Steps to Christ THE END THAT IS THE BEGINNING
For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth. Rom. 10:4.
Today we are talking about surrender, the final step in the sequence of how we come to Christ. Notice Romans 9, the last few verses, and chapter 10, the first few verses. "What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith. But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness. Wherefore?" Or why? "Because they sought it not be faith, but as it were by the works of the law." They were behaviorists. "For they stumbled at that stumblingstone; as it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed....For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God."
Remember this premise: An apple tree bears apples because it is an apple tree, never in order to be one. If you would like to have some apples, the best thing for you to do is get an apple tree. And an apple tree doesn't have to try hard to produce apples; it's natural for an apple tree to produce apples. Let's go over the scripture again and paraphrase it: "What shall we say then? That the Gentiles who were not trying to produce apples have produced apples, even the apples that come from the apple tree. But Israel, which was trying to produce apples, have not produced apples. Why? Because they didn't try to become apple trees but instead tried to produce apples by their own efforts. For they, being ignorant of God's way of producing fruit, and going about to produce their own apples, have not submitted themselves unto becoming apple trees. For Christ is the end of trying to produce apples apart from the apple tree to everyone who will become an apple tree." That's Venden's Revised Standard Version!
A Christian does right because he is a Christian, never in order to be a Christian. Giving up on our own ability to produce the fruits of righteousness is the beginning of the Christian life.
For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth. Rom. 10:4.
Today we are talking about surrender, the final step in the sequence of how we come to Christ. Notice Romans 9, the last few verses, and chapter 10, the first few verses. "What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith. But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness. Wherefore?" Or why? "Because they sought it not be faith, but as it were by the works of the law." They were behaviorists. "For they stumbled at that stumblingstone; as it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed....For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God."
Remember this premise: An apple tree bears apples because it is an apple tree, never in order to be one. If you would like to have some apples, the best thing for you to do is get an apple tree. And an apple tree doesn't have to try hard to produce apples; it's natural for an apple tree to produce apples. Let's go over the scripture again and paraphrase it: "What shall we say then? That the Gentiles who were not trying to produce apples have produced apples, even the apples that come from the apple tree. But Israel, which was trying to produce apples, have not produced apples. Why? Because they didn't try to become apple trees but instead tried to produce apples by their own efforts. For they, being ignorant of God's way of producing fruit, and going about to produce their own apples, have not submitted themselves unto becoming apple trees. For Christ is the end of trying to produce apples apart from the apple tree to everyone who will become an apple tree." That's Venden's Revised Standard Version!
A Christian does right because he is a Christian, never in order to be a Christian. Giving up on our own ability to produce the fruits of righteousness is the beginning of the Christian life.
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