Regional Synod of Canada - Reformed Church in America

Pioneer Christian Monthly

Date - Oct/91

Contributor - Henry VanEssen

Title - By Grace Alone

Topic - Reformation

The other day I was talking to a farmer who has a Master's degree in Agriculture from Guelph and who also holds -down a full time teaching position at neighbouring Centralia Agricultural College. Our discussion turned to cash crop farming and to the prices the farmers were receiving for corn, wheat, soya beans. My friend made the point that farmers in Huron county receive about $2.40 a bushel for corn which costs them well over $3.20 to grow, if the weather is favourable. He then made the point that cash crop farmers who had no debt five years ago and who have had good crops since are quite a bit in debt today. They have had to borrow against their farm in order to keep on farming. The more they farm the more they lose.

All Have Sinned

This is the position of every human being in this world before the Lord God. For God's word declares that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Romans 3:23. Therefore no human being will be justified in [God's] sight by works of the law. Thus every mouth is stopped and the whole world held accountable to God. Romans 3:19,20. 'To be justified by the Lord God' means that when I appear before His judgment throne He will declare me to be just before Him. And it is His judgment which counts. It does not matter what I think of my life. It matters how the Lord God judges it. And His word clearly teaches that all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment, or, as another translation has it, as filthy rags. Isaiah 64:6 "Now if our RIGHTEOUS deeds are unacceptable to the Lord God, then we better say nothing about the not so 'righteous' things we may have done or said." For clearly our position before the Lord is as the cash crop farmers in

Canada: The longer we live, the more we fall short of the glory of God.

Building on the Rock

This reminds me of the true story about the leading elder in a congregation of the Presbyterian Church of Scotland. 'ne minister was preaching a series of sermons on the book of Romans. This particular Sunday the subject had been salvation by grace alone. After worship the minister entering the choir room to take off his gown found most of the choir in discussion with the leading elder. The elder, past retirement age, said with a loud voice: "No, I am sure I heard the minister right: All my work for this congregation, all my visits, all my commitment, mean nothing as far as my salvation is concerned!" Then noticing the minister the elder turned to him and asked, "Isn't that right, Mr. Torrance?" Prof. Torrance, telling us students this, said, "I could only agree with him, for this is what Scripture teaches." That week the elder did not feel well, and ended up in bed. His whole fife had crumbled. For he had built his whole (church) fife not on the only foundation who alone is the Rock that nought can move, but beside it. He had built his hope on his works, on the quality of his life, and not on the Lord Jesus Christ.

Salvation All of Grace

Grace in Scripture means 'God's favour, totally undeserved.' To be justified by grace means then to be declared just totally undeservedly. When Scripture speaks about being justified by grace 'as a gift' the word 'gift' means 'without payment.' hi other words, there is nothing that people can contribute to being declared righteous by God. No matter what we people do here on earth, no matter how good our intentions, no matter how intense our prayer life, no matter how strong our commitment, no matter how large our gifts, we will always be in the position of the cash crop farmers in Canada: the more we try, the further we fall short of the glory of God, the 'filthier' our rags' get. Often we are not aware of what we are doing.

But when through the enlightenment by the Holy Spirit the truth dawns upon us we will be cut to the heart and cry out: "Brethren, what shall we do?" (Acts 2:37). Yet even seeing what we have done is the fruit of God's grace. Our eyes by nature are blinded by the god of this world. I Corinthians 4:4. Thus salvation is all of grace. For this is our salvation: When we are declared just by the Lord God while by nature condemned by our disobedience and rebellion against Him.

No Free Will?

The battle at the time of the Reformation was not concerning 'Salvation by grace.' It was concerning 'Salvation by grace ALONE.'The Roman Catholic counter reformation move was the Council of Trent. And that Council wanted to keep the door open for just a little cooperation by man. The Roman Catholic Church would not let go of t he idea of merit. Somewhere the work of man contributed at least a little to his own salvation. But the Reformers insisted that Scripture teaches that we are justified by grace as a gift through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus. Today we are still fighting the same battle, and not just with the Roman Catholic Church. There is much teaching floating around in Protestant (also evangelical) circles, which allows, or even suggests that our salvation depends at least partly on OUR will, which is said to be FREE. But the Lord Jesus teaches that who ever commits sin is a slave of sin (John 8:34). And a slave is enslaved, completely under the control of his/her master. No co-operation with the Lord God is possible until such a person has been transferred from the dominion of darkness into the kingdom of God's be loved Son (Colossians 1:13).

The Price was Paid

Yet someone paid for that grace. That was the Lord Jesus Christ. He kept the whole law of God perfectly, for He fulfilled the law and the prophets. Matthew 5:17. He suffered the penalty of sin which was ours. Isaiah 53:6. He took the place of all who em brace Him by faith. So God's grace is free, but costly. His favour to those who are dead in trespasses and sins comes only through the work of salvation by His Son become flesh. Thus we must be saved by grace alone through the Lord Jesus Christ, our Saviour. On Christ the solid Rock I stand; all other ground is sinking sand. I rest on His unchanging grace.

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