One Sure Ground For Peace - Bruce Crabtree, Pastor

One of the most dreadful things I have ever witnessed was talking to an ungodly man just a few hours before he died. I ask him if he was afraid. His answer to me was, "Y’ no". He died a few hours later with a calm conscience. This poor soul was on the very verge of eternity without one ounce of a God given hope and yet his conscience was calm.

What God refuses to do for some men here, that is, to awaken the conscience out of it’s gross ignorance, He will suffer the torments of hell to do yonder. The rich man fared sumptuously every day and may well have lived with a calm conscience - and died with one too. But as soon as the flame of hell touched him he knew he was in trouble. That poor man I was talking to, I fear, suffered the same fate.

There is but one sure ground for peace and calmness of conscience and that is the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. If the blood is there, there is no sin there. If there is no sin there, there is no wrath of God there; there is no hell waiting.

I may not be in Christ and yet have a peace, but it is a false peace. My heart may say, "I am not afraid", but it wouldn’t be the first time my heart has lied to me.

God, give me no rest or peace of conscience until you give me the peace that Christ has made through the blood of His cross.

“Kept the Faith” (2 Tim 4:7)

(vs5-8) “But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.”

Keep the faith until the end. The gospel isn't just a start; it has endurance into the finish. The gospel is a race, not to the mighty or the swift,but to those who obtain mercy. Solomon wrote, “The race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to men of understanding, nor favor to men of skill; but time and chance happen to them all” (Eccl 9:11).

Many start on fire for Christ, but love for this world, the devil, and coldness take over. Jesus taught, “Now the ones that fell among thorns are those who when they have heard, go out and are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity” (Luke 8:14). He says elsewhere, “and the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful” (Mark 4:19). They once lived FOR Christ, and now they perish, living for self. The gospel isn't, “I used to be on fire in college or as a young believer, but now I've settled in. I tell my kids about Christ, but that's about it”. The gospel is a love affair with your Redeemer that DEMANDS a response. Paul said clearly, “and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again” (2 Cor 5:14). People say, “Jesus is all that I have”, but you better have more. You better have a life that shows that Jesus is your hope, or your hope is in vain.

Justification by faith and justification works... or lifestyle... is taught in the bible. Scripture says, “Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way? For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also” (James 2:25-26). I'm right by believing, without works, and I'm right because the faith that I have WORKS by love.

Finish the race on fire for Christ. Finish living that others know Him.

Obedience and Grace (Rom 5:12-21)

“For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous… That as sin has reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord” (vs19, 21).

Three things are set forth in Rom 5:12-21 with clarity and power:
1. God declares us sinful in the sin of Adam - “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all sinned“ (vs12)
2. The Lord Jesus is the One who obeyed God, and all that believe on Him are justified for life (vs19)
3.  Grace is how God saves: not of us; it is free (vs21).

The Lord of glory declares us sinful in the fall of Adam, in whom “all have sinned”.  He says that when Adam fell, you and I rebelled against God, and his sin is our sin, for we wouldn’t die, even babies, if we were not sinners - “For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law.  Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the likeness of Adam‘s transgression, who is the type of him that was to come“ (vs13-14).

The Son came into the world to obey God.  You and I could do nothing, but He gave up His life, obeying unto death, and by faith in His blood, we are justified for God’s blessings (vs17).  We live in the obedience of One, inheriting eternal life FREELY.

It is not Christ and our obedience.  Someone asked what I was studying… what was the main point… and I responded, “The obedience of One Man justifies us, even as the sin of one man (Adam) made us to be sinners.  We are saved by faith in Christ, the Obedient or Just One”.  They said, “It looks like I have some trusting to do”. I hope they will see that it is FAITH in Christ who obeyed already, so that faith is ceasing from self-confidence and putting your salvation and hope upon the perfect obedience of Christ, which by God’s grace, will not let you down.

Thirdly, grace is astonishing in the text, because we did nothing (vs20-21).  We are sinners, and Christ DIED for us.  We can’t earn God’s blessings, and He gives it to us freely, causing us to believe God.

We don’t DO anything; we RECEIVE so freely through what Christ has done, and in His obedience, heaven and every blessing is ours.  We don’t deserve, but He gives it to glorify God’s graciousness to sinners, even to all who believe.

Lastly, “whosoever will”, let him take the water of life freely. Receive abundance of grace, count God righteous to bless you by Christ’s death on the cross, and don’t doubt the FREENESS of the gift. It glorifies God that His Son put away your sins and answered all justice, and He is glorified to give salvation to sinners who believe Him gracious enough to do it!

Justification By Faith Excludes All Boasting (Rom 3:27-4:8)

“For if Abraham were justified by works, he has whereof to glory; but not before God” (vs2).

Righteousness is not obtained through our effort and improvement; it is God’s declaration to all that believe.  There are two ways to be right with God: I can keep the law perfectly and stand on my merit, or I can trust the obedience of Christ, the promise, and the power of God.  I can believe in me, or I can believe God, but I can’t do both, “For what says the Scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness“ (vs3).  And, since we are sinful and depraved, our hope is not improvement or human strength; it is MERCY and grace from God, declaring us righteous, by faith, in the promise.

The promise is eternal life and salvation, holiness, heaven, etc - “And this is the promise that he has promised us, even eternal life” (1 John 2:25). And, we believe that God will do what He has said, not because I help Him, but freely, mercifully, and justly, through the blood of Christ. He PAID for the blessings that I shall receive, and God is RIGHT to save my otherwise wicked and helpless soul, “But to him that works not, but believes on him that justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness” (Rom 4:5).

We must be emptied of self-confidence, so that we trust Christ, lest we be like those “which trusted in themselves… and despised others” (Luke 18:9). They trusted how strong they were, what they could do, how they improved, etc, and they never trusted Christ.

The unworthy sinner, however, went home righteous.  He trusted GOD to be appeased by the blood of Christ and thereby justified to show him mercy, “for every one that exalts himself shall be abased; and he that humbles himself shall be exalted” (Luke 18:14). He believed God rather than himself; he believed that God could save him through Christ, rather than God “rewarding” him for what he’s done - “Now to him that works is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt“ (Rom 4:4).

If you seek a reward, then don’t call it mercy.  If God is rewarding you for what you’ve done, on top of Christ, then it is merit and not mercy. If you seek righteousness by your improvement or promises for better living, then you’re asking God to pay you what He owes, and He will, but it will be hell eternal, without pity.  But, if you believe God is GRACIOUS enough to save you, then you’re justified as the sinner that you are, “Even as David also describes the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputes righteousness without works” (Rom 4:6).  Your sin isn’t imputed or charged to you: He won’t hold you accountable in wrath.  Your lawlessness and iniquity is punished and forgiven by Christ’s agony in your place. Your stepping out of bounds in sin is covered up, so that God sees you BELIEVING and thereby righteous, rather than wicked.

“Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven,  and whose sins are covered;  blessed is the man whom the Lord will not charge with sin” (Rom 4:7-8).

You can’t stand in your efforts, so boasting is excluded, and that’s necessary to the gospel, because no one shall glory in His face, “Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith, without the deeds of the law” (Rom 3:27).

God is Right to Declare Believers Righteous (Rom 3:9-26)

Vs26, “To declare, I say, at this time, His righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believes in Jesus”.

I’m justified by faith, bless God.  I don’t stand in what I do; I stand in what the Lord Jesus did for me with His blood, when He took away my sins by His death - “whom God set forth to be a propitiation, through faith, in his blood, to show his righteousness for the passing over of the sins done aforetime, in the forbearance of God” (vs25).

I am saved, not because I bring God something and He rewards me, but because I believe God FORGIVES me of what I’ve done, “For all have sinned and continually come short of the glory of God“ (vs23).  I’m the publican who says, “God, be propitious… merciful through blood…, to me, the sinner” (Luke 18:9-14).  I’ve obtained favor freely, without any cause in me, “being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus“ (vs24).

I believe Christ because the law has SHUT my mouth and convinced me of sin, for “what things soever the law says, it says to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God“ (vs19).  Bless the Lord if you’re guilty and know it, penniless to pay for it and powerless to change it.  The law came to you with power, or you’d reject Christ in love of sin (vs18). But, you need the Son of God, so you trust Him to save you, not merely to pardon you, but to empower you to serve.

You believe God by the blood of Jesus, trusting God is RIGHT to bless you by what Jesus did, even the “righteousness of God”, revealed in the gospel of Christ, “unto all and upon all them that believe” (vs22).

You believe on Jesus at God’s command, because He receives you so freely.  He asks no improvement - that’s His job.  He asks no promises of doing better: He is the One that makes promise that you’ll improve and grow.  You take because He gives.

Bless God if you’re free from merit and live by God-earned mercy!

“Salt” (Lev 2:13)

 “You shall season all your grain offerings with salt. You shall not let the salt of the covenant with your God be missing from your grain offering; with all your offerings you shall offer salt.” (Le 2:13 ESV)

Mark 9:49, “For every one shall be salted with fire, and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt”.

The wrath of God is against sin, and we REMEMBER this constantly, so that we deal with God in the mercy of Jesus Christ, knowing He is holy, and sins are PARDONED by sins being punished. 

I desire for us to enter into the heaviness of this topic and to feel the weight of PARDON, knowing forgiveness by the work of the Son.  Jesus Christ DIED a substitute, ruined sinners to reclaim.  We need not think justice is slack, but God is JUSTIFIED to give us Himself in Christ to the delight of our heart - “Delight yourself also in the Lord; and he shall give you the desires of your heart“ (Ps 37:4). We are wise to believe the work is FINISHED and to cleanse our minds from stains that say, “You cannot have”. No, if Jesus is the reason that God gives, and He is, then I can have ALL the riches of Christ, says justice, says God. 

You will not be saved without BOWING to Christ’s DEATH as enough for God to give you life; you will believe. Those who BELIEVE… who  don’t do, don’t deserve, and don’t earn… but those who merely believe… receive the inheritance according to your faith. Jesus said, “According to your faith be it unto you” (Matt 9:29).  You WILL walk with God, trusting Him to perform the deed by miraculous power that you’re justified to receive.

“Without Works” (Rom 4:6-8)

“Even as David describes the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputes righteousness without works, saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.  Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin” (vs6-8)

There is RIGHTEOUSNESS without works, and we REJOICE and thank God for it. We are UTTERLY weak, and if you don’t know your weakness, then I have God’s word of “not working” to convince you and I that we can’t do anything apart from the Spirit. He quickens as He sees fit, and He LEAVES us to taste powerlessness, so we can be STRIPPED and honor God. The Psalmist said, “My soul cleaves unto the dust: quicken you me according to your word“, so that the gospel of NO CONDEMNATION is God‘s power to lift up those who can‘t work for God (Ps 119:25). Yes, He removes SELFISH ambitions and purges us from SEEKING our own, so that I ONLY want to be saved… then, I want to honor Him who saved me. I have no heart for selfish ambition because God has PROVEN Heshimu to be empty, vain, vile, and saved by mercy only. I can’t say “better” than you, but I can say “blessed” of God, and He will bless you too.

There is an elect whom God talks too, and these will be saved. We FEAR the wrath of God, see GLORY in Jesus Christ, and we TRUST Him to the saving of our souls, believing the word.  Just as God has spoken, He will do - “Is any thing too hard for the Lord? At the time appointed I will return unto you, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son” (Gen 18:14).  And, PRAISE GOD that He saves people who cannot do a thing, but BELIEVE in the salvation that He GIVES, quickening us by it.

Like Job, we’re in the dust and humbled, in order to be lifted up. We blush, we give glory, and now we lend a hand. The all-wise God STRIPS us of pride and vain ambition, so we can bask, from the heart, in grace. I know of no power on earth or heaven that can QUICKEN me but God. When I’m quickened BY the gospel, I can endure; until then, I am increasingly undone and miserable. I will make it by GRACE alone, so I lean there.