I recently listened to the audiobook, “12 Years A Slave” by Solomon Northrop. It really is an excellent book that tells the story of slavery from the perspective of a person who had previously been free. I know I am extremely late to the party, but it really is a very good book that you should read.
The author was a free black man living in the Northern United States. He had a wife and kids at home whom he dearly loved. He was a good enough violin player that his services were often sought and that meant he often traveled to play. One day a few guys kindly offered him a job and he ended up in chains and then enslaved for, well… 12 years.
A few weeks ago I heard audio from an interview at a pastor’s conference where the pastor said that all a person needed to do to be right with God was to fulfill God’s command to love others. Something clicked inside of me. That is the sweet sounding promise of someone who wants to enslave me.
Those “Hypocrites” And Their Freedom
Today we hear from a lot of impostors about what Christianity is really about. They tell us it’s not about doctrine but about how we live our lives. And they may even claim that showing up to hear doctrinal messages means that you don’t really know about “true religion”.
But here’s where it all gets really interesting.
If those people are sitting in a doctrinally sound church then the doctrine they are hearing week after week is the message of God’s Grace and mercy to mankind.
They hear week after week that God created all things and it was all created good.
They hear about man’s rebellion against God and the result of that being that man is born a sinner in rebellion against God. And they also hear that rebels beget rebels and that they are under the curse of sin and judgment of God and that no amount of good works can save them.
Then they hear the good news. For the Son took on human flesh, lived a perfect life, died in their place on a cross bearing the full punishment for their sins, and rose from the grave three days later. His perfect life is credited to them. Their sins were credited to Christ and He paid for them. He rose from the dead three days later which was God’s stamp of approval on the whole matter. Those who trust in Christ have life eternal just as Christ who could not be conquered by the grave. In other words, Sunday after Sunday, they sit in a church and hear that Christ has accomplished their redemption completely and totally without them and that it is not dependent upon anything they do. Christ has done it all.
Those people that wish to cast church folk in a bad light have missed the point. Those they call “hypocrites” have trusted in Christ and have received the free gift of God’s pardon without doing a thing. In other words, they are free. And those who are truly redeemed do good in the world, though it may be done ever so quietly.
The Sweet Sounds That Drug You
Solomon Northrop was promised work and handsome pay. It sounded nice. But what he received instead was a drug that caused him to grow very weak and ill. When he awoke he was in chains.
What is the message that these very kind people preach? With big white toothed smiles they will say that all you have to do is love God and your neighbor. If you’ll just do that you will have peace with God.
I have never loved God enough to merit salvation in my entire life. I have been a Christian since I was 15 years old and there has never been a day that I loved God enough to merit salvation. When Jesus was asked about the greatest commandment He also declared the incredibly high standard that we are to keep.
““Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And He said to him, “ ‘Y OU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.’ This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, ‘Y OU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’ On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.””
Matthew 22:36-40 NASB
Do you know anyone who kept that command? Have you loved God with all your heart, soul, and mind every moment of every day?
Do you know anyone who has always loved his fellow man as himself? Have you loved your neighbor as your self as much as you should have?
I have never loved God as much as I ought, nor have I ever loved all fellow human beings as I should. This means that I have never loved God enough to merit salvation for myself and have never loved others enough to accomplish this task either.
Do you see what has happened? When we imbibe the message of salvation accomplished by ourselves we find ourselves in a trap. That happy, kind, mushy, gushy pastor just sweet talked you into trading in your freedom for the chains of works righteousness. And this is a horrible trade “because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight;” (Romans 3:20 a) This is how the Law functions. It does tremendous good and reveals to us our sin. (Romans 3:20b) But it cannot save.
The Used Law Salesman
When a guy approaches you with this awesome trade, free grace for climbing the ladder to Heaven, you need to be ready.
“For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law.”
Romans 3:28 NASB
God made us right with Him by free grace. Be ready to turn down that slick salesman because taking his offer will enslave you. I wouldn’t trade the rather ordinary looking Christian life that trusts in the finished work of Christ for anything. And neither should you.
R. Dwain Minor
Image by Jan Marczuk from Pixabay
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