HOLINESS BY GRACE by Bryan Chappell
“Be Holy, because I am holy.”-1 Peter 1:16
“If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.” John 14:15
How can God expect us to be as holy as he is? Isn’t it unrealistic, given that he is infinitely pure and we are clearly imperfect? Such a standard seems either to ignore our frailty or to impose certain failure–until we understand how God views us. Then we are reminded that, thanks to what Christ accomplished on our behalf, our perfection is not the requirement for entering his kingdom. Yet that very grace still calls us to live righteously for the sake of our well-being, yes, but most of all, because it glorifies God.
In this challenging yet heartwarming work, Bryan Chapell illustrates the principles of grace, the practices of faith, and the motives of love in living a life of holiness. You will journey through reassuring Scripture passages that show good works and obedience to be, not a means of establishing or maintaining salvation, but a grateful response to God’s mercy. And in Bryan Chapell’s encouraging words–drawn straight from the heart of God–you will understand that your holiness is not so much a matter of what you achieve as it is the grace that God provides. A grace so rich as to make the pursuit of his holiness your soul’s deepest delight.
COMMENT BY DAVE SEIVRIGHT ON ROMANS 1: 17
“ …the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”
This verse was used by God to start the Protestant Reformation. Martin Luther was ALREADY a Christian or he would not have been fighting against sin, when GOD changed history by revealing the true meaning of this verse to him!
Who are “the righteous”?
1. This term is used throughout scripture to describe Christians! “No one is righteous no not one” (Romans 3:10-12)
2. But Christians have been credited with the “righteousness of Christ” CLICK HERE FOR 9 VERSES ON OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS THROUGH CHRIST’S RIGHTEOUSNESS.
This verse says the righteousness “OF GOD” is revealed “from faith”. Faith is a gift from God which was first exercised by us at the time of our regeneration and justification (See John:1:12, Romans 4:3). Then the passage goes on to speak to the regenerate, justified CHRISTIAN “for faith”. To remove any doubt whatsoever about what the passage is saying it goes on to say “as it is written, ‘The righteous shall LIVE by faith’.”
This verse is conclusive. IT IS TELLING REGENERATE JUSTIFIED CHRISTIANS HOW TO LIVE THE CHRISTIAN LIFE‼️
IN OTHER WORDS THE VERSE IS ABOUT THE PROCESS TOWARDS HOLINESS CALLED SANCTIFICATION – IT IS SIMPLY STATING WHAT IS TAUGHT THROUGHOUT SCRIPTURE THAT CHRISTIANS ARE TO LIVE BY GRACE ALONE THROUGH FAITH ALONE IN THE PERSON AND WORK OF CHRIST ALONE.
THE BIBLE NEVER GIVES US AUTHORITY TO ADD TO OR SUBTRACT FROM SCRIPTURE‼️ YET THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT WELL MEANING BIBLE TEACHERS TEACH WHEN THEY SAY THAT SANCTIFICATION IS NOT THROUGH FAITH ALONE BUT BY FAITH PLUS HUMAN COOPERATION OR HUMAN OBEDIENCE‼️
If you struggle with stubborn sin, or if you are not enjoying a continuous close relationship with God every hour of every day, your self efforts to change will end in dismal failure!
YOUR PROBLEM IS PRIMARILY A LACK OF RECEIVING GOD’S GRACE THROUGH FAITH NOT A LACK OF OBEDIENCE OR HOLINESS‼️OBEDIENCE AND HOLINESS ARE MERE “RESULTS” OF GRACE AND FAITH, NEVER A “CAUSE” of being conformed to the image of Christ (Romans 8:29)‼️
If you are already a regenerate Christian which means that you have been saved BY GRACE ALONE THROUGH FAITH ALONE YOU MUST NOW ALSO LIVE BY GRACE ALONE THROUGH FAITH ALONE. See:
Romans 1:17
”For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”
John 1:12 (ESV)
“But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,”
Romans 12:1-2 (ESV)
“I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present [surrender] your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed [by God] by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.“
What then is the human part that we must play in our salvation (justification) and our holiness (sanctification)?
- To be saved we must EXERCISE OUR FAITH by “RECEIVING” CHRIST and the FREE GIFT of salvation (John 1:12). The context defines “receiving” as “believing” (having faith).
- To be sanctified we must EXERCISE OUR FAITH by SURRENDERING (offering up our bodies including our minds) to God (Romans 12:1-2). “Surrendering” is also an act of FAITH‼️
- NOTE: It is God, not us, who RENEWS OUR MINDS AND THUS EFFECTS THE CHANGE IN US. “Be transformed” is in the PASSIVE TENSE‼️
- THEREFORE WE CAN NEITHER TAKE CREDIT, OR EVEN PARTIAL CREDIT, OR BOAST ABOUT ANYTHING CONCERNING OUR SALVATION OR OUR SANCTIFICATION‼️
- To believe that we can transform ourselves by adding to Faith is heresy, and diminishes the efficacy and power of God in our sanctification‼️ This belief that sanctification is by faith plus human effort or obedience denies Romans 8:7 “Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.” And Romans 14:23: “…everything that does not come from faith is sin.”
Dr. Bryan Chapell presently serves as President Emeritus and an Adjunct Professor of Practical Theology at Covenant Theological Seminary where he served as President from 1994-2012. His teaching career began at Covenant Seminary in 1984 after ten years in pastoral ministry. Prior to becoming President at Covenant, he served for six years as Vice President of Academics and Dean of Faculty. After a long and distinguished career in academics, Dr. Chapell announced in January 2013 that he accepted a call to return to pastoral ministry and serve as Senior Pastor of Grace Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Peoria, Illinois.
Dr. Chapell’s responsibilities include teaching the introductory homiletics courses to master’s-level students and also contributing to the biblical preaching and teaching track in the Doctor of Ministry program. He helps set the tone not only for how preaching is taught, but also for how Knox envisions Christian worship, holiness by grace, and the daily practice of the Christian life.
Dr. Chapell and his wife, Kathy, have four children.
