Bernie L. Gillespie  © April 13, 1997. All Rights Reserved.

Mt 9:10-13 While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew's house, many tax collectors and "sinners" came and ate with him and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and 'sinners'?" On hearing this, Jesus said, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.

FOR WHOM IS GRACE GIVEN?

For whom is grace given? How do we get the grace of God? What is our part in the obtaining of grace? The opinions vary widely. Joseph Smith, founder of the Mormons, stated: "We are saved by grace AFTER all we can do." C.U.R.E. (Christians United for Modern Reformation) conducted a poll of pastors, authors, and bookstore owners at the 1996 Christian Booksellers Association. The poll showed that 42% agreed with this statement. Other disturbing facts in this poll: 54% agreed that "God will not deny his grace to those who do what lies within their power." (A medieval Catholic slogan) Also, 71% agreed, "Faith is essentially the same as ‘making Christ master’ in one’s life." In another question, 42% agreed that, "‘Putting into practice the principles of Jesus is how one becomes right with God." (Liberalism used this phrase in 1920's against fundamentalists). In addition, 71% agreed that, "Justification is the process by which I am made holy by God’s Spirit." (This is the standard teaching of the Roman Catholic Church). In the same poll only 5% could name all Ten Commandments. Only 7% could give a ball park answer to the question, "What does the Apostle Paul mean by the term ‘justification?’"

One distressing reality of this poll is that too many Christians believe and teach that it is the quality of the one who believes or what the believer does that gains the favor of God. Is this true? Do we have power to gain God’s favor? The greater question is: "Is grace for the righteous or for the sinner?" Jesus emphatically asserted that grace is for the sinner. 

WHO GETS GOD’S FAVOR?

A great debate occurred, in the early fifth century, over the question of who gets God’s favor. Two leading proponents of two prominent views were: Pelagius, a British ascetic, and Augustine, a teacher from North Africa. Pelagius "called for a strict standard of moral perfection for all Christians." [Williston Walker, A History of the Christian Church, 4^th Ed., p. 206] He said that "it was the obligation of every Christian to achieve perfection by keeping all the commandments of God." [Williston Walker, Ibid.] He also taught that God accepts us because of our own righteousness.

Pelagius believed that God gives grace to "nice" people (Alister McGrath). God will accept one if one makes a significant effort toward God. He believed that people are able to respond to God without any divine help. He saw grace as God’s guidance. Grace is an example of what we should do. The Ten Commandments and the Life of Jesus were "means of grace". He also believed that God likes people who improve themselves. Pelagius held that all have the ability to become a good person. All they need to do is recognize what is right and then decide to do it. Then, God will accept one and give that one grace (or salvation). In essence, this is the justification of the godly or righteous. But, what about the justification of the sinner?

On the other hand, Augustine believed that sin is so great that no one can come to God except that God, by His grace, would draw him (John 6:44). Therefore, all are sinners and need the grace or gift of God’s help to be saved. The sinner must receive God’s favor as a gift and cannot earn it. These two views have found adherents throughout church history. Unfortunately, many Christian groups today are moving more toward Pelagius’ view of grace. 

WHAT IS THE BASIS OF OUR JUSTIFICATION?

The Roman Catholic Church (RCC) formally rejected Pelagius. But his teachings had a great impact on their doctrines. Without a basic knowledge of what the RCC taught concerning justification, it is almost impossible to understand why justification is so crucial for our salvation. If one understands the following paragraphs, one will have a better grasp of the whole salvation system of many Christian groups. Then one can see how it differs from what is taught in Scripture. This background knowledge requires thinking on our part, but God expects us to use our minds because He gave us the Bible. This examination of the truth is necessary if we are to deal with the many issues surrounding grace.

The writings of the RCC (Council of Trent) teach that there are two instances of justification. The first is baptism. In baptism one is given justifying grace. The grace of Christ is "infused" into (placed within by God) one’s soul. This grace inhabits (habitus) the Christian. This grace that comes by baptism can be decreased or lost by sin. If a person cooperates with this infused grace, they can produce righteousness. As a result, they can become righteous in and of themselves. It may take a lifetime, or thousands of years in purgatory, but finally the person will become righteous enough to be rewarded by God with entrance to heaven.

If a person sins they can lose grace. If the sin is "venial," then grace is diminished. If the sin is "mortal," the grace of baptism is lost. The only way to regain grace or be justified again is through the sacrament of Penance. Through Penance one can be refreshed in grace repeatedly.

Why is this information so important? Because, we can see in churches today the same basic view of justification that the RCC propounded. The particular forms many greatly differ, but the theology is largely the same. In this theology, people are given grace (placed within them) through sacraments - such as baptism. Then that grace within them must be preserved by their cooperation with the Holy Spirit. If they lose it through sin, they must do or and rituals of penance to regain the grace that helps them to be righteous. The whole focus of this view of the Christian life: Be sure you don’t lose the grace God gave you. This the question we must ask: "Is this the basis of New Testament justification?" 

In the sixteenth century, Martin Luther struggled with the fact that he knew he was not righteous. The Roman Catholic system of justification failed to bring him any assurance. He asked himself, "How can the Gospel be good news if God does not forgive sinners?" When he read the words in Romans 1:17, he wondered how they could be true. How could it be good news, or Gospel, that God has revealed His righteousness? The grace of God broke in on Luther when he realized that Paul spoke of the gift of Christ’s righteousness imputed to all who believe in him.

The gift or "grace" of God is the righteousness of Christ for us. Because God is gracious in character (Deut. 4:31; Neh 9:31)He provided righteousness for us through the living obedience of Jesus and His death on the Cross as our substitute. He took God’s wrath (Rom 5:9) and paid our debt of sin out of graciousness (Eph. 2:4-7). Salvation is a revelation of God’s righteous and gracious character and not ours. It did not lower God’s standard to do this because Jesus was the righteous God incarnate and crucified (John 1:1,14). We receive by faith (Rom 4:11,13,16; 5:2; 9:30) what God achieves through Jesus for us.

We must ask this question: "On the basis of whose righteousness can one find favor in the sight of God?" Is it ours or is it someone else’s? If the Scriptures are correct, it certainly is not ours. It is a righteousness from God and not of us (Romans 1:17; 3:21-22). If it is our righteousness, why would God need to "credit" (impute, account) righteousness to us (Rom. 4:3,5,6,9,11,22, 24)? In fact, it is Christ’s righteousness. (1 Cor. 1:30; Phil 1:11, 3:9; 2 Peter 1:1) How? Christ’s righteousness becomes ours by faith (Acts 15:9; Rom 1:17; 4:13; 9:30; 10:6; Gal 3:8; Phil 3:9; Heb. 10:38).

If it is ours by faith, do we earn it or is it given to us? It is given to us (Rom. 3:24; 4:4-5; 5:15-17; Eph 2:8). The Apostle Paul makes it very clear that no human being can earn the favor of God. "All have sinned and come short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23) "The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord." (Romans 6:23). In Romans four Paul explains why it is not earned but is a gift:

Now when a man works, his wages are not credited to him as a gift, but as an obligation. However, to the man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness. (Romans 4:4-5 N.V.)

Next we might ask, "Do we have all that we need in the righteousness of Jesus to save us?" Or, "Do we need to provide some of our righteousness to finish the job?" The Bible says that Christ’s righteousness is sufficient.

We have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God. Since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool, because by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy. (Heb. 10:10-14 N.V.)

Must Jesus use what we do to save us, or are we saved by what he alone has done? Some say that although Christ died for us, he has chosen certain things by which to apply salvation (which really means these things must be done to save us). These things come in various religious forms and practices: confession, sacraments (Baptism or the Mass), works done by us with the aid of the Spirit, personal morality or holiness, and even our spiritual experiences. We must face the crucial question: "Did Jesus save us by offering His own life for our sins and by His resurrection, or did he have to use something else because that was not enough?" Scripture gives this answer:

For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation— if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant. (Colossians 1:19-23 N.V.)

Many hear the Gospel preached and still struggle in their minds and lives over whether the grace of God is sufficient. Be encouraged fried. The Gospel boldly promises that God’s grace is sufficient. The message of the Gospel is our only hope. This good news tells us that when we believe or trust in Jesus we are justified. We are called in Scripture to trust in what Jesus did for us through the Cross and Resurrection, not what we do to receive it. It is not the moment when Christ’s work is "applied" by some human means: pronouncements of absolution, the Mass, confession, baptism, taking "steps" to salvation or following a "plan". It was when the blood of Christ was shed . . . It was when He said "It is finished" . . . It was when He rose and ascended to God as the only perfect and righteous Savior. He is the One to whom we must look and trust, and nothing else. 

JESUS CALLS THE SINNER

The calling of Matthew illustrates the message of God’s grace in an emphatic way. He was the epitome of the lowest sinner in Israel. The feast at his house was attended by some of the worst people in Israel. Jesus was among them. The Pharisees questioned Jesus’ judgement and said "How could he associate with those sinners?" Jesus gave a profound reply. "A physician comes to help the sick and not the healthy. Go learn what this means, "I desire mercy and not sacrifice." I am come not to call the righteous but sinners."

The staggering announcement by Jesus to the religious establishment, and to all people, is that the Gospel is for the wretched. It is the Gospel to the poor. Jesus came for the lowest sinners of Israel. This means prostitutes, the tax collectors, the demoniacs, and the rulers of Israel and the leaders of the Jewish faith. What a shattering report to those confident in their own piety and religious scruples. It was not "sacrifice" (all that for which the Law and sacrifices of the Temple order called) which Jesus told them to learn. It was mercy. This is what the religious order, presiding over the worshipers of Israel, needed to learn. Make no mistake, the message of Jesus is clear. If one believes they are righteous in themselves or believes they make saving righteousness, then grace is not for that one. He came for sinners.

GOOD NEWS TO SINNERS

In Romans five, Paul affirms Christ’s promise, "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (v. 8) Christ died for the UNGODLY! "You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly." (Rom 5:15) Jesus has done the thing we could never do. He pleased the Father and obeyed Him so completely that he was able to take our sins and share His righteousness with us. He accomplishes all of this while we all were (and are) sinners.

The meaning of grace is expressed in this helpful acronym: G.R.A.C.E. = God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense. God has given us Christ’s perfect righteousness out of His grace, so that we can know that we are accepted now. I repeat, we can know that we have been accepted by God right now. (Rom 5:1; 8:11 John 3:2; 5:13). This is not God being deceived, pretending that we are not sinners. God accepts us based on the real righteousness of Christ alone. The joy of knowing that our conscience is no longer bound by rules is not the joy of Grace. Grace is not being set free from pleasing and serving God. The joy of grace is knowing that by faith you have all the righteousness of Christ with which to stand before God. It is a righteousness which has met or satisfied all the Law with total perfection. Charles Wesley wrote in his song, "And Can It Be?" these words: "No condemnation now I dread . . . and clothed in righteousness divine." The Good News is that while you are still a sinner, ungodly, lost and undone, you are loved, accepted and redeemed if you trust in Jesus Christ. This trust places you in Christ (Gal 2:16, 17a; Eph. 1:13). In Christ, you share in all Christ’s righteousness (2 Cor 5:21).

The Gospel of Jesus Christ is "Good News" to SINNERS! Jesus said, "For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners." Ironically, the Gospel is not for the righteous. Why? Because there are no righteous (Romans 3:10). All have sinned. No amount of infused grace can make one right enough to meet God’s standard of righteousness. Only Christ was righteous enough to earn God’s verdict of "righteous." If you claim righteousness by your own hands, then the message of Jesus is not for you. You can continue to do you very best to accrue all the righteousness by your power (with or without the help of God) to present it before God at the final Judgment. My friend, I ask you, how will it be when you are standing before God in your righteousness and you behold those who are clothed in the righteousness of Christ alone?