The Gospel Vs. Legalism

Many believers and non-believers today are confused about God’s salvation. In this two part series, we will look at “The Gospel Vs. Legalism” concerning salvation. Part one will touch on the initial salvific act of God on a sinner’s behalf. Part two will touch on “The Gospel Vs. Legalism” concerning sanctification. Presently, we’ll define the Gospel and how God saves a sinner initially. Since October 31^st is next Tuesday (the Reformation anniversary), let’s briefly look at some history.

In reflecting upon the 500 year anniversary of the Reformation, we remember a return to the true Gospel. The Church, at the time, was promoting works righteousness in order to get to God. God in His grace, worked in many instrumental people’s lives to proclaim His truth rebutting man’s faulty ways. We thank God for them!

The word "Gospel" is a translation of the Greek word euangelion, meaning "good news". That's exactly what it is: God's Good News on how to be saved! There is no other "good news". In other words, there is no other way to be saved, other than by the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians 15:1-4:

          1      Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand,
          2      by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain.
          3      For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,
          4      and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,

This is the Gospel! Paul writes in Romans 1:16-17: “16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “BUT THE RIGHTEOUS man SHALL LIVE BY FAITH.”

Read Ephesians 2:1-10 carefully:

          1      And you were dead in your trespasses and sins,
          2      in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience.
          3      Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.
          4      But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us,
          5      even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),
          6      and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,
          7      so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
          8      For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;
          9      not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.
          10    For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.

There’s no need for further explanation on these two passages. They clearly proclaim that “Salvation belongs to the Lord…” (Ps. 3:8). This passage in Ephesians will serve as a launching point for next weeks’ part two: “The Gospel Vs. Legalism” concerning sanctification. One more passage on today’s topic:

Titus 3:3-8:

          3      For we also once were foolish ourselves, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, spending our life in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another.
          4      But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared,
          5      He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit,
          6      whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior,
          7      so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
          8      This is a trustworthy statement; and concerning these things I want you to speak confidently, so that those who have believed God will be careful to engage in good deeds. These things are good and profitable for men.

In closing, may we heed Paul’s words in Philippians 3 when he dealt with the legalists of his day:

          1      Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things again is no trouble to me, and it is a safeguard for you.
          2      Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of the false circumcision;
          3      for we are the true circumcision, who worship in the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh,

Thanks be to God!

New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. (1995). (1 Co 15:1–4, Ro 1:16-17, Eph 2:1-10, Tt. 3:3-8, Php 3:1-3). La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.

“Wait for the LORD…”

We were created to work (Gen. 1-2). Believers are specifically created unto “good works” (Eph. 2:8-10). Waiting is a difficult task. One might think of waiting as an inactive or passive state. The Bible speaks otherwise. Thoughts have crossed my mind, “God, I want to do something for You…but I can’t.” Waiting is doing something for God.

Life is full of instances where we are waiting for specific things (an unsaved child to come to Christ, healing in a broken relationship, fruit to be born in ministry – you fill in the blank). Really, the whole Christian life is in a waiting state as we eagerly await the return of our Lord Jesus (Tit. 2:13; Heb. 9:28; 2 Pet. 3:20; Jude 21). We are not, however, idle during our waiting. For the Lord is working in us through the waiting, for His glory!

In Psalm 27, we are called to “Wait for the LORD; be strong and let your heart take courage; yes, wait for the LORD.” Our waiting draws us to dependence upon Him, who “…is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed;” (2 Cor. 9:8). Paul tells the Corinthian Church, who have been transformed (and are being transformed as they await the future and final transformation): “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.” (1 Cor. 15:58). Read this verse again. (See Rom. 8:18-39 and Heb. 11-12 and context). We see this all over the Bible where saints are to live in perseverance of doing good, awaiting the blessing of the Lord.  

In both the Old and New Testaments, people waited in expectation of something. Noah waited for the dove to return with a sign of dry land (Gen. 8:10-12). The Psalmists repeatedly tell of waiting for the LORD (Ps. 27; 37; 62; 130) and the people of God waited for Messiah’s coming. There are many more examples of waiting in the Bible. But I want to highlight that we are being prepared in our waiting unto the sure hope that the Lord has promised – eternal life (Tit. 3:4-8)! Don’t waste your waiting-filled life. Live for the Lord, anticipating eternal life with Him (Jn. 10:10).

The Lord does bless us in this life (Ps. 103). We praise Him and thank Him for this, including the greatest blessing of knowing Him (e.g. Ps. 100)! This blessed life with God foretastes the reality of our hope and will only increase until that day – come Lord Jesus!


New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. (1995). (Ps 27:14; 2 Co 9:8; 1 Co 15:58). La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.

Living in the Presence of God

Psalm 27:4

One thing I have asked from the LORD, that I shall seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD and to meditate in His temple. 

With all the things we humans are seeking after and asking for (even of the LORD), it's striking what David says in Psalm 27. He sought to be in the LORD's presence "...all the days of [his] life, to behold the beauty of the LORD and to meditate in His temple."

Have you ever heard the term, coram Deo? It is a Latin term that means, "in the presence of God" (Wikipedia). Ligonier Ministries defines it as follows:

This phrase literally refers to something that takes place in the presence of, or before the face of, God. To live coram Deo is to live one’s entire life in the presence of God, under the authority of God, to the glory of God.

Living (everything we do) in the presence of God; so simple, yet so all-encompassing! Read passages like Psalm 84 and really focus on what this means. Psalm 37:3-4:

3 Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness. 4 Delight yourself in the LORD; and He will give you the desires of your heart. 

When we do, as Psalm 37:3-4 says, there are no higher priorities. Everything else falls in place.

John 10:10: "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I [Jesus] came that they may have life, and have it abundantly." John 3:16: "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life." This is the Gospel: that Jesus died for our sins, and rose again. This is the glory of the new covenant (see 2 Cor. 3). Believe in Him today and always, and live in the presence of God (cf. Heb. 4:14-16; 10:19-25). As we do this, we will reflect His glory to all those watching (2 Cor. 3:18).

Ephesians 3:14-21:

14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, 16 that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. 20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. (1995). (Ps 27:4; Ps 37:3-4; Jn 10:10; 3:16). La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
http://www.ligonier.org/blog/what-does-coram-deo-mean/
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Eph 3:14–21). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

Look to Jesus

Hebrews 12:1-2

          1      Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
          2      fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

"[Look to Jesus]...That's the Christian religion in a nutshell isn't it?" (Pastor Jeremy Cagle, Suffering with Christ).

The book of Hebrews proclaims the message, "Jesus is better". The opening portion of verse 1 in chapter 12 references back to chapter 11. Those saints bear witness to the hope of God: Christ and our eternity in and with Him. Verses 39-40 of chapter 11 say,

          39      And all these, having gained approval through their faith, did not receive what was promised,
          40      because God had provided something better for us, so that apart from us they would not be made perfect.

Because of Christ, us believers will one day be made perfect in Christlikeness (Rom. 8). Christ Himself and His glory is the end and hope towards which we strive. As a note, when I say, "hope", I do not mean something that might happen. Rather, hope Biblically defined is that which will certainly be brought about (cf. Heb. 6:9-20 & context).

Meditate on the rest of Hebrews 12:1-2. You, Christian, are in a race. 1 Corinthians 9:24-27:

          24      Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win.
          25      Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable.
          26      Therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air;
          27      but I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.

With reference to the passage above, the victory for believers is the intimate knowledge of Christ Himself, for His glory! He is worthy for us to run all-out. Spend your lives on Christ (Matt. 16:24-28), knowing that His grace is sufficient (Rom. 6; 2 Cor. 12). Jesus is "the author and perfecter of faith". He, our "captain of salvation" (2:10) has blazed the trail ahead for us. He gives us faith (Eph. 2:1-10).

          24      Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy,
          25      to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen. - Jude 24-25

Romans 15:13 is my prayer for you:

Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

For further reading, perhaps read one of the following passages a day for the next week: Ps. 121; Phil. 3, 4:13; 2 Cor. 5; 2 Tim 4:6-8, Heb. 11 & 1 Pet. 1.

New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. (1995). (Heb 12:1–2, 11:39-40; 1 Co 9:24-27; Jud 24-25; Ro 15:13). La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
http://gracefellowshipchilliwack.com/th_sermon/suffering-with-christ/