RIGHTEOUSNESS BY CHRIST
"I
do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the
law, then Christ is dead in vain."
-GALATIANS
2:21 [KJV]
It
would be a miserable thing indeed, and sadly frustrating, and making
void, the riches of God's grace, to join anything of the work of the
creature, in whole, or in part, as in the least contributing to
justification before God. For if righteousness come by the law: if
any of the fallen race of Adam, could be supposed capable of working
out for themselves a righteousness of their own; yea, could perform a
single deed, or exercise a single thought of purity, to recommend
themselves to the great searcher of hearts: in this case, it would
set aside, the necessity of redemption. For this would at once show,
that the creature hath a capability of somewhat, be that somewhat
ever so little; and by improvement, more might then be expected from
him.
And then, the consequences which would follow, would be, that there could have been no cause for so great a sacrifice as God's dear Son. The blood of Christ might have been spared: and Christ (as Paul saith) is then dead in vain. Whereas, the decided, unalterable language of Holy Scripture, on this point, is, that without shedding, of blood there is no remission. Hebrews 9:22. That it was in due time, Christ died for the ungodly. Romans 5:6. And that, if one died for all, then were all dead. 2 Corinthians 5:14. Oh! the foul ingratitude, in attempting to lessen the infinite importance of Christ's obedience and death, as the sole cause of salvation! Oh! the horrible presumption, in thereby impeaching both the wisdom, and love of God, in the contrivance of such vast mercies! And, oh! Thou dear Redeemer! what base returns, are these to Thee, and all Thine agonies, and soul-travail, when men set up a righteousness of their own, to lessen thereby, the infinitely precious sacrifice of Thyself on the cross, whereby alone, Thou hast perfected forever them that are sanctified!
And then, the consequences which would follow, would be, that there could have been no cause for so great a sacrifice as God's dear Son. The blood of Christ might have been spared: and Christ (as Paul saith) is then dead in vain. Whereas, the decided, unalterable language of Holy Scripture, on this point, is, that without shedding, of blood there is no remission. Hebrews 9:22. That it was in due time, Christ died for the ungodly. Romans 5:6. And that, if one died for all, then were all dead. 2 Corinthians 5:14. Oh! the foul ingratitude, in attempting to lessen the infinite importance of Christ's obedience and death, as the sole cause of salvation! Oh! the horrible presumption, in thereby impeaching both the wisdom, and love of God, in the contrivance of such vast mercies! And, oh! Thou dear Redeemer! what base returns, are these to Thee, and all Thine agonies, and soul-travail, when men set up a righteousness of their own, to lessen thereby, the infinitely precious sacrifice of Thyself on the cross, whereby alone, Thou hast perfected forever them that are sanctified!
-Gospel report by preacher Robert Hawker (1753–1827 A.D.)
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