Many years ago, I lived in a large, old country house in County Wexford, Ireland. There was a legend attached to the house that told of how one of the previous owners had died and had been buried with some of her jewelry. Later that night, grave robbers broke into the crypt in search of her very prized ring. However, owing to the ring being so tightly attached to her person, the robbers had to resort to cutting off her finger (ring and all). According to the story, such was the violence of the act that the lady resuscitated. She screamed, the robbers screamed and scattered and the woman was able to slowly walk home to where her grieving family had gathered.
I don’t know whether or not the story is factual, but people in the locality were convinced that it was true.
One thing I do know, however, is that when I’m gone, no one will have to rob my grave. There’ll be nothing of value in there. So, I’m not concerned about grave robbers. However, what concerns me is not future grave robbers but present day Grace Robbers.
Grace is more valuable than anything else. Ever since the gospel was first preached, however, there have been a wretched class of people whom we call grace robbers. Among other things, they teach that to find and keep acceptance before God, we must do certain things.
In the early church, these grace robbers preached that, to be accepted by God, non-Jewish Christians had to live under the rules of the Old Covenant. They were referred to as Judaizers. They are still among us. Of course, they don’t say the same words that the old time Judaizers said, but, nonetheless, they are grace robbers all the same. They tell us that there is something that we must do to be saved.
By way of illustration, let me introduce you to two Doctors who both claim to have the ability to bring us spiritual health. One is Called Dr. Law and the other, Dr. Grace. Each has a different theory as to how to get us well. Take Dr. Law for example. Some patients asked him about salvation. Dr. Law glared and said, “God does His part and you do yours!” That sounded sensible, but those who followed his prescription were always left in doubt as to whether or not they had done enough on their part. So the patients then went to Dr. Grace and Dr. Grace said, “You can’t do and don’t do anything to gain salvation.”
Back they then go to Dr. Law. When he hears about Dr. Grace’s diagnosis, Dr. Law stiffened and glares at them. Quick as a flash he says, “In Acts 16:31 the Philippian Jailer asked, ‘What must I DO to be saved?’ Paul’s answer was, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved!’ So there you are sirs,” says Dr. Law, “it’s as plain as the noses on your collective faces. The scripture tells you to do something…it tells you to believe. Believing is doing.”
So they go back to Dr. Grace and he smiles and calmly says, “Believing is not doing: Believing is simply trusting and resting. There is no effort on your part and there can be none because God has already accomplished salvation! When you believe, you are merely receiving that which has already been done for you. There’s no work required on your part.”
They then go back to Dr. Law and he declares, “What nonsense is this? It stands to reason that man must do something to close the gap between himself and God. Don’t listen to that Grace fellow. He’ll tell you that Salvation is spelled with five letters J-E-S-U-S.”
The distraught listeners go back to Dr. Grace and report on what Dr. Law has said. Dr. Grace smiles and says, “Yes indeed, Jesus is the summation of salvation. Furthermore, there are basically two ways to spell salvation: The first one, is D-O. That’s the way Dr. Law spells it. His followers believe Jesus Christ died on the cross for their sins, but they still think there is something for them to DO to be saved. They feel they must add, some form of sincere good works to the equation. This is the very opposite of Salvation by Grace!”
Then Dr. Grace continues, “The other way to spell salvation is:
D-O-N-E. Jesus has completed the work of salvation. It is Finished. Rest in Him and His accomplishments.”
This satisfies the patients. Thereafter they rest in the accomplishments of their saviour. Dr. Law still tries to influence them, but because of Dr Grace, he does not succeed.
For the sake of discussion, if you think that God has already done 99.9% of what’s necessary for you to be saved and now it’s up to you to do the remaining 0.1%, you still don’t understand grace. You are a legalist! If you tell your scheme to others and they believe you, you are a grace-robber.
As S. L. Johnson said, “Bible Christianity is unique. It is the only system of truth in which it is plainly stated that the work of redemption is already accomplished!” (S. L. Johnson: Union with Christ) He was right. Every other system of religion is a scheme by which we try to get right with God through the things we do. But Bible Christianity is distinctive. The Lord Jesus Christ has accomplished the saving work, outside of and apart from us. It is finished!
And that’s the Gospel Truth!