It must ever be a cause of sadness and wonder to see many earnest people in the sects around us striving after righteousness, yet all in vain. It was the same in the day of the Apostle Paul. All Pharisees were not hypocrites; many were devout and sincere men. Doubtless it was on account of such that Paul lamented, wishing himself accursed if it would lead to their salvation.
We tried diligently once to teach the Truth to an earnest Methodist lady. She had been convicted of sin and had, so she said, accepted Christ as her Saviour. The experience had transformed her life and she considered it a work of God. We pointed out that the Holy Spirit did not direct men into error and showed her the teaching of Scripture. She confessed more than once that the things we spoke of greatly disturbed her. In the end her “spiritual experience” prevailed and she turned away from the Truth. Her weakness was lack of faith in the revealed Word of God. She did not believe and obey and consequently she did not submit to the “righteousness of God”. Like Paul’s kinsmen, she sought righteousness by other means and failed to acquire that righteousness which God alone can bestow; a righteousness which comes by faith in the gospel of Christ.
However noble and virtuous men’s lives may appear to us, all is futile unless they believe and submit to God’s method of salvation. This is the great lesson of the book of Job. Job under provocation contended for his righteousness before God. He expressed the desire for a mediator who could try his case before the Heavenly Judge, being convinced of the verdict of acquittal. By the speeches of Elihu and God himself, Job was reduced to the confession, ‘Tam vile’. From that moment he saw the truth that a man cannot find favour with God until he divests himself of his own righteousness and by belief and obedience to the Truth, becomes the recipient of God’s righteousness bestowed upon the unworthy sinner by grace.
Good works and a virtuous life are futile until we stand covered by this grace. They then become an expression of our thankfulness to God; a token of our desire to live unto Him; a manifestation of our living faith. We can never earn eternal life–it is God’s gift. After we have done all, we are still unprofitable servants, having done only what it is our duty to do.
It is very important in these days of loose thinking to keep a correct perspective of things. God would have all men to be saved but, if men reject the counsel of God, then He is impotent to save them. If we have been privileged to see the Truth, it is not because of any virtue in us; it is to the praise and glory of God. There is no room for pride. Yet we must not lose sight of our high calling as sons of God. Let us marvel at the grace which brought us to this state and agonise by equipping ourselves in the knowledge of our faith that we may the better convince the gainsayer and bring him salvation. The just still live by faith, but we must have faith in the things which God has revealed and not in human traditions, or human experiences.
Lord, What wilt thou have me to do?