INCIDENTS
OF GOSPEL WORK
or
by
Charles Stanley
Chapter
14
How
to walk in days of evil.
The
Word of God.
Righteousness
of God.
Righteousness
of Christ and Redemption.
In
Christ.
The
publication of these “Incidents” has been delayed some years. It is difficult
to write about that which concerns one’s self, except to set forth the riches
of God’s grace to the chief of sinners. The fully developed evil, and
blasphemous character of evil doctrine, is now rapidly coming to a head. How
would the Lord lead His servants to walk in such days? It is not so much in
attacking the evil as in holding fast the truth, “That ye should earnestly
contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.” (Jude 3). This
can only be by taking heed to the word of God. “All scripture is given by
inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for
correction, for instruction in righteousness.” (2 Tim. 3:16.)
Let
us dwell a little on this. It is not that the scriptures were given by
inspiration of men. It is not what they thought, but absolutely of God. He has
not left us in uncertainty, but has surely spoken to us, and His word is truth.
It is not what man says. It is not what the church says. May we have an ear to
hear what the Spirit saith unto the assemblies. What a priceless treasure the
holy scriptures are then, God speaking to us. It will not do to look at them
through human spectacles, so to speak, or hear them explained by human
authority. We must individually hear what God says to us. To say I can only
believe what God says, if my minister or my church says it is so, is to put man
between my soul and God, yea, to exalt man above God. Yet how often this is
done.
How
gracious, how consistent with Himself, to give us a divine certain revelation
of Himself in His word! That revelation is complete: there is no further
development. But how little have we studied and searched it! How little we
understand of its fulness! With many, the distinct object of the Spirit in each
book of the scriptures is very little understood, and hence what confusion! Passages
are often quoted which, if examined, would be found to refer to totally
different subjects.
Let
us take one or two important illustrations: “The righteousness of God.” How
commonly this is quoted from such scriptures as Romans 3:21-26, as if it meant
the righteousness of Christ. Is not this great and serious confusion? Is it not
as clearly as words can express, the righteousness of God in justifying the
believer, whether before Christ came or after — the righteousness of God
without law, or apart from law altogether? Not on the principle of law in any
sense, but “being justified freely by his grace [by God’s grace], through the
redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God hath set forth a propitiation
through faith in his blood, to declare his [God’s] righteousness for the
remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God. To declare, I
say, at this time, his [God’s]
righteousness: that he [God] might be just, and the justifier of him that
believeth in Jesus.” This great foundation truth, how God is righteous in
justifying, is scarcely ever heard, even in evangelical preaching. I have read
carefully the preachings at Exeter Hall and elsewhere, in defence of the
gospel, as attacked by hosts of infidel ministers; and I thank God for the zeal
of so many who spoke. Yet we are compelled to say on this most important truth,
“the righteousness of God,” the trumpet gave a most uncertain sound. No anxious
inquirer could tell from those preachings what “the righteousness of God”
means. It is so confused with the righteousness of Christ. Far be it from me to
seek to oppose those learned and gifted men. I would only seek to help. I am
sure nothing would help them and the whole church of God more than a clearer
understanding of this subject.
What
then is the righteousness of God? and what is the righteousness of Christ?
Righteousness is perfect consistency of character and actions, according to the
relation of one being to others, or with himself. Thus the righteousness of God
is the perfect harmony of His attributes in His dealings with all created
beings — perfect consistency with Himself, and that in justifying the ungodly
sinner. How could His perfect love to me a sinner, and His infinite hatred of
my sins, be in absolute harmony? The redemption work and infinite propitiation
for my sins, and substitution on the cross, is God’s only possible answer to
this awful question. Blessed be God, He is righteous, and my justifier! Let a
man place himself in honest truth before God as a guilty sinner, and then he
will find in the gospel the only possible, revelation of the righteousness of
God in justifying him. Now the way God is righteous in justifying the sinner is
“through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” The
scripture does not say through the righteousness of Christ imputed to the
sinner to restore him before God, just as if he had kept the law, and never
failed to keep it. It is quite a different gospel to seek to reinstate man as a
fallen child of the first Adam; and there is no mistake we are so liable to
make as this.
Bearing
in mind, then, that the righteousness of God is God’s whole purpose of
salvation for guilty man, from first to last, and that purpose has been
accomplished by Christ in redemption, let us then inquire, What is the
righteousness of Christ? and then what is the redemption that He has wrought?
The reader may not be aware that there is not exactly such an expression in
scripture as the righteousness of Christ; 2 Peter 1:1 is the nearest to it. But
there His Godhead is spoken of. We may say, however, the gospels present the
only perfect righteous Man that ever trod this earth: perfect, and in absolute
harmony with the mind and will of God, consistent with every relationship in
which He stood. But that obedience must go up to the death of the cross. He
must die, or remain alone. That one obedience must meet all the sinner’s need,
in order that the many may be made righteous. (Rom. 5:18, 19.)
He
must be a spotless victim, without sin, to do this, as it is written, “For he
hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the
righteousness of God in Him.” (2 Cor. 5:21.)
Thus
“Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.”
Every type and shadow, every sacrifice, the utmost demand and curse of the law
on the guilty (and that is what we surely are) has found its very end in
Christ. God is glorified above the heavens, in absolute righteousness in
justifying the guilty. Yes, God’s righteousness is exalted above the highest
heavens, before the whole universe. Praise ye the Lord!
But
is this Christ keeping the law, and that placed to man’s account to restore
him, and make good his standing before God as a law keeper? Does righteousness
come in this way by law? If so, there is no meaning in redemption. And it is
remarkable, that wherever this different gospel is preached, which is not
another gospel, redemption is not understood and seldom referred to.
What
is redemption? Now, before reading another line, take a sheet of paper, and
write down what you understand by redemption, especially if you have held that
Christ’s keeping the law is one half of our salvation, and His atoning death
the other half.
Let
us take God’s own type for illustration: the redemption of Israel from Egypt.
It would require quite a different story to illustrate the different gospel.
Take just one point in Exodus 5. They are in bitter bondage as slaves; they
have no straw, and they cannot make the count of bricks. They are in sore
distress. Does Moses, as a figure of Christ, make up the count of bricks for
them? Are the bricks that Moses made imputed to them, so as to make up the full
legal count? There is no such thought in a single figure of the Old Testament,
or a verse in the New. Redemption is not the amelioration or improvement of man
as the slave of sin and Satan; but, as in Egypt, it is the bringing man out of
the place of slavery altogether into an entirely new place and condition. And
this could only be by the blood of the Lamb. Is it not so whether we speak of
the present redemption of our souls by His precious blood, or the still future
redemption of our bodies at the resurrection? It is the bringing of that which
is ransomed from one state to another. Redemption is not the improvement or
making good the old man. When Israel had passed through the water, figure of
death, they were dead to the law of brick-making in Egypt. They passed out of
that state altogether. Is not this the very secret of the believer’s power for
a holy, righteous life even here? Being dead to sin (Rom. 6:11), is he not to reckon this to be so? Is he not also as dead
to law? “Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body
of Christ, that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from
the dead, that ye should bring forth fruit unto God.” (Rom. 7:4)
This
is God’s way. Man’s way is just the opposite. He would say, “If you are born of
God now, you must be married to the law to bring forth fruit by keeping it; and
where you fail, the law-keeping of Christ will be imputed to you to make up.”
Can any soul have peace or deliverance in that way? Read the whole of this
chapter before us. (Rom. 7.) Here is the very case: a man born again, but still
under law, trying to find some good in the flesh, in the utmost distress as we
have all found: he cannot make his count of bricks. It is not a make-weight or
helper he needs. He finds there is not a bit of good in the flesh. As born of
God he delights in the law of God; but, ah, that other law in his members! He
needs, and in Christ he finds, full deliverance.
Well,
you may say, I have, through the grace of God, believed the free forgiveness of
sins, through the atoning death of Christ. Is there not something more? I do
not seem satisfied. Well, it is blessed to hear and believe, that “Through this
man is preached unto you the forgiveness of I sins.” And even as to this part
of the gospel, it is well to know the sure witness God has given. Not only has
Jesus been delivered for our offences, but God raised up Jesus our Lord from the
dead, and for this very purpose, in view of this which we so need: “And was
raised again for our justification.” Believing this we are reckoned righteous.
“Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God, through our Lord
Jesus. Christ.” (Rom. 4:24, 25; 5:1.) Yes, we are justified from all our sins
accounted righteous through what Christ has done for us on the cross. But then
Paul not only preached free forgiveness through Jesus,
but he also said, “And in Him every one that believes is justified from all
things,” &c. (Acts 13:39, literal translation.) If we are believers, what
have we not in
Christ? Do you say, I
want to be sure I have righteousness? “In Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto
us wisdom and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption.” (1 Cor.
1:30.)
Do
you want to be assured that there is no condemnation to you? “There is,
therefore, now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus.” (Rom. 8:1.)
Do
you say, I want this old sinful nature to be improved, and made fit for heaven?
Ah, there is no such thought in scripture. No, on the cross the Holy One of God
was “sent in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the
flesh.” (Rom. 8:3, and 2 Cor. 5:21.) No, the righteousness of God is seen
condemning our sinful nature on the cross, as well as in Jesus bearing our
sins; and thus, by the cross, He set aside for ever the old man with his deeds,
and gives the believer a new place in Christ, the second or last man.
Oh
think what it is to be in Christ. This was the purpose of God before the
foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in
love; but all this “in Him.” (Read Eph. 1:3-7.)
And mark what God has given us in Him, according to His eternal purpose. No, it is not
the lost man restored and made a good Jew under law. Mark these words: No, we
do not know Christ after the flesh. It is not Moses making up the bricks under
law, but, “Therefore, if any man, be in Christ he is a new creature [creation]:
old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things
are of God,” &c. (2 Cor. 5:15-17)
What can the believer
need or even desire more, except grace to walk worthy of this high calling in Christ Jesus. He is thus our
righteousness, but not to make good the old man under law. It is what He is
now, made unto us, as risen from the dead. As He is so are we, and all of God.
Oh what a difference is felt and enjoyed, when we come to the end of all hope
of the flesh under law, and find all in Christ
in resurrection! Not I, but Christ. Oh God, our Father, bless these few remarks
to the deliverance of many souls; and to Thy name be all praise!
C. Stanley.