THE HEART OF LAWLESS CHARGES

Romans 3:21: But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; 22: Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: 23: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

The reason the apostle Paul was labeled by will-worshipping religion as an outlaw (and all true messengers of God) is because the righteousness of God is manifested without the law--that is, without the sinner's obedience to the law. There is no other way to proclaim the gospel of Christ but by continually setting this forth. The righteousness of God by faith of Christ is only unto those whom Christ represented before God and only upon all them that believe.

Yet, the carnal mind hates God and thus sinners will not confess that there is no difference between those who seek righteousness and sanctification with God by their obedience to the law of God and those heathen idolaters who do not even have the law of God. Salvation has to be by grace, from the righteousness that Christ's faith accomplished, upon those chosen sinners whom God has given faith for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.

You see, our sin has so polluted our hearts before God that, apart from the irresistible grace of God, we will insist that it is our act of believing that justifies rather than insisting that our faith is the result of the Holy Spirit's circumcising the heart, God's unmerited love and Christ's perfect obedience. Without salvation being of the triune God sinners simply will not confess our sin nor bow to Christ Jesus, the Lord and Righteousness. We will turn faith into a work.

This is what the self-righteous Pharisees of our day defend when they charge the Lord's people with lawlessness. It was a love for self and a filthy-rag-obedience-to-the-law instead of the Lord Jesus Christ that made our Redeemer call the Pharisees thieves and robbers and it is the same with Pharisee's in our day (John 10: 1.) I would rather take sides with Christ against any pretence of righteousness in myself, and thus suffer name-calling, than take sides with the Pharisees of our day against Christ.

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SOVEREIGN GRACE BAPTIST CHURCH Of Princeton, New Jersey