There is a trend in preaching today to set forth principles, to flood people with hyper-grace comfort and security without actually exhibiting the transcendent holiness of God. What tends to be neglected in these principle-saturated sermons is the setting forth of God Himself in His majesty and holy perfections.

When strolling through a public place we can instantly recognize the behavior of an insolent child. Everything inside of us evokes the conviction that the youngster’s impudence calls for the paddle. But, what we are much less cognizant of is that the life of the unregenerate man is regarded by God as an entire posture of impudence (as revolt, effrontery, and habitual impertinence). For, the natural man, in his love of self, imagines that he exercises the sovereign power to decide what authority he shall be subject to. And, as a studious truth suppressor (Rom 1:18), he fancies himself as the final arbiter of every truth claim, and every claim to authority. His rebellion is made manifest by the fact that his mental powers are employed in explaining away God’s claims upon him (Ps 2:2; Rom 3:4, 10-18).

My friends, do not be deceived, those who are hoping to be saved by their lawkeeping are under the curse of God, for no one can keep the law. This is why Scripture states that in the giving of Christ to be the perfect sacrifice, God did not spare Him from, wrath, reproach, and the cross itself. “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?” (Rom 8:31-32).