Adrian Rogers - The Gospel of Grace (08/28/2024)
In this powerful sermon from Galatians 1, Adrian Rogers warns that despite all our modern progress, humanity hasn't solved sin, sorrow, or death—the real enemies we face. Civilization just relabels them. The only true answer is the unchanging Gospel of Grace, revealed by God, bought by Christ's blood, and fiercely defended against any perversion or compromise.
Take your Bibles, find Galatians chapter 1. Now we fly, many of us, many places. I heard of an airline pilot who came on the intercom and said to his passengers, he said, «Folks, I’ve got bad news and good news. The bad news is this: we are hopelessly lost. The good news: we’re making great time». Now, I think that is very, very much like this generation in which we live. We think that we’re making progress, but we don’t know where we’re going. Now folks, in the things that really count, listen to me, in the things that really count, we’re not making progress through civilization, through science, through learning, through technology, we’re not. Man has three great enemies: sin, sorrow, and death. Those are the three great enemies.
Humanity's True Enemies: Sin, Sorrow, and Death
Now you think about it. You may think that we have some other enemy. We do not. Sin, sorrow, and death. Now I want to ask you a question. In the light of all of our so-called progress, what has civilization done about sin? About the only thing we’ve done about sin is to re-label it, put new labels on the same old bottles of poison. No longer is a man a thief, now he’s an embezzler; no longer is a woman a harlot, now she’s a lady of the night; no longer is a person a drunkard, he’s now an alcoholic; no longer is a person sinful, he’s morally challenged, and we’ve just really not made any progress whatever in the matter of sin. As a matter of fact, we are sinking, sinking, sinking, to a swirling sewer of filth and debauchery.
I want to ask you another question. Not only in the matter of sin, but in the matter of sorrow. Have we made any progress? Not at all. I think of the heartache, the tears, a nation baptized in salty tears, and we’re boasting about our economy, we’re boasting about these things but suicide has reached epidemic proportions, mental institutions are filled and overcrowded. We don’t know what to do with these people who have broken minds and broken hopes and broken hearts. We’ve not made any progress in the matter of sin, not in sorrow, and certainly what have we done about death? Not a thing. We may have postponed it a little bit, but from the time that Adam and Eve looked down upon the broken body of their son, Abel, who was murdered by his own brother, all of us have been hurt by death.
Now we’ve tried to camouflage death. No longer do we call it a coffin, we call it a casket; no longer is a man an undertaker, he is a mortician; no longer is it a graveyard, it is a memorial park, but we haven’t changed the facts, have we? Sin, sorrow, and death. Where’s the answer here? Well, friend, there is no answer apart from the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Put that down big, put it down plain, put it down straight. Now, there are those who would want to offer some other panacea, some other answer, but there is no answer, and even the devil has tried to pervert the Gospel.
Paul's Warning Against a Perverted Gospel
Look if you will here in Galatians chapter 1 and beginning in verse 6 through verse 12. Paul says, «I marvel that you are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another Gospel». From that verse I get the title of my message, The Gospel of Grace. Let me read it again. Paul said, «I marvel that you are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another Gospel. Which is not another,» that is, it just seems like another, «but there some that trouble you, and would pervert the Gospel of Christ».
Underscore that word pervert. But then Paul says in verse 8, «But though we, or an angel from Heaven, preach any other Gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed». Let him be anathema. Actually it literally means, «Let him be damned». «As we said before, so say I now again, 'If any man preach any other Gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.' For do I now persuade men, or God? Do I seek to please men? For if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ. But I certify you, brethren, that the Gospel which was preached of me is not after man. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it by man, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ».
Now, the devil has tried to pervert the Gospel of Jesus Christ as we’ve seen in that verse. And how does he pervert the Gospel, the saving Gospel? He perverts the saving Gospel by what we call the social gospel. Many churches are not telling people how to be saved. They’re telling people to do good, to feed the homeless, to clothe the naked, to heal the sick, and folks, that is wonderful and that is good, and if you’re saved you ought to do those things. But that is not the Gospel. If you do that and don’t preach the Gospel, all you’re doing is making the world a better place to go to Hell from. After all, we’re going to be here for all eternity.
Now, thank God for social work, but there is no social gospel. There is only a saving Gospel which is the Gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. And then, of course, we have another perversion which is new age occultism, that has the idea that we are reincarnated and we just keep going around. We keep getting another chance until we get it right. All of that is ridiculous. And we find people trudging to churches today who’ve never met Gospel truth, and our churches are padded with moral worldlings and do-gooders who’ve never really been saved, and we are materially rich in America and we are morally poor because we do not know the Gospel.
Satanic Opposition to the True Gospel
So what is the Gospel of grace? What is the saving Gospel of Jesus Christ? I want to give you five facts here today taken from these six verses, and I want you to see them. First of all, I want you to understand that there is satanic opposition to the Gospel. Satan fought it. Satan fought the Gospel in Paul’s day and he is fighting the Gospel in our day. Look again in Galatians 1 verses 6 and 7, «I marvel that you are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another Gospel. Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you,» now underscore this, «and would pervert the Gospel of Christ».
Did you know that Satan is a pervert? I say that seriously. Satan has no raw material. All he can do is take what God has created and twist it and pervert it. Satan is a pervert. God made everything and sin is a perversion of that which is good. Now, Satan, rather than denying the Gospel, had rather pervert the Gospel, because if you will accept a synthetic Gospel then you’ll never see your need for the real Gospel. So he’s not out-and-out to deny the Gospel, he’s out to twist the Gospel, and he’s done a good job. Look in the religious world today. Folks, you can come to our city or any great city in America today, and in the realm of religion just say, make up any list of things that you want to believe and any way you want to act, and somewhere you’ll find a church in this society where you’ll fit right in.
That is true. I mean to us, the Gospel is like some sort of a cafeteria line. We say, «Well, I’d like this, I don’t want this, I want some of this, I want none of that, give me some of this, and here’s the way I want to live,» and we think that we have sort of a do it yourself religion. You talk to people and here’s what they’ll say. «Well, I’m looking for a religion that suits me». Now wait a minute. Who are you, God? «I’m looking for a religion that suits me». I want to say it respectfully, but you’d better find one that suits God. I mean, you’d better find what God has said. Who are you? Looking for one that, quote, «suits you». There are those who pervert the Gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
No Compromise on Gospel Truth
Now folks, when it comes to Gospel truth there can be no compromise with the truth. It would be far better for a banker over here in the bank to say two plus two equals five or three than for me to stand up here in this pulpit today and play loosely with the truth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Now, every now and then when you hear a preacher like yours truly, they’ll say he’s narrow-minded. Well folks, I want to tell you in the first place you can be so broad-minded your brain will get thin in the middle. Did you know that? And you can be so open-minded your brain just may fall right out.
Now, I want my banker to be narrow-minded; I want my doctor to be narrow-minded; I certainly want my airplane pilot to be narrow-minded. Why, in the things that really count, the things that count the most, the things that count for all eternity, why should we not stand up for that which is truth? I’m talking to you about truth, friend. You know, verses 8 and 9 in Galatians chapter 1 almost seem unchristian. Look at it. Paul says, «But though we, or an angel from Heaven, preach any other Gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed». And again I want to tell you, Phillips translates that let him be damned. «As we said before, so say I now again, 'If any man preach any other Gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.'»
Now, our natural sensibilities, we’d just recoil at that and say, «Oh, that’s so unkind, that is so bigoted, that is so prejudiced, that is so intolerant, oh no, why, there’s room for everything in religion». Folks, if one way is right, and only one way, then all the other ways are wrong. That is the Gospel that Satan tries to pervert. Now, Paul says it’s really not another Gospel in Galatians 1 verse 7. He says it’s not another, it just sounds like another. But it is really not another. I say again, many folks, many of them in our Baptist churches, have really no idea what they really believe.
The Settled Origin: God Revealed It
Now, here’s the second truth I want you to see. Friend, there is the settled origin of the Gospel, God thought it. Now look in Galatians 1 verses 11 and 12. Paul is talking about this Gospel. Look at it. He says, «But I certify you, brethren,» I love that word certify, «I certify you, brethren, that the Gospel which was preached of me is not after man. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ». What is the origin of the Gospel? God thought it. It came from Almighty God. The Gospel is not man’s invention. It comes by divine revelation. Therefore, when it comes to the Gospel, you put your intellect and your emotions to the side and pick up your Bible. Put your intellect to the side. So many times we take the Word of God and parade it past the bar of human reasoning and judgment.
You say, «Well, it doesn’t seem right to me that there’s only one way to be saved, and all others ways are wrong, that just is not logical for me». And so, we try to bring human ingenuity, human wit and wisdom against the Gospel. Now, and then if that doesn’t work, we’ll just bring our emotions. You say, «Well, that doesn’t feel right to me. I mean, I just have a queasy feeling about that». Folks, again I want to say respectfully, it doesn’t matter what you think or what you feel. It’s what God says that counts. You have to understand that.
Flying by God's Instrument Panel, Not Feelings
I listen to the pilots talk, and the pilots said if a man doesn’t know how to read those instruments, he can have the idea that he is absolutely flying level and he’s going down. He can’t tell it. If he says, «Well, I think I’m all right and I feel I’m all right,» friend, that does not change the attitude, the direction of that airplane. And so many people are doing the same thing, making a tragic mistake in the realm of religion. They are flying by the seat of their trousers rather than by the instrument panel which is God’s Word. Now folks, we have to understand that there is the divine origin of the Bible, the settled origin of the Bible. We’re not looking for a new and a modern Gospel for a new and a modern age. If it’s new it’s not true. If it is new it is not true.
Jesus Bought the Gospel with His Blood
Now, here’s the third thing I want you to see, and that is the sacrificial obtainment of the Gospel, Jesus bought it. I mean, how did we get this Gospel? Where did it come from? Well, Jesus bought it. He obtained it with His rich, red, royal blood! Notice in Galatians 1 verse 7. This Gospel is not another false Gospel, «But there’s be some that trouble you, and would pervert,» now watch it, «the Gospel of Christ».
Now, how did Christ buy it? Well, go back to Galatians 1 verses 3 through 5, «Grace be to you». Remember I called it the Gospel of grace? «Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ. Who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father. To whom be glory forever and ever. Amen». Now, the Gospel that I’m preaching to you is the Gospel that was purchased, obtained with the precious blood of Jesus Christ. It is the Gospel of the cross. It is the Gospel of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It’s a Gospel that centers in Christ, not a Gospel that simply mentions Christ or alludes to Christ. It is the Gospel of Christ.
Jesus Only: No Other Way to Salvation
Do you know why so many churches today are filled with people who’ve never been saved again? They have never had a personal confrontation, an encounter, a faith encounter with Jesus Christ. They’ve met a creed, but not Christ; they’ve met a cause, but not Christ; they’ve met a code, but not Christ; they’ve met a church, but not Christ. Do you know Jesus Christ? I want to tell you today that Jesus Christ is real to me. I put my faith in Jesus Christ. It is, according to verse 7, «The Gospel of Christ». And not just the Gospel that brings Christ in, it centers in Him. It just doesn’t simply mention Him or give lip service to Him.
Saved by Grace Alone: Seeking, Saving, Securing
Now, here’s the fourth thing I want you to see. I want you to see the saving operation of the Gospel, grace wrought it. It is called the Gospel of grace. Notice in verse 6, he calls it the Gospel of grace. Grace is what causes God to love folks like we are: vile, worthless, unworthy, sinners by nature, sinners by birth, sinners by choice, and sinners by practice. Thank God for grace. Hallelujah for grace. Why are we saved by the grace of God? It is seeking grace.
Look in Galatians 1 verse 15. Paul talked about the grace that sought him. He says, «But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb, and called me by His grace, He called me by His grace». When Paul got saved he wasn’t seeking Jesus, but Jesus was seeking him. You know, you say, «Well, today I’m just seeking the Lord». Well friend, the only reason you may be seeking the Lord is because He’s first sought you.
Grace That Seeks, Saves, Secures, and Suffices
And that seeking grace is saving grace. Paul says here in verse 16 that God revealed His Son in me. Here was old Paul, lost, on the road to Hell, a hardened Pharisee, and he’s saved by the grace of God. Ephesians 2 verses 8 and 9 says, «For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God». What is grace? Grace is the free gift of God. You’re not saved by joining a church, you’re not saved by getting baptized, you’re not saved by being a Gideon, you’re not saved by singing in the choir, you’re not saved by preaching a sermon, you’re not saved by coming to church. You’re saved by the grace of God, by the grace of God.
You can’t mix grace and works. If it’s by grace, forget your good works. Baptism, whether a spoonful or a tankful, can’t take away your sin. Your prayers, your pilgrimages, anything you do, that cannot take away your sin. This seeking grace is saving grace, and friend, it is securing grace. Do you know why you have eternal security? Because you’re saved by grace. Now if you were saved by works, your works fail, you’d lose your salvation, wouldn’t you? Grace can never fail.
Paul's Singular Obsession: Preach the Gospel
Here’s the fifth and final thing I want to say about this Gospel of grace. Friend, I want you to see the singular obsession with the Gospel: Paul taught it. Now, this is very important. Look if you will again in Galatians chapter 1 verses 9 and 10 of this passage. He says, «As we said before,» he said it once, «so say I now again,» he’s saying it again, «If any man preach any other Gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed». And now, notice what Paul says, «For do I now persuade men, or God»? Do I seek to please men? «For if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ». Paul was obsessed with the Gospel. It was a divine obsession.
Now, we all have a desire to please people. We all want to please. Did you know I really have a desire to please you? I really do. Do you know I like it when you say Amen? Do you know I like it when you meet me afterwards and say you were a blessing to me? If a preacher says he doesn’t, I believe he’s not telling the truth. You know, I want to please you, I want to please my parents, I like to please my friends, I like to please people, but friend, I’m going to tell you something. I want to be like the apostle Paul who would say it doesn’t matter whom I please if I displease God.
Preaching Truth Over Popularity
Now, we all have people that we want to please, but you see, if you try to please everybody, you’re going to please the devil most of all. Paul loved these Galatians. Paul talked to them compassionately, but Paul is saying, «Look, I’m obsessed with the Gospel. I’m not trying to please you». Now Paul might have tried to please the civil authorities in Rome. Paul was a Roman citizen and Galatia was an outpost there, and Paul could have fitted in and not gotten into so much trouble. But you know, Paul knew that it was Jesus, not Caesar, that met him on the Road to Damascus.
Paul says, «I’m not trying to please Rome»! And Paul wasn’t trying to please the false teachers. There are false teachers around. And do you know the way to get along with everybody is just try to never mention true doctrine. There’re some people, I’ll guarantee you, there’s some people right here today who say, «That old narrow-minded, hellfire and brimstone preacher». Paul said, listen, «If any man preach any other Gospel to you, let him be damned». Let him be accursed. You say, «Unloving».
Friend, that was not the way for Paul to get elected, «Clergyman of the Year». Paul said, «Look, I am not trying to win a popularity contest»! If you want to be unpopular in today’s day that puts a great virtue on tolerance, just preach the old-time religion and say there’s one way, and only one way to Heaven and it’s the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Bow your heads in prayer. While heads are bowed and eyes are closed, friend, I am telling you today that if you will receive Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, He will instantaneously, dramatically change you. He will save you. Doesn’t mean you’re going to sprout wings and get a halo, but He will save you and keep you saved, and that is the Gospel truth. If you’d like to be saved, I invite you to pray a prayer like this right now. Forget that anybody else is here and pray this prayer:
Lord Jesus, thank You that with Your precious blood on the cross You bought my salvation. And thank You, Lord, that I don’t have to behave myself into Heaven, that I can trust You, and that You will save me. And Lord, right now, with all of my heart, like a little child, I put my faith, I put my trust in You. I trust You, once and for all, now and forever, to save me. And Lord Jesus, begin now to make me the person You want me to be and help me never to be ashamed of You. In Your dear name I pray. Amen.