Thy mercy, my God, is the theme
of my song. Modern Christianity, so-called,
would cease to operate if the workmongers and the duty works
advocates ceased their constant barrage of reminding men to perform
their duties such as tithing, praying, witnessing, reading
the Bible, attending church, etc. It's extremely disturbing
when it seems that the most common duty that is pressed upon the
supposed sons of God is that of tithing or giving of money
into the coffers of this ministry or that. One can hardly hear
a preacher on the TV or radio who is not concerned with such.
And very few churches do not make constant reminders to their
members to financially support them. There is a whole genre
of financial advisors who have risen to take the stage, who
all basically teach that the key to financial success is first
performing one's duty and giving at least 10% of their income
to God, as if he stood in need of it. It has become common to
see these financial seminars conducted in churches as a function
of their ministry. There is certainly nothing wrong
with sound financial advice of which the scripture has much
to say, but we sadly suspect that many churches are more interested
in seeing their bottom line increase as a result of men being convinced
to give for duty's sake or gain's sake than they are to see their
people talk the word of God simply for their benefit. Now, we are
quite certain that the Scriptures do exhort the people of God to
be cheerful givers. Indeed, we do not think that
there can be any other kind. The man who gives out of duty
is no giver at all, but is a mere payer of a tax. Paul gave the
Corinthians this exhortation concerning giving. Every man
according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give, not
grudgingly or of necessity, for God loveth a cheerful giver.
The whole concept of giving cannot arise out of duty, but must be
motivated by desire. Here we see the whole fallacy
of man's natural religious bent. He thinks that he can become
pleasing in the eyes of God by the performance of duty, but
clearly, as the Lord told the Pharisees, such is not the case.
Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for ye pay tithe
of mint and anise and cumin, and have omitted the weightier
matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith. These ought
ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. Now it seems
to be quite clear that the Lord did not disregard duty at all,
for he said these ye ought to have done. But he plainly said
that they, as Jews under the law, ought to have done what
they did, that is, tithe, mint, anise, and cumin. However, they
missed the whole matter of serving God, not because of what they
did, but what they did not do, which was to serve Him in spirit
and truth. He told the woman at the well the exact same thing.
God is a spirit, and they that worship Him must worship Him
in spirit and in truth. Man in his religious zeal looks
at the law and thinks of it as a to-do list. That man who is
awakened by the Spirit of God to know his inward depravity
looks at it as a woe is me, I am undone list. That man has no
comfort or hope when he surveys the demands of the duty of the
law. The Lord Jesus Christ did not come into the world to overturn
the demands and duties of the law. Rather, He came in order
to deliver His people from the condemnation of that law, which
neither they nor their fathers could keep. Instead of destroying
the law's demands or canceling the duties required therein,
He has completely fulfilled them in the behalf of those which
were given to Him before the foundation of the world. Man's
problem with the law is not the fault of the law. The law is
holy, just, and good, according to Paul. Man's problem with the
law is the weakness of his flesh and his inability to keep the
law. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through
the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful
flesh, and for sin condemned sin in the flesh. It seems clear
enough to us that Christ has remedied the problem of his people
in relation to the law. First, he has removed all of
the condemning power of the law by the sacrifice of himself as
an offering for sin in their behalf. The law has no basis
upon which to condemn those for whom Christ died. He also has
changed the perspective of his people's minds towards the requirements
of the law. That which at one time would
have been considered as a task now is seen as that which they
aspire to and desire. Those under the law see duty
as a definition of things to be done, and as the motivation
to perform its demands. Those who are reborn by His Spirit
see duty as a definition of those things which Christ has fully
performed for them. Duty is no longer their motivation.
For the love of Christ constraineth us. For I through the law am
dead to the law, that I might live unto God. I am crucified
with Christ. Nevertheless, I live, yet not
I, but Christ liveth in me. And the life which I now live
in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved
me and gave himself for me. I do not frustrate the grace
of God, for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ
is dead in vain. If you would like a free transcript
of this broadcast, email us at forthepoor at windstream.net.