The Law, the Covenant of Works, and Grace

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The Law, the Covenant of Works, and Grace

The Good News: There is an Alien Righteousness Romans 5:20-21 If you have your Bibles, I’d invite you turn to Romans, chapter 5, we’ll begin in this passage that we’ve been looking at for a few weeks. Romans 5:12 until the end of the chapter, there’s a passage in which Paul goes a long way to explaining why salvation has to be by grace alone. You know throughout this passage, Paul has emphasized that we sustain one of two relations, and those two relationships determine our everlasting future. We are either in relationship to our representative Adam, or we are in relationship to our representative Jesus Christ. We are either in this sphere of Adam’s influence, and part of his family, or by grace we are in the sphere and influence of Jesus Christ and part of His family. And the…

The Parallels Between the Broken Covenant of Works and…

Romans 5:18-19 The Parallels Between the Broken Covenant of Works and the Covenant of Grace If you have your Bibles, I’d invite you to turn with me to Romans, chapter 5. We’re going to be looking at verses 18 and 19, but let me ask you to allow your eyes to roam back to verse 12, because you will remember that in verse 12 Paul began a sentence which he did not complete. There is a “just as” for which there is no “so also” in verse 12. In fact the apostle interrupted himself mid-sentence to tell you two very important things. One thing he wanted to tell you in verses 13 and 14, another thing he wanted to tell you in verses 15 through 17. Having accomplished his purpose in telling you those two things before he completed his sentence, in verse 18 he now goes back…

The Covenant of Grace Stands in Bold Contrast to the…

The Covenant of Grace Romans 5:15-17 If you have your Bibles, I’d invite you to turn with me to Romans 5, and look at verse 15. As we do so let me remind you where we have been. We said last week in Romans 5:12, Paul is beginning a new section of the book of Romans. He is recapitulating for us. He is actually providing us the underlying principles, those things which under gird the argument that He has made from Romans, chapter 1, verse 18, all the way to Romans, chapter 5, verse 11. He’s trying to show you the things which under gird this glorious gospel of grace which he’s been explaining to you during that time. And he is showing us a bigger picture. He’s answering the question why it is so necessary to be saved by grace, not through works, to be saved by faith alone in Christ…

The Broken Covenant of Works Brought Death into the…

The Broken Covenant of Works brought Death into the World Romans 5:12-14 If you have your Bibles, I’d invite you to turn with me to Romans, chapter 5. It’s been a month since we’ve been in Romans together, so let me refresh your memories. In Romans 1 and 2 the apostle tells us what the problem is. Our problem. The problem of sin and estrangement from God. Rebellion against Him. In Romans, chapter 3 he sets forth God’s solution, the only solution to our predicament, and that is…

Church Growth!

First Presbyterian Church September 17, 2000 Exodus 1:1-7“Church Growth” Dr. J. Ligon Duncan III If you have your Bibles, I’d invite you to turn with me to Exodus, chapter 1. Exodus is Moses’ sequel to the epic story of Genesis. When we studied Genesis we said that it provides us with the foundational doctrines of the faith. That is, without an understanding of Genesis, you can’t adequately understand the New Testament. In fact, many of the themes in Genesis are developed in the New…

Objection Overruled (1)

Romans 3:1-4 Objection Overruled (1) As we begin to look at this passage, I would like to remind you that Paul is helping us, as believers, to know how to speak to unbelievers. We ask ourselves, how can we be more effective as we speak to our friends and our neighbors, and there are various programs by which you can be trained in this. For instance, in our church we offer the Evangelism Explosion program. But let me say that much of the New Testament is concerned directly with that particular…

The Establishment of a Covenant People: The Covenant…

Genesis 26:18-25 A Promise and a Covenant If you have your Bibles I'd invite you to turn with me to Genesis, chapter 26 as we continue our study in the life of Isaac. This is a very important chapter. Isaac is probably displayed for us more in Genesis 26 than in any other area of the book of Genesis. We get a feel for his piety. We see the tendencies of his spirit and of his heart, and the struggles of his times here in Genesis 26. We commented early that some of the commentators believe…

The Establishment of a Covenant People: The Covenant…

Genesis 26:1-17 Like Father Like Son If you have your Bibles, please turn with me to Genesis, chapter 26. We have studied through the life of Isaac beginning in Genesis 24. We said that though Abraham was still alive during the time of that chapter, the shift has turned to Isaac and his future. Genesis 24, verse 1 all the way to Genesis 25, verse 11 records for us the last days of Abraham. But those last days are in large measure concern with getting Isaac married and establishing him as the…

The Establishment of a Covenant People: The Promises of…

Genesis 22:15-24 The Covenant Assured Last week we concentrated on the first half of this chapter, verses 1 through 14, and we said that Abraham's surrender of his son Isaac was a mirror of God's still greater love, and Abraham's exercise of faith in God's promises. Hebrews tells us he believed that the Lord would raise Isaac again from the dead if necessary to fulfill His promises. Abraham's exercise of faith in God's promises leads him to a glimpse of the resurrection…

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