would have committed if they had turned away from
Christianity and embraced the religion of the unbelieving Jews who
considered Christ to be an impostor and were vehement persecutors of Him
and His ways (Hebrews 6:4-5). Those who have committed this sin remain
relentless, malicious enemies of Christ and His ways until the end, without
any repentance. Therefore, if you can find within yourself a genuine desire
to have a relationship with Christ and to be a better Christian than you
currently are, if you are troubled and saddened by the wickedness of your
heart and life and long for faith, love, and true obedience, and if your heart
is not maliciously inclined to persecute the gospel or to prefer atheism,
licentiousness, or any false religion over it, then you have no reason to
suspect that you are guilty of this unforgivable sin.
Add to all these a firm belief in the incomparable and glorious excellence
of Christ and the way of salvation through Him. You are to consider the
experience of Christ as the only true salvation and genuine happiness, a
happiness that holds immeasurable riches of glory and will overflow with
abundant peace, joy, and glory for all eternity. We must regard everything
else as worthless compared to the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus
our Lord (Philippians 3:8). Such a conviction will allure and incline your
will and affections to choose and embrace Christ as the ultimate good, and
you will never be satisfied until you experience Him and reject anything
that competes with Him or His enjoyment. Christ is precious in the eyes of
all true believers (1 Peter 2:7). Their high esteem of His incomparable
preciousness and excellence motivates them to sell everything in order to
obtain this priceless pearl (Matthew 13:46). It leads them to say, "Lord,
always give us this bread" that comes down from heaven and gives life to
the world. "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life"
(John 6:33, 34, 68). "Because of the fragrance of your good ointments, your
name is as ointment poured forth; therefore the virgins love you" (Song of
Solomon 1:3). They are lovesick for Him because, in their eyes, He is the
most excellent among ten thousand (Song of Solomon 5:8, 10).
Just as the glory of God, manifested in the magnificent beauty of the
temple and in the wisdom and splendour of Solomon, drew worshippers
from all corners of the earth, the unparalleled excellence of Christ, which
was foreshadowed by the glory of Solomon and the temple, more
powerfully attracts believers in the present age of the gospel. The devil,
who is the god of this world, knows how crucial it is for our salvation to
perceive the full glory and excellence of Christ. Therefore, wherever the
gospel is preached, he works tirelessly to obscure the glory of Christ in the
ministry and blind the minds of people, "lest the light of the gospel of the
glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them" (2
Corinthians 4:4). One who is convinced of the truth of the gospel may
hesitate to embrace it until they also see its goodness, that Christ is
altogether lovely and excellent.
Now I turn to the second key act of faith, which is actually receiving
Christ Himself, His Spirit, and all His saving benefits into the heart. This
act involves believing in Christ as He is revealed and freely promised to us
in the gospel, for the sake of His complete salvation. The Spirit of God
habitually predisposes and inclines our hearts to perform this act correctly
by enabling us to carry out the first act of faith as instructed earlier—
believing firmly in the great truths of the gospel that deliver us into a form
of teaching (Romans 6:17). We are to obey this teaching from the depths of
our hearts and follow it as our model in the way we exercise faith in Christ
for salvation. Therefore, I only need to briefly exhort you to put your faith
into action in Christ according to the form and pattern that has already been
extensively explained to you.
You are to believe in Christ as the sole and more than sufficient source of
your happiness and salvation, completely abandoning any notion of finding
happiness through our own wisdom, strength, righteous works, or any
earthly or worldly confidences whatsoever. We must consider all other
confidences as loss for the sake of Christ, following the example of the
blessed apostle (Philippians 3:3, 7, 8). We should not be saddened by the
fact that we have nothing else to rely on for our salvation besides Christ;
rather, we should rejoice that we need nothing else and that we have a
secure and incomparably superior foundation to rely upon. We must resolve
to place the burden of our souls entirely on Christ and seek salvation in no
other way, regardless of the outcome.
If a cripple does not place their full weight on a strong staff but part of it
on a rotten one, they are likely to fall. If a swimmer does not fully commit
their body to the water to keep them afloat but instead clings to weeds or
struggles to feel the ground, they may sink to the bottom. Christ must be all
our salvation or nothing at all. If we seek to be saved by any other means,
as the Galatians did through circumcision, Christ will be of no benefit to us
(Galatians 5:2).
You are also to receive Christ solely as a free gift given to the chief of
sinners, resolving not to perform any conditions to earn a right or title to
Him, but to come to Him as a lost sinner, an ungodly creature, trusting in
"Him who justifies the ungodly" and "buying Him without money" and
"without any price" whatsoever (Romans 4:5; Isaiah 55:2). Do not look at
your faith, love, or any good qualifications in yourself as the basis for
trusting in Christ, but solely on the free grace and loving-kindness of God
in Christ. "How precious is your steadfast love, O God! The children of
mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings" (Psalm 36:7). For if you
make your own faith, love, or good qualifications your primary foundation
and build Christ upon them instead of building everything on Christ, you
invert the order of the gospel, and Christ will be of no benefit to you.
Another thing to carefully observe is that you must come to Christ not
only for deliverance from the wrath of God and the torments of hell, but
also for a new holy heart, a transformed life, and everything necessary for
this transformation. You must come to Him with a fervent love and
affection, esteeming Him more valuable than a thousand worlds, as the sole
excellent portion. You should loathe and abhor yourself as a vile, sinful, and
wretched creature, considering all things as worthless compared to His
surpassing excellence. So that you can sincerely say from the depths of your
heart, "Whom have I in heaven but You? And there is nothing on earth that
I desire besides You" (Psalm 73:25).
Lastly, you must strive to approach Him with full confidence and
assurance of faith, relying on Christ with certainty for your own personal
salvation, based on the general promise that "whoever believes in Him will
not be put to shame" (Romans 9:33). You should rebuke any doubts, fears,
or hesitations concerning your salvation through Christ, echoing the words
of the psalmist, "Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in
turmoil within me?" (Psalm 42:11).
The third aspect of this instruction is to avoid any delay in the act of
believing in Christ. As long as we fail to do so, we remain under the power
of sin and Satan, and under the wrath of God, with nothing but the breath in
our nostrils separating us from hell. It was dangerous for Lot to linger in
Sodom, as fire and brimstone could rain down upon him. The one who has
unintentionally caused a person's death must quickly flee to the city of
refuge, lest the avenger of blood pursue and strike him down while his heart
is still hot (Deuteronomy 19:5, 6). We should hasten and not delay to keep
God's commandments (Psalm 119:60), and to seek refuge in the hope set
before us (Hebrews 6:18). God commands us to flee in this manner through
faith, for without it, it is impossible to please God in other duties. This work
can be accomplished as soon as you hear the gospel. "As soon as they hear
of me, they shall obey me." (Psalm 18:44). "As soon as Zion travailed, she
brought forth her children" (Isaiah 66:8). We have many examples of those
who received the Word by faith upon hearing it for the first time. Three
thousand people were added to the church on the very same day that Peter
first preached the gospel in Jerusalem (Acts 2:41). Many Jews and Gentiles
were converted upon hearing the apostle Paul's message for the first time in
Antioch (Acts 13:48). The jailer and his entire household believed and were
baptized on the same night that Paul preached to them (Acts 16:33, 34). The
gospel came to the Thessalonians "not only in word, but also in power and
in the Holy Spirit" (1 Thessalonians 1:5, 6). If God opens the hearts of His
people to listen attentively, they can be sufficiently instructed in the
knowledge of the gospel by a single brief sermon, enough to begin
practicing saving faith. And once they understand their duty, God expects
immediate action without allowing any respite in a state of unbelief.
When Satan cannot succeed in convincing people to completely reject the
duty of believing, his next attempt to ruin their souls is to persuade them to
at least delay and postpone its performance, using various false reasoning
and imaginations he puts into their minds. The most ignorant and worldly
individuals are easily swayed to defer this duty until they have indulged in
the pleasures, profits, and honours of this world to their heart's content.
They hope that they will have ample time for repentance before they die,
typically waiting until they are confronted with infirmities, old age, or
sickness. However, such delays reveal that they are truly unwilling to repent
and believe, except when forced by necessity, and that they value the
pleasures, profits, and honours of the world above God, Christ, and their
own souls. In doing so, they render themselves more unfit for this great
duty through their habitual walk in sin and by squandering the precious
time of their health and strength, which is most suitable for the performance
of this important work. They greatly provoke God to never grant them time
or grace to repent of it.
Others believe that, once they have heard the gospel of salvation through
Christ, they can lawfully postpone believing in it until they have thoroughly
examined the truth of some other doctrine or until God provides them with
additional means to fully assure them of the gospel's truth. These
individuals, known as "seekers," waste the day of grace, constantly learning
but never attaining knowledge of the truth (2 Timothy 3:7). However, the
truth of the gospel is so clearly evident in its own light that, unless people
willingly close their eyes or blind themselves due to pride and love for their
sinful desires, they would easily perceive it as God's truth. The image of
God's grace, mercy, power, justice, and holiness is clearly engraved upon it.
It is a sign of pride when people do not consent to the words of our Lord
Jesus Christ and to the "doctrine which is according to godliness" (1
Timothy 6:3). If they were humble and sincerely inclined to do God's will,
they would "know whether the doctrine is of God or not" (John 7:17). They
would quickly be convinced of the truth by Moses, the prophets, Christ, and
the apostles speaking to them through Scripture. And if they refuse to listen
to them, they will not be persuaded even if someone were to rise from the
dead or perform any other miracle to confirm the divine authority of the
gospel (Luke 16:31).
There is another group of people who delay the great work of believing,
to the detriment of their souls, by simply relying on attending outward
means of grace and salvation instead of making efforts to receive Christ
through faith, even though they are convinced of the truth of the gospel.
They consider this as waiting upon God at the doors of His grace and
salvation, engaging in the prescribed means appointed by Him, and sitting
under the teaching of the sanctuary. However, they must understand that
this is not the true waiting on God as required in Scripture. Instead, it is
disobedience to God and to the means He has ordained. God expects us to
be "doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving ourselves" (James
1:22), and to come in and partake in the spiritual feast (Luke 14:23), rather
than just standing at the door or sitting under the teaching, lest Christ view
us as mere eavesdroppers. The holy waiting on the Lord commended to us
in Scripture is always accompanied by faith and hope in the Lord and
depends on them. "I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I
would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait on the
Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; wait, I say, on
the Lord" (Psalm 27:13, 14). "It is good that one should hope and wait
quietly for the salvation of the Lord" (Lamentations 3:26).
What is it that these deluded ones are waiting for before they fulfill the
duty of believing? Is it for more knowledge of the gospel? The way to
increase your knowledge, just like any other talent, is to make use of what
you have already received. Believe wholeheartedly in Christ for your
salvation, based on the little knowledge of the gospel that you possess, and
you will have a share in the promise of knowledge contained in the new
covenant: "They shall all know me, from the least to the greatest" (Jeremiah
31:34).
Is it for the appointed time of your conversion that you are waiting? Then
you are waiting like those helpless people who lay at the pool of Bethesda,
waiting for the season when the angel would come down and stir the
waters. Know that if you enter into Christ now through faith, you will find
in Him the waters of life, and the Spirit moving them to heal and revive
your soul. God has ordained that it is your duty to strive for the present time
to be the time of your conversion: "As the Holy Spirit says, 'Today, if you
hear his voice, do not harden your hearts'" (Hebrews 3:7-8). And you will
never know the time God has appointed in His secret counsel to grant you
faith until you actually believe.
Are you waiting for any manifestations or outpourings of God's saving
love to your soul? Then the way to obtain it is to believe so that the "God of
hope may fill you with all joy and peace in believing" (Romans 15:13). You
have more than enough manifestation of God's love to your soul through the
free promises of life and salvation in Christ. Just trust in the name of the
Lord and rely on your God when you walk in darkness and see no other
light of sensible comforts. Otherwise, waiting for comforts in vain will only
bring you sorrow from the hand of the Lord (Isaiah 50:10-11).
Are you waiting for any qualifications to prepare you for the work of
believing? If these qualifications are good and holy, you cannot obtain them
before faith. Rather, they are included in the nature of faith or are its fruits,
as has been extensively explained. If these qualifications are bad and sinful,
it is strange that anyone would wait for them, yet it is true. Some foolishly
wait to be terrified with a sense of God's wrath and despairing thoughts,
considering them as the pains of the new birth, although by their nature,
they are more the pains of spiritual death and give birth to hatred towards
God rather than holiness. Therefore, we should strive to prevent them by
believing in God's love in Christ rather than waiting for them. It is true that
God makes these despairing thoughts, as well as other sins, work for the
good of those who are delivered from them by faith in Christ. They are
moved to hate sin, value Christ and the comforts of His gospel more, and
loathe and abhor themselves. Yet many are brought to Christ without
experiencing these thoughts, as God gives them the knowledge of their own
sins and Christ's salvation together. Several examples of this were
mentioned earlier, those who received the Word with joy upon hearing it for
the first time. We should not desire or wait for any evil or sin, such as these
despairing thoughts, in the hope that something good will come out of it.
Nor should we expect to get worse before we get better, when we can and
should get better immediately by believing in Christ.
The fourth aspect of this guidance is that we should continue and grow in
the most holy faith. And in order to do so, we must not assume that once we
have obtained the grace of saving faith and have been born anew in Christ,
our names being recorded in heaven, we can be careless. As long as we
remain in this life, we must strive to remain in the faith, rooted and
steadfast, not shifting away from the hope of the gospel (Colossians 1:23).
We are to "hold firmly to the faith we profess" and "rejoice in the hope of
our confidence" until the end (Hebrews 3:6, 14). We should "build
ourselves up in our most holy faith" and abound in it with thanksgiving
(Jude 20; Colossians 2:7). Although we receive Christ freely through faith,
we are still spiritual infants in Christ (1 Corinthians 3:1). We must not
consider ourselves to have already attained perfection but strive to be
deeply rooted and built up in Him until we reach maturity and become like
Christ (Ephesians 4:13).
If the new nature is truly within us through regeneration, it will have a
desire for its own continuation and growth until it reaches perfection, just as
a newborn baby desires milk (1 Peter 2:2). Our task is not only to receive
Christ and a new holy nature through faith but also to live and walk
according to it, to resist the devil and extinguish his fiery darts with it. We
are also called to "grow in grace" and to "perfect holiness in the fear of
God," knowing that we are kept by God's mighty power through faith for
salvation (1 Peter 1:5). Just as our Christian warfare is the battle of faith (1
Timothy 6:12), our spiritual life and holiness continue, grow, or decline in
accordance with the state of our faith. When faith begins to waver due to
fear and doubt, the person themselves starts to sink (Matthew 14:29-31).
Faith is like Moses' hands; as long as they were raised, Israel prevailed, but
when they lowered, Amalek prevailed (Exodus 17:11). This continuation
and growth in faith require our effort and diligence, although we attribute
all the glory to the grace of God in Christ, who is both the initiator and
perfecter of our faith (Hebrews 12:2).
The church encounters great challenges in its journey through the
wilderness of this world towards the heavenly Canaan, just as it faced
difficulties in its initial deliverance from Egyptian bondage. In fact, we
often face even greater challenges in pursuing perfection than we did at the
beginning of the good work. God's wisdom and mercy ordain that we
should be tested by the harshest providential circumstances and the fiercest
assaults of our own sinful nature and Satan's temptations after we have been
given the grace to stand firm in times of adversity.
Therefore, you must strive to continue and progress in the same right
manner as I have taught you to begin this great work of believing in Christ.
Your faith should remain consistent from the beginning to the end, even
though it may grow in intensity. Our faith is imperfect and often
accompanied by doubt in this world, so we need to pray, "Lord, I believe;
help my unbelief" (Mark 9:24), and therefore we must strive for greater
faith to receive Christ more perfectly. If you see that your faith has
produced good works, let that increase your confidence in Christ for
salvation through His grace alone. However, be cautious not to change the
nature of your faith by shifting from trusting in the grace and merits of
Christ to relying on your own works, as taught in the erroneous doctrine of
"first justification by grace and faith only, but second justification by
works" propagated by the papacy.
Beware also of placing your trust in faith itself as a righteous work,
rather than placing your trust in Christ through faith. If you find that your
belief, as I have described it, does not produce the fruits of holiness that you
desire, do not diminish your confidence in Christ; instead, increase it,
knowing that the weakness of your faith hinders its fruitfulness. The greater
your confidence in God's love for you in Christ, the greater your love for
God and His service will be. If you fall into serious sin after the work of
faith has begun in you, like David and Peter did, do not think that you must
abandon your confidence and expect only wrath from God and Christ. Do
not refuse to be comforted by the grace of Christ, even if it may take some
time. Such thinking would only make you more weak and prone to falling
into other sins. Instead, strive to believe with greater confidence that you
have "an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous," and that "He
is the propitiation for our sins" (1 John 2:1, 2). Do not let the guilt of sin
linger on your conscience, but quickly wash it away in the fountain of
Christ's blood, which is available to us for such occasions. In doing so, you
will be humbled for your sins in a gospel manner, and you will detest your
own sinfulness and genuinely sorrow over it out of love for God. If not for
the prayer of Christ upholding Peter's faith, he could have been eternally
ruined by denying Christ, just as Judas was ruined by betraying Him (Luke
22:31, 32).
Even if all your qualifications seem clouded, and you cannot see any
grace in yourselves, still trust in Him who justifies the ungodly and came to
seek and save the lost. If it appears that God is treating you as an enemy,
bringing upon you some terrible affliction as He did to Job, be cautious not
to condemn your faith and its fruits as if they are unacceptable to God.
Instead, declare, "Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him; but I will
maintain my ways before Him" (Job 13:15). Strive to keep and increase
your faith by continually exercising faith, by trusting in God to preserve and
strengthen it. Be confident that He who initiated a good work in you will
bring it to completion on the day of Jesus Christ (Phil. 1:6).
Chapter Twelve
Make diligent use of your most holy faith
ou must diligently utilise your most holy faith to immediately fulfil
the duties of the law by no longer conforming to your old natural
state or any principles or practices associated with it. Instead, solely live
according to the new state received through faith, embracing the principles
and practices that pertain to it. Strive to continue and grow in this manner of
living. This is the only way to achieve an acceptable performance of those
holy and righteous duties to the best extent possible in this present life.
Here, I am guiding you on the method of living where you make use of
faith and all the other effective means of holiness discussed earlier, which
faith grasps for the immediate fulfilment of the law, the ultimate goal of this
entire discourse. Therefore, this direction deserves careful consideration as
the primary guidance, with all preceding and subsequent directions serving
as support. As for its meaning, I have already explained that our old natural
state is the one inherited from the first Adam through natural birth, referred
to as "the old man" in Scripture, and when we are in it, we are said to be "in
the flesh." On the other hand, our new state is received from the second
Adam, Jesus Christ, through being born anew in union and fellowship with
Him by faith. This new state is called "the new man," and when we are in it,
we are said to be "in the Spirit." The principles and practices belonging to
the natural state are those that individuals can acquire and utilise before
they come to be in Christ by faith. Conversely, the principles and practices
proper to the new state encompass the diverse holy endowments, privileges,
and joys that we partake in through faith in Christ, as already demonstrated
to be the sole effective means of a holy life.
We are said to live according to either of these states, or to the principles
and practices that belong to them when we are moved and guided by their
influence to engage in actions that align with them. For example, kings act
in accordance with their status by commanding with authority and
displaying generosity. Poor individuals act in a manner of service and
obedience, and children, regardless of distinction (Esther 1:7; Prov. 18:23; 1
Cor. 13:11). Therefore, the manner of practice that is being directed here
involves moving and guiding ourselves in the performance of the works of
the law through gospel principles and means. This is a remarkable and
excellent art of godliness that every Christian should strive to master. The
reason why many experience shame and confusion after exerting much zeal
and effort for a long time in pursuit of true godliness is because they were
never acquainted with this sacred art and never endeavoured to practice it in
a genuine gospel manner. While some worldly arts are referred to as
mysteries, this spiritual art of godliness is undoubtedly a great mystery (1
Tim. 3:16) because the means to be employed in it are deeply profound, as
has been explained. One cannot be a skilled artist in this realm until they
understand these means and can put them into practice. It is a manner of
practice that surpasses natural ability and would never have entered the
minds of the wisest individuals in the world if it had not been revealed to us
in the Scriptures. Yet, even when it is plainly revealed in the Scriptures, it
remains a perplexing riddle to those who are not inwardly enlightened and
taught by the Holy Spirit. Even many godly individuals guided by the Spirit
only walk in it to some extent and have only a vague perception of their
own understanding. They can barely articulate the way in which they walk
to others, much like the disciples who walked with Christ, the way to the
Father, yet did not comprehend that knowledge within themselves: "Lord,
we know not whither You go, and how can we know the way?" (John 14:5).
This is the reason why many believers who are in a state of spiritual poverty
are so weak in Christ and attain only a small degree of holiness and
righteousness. Therefore, to acquaint you better with this highly significant
mystery, I will first demonstrate that the Holy Scriptures direct us to this
manner of practice as the only effective means for the performance of holy
duties. Then, I will provide you with necessary instructions to understand
how to walk rightly in it, continue, and progress until you are perfected in
Christ.
Regarding the first point, the Holy Scriptures extensively and clearly
direct us to this manner of practice and to continuing and growing in it. It is
worth noting the wide range of distinct words and phrases through which
the Holy Spirit imparts this mystery. Many individuals who frequently read
the Scriptures, and even those who claim to be gospel preachers, fail to
comprehend or pay attention to them. This demonstrates that the things of
the Spirit of God appear as foolishness to them, and they are not yet
acquainted with the precise language and form of sound words. They
remain strangers to the very vocabulary of the gospel that they profess and
claim to teach.
Therefore, I will now present to you a collection of these distinct words
and phrases found in the Holy Scriptures that express and commend this
mysterious manner of practice as the only way to truly attain holiness in
heart and life. I will group together those that convey similar meanings so
as not to confuse your thoughts with an abundance of them.
1. This manner of practice is depicted in Scripture as "living by faith"
(Hab. 2:4; Gal. 2:20; Heb. 10:38), "walking by faith" (2 Cor. 5:7),
"faith working by love" (Gal. 5:6), "overcoming the world by faith"
(1 John 5:4), and "quenching all the fiery darts of the wicked by the
shield of faith" (Eph. 6:16). Some may consider living and walking
by faith to merely involve stirring ourselves up and encouraging
ourselves to fulfill our duties based on our beliefs. The Jews, for
example, might have claimed to live by faith because they professed
and assented to the teachings of Moses and the prophets, which
moved them to zeal for God. However, they sought righteousness
not through faith but by following the works of the law (Rom. 9:32).
Similarly, Paul may have thought he lived by faith when he was a
zealous Pharisee, but later he realized that the life of faith involved
dying to the law and living for God. It was not he who lived, but
Christ who lived in him (Gal. 2:19, 20). Just as being justified by
faith is the same as being believed on in Christ (Rom. 5:1), living,
walking, and working by faith is synonymous with living, walking,
and working through the means of Christ and His saving provisions
that we receive and utilise by faith to guide and motivate ourselves
in the practice of holiness.
2. The same concept is conveyed by the phrases "walking, rooted and
built up in Christ" (Col. 2:6, 7), "living to God, and not to ourselves,
but having Christ living in us" (Gal. 2:19, 20), "good conduct in
Christ" (1 Peter 3:16), "putting on the Lord Jesus Christ, so as to
walk honestly, as in the day" (Rom. 13:13, 14), "being strong in the
Lord and in the power of His might" (Eph. 6:10), "doing all things
in the name of Christ" (Col. 3:17), "walking in the name of the
Lord" (Zech. 10:12), "going in the strength of the Lord; making
mention of His righteousness, even His only" (Ps. 71:16). These
phrases occur frequently and sufficiently elucidate one another,
indicating that we are to practice holiness not only by virtue of
Christ's authority but also by relying on His strengthening
provisions to move and encourage us in this pursuit.
3. It is also conveyed by the phrases "being strong in the grace that is
in Christ Jesus" (2 Tim. 2:1), "conducting ourselves in the world not
with fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God" (2 Cor. 1:12), and
"holding fast to grace, that we may serve God acceptably, laboring
abundantly" in such a way that the entire work is not accomplished
by us, but "by the grace of God that is with us" (1 Cor. 15:10). By
'grace', we can understand the privileges of our new state given to us
in Christ, which should influence and guide us in the performance of
holy duties.
4. It is also signified when we are instructed to 'put off the old' and 'put
on the new man'; and to continue doing so, even though we have
already done it to some extent; and to avoid our 'former sinful
conduct' (Eph. 4:21, 22, 24); and to abstain from sin because we
have 'put off the old' and 'put on the new man' (Col. 3:9, 10). As I
have previously explained, this twofold man does not simply refer to
sin and holiness; rather, the former represents our natural state with
all its abilities, which only equip us for the practice of sin, while the
latter represents our new state in Christ, which provides us with all
the necessary means for the practice of holiness.
5. We understand the same concept when we are taught not to 'walk
according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit', so that we may be
'free from the law of sin' and 'that the righteousness of the law may
be fulfilled in us' (Rom. 8:1, 2, 3); and to 'put to death the deeds of
the body through the Spirit' and to be 'led by the Spirit' because we
'live by the Spirit' and have 'crucified the flesh with its passions and
desires' (Gal. 5:24). The apostle uses these expressions to indicate
not only that we are to practice holiness but also the means by which
we can do so effectively. By 'flesh', he refers to our old nature
inherited from the first Adam, and by 'Spirit', he means the Spirit of
Christ and the new nature that we have through Him dwelling within
us. We are said to walk according to either of these natures when we
make the properties or characteristics of either of them the guiding
principles of our conduct. Therefore, when it is said that 'we may
bear fruit to God', it means that we must strive to produce the fruits
of holiness not by the power of the law, which is a condemning
force to which the flesh is bound and which stirs sinful impulses
within us, but by the power of the Spirit and His abundant
provisions that we partake in through our mystical union with Christ
(Rom. 7:4, 5, 6), and by the influence of the principles that belong to
the new state revealed in the gospel, through which the Holy Spirit
is ministered to us.
6. This is the way of life that the apostle Paul instructs us to follow,
using his own example, that the ongoing pursuit of our lives should
be "to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the
fellowship of his sufferings, being conformed to his death, in the
hope that I may attain the resurrection from the dead," and to strive
and press forward in this knowledge (Phil. 3:10-12, 14). Surely, he
means an experiential knowledge of Christ, his death, and
resurrection that truly transforms us to be conformed to them by
dying to sin and living for God. By this, he directs us to use Christ,
his death, and resurrection by faith as the powerful means of
holiness in our hearts and lives, and to continue growing in this
manner of living until we attain perfection in Christ.
The second aim is to provide you with necessary instructions so that your
steps may be guided correctly to continue and progress in this path of
holiness until you are made perfect in Christ. Since we are naturally
inclined to misunderstand this path and are entirely incapable of finding or
discerning it through our own reason and understanding, we should pay
close attention to these instructions derived from the Holy Scriptures. We
should fervently pray for God to grant us the Spirit of wisdom and
revelation so that we may discern the path of holiness through it and walk
rightly in it, in accordance with the gracious promise: "The wayfaring men,
though fools, shall not go astray" (Isa. 35:8).
1. Let us observe and carefully consider in our entire way of life that
although we partake in a new holy state through faith in Christ, our
natural state still remains to some extent with all its corrupt
principles and tendencies. As long as we live in this world, our
understanding of Christ and his perfections is only through faith,
whereas by our senses and reason, we may perceive much within
ourselves that is contrary to Christ. And this faith is imperfect, so
true believers have reason to pray for God's help in their unbelief
(Mark 9:24). Therefore, even though we receive a perfect Christ
through faith, the extent and degree of enjoying him is incomplete.
We continue to hope, as long as we are in this world, to experience
him in a greater degree of perfection than we have thus far. We are
still weak in our union with Christ (2 Cor. 13:4), like children in
comparison to the perfection we anticipate in the next world (1 Cor.
13:10, 11). We must continue to grow until we become fully mature
in Christ (Eph. 4:13). Some are weaker and more immature in their
faith, having received Christ to such a limited extent that they can be
considered carnal rather than spiritual (1 Cor. 3:1). And because all
the blessings and perfections of our new state, such as justification,
the gift of the Holy Spirit, the holy nature, and adoption as children,
are located and stored up in Christ and inseparably linked to him, we
can only receive them to the extent that we receive Christ himself
through faith, which is only to an imperfect degree in this life.
The apostle Paul presents himself as a model for all those who are mature
in the truth of grace to emulate. However, he admits that he has not yet
reached the perfect degree and measure of saving blessings. Nevertheless,
he continues to press forward towards the goal, striving to know Christ
more fully and be found in Him, relying not on his own righteousness but
on the righteousness that comes from God through faith. He seeks to gain a
deeper experiential knowledge of Christ, to share in His sufferings, and to
experience the power of His resurrection (Phil. 3:8, 10, 14). While believers
are already justified, they eagerly await the hope of righteousness, the
complete enjoyment of Christ's righteousness (Gal. 5:5). They have
received the firstfruits of the Spirit but anticipate a fuller experience of it.
The Spirit testifies that they are children of God, yet they groan inwardly,
longing for the full experience of their adoption (Rom. 8:23).
Since our reception and enjoyment of Christ, along with the blessings of
our new state in Him, is imperfect in this life, it is evident that our former
natural state, with its characteristics, still remains to some extent and is not
completely eradicated. Therefore, believers in this world partake to some
degree in these two contrasting states. While believers have indeed put off
the old self and put on the new self, where Christ is all and in all, they must
continue to put off the old and put on the new, for the remnants of the old
self remain. They are described as "not in the flesh but in the Spirit"
because their true and enduring state is in the Spirit, as designations are
typically based on the better part. However, the flesh still exists within
them, and they must diligently strive to put to death the deeds of the flesh
(Rom. 8:9, 13).
Therefore, in the Scriptures, believers are often described with attributes
that seem contradictory in relation to these two opposing states. It may
appear that one passage contradicts another, yet both are true in different
respects. For example, the apostle Paul truthfully states, "I live, yet not I"
because he lives for God through Christ residing in him, but in another
sense, according to his natural state, he does not live for God (Gal. 2:20).
He also acknowledges being "carnal, sold under sin," but at the same time,
he does not allow sin and hates it. Paul demonstrates how both statements
are true in different respects. He says, "In me, that is, in my flesh, dwells no
good thing," and "I delight to do the will of God according to the inward
man." He serves the law of God with his mind, but with his flesh, he serves
the law of sin (Rom. 7:14, 15, 18, 22, 25). John affirms that anyone who
claims to be without sin deceives themselves and is a liar (1 John 1:8). Yet,
he also asserts that those born of God do not continue in sin because the
new spiritual nature of Christ remains in them (1 John 3:9). Believers are
weak and incapable of doing anything on their own, yet they are strong and
can do all things (2 Cor. 12:10, 11; Phil. 4:13). They are considered dead
because of sin but alive because of righteousness (Rom. 8:10), and although
they experience physical death, they will never truly die (John 11:25, 26).
Believers are sons who inherit the promises by birthright, yet in some
respects, they may not differ from servants. They can be under the law and
simultaneously under grace as heirs according to the free promise (Gal. 4:1,
2). They have been redeemed from the curse of the law, received
forgiveness of sins, and have the promise that God will never be angry with
them or rebuke them again (Gal. 3:13; Eph. 1:7; Isa. 54:9). However, on the
contrary, the curse written in the law is sometimes poured out upon them,
and they still need to pray for deliverance from guiltiness and the
forgiveness of their debts. They can expect that God will punish them for
their iniquities (Dan. 9:11; Ps. 51:14; Matt. 6:12; Amos 3:2).
The contradictions mentioned in the Scriptures concerning believers
sufficiently demonstrate that they partake in two opposing states in this life.
This is a straightforward and effective way to reconcile these apparent
contradictions, regardless of any other approaches used to reconcile some of
them. There is no reason to question that the old state remains in believers
to some extent, as all sound Protestants acknowledge the presence of sinful
depravity and pollution in our natures, commonly referred to as 'original
sin', which continues in everyone as long as they live in this world. While
certain penal evils may be said to persist within us, we cannot assume that
this original pollution continues in us when considered in relation to Christ,
but rather when considered in relation to our old state inherited from Adam.
Thus, the first sin of Adam is imputed, in some respect, even to those
justified by faith, and they remain, to some extent, under the punishment
and curse declared: 'In the day you eat thereof, you shall surely die' (Gen.
2:17). Consequently, this original guilt and pollution are passed down to the
children of believing parents, as well as others, through natural generation.
If such a significant and fundamental aspect of our natural state persists in
believers, namely, subjection to the guilt of the first sin and corruption,
which forms a major part of the threatened punishment and death, and leads
us to commit actual sins, then why should we not conclude that other
aspects of the same state also continue in them? This includes the guilt of
their own actual sins, subjection to God's wrath, and the curses and
punishments pronounced against them in the law. Moreover, why should we
not believe that all the miseries of this life, including death itself, are
inflicted upon believers at least to some degree as consequences of sin?
An objection may arise that this doctrine of believers' twofold state
diminishes the perfection of our justification by Christ, the abundance of
His grace and spiritual blessings, the merits of His death, and the power of
His Spirit, thereby greatly reducing the consolation of believers in Christ.
However, this objection can be easily addressed if understood correctly.
Despite this twofold state, it remains true that believers, while on earth,
possess all the perfections of spiritual blessings: justification, adoption, the
indwelling of the Spirit, holiness, eternal life, and glory, all found in and
through Christ (Eph. 1:3). In Christ, who is now in heaven, the old self is
completely crucified. Believers are dead to sin and to the law and its curse.
They are also made alive together with Christ, raised up with Him, and
seated in heavenly places in Christ Jesus (Eph. 2:6). Through faith,
believers personally receive and enjoy all these perfect spiritual blessings of
Christ to the extent that they receive and enjoy Christ Himself dwelling
within them, and no more.
Therefore, believers are in a new state, free from the guilt, pollution, and
punishment of sin, as well as from God's wrath, all miseries, and even death
itself, while they are in this world. In fact, all the guilt, pollution,
punishments of sin, and any other evils they experience according to their
natural state do not harm them in this new state. Instead, they work for their
good and are seen as advantages, leading to the destruction of the flesh and
the perfection of the new man in Christ. Nevertheless, it remains true that
our reception and enjoyment of Christ and His perfections are only in an
imperfect measure and degree until faith is transformed into heavenly
vision and the full experience of Christ. Therefore, our old sinful state and
its associated evils are not completely abolished during this lifetime. The
kingdom of heaven, or the grace of Christ within us, is comparable to
leaven in meal, gradually uniting with the meal until the whole is leavened
(Matt. 13:33). It is also like the morning light dispelling darkness, shining
more and more until the perfect day (Prov. 4:18).
This should not be seen as a diminishing of the merits of Christ's death or
the power of His Spirit, as Christ never intended for us to enjoy His
spiritual blessings beyond our union with Him and our faith in Him. Nor
did He aim for us to be made holy or happy in the flesh through a
reformation of our natural state, as has been explained. This does not
diminish the consolation of believers in Christ either, for they can
understand that they have the perfection of grace and happiness in Christ
and that they experience it in this world to the extent that they enjoy Christ
Himself through faith. They can also anticipate enjoying it to a greater
measure and being fully liberated from their sinful and miserable state when
the frame of nature inherited from the first Adam is dissolved through
death.
This instruction is highly valuable in shaping our souls to practice
holiness solely through the gospel principles and means belonging to our
new state, which we partake in by faith in Christ. Thus, it can easily address
a significant objection often raised by Papists and Quakers, who
triumphantly ask which doctrine is more likely to lead people to true
godliness. They argue whether their teaching, which claims that perfect
holiness can be attained in this life, or ours, which acknowledges that it is
impossible for us to perfectly keep the law and cleanse ourselves from all
sin as long as we live in this world, even though we strive to do our best.
They believe that common reason will support their argument against this
doctrine, claiming that it discourages efforts towards perfection and hardens
people's hearts by allowing them to indulge in sin because they cannot
avoid it. However, in reality, it is the doctrine of the perfectionists that
encourages people to indulge in sin and to consider evil as good. For
instance, the Papists consider the inclination of the flesh against the spirit as
not sinful, but rather as good material for the exercise of their virtues, since
even the most perfect individuals in this life are not without it. This doctrine
also discourages those who strive for holiness through the right means, by
faith in Christ, leading them to believe that their efforts are in vain because
they still find themselves sinful and far from perfection despite their best
efforts to attain it. It hinders our diligence in seeking holiness through the
principles and means by which it can truly be found. After all, why would
someone be diligent and watchful in avoiding the influence of their own
carnal principles if they believe that their carnal state, along with its
principles, has been completely abolished and no longer poses a danger to
them? While the doctrine of perfectionists may serve to promote certain
good works, it undoubtedly impedes a significant portion of the work that
Christ intends for us to engage in as long as we live in this world. We must
acknowledge that our old state, along with its sinful principles, still exists to
some extent; otherwise, we will not be prepared for the important duties of
confessing our sins, repenting, praying earnestly for forgiveness, sorrowing
genuinely with a godly sorrow, accepting the consequences of our sins,
giving glory to God for His justice, and offering Him the sacrifice of a
contrite and humble spirit. We must be humble in spirit and diligently work
towards our salvation with fear and trembling.
Some have questioned how it aligns with our justification by Christ that
we are still liable to punishment for our sins and obligated to pray for
forgiveness. This doubt arises from a lack of understanding of the twofold
state of believers in this life. Without grasping and keeping this in mind, we
will never be equipped to consistently practice the important duties that
contribute to putting off the old self, putting on the new self, and crucifying
the deeds of the body through the Spirit. These duties include continual
prayer for God to renew a right spirit within us and sanctify us completely,
pressing forward towards perfection, desiring the nourishment of the Word
and the participation in other ordinances. Christ has ordained that His
earthly church should be engaged in such works, yet perfectionists either
consider them unnecessary or pretend that they no longer require Christ as
their spiritual Physician and Advocate with the Father, or as the atoning
sacrifice for their sins. Therefore, they are not suited to be members of the
earthly church and are unlikely to become members of the heavenly church
unless they attempt to climb up there prematurely, without the appropriate
means.
1. Do not despair in trying to purify the flesh, or the natural man, from
its sinful desires and inclinations, and do not attempt to practice
holiness solely through your own willpower and resolutions, while
relying on the grace of God and Christ to assist you in these efforts.
Instead, resolve to trust in Christ to work within you, to give you the
will and ability to do His good pleasure by His own power. Often,
those who are aware of their own sin and misery first attempt to
tame the flesh, to subdue and eradicate its lusts, and to transform
their corrupt nature to be more inclined towards holiness through
their struggles and wrestling with it. They hope that by fully
committing themselves and resolving to do their best, they will be
able to achieve great victories in conquering their lusts and
performing challenging duties. Some zealous divines make it their
primary task in preaching and writing to encourage people towards
this resolution, believing it to be the pivotal point of transition from
sin to godliness. They argue that this does not contradict the life of
faith, as they trust in the grace of God, through Christ, to assist them
in all such resolutions and endeavours. In this way, they strive to
reform their old state and be perfected in the flesh, instead of putting
it off and walking according to the new state in Christ. They place
their trust in worldly and carnal things for holiness and rely on their
own will, purposes, resolutions, and efforts, rather than on Christ.
They trust in Christ to help them through this carnal approach,
whereas true faith would teach them that they are nothing and that
their efforts are in vain. Trying to purify the flesh, or the natural
man, from its evil desires and make it pure and holy is as futile as
attempting to wash a blackamoor white. It is desperately wicked and
beyond all remedy. It will inevitably lust against the Spirit of God,
even in the most devout saints on earth. Its mindset is enmity
towards the law of God and cannot submit to it. Those who seek to
cure it and make it holy through their own resolutions and efforts act
contrary to the purpose of Christ's death. He did not die so that the
flesh, or the old natural man, could be made holy, but so that it could
be crucified and destroyed within us. He died so that we might live
for God, not for ourselves or by our own natural power through
resolutions and efforts, but through Christ living in us and His Spirit
producing righteousness within us. Therefore, we must be willing to
accept that the natural man remains vile and wicked as we found it,
until it is completely abolished through death. However, we must
not condone its wickedness; rather, we should groan for deliverance
from the body of this death and be grateful to God that there is
deliverance through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Our approach to mortifying sinful desires and lusts should not involve
trying to purge them from the flesh, but rather putting off the flesh itself and
rising above into Christ through faith, and walking in the new nature that
comes from Him. As the proverb says, "The way of life is above to the
wise, that he may depart from hell beneath." Our willingness, resolution,
and endeavour should not be focused on what we can do in our own
strength or power, but on allowing Christ and the power of His Spirit to
work in us. After all, in our flesh, there is no good thing. We have every
reason to trust in God and Christ for help in such resolutions and
endeavours towards holiness, as they align with Christ's purpose in our
redemption and the way of living by faith.
It is possible that Peter sincerely resolved to die with Christ rather than
deny Him, and to do all that he could in his own strength to achieve that
goal. However, Christ quickly revealed to him the weakness and futility of
such resolutions. We also see through experience that many resolutions
made in times of sickness or danger often amount to nothing. It is not
sufficient for us to rely on Christ to help us act and endeavour only to the
extent that creatures can; even the worst of men receive such help. Christ is
the JEHOVAH in whom we live, move, and have our being. It is likely that
the Pharisee trusted in God to assist him in his duties, as he thanked God for
his performance of them. Unfortunately, this is the extent of the faith that
many rely on for holy living.
Instead, we must trust in Christ to enable us beyond the strength of our
own natural abilities, through the power of the new nature we have in Him
and His indwelling Spirit. Otherwise, our best efforts will be entirely sinful
and mere hypocrisy, regardless of the help we expect from Him. We must
also be cautious not to depend on any resolution to walk in Christ, written
covenants, or any previous experience of holiness for our sanctification. We
must understand that the efficacy of these things only continues as long as
we continue walking in Christ and Christ in us. They must be sustained by
the continual presence of Christ within us, just as light is maintained by the
presence of the sun and cannot exist without it.
You must not seek to obtain forgiveness of sins, God's favour, a new holy
nature, life, and happiness through any works of the moral law or any
rituals and ceremonies. Instead, you should live as those who already
possess all these things, according to your new state in Christ. You are to
receive them more and more by faith, as they are already prepared and
stored up for you, freely given in your spiritual Head, the Lord Jesus Christ.
If we live as those who still need to strive for these blessings, it clearly
shows that we consider ourselves to be without them and without Christ
Himself, in whom they are all found. Therefore, we are living according to
our old natural state, as if we are still in the flesh, attempting to attain
salvation through our carnal works and observances instead of relying
entirely on Christ through faith.
This approach aligns with the principles of the covenant of works, as I
have previously explained. We have no basis to trust in Christ and His Spirit
to work holiness in us in this manner, for we are dead to the legal covenant
through the body of Christ. If we are led by the Spirit, we are not under the
law. When the Galatians were deceived by false teachers who urged them to
seek justification and life through circumcision and other works of the
Mosaic law, the apostle Paul rebuked them for trying to attain perfection in
the flesh, which directly contradicted their initial experience with the Spirit.
He accused them of rendering Christ ineffective and falling from grace.
Similarly, when some of the Colossians sought perfection through the
observance of circumcision, dietary restrictions, sacred times, and other
worldly regulations, Paul admonished them for not holding fast to the head,
Jesus Christ. He pointed out that they were not dead and risen with Christ,
but were still living in the ways of the world. Paul made it clear that those
who seek salvation in such ways are walking according to their old natural
state. The true way of living by faith in Christ is to walk as those who
already possess the fullness of Christ through faith and do not need to seek
them through any other means.
In this sense, it is true to say that believers should not act for life but from
life. They should live as those who are not trying to earn life through their
works, but as those who have already received and derived life from Christ,
and act from the power and virtue received from Him. This reveals that the
Catholics and all others who believe they can justify, purify, sanctify, and
save themselves through their own works, rituals, or ceremonies are
walking in a carnal way. They are living as if they have no present interest
in Christ and will never attain holiness or happiness until they learn a better
way of practising religion.
Do not think that you can truly incline your heart towards the immediate
practice of holiness by relying solely on practical principles that merely
bind, press, and urge you to perform holy duties. Instead, let such principles
stir you to first go to Christ in faith, so that you may be genuinely inclined
towards the immediate practice of holiness in Him through gospel
principles that strengthen and enable you, as well as obligate you. There are
practical principles that only serve to bind, press, and urge us towards holy
duties by demonstrating the reasonableness, equity, and necessity of our
obedience, without showing us how, as those who are naturally dead in sin
and under God's wrath, we may have the strength and ability to perform
them. For example, the authority of God as the lawgiver, our complete
dependence on Him as our Creator, Preserver, and Governor, in whose
hands lie our life, breath, and eternal happiness; His all-seeing eye that
searches our hearts and discerns our thoughts and intentions; His perfect
justice in rendering to each according to their deeds; His almighty and
eternal power to reward the obedient and punish transgressors for eternity;