Salvation By Grace

Righteousness Is Essential
One thing is evident-righteousness is essential. But what must be the nature and quality of that righteousness, and how and whence is it to be obtained? Shall it be home-made, or shall it be of God and from above? Shall I go about to establish my own, or shall I subject myself to God's? Shall salvation be of works, or by faith? Is Christ to be a Substitute for the sinner, or will the sinner be a substitute for the Saviour? Shall the altar smell of sacrifice, God-appointed and God-provided, or will we prefer to deck it with flowers that wither and with fruits that shrivel, howsoever fair they seem at first? Is personal goodness, or is God's grace, as revealed in Jesus Christ, to bring us to the world where all is well? The one is a ladder that we ourselves set up, and painfully ascend; the other is an elevator which God provides, into which, indeed, we pass by penitential faith, but with which the lifting power is God's alone. Salvation by works is the choice of the Pharisee, salvation by Grace is the hope of the Publican.

One or other nor can these two principles be combined. They are totally distinct; nay, more, they are at variance the one with the other. A blend of the two is impossible. "If it is by grace, it is no more of works; otherwise grace is no more grace" (Romans 11:6). One cannot merit mercy. This field must not be sown with mingled seed. The ox of mercy and the ass of merit must not be yoked together; indeed, they cannot be; they are too unequal. No linsey-woolsey garment can we weave of works and grace. As Hart quaintly puts it:

"Everything we do we sin in, 

Chosen Jews 

 Must not use 

Woollen mixt with linen."

So the choice must be made between these two ways to heaven. The great question still is, "How can man be just with God ?" and it appears that he must either himself be essentially and perfectly holy, or he must, by some means, acquire a justness which will bear the scrutiny of Omniscience, and pass muster in the High Court of Heaven.

What Says the Book?
What has the Word of God to say about this all-important matter? It declares most plainly that all have sinned, that sin is exceeding sinful, that retribution follows iniquity as the Cart-wheel follows the footprints of the ox that draws it, that none can make his hands clean or renew his own heart. It tells us also that God, in His infinite mercy, has devised a way of salvation, and that none but Jesus can do helpless sinners good. Behold the bleeding victims and the smoking altars of the old dispensation! They speak of sin that needed to be put away, and they foreshadowed a sacrifice of nobler name and richer blood than they, the only Sacrifice which can make the comers thereunto perfect. Hearken to David as he cries: "Enter not into judgment with Thy servant, for in Thy sight shall no flesh living be justified" (Psalms 143:2).

The prophets tell the selfsame tale. "By the knowledge of him shall My righteous Servant justify many, for he shall bear their iniquities" (Isaiah 53:11). Then there is the wonderful word which broke the fetters that were on Luther's soul as he climbed the holy staircase on his knees: "The just shall live by faith."

The Apostles bear similar witness. Peter tells of Jesus of Nazareth, and declares, "In none other is there salvation; for neither is there any other name under heaven, that is given among men, wherein we must be saved" (Acts 4:12).

Paul is insistent on justification by faith alone. "By the deeds of the law there Shall no flesh be justified in His sight" (Romans 3:20). "By grace ye are saved through faith; and that not Of yourselves; it is the gift of God; not of works, lest any man should boast" (Ephesians  2:8; Ephesians 2:9) "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost, which He shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; that being justified by His grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life" (Titus 3:5-7). (See also Galatians 3:11; Philippians 3:8; Philippians 3:9; Acts 13:39, and 2Timothy 1:9).

No Thoroughfare
What need have we of further witness? It is evident that the way of Works is closed. Athwart the narrow track have fallen the Tree of Life and the broken tables of the Law, and God has affixed a notice there, large and legible, so that he who reads may run into a better path-NO THOROUGHFARE! It is given "By Order," and the King's red seal is on it; therefore doth it stand fast for ever. Levitical instructions, Davidic confessions, Prophetic and Apostolic declarations are all the voice of the Lord-the voice that breaketh the cedars of Lebanon and strippeth the forests bare-declaring that salvation is by Grace alone.

The Verdict of History
The history of man is the history of sin. It is one long, lurid record of fall and failure. Adam had the best opportunity of all. The law was fragmentary and rudimental then. There was but one command a solitary test. But it was one too many for our first parents. Later, the flood-swept world was soon defiled again. Later still, there came a law to Israel, holy and just and good. Did they obey? Let the carcasses that strew the wilderness bear witness. Is there a perfect life in all Time's annals? The Pharisees were preeminent as professional religionists, yet Jesus said, "Except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 5:20). They, as it were, traveled in an express train, and, of course, first-class, but it was the wrong train! Saul of Tarsus was a Pharisee of the Pharisees, and he was no hypocrite, mind you, but he, too, was on the wrong track, till he changed trains at Damascus Junction. There, he relinquished all confidence in the flesh, and thenceforth exclaimed: "What things were gain to me, these have I counted loss for Christ. Yea, verily, and I count all things to be loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung that I may win Christ, and be found in Him, not having mine own righteousness which is of the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith" (Philippians 3:7-9).

By Rev. Thomas Spurgeon, London, England
From the book, Fundamentals of Christian Faith copyrighted 1911 but now in public domain.