I. THE HOPE OF BEING SAVED BY A RIGHTEOUS LIFE.
1. This is the most common of false hopes. Even
among those who profess to be Christians, there
are many who are really depending upon their lives
as Christians for their acceptance before God.
Those who are depending upon their righteous lives
for salvation, are readily known by their saying
such things as this: "I am doing the best I can."
"I do more good than evil." "I am not a great
sinner." "I have never done anything very bad."
This mistake can be directly met by Gal. 2:16:
"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."
After the passage has been read, you can say to
the one with whom you are dealing, "Now you are
expecting to be justified and accepted before God
by what you are doing, by your own life and
character; but God tells you in this passage, that
'by the works of the law shall no flesh be
justified.'" Follow this up by Romans 3:19-20:
"Now we know that what things soever the law
saith, it saith to them who are under the law:
that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world
may become guilty before God. Therefore BY THE
DEEDS OF THE LAW THERE SHALL NO FLESH BE JUSTIFIED
IN HIS SIGHT: for by the law is the knowledge of
sin."
Call attention to the fact that here again we are
told that, "by the deeds of the law there shall no
flesh be justified in his sight," and {91}
furthermore, that the purpose of the law is to
stop the mouths of men. Then take him to Galatians
3:10:
"For AS MANY AS ARE OF THE WORKS OF THE LAW ARE
UNDER THE CURSE; for it is written, Cursed is
every one that continueth not in all things which
are written in the book of the law to do them."
Before he reads it, say to him, "I want you to
read a verse from the Word of God that tells you
just how God regards one who is trying to be saved
by his righteous life, as you are." Then let him
read the passage. When he has read the passage,
ask him where God says that he is, and hold him to
the point until he sees that in depending upon his
good deeds for salvation, he is under the curse.
James 2:10 will also be found useful:
"For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet
OFFEND IN ONE POINT, he is guilty of all."
Before the man reads the verse you can say, "Well,
if you are going to be saved by your righteous
life, let us see what God requires in order that a
man may be saved on the ground." After he has read
the verse, show him that if he is going to be
saved by the law, he must keep the whole law, for
if he offends in one point he is guilty of all.
A verse which is useful in showing the kind of
righteousness that God demands, is Matthew 5:20:
"For I say unto you, That except your
righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of
the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case
enter into the kingdom of heaven."
This verse shows that no man's righteousness comes
up to God's standard, and if a man wishes to be
saved, he must find some other way of salvation
than by his own deeds. It is sometimes well in
using this passage, to say to the inquirer, "You
do not understand the kind of righteousness God
demands, or you would not talk as you do. Now let
us turn to God's own Word and see what kind of
righteousness it is that God demands."
2. There is another way of dealing with this
class, by using such passages as these:
"And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify
yourselves before men; but God KNOWETH YOUR
HEARTS: for that which is highly esteemed among
men is abomination in the sight of God." Luke
16:15. {92}
"In the day when GOD SHALL JUDGE THE SECRETS OF
MEN by Jesus Christ according to my gospel."
Romans 2:16.
"But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his
countenance, or on the height of his stature;
because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not
as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward
appearance, but THE LORD LOOKETH ON THE HEART."
1_Samuel 16:7.
These passages show that God looks at the heart.
Hold the inquirer right to that point. Every man,
when brought face to face with that, must tremble,
for he knows that whatever his outward life may
be, his heart will not stand the scrutiny of God's
all-seeing and holy eye. No matter how
self-righteous a man may appear, we need not be
discouraged, for somewhere in the depths of every
man's heart is the consciousness of sin, and all
we have to do is to work away until we touch that
point. Every man's conscience is on our side.
3. Matthew 22:37-38 can also be used with those
who expect to be saved by their righteous lives.
You can say to the man, "If you expect to be saved
by your righteous life, you are greatly deceived,
and certainly entertain a false hope. For so far
from living a righteous life, you have broken the
very first and greatest of God's commandments." Of
course he may not believe this at first, but you
can turn him to the passage mentioned, and show
him what the first and greatest of God's
commandments is, and ask him if he has kept it.
This passage is especially useful if a man says,
"I am doing the best I can," or if he says, "I am
doing more good than evil." you can say to him,
"You are greatly mistaken about that. So far from
doing more good than evil, you have broken the
first and greatest of God's laws," and then show
him the passage.
4. A fourth method of dealing with this class is
to use Hebrews 11:6 and John 6:29:
"But WITHOUT FAITH it is impossible to please him:
for he that cometh to God must believe that he is,
and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently
seek him."
"Jesus answered and said unto them, THIS is the
work of God, THAT YE BELIEVE ON HIM WHOM HE HATH
SENT."
These passages show that the one thing which God
demands is faith, that the work of God is to
believe on Him whom He hath sent, and that without
faith it is impossible to please God whatever
{93} else a man may possess. John 16:9 can also be
used to show that unbelief in Christ is the
greatest sin:
"Of sin, BECAUSE THEY BELIEVE NOT ON ME."
5. Still another way of dealing with this class is
by the use of John 3:36:
"He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting
life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not
see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him."
This shows that the gift of eternal life depends
solely upon a man's acceptance of Jesus Christ.
That the sin which brings the heaviest punishment
is that of treading under foot the Son of God, can
be shown by Hebrews 10:28-29:
"He that despised Moses' law died without mercy
under two or three witnesses: of how much sorer
punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought
worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of
God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant,
wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and
hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?"
Before using this passage, it is well to say, "You
think you are very good, but do you know that you
are committing the most awful sin in God's sight
which a man can commit?" If he replies, "I do not
think so," then tell him, "Let me show you from
God's Word that you are." Then turn to this
passage and read it with great solemnity and
earnestness.
A very useful passage with many a self-righteous
man is Luke 18:10-14. You can say to the man,
"There is a picture in the Bible of a man just
like you, who expected to be accepted before God
on the ground of his righteousness, and who had,
as men go, much righteousness to present to God,
but let us see what God says to him." Then have
him read the passage.
It is well to bring all those who expect to be
saved by a righteous life into the presence of
God, for in His holy presence self-righteousness
fades away. (See Isaiah 6:5 and Job 42:5-6.) But
how shall we bring any one into the presence of
God? By opening to them passages that reveal the
holiness of God, and by praying the Holy Spirit to
carry these passages home. It is also well
whenever possible, to get the inquirer to pray.
Many a man who is stoutly maintaining his
excellence before God, has given way when he has
been brought to get down on his knees in God's
very presence. {94}
II. "GOD IS TOO GOOD TO DAMN ANY ONE."
This is what another class of those who entertain
false hopes think.
1. When any one says this, you can reply, "We know
nothing about God's goodness, except what we learn
from the Bible. If we give up the Bible, we have
no conclusive proof that God is love, and can
therefore build no hopes upon His goodness. But if
we accept the Bible statement that God is love, we
must also accept the Bible representations of the
goodness of God. Let us then go to the Bible and
find out the character of God's goodness." Then
turn the inquirer to Romans 2:4-5:
"Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and
forbearance and long suffering; NOT KNOWING THAT
THE GOODNESS OF GOD LEADETH THEE TO REPENTANCE?
But after thy hardness and impenitent heart
treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day
of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment
of God."
When the man has read the verse, you can say to
him, "This verse tells us what the purpose of
God's goodness is; what is it?" "To lead us to
repentance." "And what does this verse tell us
will be the result if we do not permit the
goodness of God to lead us to repentance, but
trample it under foot and make it an excuse for
sin?" He will find the answer to this question in