”Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God, (Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures,) Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh; And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead: By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name:” | Romans 1: 1-5

Most who continued worshipping in the temple had seen and heard Christ the Lord with the natural eye and ear. “Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour.” (Acts 3: 1)

When the Lord Jesus Christ fulfilled the whole law of God, every one present in the temple saw the veil split from top to bottom. “And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you:” (Romans 3: 20)

They discovered the holiest of holies empty, no ark, no mercy seat; God’s glory was not there but rested in the One to whom the law and ceremonies had always foreshadowed. “Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,” (2 Timothy 1: 9)

They were well aware that the priests and elders were guilty of leading a charade and taking advantage of them. “For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?” (Romans 10: 12-14)

Still, they continued right on in their religious play like actors on a stage. That is how hard the natural heart of every child of Adam really is. “Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought: But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.”; “But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” (1 Corinthians 2: 6-9, 14)

“A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.” (Ezekiel 36: 26)

It is utter denial to think that the same idolatry no longer exists among those who profess faith in Christ. “Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.” (Galatians 2: 16)

Idolatry in our day calls on the name of Jesus while imagining acceptance and spiritual growth before God through a sinner’s obedience to the Ten Commandments, or any other work of the sinner “I will declare thy righteousness, and thy works; for they shall not profit thee.” (Isaiah 57: 12)

The gospel is, and always has been, concerning the person and finished work of God’s Son. “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;” (Titus 3: 5)

Those in the temple who continued in their free-will, works-religion only manifested what the free-will, works-religionists of our day manifest, that the natural heart hates God and can not submit to believe on Christ alone. “For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.” (Romans 8: 6-8)

The evil deeds which carnal religion does not want brought to light are not only the deeds of immorality, but the deeds of self-wrought religious works. “And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.” (John 3: 19-20)

Yet, the place where the vilest sinners are found is where the gospel is needed most. “But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.” (1 Corinthians 1: 24)

So Peter and John went up to the temple to preach the gospel of Christ, the power of God unto salvation. “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.” (Romans 1: 16)

It is evidenced from the eight thousand souls saved through Peter’s two messages that the word God blesses is the gospel which proclaims that God’s Son by himself purged our sin, that Christ alone obtained eternal redemption. “Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;” (Hebrews 1: 3)

“Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.” (Hebrews 9: 12)

God set forth Christ to declare his righteousness that God alone is both just and the justifier of the believer. “Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: the forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.” (Romans 3: 24-26)

The gospel which excludes all boasting on the part of the one saved, will not draw in the multitudes of those who rest in a form of religion, but it remains the only dynamite through which the sovereign Lord busts the adamant stone called the natural heart and creates a new heart “And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh:” (Ezekiel 11: 19)

Then the joy of true worship is found through faith in the Captain of our salvation who accomplished our warfare on our behalf “Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the LORD’S hand double for all her sins.” (Isaiah 40: 1-2)

True holiness to God ceases to be the burdensome whip of false religion and becomes the peaceful, comforting rest in the eternal security of our King Priest.

~ Pastor Clay Curtis

Click here to listen to the message “Christ teach us the Gospel”

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Sovereign Grace Baptist Church Bulletin Article date: 17 February, 2008 | Previous post date: n/a | Ewing, New Jersey