Galatians 3:22-23 But the scripture has concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.… We preach, at God's command, the way of salvation by mercy, not by merit; by faith, not by works: by grace, not by the efforts of men. I. A CROWDED PRISON. All are shut up under sin. 1. The jailer — Scripture. (a) A lawful authority, for it is not the word of man, but of the Spirit of God. (b) A powerful authority, for it has the strength of the Almighty to support it. 2. The prisoners — all. (a) Heathen (Romans 1:18-21). (b) The outwardly moral. (c) The sincerely religious. 3. The prison. No escape from vengeance of broken law. One offence enough to keep a sinner bound for ever in misery and degradation. II. A GLORIOUS DELIVERANCE. Jesus opens the prison door, and all who will may go free. 1. This deliverance by Jesus is complete. A slave before, a child now; no longer under the law, but under grace. Guiding principle formerly was, "This do, and thou shalt live"; it now is, "I am saved, and so I love to serve my God." The man now does not work for wages, and expect to win a reward by merit; he is a saved man, and he has all he needs; for Christ is his, and Christ is all. 2. This deliverance comes to men by promise. No bargain — the free gift of God's sovereign good-will. 3. The promised deliverance is not made to works, but only to faith. 4. The faith necessary for appropriating the promised deliverance, is faith in Christ. Not faith in yourself, or in a priest, or in sacraments, or in a set of doctrines; but you must believe that Christ the Son of God came on earth and became a man, took your sins upon His shoulders, bore them up to the tree, and suffered what was due for your sins in His own person on the cross; and you must trust yourself with Him, with Him fully, with Him alone, and with all your heart: and if you do so, the promise will be fulfilled to you. (C. H. Spurgeon.) Parallel Verses KJV: But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe. |
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