Plain Words For The Young Who Belong To Christ

by N.D.W. MILLER | Category: Pages For Young Believers | Apr 1932

Concerning things that differ-

III.-JUSTIFICATION.

Being therefore justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ " (Romans 5. 1, R.V.M.).

But, "Was not Abraham our father justified by works, in that he offered up Isaac his son upon the altar?" (James 2. 21). He was.

Does not the Bible, then, contradict itself? Oh no! These are among the excellent things that differ, as we shall shew. The one speaks of being justified before God: the other of being justified in the sight of men.

Justification is a very wonderful truth. Justified means "reckoned righteous." To justify is "to treat as righteous."

The "bump" of self-justification is common to us all. It was first seen in Adam, our first parent; and is seen in all his offspring. "We be true men," said Joseph's guilty brethren. Even Job "justified himself rather than God" (Job 32. 2). And the lawyer, who listened to the story of the Good Samaritan, sought, you remember, to "justify himself" (Luke 10. 29). But the place to get rid of this all-too-common failing is in the Lord's presence. That was where Job got rid of all his (see Job 42.). It is in that presence that we learn what we are (see Luke 5. 8).

Both Job, and his friend Bildad, ask the question, "How can man be just before God?" (Job 9. 2, and 25. 4). And David, rich in experience of human nature, rightly concludes- "In Thy sight shall no man living be justified" (Psalm 143. 2). That clearly means that no man of himself-by effort of his own-shall be justified in God's sight.

Pardon is different from justification. Pardon would never fit the criminal for the king's palace. The prodigal thought

only of pardon. But God not only pardons-He justifies. Think of that delightful passage

Q.; "Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect?

A.It is God that justifieth.

Q.:Who is he that shall condemn?

A.It is Christ Jesus that died, yea rather, that was raised from the dead, who is at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us" (Romans 8. 33, 34).

The ground for justification is the fact that God "spared not His own Son, but delivered Hun up for us all." "It pleased the LORD to bruise Him; He hath put Him to grief... Thou shalt make His soul an offering for sin... by His knowledge shall My righteous Servant justify many; and He shall bear their iniquities" (Isaiah 53. 10, 11). It is not in man to discover the demands of God's throne-His requirements on account of sin and outrage against Him; but there was One, whose goings forth were from of old, from everlasting, who was in His counsels-One who had perfect knowledge of the Divine demands. Knowing full well the cost, Christ came. He said, "Lo, I am come... to do Thy will, 0 God" (Hebrews 10.).

"So then as through one trespass the judgment came unto all men to condemnation; even so through one act of righteousness the free gift came unto all men to justification of life " (Romans 5. 18). The one trespass points to ADAM; through whom "sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death passed unto all men, for that all sinned." The one Act of Righteousness-stupendous and eternally-enduring - points to CHRIST. So that salvation is "to him that worketh not, but believeth on Him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is reckoned for righteousness" (Romans 4. 5).

The climax of apostolic proclamation to Israel was reached, when Paul said, "Be it known unto you therefore, brethren, that through this Man is proclaimed unto you remission of sins: and by Him every one that believeth is justified from all things from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses" (Acts 13. 38, 39).

The believer's justification before God-like salvation-is presented in the Scriptures in a three-fold way, and " a threefold cord is not quickly broken."

Firstly, we are "justified freely by His grace" (Romans 3.24). The word "freely" is precisely the same as "without a cause" in John 15. 25. Grace means God's unmerited favour. Why then "justified freely by God's grace"? Because God could find neither reason nor motive-save in His own great heart of love-for blessing the sinner at all. It was absolutely unmerited favour on God's part.

Secondly, we are "justified by faith" (Romans 5. 1). God assures us in His Word that Christ, and His accomplished work, are abundantly sufficient. He "was delivered up for our trespasses, and was raised for our justification " (Romans 4. 25). Being therefore justified by faith, we have peace with God. Faith is that principle of blessing which is wholly consistent with grace. "It is of faith, that it may be according to grace" (Romans 4. 16). Grace is reigning through righteousness unto eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Thirdly, we are "justified by His blood" (Romans 5. 9). Divine righteousness and human sin are entirely opposed to one another. That is why God, in grace, provided " the redemption that is in Christ Jesus." It is on the ground of redemption alone that blessing from God reaches the sinner. And redemption is by blood.

By the teaching of the Old Testament types we understand that blood refers not merely to death, but to death applied. The Passover, for instance, is a simple and definite illustration of that. You picture a dead lamb, and a basin of blood. The blood in the basin is the evidence of death-the lamb was slain. But had the blood been left in the basin, and never applied to lintel and doorposts, where was the shelter? The application of the blood was necessary to the sheltering of the firstborn.

We are justified by His blood because we have put our trust in Christ, and thus, by faith, we have become one with Him in His death. How wonderful to think that we have been foreordained, called, justified, and glorified (Romans 8.

29, 30).

(To be continued.)

N.D.W. MILLER | Apr 1932
Pages For Young Believers