Many people, (evangelists, open air preachers, and ministers) across this nation seem to be curious about Brother Lindsey's holiness message about the Grace of God. Why did he base everything on the Gospel of Christ? Certain people question why Brother Lindsey condemned sin. Other people wonder if Brother Lindsey used the Law of Moses to condemn sin. This writer spoke to a couple brethren who were discipled under Brother Lindsey's teaching. I also pondered this ideal but concluded with the following words. May the words of this edification for Christ bless you the reader as much as it has this writer.
The subject of condemning sin has gone on throughout the history of humanity. God condemned sin when He condemned the Devil in Genesis 3:15. He promised that a Savior would bruise the persuasive authority of the serpent that beguiled Eve. Even Abel condemned sin by offering a righteous sacrifice unto God. Noah condemned sin as a preacher of righteousness for 120 years. Noah’s preaching saved eight souls from the Judgment of God in the flood. The word “Noah” means “preacher of righteousness” in Hebrew. Condemnation for sin came upon man in light of “death” which is fallen man’s spiritual separation from God’s holy and eternal presence. Since the fall of man in the Garden…mans separation from God has always allowed God to reveal “guilt to the human conscience”. Guilt is revealed through the holy presence of God to any man that wants to do right. God told Adam and Eve that if they disobeyed His command they would “surely die” or be eternally separated. They disobeyed the command, and death’s separation from God came into existence and cursed all of humanity through the pages of history. Man’s natural separation from God has reigned throughout humanity even until “now in 2009”.
Through one of Israel’s greatest miracles God gave the Law of Moses and 613 commandments to condemn sin and to give Israel the knowledge of sin that would allow them to be a “holy nation with a holy priesthood”. During that dispensation, the sin of man was condemned in light of Israel’s knowledge and Israel’s obedience to the Law of Moses. Only Israel knew about the Law of Moses contained in the authority of the Torah. Among the Gentiles throughout the world (who were aliens to the commonwealth of Israel)…Gods Law that condemned the sin of the Gentile was only the human conscience. Romans 2:14-16
During the earthly ministry of our Lord…Christ condemned sin in light of the holiness of the Torah. Christ’s message of holiness taught Israel the moral requirements of the Torah. Israel had deviated from God’s authority contained in the Torah. Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount took Israel away from traditional Talmudic teachings and took them to the proper moral requirements to keep Mosaic Law given to Israel on Mt. Sinai. Jewish Elders, Teachers, and Rabbi’s pointed men to the Law of Moses (the Torah) to condemn sin and to bring Israel to the knowledge of sin!
Everything changed after the Jews and the Romans had slain the Lord of Glory! Man’s enlightenment to God’s plan and the blessing of Divine Grace came into play for all humanity…in both Jew and Gentile alike! This miracle is the Church, the spiritual body of Christ that purchased through the shed blood of Christ. The Law of Moses and the 613 Commandments pointed Israel to holiness according to the records of the Old Testament. In the New Testament after the resurrection of Christ…the Law of Spirit of life in Christ Jesus pointed man to a different type of holiness. Unlike Old Testament holiness through keeping Law, New Testament holiness was not obtained by the works of man…but by the work of Christ in the human soul. New Testament holiness is Grace given holiness to the heart and soul of the believer who trusts in Christ’s shed blood at Calvary for personal forgiveness of sins. The Law of Moses told men to do good works. The Holy Spirit’s truth… speaks to the heart of a believer about a God given holiness that comes through belief in the actual person and power of Christ.
The Holy Spirit reveals to the heart of man a form of holiness greater than a holiness that could be obtained under the Law of Moses. How could this be? Holiness under Grace is given to a penitent sinner through the operation of God. Holiness under Law was given to man by his works. Holiness under Grace is not obtained by “works” or “human effort”. Holiness under Grace is received through the person of Christ! Holiness under Grace is the action of God given to a believer because of man’s personal trust in Christ for the forgiveness of sins. Holiness under Law was obtained by the works of man in keeping the Law. If Law was brought to the knowledge of man…man had to obey every thing he knew about the Law to be holy in the eyes of God.
The truth about Divine Grace that keeps the Spirit present in our lives condemns sin by the action of God. How! The Holy Spirit reveals the person of Christ to the human soul! Man is enlightened to Christ when he hears the Gospel! The Holy Spirit shows sinful man what he really is…which is morally depraved. In light of a Saviour at Calvary a different condemnation for sin other than a condemnation from the Law of Moses comes upon fallen man. God’s condemnation for sin under Law was revealed by the Torah. God’s condemnation for sin under Grace… is revealed through the light of the glorious Gospel. Enlightenment to Divine Grace is different than enlightenment to the Law of Moses. The Holy Spirit reveals the condemnation of man’s sin through the presence of Christ. The Gospel message points people to Christ. The Spirit of Truth points people to Christ. The Blessing of God’s Divine Grace in this present Church Age delivers man from the condemnation of sin.
None of the Apostles after the resurrection of Christ used the Law of Moses to condemn sin in the Church Age. All the Apostles were Christ sent. They were commanded by Christ to tell the world about Christ who suffered, died, and was resurrected for the sins of humanity. Man’s enlightenment through the Spirit of Truth condemns sin within the conscience of sinful men. All this transpires when the Gospel message is preached and heard. Guilt is shown in light of Christ through the Gospel. Guilt is removed by the Grace of God and the hearing of faith! The Law of Moses could never remove the guilt of sin! So, why point people today to the Law of Moses that can never save; when you can point them to the blessing of God’s saving Grace in the person and presence of a living Christ!
If you use the Law of Moses to point out mans sin…indirectly this work points men to look to the Law of Moses and perhaps teaches them to keep the Law. If you use the Gospel Message (about the death burial, and resurrection of Christ according to the Prophets) it points men to a Saviour and His finished work at Calvary. The Holy Spirit’s ministration upon the soul of man does the convicting work. Not man! New Testament Scriptures do not indicate that the Law of Moses should be used today in this present Church Age to convict a sinner. Scriptures do indicate under this blessed Grace Age we live in …preaching the Gospel opens the door for the Holy Spirit to convict the world of sin, righteousness, and Judgment.
Brother Lindsey never used the Law of Moses to convict the sinner nor did he point any man today in this Church Age toward the Law of Moses for any reason. He adamantly taught the New Testament Grace of God in light of the Glorious Gospel of Christ. Behind Brother Lindsey’s words that condemned sin was only…the power of a living Christ that shows sinful man what they really are.
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