Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: (For until the law sin was in the world:) but sin is not imputed when there is no law. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come." Rom 5:12-14.
Many have been the vain imaginations of mankind to think that they can successfully emulate The righteousness of God and His works. In their efforts to do so, they do rather imitate Satan, the father of all unrighteousness, who would steal God's glory in order to accredit it to himself, and if he could, "Exalt himself to heaven, and make himself like unto the most High God." Isa 14:14. "And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth. And the LORD came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded." Gen 11:4-5.
There is no spiritual goodness in the fallen, fleshly nature of mankind, for "..all flesh is as grass, and the goodliness thereof as the flower of the field: The grass withereth, the flower fadeth, for the Spirit of the Lord bloweth upon it." Isa 40:6-8. God has ordained to pour contempt upon all the pride of human beings. "...In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind. Doth not the ear try words? and the mouth taste his meat? With the ancient is wisdom; and in length of days understanding. With him is wisdom and strength, he hath counsel and understanding. Behold, he breaketh down, and it cannot be built again: he shutteth up a man, and there can be no opening. Behold, he withholdeth the waters, and they dry up: also he sendeth them out, and they overturn the earth. With him is strength and wisdom: the deceived and the deceiver are his. He leadeth counsellors away spoiled, and maketh the judges fools. He looseth the bond of kings, and girdeth their loins with a girdle. He leadeth princes away spoiled, and overthroweth the mighty. He removeth away the speech of the trusty, and taketh away the understanding of the aged. He poureth contempt upon princes, and weakeneth the strength of the mighty. He discovereth deep things out of darkness, and bringeth out to light the shadow of death. He increaseth the nations, and destroyeth them: he enlargeth the nations, and straiteneth them again. He taketh away the heart of the chief of the people of the earth, and causeth them to wander in a wilderness where there is no way. They grope in the dark without light, and he maketh them to stagger like a drunken man. Lo, mine eye hath seen all this, mine ear hath heard and understood it." Job 12:10 - 13:1. "Behold, the nations are as a drop of a bucket, and are counted as the small dust of the balance: behold, he taketh up the isles as a very little thing. And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, nor the beasts thereof sufficient for a burnt offering. All nations before him are as nothing; and they are counted to him less than nothing, and vanity." Isa 40:15-17. "..And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?"... Dan 4:35.. "..This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones: to the intent that the living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men." Dan 4:17. "..And they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field: they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and seven times shall pass over thee, until thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will...".. Dan 4:32 "..Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to abase...".. Dan 4:37.
"...But Job answered and said, How hast thou helped him that is without power? how savest thou the arm that hath no strength? How hast thou counselled him that hath no wisdom? and how hast thou plentifully declared the thing as it is? To whom hast thou uttered words? and whose spirit came from thee? Dead things are formed from under the waters, and the inhabitants thereof. Hell is naked before him, and destruction hath no covering. He stretcheth out the north over the empty place, and hangeth the earth upon nothing. He bindeth up the waters in his thick clouds; and the cloud is not rent under them. He holdeth back the face of his throne, and spreadeth his cloud upon it. He hath compassed the waters with bounds, until the day and night come to an end. The pillars of heaven tremble and are astonished at his reproof. He divideth the sea with his power, and by his understanding he smiteth through the proud. By his spirit he hath garnished the heavens; his hand hath formed the crooked serpent. Lo, these are parts of his ways: but how little a portion is heard of him? but the thunder of his power who can understand?..." .. Job 26:1-14.
"...Man at his best estate is altogether vanity," says the prophet David. (Psa 39:5). If humankind is only vanity at their best estate, what is it in its worst condition? The Scripture has declared that the natural mind of mankind is enmity against God. "...Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be." Rom 8:7 "For 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 Cor 2:14. Please note that the natural mind is not merely indifferent to God's Mind and Will, but that it is actually opposed to it, and is at war with Him. It is evident from the Apostle John's testimony that most of mankind lies in this fallen, depraved condition: "...And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness..." 1 John 5:19. Fallen humankind can trust in nothing more than their own fancied goodness for salvation in the sight of God; their natural hearts are fully set in them to promote this goodness and righteousness. The Apostle Paul describes this condition from his previous life when he said: "...I was alive without the law once, but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died..." Rom 7:9. In Paul's (or Saul's) old life, he fully trusted that which was inherent to his fleshly nature to bring about in his experience his approval in the sight of God; He could not, at that time say: "...For I know that in me, (that is, my flesh,) dwells no good thing..." Rom 7:18. Persons will therefore continue in this state, regardless of all the other achievements they may attain in the world until arrested by Divine Grace, and humbled under the mighty Hand of God's Spirit. "... he that exalts himself shall be abased, but he that humbles himself, shall be exalted." Mat 23:12. "Unless you be converted, and become as little children, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven..." Mat 18:3. Because the natural mind has such a high opinion of itself, and it's own potential, it is prone to pride: "The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts..." Psa 10:4. "Therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain;.." Psa 73:6. This pride will logically lead to an excessive boasting of man's abilities, achievements, etc., even to the point of thinking themselves instrumental in promoting, if not being directly responsible for their own salvation, and the salvation of others of humanity, all the while not knowing and realizing that God Himself is the Only Savior, and beside Him there is no (other) god; and neither needs (or asks) any help from any creature to aid Him in the business of salvation: "... "...And I looked, and there was none to help; and I wondered that there was none to uphold: therefore mine own arm brought salvation unto me..." Isa 63:5.
"...Thus saith the LORD, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my rest?..." Isa 66:1."...But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort? for all things come of thee, and of thine own have we given thee...
... For we are strangers before thee, and sojourners, as were all our fathers: our days on the earth are as a shadow, and there is none abiding...." For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the LORD: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word..."1 Chr 29:14.
...He hath said in his heart, I shall not be moved: for I shall never be in adversity..." .. "...Let favour be showed to the wicked, yet will he not learn righteousness: in the land of uprightness will he deal unjustly, and will not behold the majesty of the LORD..."
"...None of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him...Psa 49:7.
"... For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee....
"...Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee: therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life...Isa 43:3-4.
"...Remember the days of old, consider the years of many generations: ask thy father, and he will show thee; thy elders, and they will tell thee.... When the Most High divided to the nations their inheritance, when he separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel.... For the LORD'S portion is his people; Jacob is the lot of his inheritance..."Deu 32:7-9.
Such an attitude, is to God's believing children, an affront to the imputed righteousness of Christ, whose name and merit are alone given under heaven whereby they must, or can be saved. These times and conditions (which our generations are living in) were predicted through divine inspiration by the Apostle Paul: "...In the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud,.." 2 Tim 3:1-2. The Apostle is not here referring to the general condition of mankind in that respect that has existed since man fell into sin, but is alluding to a state that would greatly increase and be displayed among religious professors in the last days, or during the times of the gospel dispensation. I know that many who are yet in the flesh, and may read these sentiments (if they even bother to) will feel themselves highly offended by these words, which are according to truth. People in nature feel that they have an inherent right to salvation and the blessings of God. They also feel very offended in being charged with depravity and being spiritually inert in the sight of God. This is because they are not continually conscious of their own spiritual depravity and the condemnation of sin in their flesh. Thus, the natural religious Jew replied to Christ: "...We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God. Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me..." John 8:41- 42."
Again, when the Jewish religious leaders came out to the river Jordan, where John the Baptist was baptizing, they demanded baptism at his hands, and based their qualifications and candidacy upon no more than their fleshly descent and genealogy, claiming to be `children of Abraham'. John, knowing that the children of God are `justified by faith, without the deeds or works of the Law (Gal 3:6-10,) and not by anything found in themselves, or found in their flesh by human nature, for they must be "born (again,) not of blood, or the will of the flesh, or of the will of man, but of the Will and Spirit of Christ." John 1:13. He therefore, refused to consecrate to them these holy symbols, saying: "...And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham...". Mat 3:8-9.
The greatest evidence that points to being a child of God, and a believer in the Lord Jesus (one that is born of His Spirit, and that trusts in Him for all of their salvation) is the manifestation of a desire to account and credit all of one's salvation alone to the Will and Purpose of God the Father through Mercy in the Lord Jesus, whom is the source and origin of all that they have, and are able to recognize that it is His good will and pleasure to give it all unto them; (Luke 12:32,) because they were thus chosen and embraced in Him to this end, even in eternity (Eph 1:4-12). This principle the Lord Jesus consistently exemplified in Himself, whom in His earthly administration, and as the Divine Mediator between God and His people, stood as a pattern for, and of His brethren (Heb 2:14). The before mentioned statements being true, then the opposite is also true in those who do not yet know God. Even though one may make a high and long profession of religion, and be highly esteemed in the religious world and among mankind, where this principle is not in attendance, there is no real evidence that one loves God, or is born of His Spirit. The charity spoken of by the Apostles was not the love that motivates the natural world of mankind, but the special love of God that is given to God's Elect. .."...We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren.." John 3:14. There is a special love between those whom are born of the Spirit of God. While men do have a love and fraternity in nature that is commendable for the purpose that it serves in the world, and for which we in consideration of our temporal blessings, thank God, (Who is Lord of Providence and Grace); yet, this natural love is not to be compared with the Love of the Spirit that is given to the children of God, and which flows from breast to breast. Thus, the Apostle again writes: .."... Though I give my body to be burned, and give all my goods to feed the poor, etc., and have not charity, I am nothing .... " For charity seeketh not it's own..." 1 Cor 13:2-8. This charity is free from the selfishness of the flesh, and its motives look wholly and purely to God's glory through the intercession and sanctification of His Own Spirit. Jesus, who could look directly upon the heart of man, and who judges the very intents of the heart, taught that one's motives are most important in the sight of God. Thus, God not only judges the bare works of persons, but the very principles that actuates these works. We see these principles exemplified and illustrated in the different actions of Cain and Able, the first men born into the world. Their actions only belied the different spiritual state of the person under consideration, as Cain not only actually offered the literal works of his own hands, but he made his offering to God as such. This the true child of God cannot do with impunity. "...Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous..." 1 John 3:12. So important are the knowledge of these things for the spiritual welfare of the saints, that Jesus spent a considerable portion in His instructions to His people while He was upon earth in elucidating them, and they form that part of the "record that He has given of His Son." 1 John 5:10. In his judgment and condemnation of the self-righteous scribes and Pharisees, who were selfishly motivated in all of their religious works, He charged with performing "...all of their works to be seen of men..." Mat 23:5. Their motivation in religion was only in order to attend to these things with a view to receive the applause and approval of their own selfish will, and to receive the applause of others about them. Thus, it is said of these types, that "...that they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God." .."But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed. For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.".. .Gal 1:8-10.
Again, this principle characterizes, distinguishes and contrasts the believing children of God, whom are `spiritual Israelites', with and from the fleshly children of this world: "..For he is not a Jew, who is one outwardly, but he is a Jew, who is one inwardly....whose praise is not of man, but of God..." Rom 2:28. The child of God, being born of Christ's Spirit, seeks approval through the Spirit in his or her own conscience first, and from a principle to God's glory, without the consideration of mere man's approval. .. Jesus said, "...How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only?.." John 5:44. "...For what do you have that you did not receive, (freely) and if you received it (freely), why do you glory, (one against another,) as if you did not receive it?.." 1 Cor 4:7. "...Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD..." Jer 17:5. God will not be wholly trusted in our hearts for salvation until we are brought to the place where we lose all trust in man and in the abilities of our fleshly nature for acceptance with God. Before we can come to this place, we must first realize our utter depravity, and lose all confidence in the flesh (or in ourselves) This is how Christ describes these principles when He explains: "..He that shall save his life shall lose it, and he that loses his life for my sake and the gospel's, shall find it. .." Mat 16:25, Mark 8:35, Luke 9:24, Luke 17:33. The cause for the promotion of these truths is so important to the follower of Christ, especially the true called gospel minister, that he is made to renounce all that he possesses in nature, and lay down his fleshly life (or renounce it) in the avocation and promotion of the honor of this profession for his life and glory in Christ.
The believer is then enabled to declare in his heart: "...I am crucified with Christ; nevertheless, I live, yet not I, but Christ lives in me, and the life that I now live in the flesh, I life 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.." Gal 2:21. He knows that he is dead (powerless) in the flesh, but alive (active) in the spirit of God. "..For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.. Col. 3:3. "God's children are not only totally depraved spiritually before regeneration, but they are also helpless within themselves, or in their flesh after regeneration.
The Apostle Paul gets more and more into this subject while he progresses with these truths in the Roman letter. Leading up to the sixth chapter, he has been treating of this doctrine, and introducing it all along, and building his arguments for the spiritual mind. He states that by one man came sin and it's effects (condemnation), and by one man came the free gift of grace unto justification of life. Where sin did (does) abound unto condemnation and spiritual death, the grace of God abounds in the same man (whom receives abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness), for where sin abounds unto death (powerlessness) grace super abounds or reigns unto life in Christ. (Rom 5:18). "...And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God...".. Rom 8:10-14.
I would now like to present some excerpts from an article dealing with this subject, and published in 1897 by R. H. Boaz, as it is to my mind, one of the best that I have ever read:
".It is in Jesus that `we live and move', Acts 17:28. "..And it is after regeneration that we do live and move spiritually. Christ is not only the life of the Church, His body, but He gives action to the body, working righteousness in us. Our works are all wrong works. "We are all as an unclean thing, and all of our righteousness are as filthy rags." Isa 64:6. Thus the prophet describes us after regeneration, for he, at the time he wrote, was born of God. "..O! how corrupt are our works. The best thing that we ever did is as a filthy rag. Not the best thing that Christ hath done in us, but the best that we ever did, before or after regeneration. This filthiness was not wrought in us by Christ, as some accuse me of believing, but is the fruit of our nature which is corrupt, and can only bring forth evil fruit. But when we, by faith, not by works you will observe, abide in Jesus, our works are pure, because they are works wrought by Him in us: "It is God that worketh in you, both to will and to do of His good pleasure." Phil 2:13. Jesus "is of God, made unto us wisdom and righteousness,and sanctification and redemption., that according as it is written, `He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.'1 Cor 1:30-31. This work goes on after regeneration, for you will notice that the Apostle said "is made, (in the present tense- ed.) and not, "was made, (in the past tense-ed.) in regeneration. And you will observe also that this "making" is of God, not of us. If, as some (among us) claim, that we can make Christ unto ourselves by our obedience, then we could, and indeed would boast (which some are now doing) - boasting of what they have (done), and can do. The Apostle found this boastful disposition among the brethren at Corinth, and reproves them for it. Listen. "For who maketh thee to differ from another? And what hath thou that thou didst not receive? Now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?" 1 Cor 4:7. This would embrace every good trait that any of those Corinthians may have possessed, and Paul teaches that they are all gifts, and that they should not be puffed up for one against another. The saints at Ephesus were exposed to the same error, hence this language from the Apostle: "By grace are ye saved, through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." Eph 2:8-10. Notice that the text doesn't say `for by grace ye were regenerated, or have eternal life, or by grace ye were saved, but by grace "ye are" saved. Salvation is not of works; If so, men would "boast". Paul gives the reason why salvation is not, nor cannot be of works, "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained, that we should walk in them". He teaches here that the good works are in Christ Jesus, and that God hath ordained that we shall walk in them. Now we know that this walking is after regeneration, therefore, "conditional time salvation", as taught by some, is not the truth. Some seem to think that the Apostle meant here, that God had established `a line' of good works for His children to walk in, and left the walking entirely with the child; and if they walk in obedience, they are saved. If this be true, the Apostle should have said, `for by works are ye saved.' But that is not what the text teaches, but that the good works are in Jesus, and the child of God can walk nowhere else. We may try to walk in our own works, but we fail. The child of God cannot walk in his own works; he can walk only in the finished work of Jesus, and this is not a voluntary act of his, but God has ordained it. Hence, the Prophet could say: "The redeemed of the Lord shall walk there." Isa 35:9. - Shall walk where? On this, or in this way, and this Way is Christ. "And a highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called the way of Holiness."v.8. Hence, this is the only way of Holiness that God's children can walk in, (that is,) to walk in Christ. - not in themselves. They often try to walk in themselves, but they only stumble and fall; but when walking in this "way", the works of Christ do manifest themselves in their walk, which are "love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance." But says someone, Jesus said "Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." Matt 11:28. "Well, does this not mean that the coming is entirely of us?" No, that idea is directly opposite to what Jesus taught here. Jesus does not teach that the `rest' depends on us, when Jesus calls us away from `self' to Himself. How any poor, laboring, troubled child of God can believe that he has the power to go to Jesus and get rest at his option, I am unable to tell. If you have the power to go, why do you stay away in your sorrow so long? Have you not, and do you not, try to get rest, and fail? Why do you do this if you have power to go to Jesus and get rest? Do you prefer labor and sorrow to rest and peace? Surely not. Jesus did not teach that God's children have power to come to Him by their works, or any other way; But He did teach that they have not the power. "No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me, draw him." John 6:44. `No man', (Jesus says.) Elder Kirkland, in his editorials, tries to escape here, by claiming that Jesus in this text alluded to coming to Him in regeneration. Now, this could not have been Jesus' meaning, because in regeneration there is no coming to Jesus, but Jesus goes to the sinner, and regeneration is an instantaneous work, while coming is not. Jesus taught our entire dependence upon God for our coming and our rest also; hence Paul could say: "Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ."`Rom 5:1. You will observe that we have peace through our Lord Jesus Christ, not through our works, as some are teaching. Here is the coming to Jesus: Being drawn there by the Father by faith, and made to rest from our works, and enjoy sweet peace through what Jesus has done, and is still doing for us. We are made to "Sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus", Eph 2:6. Being clothed upon with His righteousness, and for a moment stand and rejoice, and glory in the Lord. See Isa 61:10, 1 Cor 5:1-5, 2 Cor 10:17. The above is by R. H. Boaz, 1897. Note: I hope to publish Elder Boaz's pamphlet upon this subject (Conditional time salvation) in its entirety, as it is very revealing, and not only casts much needed light upon this subject, but also reveals some very important history of the Primitive, or Old School Baptists. OAB. Because God's Elect were in this depraved condition by their nature in their fleshly progenitor Adam, who is their federal head, the entrance of a better righteousness for them was necessitated than that endowed by their fleshly nature; This is why the Son of God was made flesh for them, or as some has said, in their room and stead. (Heb 2:14). "It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him:" 2 Tim 2:11. "This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief." 1 Tim 1:15.
Boasting is Excluded
