The First Indispensable Thing

Conviction of the obligation to keep the Moral Law

The first indispensable thing necessary to validate the existence of true saving faith is to convict the believer in his judgment of his obligation to keep the Moral Law. Among many passages, consider: “In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. ¹⁷Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. ¹⁸For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. ¹⁹Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. ²⁰For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:16–20 ESV). In this passage:

1. Our Lord gives commandment to believers, who are justified by faith, to give evidence of the grace of God in them in the presence of people,⁶⁴ by doing good works. “Let your light shine before others,” the Lord Jesus said, “so that they may see your good works.”

2. He induces believers to do good works by showing that although they are not justified by works, spectators of their good works may be converted or edified. Thus glory may redound to God by their good works when the witnesses of them “give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”

3. He gives them no other rule for their growing obedience than the Moral Law as set down and explained by Moses and the Prophets. “Do not think,” said Christ, “that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets.”

4. He gives them to understand that the doctrine of grace and freedom from the curse of the Law by faith in Him is readily misunderstood. People can think, due to their corrupt judgments, that grace loosens or slackens the obligation of believers to obey the commands and be subject to the authority of the Law. This error is indeed a destroying of the Law and the Prophets, something Christ will in no case ever endure in any of his disciples. It is completely contrary to the purpose of his coming, which is first to sanctify and then to save believers [at death]. “Do not think,” said Christ, “that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets.”

5. The Lord Jesus teaches that the⁶⁵ purpose of the Gospel and Covenant of Grace is to procure people’s obedience to the Moral Law. “I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.”

6. The obligation of the Moral Law in all points and all holy duties is perpetual and will stand until the world’s end, that is, “until heaven and earth pass away.”

7. Just as God has had a care for the Scriptures from the beginning, so will He have a care of them to the world’s end, that “not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law.”

8. If someone breaks the Moral Law and defends the transgression of it by saying it is not sin, this excludes him both from Heaven, and, justly also, from the fellowship of the true Church. Likewise, obedience of the Law and teaching others to do the same, by example, counsel, and teaching, according to one’s calling,⁶⁶ proves a person to be a true believer, in great estimation with God, and worthy to be much esteemed of by the true Church (verse 19).

9. The righteousness of every true Christian must be more than the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, for several reasons:

1. The Scribes and Pharisees, although they took great pains to discharge some various duties of the Law, taught only part of the Law.

2. So that the Law might not appear to condemn their practices, they carefully did the outward part of a duty, but neglected the inward and spiritual part of it.

3. They discharged some less important duties carefully, but neglected the more important duties of judgment, mercy, and the love of God.

4. In a word, they went about to establish their own righteousness, and rejected the righteousness of God by faith in Jesus.

But a true Christian must have more than all this or else he cannot be saved. He must:

1. Acknowledge the full extent of the spiritual meaning of the Law, and have a respect to all the Commandments

2. Labor to cleanse himself from all filthiness of flesh and Spirit

3. Not lay weight upon what service he has done, or will do, but clothe himself with the righteousness of Christ credited to him; only Christ’s righteousness can hide his nakedness.

So says Christ in the Scriptures, “For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:20 ESV).

64 Superficially, the command to do good works within the view of other people would appear to contradict: “But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing” (Matthew 6:3 ESV). However, this command was directed at those who did good works to gain the approval of people. The Matthew 5:16–20 passage assures us that it is unnecessary to hide our good works with “nuclear weapons secrets level” security. More importantly, it is our light, that is Jesus Christ and His grace in us, that we are to display in the presence of people, so that they may give God glory. Matthew 6:3 and the present passage, taken together, would seem to imply that whether or not to give anonymously is a matter of wisdom and sound judgment.

65 The original has the; but clearly the Gospel and Covenant of Grace have multiple purposes.

66 According to one’s calling refers to whatever authority, influence, opportunity, and so on a person may have according to his or her station or roles in life. For just one example, in given particular circumstances, some can only speak in humble entreaties, while others can issue lawful orders and make them stick.