Adding Law to Grace!

 •  2 min. read  •  grade level: 6
 
If, after God had made Adam and his wife those lovely and enduring coats of skin, they would return to sewing fig-leaf aprons; or if they attempted to do something to improve upon the coats of skin,—add some device of their own, what would you think? What would God have thought? Yet that is exactly what many who call themselves Christians are doing. They did it in the early days of the church; but listen:
False brethren—legalizing teachers, had troubled them by perverting the gospel of the grace of Christ. They taught “Ye must... keep the law” (Acts 15:24,1-1124Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no such commandment: (Acts 15:24)
1And certain men which came down from Judea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved. 2When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question. 3And being brought on their way by the church, they passed through Phenice and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles: and they caused great joy unto all the brethren. 4And when they were come to Jerusalem, they were received of the church, and of the apostles and elders, and they declared all things that God had done with them. 5But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses. 6And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter. 7And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe. 8And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us; 9And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith. 10Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? 11But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they. (Acts 15:1‑11); Gal. 1:6-7; 2:4,16; 5:10,126I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: 7Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. (Galatians 1:6‑7)
4And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage: (Galatians 2:4)
16Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. (Galatians 2:16)
10I have confidence in you through the Lord, that ye will be none otherwise minded: but he that troubleth you shall bear his judgment, whosoever he be. (Galatians 5:10)
12I would they were even cut off which trouble you. (Galatians 5:12)).
Adam and Eve were wiser. They did not merit, nor have to work for the “coats of skin” or add anything to God’s gift. They had labored in vain to cover their guilt. Now all they could do, was to thank God for His grace to them.
But after God had clothed them, they could display what God had wrought.
Works are never the means of salvation. But after one is saved by faith in the work of Christ, the new life will show itself in good works as evidence.
I will not work my soul to save,
For Christ that work has done;
But I will work like any slave
In love to God’s dear Son.