Baptist Catechism 89

Q. 89. What doth every sin deserve?

A. Every sin deserveth God’s wrath and curse, both in this life, and in that which is to come. (Eph.5:6; Gal. 3:10; Prov. 3:33; Ps. 11:6; Rev. 21:8)

Scripture Reading: Revelation 21:1–8

“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.’ And he who was seated on the throne said, ‘Behold, I am making all things new.’ Also he said, ‘Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.’ And he said to me, ‘It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son. But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.’” (Revelation 21:1–8, ESV)

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Please excuse any typos and misspellings within this manuscript. It has been published online for the benefit of the saints of Emmaus Reformed Baptist Church but without the benefit of proofreading.

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Let us briefly review what we have learned about the topic of sin. 

It was way back in Baptist Catechism questions 16 through 22 that we first learned about sin. There in that section, we learned about the first sin of Adam and Eve and the consequences of that sin for all of humanity. That is a very important section of our catechism, for there the topic of “sin” is addressed historically. There we learn about how sin came into the world through our first parents, and how sin and its consequences spread to all mankind.  But it was in question 17 that we found a most helpful definition of sin. Question 17 asks, “What is sin?” Answer: “Sin is any want of conformity unto, or transgression of, the law of God.” “Want” means lack or failure. So we sin whenever we fail to do what God has commanded, and we sin when we do what God has forbidden. Theologians have called these two ways of sinning sins of omission and commission. So, we sin when we omit — that is, fail to do — what God requires of us, and we sin when we commit — that is, do — what God has forbidden in his law. 

Perhaps you have heard sin described as missing the mark. Can you picture an archer with a bow and arrow in his hand? He draws the bow, aims at the target, and lets the arrow fly. If he hits the bullseye, then all is well. But if he missed, then we might say that he has “sinned”. He has missed the mark. 

And what is the mark which God has set for the human race? Conformity to the moral law. We must do what the law requires, and avoid what the law forbids. And where is this moral law summarized for us? In the Ten Commandments. 

And so we studied the Ten Commandments for a long time. We learned what they say, and we learned what they require of us and what they forbid. And so I ask you, after studying the Ten Commandments in this way did your confidence grow or diminish in regard to your ability to hit the bullseye of God’s revealed will?  I hope you will confess that your confidence diminished. God’s standard for us is moral perfection, and we have all come short of it. 

You will notice that the catechism has returned now to the topic of sin. This time the perspective is not historical, but theological. Question 87 asked, “Is any man able perfectly to keep the commandments of God?” The correct answer is, “No mere man, since the fall, is able in this life, perfectly to keep the commandments of God, but daily break them in thought, word, or deed.” In other words, we all sin. Yes even Christians, who have been renewed by the Spirit, who love God and his law, still sin. 

In question 88 we found a helpful clarification. The question was, “Are all transgressions of the law equally heinous?” There we learned that “Some sins in themselves and by reason of several aggravations, are more heinous in the sight of God than others.” 

Now in question 89, we find a difficult but very important truth. The question is “What [does] every sin deserve?” Answer: “Every sin [deserves] God’s wrath and curse, both in this life, and in that which is to come.”

This is a hard truth to swallow, isn’t it? But it is so very important that this truth be proclaimed. 

In fact, the Christian religion crumbles without this doctrine. 

Some men love to talk about the love of God, his mercy and grace, and the forgiveness that is in Christ Jesus, but they refuse to speak of his wrath and curse. They will speak of Jesus the loving Savior and of his virtuous life, but they refuse to speak of Jesus as judge. 

Please hear me. There is no sense in speaking of God’s love, mercy, and grace, nor of Christ the Savior, unless we are also willing to speak of sin and of its just penalty, for that is the very thing that Jesus came to save us from. He came to fix this problem that we are now considering. To use Paul’s language from Romans, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus…” (Romans 3:23–24, ESV). And a little bit later he says, “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23, ESV). Can you see that the grace of God shown to us in Christ Jesus is the solution to the problem of our sin and the judgment of God under which all stand?   

So this truth that all have sinned, and that “every sin [deserves] God’s wrath and curse, both in this life, and in that which is to come”, is essential. The Good News of Jesus Christ can only be understood against this backdrop of bad news. And yet men and women — yes even Christians and Ministers of the Gospel — will make every effort to suppress and dismiss this unpleasant truth.

I’ll be honest with you though, and it’s because I love you. You’re a sinner. And even if it is true that you have not committed so-called “heinous” sins, “every sin [deserves] God’s wrath and curse, both in this life, and in that which is to come”. If you are not in Christ, you stand guilty before God now. And if you die apart from Christ you will stand guilty before God on the day of judgment, and then it will be too late. You will be judged by Christ and punished by him for all eternity.  But God is loving, gracious, and kind. He has provided a Savior, Christ Jesus the Lord. You must run to him for refuge. You must believe in him for the forgiveness of sins. 

That Revelation 21 passage that I read at the beginning of the sermon is very beautiful. In it John’s vision of the new heavens and earth is described to us. “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.’ And he who was seated on the throne said, ‘Behold, I am making all things new.’ Also he said, ‘Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.’ And he said to me, ‘It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son.” How wonderful! We long for this. But consider the concussion: “But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.’” (Revelation 21:1–8, ESV)

Both the bad news of our sin and misery, and the good news of salvation in Jesus Christ must be proclaimed. The one does not make sense without the other, friends. 

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Baptist Catechism 89

As we move now towards a conclusion I would like to walk you through Baptist Catechism 89. 

Q. 89. What [does] every sin deserve?

Answer: “Every sin…” notice the word “every”. Not only heinous sins but “every sin  [deserves]…” In fact, the justice of God demands that all sins be punished. If God were simply to pardon sins he would not be just. So “God’s wrath and curse” must be poured out against all sin. And please hear me, brothers and sisters. Here is the beauty of the gospel. God is both just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Christ, for God has punished our sin in him. Christ is the substitute for those who believe in him. And then our catechism concludes with these words, “both in this life, and in that which is to come.” So, apart from Christ men and women live in this life under God’s wrath and curse, and will continue in that state for all eternity unless they repent and believe upon the Savior. 

Friends, will you be found in Jesus and thus enter into life everlasting?

And will you be faithful to urge others to be found in him until Christ comes or God calls you home? 

There is so much on the line, brothers and sisters. Let us be found faithful. 

Baptist Catechism 88

Q. 88. Are all transgressions of the law equally heinous?

A. Some sins in themselves and by reason of several aggravations, are more heinous in the sight of God than others. (Ezekiel 8:13; John 19:11; 1 John 5:16)

Scripture Reading: John 19:1–11

“Then Pilate took Jesus and flogged him. And the soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head and arrayed him in a purple robe. They came up to him, saying, ‘Hail, King of the Jews!’ and struck him with their hands. Pilate went out again and said to them, ‘See, I am bringing him out to you that you may know that I find no guilt in him.’ So Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Pilate said to them, ‘Behold the man!’ When the chief priests and the officers saw him, they cried out, ‘Crucify him, crucify him!’ Pilate said to them, ‘Take him yourselves and crucify him, for I find no guilt in him.’ The Jews answered him, ‘We have a law, and according to that law he ought to die because he has made himself the Son of God.’ When Pilate heard this statement, he was even more afraid. He entered his headquarters again and said to Jesus, ‘Where are you from?’ But Jesus gave him no answer. So Pilate said to him, ‘You will not speak to me? Do you not know that I have authority to release you and authority to crucify you?’ Jesus answered him, ‘You would have no authority over me at all unless it had been given you from above. Therefore he who delivered me over to you has the greater sin.’” (John 19:1–11, ESV)

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Please excuse any typos and misspellings within this manuscript. It has been published online for the benefit of the saints of Emmaus Reformed Baptist Church but without the benefit of proofreading.

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Have you ever heard it said that all sins are equal in God’s eyes? There is some truth to that statement if by it we mean that all sins, big or small, are in fact sins and do make us guilty before God. That is certainly true. And that fact does need to be emphasized for there are many people who think that because they have not committed a big sin — a heinous sin — then they are good with God. That is not true. Sin, we have learned, is any lack of conformity unto or transgression of the law of God (BC 17). And after considering God’s law we have all agreed that we daily violate God’s law in thought, word, or deed (BC 87). We must confess, therefore, that apart from Christ we all stand guilty before God. If that is what people mean when they say that all sins are equal in God’s eyes, then I agree with them. 

But I think you would agree that that phrase can be a little misleading. It can be taken to mean that God does not distinguish between lesser and greater sins at all. That doesn’t sound right does it for a God who is perfectly just. And when we consider the civil law that God gave to Old Covenant Israel we see that the punishment fit the crime. Lesser crimes were to receive a lesser punishment, and greater crimes were to receive a  stricter punishment. If we are to uphold justice in this way by distinguishing between lesser and greater evils, then it stands to reason that God, who is perfectly just, does the same. 

The passage that I just read from John 19 speaks to this issue. When Jesus spoke to Pilate concerning his sin he said that the Jews who had falsely accused him, and who were turning the political screws on Pilate to persuade him to crucify Jesus, had “the greater sin”. Both Pilate and the Jews sinned against Jesus by their unjust treatment of him, but the sin of the unbelieving Jews was greater, for they were the ones driving the issue.  

And so this raises another question: if a distinction is to be made between lesser and greater sins, should we expect there to be differing degrees of punishment in hell? The answer is yes, for God is just. The punishment will fit the sin. Jesus also spoke to this when he said that “it will be more bearable on that day [the day of judgment] for Sodom than for that town”, speaking of the town which rejects the testimony of his Apostles  (Luke 10:12, ESV).

So, on the one hand, we must agree that all sin is sin. All lawbreakers stand before God as guilty, therefore. But not all sin is the same. Some sins are more heinous than others.

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Baptist Catechism 88

This is what our catechism teaches. 

Q. 88. Are all transgressions of the law equally heinous?

A. “Some sins in themselves… are more heinous in the sight of God than others.” To give an example, the sin of murder is much worse than the sin of unholy hatred. Both are sins. Neither should be tolerated. But one is much worse than the other given the destruction that it causes. 

Ezekiel 8:13 is listed as a proof text. There we read, “He said also to me, ‘You will see still greater abominations that they commit” (Ezekiel 8:13, ESV). The meaning is clear. What Ezekiel had been shown in this vision regarding the sins of the leaders of Israel was bad, but he was about to see even worse things. And again, Jesus’ words to Pilate that have already been discussed prove the point that  “Some sins in themselves… are more heinous in the sight of God than others.”

Our catechism is also right to say that “some sins in themselves and by reason of several aggravations, are more heinous in the sight of God than others.” I think this little phrase, by reason of several aggravations, acknowledges that other factors come into play when determining the severity of a sin. Some sins are, in and of themselves, more heinous than others. But there are other things to consider too when asking, how aggravating is this sin to God. So, for example, I will ask you, is it more aggravating to God when a four-year-old tells a lie or when a forty-year-old tells a lie? The sin is the same, right? But there is a sense in which a lying 40-year-old is worse than a lying 4-year-old. The 40-year-old should know better! And what is worse, a Christian committing adultery or a Pastor? Same sin, but the one is more aggravating than the other. Remember what James said. “Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness” (James 3:1, ESV). And that passage with Jesus and Pilate is helpful again. Both Pilate and the Jews were guilty of injustice, but the sins of the Jews were greater, in part, because they should have known better (they crucified their own Messiah), and because they were the instigators.  I think that is what the phrase, “by reason of several aggravations”, means. It means that other factors may contribute to make a sin more aggravating in the sight of God.

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Conclusion 

So what difference does this teaching make?

One, it does help us to think and speak clearly regarding the justice of God. He does distinguish between lesser and greater sins. At the judgment the punishment will fit the sin. And we are to follow his example when executing temporal justice on earth today. 

Two, this teaching should make us eager to avoid all sin, but especially to avoid heinous sin. And we do know that lesser sins do lead to greater sins. Don’t lie when you are 4 because you do not want to be lier when you are 40, which is worse. And do not lust in your heart, for we know that the sin of lust does lead to the sin of adultery. Be sober concerning the severity of all sin, and particularly heinous sin, for is so very damaging. 

Three, this teaching does enable us to correctly distinguish between those who are good and those who are evil in the world. In an absolute sense, is anyone good? We say, no. There is none righteous, no not one. But in another sense, are there good people in the world? Are there good governors, good bosses, good friends, and good parents? Yes! And how can we speak in this way? By understanding that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, some, by God’s grace, are good, caring, faithful, and just, relatively speaking.  Though all are sinners, God, in his common grace, does restrain evil in the world and he keeps even those who do not know Christ from committing heinous sins, thanks be to God. 

Q. 88. Are all transgressions of the law equally heinous?

A. Some sins in themselves and by reason of several aggravations, are more heinous in the sight of God than others. (Ezekiel 8:13; John 19:11; 1 John 5:16)

Old Testament Reading: Proverbs 10:12, 17:9, 17

“Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all offenses.” (Proverbs 10:12, ESV)

“Whoever covers an offense seeks love, but he who repeats a matter separates close friends.” (Proverbs 17:9, ESV)

“A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.” (Proverbs 17:17, ESV)

New Testament Reading: 1 Corinthians 13

“If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known. So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” (1 Corinthians 13, ESV)

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Please excuse any typos and misspellings within this manuscript. It has been published online for the benefit of the saints of Emmaus Reformed Baptist Church but without the benefit of proofreading.

Introduction

I think it was very healthy for me to reflect on the last ten years in preparation for our little church anniversary celebration last Sunday. It is good to pause and reflect on the past from time to time, isn’t it? One, it should move us to give thanks to God for his past provision, and two, it should help us to move on into the future with greater clarity and resolve. Looking back should help us to do both of these things in the Lord.

We gave thanks to God for his faithfulness to us last week. And in our consideration of Psalm 146, I encouraged you to make the glory, honor, and praise of God your highest aim as we move on into the future. Live for the glory of God, brothers and sisters. Seek first the advancement of his kingdom. Love God supremely. That was the charge. And this Sunday I wish to deliver another charge to the congregation regarding our future life together, and it is this: be resolved to love one another, brothers and sisters. For if we have not love, we are nothing.

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Love Demanded (vs. 1-3)

This is the warning that the Apostle Paul delivered to the church in Corinth in verses 1-3 of our text for today. Hear it again. “If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing” (1 Corinthians 13:1–3, ESV). So Paul was concerned for the church in Corinth. Evidently, they were preoccupied with their speech gifts, with their knowledge, and with their religious devotion but they were lacking in love for one another, and so Paul delivered this stern warning — if we have not love, we are nothing.

Paul’s point is this: even if I were the most gifted linguist, able to speak eloquently in multiple languages — yes, even the language of the angels (not that this is possible, but hypothetically speaking  [1]) — if I’m lacking in love, then I am nothing. Without love, my eloquent words will be like a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal — they will be empty and fruitless noise. 

That is quite a powerful image, isn’t it? And perhaps you have found this to be true in life. Someone may lack eloquence, but if you know they love you, their words are powerful, sweet, and pleasant to your ears. But the words of an eloquent man who proves to have no love in his heart — no sincerity or truth — are an annoyance. That is Paul’s point. To put the matter bluntly, Paul wrote to the Corinthians who were so puffed up with pride regarding their speech gifts, and said, forget about your eloquence. Forget about your linguistic skill. It’s nothing. It’s just noise if you lack love.  

He continues with the same theme in verse 2, saying, “And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.” (1 Corinthians 13:2, ESV). 

So here Paul addresses another source of pride within the Corinthian church, and that is their faith and knowledge. He had addressed these issues earlier in his letter, but brings them up again here in his love chapter, saying (in my words), you think so highly of yourself because of your ability to prophesy, your insights into the mystery of Christ, your knowledge, and your strong faith. But again, it’s all empty without love.

And in verse 3 Paul addresses another source of pride, “If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing” (1 Corinthians 13:3, ESV). Here Paul says that extreme religious devotion — devotion even to the point of martyrdom — is nothing without love. 

I wonder if you are beginning to see that the gifts and graces that Paul mentions here in this passage are in fact good graces. Being gifted in speech is good. Having knowledge is good. Having strong faith is good. And being willing to give up your possessions — yes, even your own life for the sake of Christ — is good.  These are all very good things. But what is Paul’s point? If love is lacking, then we are nothing, even if we possess these other qualities. 

And it is not hard to see why this is so. If there is no love in the heart, then it reveals that our speech (no matter how eloquent), our knowledge (no matter how deep), our faith (no matter how strong), and our devotion to Christ (no matter how extreme) is merely superficial.   

Application: Brothers and sisters, Corinth had its issues. They were evidently prideful about the gifts and graces they had received from God, and they were lacking in love for one another. I wonder, can you see that the same danger confronts us? Can you see how easy it would be to grow prideful concerning the gifts and graces that God has given to us, and to fail to truly love one another in Christ Jesus?  

As I reflected upon the past ten years I was moved to give thanks to God for his kindness to us. I think we have grown strong in some important ways. I’m amazed at how God has preserved the unity of this church as we have grown together in our understanding of Christian doctrine. Go back and read that church book again and consider how we have grown in our understanding of Biblical doctrine. Consider the things we have studied together. It’s been wonderful. I think we are much stronger than we used to be. 

But let me ask you this: is their pride in your heart regarding this grace that the Lord has shown to us? I hope not. To quote Paul from earlier in his letter to the Corinthians, “What do you have that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it?” (1 Corinthians 4:7, ESV). We must be on guard against the sin of pride, brothers and sisters. And one of the greatest remedies to the sin of pride is the understanding that whatever good thing we have is a gift from God. There is no room for boasting, therefore. 

And what about love? Without love we are nothing. 

You’re probably thinking, why are you confronting us with this, Pastor? Do you think there is a problem? Do you think we are lacking love?

Well, in fact, I do not. My honest opinion is that our love for one another is strong here in this congregation. Our love for one another has been strong in the past, and it continues to be. But my concern is that we do not lose what we have. We cannot afford to lose our love for one another, brothers and sisters. We must maintain it, and we must even grow in our love for one another in the years to come. 

And let me tell you this, it will not just happen. We must be intentional and deliberate about this. We must make the effort. Loving one another is something we must choose to do. 

You have probably noticed that everything in this world is prone to decay? Gravity is always pulling down on things. The sun, though it gives life, does also cause things to fade and decay. If things are to last, they must be maintained. This is true of the physical world, but also the emotional and spiritual.   

Christians must keep their own hearts pure. Parents must keep the home pure. Pastors must keep the church pure. Yes, this applies to the worship, doctrine, and discipline of the church. But it also applies to the fellowship that we enjoy with one another. Our love for one another must be maintained, brothers and sisters! To quote the letter to the Hebrews, “ let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near” (Hebrews 10:24–25, ESV). So this is one of the things we are to do when we assemble together on the Lord’s Day. Not only are we to learn. Not only are we to grow stronger in the faith. We are also to “ stir up one another to love and good works”. 

 Read the scriptures and see the emphasis that is placed on this theme of love.

Jesus spoke to his disciples, saying, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.” (John 13:34, ESV)

The Apostle Paul wrote to the church in Rome, saying, “Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.” (Romans 12:9–13, ESV)

Peter wrote Christians, saying “Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace:” (1 Peter 4:8–10, ESV)

And lastly, consider the words of the Apostle John: “Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.” (1 John 4:11–12, ESV)

Brothers and sisters, a church that is doctrinally sound but lacking in love is dead. I do hope that you realize that. To bring it close to home, it is very possible for a church to fully subscribe to the Second London Confession of Faith and to excel in the knowledge of the truth and in the ability to talk about the truth, and yet be toxic to the point of death because love is lacking.  

Do you remember the words that Christ spoke to the church in Ephesus in that vision that John saw as recorded in Revelation 2?  “The words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks among the seven golden lampstands. ‘I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false. I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name’s sake, and you have not grown weary. But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent.’” (Revelation 2:1–5, ESV)

What a sobering warning. Ephesus was strong in doctrine. They were valiant for the truth. They contended for the faith as they confronted the false teachers in their midst. Good for them! This was a true strength of theirs, and so Christ commended them for it. But the warning is very firm: “I have this against you”, Christ said, “…you have abandoned the love you had at first. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent.” 

This can happen, brothers and sisters. Churches with sound doctrine can lose their love for one another, and when they do, it is serious.

As I look back upon the last ten years I see that we have grown stronger in doctrine, thanks be to God. But do not forget: without love we are nothing.

As I look back upon the last ten years I see that we have grown stronger in our worship. Thanks be to God, we approach the worship of God with greater reverence than we did before. But remember this: without love we are nothing.

Another thing that we have grown in is our appreciation for and devotion to the ordinary means of grace. Do you know what I mean by this? Instead of being a very busy church with lots of special programs, etc. we have grown to know that God works very powerfully in his people through ordinary things — the preaching and teaching of the word of God, prayer, the sacraments of baptism, and the Lord’s Supper, and fellowship. I’m so happy that we are devoted to these simple and ordinary things, and that we have the faith to believe that God will work through them as he sees fit. But remember this: without love we are nothing.

Over the past ten years, we have also been faithful to do church discipline. Formal church discipline is hard, isn’t it? However, we have seen how good it is for the body of Christ and even for the professing Christian who is stuck in sin. But remember this, brothers and sisters: without love we are nothing.

I could go on and on, but I think you are able to see what I am trying to warn against. It would be very sad for me to see Emmaus continue to grow strong in doctrine, in purity of worship, in devotion to the ordinary means of grace, and faithful in discipline, and yet to lack in love. What an awful church that would be. In fact, it would reveal that we do not really believe the doctrines we claim to believe, for these truths — if believed in the mind and heart — will surely increase our love for God and for one another. And it would also reveal that we do not truly love God nor the Savior he has provided, for those who love God in Christ will also love the brethren. As Christ said, “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:35, ESV)

So this is my leading exhortation to you this morning. Continue to grow in your knowledge of the truth and in your devotion to God and to the things of God, but do not forget the warning of the Apostle: if we have not love, we are nothing.

 *****

Love Described (vs. 4-7)

Now, in verses 4 through 7 the love that Paul demands is described. “Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” (1 Corinthians 13:4–7, ESV)

It would probably be best to begin by noting what love is not. The love that Paul demands is not an emotion. In other words, Paul does not here teach that Christians must feel a certain way towards one another. Rather he is concerned that we treat one another a certain way. These are all verbs, you will notice. “Love is patient and kind”, etc.  

Now, this does not mean that the heart and the emotions are uninvolved. In fact, much of what Paul describes here does clearly emanate from the heart. “Love does not envy”, he says. Envy happens in the mind and heart.  And in verse 5 he says, “love is not irritable or resentful”. These things will manifest themselves in actions, but they begin in the heart. Clearly these are heart issues. So when I say, “the love that Paul describes here is not an emotion”, I mean, it is not merely emotional love. True love emanates from the heart and manifests itself in action. That is the point. I feel that I have to say this because love is so terribly misunderstood in our day. Yes, we are to love one another from the heart, but this heart-love is to be shown in word and in deed. 

Listen to Paul’s description of Christian love. And as you do, feel free to apply it to all kinds of relationships — Husbands and wives, parents, children, and friends may apply this to themselves — but do not forget that Paul is writing to the church here. His leading concern is that Chritians would love one another in this way in the context of the local church. 

“Love is patient”, Paul says. 

To be patient is to persevere through difficulty. So few are willing to do that in our day. Instead, men and women will cut one another off when challenges arise. And challenges will arise in our relationships, brothers and sisters. Mark my words! But if we love one another truly, we will be patient with one another. We will stick with one another through difficulties. The NKJV version brings out this meaning of the world a little better by saying, “love suffers long”. Yes, a patient person will not snip at others when annoyed (that is usually what we think of when we hear the word “patient”), but the word “patient” is richer than that. The one who is patient is willing to suffer long. They will not cut others off at every offence or when challenges arise within the relationship. 

Love is “kind”, Paul says. What comes to mind when you hear the word “kind” except someone who is tenderhearted, caring, sympathetic, and gentle. And no, this does not mean that there is never a time for firm confrontation or rebuke. Other scripture texts (even from Paul) say that there is a time for that. But think of it: there is a big difference between receiving a rebuke or correction from a hate-filled and hard-hearted person, and receiving correction from one who is loving and kind. The rebuke may sound the same, but it will be received very differently. Love, brothers and sisters. Be kind always (be that person). And I do trust that if you ever have to rebuke another, it will be best received if the person knows you love them and have their best interest in mind. “Better is open rebuke than hidden love. Faithful are the wounds of a friend; profuse are the kisses of an enemy” (Proverbs 27:5–6, ESV).

So love is patient and love is kind. Next we read, “love does not envy”. We talked a lot about the danger of envy when we considered the 10th commandment in the afternoon worship service. “Thou shall not covet”, the tenth commandment says. And what is forbidden in the tenth commandment? Answer: “The tenth commandment forbiddeth all discontentment with our own estate, envying or grieving at the good of our neighbor, and all inordinate motions and affections to anything that is his.” 

Envy, covetousness, and discontentment are deadly sins of the heart. And here is what I want for you to see concerning them: the one who is envious, covetous, and discontent is really self-centered. Think of it and you will see that it is true. The envious person looks at others and the good they have and thinks, I want that for myself, and if I have it then I will be satisfied. Whereas the one who loves does not live for their own good, but for the good of others. Love and envy are like oil and water. The are contradictory things. To love is to live for the good of others. The one who loves will rejoice when another person prospers. Envy, covetousness, and discontentment can only reside in a heart consumed with self-love.  

“Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her….” (Ephesians 5:25, ESV). How did Christ love the church? By giving himself up for her. He did not live for his own pleasure, but for the good of others. Some of you are miserable because you have not learned to love, but are consumed with self-love.  

So love does not envy, and neither does it “boast; it is not arrogant or rude”. This further confirms what I have just said about the real problem being self-love or self-centeredness. What does the boaster do? He or she wishes to draw attention to themselves so as to build up and exalt themselves in the eyes of others. To be arrogant is to be puffed up with pride or inflated. The most important thing to an arrogant boaster is image. Image is everything for a me-monster. But those who truly love will not have an appetite for boasting, for they find their fulfilment in building others up, not themselves. And arrogant boastful people will also be rude. Rude people act rudely (in an unbecoming or shameful manner) in order to get their way and to maintain their position of superiority over others. Really, rudeness is just a manipulative tactic. You have all seen it. Three-year-olds sometimes do it (no offense to the three-year-olds). They throw a tantrum when the big people in their life aren’t serving them as they think they should. But big people do this too. 60-year-olds will sometimes throw temper tantrums. They will act rudely towards others (sometimes for a long time) in order to get their way.   

In fact, that is what Paul addresses next. Love “does not insist on its own way…” So all of this fits together, doesn’t it? “Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way…”

Please consider just how messed up we are by nature due to sin. We are so very twisted. Many in this world do sincerely believe that they will be most happy and satisfied in this life if they live for themselves. But what do they find when they do? They are miserable. Do you wish to be truly miserable in this life? Then live for yourself. Insist on your own way. Live for your own comfort, your own pleasure, your own prosperity. Expect others to serve you. Demand that they meet your needs and do unto you as you wish. And if they dare come short of it — if they disrespect you somehow, if they let you down, if they fail to make you the center of their universe — then be sure to make them pay for it. Be rude to them. Give them the cold shoulder. Speak to them harshly. Employ all of your manipulative tactics until they learn the lesson that everything is about you. Please hear me: if you wish to be truly miserable in this life (and for all eternity), then live that way. Insist on your own way.  But if you wish to be blessed, then go in the other direction. Die to yourself daily and momentarily, serve others, and love as Christ loved. He washed the feet of his disciples. He bled and died in our place. This is the way of love. And this is the way to life everlasting — abundant life. 

We have all experienced this, I think. We all know what it is to be inconvenienced by someone and then to respond with a bad attitude. Honey, would you mind doing the dishes? And we sigh. We might do them, but we sulk. We clank the dishes around really hard to make sure everyone knows that we are displeased because we didn’t get our way. And guess what, you are miserable, and so is everyone around you! Having a bad attitude about the dishes is a silly example, but some live their whole life in this way. They are all about themselves all of the time. They may seem to be all about others in some settings, but this is only to maintain their image. Really, they are about themselves, and they are miserable. I’ll say to you what I say to my boys from time to time — don’t be that guy. Love instead. And love “does not insist on its own way…”

After this, we learn that love “is not irritable”. I hope that you are seeing the connections. If you are all about yourself, insisting on your own way in the mind and heart, then when things do not go your way, you will naturally be irritated. 

So do you feel irritated all the time? I suppose there can be many reasons for that. And perhaps some things need to change in your life. Maybe you are too busy. Maybe you are not getting enough sleep. Perhaps it would be good to look at diet and to consider exercise. Human beings are very complex creatures, I understand that. But do not forget to look at your heart. It may be that you are irritable (upset and agitated inside) because you are self-centered. You want things to go your way. You have many expectations for others, therefore. You wish to be served or left alone, and you grow agitated when you are not. And so I am urging you to check your heart. Try getting out of bed prayerfully and with the mindset of a servant rather than the mindset of a master. Make loving and serving those around you your focus. The worldly person will think that what I have just said is ridiculous. But the godly know that this is the way to life abundant. There is great freedom and joy found in this way. It seems backward to the world. But those in Christ know that when we lay down our life, we find it. Love is not irritable because the one who loves lives not to be served but to serve.  

I should offer this brief clarification before going on. In all of this talk of living for the good of others, I am not denying that people do need time for themselves. Rest, relaxation, recreation — these are all important things. God knows this, and that is one reason he gave us the gift of the Sabbath day. And Jesus modeled this. He lived his life for the good of others. He laid down his life for our sins. But he did often retreat from crowds with his disciples to commune with the Father and to be refreshed. So no, I am not saying that you should work and serve continuously with no thought at all for your own physical and spiritual wellbeing. Instead, I am talking about mindset. What is your mindset? Are you all about yourself? Or are you all about others? The one who loves will be all about living for God’s glory and the good of others. Even when they rest, they rest so that they might better serve. Even when they rest, they rest with the heart of a servant.   

Love is not irritable, and neither is resentful. To be resentful is to keep a record of wrongs committed against you. That is how the NIV translates the work. Love “keeps no record of wrongs”, it says. The NASB renders it this way: Love “does not take into account a wrong suffered”. The one who loves is willing to let things go. It is true that we might not be able to forget a wrong committed against us, but we all have the ability to “forget” in the sense of extending true forgiveness, not bringing the matter up again, or holding the wrong committed against the person. The one who is resentful will do this though. They will refuse to forgive and harbor bitterness in their heart towards others. They should consider carefully the words of Christ. “For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses” (Matthew 6:14–15, ESV).

As I say this I am mindful of those who have struggled with abusive and highly manipulative relationships. The scriptures do not teach that you must continuously run back to the abuser or manipulator every time they say sorry. This subject is beyond the scope of this sermon. Please speak to me personally if you would like some help working through this. For now, I will say that it is possible to forgive from the heart and to be free from resentment while at the same time maintaining healthy boundaries with proven abusers and manipulators. 

I suppose we would be here all day if I qualified and clarified everything that Paul says in this passage. And really, that would detract from the simplicity and beauty of the text.  It really is so simple. Christians must love. “Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful…” Now we read, “it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.” I think the meaning is this: love does not rejoice in wrongdoing in the sense of injustice. The Greek word carries that meaning, and that seems to fit the context. The unloving, envious, arrogant, boastful, self-centered, and self-serving me-monster loves to see those who do not serve his interests fall, and he does not care if it is unjust. But the one who loves takes no pleasure in wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth.     

Paul’s description of love concludes with this marvelous line: “Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things” (1 Corinthians 13:7, ESV). As it pertains to our love for one another, I think this should be our motto. 

“Love bears all things”. The word translated as “bears” means to put up with annoyance or difficulty. No, Paul does not say that love ignores sin or is never confrontational.  Rather, those who love are going to put up with one another. They will persevere and endure in the relationship despite difficulties. Those who love will not easily cut others off for minor offenses. To state it differently, those who love will have think skin. They will be patient, that is to say, longsuffering. 

“Love believes all things”. I think this requires us to think the best of people, and especially of one another in Christ Jesus. No, this does not mean that we are to be naive and gullible. But it does mean that we must be careful not to grow jaded. This can be a real problem for churches, for ministers and ministers alike. If you hang around the church for long enough and actually get to know people you’ll quickly realize that we aren’t in heaven yet. We are still sojourning. And those in Christ are still being sanctified. Sanctification is a process, in case you haven’t noticed. It has been a process for you, and it is a process for everyone else. This is reality. Everyone is kind of messy, and some are messier than others. Do not grow jaded, but think the best of others. Start there. Yes, there are wolves in sheeps clothing. Yes, there are false professors in the church. Yes, some will apostatize from the faith. That is all true. Don’t be naive. But don’t grow jaded either. Think of how devastating it would be to the life of this church if we began to view everyone with suspicion. “Love believes all things”. You should know that your elders are committed to this. We have seen some things over the past 10 years. We’ve encountered some highly manipulative people. You probably don’t know the half of it. But we are resolved to think the best of people, for we can see the danger of growing jaded and suspicious towards others. How can we possibly minister to saints who are being sanctified if we think the worst of them? No, we are resolved to “believe all things”, that is, to “trust and verify”. Really, this is a faith issue. We need to trust the Lord that he will protect us and provide the wisdom and discernment that we need as we seek to love others.      

“Love hopes all things”. Our hope is in God and in Christ. But here the hope has reference to the good that God will work in our lives and in the lives of others. 

“And love endures all things”. And so Paul ends where he began in his description of love, with the theme of patience or endurance.  The words are different, but the meaning is similar. “Love is patient”, he said. It bears up under difficulty. And now he says, “love endures all things”. 

Endurance… that is what we need. If we have any chance at loving one another sincerely and over a long period of time we need endurance. Bear with one another, brothers and sisters. Be willing to work through major offenses, and to let minor offenses go. Forgive one another, clear the air, pray for one another, be gracious and kind to one another, just as God has been gracious and kind to us in Christ Jesus. 

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Love Is Supreme (vs. 8-13)

I use the last portion of this text to bring this sermon to a conclusion. In verse 13 Paul says, “So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love” (1 Corinthians 13:13, ESV). He identifies love as the greatest because love, unlike faith and hope, will last forever and ever. 

That is his argument in verses 8 through 12. There are some things that we do in this life that we will not do in the life to come. The gifts of prophecy, tongues, and knowledge will all pass away in the life to come. Why? Because we will see God face to face in the new heavens and earth. We will know him perfectly. We will not have faith in the new heavens and earth, at least not the same kind of faith that we have now. For now, our faith looks forward to the consummation, but then our faith will be fulfilled. And the same is true for hope. Hope is also forward-looking. But in the new heavens and earth, we will no longer hope, for our hope will be fulfilled. 

But here is one thing we will do in the new heavens and earth. We will love. We will love God for all eternity, and we will love one another. “So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” (1 Corinthians 13:13, ESV). Brothers and sisters, let us be sure to love one another.

______________________

[1] It is unfortunate that the central message of this passage is often obscured by questions regarding the gift of tongues in the church today. Ever since the modern charismatic and pentecostal movements, that is where the minds of many Christians go when reading this text. They immediately ask, what does this passage teach us about the gift of tongues? Now, I am not denying that that is an important question. Rather, I think you would agree with me that Paul is not teaching about the gift of tongues here. No, his emphasis is on the preeminence of love. Without love we are nothing. That is his point. 

Concerning Paul’s mention of “the tongues of men and angels”, notice these three things:

One, nowhere do the scriptures teach that the gift of tongues, as it was present in the earliest day of the church, gave the believer the ability to speak in a heavenly or angelic language, rather it enabled believers to miraculously speak known human languages. If you wish to know what the gift of tongues was, then read Acts 2. When the Holy Spirit was first poured out upon the church on the day of Pentecost, he was poured out upon the Jews who believed. And when these Jews received the Holy Spirit, they spoke in tongues.  And when men from all over the known world heard them speak “were amazed and astonished, saying, ‘Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians—we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.’ And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, ‘What does this mean?’” (Acts 2:7–12, ESV). So, some within the earlier church did speak and tongues. That means they were given the supernatural ability to speak languages they did not previously know. And if you wish to connect the dot concerning the significance of this, you must think of the confusion of the languages at the tower of Babel, the promise made to Abraham that through his descendants all the nations of the earth would be blessed, and lastly, the arrival of the Messiah, the establishment of the Covenant of Grace, and the giving of the great commission, which was for disciples to be made of all the earth. The point is this: for a time God’s redemptive kingdom was confined largely to the Hebrews, but the Messiah came, the gospel of the kingdom was to go to all nations — thus the gift of tongues. It was a sign that the age of the gentiles had come. 

Two, this gift of tongues was not permanent. Like the gift of prophecy and healing, the gift of tongues was confined to the age of the Apostles. These miraculous gifts were all sign gifts. They pointed to the reality of the authority of the Apostles and Prophets and to the truthfulness of the testimony of the early church regarding the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. These miraculous gifts ceased with the death of the Apostles. So, though God may choose to heal today, he will do it through the prayers of ordinary Christians, and not miracle workers. The point is this: we do not believe the gift of tongues is present in the church today. 

Three, Paul does not in this passage say that men and women are able to speak in the tongues of angels. Rather, his point is this: even if I could speak in the tongues of men and angels if I lack love, I am nothing. The Charismatics read their erroneous view regarding tongues-speaking right into this text.

Baptist Catechism 87

Q. 87. Is any man able perfectly to keep the commandments of God?

A. No mere man, since the fall, is able in this life, perfectly to keep the commandments of God, but daily break them in thought, word, or deed. (Eccles. 7:20; Gen. 6:5; Gen. 8:21; 1 John 1:8; James 3:8; James 3:2; Rom. 3:23)

Scripture Reading: 1 John 1:5–10

“This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.” (1 John 1:5–10, ESV)

*****

Please excuse any typos and misspellings within this manuscript. It has been published online for the benefit of the saints of Emmaus Reformed Baptist Church but without the benefit of proofreading.

*****

Did you know that we spent 23 weeks considering God’s moral law? 

First, we learned that God’s moral law was written on the heart of man at the time of creation. 

Next, we learned that the Ten Commandments are a summary of God’s moral law.   

After that, we learned that the sum of the Ten Commandments is to “love the Lord our God, with all our heart, with all our soul, with all our strength, and with all our mind; and our neighbor as ourselves.”

And then we proceeded to consider each one of the Ten Commandments, what it is that they require and forbid. 

As we progressed through our study it became clear that the first four commandments have to do with our relationship to God. What are the first four commandments?

1. You shall have no other gods before me. 
2. You shall not make for yourself a carved image.
3. You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain.  
4. Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 

The first four commandments have to do with our relationship to God, and the last six have to do with our relationship with our fellow man. What are commandments five through ten?    

5. Honor your father and mother. 
6. You shall not murder.
7. You shall not commit adultery.
8. You shall not steal. 
9. You shall not bear false witness.
10. You shall not covet. 

And where are these Ten Commandments found? Two places: Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5.

It is so very important for us to know these Ten Commandments, brothers and sisters. 

Yes, there are some things said in these Ten Commandments that were unique to Old Covenant Israel. 

One, Israel was to rest and worship on the seventh day. We are to honor the Sabbath day on the first day of the week because Christ is risen. The abiding moral law is that one day in seven is to be set apart as holy to the Lord. But the day itself is ceremonial and symbolic. A Sabbath keeping remains for the people of God, but the day has changed.

Two, what is said after the second commandment regarding God “visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments”, has also changed. In Old Covenant Israel physical descent meant a lot. To descend from Abraham physically meant that you were a part of the Old Covenant. Men and women were born into the Old Covenant, therefore. And this Covenant has sanctions attached to it. If the people obeyed God they would be blessed in the land. If they disobeyed God, they would be cursed and vomited out of the land. And because of this, the fathers would sin and their children would pay the price. But it is not so under the New Covenant. No one is born into the New Covenant. To partake of the New Covenant one must be born again and have faith in the Messiah. This generational principle has melted away, therefore. Jeremiah the prophet spoke of this change ahead of time when he spoke of the newness of the New Covenant. In Jeremiah 31:29 we read, “In those days they shall no longer say: ‘The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge.’ But everyone shall die for his own iniquity. Each man who eats sour grapes, his teeth shall be set on edge” (Jeremiah 31:29–30, ESV). If anyone tells you that there are “generational curses” in the New Covenant you should warn them that they have believed false teaching and are demeaning the power of Christ and the salvation that he has earned for us by his death and resurrection. 

So whenever we read the Ten Commandments we should remember that they are indeed a summary of God’s moral law (which does not change), but there are these two things mentioned which were unique to Old Covenant Israel:  The seventh-day Sabbath (which corresponded to the Covenant of Works), and the principle of national guilt. 

God’s law is good. Amen?

But remember what Paul wrote to Timothy: “Now we know that the law is good, if one uses it lawfully…” (1 Timothy 1:8, ESV). 

That is a big “if”.  

Whenever we handle God’s law we must remember that it is possible to misuse it. The law is good, but it is easy to misuse. And when it is misused, that which is good becomes bad. 

And how is God’s law misused? It is misused when men and women think that they can stand before God as righteous by the keeping of it. 

This error is so very common. All of the religions of the world with the exception of orthodox Christianity make this error. They believe that they will stand right before God on the last day because of their good works and obedience.  Many who are non-religious make the same mistake too. They reason like this: If God exists then he will accept me because I am good. But this is a grave mistake. Those who think this way have not understood what God requires of them. They think they are righteous but they are not.  

So common is this error that Paul Apostle calls it the stumbling stone. In Romans 9:30 he says, “What shall we say, then? That Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness have attained it, that is, a righteousness that is by faith; but that Israel who pursued a law that would lead to righteousness did not succeed in reaching that law. Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as if it were based on works. They have stumbled over the stumbling stone…” (Romans 9:30–32, ESV). What is the stumbling stone? It is the false notion that men and women may stand before God right by keeping the law. The scriptures say otherwise. The scriptures teach us (from Genesis 3 onward) that the only way to be right before God is by the grace of God and through faith in the Savior that God has provided.

As we studied the Ten Commandments I tried to remind you of this over and over again. God’s law is good but be very careful not to misuse it! 

God’s law is good because it is used by the LORD to restrain evil in the world today. 

God’s law is good because it functions as a light to the feet of the faithful as they sojourn in this world. It shows us the way that we should go, it makes us wise and is used by the Lord to sanctify us further in Christ Jesus.

And God’s law is good because the Spirit of God uses it to convict us of sin and to cause us to flee to Jesus for refuge from the wrath of God which our sins deserve. God used the law to drive us to Christ initially, and God uses his law to drive us to Christ continuously. 

1 John 1 warns us of the stumbling stone, doesn’t it? “ If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” And John does also exhort us to run to Jesus for refuge, saying, “ If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:8-9, ESV)

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Baptist Catechism 87

Notice that our catechism also guards us against trusting in our own righteousness. Immediately after a long consideration of God’s moral law, our catechism asks, “Is any man able perfectly to keep the commandments of God?” The answer is very helpful. “No mere man, since the fall, is able in this life, perfectly to keep the commandments of God, but daily break them in thought, word, or deed.”

Notice a few things, briefly:

One, notice the word “mere”. “No mere man… is able in this life, perfectly to keep the commandments of God…” Why the word “mere”? It is to leave room for the obvious exception of Jesus Christ. He was a man, and he did perfectly keep the commandments of God. But he was no mere man, was he?

Two, notice the phrase “since the fall.” Why this phrase? It is a matter of precision. Adam before the fall was able to perfectly keep the commandments of God, but he was also able to sin, and this he did. Now the children of Adam are born in sin and with corrupt natures. We sin because we are in Adam. 

Three, notice that the catechism does not say that we are not able to keep the commandments of God at all. That is not true. Those who are in Christ do in fact have the ability to obey God from the heart, for they have been renewed. Corruptions remain though. And so it is true. “No mere man, since the fall, is able in this life, perfectly to keep the commandments of God…” 

Four, notice the phrase “in this life”. With these three little words we are reminded of the life to come and the fact that in the life to come we will no longer be able to sin if we are in Christ Jesus. Lord Jesus, come quickly!

Fifth, and lastly, notice the phrase “but daily break them in thought, word, or deed.” If we understand what God’s law requires of us and what it forbids then we will confess that not a day passes wherein we do not violate God’s holy law in some way. It may be that we violate it in deed, in word, or in thought. Certainly, all will confess that we daily fail to love God as he deserves, and also our neighbor as yourself. 

*****

Conclusion 

Aren’t you grateful for Jesus Christ? 

Isn’t God’s grace truly marvelous?

Yes, our appreciation for the love of God in Christ Jesus will grow as we consider the gospel. But the gospel can only be truly understood and appreciated when we see it against the dark backdrop of God’s law and our violation of it in thought, word, and deed.