The first thing that man ever made was an apron.
After Adam and Eve had sinned and become conscious of their guilt, and their nakedness, “they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons” (Genesis 3:7), intending thus to make themselves presentable to God — hoping He would approve of their sincere efforts.
Now that is just what most people are endeavoring to do. “Doing the best I can,” “trying to keep the ten commandments,” “going by the golden rule,” “trying to follow Jesus.” Human efforts! Religious efforts! Man is always willing to do anything to avoid admitting his guilt to God. All such aprons are “highly esteemed among men” but “abomination in the sight of God” (Luke 16:15). They are as “filthy rags” (Isaiah 64:6).
God did not approve of their fig leaf aprons, but let us see what He did do. “Unto Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skins, and clothed them” (Genesis 3:21). That was grace.
To faith, those coats of skins are lovely — for they speak of God’s free and gracious provision for sinners in the death of Christ, “the Lamb of God” (John 1:29).
Adam and Eve had overlooked the one vital thing, which was, to humbly acknowledge their guilty condition before God, and to admit that death and judgment were their due.
“Christ died for our sins” (1 Corinthians 15:3). Consider Him there on the cross, dear unsaved reader; cease your religious efforts; “stand still, and see ... that great work which the Lord did” (Exodus 14:13, 31). “It is finished” (John 19:30). It is perfect and gloriously complete. “Nothing can be put to it” (Ecclesiastes 3:14).
How much better is God’s salvation than man’s aprons! “Vain is the salvation of man” (Psalm 60:11, margin). “Neither shall they cover themselves with their works” (Isaiah 59:6). “All our righteousnesses are as filthy rags” (Isaiah 64:6). God cannot accept your work but He wants you to accept the work of His Son, “that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear” (Revelation 3:18). “Blessed is he ... whose sin is covered” (Psalm 32:1).
Had God approved of Adam and Eve making their own aprons, or asked them to try to make better ones, that would just suit the thought of most people. For nothing is more popular in the religious world than this erroneous notion that man must do some sort of religious works to merit salvation. It is deeply ingrained in human nature. It matters not how often it is refuted, it asserts itself again and again in one form or another.
This restless religious tendency to do something, instead of accepting God’s gracious gift, is all because man does not love to plead guilty — does not like to admit that he is hopelessly ruined and unable to do one single thing to redeem himself. But man would rather try anyway!
“Being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness” (Romans 10:3), they are denying God’s declaration that “there is none righteous, no, not one ... there is none that doeth good, no, not one” (Romans 3:10, 12). In other words, being insensible to their need of God’s “coats of skins” they go about to sew themselves aprons of fig leaves.
God’s historic chosen people, Israel, was bent on doing something. “All the people answered together, and said, All that the Lord hath spoken we will do” (Exodus 19:8). They did not know themselves, so God gave them the ten commandments to expose their sinfulness. As the mirror shows the face to be dirty, so “by the law is the knowledge of sin” (Romans 3:20). The law can do nothing but condemn, for all are guilty sinners; and to keep on struggling to justify oneself only adds to one’s guilt. Therefore it is written: “To him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt” (Romans 4:4).
“Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us” (Titus 3:5). “By grace are ye saved through faith ... not of works” (Ephesians 2:8-9). “Not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace” (2 Timothy 1:9). It is plain that man’s aprons will not do.
Some sincerely believe that they should enlist God’s help to perfect their own salvation. They quote Philippians 2:12-13 “Work out your own salvation ... For it is God which worketh in you.” Now, if it said “work for your own salvation” or “work on your own salvation,” then that would express their idea. But “work out” is addressed to those who already have salvation, as well as the Holy Spirit of God within them, to put their salvation into outward practice in their daily conflicts.
The often quoted verse, “faith without works is dead” (James 2:26), rebukes those that say they have faith but show no evidence.
Human effort and heavenly grace can never blend any better than oil and water. “If by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace” (Romans 11:6). Christ has done it all, that He might have all the praise.
“Not of works, lest any man should boast.” (Ephesians 2:9). If salvation were by works, then in heaven they would sing: “Unto ourselves who have done the best we could; to us be glory forever and ever”! Revelation 1:5-6 gives all praise “Unto Him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood ... to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.”
Law and Grace Contrasted
“The law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ” (John 1:17).
“Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth” (Romans 10:4).
“By Him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses” (Acts 13:39).
The two principles are distinct and in sharp contrast to each other, and cannot possibly be mixed, nor one added to the other.
The law makes all depend upon what I am for God. Grace makes all depend upon what God is for me.
The law demands; grace gives.
The law condemns; grace justifies.
The law curses; grace blesses.
The law keeps one in bondage; grace sets the believer free.
“We are not under the law, but under grace” (Romans 6:15).
The law says: “Thou shalt do.” Grace says: “It is done.”
The law requires righteousness from man. Grace places God’s righteousness upon man.
As God had made coats of skin to clothe Adam and Eve, so the atoning death of the Lamb of God covers the believer. It is “the best robe” (Luke 15:22), “the righteousness of God ... upon all them that believe” (Romans 3:22).
Our sinless substitute was made “sin for us ... that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21). “Accepted in the Beloved” (Ephesians 1:6). “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1). “In Christ ... a new creature” (2 Corinthians 5:17).
Adding Law to Grace!
If, after God had made Adam and his wife those lovely and enduring coats of skins, they had returned to sewing fig-leaf aprons; or if they had added something to the coats of skins, 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. “O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you? ... Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh? ... Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us ... Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage ... Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace” (Galatians 3:1,3,13; 5:1,4).
False brethren — legalizing teachers, had troubled them by perverting the gospel of the grace of Christ. They taught law-keeping (Acts 15; Galatians 1).
Adam and Eve were wiser. They did not merit nor work for the “coats of skins” nor 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 shew thee my faith by my works” (James 2:18). Truly, they which have believed God should “be careful to maintain good works” (Titus 3:8). “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works” (Ephesians 2:10).
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.