I know that salvation is
entirely by grace, that it is God's work and God's work alone. But I also know
that before a holy God can accept a sinful man certain conditions must be met.
And that which God requires only God can provide.
1. GOD REQUIRES COMPLETE
ATONEMENT FOR ALL OUR SIN. Sin is against the infinite God and requires
infinite punishment. God cannot and will not accept any man until he dies under
the curse of the law, his sin has been punished to the full satisfaction of
infinite justice, and his sin is completely removed. This atonement for sin
could only be perforated by God himself. When Christ died, as the Sinner's
Substitute, all of God's elect died in him, our sins were punished to the full
penalty of the law, and all cur sins were put away by him (II Cor. 5:21; Heb.
9:12). This is atonement.
2. GOD REQUIRES PERFECT
RIGHTEOUSNESS AS A CONDITION OF SALVATION. He says, "Be ye holy, for I
am holy." Without perfect holiness no man shall see the Lord (Heb. 12:l4).
Christ established righteousness for us by his obedience to God's law as our
representative. We are made righteous in the sight of the law only by the
imputation of his righteousness to (Rom.
3. GOD REQUIRES THAT WE HAVE
A SPIRITUAL LIFE, A DIVINE NATURE IMPARTED TO US. "Ye must be born
again." When Adam sinned he died spiritually. And all the sons of Adam are
born in spiritual death (Rom.
4. GOD REQUIRES FAITH AS A CONDITION OF ACCEPTANCE
WITH HIM (Heb. 11:6). Faith is the result, not the cause, of God's
grace. But faith is necessary. Without faith in the Lord Jesus Christ no man
can be saved (Mk.