The gospel of the free and sovereign grace of God in Christ is perfect in every sense. It is truly the wisdom of God and shall accomplish that purpose to which He has sent it. It does truly prove to be a "savor of life unto life" to some and a "savor of death unto death" to others. I have watched as men hear the gospel of free justification through the blood and righteousness of Christ alone. This one message reveals what is really in the hearts of men in three ways.

First, it reveals the people of God! His sheep "hear His voice" in this gospel and "they follow Him." Those born of God's Spirit and given faith to believe on Him find in this message all hope for their soul, all pardon for their sin, all acceptance before God through the imputed righteousness of Christ and all spiritual blessings. It moves them in gratitude of heart for God's grace to them to follow Him, obey Him, honor Him, love Him and seek to glorify Him in their lives.

Secondly, it finds out the legalist! Those who would seek to stand before God at least in part by their own works and merit are manifested as they deny it, try to modify it or add to it. They are indignant at the thought that their works have no part in their justification before God. They must make more of what they do or don't do rather than what Christ has done. They claim to believe in salvation by grace but always follow the plain statements of free grace with a "but." Their claim is that such free salvation and its declaration will lead and encourage men to sin. This message of grace reveals that they are not resting in Christ and His finished work but in themselves.

Thirdly, it exposes the lawless one! The preaching of free justification does not make antinomians but it will reveal them. These who would go on in their sin, in disregard to God's plain commands, sometimes make appeal to the freeness of God's grace. They use grace to excuse their course of sin and disobedience. But had they not heard the gospel of grace, these individuals would have used something else to excuse their Godless conduct! Believers in grace do not continue in sin that grace might abound. It is not grace but sin which is the cause.

What will this gospel reveal of you?

Gary Shepard

To be entitled to use another’s name when my own name is worthless, to be allowed to wear another’s raiment because my own is torn and filthy, to appear before God in another’s person, the person of the Beloved Son--this is the summit of all blessing. The Sin-bearer and I have exchanged names, robes, and persons! I am now represented by Him, my own personality having disappeared. He now appears in the presence of God for me. (Heb. 9:24) All that makes Him precious and dear to the Father has been transferred to me. His excellency and glory are seen as if they were mine. I receive the love and the fellowship and the glory as if I had earned them all. So entirely one am I with the Sin-bearer that God treats me not merely as if I had not done the evil that I have done, but as if I had done all the good which I have not done, but which my Substitute has done. In one sense I am still the poor sinner, once under wrath; in another I am altogether righteous and shall be so forever because of the perfect One in whose perfection I appear before God. Nor is this a false pretense nor a hollow fiction which carries no results nor blessings with it. It is an exchange which has been provided by the Judge and sanctioned by the law, an exchange of which any sinner upon earth may avail himself and be blest.

Horatius Bonar

“In this matter (faith and believing) there are (as in most Bible statements) two sides; both to be held fast; belief in a person, and belief of a truth. The former, carried to an exclusive excess, lands us in mysticism; the latter, carried to a like extreme, ends in rationalism. We must realize both the Person and the Truth.” copied

Will a believer sin? Constantly. We are SINNERS SAVED BY GRACE. But when a justified sinner sins, it is even more sinful if he allows this to cast doubt and fear as to his state before God. Will God exclude us from His family? Will Christ cast us out of the kingdom? This is directly opposed to God's promise and the very ground of salvation, the righteousness of Christ. It is unbelief which always leads to self-righteous thoughts that we can do something to gain back God's favor. Believers, all Scripture encourages us to fight sin in every area. But when we sin, WE HAVE AN ADVOCATE WITH THE FATHER, JESUS CHRIST THE RIGHTEOUS, WHO IS THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.

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O LORD, REMEMBER US

We come, O Lord, as once there hung

The thief upon the tree,

Each sinner pleading for your grace,

“O Lord, remember me.”

We come, O Lord, to lift your praise;

And of Your kingdom sing.

May we by grace be found among

The chosen of the King?

We come, O Lord, Your covenant,

Your death for us to plead.

May all Your blood and righteousness

Meet each and every need.

We come, O Lord, and this we pray

Make now Your presence known;

And like the thief, as sinners saved

We’ll worship at Your throne.

We come, O Lord, Your Word to hear;

And from that sacred Trust,

The Spirit makes us clearly see,

You have remembered us!

Gary Shepard

(Tune: According To Thy Gracious Word)