George Whitefield was an incredible preacher of the 1700’s that God used to preach the Gospel in “open-air” settings from Britain to the United States. His study of Galatians was preached to many non-Christians so that they might hear and understand the true nature of the gospel. He purposely challenged both the religious as well as the irreligious with a gospel that critiques both of their assumptions. He attacks the religious who think they can have favor with God through their own righteousness, both for justification and sanctification. It is a message that needs to be heard in our day. We should consider how we come to God, and upon what terms we think our peace is made with Him.

I attempted to rewrite this to reflect our contemporary language. Here is the Whitefield quote from one of his sermons on Galatians.

“They have healed the brokenness of My people superficially, Saying, ‘Peace, peace,’ But there is no peace.” Jeremiah 6:14

How many of us fool ourselves by saying “Peace, peace” to our souls, when in fact there is no such peace! There are many who think they are Christians and are doing no more than flattering themselves. If we dare to investigate their claims, we will sadly find that their peace is not from God. This is of tremendous importance, and those who read this should seek to know whether or not they may speak peace to their own heart. The goal of these comments is to show you what you must experience, and what must be done in you before you can speak about peace in your hearts.

First, before you speak about peace in your heart, you need to see and feel your transgressions against God’s perfect law. It is not only that we are to do some things in keeping with the law of God, but we are to do all things, and do them continuously; so that if there is even a minor deviation from the moral law, whether in thought, speech, or actions, we rightfully deserve eternal death. Allow me to ask you before God, has there ever been a time when the awareness and remembrance of your sins grieved you? Have you ever considered that God’s wrath might justly fall upon you at any moment, due to your sinful actions against Him? If you have not had such a thought, don’t bother calling yourself a Christian. You might speak peace to your heart, but there is no peace.

Second, you might be aware and convinced of your sins, but before you can speak peace to your heart, your conviction must go beyond this thought: you must be convinced that you bring sin into the world with you. If you look inwardly in truth you will find pride, bitterness, and revenge. When a sinner is first awakened, the Spirit of God shows them that there is nothing in them that is good by nature. Have you ever experienced this? The awareness of sin that is still present in our hearts, is the one great burden of a true Christian. If you have never come to feel this inward inclination towards sin, then you may speak peace to your heart, but there is no peace.

Thirdly, before you can speak peace to your heart, you not only need to be troubled by the sins of your life, and the sin of your very nature, but also for the sins of your best actions and performance before God. When a broken soul is beginning to be awakened by the terror of a Holy Lord, the poor creature, being born under the burden of their works, attempts to pacify their conscience with the works they perform. As Adam and Eve hid themselves among the trees of the garden, and sewed together fig leaves to cover their nakedness, so the broken sinner, when first awakened, may run to his actions and to his performance, to hide himself from God, in an attempt to patch up his own righteousness. He will say, “I will be good now- I will change- I will do everything I can; and Jesus Christ must certainly have mercy on me.” But before you can speak about peace in your heart, you must come to see all your actions, and all your righteousness put together are so far from God’s approval, and so far from motivating or coercing God to have mercy on you, that he sees them to be nothing more than filthy rags. God is not simply disapproving of them, He actually hates them and will send you far from him if you bring them to him in order to gain his favor.

Lastly, I’m not sure what you think, but I know that I cannot even pray without sin, I cannot preach to you or anyone else without sin. I can do nothing without sin, and my very repentance wants to be repented of, and my tears desire to be washed by the precious blood of my Savior. Our best actions are nothing more than dressed up sins. Before you can speak peace to your heart, you need to not only repent of your sin, but also of your own righteousness. There must be a deep conviction before you can be brought out of your self-righteousness. It is the last great idol to be taken from the heart. Have you ever felt the need of the righteousness of Jesus Christ, and not just the forgiveness? Can you say, “Lord, you may justifiably damn me for the best works I have ever performed? If you are not brought out of yourself in this way, you my speak peace to your heart, but there is no peace. You must at last come to place of holding onto, by faith alone, the all sufficient righteousness of Jesus Christ. Then and only then, will you have peace.

Questions:

1-Why do you think that George Whitefield was so adamant about sin and repentance?
2-Why does Whitefield say that we should “repent of our righteousness?” What does he mean by that statement?
3-Why is our “works” towards God such an insult to Him for gaining His approval?
4-How could “self-righteousness” be the last great idol to be taken from our hearts?