By David J. Stewart | May 2014
Galatians 3:24-25, “Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.”
The Bible teaches that the Old Testament law was our SCHOOLMASTER to bring
us to Christ. The apostle Paul speaks in past tense, because he is now a
born-again Christian, and Paul has already graduated from the school of Old
Testament law.
Romans 3:19, “Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.” The law of God is a school teacher (master). Class is in session! The university of Old Testament law aims to educate you and me concerning how big of a sinner we really are! How good of a student are you? How well are you paying attention? Galatians 3:24-25 tell us that the law BRINGS US TO CHRIST! Romans 10:3-4 tells us that the END OF THE LAW IS CHRIST! That means if you have been a good student, and have paid attention in class, then you have learned that YOU ARE A HOPELESS SINNER AND CANNOT SAVE YOURSELF!
Romans 10:3-4, “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.” The PURPOSE of God's law is to be used as a measuring stick to show us all as individuals, our SINNERSHIP!
You cannot show me even one place in the Bible where we are told to “turn from sin” or “repent from sin” to be saved. However, the Bible DOES tell us to repent from DEAD WORKS! Hebrews 6:1, “Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God.” In Matthew 7:21-23 we read about a group of unsaved religious people who boasted, “LORD, LORD,” have we not “DONE MANY WONDERFUL WORKS” in thy name? My friend, that was their whole problem... WORKS! They were boasting of their own self-righteous WORKS. Hebrews 6:1 speaks of repentance from DEAD WORKS.
Beware of the false teaching in most churches today, even many Baptist churches, which says that we are saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone; but you also have to stop sinning to get saved, and commit your life to Christ, surrendering fully to Christ's Lordship. This is like a passenger in a car giving the driver contradictory directions, telling the driver to turn right and left at the same time. Either salvation is by grace or it is by works, but it cannot be both. We learn this truth in Romans 11:6, “And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.” An excellent book on the subject of salvation is titled, I NEVER KNEW YOU, by Michael Patrick Bowen. May I kindly say, “GRACE IS NO MORE GRACE” in every church that teaches the heresy of Lordship Salvation.
The way to be saved is to COMPLETELY REST IN CHRIST! The following wonderful passage of Scripture plainly teaches that Jesus is our Sabbath IN WHOM WE COMPLETELY REST FOR SALVATION . . .
Hebrews 4:1-11, “Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it. For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works. And in this place again, If they shall enter into my rest. Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief: Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts. For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day. There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his. Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.”
In Luke 18:18-24 we learn about the rich young ruler, who came to Jesus and asked, “What shall I DO TO INHERIT ETERNAL LIFE?” This young man thought he could earn his way to Heaven. Jesus reminded him about the Commandments of God. The young man said, “ALL THESE HAVE I KEPT FROM MY YOUTH UP.” He was basically boasting, saying, “I AM A GOOD PERSON!” Jesus perceived that he was self-righteous, so the Lord used the law of God the way it was intended to be used, that is, as a measuring stick to show us our awful sinful condition and total inability to save ourselves. This rich young ruler was TRUSTING IN HIS OWN WORKS TO GET TO HEAVEN! Jesus showed the wealthy young man that he had not kept the commandment prohibiting covetousness! My friend, WORKS will send you straight to Hell when you die!
The heresy of Lordship Salvation that has crept into most of our churches today, even Independent Baptist Churches, teaching that it is not enough to graduate from the school of Old Testament law and place your faith in Christ for salvation. That is, they say it is not enough to admit your guilt of sin and believe the gospel to be saved. According to the heresy of Lordship Salvation, a person must reform, have intent to change, forsake the world, make a full surrender to serve Christ, and turn away from a lifestyle of sin as a prerequisite to placing one's faith in the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. In reality, they are only placing PARTIAL FAITH in Christ, plus their own willingness to stop living in sin (which is self-righteousness... DEAD WORKS).
May I remind all of my web visitors that the PURPOSE of God's law is NOT TO COMPEL A PERSON TO FORSAKE SIN AND LIVE RIGHTEOUSNESS! This is what the heresy of Lordship Salvation foolishly focuses upon.
In sharp contrast, the PURPOSE of the Old Testament law is to show mankind OUR TOTAL SINNERSHIP AND UTTER INABILITY TO SAVE OURSELVES. Do you see the difference? This is the major difference between Biblical salvation and the heresy of Lordship Salvation. The heresy of Lordship Salvation focuses on forsaking sin and living righteously, which sidesteps the purpose of God's law; whereas Biblical salvation focuses upon the law which shows a person their sinnership and total inability to save them self, and then brings that person to Jesus Christ Who CAN SAVE SINNERS!
Granted, from a religious point of view, especially Roman Catholicism's understanding of penance, remorse and purgatory, it seems logical that a person needs to feel deep regret, remorse and sorrow in order to be saved; however, when we focus solely upon THE SCRIPTURES, then we learn that the Old Testament law simply shows men their SINNERSHIP AND INABILITY TO MERIT ETERNAL LIFE. The law shows us that salvation is not possible without faith in the redemptive work of Jesus Christ. If you have been a good student, then you now know that ONLY by faith in Christ's death upon the cross for our sins, His burial, and His resurrection from the dead three days later CAN SINNERS OBTAIN ETERNAL LIFE. The Old Testament law shows us OUR NEED. Christ fulfils that need.
