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Does Faith Cancel Obedience?, March 28
Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we
establish the law.
Romans 3:31
.
Faith is not an opiate, but a stimulant. Looking to Calvary will not
quiet your soul into nonperformance of duty, but will create faith that
will work, purifying the soul from all selfishness.
The faith in Christ which saves the soul is not what it is represented
to be by many. “Believe, believe,” is their cry; “only believe in Christ,
and you will be saved. It is all you have to do.” While true faith trusts
wholly in Christ for salvation, it will lead to perfect conformity to the
law of God.
There are two errors against which the children of God—particularly
those who have just come to trust in His grace—especially need to guard.
The first ... is that of looking to their own works, trusting to anything
they can do, to bring themselves into harmony with God. He who is
trying to become holy by his own works in keeping the law, is attempting
an impossibility.... It is the grace of Christ alone, through faith, that can
make us holy.
The opposite and no less dangerous error is that belief in Christ
releases men from keeping the law of God; that since by faith alone we
become partakers of the grace of Christ, our works have nothing to do
with our redemption.
But notice here that obedience is not a mere outward compliance,
but the service of love. The law of God is an expression of His very
nature; it is an embodiment of the great principle of love, and hence
is the foundation of His government in heaven and earth.... Instead of
releasing man from obedience, it is faith, and faith only, that makes us
partakers of the grace of Christ, which enables us to render obedience.
As Jesus was in human nature, so God means His followers to be.
In His strength we are to live the life of purity and nobility which the
Saviour lived.
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