Sermon #1042 Miscellaneous
Sermons
Title: Free-Will or
Free-Grace?
Text: Psalm 115:1
Reading:
Subject: Salvation by Grace Alone
Date: Friday evening – September 4, 1992
Thirteenth Annual Sovereign Grace Bible
Conference
Tape #
Introduction:
Nothing
in all the world is more foolish, more debasing to humanity, more dishonoring
to God, and more assuredly damning to the souls of men than idolatry. It is
pathetic to see men and women worship gods that other men have made, dumb gods,
made by the hands of ignorant men! (Read vv. 4-8.) Idolatry is a hideous evil.
Illustration:
The Maian Ruins
Mexicans
Worshipping The Virgin Mary.
Cold
Spring, Ky
But
the most abominable form of idolatry in the world is that which Paul calls
“will worship”, the worship of yourself (Col. 2:23). Those who attribute
salvation in whole or in part to the will, work, or worth of man are the most
abominably evil idolaters in the world, for they worship themselves.
Freewillism is the worship of self. Legalism is the worship self. Free-will
works religion makes man his own Savior, for it makes the will, work, or worth
of man the determining factor in salvation.
Now
hear me well – If your salvation in whole or in part is looked upon by you as
something that is dependent upon or determined by your will or your works, you
are a lost, Christless soul, and idolater. You may talk about God and grace,
Christ and redemption, the Holy Spirit and regeneration; but you really worship
yourself. You trust in your own decision. Your confidence is in your personal
goodness. Your peace is derived not from what Christ has done, but from what
you have done. In your opinion the thing that separates you from the damned is
not the will of God, the work of Christ, and the call of the Spirit, but your
own will, your own work, and your own worth.
Tonight,
I want to go directly into the dark, idolatrous chambers of your heart and
destroy your gods. My subject is Free-will or Free-grace? Arminianism,
free-will works religion has three characteristics by which it may always be
identified. It goes by many different denominational names; but it always has
these three characteristics, no matter what denominational name it wears. The
religion of the Beast can always be identified by these three characteristics.
Three characteristics of the religion of the beast are:
5.
False religion always has an exalted view
of man.
The
Word of God declares that man is dead in trespasses and sins, that all men are
guilty, depraved, condemned, and helpless by nature, that there is “none that doeth good,” that no man left
to himself can or will come to Christ, trusting him alone as Savior and Lord.
Is that, or is it not, the language of Holy Scripture? It most assuredly is!
Yet, all free-will works religion says that, “Though man is depraved, he is not
dead. Though he is lost, he is not helpless. Though he sins, he is not utterly
sinful. Though he is condemned, he still has his free-will. Man needs God’s
help. He cannot save himself without God’s help; but his eternal destiny, his
salvation, depends upon the work of his own will! It is not God, but the sinner
himself who determines whether he will be saved.”
2.
False religion always gives a demeaning
view of God.
God
says, “Thou thoughtest that I was
altogether such an one as thyself” (Psa. 50:21). Arminians, free-willers,
idolaters think that God is like man, weak, subject to change, frustrated.
·
They
do not deny that God is sovereign, but they talk of “limited sovereignty,”
making the Creator in somethings (in most things!) to be subject to the
creature!
·
They
do not deny the death of Christ or redemption by his blood; but they limit the
merits of his death and the efficacy of his blood, making the ultimate factor
in redemption to be the will of man!
·
They
do not deny the necessity of the Spirit’s call; but they make the call of the
Spirit to be nothing more than an influence upon the emotions of men that men
have the power to either negate or make effectual by their own wills!
2.
False religion always gives sinners
something to do to get, keep, or improve God’s favor upon them.
Though
most loudly denounce salvation by works, when examined closely, all false
religion is works religion. Augustus Toplady put it this way – “Every religion
except one puts you upon doing something in order to recommend yourself to
God…It is the business of all false religion to patch up a righteousness in
which the sinner is to stand before God. But it is the business of the glorious
gospel to bring near to us, by the hand of the Holy Spirit, a righteousness
ready wrought, a robe of perfection ready made, wherein God’s people, to all
the purposes of justification and happiness, stand perfect and without fault
before the throne.”
This
is what I am saying – False religion always makes room for the flesh to glory.
The great contest between the religion of the world and the religion of Christ
is just this – Who is entitled to the praise and glory of the sinner’s
salvation? Is salvation by free-will or by free-grace? To answer that question
I make no appeal to the preachers and theologians of the past, though I thank
God for what he has taught me through the writings of those faithful men who
served him in past generations. And I make no appeal to the preachers and
theologians of the present, though I truly thank God for his faithful witnesses
who minister to my soul. I turn, instead to the Book of God, our only rule of
faith and practice (Psa. 115:1).
Who
is entitled to the praise and glory of salvation? What does the Bible say? “Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto
thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth’s sake!”
Is
salvation by the free-will of man, or by the free-grace of God? What does the
Bible say? “It is not of him that
willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy!” (Rom.
9:16).
What
do I mean when I use that vile, ugly, reprehensible term – “free-will”? I mean
anything decided, determined, or done by the sinner to attain God’s salvation.
NOTE:
Free-will is the
religion of Lucifer! (Isa. 14:12-14).
What
do I mean when I use that glorious, God-honoring, all-important term
“free-grace”? I mean everything decided, determined, and done by almighty God
to bestow salvation upon his elect. Free-grace is the sovereign, voluntary,
eternal, immutable, unconditional, uncaused, uncontrolled, gratuitous bounty of
God, by which salvation in all its branches is accomplished. It is this grace
that reigns unto the eternal life of chosen sinners through the righteousness
of the Lord Jesus Christ (Rom. 5:21).
I
want us to briefly examine every aspect of salvation as it is set forth in the
Holy Scriptures to see if there is anything respecting the salvation of a
sinner that is ascribed, in whole or in part, to the will of man, the work of
man, or the worth of man, or if salvation is in its’ entirety ascribed to the
free-grace of God alone.
Illustration:
A
local Campbellite preacher recently wrote,
“The Bible says that ‘salvation is by
grace’; but it never says, salvation is by grace alone.” He is right. The Bible
nowhere says it; but it teaches it everywhere!
Proposition:
It is my intention to
show you from the Word of God that God alone deserves and shall have all the
praise of salvation, because salvation is the work of God alone.
Divisions:
Let’s look at what God
says about salvation. For the sake of keeping our thoughts in order, we will
look at salvation from three directions:
1.
What God has done for us.
2.
What God is doing in us.
3.
What God shall do with us.
NOTE:
As we open the Word of
God, if you find any place where any part of salvation is attributed to man’s
free-will, I urge you never to hear me, or any of these brethren again; for, if
salvation is by man’s free-will, we do not know God. We are al false prophets.
However, if salvation is altogether ascribed to God, then you must never again
hear a preacher of free-will, for the free-willer does not know God. He is a
false prophet.
I
First, let’s look back at what God Has Done For Us.
Salvation
begins in eternity. Long, long before God began his work of grace in us he
began his work of grace for us. If your thoughts about salvation are limited to
what you experience in time, you have a very limited and perverse view of God’s
work. Salvation includes the past, the present, and the future. I have been
saved; I am being saved; and I shall be saved.
With
regard to what God has done for us, is salvation attributed to the free-will of
man, or to the free-grace of God? Let’s see!
A.
In
surveying this momentous, glorious thing called “salvation”, let’s begin where God began, with the eternal
election of his people in Christ.
To
whom are we indebted for this, the first of all spiritual blessings? Pride
says, “To me!” Self-righteousness says, “To me!” Free-will says, “To me!”
“Election must be based upon something God foresaw in me!” Faith joins with the
Word of God and says, “Not unto us, O
Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for they mercy, and for thy
truth’s sake!”
“’Tis not that I did choose Thee,
For, Lord, that could not be;
This heart would still refuse Thee,
Hadst Thou not chosen me.
My heart owns none before Thee;
For Thy rich grace I thirst;
This knowing, if I love Thee,
Thou must have loved me first.”
Hear
the testimony of the Apostle Paul (Rom. 11:5-6).
·
“There is a remnant.”
·
“According to the election of grace.”
·
“And if by grace, then it is no more of
works; otherwise grace is no more grace.”
“Grace ceases to be grace unless it is
totally and absolutely irrespective of anything and everything, whether good or
bad, in the objects of it”
Augustus Toplady.
We affirm that God’s election of some to
salvation and eternal life was a work of unconditional grace, because grace and
conditionality are two incompatible opposites. The one totally destroys the
other. They cannot exist together, anymore than two objects can occupy the same
place at the same time. If you slip in works, you push grace out. If you
establish grace, you push works out.
A.
God’s
next work for us revealed in the Scriptures was the everlasting covenant of
grace, ordered in all things and sure from eternity.
Are the blessings of that covenant made
between God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit conditioned upon
our works, or are they conditioned upon God’s work? Is the immutability of the
covenant determined by man’s free-will, or by God’s sovereign will? Are
repentance, faith, obedience and perseverance conditions of the covenant, or
fruits of the covenant? What saith the Scripture? (Heb. 8:8-12; 2 Tim. 1: 9-12;
Rom. 9:9-16).
Illustration:
The
Reading Of The Will.
·
The
Covenant was established in eternity.
·
The
Covenant was put into force at Calvary.
·
The
Covenant is read in the preaching of the Gospel.
·
The
Covenant is received by faith.
·
Faith
itself is a covenant gift of grace (Eph. 2:8; Jer. 32:38-41).
What do we say, with regard to God’s
covenant and all the blessings of it? Was God’s covenant established upon the
will of man, or upon the will of God? The will of God! Was God’s covenant put
into force by the work of Christ, or does it wait upon the work of man? The
work of Christ! Does God’s covenant recognize the worth of man, or the worth of
Christ? The worth of Christ! Is God’s covenant the result of man’s free-will,
or of God’s free-grace? God’s free-grace!
When we think of the covenant then, and
all its blessings, let us sing this song – “Not
unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and
for thy truth’s sake!”
A.
Then,
in the fullness of time, God sent his Son into the world to suffer and die as
our Substitute, to make atonement for our sins and
redeem us from the curse of the law.
Read the Scriptures with me (Isa. 53:6,
8-10; 2 Cor. 5:21; Gal. 3:13; Heb. 9:12; 1 Pet. 1:18-20; 2 Pet. 2:24; Rev.
5:9-10).
NOTE:
The whole doctrine of
the gospel stands or falls upon this one point – “How that Christ died for our sins according to the
Scriptures!” (1 Cor. 15:3). Be sure you understand the doctrine of the
Scriptures. I am not preaching a theory of the atonement. I am preaching the
biblical doctrine of the atonement!
·
Christ
died by the will of God!
·
Christ
died as a Substitute for God’s elect! “For
the transgressions of my people!”
·
Christ
accomplished the redemption of his people when he die don the cross by
satisfying Divine justice for us!
·
Christ’s
work of redemption is a finished work of grace!
“‘Tis done! The great transaction is
done,
I am my Lord’s, and He is mine!”
·
To
be redeemed is to be forgiven!
·
To
be redeemed is to be justified!
·
To
be redeemed is to be accepted!
Where in the Bible are these things said
to be the possession of all men? Where are these great blessings of redemption
attributed to the free-will of man? These works of redemption are the works of
God’s free-grace alone!
Redeemed sinners in heaven, what say you
to the great and glorious work of redemption? Hear their answer – “Thou art worthy, O Lamb of God, for thou
hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and
people, and nation!”
Redeemed sinners upon the earth, what say
you about the redemption of your souls? “Not
unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and
for thy truth’s sake!”
Those are the great works of God for us,
by which we are saved. Not one of them are dependent upon or determined by
man’s free-will. They are all the works of God’s free-grace in Christ.
·
Electing
grace!
·
Covenant
grace!
·
Redeeming
grace!
“To
God be the glory, great things he hath done!”
I
Secondly, I want us to briefly consider what
God is doing in us (Tit. 3:4-7).
This is the experimental part of
salvation. It is as essential as election and redemption. As the work of God
for us is altogether of grace, so the work of God in us is a work of grace
alone. Listen to the Word of our God – “It
is the Spirit that quickeneth, the flesh profitteth nothing!” ((John 6:63).
A.
Regeneration is a work of grace alone
(Eph. 2:1-4).
B.
The conviction of sin, righteousness, and
judgment is the work of grace alone (John 16:8-13).
C.
Faith in Christ is the work of grace
alone (Eph. 1:19; 2:8; Col. 2:12).
NOTE:
When we declare faith to
be necessary to salvation, the Hardshell cries, “There, is not believing a
work? Have you not slipped in works?” No! Faith is God’s work in us!
D.
Good works are the work of grace
(Gal. 5:23-24; Eph.
2:10).
“It
is God which worketh in you, both to will and to do of his good pleasure!”
E.
Perseverance is the work of grace alone
(John 10:27-28; Phil.
1:6; 1 Pet. 1:5).
We believe in the perseverance of the
saints because we believe in the perseverance of the Savior.
F.
Yes, even sanctification is the work of
grace alone.
Let me camp here for just a minute.
Contrary to the report of some, I do know the difference between sanctification
and justification. I know wherein the two differ; and I know wherein they
agree. They agree in this – Both are works of grace!
Sanctification is holiness. To be
sanctified is to be made holy. This great work of God is never once ascribed to
the will, or work of man. It is always ascribed to the grace of God alone.
Grace makes unholy men and women holy.
·
By
imputed righteousness in justification.
·
By
imparted righteousness in sanctification.
To be sanctified is to be made a saint.
It is not the pope who makes men saints. Neither do sinners make themselves
saints. Grace alone makes sinners to be saints!
NOTE:
The word “sanctify” is used six times in the New
Testament. The word “sanctification”
is used five times. “Sanctified” is
used 16 times. But never even once, in those 27 places, is sanctification
ascribed to the will or works of man. It is always ascribed to God and his
glorious grace.
We are said to be sanctified…
·
“Through the truth” (John 17:19).
·
“By faith” in Christ (Acts 26:18).
·
“By the Holy Ghost” (Rom. 15:16).
·
“In Christ” (1 Cor. 1:2).
·
“In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ,
and by the Spirit of our God” (1
Cor. 6:11).
·
“By the will of God, through the offering
of the body of Jesus Christ” (Heb.
10:10).
·
And “by God the Father” (Jude 1).
But
never, not even once, in the New Testament is sanctification said to be the
result of any man’s will or work. It is the work of God’s free-grace!
What
does God say about the work he is doing in us? He says, “My grace is sufficient for thee!” What have saved men in the past
said about it? “By the grace of God I am
what I am!” And what do you and I say about it? “Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for
thy mercy, and for thy truth’s sake!”
I
Lastly, think for a minute about what God shall do with us.
The
Lord is not done with us yet. There are a few things yet to be done. But none
of them depend upon us!
A.
Soon the Lord God will bring us safely
across the swelling Jordan into our heavenly Canaan
(Ex. 15:16-18).
Our
dear Savior, who has led us through the wilderness of life, will not leave us
at the edge of the river. He will bring us into the land of rest. That heavenly
city standing before us…
·
Is
Built Upon A Foundation Of Grace.
·
Has
A Door Of Grace.
·
Is
An Inheritance Of Grace.
As
God brought Israel into Canaan, not for their righteousness, but for his name’s
sake, so he will bring us into glory, not for our righteousness, but for his
name’s sake.
Illustration:
“He’s got more to lose
than me. If I perish, I’ll lose my soul, but God, He’d lose his glory!”
Illustration:
Darrell McClung - “Thank God for that man in heaven! Thank
God for Christ! O how I thank God for the blood of Christ!” – “I’m still
looking for that Man in heaven!”
1.
In the resurrection day the Lord Jesus
Christ will complete his work of grace for us, in us, and with us.
1.
There will be a glorious resurrection!
·
Christ
is coming again!
·
He
will unite our bodies with our souls!
·
He
will conform us to himself perfectly!
2.
There will be a glorious judgment!
That
judgment will not be to decide who shall enter into heaven, but to demonstrate
who is worthy and why! In that great day our God will display in us, to wondering
worlds of men, angels, and devils, the wonders of his matchless grace!
3.
There will be a glorious presentation!
·
“Then cometh the end!”
·
“Lo, I and the children!”
·
“Holy, without blame, before him!”
4.
There will be a glorious introduction!
The
Lord Jesus Christ will introduce us, a great, glorified multitude, which no man
can number, into everlasting glory. There we shall forever increase in the
knowledge of, and love for, and praise to the Lord Jesus Christ.
This
inheritance of heavenly glory, whatever it is, is an inheritance of free-grace!
It is ours by…
·
Eternal
Predestination! (Eph. 1:11).
·
Lawful
Purchase! (Heb. 6:20).
·
The
Gift Of God! (Rom. 6:23).
In
heaven’s everlasting glory this shall be our endless, melodious song of praise
– “Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but
unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth’s sake!”
The
whole work of salvation is the work of God’s free-grace by Jesus Christ. He
alone shall have the praise for it. “This
is the word of the Lord…Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the
Lord of hosts…He shall bring forth the headstone (for the completion of his
temple) with shoutings, crying, grace,
grace unto it!…(His) hands have laid
the foundation of (his) house; his
hands shall also finish it!” (Zech. 4:6-9).
Application:
The
believer boasts not of his free-will, but of God’s free-grace alone (1 Cor.
1:29-31; Phil. 3:3).
·
Grace
chose me!
·
Grace
redeemed me!
·
Grace
called me!
·
Grace
keeps me!
·
Grace
shall bring me home to God!
·
To
God alone I ascribe all praise for his free-grace. “Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for
thy mercy, and for thy truth’s sake!”
1. Let
every will worshipper be warned!
If you trust your will, your works, or
your worth to any degree, you are yet without life before God (Gal. 5:1-4).
“You are an infidel, if you trust your
own righteousness…You have, in the sight of God, neither part nor lot in this
matter. You are spiritually dead while you pretend to live. Until you are
endued with faith in Christ’s righteousness, your body is the living coffin of
a dead soul! A Christian is a believer not in himself, but in Christ.” (Augusta
Toplady)
Cast off your righteousness. Come to
Christ. Trust his blood and righteousness. If you do, you are an heir of
free-grace. You too will sing – “Not unto
us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and for
thy truth’s sake!”
2. Let
every believer make a clean, public, permanent break with all false,
free-will,works religion
(Rev. 18:4; 2 Cor. 6:17 - 7:1).
Come out of Babylon! Come out and God
will receive you!
3. Let
every ransomed sinner be humbled
(1 Cor. 4:7; 2 Thess. 2:10-14).
Let
it be ours ever to extol the matchless free-grace of God in Christ. “Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto
thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth’s sake!”
Amen.