August 30, 2009

SOVEREIGN GRACE BAPTIST CHURCH
Of Princeton, New Jersey

Matthew 5: 29: And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. 30: And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.

MEETING LOCATION
Rocky Hill Firehouse, 2nd floor
150 Washington Street, Rocky Hill, NJ, 08553

SCHEDULE OF SERVICES
Sunday 10 AM Bible Class
11 AM Morning Service
Thursday 7:00 PM Mid-week Service

WEB ADDRESSES AND MAILING ADDRESS
www.sovereign-grace.us/
www.sermonaudio.com/sgbcpnj
www.freegraceradio.com

7 Birch Street
Pennington, New Jersey, 08534
Phone: 615-513-4464
Email: clay@sovereign-grace.us

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www.sovereign-grace.us

NATURAL MAN IS IGNORANT OF SPIRITUAL THINGS
(Matthew 5: 21)
"Them of old time" perverted the commandments of God by interpreting the law of God as only the outward act of murder. This was the only interpretation which made them to appear as having obeyed the law and the only way they could give themselves the power to enforce the law. In this they broke the law and taught others to break it. Though the most religious, all they knew was the letter of the law. They did not appear outwardly immoral so they presumed that they had kept God's law. The result was pride, self-righteousness, continual judgment toward brethren and contentment with an outward form of godliness, in a word, they walked after the flesh. The same holds true of multitudes in our day (I Corinthians 2: 11-14.)

GOD'S HOLY LAW IS SPIRITUAL
(Matthew 5: 22)
The Lord Jesus Christ says, "But I say unto you." The law of God requires inward, spiritual perfection, in heart, in thought, and in mind, as well as outward perfection. "Thou shalt not kill" forbids all unjustified anger in the heart and all malice and mean speech. God looks beyond actions to our words, even our thoughts! (I Sa 16: 7; Ps 51: 6; Ro 7: 14.)

This is why the Son of God was made flesh and dwelt among us (Mt 5: 17, 18.) The Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, fulfilled the righteousness of the law for all those he represented (Ro 8: 3, 4.) The Lord Jesus Christ was and is holy, undefiled and separate from sinners in his character. His obedience to the precepts of the law is the righteousness he fulfilled for his people. His death in their room and stead satisfied justice on behalf of his people. Having been born of the Spirit, having been made a partaker of the divine nature, through faith in Christ we have fulfilled the law by what Christ has done for us. We are free from the law of sin and death, under the rule of Christ in the inner man and therefore walk after the Spirit.

FIRST BE RECONCILED TO THY BROTHER
(Matthew 5: 23, 24)
The context does not change as we enter verse 23. In this verse the Lord is using ceremonial, law-language, partly because at this time the bringing of gifts to a physical altar in the temple was the means of worship; mainly, because the scribes, the Pharisees and their followers, like all who are carnally religious, placed all importance in their acts of religion--their obedience, their gifts, their offerings, their self-denial, their self-sacrifice (Php 3:3.) The Lord commands to leave off bringing gifts and to first be reconciled to the brother who has a charge against you.

Who is truly the only brother who gives us no reason for which any should be angry? It is the Lord Jesus Christ. Compare what our Lord says here with the "ought" which he had against the Pharisees in John 8: 37-50. As you read it, remember we are dealing with the law of murder, with anger in the heart and with evil speech.

If you think you can come to God by your obedience then you are at enmity against God, angry with Christ and a murderer of the Prince of life in your heart. Coming to God in our own obedience, rather than through faith in Christ is unbelief, and unbelief is despising him, saying to him "Raca," "thou fool" (1 Corinthians 1:18; 1 Jn 5:10.) This word "fool" is used in another place to declare that we, who have walked in our wisdom, need to become the fools, that Christ might be made unto us Wisdom (I Cor 3: 8.)

There is no coming to God until we are reconciled to God in and by Christ, our only God and Savior, our only wisdom, our only atonement for sin, our only righteousness, our only sanctification and our only redemption.

AGREE WITH THINE ADVERSARY QUICKLY
(Matthew 5: 25, 26.)
If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men (Ro 12: 18.) But if a sinner in this world is your adversary to the degree described here by our Lord--his case against you is so strong that if you go before the judge you will go to prison and pay the uttermost farthing--will agreeing with your adversary cause your adversary to drop all charges? Not under the law of this land! But if your adversary is the thrice holy God, agreeing with him will get you only free mercy and grace!

When do we discover that God is our Adversary? When the commandment comes by the Spirit of God into your heart and sin comes alive (Ro 7: 9.); when we stand like Israel in the day when the commandment was given and they beheld the mountain on fire, quaking and fearful to behold and cried out for a mediator (Ex 20: 18, 19); then we behold that God "hath bent his bow like an enemy: he stood with his right hand as an adversary, and slew all that were pleasant to the eye in the tabernacle of the daughter of Zion: he poured out his fury like fire" (Lam 2: 4.) That is the day when we find that God has a lawsuit against us.

You have broken his every law. Agree with your Adversary! Your heart, your imaginations, your words, your deeds are all against him. Agree with your Adversary! All your very best works of religion, your casting out of men who did not measure up, your self-denial, your acts of benevolence are one more way you are seeking acceptance with God apart from Christ. Agree with your Adversary! The doing and striving which you call holiness is a desire to receive some part of the glory belonging to Christ the Sanctifier. Agree with your Adversary! The salvation which you long for is merely your desire to fulfill the lust of your flesh, instead of a desire to kiss the feet of Christ! Agree with your Adversary!

All God requires is that you agree with him, casting yourself on his mercy whiles thou art in the way with him. Christ is the Way of reconciliation between you and your Adversary! (2 Cor 5: 18-21.) Agree with him quickly. He delights to show mercy.

THEN COME AND OFFER THY GIFT
(Matthew 5: 23, 24)
Once we have been reconciled to God in Christ through faith then to what altar do we come? We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need (Heb 13: 10; 4: 16.)

The only access sinners have to God, the only acceptance we have with God, the only one upon whom all our spiritual gifts are holy and accepted with God is Christ Jesus our Altar (1 Pe 2: 5.) We are no longer looking to our gifts or the gifts of our brethren, we know no man after the flesh. Now we look only to Christ our Altar who is greater and sanctifieth the gift (Mt 23: 19; 2 Cor 5: 16-21; Ro 8: 5.)

When the Spirit of grace has caused us to give up all hopes of law righteousness then we trust Christ alone for righteousness, are filled with the fruits of righteousness and we love one another (Gal 5: 22, 23.) The production of the Spirit makes us willing for quick reconciliation with brethren, not because some Pharisee threatens or bribes us with the law of Moses, but because in this unity under Christ our Head, as members of his body, righteous in him, we know it is impossible to be angry with a brother without being angry with Christ and it is impossible to be angry with Christ without being angry with every other member (Ec 7: 9.) We are one in Christ (Ps 26: 6, 7.) We walk as such in the Spirit.

The law can not and will never do this. Grace does!

SERMONS
Vanity of a Would-Be-god (Notes Only)
The Work of My Hands
The Law of Murder
First Be Reconciled

ARTICLES FROM OTHERS
Lives That Become the Gospel
It Could Have Been
Motivated by the Law?
The Righteous Will Never Be Forsaken
Believing, Therefore Speaking
Idolatry; Moses' Anger.