Closed Roads to God

In Lord’s Day 1 

• I professed my faith in the grace of God, the only road by which I can escape the punishment of sin and still appear before God. 
• That way is Jesus Christ. 

Yet I was inclined to look for some other road rather than Christ. 

• I wished to escape God’s wrath and appear before God by traveling down a different road, in which it allowed me to retain some of my pride. 
• However, there was no way that I could retain my pride, 
• because there is no other avenue of escape and no other avenue to the Father besides Jesus Christ. 
• As Christ said, “No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6)

In Lord’s Day 2 

• I saw that the road of “good works” was closed. 
• I was inclined to think that I could arrive at God’s grace myself, by doing good. 
• Yet Lord’s Day 2 pointed out that I could not do good works in my own power. 
• I could not perform what the law of God requires.

In Lord’s Day 3 

• another road was closed to me. 
• That was the road of “innocence.” 
• If I am inclined by nature to all evil, then perhaps I am able to place the blame on God for creating me with that nature. 
• However, I learned that God created man good. 
• So I cannot place the blame for my sin and misery upon God. 
• I am solely to blame.

Adapted Excerpt from Only By True Faith Lord's Day 4 by Van Delden