“A Doctrine of Grace” – Ronald L. Dart

This is a gem of a sermon!

“A Doctrine of Grace” – 10/19/97 (Ronald L. Dart 1934-2016)

 

 

Common Sinners and the Common Salvation

I have been noticing a lot of modern-day Pharisees lately. Who were the Pharisees of Jesus’ time? The Pharisees had artificial moral constructs, in which they added to God’s law. The Pharisees were anti-evangelical, they did not seek to save the lost. The Pharisees only did works to be seen of men, not private works to be seen by God. The Pharisees were prideful and hateful. And most significantly — the Pharisees rejected Jesus.

Pharisees are like cult leaders, they don’t want to help create converts to Jesus, they want to create followers of themselves. They want admirers and mini-clones of themselves.

Jesus’ harshest rebukes were for Pharisees — the ones who were likely to discourage his true followers.

“But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation.” –Matthew 23:13-14

Some people think it is a compliment if you compare them to a Pharisee, but as the passage indicates, the Pharisees were not saved! The Pharisees were prideful, having not the spirit of Christ. In trying to inflate themselves, they led people away from Christ.

Who does the Bible say is a sinner?

“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” –Romans 3:23

“If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” – I John 1:18

“Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?” —
 –Proverbs 20:9

“What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin;” –Romans 3:9

“But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.” –Galatians 3:22

The example of Jesus’ Brethren – what did they preach?

The brothers of Christ perhaps had some reason to feel special or privileged. But no, James and Jude were some of the humblest servants of Christ following their conversions. James and Jude continually pointed Christians back to the source of their salvation, to the Lord Jesus.

“For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.” –James 2:10

“Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation,

it was needful for me to write unto you,and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. For there are certain men crept in unawares,who were before of old ordained to this condemnation,ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness,and denying the only Lord God,and our Lord Jesus Christ”. –Jude 1:3-4

Justification and Salvation

The Justification of sins comes only through Christ. Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles consistently pointed people to Christ.

But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;

Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:

For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through 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 3:21-26

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The Leaven of the Pharisees and Herod

“And they send unto him certain of the Pharisees and of the Herodians, to catch him in his words. And when they were come, they say unto him, Master, we know that thou art true, and carest for no man: for thou regardest not the person of men, but teachest the way of God in truth: Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar, or not? Shall we give, or shall we not give? But he, knowing their hypocrisy, said unto them, Why tempt ye me? bring me a penny, that I may see it. And they brought it. And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? And they said unto him, Caesar’s. And Jesus answering said unto them, Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s. And they marvelled at him.” –Mark 22:13-17

And he charged them, saying, Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and of the leaven of Herod. –Mark 8:15

“In the mean time, when there were gathered together an innumerable multitude of people, insomuch that they trode one upon another, he began to say unto his disciples first of all, Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known. Therefore whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light; and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon the housetops.

“And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him. Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God? But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.

“Also I say unto you, Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God: But he that denieth me before men shall be denied before the angels of God. And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but unto him that blasphemeth against the Holy Ghost it shall not be forgiven. And when they bring you unto the synagogues, and unto magistrates, and powers, take ye no thought how or what thing ye shall answer, or what ye shall say: For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say.” –Luke 12:1-12