[March 10th, 1878.]
The oldest, most plausible, and the most commonly repeated objection to salvation by grace is that it destroys the necessity of good works and also their importance. If men are not saved for their works, works are not necessary; if God is as willing to save the chief of sinners as the most moral of men, good works are not important. And, moreover, if the grace of God is more manifested in the salvation of the wicked than of the good, then the worse we are the better. These objections were made against Paul’s doctrine, and he answers them. They have been repeated a million times since. As the same objections were urged against the apostle’s teaching as are urged against the Protestant doctrine, it proves that our doctrine is the same as his.
The truth is, that good works are as necessary under the Gospel as under the law. It is still true that “without holiness no man shall see God,” that no adulterer, or drunkard, or reviler, or extortioner, or avaricious man, or liar, can enter into the kingdom of God. The necessity of good works is the same; the ground of that necessity is different. Under the law the ground is that moral works and reward stand in the relation of service and hire. Under the Gospel the necessity arises,
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From the nature of God and the immutability of the moral law.
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From the nature of faith, which is fruitful in good works, or it is not saving.
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From the nature of salvation, which is a deliverance from sin.
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From our relation to God as his children. We are not his children unless we reverence, love and obey him.
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From our relation to Christ as partakers of his life. We are not partakers of his life, unless we live as he lived.
Two Classes of These Good Works
I. Those religious and moral duties which are founded on our relation to God and our fellow-creatures.
II. Those we owe to Christ as his servants.
A slave is bound to be a religious and moral man, to be kind to his family and neighbors, but he is also bound to serve his master, to do the work assigned him. Such, indeed, is our relation to Christ, that these two classes are only different phases; for all religious and moral duties may be regarded as service rendered to him. Nevertheless, it is well to consider them distinct in their relations.
The command, “occupy till I come,” has reference to the latter class.
What are talents? All our physical and mental gifts, all our attainments, all our influence, all our time, everything capable of being used in his service are talents.
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Our duty is to regard these advantages as gifts, not as natural or acquired endowments, but as things given for a definite purpose.
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They are given, not to be used for ourselves, our society, or for the world, but for Christ. It is a higher thing to use them for the community and for mankind, than for ourselves, but it is not serving Christ unless done as such. A man may perform all his circle of secular, political duties, but if a religious man, he would do it as serving God, and if a Christian, as serving Christ.
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These talents, as they are not to be used for our own ends, so they are not to be used at our discretion. The slave and soldier must do as he is directed. He cannot follow his own will, or his own judgment. So we have a prescribed rule. Many men think they can serve Christ in a better way than that prescribed in the Bible (neglecting the order prescribed, commanding what Christ has not commanded.)
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We are to give an account of the use of these talents. The servant who did not use his was condemned. What shall be done to those who misuse theirs? or who use them for their own selfish purposes?
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Men will be rewarded according to their fidelity. Not according to their success, but according to their desire and effort to serve Christ. This is consistent with free grace.
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When we look back, how much we have to humble us. When we look forward, how much we have to animate and encourage. “Inasmuch as ye did it unto one of the least of these, my brethren, ye did it unto me.”
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