Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit · Sermon No. 2093
Delivered on Lord’s Day Morning, May 26, 1889
“For as many as are of the works of the Law are under the curse; for itis written, Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them. But that no one is justified by the Law in the sight of God is evident, for the just shall live by faith. Yet the law is not of faith, but, the man who does them shall live by them. Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us for itis written, Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree, that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.” Galatians 3:10-14.
THE Apostle tells us, in the eighth verse, that the Gospel was preached to Abraham. Very briefly, very tersely but very fully was the Gospel proclaimed to him in those words, “In you shall all families of the earth be blessed.” The true Gospel is no new thing, it is as old as the hills. It was heard in Eden, before man was driven from the garden and it has since been repeated in sundry ways and in many places, even to this day. Oh, that its very antiquity would lead men to venerate it and then to listen to its voice! It is “Gospel,” or good news—the best of news for fallen men. Oh, that they would receive it with gladness!
The Gospel blessing which was thus preached to Abraham and to his seed, came to him by faith. He was justified by his faith, as it is written, “Abraham believed God and it was counted unto him for righteousness.” The blessing, which is the soul of Abraham’s Gospel, must come to us in the same way as it did to him, namely, by faith. And if we expect to find it in any other way, we shall be grievously mistaken. There were some in Paul’s day who were “of the works of the Law,” and expected to obtain the blessing through their own doings. But they could not find it. We have many around us who are practically looking for Gospel blessings upon legal principles.
The object of our sermon is to show them their certainty of failure. And, at the same time, to make clear that way of faith by which the curse is rolled away and the blessing comes to the chosen seed.
To begin with—our first head is this—Blessedness comes not to those who are of the works of the Law. And the second head will be, Blessedness comes to those who are of faith. We shall need no other divisions but we shall greatly need the gracious aid of the Holy Spirit that by His Grace these may be plainly and powerfully set forth before our minds. I want so to speak that you shall go with me, not in hearing only, but in feeling and in believing, practically taking home and feeling the power of the Truth of God.
When a minister is studying a sermon, his best preparation comes through his feeling, himself, the power of his subject. He rehearses his discourse before the little audience of his own heart and conscience. And in observing the effect produced, he arrives at some idea of how the Word will operate upon others. He that has run the gauntlet of a Truth of God and felt all the heavy blows which it levels at his own conscience is likely to deliver that Truth to others with tender sympathy and full assurance. Such a preparation, I think, I have had—and I pray that you may be benefited by it.
I. Let us learn, at the outset, that BLESSEDNESS COMES NOT TO THOSE WHO ARE OF THE WORKS OF
The Law
First, observe the fact, as the Apostle states it very positively—“As many as are of the works of the Law are under the curse.” You cannot be under the curse and yet be partakers of the blessing. A man cannot be in darkness and in light at the same moment—he cannot be under the curse of the Law and under the blessing of the Gospel, too. All who are of the works of the Law are under the curse and consequently none of them are blessed with faithful Abraham.
Note well the persons spoken of—“As many as are of the works of the Law”—that is, all of you who hope, by the works of the Law, to commend yourselves to God. We are all “of the works of the Law” by nature, because it is our bounden duty, as creatures, to keep the Law of our Creator. He is our Benefactor, our King, our Lord and God, and He has claims upon us which we ought not to disown. He has set forth those claims in the Law of the Ten Commandments and these are binding upon all of us, without exception. Because we have disobeyed that Law and denied to God His just claims, our violation of the Law has brought us under its penalty, which is described as “the curse.”
No man has always kept all the Law and consequently every man that is of the works of the Law has come under the curse and must remain under it unless ransomed in the one appointed fashion. If you read those Ten Commandments through, as you should do very carefully, you will have to pause at each one and say, with solemn truthfulness, “I have broken this.” Especially will this be the case if you remember the truth that the Law is spiritual and deals with thoughts, desires, imaginations, motives—yes, with your nature itself.