Without Price - Part 4

(Article for publication week of 2-18- AD 2016)

"Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price" (Isaiah 55:1).

For the past three weeks we have been declaring the freeness of salvation. Salvation is without price, first because it is of such infinite value that should God require anything from the sinner, no one could ever be saved. Secondly salvation is free because all men are spiritually bankrupt. Should God require one penny (spiritually speaking) from a sinner, again, none could be saved. Salvation is of infinite value, and we have nothing to pay, so God gives it as a free gift to the glory of His grace. Then thirdly, salvation is free because Christ has paid the price in full. Ultimately, this is the main reason that salvation is free, because the infinite price was paid by the Eternal Son of God on Calvary's cross. Salvation is free to the sinner, but it was at great cost to God.

Now, fourthly, and finally, we shall (with the help of the Holy Spirit) show you that salvation is "without price" in the glorious way that it actually becomes ours, that is by faith alone. I refer you to Ephesians 2:8-9 where we read "for 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." Salvation is received entirely by faith alone, apart from any human effort or merit. "It is of faith, that it might be by grace" we read in Romans 4:16. Saved by faith is practically synonymous with saved by grace.

Now, I will have you to note well that faith is not your contribution to the work of salvation. Indeed we have already shown that you are ten thousand talents in debt without a farthing to pay, and Christ has already paid the price in full. Sadly, faith is generally presented as a sinner's contribution to his own salvation. Misguided (and we fear unconverted) preachers have told their hearers that God has done all He can do, and now it is up to the sinner to make the decisive move by an act of his own "free will." Thus, the sinner is erroneously told that his faith is the deciding factor in his salvation. This is patently wrong, and we fear that many will perish in their sins unless they come to a Biblical understanding of saving faith.

Faith cannot be a sinner's contribution to salvation because there is no merit in faith. The blood of Christ is the only payment that God will ever receive as payment for your sins and my sins. The greatest faith of the dearest saints cannot atone for sin. "What can wash away my sins? Nothing but the blood of Jesus" we sometimes sing. Sinner, your faith cannot take away your sins! Your repentance cannot atone for sin. Your good works and efforts to reform cannot take away your sins. If your sins were not purged by the precious blood of Christ, you must be forever damned! There is no merit in faith, nor is there any strength in faith. Saving faith is an empty hand whereby a poor, bankrupt, quickened sinner simply receives the infinite gift of salvation. You cannot come to Christ any other way than as a bankrupt sinner. God will allow no boasting in His presence. As Isaac Watts wrote, "no more my God, I boast no more, of all the duties I have done. I quit the hopes I held before, to trust the merits of Thy Son." Or as another expressed it, "just as I am, without one plea, but that Thy blood was shed for me; and that Thou bidst me come to Thee, O Lamb of God I come"! Or as dear Joseph Hart said, "Come Ye sinners, poor and needy, weak and wounded, sick and sore. Jesus ready stands to save you, full of pity, joined with power! Let not conscience make you linger, nor of fitness fondly dream. All the fitness He requireth is to feel your need of Him"! Poor sinner, do you feel your need of Christ? Then come to Him this instant, trusting not in anything you have done or felt, but trusting in Him and His righteousness alone for your salvation. He has sweetly promised that He will cast none out who come to Him!

Without Price - Part 3

(Article for publication week of 2-11- AD 2016)

"Ho, everyone that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price" (Isaiah 55:1).

The Old Testament gospel herald proclaims that salvation is free. We see from the text that the Old Testament saints had the gospel of free grace just as we do, although it is clearer now that Christ has come and now that the New Testament has been written. Free Salvation was proclaimed to God's elect among the Jews under the Old testament just as it is to us today.

We observed in the two previous articles that salvation is free first, because it is such a valuable gift that none of us could ever pay the price, and secondly, because we are all bankrupt, ten thousand talents in debt and not a farthing to pay, What a glorious gospel we have to preach! Salvation is of infinite value, and none of us have a penny to pay, so God freely gives it "without money, and without price."

But we proceed this week to show, thirdly,that salvation is free to sinners because the Lord Jesus Christ has paid the price in full. I direct your attention to Acts 20:28 where we read that God hath purchased the Church with His blood. Redemption is spoken of here in terms of the marketplace. Certain Fullerites and Arminians have scornfully referred to this as a "commercial" view of the atonement, but that is the language of Acts 20:28. Go read it yourself. (You preachers pay special attention to your duty as given there.) The death of Christ paid for all the sins of all His elect forever. There was a debt that we owed to God because of our sins. You will remember that the Model Prayer speaks of sin in terms of indebtedness (see again Matthew 6:12 then compare Luke 7:42). When we had nothing to pay, Christ came and poured out His blood as the price of our redemption.  We have been redeemed, not with corruptible things as silver and gold, but with the precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ (I Peter 1:18-19).

Now, I say unto you that God the Father was satisfied with the price that His Son paid for our redemption. Yea, not I, but the Holy Writ says it. Let us read in Isaiah 53:11, "He shall see of the travail of His soul, and shall be satisfied." God the Father is satisfied because His Son finished the work of redemption that was appointed to Him from all eternity (see John 17:4). All of our efforts and works and attempts at righteous living are nothing but filthy rags before our Holy God. Isaiah 64:6 says all our righteousnesses are but "filthy rags." What do you think the president of Trustmark or Peoples Bank would say if you went and tried to pay off your mortgage with a big pile of dirty rags? Why, he would either laugh you out of the bank, or else call the folks over at Whitfield (that is where the State insane asylum is for all my out of state readers). Why do you think God is any more impressed with your so-called righteousness?

Well, poor awakened sinner, the good news is that you don't have to pay anything for salvation because the Eternal Son of God acting, as our Substitute and Surety assumed all our obligations and has paid the price in full. Yes that old hymn is gospel truth--"Jesus paid it all, all to Him I owe." Poor sinner, there is nothing for you to do to help pay for your sin debt because Christ has paid it all. I pray the Holy Spirit will help you to believe that and you may rejoice in a finished salvation. Christ has paid the price of priceless salvation, so it is "without money and without price" to all who repent of their sins and come to Him by faith.