The evil spirit behind the CoC system masquerades itself under the banner of Christ for diabolical purposes, for the CoC is notorious for construing Scriptures, such as Romans 2:14-15, in order to create an obedience-based system of salvation, founded upon the common assumption that all are born with the law of God written on their hearts. Here the CoC utilized Rome’s “Natural Law” interpretation to promote the idea of man having the natural ability to get saved apart from divine intervention.
Only by God’s sovereign, saving grace can the CoC scales fall from one’s eyes in order to spiritually see and love the beauty and cohesiveness of Scripture when rightly divided!! Because the Gentiles, being referred to in these verses, didn’t have the law of God naturally. Instead, they had the “WORKS of the law” written on their hearts, naturally, by virtue of the Fall.
“For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: Which shew the WORK of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;)” (Rom. 2:14-15, emphasis mine).
God’s Word also reveals that “the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be” (Rom. 8:7, emphasis mine). Therefore, we can only be accepted by God and have His law written on our hearts by virtue of being supernaturally regenerated by the Holy Spirit (e.g. Jer. 31:33, Ezek. 36:27). For by natural generation we are all “children of wrath” (Eph. 2:3) unless the “law of Christ” is written on the tablet of our heart by God’s gracious intervention, whereby we then become obedient partakers of His divine nature (e.g. Ps. 37:31, Isa. 51:7, 1 Cor. 9:21, 2 Cor. 3:3, Gal. 6:2).
“I will put My laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to Me a people” (Heb. 8:10).
This true, born again conversion entirely differs from external religiosity, “common grace” and the common light of nature or conscience possessed by all humans, which distinguishes us from lower life forms that are not created in God’s image. Our heart is the seat of our conscience, and it’s at enmity with God and desperately wicked until made anew by God (e.g. Jer. 17:9, Rom. 8:7, Heb. 8:10).
Although the CoC denies that its false version of salvation hinges on law, its so-called “works of obedience” assumes a legal standard of performance, for there must be a principle of law that’s being obeyed or performed. The very word “obedience” indicates a standard (a law) whereby behavior is determined. So by basing salvation on works instead of true obedient faith in Jesus Christ alone, the CoC commits a fatal error, and is in complete opposition to Apostle Paul’s declaration in Romans of what true salvation is all about.
Such a faulty foundation enables the CoC to invent false standards of performance that appeal to the unregenerate who want Christianity to be reduced to mere formalities that can be accomplished through human effort, which greatly appeals to the pride of fallen man. Such a sham salvation gives a false sense of spiritual superiority when one thinks that they are meeting such superficial standards of performance. And this is what causes many in the CoC to compare themselves with others, rather than God’s perfect holiness, which is why so many of its enslaved captives have fallen into spiritual bondage, pride and cookie-cutter conformity.
“…they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise” (2 Cor. 10:12).
Self-righteousness and vain glory must be driven out of our hearts by the supernatural illumination of the Holy Spirit giving us a divine revelation of just how fallen we truly are according to God’s perfect standard of righteousness, which has only been fulfilled in Christ Jesus. God’s sovereign, saving grace is our only hope of being given a renewed heart that is driven to Christ as our only hope of salvation. Only by God’s divine intervention can we be given a heart that will not depart from Him.
“And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me” (Jer. 32:40).
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding” (Prov. 9:10).
Christ Rescued Me! 