to come he might show forth the ex ceeding riches of his grace, in his kindness toward us” (Ephesians 2:7), He must have all the glory of our re demption and justification. Suppose that a patent medicine firm should receive a testimonial reading: “I was greatly troubled by a certain ailment and could find no relief from the physicians. A friend brought your remedy to my attention. After taking your remedy, together with some of my own make, I am now wholly re covered.” Such a testimony would be of no value because none could tell which remedy, the patent medicine or that of the patient’s own make, had brought the relief. Just so there would be no glory to the grace of God if any were able to say, “I am justified by what the Lord has done and by what I do.” This is exactly the testimony of all legalists. Again, turning to the law not only ruins grace but makes the one who does so a “debtor to the whole law” (5:3). There can be no choosing one part of the law and overlooking an other. It must be either the whole or none. Furthermore, the one who turns to the law is “fallen from grace” (5:4). Falling from grace does not mean, as some think, falling into some open sin or becoming careless in the religious life. It means being unwill ing to trust wholly in what the Lord has done in grace, and it manifests itself in the attempt to improve the Lord’s work by adding certain law works. Moreover, turning the law hinders the progress of the believer (5:7-10). The Galatian believers had been run ning well, making progress in their faith and growing in grace, until they listened to the false teachers who would bring them under the law. “Ye were running well,” says the apostle, but now they have ceased to run. Their progress had ceased. A legalist simply cannot make progress. He can never get beyond the place of won dering if he has done sufficient to make himself pleasing to God. The apostle sees that the preaching of the law by the false teachers was 34
you nothing” (5:2-6). Christ cannot have His sacrifice added to the law, or the law to it in the work of redemp tion and justification. As the believer GOD DOETH ALL THINGS WELL I do not always know what lies before me, Or what of trial or test may be in* store; M y steps are ordered, God will do the choosing, He knows the way I take— need I know more? I do not know the reason for each testing; The lessons I must learn, I cannot tell, Or why I'm led through valleys deep and lonely— I only know He doeth all things well. If the path I walk seems steep and rugged, And I must labor long to reach the goal, There's always One close by my side to help me; He brings sweet rest and comfort to my soul. And from the pages of God's Book before me, He speaks the words that all my fears dispel, And though I do not know the why nor wherefore, I can be sure He doeth all things well. Then I will rest in Him, and take fresh courage, And trust His promise not to leave me e'er— New strength supplied to carry on the battle, New hope that I the victor's crown shall wear. It is enough to be of God beloved, To have the Lord within my heart to dwell, To have the peace that passeth un derstanding, Content to know He doeth all things well. — Charles L. Cummer is “chosen unto the praise of the glory of his grace” (Ephesians 1:3-6), and as God has saved us “that in the ages
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