Grace and Truth
Bible Ministries

Only capacity from proper adjustment to the integrity of God can solve man's problems

In our study of the doctrine of the integrity of God when we left off we were discussing the principle that maladjustment to the justice of God at salvation means no relationship with the integrity of God, no eternal life, and no imputed perfect righteousness.

This means that the justice of God can only condemn the unbeliever. The unbeliever can only be blessed through association with the mature believer.

No nation can possess freedom, prosperity, or blessing apart from the integrity of God.

Social, political, and economic reform, apart from the integrity of God is useless. To try such reform only intensifies the problem. Believers who ignore this principle become self-righteous do-gooders; who make the problem worse and create chaos, national degeneration, revolution, and historical disaster.

Political and theological liberalism and progressivism seeks social and political reform through human good apart from the integrity of God.

The integrity of God is never arbitrary. As long as God is God, He must punish sin, human good, evil, self-righteousness, and reversionism. This explains the Mosaic Law as an instrument of condemnation rather than of salvation or justification. Rom 3:19-20;

Law is incapable of making man righteous before the integrity of God. The Law cannot justify, only the justice of God can do that.

Justification is a judicial act from the justice of God that recognizes the imputation of perfect righteousness at the moment of faith in Christ.

Justification is not forgiveness. Forgiveness is subtraction; justification is addition, the addition of God's perfect righteousness. Rom 1:17; 2Cor 5:21;

Justification is the basis for the first "a fortiori" of blessing in time: If God can provide the greater in the imputation of perfect righteousness; then it follows with stronger reason (a fortiori); that He will not withhold the less in the imputation of blessings in time.

There is nothing mankind can do to destroy or compromise the integrity of God. The integrity of God stands eternally without any help from mankind. That is why in our relationship with God everything is grace. Legalism does not promote the integrity of God.

God has found a way to bless mankind without compromising His divine integrity through the imputation of divine righteousness at the point of salvation. Only divine integrity or holiness advances the integrity of God. Only God can glorify God. Undeserving mankind is nothing more than the channel for that glorification.

Only what God provides in grace glorifies God. Man glorifies God through the cognition and utilization of God's grace provision that includes salvation grace and living grace followed by dying grace.

This utilization of God's grace provision comes from capacity righteousness. Capacity righteousness is given to every believer at the moment of salvation through faith alone in Christ alone.

Capacity righteousness starts with the imputation of divine righteousness. From that imputation, capacity righteousness is developed through the filling of the Spirit. At the moment of salvation believers are given a spiritual I.Q. to understand Bible doctrine. 2Cor 4:6-11;

When the believer functions under the ministry of God the Holy Spirit and the communication gift of pastor-teacher they come to an understanding of Bible doctrine that leads to spiritual momentum.

Believers who advance in this manner will receive the crown of righteousness and the crown of life after the exit resurrection at their evaluation. 2Tim 4:8; James 1:12;

 

© Copyright 2007, Michael Lemmon Bible Ministries. World Rights Reserved.  This document was created on 1/23/2011