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                            The Gospel of Grace

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By David Wilkerson
April 13, 1992
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          "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with
          God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have
          access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and
          rejoice in hope of the glory of God.... For if by one
          man's offence death reigned by one, much more they
          which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of
          righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ
          (Romans 5:1-2, 17).

          Do you remember what your life was like before you
          surrendered to Christ? You were an enemy of God living
          in blindness, a lost soul without hope. You were
          ungodly, guilty - and the wrath of God was "abiding on
          you" (see John 3:36).

          How did you find forgiveness and acceptance before God?
          How did you enter into the blessed assurance you were
          saved, rejoicing in the love of Jesus Christ?

          Was it because God saw something good in you? Did you
          possess some inherent righteousness that attracted Him
          to you? Did you earn His favor with obedience and
          kindness?

          No - absolutely not! No one is ever saved by his own
          works or merit. Scripture says, "But we are all as an
          unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as
          filthy rags" (Isaiah 64:6).

          All our sins are blotted out and we are reconciled to
          God by faith in the shed blood of Jesus. It is by grace
          alone we are saved - and not by anything we have done.

          The theological definition of grace is "the unearned
          pardon, mercy and favor of God," Scripture says: "But
          of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto
          us wisdom, and righteousness [which is justification],
          and sanctification, and redemption" (1 Corinthians
          1:30).

          Please don't be put off by all the terms in this verse.
          Simply put, the goal of the gospel is redemption - and
          God's grace includes everything He has done for us
          through Christ to redeem us from the power the devil
          and bring us into the kingdom of his glorious light!

          Justification is the cornerstone of grace. To be
          justified by God means to be "acquitted" - forgiven of
          all sin and guilt - and to be considered holy and
          righteous before Him.

          No one is justified - that is, he cannot become holy or
          righteous - by his own works, obedience or
          faithfulness. Rather, these things are all the result
          of a justifying faith in the power of Christ's blood to
          make us acceptable in God's sight: "For by grace are ye
          saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is
          the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should
          boast" (Ephesians 2:8-9).

          "Even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might
          be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the
          works of the law; for by the works of the law shall no
          flesh be justified" (Galatians 2:16).

          Here is the foundation of all faith, which every
          believer must fully under stand. Your entire walk with
          God depends on it:

          You can't have peace with God if you do not know how
          you are made right before Him. You must be fully
          convinced you are clear hefore God, not by your own
          diligence or works, but by believing and trusting in
          the victory of the Cross of Jesus!

          The apostle Paul did not want to be found standing
          before Christ in his own righteousness. Here was a good
          man - a Pharisee who had diligently kept all the
          numerous rules and regulations of the law. He paid
          tithes faithfully. He loved God with all his heart. He
          attended all the functions of the synagogue. He studied
          the Word of God endlessly. He loved his fellow man and
          went about doing good. According to the law, Paul was a
          perfect man.

          But all that became as rubbish to Paul - he counted it
          all as loss - when he came into the revelation of the
          righteousness of Christ!

          "But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss
          for Christ.... And do count them but dung, that I may
          win Christ, and be found in him, not having mine own
          righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is
          through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is
          of God by faith" (Philippians 3:7-9).

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                       To Be Made Righteous By Faith
                            Is The Hardest Thing
                         For The Flesh To Accept!

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          There are many sincere believers today who have not yet
          submitted to the righteousness of Christ. They still go
          about trying to please God by their good deeds. They
          accept salvation by faith but then they want to take
          over from there!

          There is something in our flesh that rebels against a
          faith-walk. We want to earn our salvation - to help God
          out! We don't mind being saved by faith; but we don't
          want to live by faith. Our flesh cries out, "All my
          obedience, all my hard work to please God - it has to
          count for something!" Yes, it is worth something - but
          not for meriting forgiveness and pardon!

          We don't want to accept that we are made right before
          God simply by believing. We would rather "bite the
          bullet" - and when temptation overwhelms us, we say
          through gritted teeth, "Bless God, I'll get victory if
          it kills me!" (And it will kill you!).

          But that is not the path to victory. Obedience and
          faithfulness come as a result of standing steadfast on
          the rock of justification by faith alone!

          Paul said this of a certain people: "They have a zeal
          of God, but not according to knowledge. For they being
          ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to
          establish their own righteousness, have not submitted
          themselves unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is
          the end of the law for righteousness to every one that
          believeth" (Romans 10:2-4).

          These people were trying "to establish their own
          righteousness." We know that process by another name:
          legalism!

          Legalism is misunderstood by most Christians. Even most
          ministers don't know what it is.

          I used to believe legalism had to do with man-made
          rules and regulations designed by sincere, God-loving
          people who were trying to lead holy lives. I thought it
          was all about observing dress-code restrictions and
          other do's and don't's.

          No - legalism is much more subtle than rules and
          regulations. It goes far beyond that!

          When I was a boy, I heard evangelists thunder against
          the sins of the day. They preached against bobbed hair,
          women's "open-toe" shoes, makeup and fancy dresses.
          This was called "Holiness" preaching - but the
          standards kept changing with the new fads.

          I thought that was legalism!

          When I first came to New York City more than thirty
          years ago, I was shocked by all the rigid rules in
          Hispanic Pentecostal churches. Our workers would go to
          the streets, pray with drug addicts and try to get them
          into local churches. But if a newly saved girl was
          wearing jeans or makeup, the pastor would rush out and
          say, "You can't come in here dressed like that!"

          One minister told a young girl, "Go home and dress like
          a woman - then come back. We don't allow worldliness in
          this church!"

          I thought that was legalism!

          A young couple in England who received our newsletters
          began listening to tapes of our services at Times
          Square Church. They grew to love the messages of
          holiness. So they came to visit - but when I met them
          after a service, they looked hurt, crushed, their eyes
          filled with tears. They told me they were upset because
          the women in our church did not wear head coverings!
          They said, "How can the Holy Spirit be at work here,
          when you don't obey the command to cover a woman's
          head?"

          I thought that was legalism!

          I hear from prayer groups all across the country who
          are tossed, turned and left confused by all kinds of
          new rules brought in by passing teachers. One tells
          them, "You must kneel to pray. God hears only those who
          kneel." Another teacher comes along and says, "You must
          sit in His presence. You need not kneel - that is
          Catholic!" Someone else says, "You must stand when the
          Bible is read. You dishonor God when you sit during the
          reading of the Word!" Yet another tells them, "That is
          bondage! Jesus made the people sit when He preached the
          Word!"

          I thought all this was legalism!

          It is indeed all rules and regulations. But all of this
          is only a part of legalism - it is not the heart of the
          matter.

          Legalism is far worse than all these things. In fact,
          all of us have a bit of its leaven in our hearts -
          because legalism is based on pride!

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                        Legalism Is an Outward Show,
                     a Facade - a Pretense of Holiness
                        to Impress People, Not God!

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          At its heart, legalism is a desire to appear holy. It
          is trying to be justified before men and not God!

          Legalism is wanting to be known as a prophet, a man of
          prayer, a woman of intercession - and feeding and
          fostering such an image!

          The legalist is not out to earn justification. He is
          more interested in appearances, in impressing other
          Christians that he is devoted, pious, serious, all-out
          for God. He says, "I am deeply religious - and
          everybody ought to see it!"

          We see this in the Jewish Talmudic writers' list of
          seven classes of Pharisees. Among these classes were:

             * The Shechemites. These Pharisees said long prayers
               in public to be considered holy - but on the side
               they robbed widows of their estates!

             * The Stumblers. These were so mock-humble they
               wouldn't dare lift their feet before a holy God.
               Instead, they shuffled along with a "poor, humble,
               insignificant me" attitude.

             * The Bleeders. This group would not lift their eyes
               from the ground, lest they look at something evil.
               They got their name from constantly walking into
               walls; the more they bled, the holier they were!

          Beloved, these types are in every church! They have a
          sad, serious, "holy" look. Some of them dare not raise
          their hands to praise God - nor clap and be happy or
          joyful! They think of themselves as "shut in with God,"
          holy, above everybody else. They sit in "deep
          meditation," their lips moving, lost in the Spirit. Yet
          "all their works they do for to be seen of men"
          (Matthew 23:5).

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                        God Has Lovingly Reminded Me
                      of Some of My Legalistic Games!

                      -------------------------------

          Last year, Gwen and I spent a vacation at a Florida
          hotel with some dear friends, a couple from Texas, Dr.
          and Mrs. Rice. We all had spent the week seeing Disney
          World, and now we just wanted to relax. As we stood in
          the lobby of the hotel, Gwen suggested we go to the
          Rices' room to play dominoes.

          Now, I know the Rices have always considered me to be a
          righteous man - and I figured I didn't want to blow it!
          I realized that during the week our friends hadn't once
          seen me retreat to pray. I thought, "How am I supposed
          to be holy in front of these people if I don't go
          pray?"

          So I told them, "I'm sorry, I can't play dominoes. I
          need to go in my room and touch God. You all go ahead
          and play."

          But do you know what I was really saying? "I don't have
          time to waste, like you poor earthlings! You worldly
          minded ones go and tinkle around with dominoes. This
          prophet is going to shut himself in with God!"

          (I ask you: How can you relax at playing dominoes when
          you know that someone like that is nearby, "pleading
          with God"?)

          When I got to our room it was about eight o'clock. I
          thought, "I'll watch just a half hour of CNN News -
          then I'll pray." One hour of news later, CNN announced
          an upcoming documentary on the rise and fall of Hitler.
          I quickly reasoned, "That has to do with prophecy - I
          have to see it!"

          At a quarter to ten, I'd already seen Hitler rise and
          fall - when I heard Gwen coming down the hall!

          I jumped up, ran to the TV, shut it off, turned out the
          light - and fell on my face in the dark at the foot of
          the bed!

          When Gwen walked in she saw her devoted prophet husband
          getting up slowly from his holy position - piously
          acting as if he had been in prayer for two hours. I
          looked up meekly, rubbing my eyes, and said to Gwen,
          "Oh, honey, isn't the Lord good?"

          I hope you can laugh at this as loudly as our
          congregation did when I shared it in my sermon! But,
          more importantly, I hope you laugh at it hard enough to
          drive the truth down into your soul: We all play games.
          trying to maintain a facade of holiness before people!
          I had to maintain my image of a holy man - and that is
          legalism at its worst!

          The fact is, people who truly have the righteousness of
          the Lord don't have to put on airs. They are common,
          ordinary folks who know how to weep and laugh and enjoy
          Jesus and the fellowship of the saints. They are
          involved in other people's burdens and needs - and
          they're not always "shut away," trying to maintain an
          image!

          We all look at appearances - but God sees the heart! We
          each need to come down from our high horse of
          pretentious holiness - to be honest and ourselves, the
          way we know God sees us. That is the only way to enjoy
          true fellowship with Him and with each other!

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                     Beyond Legalism Is the Perversion
                          of the Gospel of Grace!

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          Grace as it is preached in many churches today is
          producing a class of Christians who are still pleasure
          lovers, deeply involved in sin. Multitudes today live
          like the devil, yet claim, "I am the righteousness of
          Christ by faith!" Beloved, that is a lie from the pit
          of hell! They are deceived!

          A few years ago, on my Sundays off between crusades, I
          used to drive by a certain church that preached what is
          called "the grace message." (This isn't a Baptist,
          Presbyterian or Pentecostal doctrine; the gospel of
          grace is indeed the gospel of Jesus Christ.) As I drove
          by, the deacons stood outside smoking, several of them
          shaking off a hangover from Saturday night.

          Some of these men were known adulterers, some
          wife-beaters Still others were known around town as
          cheats in their business. Yet, because of the "grace
          message" they heard, they were convinced they were
          justified, no matter how they lived - that they were
          made the righteousness of God in Christ.

          I knew the pastor of this church to be a righteous man.
          But there was something wrong with his message: He
          didn't preach the entire gospel!

          He once told me, "David, I really believe in
          righteousness. And if you have the righteousness of
          Christ, it will produce a desire to be pure and holy."

          But I thought to myself, "Wait a minute! You've been
          preaching to these people for eight years! After all
          that time, where is the evidence among them of a pure
          walk with God? Why hasn't your "grace" message produced
          a truly godly congregation who are separated from
          worldliness? Why is there still so much divorce, and so
          many illegitimate babies born to your teenagers? Many
          of your people still live for the devil, they're dying
          and going to hell - and you know it!"

          Beloved, I preach without reservation that
          justification and righteousness come by faith alone. I
          am saved by faith, made righteous by faith and kept by
          faith in Christ's blood. That is the very foundation of
          the gospel and of true grace preaching.

          But not all faith is justifying faith! The Bible
          clearly speaks of two kinds of faith: one that
          justifies, and another that is of no value - a faith
          that even the devils exercise!

          The book of Acts records that Simon the magician
          "believed" - but his faith was not the justifying kind.
          "Simon himself believed also: and... he was baptized"
          (Acts 8:13). Simon offered the apostle Peter money to
          get the power of the Holy Ghost - but Peter answered,
          "I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness,
          and in the bond of iniquity" (verse 23) He was saying,
          "Your heart is still bound by sin!"

          Peter told Simon that without repentance both he and
          his money would perish! Indeed, Simon believed - but he
          was not made the righteousness of God in Christ! His
          faith was not justifying faith - the kind that purifies
          the heart and brings the righteousness of Christ!

          Scripture says many people "believed (in Jesus)... when
          they saw the miracles which he did. But Jesus did not
          commit himself unto them... for he knew what was in a
          man" (John 2:23-24). These people had a belief in
          Christ - but it wasn't the faith of those who receive
          "power to become the sons of God" (1:12).

          Justifying faith is more than a faith of assent; it
          does more than just acknowledge God. James argued:
          "Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well:
          the devils also believe, and tremble" (James 2.19).
          James was talking about a dead, temporary faith - not
          an eternal one. And Jesus warned about this kind of
          faith, saying some believe "for a while... (but) have
          no root... and in time of temptation fall away" (Luke
          8:13).

          But there is a justifying faith - one that "purifies
          the heart" (see Acts 15.9) and "believeth unto
          righteousness" (Romans 10:10). The great Puritan writer
          John Owen said it well:

          "We absolutely deny that we are justified by that faith
          alone which can be alone - that is, without a principle
          of life and obedience in all things, at all times....
          For we recognize no faith to be of the sanctifying
          kind, but that which virtually and radically contains
          in it an obedience at all times - yea, we acknowledge
          no faith to be justifying, which is not itself a
          spiritually vital principle of obedience and good
          works."

          For faith to be justifying, there has to be an
          accompanying desire to obey and be faithful to God!
          This kind of faith contains a vital force - a principle
          of everlasting obedience and love for God. Anything
          short of that is a dead, temporary faith. It does not
          produce the true benefits of grace - but instead it
          mocks grace!

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                Many "Grace" Preachers Do Away With the Law
              Before It Can Do Its Work Of Convicting of Sin!

                 ------------------------------------------

          We are not saved by the law but we are convinced and
          convicted of our sin by the law! "For by the law is the
          knowledge of sin" (Romans 3:20).

          The law was sent "that every mouth may be stopped, and
          all the world may become guilty before God" (verse 19).
          "The law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ,
          that we might be justified by faith" (Ga1atians 3:24).

          "The law is holy... and just, and good. Was then that
          which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin,
          that it might appear sin, working death in me by that
          which is good; that sin by the commandment might become
          exceedingly sinful" (Romans 7:12-13).

          Paul was saying, "I couldn't really confess my sins
          until I knew they were sins! I couldn't seek after the
          holiness of God until I saw how far from Him I was! The
          law hit home to me, destroying my nonchalance about sin
          When I saw God's holiness by His commandments, sin
          became utterly sinful to me!"

          That is the conviction that drives you straight to the
          arms of Christ, crying, "Mercy, Lord! I can't save
          myself, I can't fulfill Your law. I've seen the sin of
          my heart!"

          Faith has been defined as "the flight of a convicted,
          repentant sinner unto the mercy of God in Christ
          Jesus." Only the person who has been convicted of his
          sins by the law of God will "flee to Christ" for
          refuge.

          On the day of Pentecost Peter stood and offered the
          crowds the gospel of God's grace. But first he put them
          under the blazing light of the law! He pointed his
          finger and said, "Ye have taken, and by wicked hands
          have crucified and slain... Jesus... both Lord and
          Christ" (Acts 2:23). The people were pricked in their
          hearts - so utterly convicted by the Word of God they
          cried out, "What shall we do?" (verse 36).

          Adam was given the gospel of grace - after his "eyes
          were opened" (see Genesis 3:7). It was only after he
          had seen his pitiful condition and the consequences of
          his sin that God brought to him the message of mercy
          and hope!

          This is why modern-day grace preaching is not changing
          sinful hearts: because it does not open the eyes of the
          sinful! There is no guilt, no shame, no sorrow for sin.

          Pardon for sin is being offered to people who do not
          even admit they are sinful! They are offered
          justification for sins they have never felt guilty of
          committing... deliverance when they don't even know
          they are bound... righteousness for which they do not
          hunger or thirst... freedom from a holy wrath they
          don't know rests upon them!

                     ---------------------------------

               There Is a Spirit of Lawlessness in the Land!

                     ---------------------------------

          The sinner calls it "rights": The right to practice
          homosexuality. The right to abort. The right between
          consenting adults to do with their bodies whatever they
          choose. In short the right to do whatever they please!
          Sinners want all these rights - but do not want to pay
          any penalties and consequences. That is a spirit of
          lawlessness!

          This spirit is now creeping into the church: "Give me
          free pardon and everlasting life - without any cost.
          Free me from all guilt and condemnation. Promise me a
          justification I can never lose. But don't disturb me by
          asking me to lay anything down! Let me have it my way
          without giving up my personal freedom, without any call
          to obedience!"

          This may not be what is actually said - but it is what
          is lived. And now we have invented a queasy "grace
          message" with no foundation on which to build a holy
          life - a gospel that appeases the spirit of lawlessness
          in our land!

          You may be saying, "I don't understand all these Bible
          doctrines - grace, justification, sanctification. It's
          all too confusing."

          Dear saint, God gives us something very simple, which
          we all can understand: "God resisteth the proud, but
          giveth grace unto the humble" (James 4:6).

          If you have any pride in you - especially in thinking
          you are more spiritual than others - then you can be
          sure God will bring you down. He says He will resist
          you!

          But God pours out His grace to the humble! You don't
          have to figure out how to get this grace. James 4:6
          says He will give it to you!

          "Humble" as used here means "broken in spirit,
          repentant." It is a sense of emptiness, helplessness,
          need. You don't have to understand any doctrine to be
          humble before God; you don't have to wonder if you are
          doing everything right. God says, "Just stay broken -
          stay needy, hungry and thirsty. And I will supply all
          the grace you need!"

          "Submit yourselves therefore to God" (James 4:7). While
          this ungodly world cries, "Give me my rights, let me do
          it my way" - God's people submit to Him! We cry, "Not
          my will or my rights - only Yours, Lord!"

          If your heart is pricked in any way by this message, it
          is a good sign God is dealing with some pride in you.
          Can you laugh at your own games of hypocrisy and
          legalism? If so, you can laugh the devil right out of
          your soul!

          Can you say right now, "All my righteousness and
          goodness are filthy rags in God's sight, without the
          blood of Christ. But because of the blood, all my
          works, obedience and faithfulness are received as a
          sweet-smelling savor unto the Lord!" That, beloved, is
          true zeal for God - and for holiness and righteousness!

          ---
          Used with permission granted by World Challenge, P. O.
          Box 260, Lindale, TX 75771 USA.

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