If you will, take your Bibles
and turn with me to Acts chapter 11. Acts the 11th chapter. And for time's sake, I will refer
you to reading of this chapter yourselves. I'm going to give
us an overview of this first 18 verses that we'll be looking
at this morning. And we'll look at one particular
instance in this passage of Scripture. And the title of the message
this morning is, Salvation Without the Law. Salvation Without the
Law. Now, last week we looked at the
gospel that the church is to preach. We as a church of the
Lord Jesus Christ, we are commanded of God to go into all the world
and preach the gospel to every creature. To every creature.
And this is the gospel that we are to preach, is what Peter
preached here in this sermon in chapter 10. He preached the
sovereignty of God. He said God is not a respecter
of persons, and that God in election and salvation has no regard and
does not choose or save anyone based on what they have done
or who they are. But of His own free grace does
He choose and save a people. Number two, we saw that those
that are saved, we saw their characteristics, that they are
both righteous and they fear God. Now, we know that this righteousness
and this fear of God is not their acceptance. We're not accepted
because we fear God, we're not accepted because of our good
works, but we are accepted in the Beloved, in Christ alone.
But those that are accepted, they will manifest this, they
will be righteous and they will fear God. Next, we saw that we
would preach that Jesus Christ is the Word of God that is made
peace by the blood of His cross. Peter says in that sermon, he
said, "...the Word of God which sent unto the children of Israel,
preaching peace by Jesus Christ." There is no peace with God but
by Jesus Christ. We cannot make our peace with
God. He has already made peace with God. And we, through faith,
believe Him to be our only acceptance and peace. And next, we saw that
we are the priests of Jesus Christ as Lord of all. He is Lord of
all. He is right now seated on the
throne of God and is moving all things according to the counsel
of His own sovereign will. There is nothing that happens
by chance or accident. Everything happens according
to the decree of Jesus Christ. And we saw that Peter preached
that the gospel is central. It's centered around the blood
and righteousness of Christ. You cannot preach the gospel
without blood. You can't do it. It's impossible.
You cannot preach the gospel of Jesus Christ without seeing
the righteousness of Christ. And so then, what are we to preach?
What are we to witness? We're to witness of the blood
and righteousness of Christ. What makes you different? What
makes you different? Why is your religion different?
There's many religions. But why is yours different? You
see, ours is centered around the blood of Christ, and His
blood alone is our only atonement before God. And we also preach
that Jesus is a victorious Savior. He is a victorious Savior. He
rose again from the dead to manifest to us that He has accomplished
what He was sent to do. Our Savior is successful. And
the next thing, the last thing we saw last week was that we
are to preach that this message is only made effectual by the
Holy Spirit. You see, we can preach this message
until we're blue in the face. And we should. We should preach
this message all the time. But we know this, that only results
come from the Spirit of God. Just like happened here at Cornelius'
house. It says, the Spirit of God fell
on them. Without the Spirit of God, you have met together in
vain. We have met together and this is an empty time and it
is a worthless time if the Spirit of God does not move and teach
us. We will not learn these things.
We will not know these things. Now then, we've come to chapter
11. Now, chapter 11, this is the summation of it all. Peter
is going to go back and review all that happened in chapter
10. Everything that happened in chapter 10. We've been studying
chapter 10, I imagine, for the last five weeks that we've been
together. We've studied this chapter. It's
been a very enlightening chapter to me. But in chapter 11, Peter
is repeating what happened in the previous chapter, and he
does this for good reason. Let's look at this in chapter
11 and see what happens. It says, "...and the apostles
and the brethren that were in Judah heard that the Gentiles
had also received the Word of God." Now, when you read that,
you'd expect them to jump for joy, right? You'd expect them
to be happy that the gospel was received by the Gentiles. But
look what the attitude of the church was. And when Peter was
come to Jerusalem, they that were of the circumcision patted
him on the back. Is that what it says? Did they
say, good job, Peter? Oh man, I'm so glad the gospel...
Did they hug Him? No. They contended with Him,
saying, Thou winnest into men uncircumcised and did eat with
them. What was their hang-up? Why were
they not joyous? Why were they not rejoicing?
You see, because the Jews These Jews were concerned about Him
breaking that Mosaic law. They were concerned about law. And friends, if you're concerned
about law, you'll miss grace every time. If you're concerned
about the law, you'll miss grace every time. What I want us to recognize this
morning, is that there will always be
people in the church, and yes, even some true believers, that
will try to bring back the bondage of the law in some measure. There
will always be someone trying to put someone else under some
kind of bondage. You see, they will have the best
motives. I don't doubt these men were zealous for the law
of God. I don't doubt it at all. I don't doubt they were sincere
in what they said. I don't doubt that they were
zealous for the work of God. But this, my friend, bringing
law into the church and trying to mix it with grace is the most
devastating and dangerous thing that could ever happen to a church.
It's a devastating thing. It's a destructive thing to try
to bring law into the church. Or to try to bring the church
back under the law. When I preach to you, this is
my message to you. Hear it well. Christ is the end
of the law for righteousness to everyone that believeth. That's
the message of Paul. That is the message of this church,
that Christ is the end of the law. That law has nothing to
do with those who are in Christ. Nothing. And yet some will say this, well,
don't we need to obey the Ten Commandments? Don't we need them
as a guide for our life? But let me ask you this, where
is that found in Scripture? If you would please instruct
me as to where God places us who are in Christ back under
the law, I would like to see that. It's not found. It's not
found. For everyone that says this,
I believe you've not heard what the law really says. If you think
that the Ten Commandments are a guide to our life, I really
don't think you've actually understood the real nature of the law. I
think you've missed it. I think you've missed what these
commandments mean on Wednesday night. We have been studying
for the past several weeks concerning in chapter 5 the words of the
Lord Jesus. And I have time and time again
have read many commentaries that have missed the point on that
sermon. Because what they have done is
they've tried to make the Ten Commandments, the Sermon on the
Mount, the new law. They say, yeah, we're free from
the Mosaic law, but yes, we're bound by the Sermon on the Mount
laws. No. He was preaching the law
then. He was trying to tell us what
the real nature of the law is. It's not just what you do, but
what you think and what you feel. You see? The law goes deeper
than just what is seen on the outside. You may never commit
fornication on the outside, but Jesus said, if you have thought
it, you have committed adultery already in your heart. And every
one of us is guilty. Every one of us. Jesus is not adding to the law,
but He is telling us the nature of the law. I like to call them,
as I say, the Wednesday night group, the list of impossibilities.
That's a list of impossibilities. You go down that list and see
if you have obeyed one of those things at any time in your life. Not one of us have. Friends, when have we ever in
our best state ever obeyed the Ten Commandments? We've never done it. Never. James says if we are guilty in
one point, if you've kept the whole law, if you've kept every
precept of the law, And yet you are guilty of one sin and one
breaking of one commandment. You are guilty of the whole law
of God. Guilty. Guilty. These believers
here, they desired to hold on to circumcision. That was what
they wanted to hold on to. They wanted to hold on to that
part of the law. In our day, it's the Ten Commandments. They want to hold on to that
part of the law. These wanted to hold on to circumcision. And
they thought you had to believe in Jesus, but you had to believe
in Jesus and be circumcised. And be circumcised. So, now we
think that the Ten Commandments are what we should follow. But
what does the Word of God say? I mean, isn't that the ultimate
importance to find out what God says about it rather than what
we think about it? Absolutely. What does God say about it? Flip
over to Romans chapter 11. Romans chapter 11 and verse 6. Romans chapter 11 and verse 6.
Paul here is speaking about the election of grace. And remember,
election is unto salvation. And Paul says, if, if election
is by grace, then it is no more of works. Otherwise, grace is
no more grace. But if it be of works, then it
is no more of grace. Otherwise, work is no more work.
What he's saying is, if salvation is by grace, then it's no more
of works. Otherwise, you lose the meaning
of the word grace. Grace is no longer grace. It's
become something else. And it's the same way. If salvation
be of works or obedience to the law, then it is no more of grace. Otherwise, the definition of
works is no more works. It's either or. It is not both. It cannot be by both. It is not by Christ. plus our
obedience to the Ten Commandments. Otherwise, salvation is not by
grace, it's by works. When I say that, I've heard many
think this. Well, I believe that the Ten
Commandments are not for my salvation, but rather for my sanctification. That's not for my salvation.
That's so I can be sanctified. then you must believe that your
sanctification is based on your obedience. Do you think that your sanctification
is based on your obedience? Let me ask you this. Is there
anyone saved apart from sanctification? Isn't sanctification as just
as important as justification and redemption and wisdom and
righteousness? Isn't it just as important? Absolutely. It is just as much a part of
salvation as everything else. No one is saved apart from sanctification. 2 Thessalonians 2 verse 13, you
know it well. Brethren, we are bound to give
thanks unto God always for you, beloved of the Lord, which God
hath chosen you from before the foundation of the world, unto salvation. Through what? Sanctification of the Spirit
and belief of the truth. The same God that chose you unto
salvation has also ordained the means by which He will bring
you to Himself, and that is always through sanctification and faith. Now, who does the sanctifying?
What does the Scripture say? The Spirit. Through sanctification
of the Spirit. Not through sanctification of
your obedience to the Ten Commandments. Sanctification is of God. It is not of us. You see, we even believe our
faith is not of us. Isn't that right? Scripture says,
"...for by grace you are saved through faith, and that faith
is not of yourself, that faith is a gift of God, not of works,
lest any man should boast." You see, but yet the Spirit never
believes for us, does He? We must believe. That's why the
Scriptures didn't say, "...through sanctification and faith of the
Spirit." You see, it's very important. Sanctification of the Spirit
through faith. Faith you must believe. But my
friends, you do not sanctify yourselves. The Spirit of God
does that. He sets you apart. It is the
work of the Spirit of God, and as Scripture also says, it is
the work of Christ. Hebrews 10.10 says, by the witch
will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Christ
once. Isn't that wonderful? I like
that in Hebrews. Once for all. You see, I'm sanctified once
for all. Isn't that wonderful? I'm sanctified
once. And we know we are sanctified
from all eternity in by the Father as well. Flip over to 1 Corinthians
chapter 6. 1 Corinthians chapter 6 and verse
11. It says, And such were some of
you, talking about how we were thieves, robbers, adulterers,
whoremongers. That's what we were. And such were some of you,
but you are washed. But you are sanctified. But you are justified. Can you not see that all three
of those things are done not by us? Do you wash yourself from
your sins? No. No believer believes that. Do you justify yourself? No. We know that comes by the blood
of the cross. Then how in the world do you think you sanctify
yourselves when the Scripture says, but you are justified,
sanctified, washed, how? In the name of the Lord Jesus
Christ and by the Spirit of our God. So then, is obedience to the Ten Commandments
necessary for your sanctification? Absolutely not. The Spirit of
God sanctifies you. and sets you apart. Scripture
says that Christ has been made unto us wisdom, righteousness,
and sanctification. I ask again, then what has the
law to do with us? The answer is clear, nothing. Nothing. Nothing to do with us
who are in Christ. The law of God was satisfied
for us in Christ. He came and fulfilled the law,
and has fulfilled the law, and has sanctified us in all of its
demands. Therefore, Christ has made us
free from the law of sin and death. What then has the law to do with
me? Nothing." You see, the Lord God
pictured this in Hagar and Sarah. You remember Abraham had a child
with his bondwoman, Hagar. And when that child was come
of age, God came to Abraham and He said, You take your son Hagar
and his mother and you cast them out. Now why would God separate
a man from his own son? Why? To show us a picture that
law and grace cannot mix together. They cannot be together. The
son of the bondwoman cannot live with the son of the free. You
cannot have works and grace. You will either be under one
or the other. How are you saved? How are you saved? If you are
saved by grace plus the law, My friends, I fear that you are
not saved at all. I fear you are not saved at all.
Look over Galatians chapter 2. Very important text here. Paul
is defending this truth throughout this whole book. Galatians 3
and verse 2. He said, I would learn this of
you. Received ye the Spirit by the
works of the law or by the hearing of faith? How did you do it?
How were you born again? How were you saved? Were you
saved by the law or were you saved by the Spirit? We know
we are saved by the Spirit of God. We are saved by the Spirit
of God. Are you so foolish having begun
the Spirit that you are now made perfect by the flesh? Do you
think the Spirit started the work and you finish it? Are you
so foolish to think that? We have not begun this by grace
and be made perfect by the flesh. No. Paul says in this same book
in chapter 5 and verse 2, if you be circumcised, Christ shall
profit you nothing. That's a very powerful statement,
my friends, because circumcision is a picture of any part of the
law. If you strive to obey the Ten
Commandments for any part of your salvation, Christ is nothing
to you. Christ is nothing to you. Christ shall profit you nothing. This is the danger of mixing
law and grace. You are either under one or under
the other, but you can't be under both. And so we go back to our text,
and I want us to notice how Peter answered this. Very important.
Very important. How did Peter deal with the contention
of these men coming to him about the law? Verse 4. But Peter rehearsed the matter
from the beginning and expounded it by order unto them, saying..."
In other words, he preached to them the gospel again. He preached to them the gospel
that God had given him. That's how he did it. He rehearsed
these things. The only remedy for law in the
church is the preaching of the gospel of God's free and sovereign
grace. That's the only thing. You can
argue with someone until you're blue in the face. The best thing
to do is only preach the gospel of God's grace. And he did it
so graciously. You know, he didn't hammer on
them. He didn't beat them. He just
preached Christ. He preached Christ, to preach
the gospel of God's grace, to preach the Word of God. In verse
7, he rehearsed to them what God said, Arise and slay and
eat those unclean animals. And what did Peter say? Oh no,
not me Lord. And he did it three times. He
rejected this three times. You see, Peter confessed that
he once thought much like they did. Didn't he? He said, I know
where you're coming from. Because I too once thought like
that. Matter of fact, God told me different
and I resisted Him three times. I resisted Him three times about
the matter. Yet, he through the Holy Spirit believed the Word
of God. Friends, I don't know everything.
I don't. I wish I did. I don't know everything. But when what I think contradicts
the Word of God, may God give me the grace to let whatever
it is I think out, to let it go. May God give me the grace
to let go if anything that I think or feel contradicts what God
says. Peter says, I felt like you,
but when the Spirit of God showed me the Word of God, when I heard
the Word of God, I had to let go of what I thought and believe
what God says. We should believe what God says.
We should be willing to forsake our thoughts and our feelings
and hear the Word of God. You see, I remember my thoughts
about the law. All the things that I've just explained to you,
I've felt and believed. Everything that I've taught you
and preached against this morning is something that I've felt for
a long time. And you see, when the Word of
God came to me, I had to let go of what I thought and what
I felt. I had to believe God. See, I thought once that the
Spirit of God came and saved us and that the Ten Commandments
was a guide. It's not. You see, the Spirit
of God is your guide. The Spirit of God lives inside
of you. You don't need a list of laws
to tell you not to lie. You don't need that. Just like
I don't need a piece of paper on the wall to tell me to love
my wife. I don't need a law. It's written on my heart. I love
her already. You see, I long to obey Christ
all the time. And I don't need the Mosaic Law.
That law only condemns. So therefore, as your pastor,
I must, with a heart of love, continually proclaim Christ as
the end of the law for righteousness. That God has sanctified us and
we do not by our obedience sanctify ourselves, And there is no such
thing as progressive sanctification. Please, if you ever hear that
word, that is a very dangerous word. I have read many men who
I respect highly have used that word and they have a totally
different meaning than this modern religion has about progressive
sanctification. But I believe that's a very dangerous
term and we shouldn't use it. Because that denotes that there's
a sense in which a person may become more holy. And that's
just not true. You see, there's no such thing
as almost holy, is there? You're either holy or you aren't.
You have no middle ground. But there is spiritual growth.
And I think some men confuse these two terms and they shouldn't.
We have spiritual growth, but does our spiritual growth bring
us closer to God? Are we more accepted than some
babe in Christ if we are a full-grown, mature believer? Are we more
accepted? Do we have more benefits in the
eyes of God because we are mature? No. We realize a lot more, but it's
not that we have more. I have just as much access to
God as any babe in Christ. And any babe in Christ has just
as much access to God as I do. Isn't that something? God is
gracious. God is gracious. Therefore, I
point you this morning to Christ. I point you to the only hope
for sinners, Jesus Christ. He is all my salvation. My righteousness, my sanctification,
my redemption, my holiness, my standing before God. He is everything. He is everything in my salvation. And lastly, notice their attitude
in verse 18, when they heard the Word of God. It says, When
they heard these things, they held their peace and glorified
God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance
unto life." They held their peace. Friends, when the law of God
is preached to right, it will do three things. It will show
you three things. It will show you the absolute
perfect holiness of God. It will show you the absolute
depravity of your nature. And it will show you the inability
of your nature to attain holiness. That's what it will show you.
You see, when Paul finally understood the law, what did he say? He
said, that which I thought was life, he said, was made death
unto me. The law only shuts our mouths
to God. And so I ask you, what will you
do when you stand before God? You will. You will stand before God. What
will you do when you stand before a holy God? Will you hold up
your puny, pathetic, vile works? Oh Lord, I hope not. Will you
hold up that you sanctified yourself? I hope not. You see, my only hope is Christ. And friends, you have Christ,
you have a good hope. You have a good hope. Anything less than
Christ is no hope at all. Anything less than Christ is
no hope at all. I pray that God would give this church grace
to understand that the law The law has no binding on those who
are in Christ. Free from the law, oh, happy
condition. Jesus has bled and there is remission. Cursed by the law, bruised by
the fall, Christ hath redeemed us once for all. I pray that God blesses to our
hearts this morning.