KenH
Well-Known Member
The "well-intentioned", though depraved mindset of lost, moral, religious sinners is on full display by their thought process that comes up with ideals like this:
"Be careful how you live. You may be the only Bible some person ever reads.”
This mindset reveals their LOW VIEWS of God and His righteousness found in Christ alone, and their HIGH VIEWS of man's character and conduct as that which in reality saves, recommends, or keeps a sinner saved.
While it is true that every truly regenerated and converted sinner will and does seek to honor God in every area of their lives out of grace and gratitude to "Him who loved them and gave Himself for them", those "born of God" do not think for one moment that any aspect of their lives as justified saints sets forth the RIGHTEOUSNESS REQUIRED to truly bring an unregenerate sinner to true faith and true repentance - "So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do."(Luke 17:10) They TRULY UNDERSTAND the meaning of their Lord's words to the Pharisees, as well as EVERY SINNER WITHOUT EXCEPTION - "For I say unto you, That EXCEPT YOUR RIGHTEOUSNESS SHALL EXCEED the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven."(Matthew 5:20) Consider this: The PHARISEES had God's holy law, and OUTWARDLY they kept the law. Paul speaking of his own thoughts about his obedience before his conversion wrote: "Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, BLAMELESS"(Philippians 3:5,6). That word "blameless" in the original means 'FREE FROM FAULT, or unblameable'. If you FOLLOWED Saul of Tarsus's example as the "only bible you might ever read", the BEST you have is the righteousness (or better "SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS") of another SINFUL CREATURE, which IS NOT THE "RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD."
As sinners saved by God's almighty grace, we don't lead men to Christ by our character and conduct, but by the LIGHT OF THE GOSPEL which we declare, that message which preaches out the "righteousness of God" found exclusively in the PERSON and WORK of the Lord Jesus Christ - "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith."(Romans1:16,17) God's Word is CRYSTAL CLEAR on this matter: FAITH DOES NOT COME BY SEEING, but BY HEARING of the ONLY RIGHTEOUSNESS established by Christ, the ONLY RIGHTEOUSNESS required by God, and the ONLY RIGHTEOUSNESS that God truly MAKES HIS PEOPLE in Christ Jesus their Lord, the "righteousness of God" IMPUTED and rested in by God-given faith - "Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the WORD OF GOD."
- by Richard Warmack, pastor of Grace Baptist Church of Ruston, Louisiana
"Be careful how you live. You may be the only Bible some person ever reads.”
This mindset reveals their LOW VIEWS of God and His righteousness found in Christ alone, and their HIGH VIEWS of man's character and conduct as that which in reality saves, recommends, or keeps a sinner saved.
While it is true that every truly regenerated and converted sinner will and does seek to honor God in every area of their lives out of grace and gratitude to "Him who loved them and gave Himself for them", those "born of God" do not think for one moment that any aspect of their lives as justified saints sets forth the RIGHTEOUSNESS REQUIRED to truly bring an unregenerate sinner to true faith and true repentance - "So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do."(Luke 17:10) They TRULY UNDERSTAND the meaning of their Lord's words to the Pharisees, as well as EVERY SINNER WITHOUT EXCEPTION - "For I say unto you, That EXCEPT YOUR RIGHTEOUSNESS SHALL EXCEED the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven."(Matthew 5:20) Consider this: The PHARISEES had God's holy law, and OUTWARDLY they kept the law. Paul speaking of his own thoughts about his obedience before his conversion wrote: "Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, BLAMELESS"(Philippians 3:5,6). That word "blameless" in the original means 'FREE FROM FAULT, or unblameable'. If you FOLLOWED Saul of Tarsus's example as the "only bible you might ever read", the BEST you have is the righteousness (or better "SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS") of another SINFUL CREATURE, which IS NOT THE "RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD."
As sinners saved by God's almighty grace, we don't lead men to Christ by our character and conduct, but by the LIGHT OF THE GOSPEL which we declare, that message which preaches out the "righteousness of God" found exclusively in the PERSON and WORK of the Lord Jesus Christ - "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith."(Romans1:16,17) God's Word is CRYSTAL CLEAR on this matter: FAITH DOES NOT COME BY SEEING, but BY HEARING of the ONLY RIGHTEOUSNESS established by Christ, the ONLY RIGHTEOUSNESS required by God, and the ONLY RIGHTEOUSNESS that God truly MAKES HIS PEOPLE in Christ Jesus their Lord, the "righteousness of God" IMPUTED and rested in by God-given faith - "Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the WORD OF GOD."
- by Richard Warmack, pastor of Grace Baptist Church of Ruston, Louisiana