Yet without holiness, no man shall see the Lord!

By Charles Spurgeon, "A Call to Holy Living!"

(You will find it helpful to LISTEN to the Audio, as you READ the text below.)

Romans 6:1-2, "Shall we go on sinning so that grace may abound? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?"

It is a dangerous state of things, if doctrine is made to drive out precept, and faith is held up so as to make holiness of life unnecessary.

Sanctification must not be forgotten or concealed by justification. We must teach plainly that the faith which saves the soul, is not a dead faith—but a faith which operates with a purifying effect upon our entire nature, and produces in us fruits of righteousness to the praise and glory of God.

It is not by our holiness that a man shall enter Heaven, yet without holiness no man shall see the Lord! It is not by good works that we are justified, but if a man shall continue to live an ungodly life—then such faith will not justify him, for it is not the faith of God's elect. Saving faith is wrought by the Holy Spirit, and always conforms men somewhat to the image of Christ.

We must learn to place the precepts in their right position. They are not the root of the tree, but they are the fruit of the tree. Precepts are not given to us as a way to obtain spiritual life, but as the way in which to exhibit spiritual life. The commands of Christ are not upon the legal tenor of "do this, and live"—but upon the gospel system of "live, and do this." We are not to be attentive to the precepts in order to be saved, but because we are saved. Our master motive is to be gratitude to Him who has saved us with such a great salvation. I am sure that every renewed heart will feel no opposition to the most holy precepts of our Lord.

The regenerate never rebel against any precept, saying, "This is too pure!" On the contrary, our new-born nature is enamored by holiness, and we cry, "Your Word is very pure, therefore Your servant loves it. O that my ways were directed to keep Your statutes."

Even though we find that when we would do good, evil is present with us—yet our inmost soul longs after holiness, and pines to be delivered from every evil way.

If mere professors continue in sin that grace may abound, then their damnation is just! The salvation of Christ is not a salvation IN sin, but a salvation FROM sin!

 

N.B. If you have never read a Spurgeon sermon before, this would be a good one to start with, "A Call to Holy Living!"