63 Sermon Illustrations on Justification

Justification is instantaneous; sanctification is a long growth. Justification is the act of God whereby He takes a man who is dead in trespasses and sins and says, "I create within you the new life of Christ and now I look upon you and see you just as perfect as I see the Lord Jesus Christ." Justification is the act of God whereby he declares an ungodly man to be perfect while he is still ungodly. It is as extraordinary a thing as if you were able to say that the caterpillar is really a beautiful butterfly. "Oh," you say, "but it isn't! It still looks like a caterpillar." Well, that is exactly what God does with us. He comes to us in our "caterpillar status" and declares us to be "butterflies." In reality, that is what happens in nature, too; that caterpillar does become a butterfly. For God has given us this remarkable picture of metamorphosis-that which goes into the cocoon as a worm comes out as a butterfly, for it lives part of its life in one state and part in another. We call this process metamorphosis. It is very interesting to note the Greek word used in Romans 12:2 : "Be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed (metamorphosed) by the renewing of your mind." The Human Tiger A French explorer was crossing Africa from the Zambezi and came into the region of the Barotsi people. He had heard stories about the native king Lewanika, whose greatest delight had been to put to death, by newly invented tortures, those who offended him. He was also known as the "human tiger." This French officer came to the station where Pastor Coillard was in charge, and the pastor himself, a Frenchman, entertained him kindly. Then came Sunday. The French officer was absolutely without God, but as a matter of politeness he went to church and sat through the service. When he came out he said, "Monsieur Coillard, who was that remarkable looking man sitting next to me, who listened so carefully?" That was King Lewanika, the 'human tiger.'" "Was it?" "Yes." "Then if that is what Christ can do, I mean to be His."

Some harbors have bars of sand which lie across the entrance, and prohibit the access of ships at low water. There is a bar, not of sand, but of adamantine rock, the bar of divine justice, which lies between a sinner and heaven. Christ's righteousness is the high water, that carries a believing sinner over this bar, and transmits him safe to the land of eternal rest. Our own righteousness is the low water, which will fail us in our greatest need, and will ever leave us short of the heavenly Canaan.

— Salter

HERVEY'S RECANTATION.

"If it be shameful to renounce error," says Mr. Hervey, "and sacrifice to truth. I do very willingly take this shame to myself, in a copy of verses which I formerly wrote, sacred to the memory of a generous benefactor. I remember the following lines:

"Our wants relieved by thy indulgent care Shall give thee courage at the dreadful bar, And shalt the crown thou shalt for ever wear"

These lines, in whatever hands they are lodged, and whatever else of a like kind may have dropt from my pen, I now publicly disclaim; they are the very reverse of my present belief, in which I hope to persevere as long as I have any being. Far be it from me to suppose that any work of mine should, in order to create my peace, or cherish my confidence, be coupled with Christ's most holy acts. I speak the words of our church, and I speak the sense of the prophet, "I will trust, and not be afraid;" wherefore? because I am inherently holy? rather God is my salvation; God manifest in the flesh has finished my transgression, and made an end of my sin; and in this most magnificent work will I rejoice. Thy Maker is thy husband: the consequence of which is, all thy debts and deficiencies are upon him, all his consummate righteousness is upon thee."

From January 1976 Reader’s Digest:

A father and his 12-year-old daughter Sharon and 11-year-old son David hiked up Mount Ranier in Washington on Memorial Day weekend in 1968. It was their first long hike - a five-mile climb. An hour after they started hiking, a blizzard struck high on the flanks of the great mountain, trapping the father and his two young children.

The temperature dripped to 22 degrees, with wind and snow blowing at 50 mph. Snow fell in thin, wet sheets. It was impossible to see or move. A few steps in the wrong direction could mean certain death. So the three of them tramped around in a six-foot circle, making a depression in the snow. Then they spread a tarp over the trench. The father helped David and Sharon into their sleeping bags. Then he placed himself near an opening in case the wind blew the tarp off. In that way his body protected his son and daughter from the howling wind.

Just before six o’clock the next morning, a search party found the trio. The two children were alive; their father was dead. Sharon explained to the search party: “Dad gave his life for us.”

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A similar story from 9/9/08, by way of PreachingNow:

A Romanian hiker who lost his life high on Mount Rainier lay down in the snow and used his body’s warmth to save his wife and a friend from the 70-mph winds of a freak June blizzard, national park officials say. The story was reported on June 13, 2008, by Associated Press.

When it became obvious the trio of friends could not find their way back to base camp in whiteout conditions, they dug a snow trench with their hands. Then 31-year-old Eduard Burceag lay down on the snow and his wife and a friend lay on top of him. Later, when they begged him to switch places, Burceag refused, saying he was OK.

“In doing so, he probably saved their lives,” park spokesman Kevin Bacher said Thursday. Mariana Burceag, also 31, survived the storm, as did the couple’s good friend, Daniel Vlad, 34. All three of the hikers were from Romania.

In Minor Prophets series. Habakkuk 2:4 and justification by faith alone.

1. Context of faith in Habakkuk 2:4.

a. Saving faith.

b. Living faith.

2. Influence on Luther and Reformation.

3. Jesus plus me?

a. Roman Catholics. See Christianity Today, 11/7/86, page 26.

b. Jehovah Witnesses.

Sermon:

JESUS: LORD, SAVIOR, OR BOTH? Colossians 2:6-7

I. Who are the "real" disciples of Jesus?

A. Dietrich Bonhoeffer.

B. Church members who are discouraged by low level of spirituality

II. "Lordship Salvation" debate among evangelicals.

A. John MacArthur and "Lordship Salvation."

1) "Easy-believism" has led to "cheap grace."

2) "Many who occupy evangelical church pews across America

3) Lordship salvation - a person must trust Jesus Christ as

the real lord of their life.

B. Charles Ryrie.

1) "A person can have Christ as Savior without having him as

Lord."

2) Only acknowledgment of sin and acceptance of Christ's death

III. Three approaches to salvation.

A. God's free gift (grace) plus total commitment.

B. God's free gift (grace) plus at least a change in our life.

C. God's free gift (grace) alone.

IV. How is Jesus our Lord?

A. We must confess Jesus as our Lord to be saved. Col 2:6

B. We are obligated to give more and more of our lives in obedience

V. Is Jesus your Lord?

Fiorello La Guardia was one of New York City’s most beloved and storied mayors, earlier in this century. He was only 5’2”, but “The Little Flower” was a huge presence in the city. Once, when a strike kept the Sunday papers off the stands, La Guardia read the funny papers to New York over the radio. He always signed off his weekly radio program with the words, “Patience and fortitude.”

One winter night the mayor decided to visit a Manhattan night court, and ended up presiding over the proceedings. It was bitter cold that night, and an under-clothed man was brought before La Guardia, accused of stealing a loaf of bread. His family was starving, the man claimed. “I have to punish you,” the mayor pronounced. “The law makes no exceptions. I hereby fine you ten dollars. “ But then La Guardia added as he reached into his own pocket, “Here’s the ten dollars to pay your fine,” tossing a ten-dollar bill into his hat. “Furthermore,” he went on, “I’m fining everybody in this courtroom fifty cents for living in a town where a man has to steal bread in order to feed his family. Mr. Bailiff, collect the fines and give them to this defendant!”

The hat was passed around, and the man left La Guardia’s courtroom, shaking his head and holding a stake of $47.50.

La Guardia’s “justice” reminds me of God’s grace: how in Christ our Father has not only paid the price and justified us before him, he has further multiplied our blessings and our resources.

--------another version of the same -------------

One winter’s night in 1935, it is told, Fiorello LaGuardia, the irrepressible mayor of New York, showed up at a night court in the poorest ward of the city. He dismissed the judge for the evening and took over the bench. That night a tattered old woman, charged with stealing a loaf of bread, was brought before him. She defended herself by saying, “My daughter’s husband has deserted her. She is sick, and her children are starving.”

The shopkeeper refused to drop the charges, saying, “It’s a bad neighborhood, your honor, and she’s got to be punished to teach other people a lesson.”

LaGuardia sighed. He turned to the old woman and said, “I’ve got to punish you; the law makes no exceptions. Ten dollars or ten days in jail.” However even while pronouncing sentence, LaGuardia reached into his pocket, took out a ten-dollar bill, and threw it into his hat with these famous works: “Here’s the ten-dollar fine which I now remit, and furthermore, I’m going to fine everyone in the courtroom fifty cents for living in a town where a person has to steal bread so that her grandchildren can eat. Mr. Bailiff, collect the fines and give them to the defendant.”

The following day, a New York newspaper reported: “Forty-seven dollars and fifty cents was turned over to a bewildered old grandmother who had stolen a loaf of bread to feed her starving grandchildren. Making forced donations were a red-faced storekeeper, seventy petty criminals, and a few New York policemen.”

VIRUS WARNING - This one's for real! Send to everyone you know!

Alert! This is a notice to inform you of THE CURSE. The most devastating catastrophe known to humanity.

Infection status: You are already infected! (The CURSE was downloaded by Adam and Eve and we all are born into it.)

Damage: Every component of your life is affected. We have been brought under the wrath of God (Eph 2:3); made liable to all miseries in this life, to death itself, and even to the pains of hell forever! (Rom 6:23; Matt 25:41)

Remedy: The only remedy is complete forensic reconfiguration of all component parts. This is called Justification. (Eph1:7; 2Cor5:21) This is followed by a radical lifetime software purge called Sanctification. (2 Thess 3:13; Eph 4:24) The only means of rescue from the power and results of THE CURSE is faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. (Acts 4:12)

Cost: You cannot purchase this remedy. It is not so simple. The cost is the eternal wrath of God. Access: You may acquire justification free of charge. The price was already paid on the cross of Christ. But you must beg for it on your knees. (Many perish maintaining their "dignity" i.e. pride.) "Being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in the hope of the glory of God." (Rom 5:1,2) For more information and validation, consult the only User's Manual - The Holy Bible.

WARNING - THIS IS NOT A HOAX. Please do not disregard this warning. Do not delay! The CURSE impairs logical functions, input and output, processing and communication, linkup with other systems, and corrupts all disks. The final result will be a total crash. The time of the crash cannot be ascertained, but the fate is worse than mere termination. Jesus Christ is the Lord of all things, every system, every user... and is your only hope. The good news is that He is available by 24 hour access. No hardware necessary. Simply cry out to Him to take your sin and give you His righteousness. Understanding your plight, you have no options: The buttons are not OK or CANCEL. They are REPENT or PERISH. "Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved"

*

When God forgives through the risen, glorified Jesus, He not only

forgives, but He justifies. It is impossible for an earthly judge to

both forgive and to justify a man. If a man is justified, he does not

need to be forgiven. Imagine a man charged with a crime going into

court, and, after the evidence is all in, he is pronounced not guilty,

and the judge sets him free. Someone says, as he leaves the building,

"I want to congratulate you. It was very kind of the judge to forgive

you." "Forgive? He did not forgive me; I was justified. There is

nothing to forgive. You cannot justify a man if he does a wicked

thing, but you can forgive. God not only forgives but He justifies the

ungodly, because He links the believer with Christ, and we are made

"accepted in the Beloved." --H. A. Ironside

Everyone who goes to Rome pays a visit to the Scala Santa, or the

Sacred Stairs of the Judgment seat of Pilate. It can hardly be

credited that the actual marble stairs of Pilate's judgment seat were

brought to Rome, although such a thing is within the realm of

possibility. Roman Catholic superstition bestows a special merit and

grace upon the devout pilgrim who ascends those stairs on his knees.

It was when he was in this act of devotion that Martin Luther, a

pilgrim in Rome from Germany, heard the words sounding in his ear

which afterward became the watchword of the Reformation: "The just

shall live by faith!"

However one dismisses the likelihood of the stairs upon which he is

looking being actually those of Pilate's judgment seat, it is not

possible to stand there with out thinking of Pilate and of Christ.

Those two figures rise before you--the heavy-headed, large-bodied

Pontius Pilate sitting at the head of the stairs, perplexed as to his

prisoner; and Jesus, standing on the marble slabs at the foot of the

stairs, His head crowned with thorns, a purple robe about him, the

blood from his recent scourging making a crimson stain upon the white

marble of the steps. --McCartney

When type-writers were first invented there was no way to correct typing errors. To send a perfect letter it needed to be retyped. Then correcting fluid or liquid paper was invented. This magical liquid covered over errors, typos, and unfortunate slip-uPs. You brushed on the liquid and simply retyped the word or letter that was wrong. Done rightly it removed all traces that a goof happened. Then came correcting tape. It too covered over errors and typos and slip-uPs. Today we have the Word Processor. You misspell or type a wrong word or sentence or even paragraph and you can remove or replace or rearrange. Again, all traces of mistakes are totally removed. The way correcting fluid, correcting tape, and Word Processors cover over and remove all traces of errors illustrates what happens to our sin. Our sin is covered, it is removed, so that all traces of it are gone.

Galatians sermon series Galatians 2:15 - 3:9

DID CHRIST DIE FOR NOTHING?

===========================

I. Justification. 2:15

A. A universal human need.

II. Rationalization? 2:17

A. Paul's enemies said "faith alone" leads to sinful living.

B. Justification leads to a fundamental change.

III. Mortification.

A. Jesus had to die.

B. We have to die.

IV. Vivification.

A. Justification is not a legal fiction.

B. Elements of the new life in Christ...

V. Faith is the key.

A. Supported by personal experience. 3:2-5

B. Supported by examples in the Bible. 3:6-9

C. Do you have this faith?

In California we have several toll roads which have been built by private groups; electronic transponders scan each car as it enters, recording a code from a permit tag the owner has purchased.

One of my sons recently received a ticket for driving on one of these roads without the proper tag on his truck; he was lost and did not know his way. His ticket arrived by mail; the accompanying fine was substantial.

Commentary:

In the wedding feast parable as told by our Lord (Matthew 22:1,2,11-14), one guest arrived without proper wedding clothes. The king had the man bound and thrown out.

At His own feast, the Lord Himself will scan those who wish to attend, and immediately identify those who are lost and know not the Way. Only those who are properly attired will be allowed to attend the Lord’s feast. Those found without the proper clothing won’t receive a ticket or a fine; rather they will be bound hand and foot and thrown “into the outer darkness; in that place there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. For many are called, but few are chosen.” (13-14)

1. Grace! ’tis a charming sound,

Harmonious to the ear;

Heav’n with the echo shall resound,

And all the earth shall hear.

Chorus

Saved by grace alone!

This is all my plea;

Jesus died for all mankind,

And Jesus died for me.

2. ’Twas grace that wrote my name

In life’s eternal book;

’Twas grace that gave me to the Lamb,

Who all my sorrows took.

3. Grace taught my wand’ring feet

To tread the heav’nly road;

And new supplies each hour I meet,

While pressing on to God.

4. O let Thy grace inspire

My soul with strength divine;

May all my pow’rs to Thee aspire,

And all my days be Thine.

*

“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,” (Romans 3:23-24 NKJV)

Justification is of Grace

• Short…God — Gal 3:22, Rom 5:2 — glory in the future enjoyed with God; or “the praise or approbation of God.” (Macknight, Alford, Grotius, Tholuck, Meyer, De Wette)

• Freely — without merit on part of man.

• Grace — Rom 4:16, Eph 2:8, Tit 3:5,7 — unmerited favor, and good will

• Redemption — Matt 20:28, Eph 1:7, Heb 9:12, 1 Pet 1:18-19, 1 Cor 7:23 — deliverance of a captive by payment of a ransom

Sin the cause of man’s loss of glory — Anon.

I. All men have sinned.

II. None can attain to the glory of God on the ground of the first covenant.

Persons understand by this glory

1. A visible glory

2. God’s glorious image.

3. The fruition of His presence in heaven. Learn

(1) How useless it is to deny our guilt

(2) How mad it is to make light of our condition.

(3) How foolish it will be to continue looking to the law for help, or to deny our application to Christ

Mystery of redemption fit for faith — Dr Spencer

I. Justification by free grace.

II. The mode by which this free justification comes,-through redemption in Christ Jesus.

III. The authority on which Christ acted in His great work of redemption.

1. All creation obeyed Him.

2. He was the fulfilment of all the prophecies and promises of the O.T.

3. His whole revelation, character, promises, and work, were perfectly adapted to man-to, all his character, condition, and prospects, to his hopes and fears, his heart and conscience, his tomb and eternity.

IV. Atonement. Christ came to be a propitiation.

V. The manner whereby sinners become interested in the propitiatory redemption — through faith in the blood of Christ

The principle of propitiatory sacrifice recognized in the religious ceremonies of heathen nations — Rev. C. Stovel

I. There have been among heathen nations many gods, and to these have been presented in all ages many diversified sacrifices. The leading ideas of propitiatory sacrifice are:

1. That it makes an offended god propitious again.

2. That it pleases the god, not by punishing the offender, but by sacrificing a substitute.

3. It implies the attainment of actual friendship and intercourse with the god.

II. It is necessary to inquire whether there be any agreement between the heathen and the Sacred oracles — respecting the use of propitiation. Here we observe an universality which extends itself as it embraces

1. All the worshipers can enjoy in their gods

2. All the departments of human affairs.

III. This agreement extends to the origin of these sacrifices.

IV. The difficulty with which this doctrine is preserved.

V. The consequences of losing or rejecting the propitiation appear to be the same everywhere

Pharisaism — When the late Rev. George Burder, of London, was preaching at Warwick, he was called to attend the execution of three men, one a coiner, and the other two housebreakers. “One circumstance,” says Mr. B., “affected me very deeply. All the men were on ladders, then the mode of execution, with the ropes about their necks, about to be turned off, when the coiner, endeavoring to fortify his mind in this awful situation, uttered words to this purpose, which I distinctly heard, being at a short distance: ‘I never killed any body, I never hurt any body, I hope the Lord will have mercy upon me.’ This poor creature seemed to die nearly in the spirit of the Pharisee, ‘I thank God I am not as other men are, or as this publican,’ for I thought he alluded to the two thieves suffering with him. I was so deeply affected that I could scarcely refrain from crying out to the man, ‘Do not trust in your own righteousness; look to Christ.’ This has often occurred to me as one of the most glaring instances of a self-righteous spirit that I ever knew”

“Bring in Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and deck them with all those virtues which made them glorious; but yet they sinned. Bring in the noble army of martyrs, who shed their blood for Christ; but yet they sinned.” — Farindon.

“As in the law of Moses there were three kinds of sacrifice — Immolations, Libations, and Victims — Immolations, which were made of the fruits of the earth; Libations, of liquors, as oil and wine; Victims, of living creatures; so, likewise, God requires that we give Him our actions for fruits, our affections for Iiquors, and ourselves for victims.” — N. Caussin.

“Wise men have a greater skirmish with their own vices than with foreign swords.”

“[Does] this blessedness then [come] upon the circumcised [only], or upon the uncircumcised also? For we say that faith was accounted to Abraham for righteousness. How then was it accounted? While he was circumcised, or uncircumcised? Not while circumcised, but while uncircumcised. And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which [he had while still] uncircumcised, that he might be the father of all those who believe, though they are uncircumcised, that righteousness might be imputed to them also, and the father of circumcision to those who not only [are] of the circumcision, but who also walk in the steps of the faith which our father Abraham [had while still] uncircumcised.” (Romans 4:9-12 NKJV)

The Blessedness Of Pardon For All Who Believe

• blessedness — described vv. 1-8; justification by faith

• we say, etc. — v. 3

• how…reckoned? — under what circumstances?

• not…circumcision — Abraham not circumcumcised till he was 96 years old (Gen 17:24)when Ishmael was 13 yrs. old (Gen 17:25)

• but…uncircumcision — before Ishmael was born, Abraham had his faith counted to him for righteousness — Cf Gen 15:6 with Gen 16:16 — “It is evident, therefore, that Abraham was justified in uncircumcision more than thirteen years before he and his family were made the visible church and people of God by circumcision. Heathens, therefore, who believe and obey the true God, as Abraham did, will, like him, have their faith counted to them for righteousness, though no members of any visible Church.” (MacKnight)

• seal — 1 Kg 21:8 LXX, 2 Tim 2:19, Rev 7:2-3, 9:4, cf. John 6:27, 2 Cor 1:22, Eph 1:13, 4:30 — a seal is that which authenticates (Vaughan) — Alluding to custom of affixing seals to written covenants, to render them firm (MacKnight)

• father…believe — whether Jews or Gentiles — Luke 19:9

• steps — traces. “The traces of faith are opposed to the traces of outward circumcumcision; the path is not trodden by many, but there are foot traces in it; it is, however, an open way.” — Bengel

The rite of circumcision — Matthew Henry

I. The nature of sacraments in general. They are

1. Signs, to represent and instruct — signs of absolute grace and favour;

2. Seals, to ratify and confirm

(1) Seals of the conditional promises;

(2) Mutual seals.

II. The nature of circumcision in particular:

l. A sign prefiguring baptism, which comes in the place of circumcision;

2. A seal of the covenant of grace, particularly of justification by faith.

Imputed righteousness — Christ’s righteousness, imputed to us by faith, justifies us, and this is the believer’s title to heaven; from sanctification arises our meetness for it. A king’s son is heir-apparent to his father’s crown; now, we will suppose the young prince to be educated with all the advantages, and to be possessor of all the attainments, that are necessary to constitute a complete monarch, his accomplishments, however, do not entitle him to the kingdom, they only qualify him for it; so the holiness and obedience of the saints are no part of that right on which their claim to heaven is founded, but only a part of that spiritual education whereby they are made meet to inherit the kingdom of heaven: thus we may see plainly the difference between justification and sanctification. — Madan

“Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law [is] the knowledge of sin.” (Romans 3:19-20 NKJV)

The province of Law

• Under…law — i.e. Jews: and all who reject the Gospel

• Guilty — Rom 2:2 — Gk., liable to judgment

• Deeds…law — Ps 143:2, Acts 13:39, Gal 2:16, 3:11, Eph 2:8-9, tit 3:5 — “any works done in obedience to any law” (Vaughan)

• Justified — “pronounced free fr. guilt and entitled to reward.” (Robinson)

• By…law — which declares what one should do

• Knowledge — recognition

• Sin — which is the transgression of the law

Why can no man be justified by the deeds of the law? Because — Burkitt

I. He is flesh

1. Depraved by original corruption

2. Obnoxious by actual transgression

II. The best obedience to the law that he can perform is imperfect.

III. All that he does, or can do, is a due debt which he owes to the law

1. He owes all possible obedience to the law as a creature

2. But, by performing his obligation as a creature, he can never pay his debts as a transgressor

3. Christ alone is able to justify him

Reconciliation of Law and Gospel — If the Law had been given for the same end as the Gospel; if the Law had been given for man. ruined and sinful, to obtain life and salvation by it as well as the Gospel, then they might have been supposed to contradict one another; but since they are given for different purposes, they are but different revelations of God which are happily subordinate one to another, and their different ends and designs are both obtained. The Law convinces and condemns sinners, and the Gospel relieves and pardons them, justifies and saves them. — Dr Watts

Voltaire’s confession — One day that D’Alembert and Condorcet were dining with Voltaire, they proposed to converse of Atheism, but Voltaire stopped them at once. “Wait,” said he, “till my servants have withdrawn; I do not wish to have my throat cut. to-night.” — Dr Cheever

Justification – Supernatural in its discovery — Men are with difficulty wrought on to comply with the conditions of pardon by Christ, upon the account of a legal temper that universally inclines them to seek for justification by their own works. This is most suitable to the law and light of nature; for the tenor of the first covenant was-do this, and live. So that the way of Gospel justification, as ’tis supernatural in its discovery, so in its contrariety to man’s principles. Besides, pride at first aspired to make man as God, so it tempts him to usurp the honor of Christ to be his own savior. He is unwilling to stoop that he may drink of the waters of life. Till the heart by the weight of its guilt is broken in pieces, and loses its former fashion and figure, it will not humbly comply with the offer of salvation for the merits of another, And ‘tis very remarkable that, upon the first opening of the Gospel, no evangelical doctrine was more disrelished by the Jews, than justification by imputed righteousness (Rom 10:3). They were prepossessed with this principle, that life was to be obtained by their works … From the example of the Jews we may see how men are naturally affected. And ‘tis worthy of observation that the Reformation of religion took its rise by the same controversy with the Papists by which the Gospel was first introduced into the world.

“A sinner is a sacred thing; the Holy Ghost has made him so.” — Hart.

“Man’s natural desire would be to scale the heavens by his own excellence; it is the will of God that he should first stoop, even to the very dust from whence he was taken.” J. Miller

“Justification is the merciful and gracious act of God whereby He fully absolves from all guilt the truly penitent and believing soul, through and for the sake of Christ apprehended by a true faith; or gratuitously remits sins upon the account of faith in Jesus Christ, and graciously imputes that faith for righteousness.” — Limboroh

”Therefore, as through one man’s offense [judgment] came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man’s righteous act [the free gift came] to all men, resulting in justification of life. For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous.” (Romans 5:18-19 NKJV)

Our Relation To Adam And To Christ

• offence…one — Adam’s disobedience

• judgment — sentence

• came — in its effects

• all men — the race which Adam represented

• condemnation — “Humanity sinned in Adam, and fell with him”

• by…one — 1 Tim 4:10, Gal 2:20, 1 Jn 5:12 — i.e., of Christ, the second Adam

• justification…life — condemnation brings death; Justification, life

• disobedience — violation of law

• sinners — judicially regarded as such

• obedience — Phil 2:8 — perfect, and complete

• made righteous — Jer 23:5-6, Acts 13:39 — constituted just in the sight of God

The nature and number of benefits derived through the mediation of Christ — Rev. C. Morris

I. The existence of the human race rests on Christ’s mediation. Remember that –

1. Existence is a blessing,

2. Nothing can render it a curse but sin;

3. Christ is now able and willing to take away sin from us.

II. The mediatory agency of Christ procures immortality for man.

III. It has furnished us with a system of means to prepare us for a happy immortality. This is a system of –

1. Grace;

2. Righteousness.

Inferences –

1. Christianity is infinitely superior to natural religion;

2. Christ is certainly the most extraordinary and interesting Being in the universe;

3. Let us rejoice in Christianity while parting with friends in death.

Christ lives; they live; we shall also live.

The first and second Adams — Dr T. Bradley

I. The first Adam:

1. His crime;

2. The persons found guilty;

3. The injury which men sustain.

II. The second Adam:

1. Who was this “One”;

2. The means by which he hath wrought our deliverance;

3. The persons thus benefitted;

4. What this benefit is. The righteousness of –

(1) Justification;

(2) Sanctification;

(3) Glory — both perfect and inherent.

The effect of sin — The divinity course of the Rev. Robert Pollok “was pursued,” says his biographer, “under the able professorship of the late Dr. Dick, for the ordinary time of five sessions. The first discourse he delivered in the hall, from Rom. 5:19, excited an extraordinary sensation among the students. It was a composition sufficiently florid, though partaking largely of Pollok’s genius. But the students behaved indecorously, and occasionally laughed at the top of their voices. Pollok, however, proceeded calmly, and with dignified self-possession; and while describing negatively ‘the effects of Adam’s disobedience,’ he raised himself to his full height, clenched his fist, fetched a heavy blow upon the pulpit, and, looking with righteous indignation upon his irreverent audience, exclaimed, ‘Had sin not entered into our world, no idiot smile would have gathered on the face of folly, to put out of countenance the man of worth.’ The effect was petrifying in the extreme.”

The aim of Teachers — “What shall we principally aim to teach our children?” said some Sabbath-school teachers to a venerable minister. “That they are sinners.” answered he. “And what in the next place?” “The same: tell it over and over again; make it the first part of your instructions, and the last; because it is all important.”

“original sin … is the fault and corruption of every man that naturally is engendered of the offspring of Adam; whereby man is very far gone from original righteousness, and is, of his own nature, inclined to evil” See Article ix [of Westminster Confession?]

“Fix this simple idea in your mind, that justification is the opposite of condemnation; for things are sometimes easily and impressively learnt by their contraries.” — J. A. James

“We become worse for God’s mercy, and think it will be always holiday, and are like the crystal of Arabia, hardened not by cold, but made crusty and stubborn by the warmth of the Divine fire, by its refreshments and mercies.” — Bp Taylor

“So far as any are under the power of sin, they are under the power of madness.” — Dr. Owen

Chapter 5: Consequences Of Christ’s Redemption To Those Who Believe

“Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” (Romans 5:1-2 NKJV)

[To comfort the Roman brethren under the evils which the profession of the Gospel brought upon them, the Apostle, in the beginning of this chapter, enumerates the privileges which belong to believers in general (Macknight)]

Peace And Hope

• peace — Isa 32:17, 2 Cor 5:18, EPh 2:14, COl 1:20 — reconciliation, friendship

• with God — hence in nature and fruit a most desirable peace

• whom — Jesus Christ — Rom 8:1, John 10:9, 14:6, EPh 2:18, 3:12, Heb 10:18

• access — Gk., introduction

• grace — Eph 1:6 — state of favour and friendship

• stand — established in the favour of God

• rejoice — Gk., glory

• glory…God — Rom 8:30, Ps 16:9-11, Heb 6:18-19, Rom 8:17-18, 12:12, 15:13, 1 Pet 1:3-8, 2 Cor 3:18 — that future state of manifested perfection which God has promised (Vaughan)

Justification by faith — J. C. Jones

I. Justification

1. It includes –

(1) Freedom from guilt,

(2) Divine acceptance;

2. It is always grounded on obedience to the law;

3. It rests either on the ground of personal obedience, or of another in our place –

(1) Personal obedience justifies unfallen angels,

(2) The obedience and suffering of Christ, accepted in our place, justifies the sinner.

II. The instrument of justification — faith.

III. The result — peace with God:

1. The state before justification is either one of indifference or unhappiness;

2. Reconciliation with God –

(1) Satisfies conscience,

(2) Removes the dread of vengeance,

(3) Awakens loving gratitude;

3. Lasting peace is to be found in no other way.

Relative [sic; relevant?] truths — M. Braithwaite

I. That we are justified before God by faith in Christ.

II. That peace with God results from justification by faith.

III. That through Christ we are admitted to an abiding state of favour.

IV. That this gracious condition begets joyous anticipations of future glory.

Justification by faith — W. Stevens

I. What is meant by justification.

II. The causes:

1. Christ is the meritorious cause. By –

(1) What He has done and suffered,

(2) His resurrection;

2. Faith is the instrumental cause.

III. The blessings following:

1. The outward peace spoken of in Scripture;

2. The true inward peace of the children of God;

3. Access unto Him as a reconciled Father.

Learn: God’s grace — is sufficient to –

(1) Subdue our inward corruptions,

(2) Enable us to rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.

The groundwork of the Gospel — W. W. Wythe

I. The nature of justification pardon.

II. The instrument — “Faith”

III. The procuring cause — “Jesus Christ”

IV. The consequence — “Peace with God.”

A hospital sermon — A minister of the Gospel was once preaching in a public hospital. There was an aged woman present, who for several weeks had been aroused to attend to the concerns of her soul, and was now in a state of wretchedness, approaching to despair. When she heard the Word of God from the lips of his servant, she trembled like a criminal in the hands of the executioner. She was an object of pity to all who knew her. Formerly she had entertained hope of acceptance with God; but she had departed from her Comforter, and now she was the prey of a guilty conscience. A short time after this, the same minister was preaching in the same place; but, during the first prayer, his text and the whole arrangement of his discourse went completely from him, he could not recollect a single sentence of either; but Romans 5:1 took possession of his whole soul “Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” He considered this a sufficient intimation of his duty, and descanted freely on justification by faith, and a sinner’s peace with God through the atonement of Christ. It was the hour of mercy to this poor distracted woman. A ray of Divine consolation now penetrated her soul; and she said to the minister, when taking his leave, “I am a poor vile sinner, but I think, being justified by faith, I begin again to have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. I think Christ has now got the highest place in my heart; and, oh! I pray God; He would always keep Him there.”

“We have peace with God as soon as we believe but not always with ourselves. The pardon may be passed the prince’s hand and seal, and yet not be put into the prisoner’s hand.” — Gurnall

“No sense is to be given of any text but what is agreeable to the analogy of faith, has a tendency to advance the Divine perfections, stain the pride of all flesh in the sight of God, and promote practical godliness in all its branches.” — Dr. Ridgley

“In temptation. tribulation, and adversities, we should have perished, except faith went with us to deliver us.” — Tyndale

“I were no Christian, if my faith were not as sure as my sense.” — Bishop Hall

“For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God. For Christ [is] the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.” (Ro 10:3-4 NKJV)

Christ Our Righteousness

• ignorant…righteousness — that which is by faith

• going about[seeking] — Gk., seeking, restless endeavour

• establish…righteousness — Luke 18:9-14, Rom 2:17, 3:26 — by legal, ceremonial observances

• submitted…God — yielded to His plan of justification, by believing in His Son.

• end — Heb 10:4-10, Matt 5:17, 3:15, Gal 3:10, 13, 24 — object, aim.

The end for which the law was given

• for[to]…believeth — 2 Cor 5:21 — that through Christ’s perfect obedience His righteousness might be imputed to every believer

Self-righteousness — Preacher’s Portfolio

I. A deplorable error.

II. The fruitless journey. Self-righteousness –

1. Described –

(1) Its nature;

(2) Its tenacity;

(3) Its danger.

2. Illustrated in the language of text.

III. The fatal effects of both:

1. The Gospel finds man in a state of hostility to it;

2. This hostility arises from pride, and only as this pride is eradicated can we come to Christ.

The law of the Spirit — J. H. Newman, B.D.

I. The law. By this is meant the eternal, unchangeable law of God, which is –

1. The revelation of His will;

2. The standard of perfection;

3. The mould and fashion to which all must conform, as they would be happy.

II. Righteousness, or conformity to the law.

1. By nature we have no principle of righteousness in us;

2. As this is our natural state, we should be made righteous. This is –

(1) The desire of religious men;

(2) The promise of a merciful God.

III. Faith, or that by which we are made obedient to the law.

1. By no work of ours are we rendered perfect;

2. Therefore something is required to assist us. This is the work of the Spirit.

Pharisaism — Dr Burns

Concerning the Jews, consider:

I. What they did –

1. They trusted to their self-righteousness;

2. They sought to establish it;

3. They laboured diligently to do this.

II. What they did not do. They did not –

1. Accept God’s righteousness;

2. Realise its extent;

3. Bow down to it.

III. The cause of their self-righteousness, ignorance, which was –

1. Wilful;

2. Persistent;

3. Destructive.

More grace wanted — When Lord North, during the American war, sent to the Rev. Mr Fletcher of Madeley (who had written on that unfortunate war in a manner that had pleased the minister), to know what he wanted, he sent him word, that he wanted but one thing, which it was not in his lordship’s power to give him, and that was more grace.

The place to lose self — A person who had long practised many austerities, without finding any comfort or change of heart, was once complaining of his state to a certain bishop. “Alas!” said he, “self-will and self-righteousness follow me everywhere. Only tell me when you think I shall learn to leave self. Will it be by study, or prayer, or good works?” “I think,” replied the bishop, “that the place where you lose self will be that where you find your Saviour.”

“The Law is not satisfied with an outward observation of it, but by the inward disposition of the heart; we break it as much by a bare outward keeping of it only as by living in the avowed neglect of it.” — Adam

“There is no man’s case so I dangerous as his whom Satan hath persuaded that his own righteousness shall present him pure and blameless in the sight of God.” — Hooker

“It is Satan’s policy to crack the breastplate of our own righteousness, by beating it out further than the metal will bear.” — Gurnall

On a recent radio program a prominent minister spent fifteen minutes enforcing the point that “justification,” the forgiveness of sins, involves NO CHANGE AT ALL in the heart or personality of the one forgiven. It is, he insisted, something entirely external to you, located wholly in God himself. His intent was to emphasize the familiar Protestant point that salvation is by God’s grace only and is totally independent of what we may do. But what he in fact SAID was that being a Christian has nothing to do with the kind of person you are. The implications of this teaching are stunning.

MANIFESTATION, OR, THE UNIVERSAL PROVISION OF RIGHTEOUSNESS (3:21-26)

“There is none righteous, no, not one.”

“But now a righteousness from God . . . has been made known.”

Up to this point the message of the book (of Romans) has been bleak and discouraging. The whole world is by nature corrupt and degenerate. “But now” in verse 21 forms a great divide, introducing something totally new. The form is the intensive form of the adverb. It can be logical (“now as the argument stands”) or temporal (“now, in the present time”). This appears to be a case of designed ambiguity in Paul. He knew of the two meanings, and probably intended both of them to work here.

The glorious news is that God has intervened. In the gospel of salvation through his Son he has provided a faith-righteousness that avails in his sight. Paul adds that the Law and the Prophets attest to this provision of righteousness. The simple fact is that a righteousness is available, and this righteousness comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe (v. 22).

Verses 23 and 24 provide the balance: all have sinned, and all are justified freely by His grace. The verbal expression “all have sinned” can be taken in one of two ways. One is to take the form as a constantive aorist, meaning “all have committed acts of sin” referring to personal sins. The other way is to take it in conjunction with Romans 5:12 referring to Adam’s sin, thinking more of the unity of the race. The former seems preferable here, in view of the consequence of the sin — ”and are coming short” of the glory of God. The falling short need not be equally short for all people; that is not important. The point is that all have missed it, whether by a little or a lot — it is fatal.

But they are being justified1 as they believe. Justification is not a process; it means that God declares to be righteous whoever believes in Christ. The act of grace by which God pardons all the believer’s sins and accepts the believer as righteous because of the righteousness of Jesus Christ, which is credited to the believer’s account — this wonderful act is known as justification by faith. Believers do not become righteous through faith — they are declared righteous by God.

The stress of “freely by his grace” cannot be overlooked. Believers are justified “without a cause” or “for no reason” — it is a gift, or as Lenski says, “pure, abounding, astounding grace.” Our justification originates in the loving heart of God.

This justification is through the redemption that came by Jesus Christ. The noun here means a “ransoming away” with the idea of never again coming into the same bondage. The form of the word certainly harmonizes with other teachings on the certainty of salvation.2 The price that Jesus paid for redemption was his outpoured blood (see 1 Pet. 1:18-19) — he paid enough for the sins of the whole world so that faith-righteousness was secured forever.

The way this redemption worked, according to verse 25, is that God set Jesus forth as a propitiation. The Greek term is hilasterion, a word that can function as a noun or an adjective. It is used in Hebrews 9:5 for the “mercy seat,”3 the covering for the ark of the covenant known as the propitiatory, or place of atonement (the place where the High Priest would sprinkle the blood on the day of atonement). There it has the article on it for stress — Jesus is the mercy seat. But the context in Romans sufficiently expresses the means of propitiation as the point (and this is the only place Paul uses the word). So the idea in Romans focuses on the act (but one can hardly ignore its connections to Israel’s mercy seat where the blood was applied).

There is some debate about the meaning of the word; but it seems to include both ideas of expiation (the removal of sin) and propitiation (the averting of wrath). Although there was the wrath of God against sin, it was also God in His love who took the initiative against it. So the Greek term captures both the idea of appeasement of God’s wrath, and the expiation of sin. By this death there is satisfaction of God’s justice and holiness. The holiness of God is preserved by the need for propitiation; the love of God is revealed by the provision.

According to the following verses God had several reasons for setting forth Jesus to be such a propitiation.

(1) God wished to make known his righteousness. In the Old Testament age, that is before Christ died, sin was not finally or ultimately punished once and for all — it was only passed over. Old Testament believers were redeemed in the same way that we are — by grace through faith, based on the blood of Christ (who was slain before the foundation of the world). What they did not know was who was eventually going to pay for these sins, because the sacrifices of animals were repeated. But they knew they were forgiven because God told them they were (Lev. 4:10; 2 Sam. 12:13; Psalms 32, 130, et al). Yet for the payment for these sins God passed over them until they could all be nailed to the cross in the death of the Messiah, the Son of God, once and for all. In Christ the justice of God is completely satisfied.

(2) God also wished to make known his justice for us at the present time.

(3) God wished to harmonize his attribute (righteous) and his action (justifying). The only way that God could remain righteous and at the same time declare sinners righteous was for God to come in the flesh and die for the sins of the whole human race. Thus, the demands have been met; the sins have been are paid for; the way is open for grace to be bestowed on all who believe.

HARMONIZATION, OR, JUSTIFICATION AND THE PURPOSE OF THE LAW (3:27-31)

Where then is boasting? It is excluded, shut out. Conduct and achievements cannot procure righteousness, for people are justified without the deeds of the Law. This is a blow to human pride. Nothing that a mere mortal can do will win for him or for her the righteousness needed to cover sin. The only way of appropriating it is through faith in the shed blood of Jesus. This is not a vague hoping against hope; and it is not a superstitious compliance with ritual. It is a specific believing in the person and work of God incarnate, Jesus Christ, relating especially to his atoning work upon the cross. Faith in his blood is what counts, the blood shed for the remission of sin (see Heb. 9:22). The believer is pronounced righteous, received as righteous “by his blood” (Rom. 5:9).

Does this nullify the Law? On the contrary, Paul will show that he is establishing the Law (in its right use of revealing sin).

Moreover, he will show that faith upholds the Law. If the Law is properly understood, believed, and obeyed, then the appeal for faith in a sacrificial atonement for sins exposed by the Law would be seen as the heart of the Law. What is new is that the Son of God himself becomes the propitiation. Therefore, anyone who lived under the Law and had faith in the LORD would transfer that faith to Jesus and his blood.

ILLUSTRATION, OR, JUSTIFICATION AND THE OLD TESTAMENT (4:1-25)

In this chapter Paul looks back to the Old Testament to show that it substantiated the concept that a person could be accepted by God apart from the Law. Recall how Paul affirmed that this truth was “testified to by the Law and the Prophets” in 3:21. Well, this chapter is an explanation of these. The point will be clear that it is faith in the LORD that brings this imputed (credited) righteousness that is available. Just as Israel’s sacrifices were of no benefit to participants who had no faith, so the death of Jesus will be of no benefit to an unbeliever. The theme of believing, of faith, will now be illustrated from the Old Testament.

1. Abraham’s example (4:1-4)

The passage begins with the conversion of Abraham, recorded in Genesis 15:6. This experience of Abraham, of course, was prior to the Law of Moses by about 600 years. “Abraham believed in Yahweh, and he reckoned it to him, namely righteousness.” That is the way I would translate the Hebrew of the passage citeds here by Paul. The text has the dual emphasis of faith and grace, as Paul says elsewhere, “by grace you are saved through faith” (Eph. 2:8). Abraham believed the LORD, and went to do what the LORD had told him to do; and for this act of faith, God credited him — gave him — righteousness.

2. David’s Writings (4:6-8)

The point that Paul makes is that when someone works the wages are not a gift but an obligation; but for the one who trusts in the LORD who justifies the wicked faith is credited as righteousness.

But then Paul adds that David says the “same thing.” David’s point in the cited psalm is much in agreement, but the method of joining the Scriptural citations is a clever rabbinical hermeneutic method known as gezerah shawah — they find passages where a key word is used and show the relation between the passages. The term “reckoned” is used in Genesis 15:6 as well as in Psalm 32:1-2. In the first case it says that God reckoned righteousness to Abraham who believed; in the latter passage the psalm says that God does not reckon sin against the one who is forgiven. By taking two passages that use the same word, Paul can weave the full argument about justification by faith.

The doctrine of justification by faith goes beyond the mere accounting the sinner to be righteous. It includes the idea of forgiveness of sin, or the non-imputation (non-reckoning) of sin. Sin involves both omission and commission; therefore, justification signifies that it is as if the person never sinned, and did everything right.

Please pardon a rather simple but I think useful illustration. The Hebrew word to “reckon” has been brought over into modern Hebrew for “computer,” which is no surprise given the obvious link between “reckon, account, credit” and “computer.” We could say, then, that it is as if God calls up our file on the heavenly computer, deletes all the sins that were registered against us, and enters into our account “the righteousness of Christ.”

3. Faith alone justifies (4:9-12)

But the Jew might respond that Abraham was circumcised (Gen. 17); so do ritual acts come into the picture? Paul answers, “Genesis 15 comes before Genesis 17” — a smashing blow against ritualists. In other words, Abraham’s obedience in circumcision was not the ground of his justification. The patriarch was pronounced righteous before he was circumcised — on the basis of faith. True, the genuineness of his faith was seen in the fact that he followed the call of God and left Ur and went where God directed him. His subsequent circumcision was also an outward seal upon his inward, justifying faith. Faith obeys! But it is the faith that brings justification, not the obedient acts. Outward religious forms and observances, though absolutely necessary as the evidence of saving faith, are nonetheless secondary.

Circumcision was the seal of Abraham’s faith. The expression “seal of circumcision” in verse 11 probably means the “seal which is circumcision.” Circumcision was the sign of the covenant God made with Abraham. A “seal” authenticates and confirms what the covenant claims; and this seal also was symbolic, representing a repudiation of the flesh as it dramatically displayed. Over the generations from Abraham, the seal of circumcision marked out the people in their covenantal relationship, identifying the descendants of Abraham (ideally) as members of a covenant community.4 The aim of circumcision for Abraham’s covenant was not only to identify him as the father of all who were born into the family, but also as the spiritual father of all who believed in the LORD as he did.

From that point on the descendants of Abraham were to be known as the “seed of Abraham”; but this expression came to mean three different things: (1) physical descendants, or Israelites who do trace their line back to Abraham; (2) physical descendents or Israelites who also believed in the LORD as Abraham did — so these are the true or full seed of Abraham (see Gal. 3), and (3) true believers who are not physical descendants — Gentiles — for if they believe in the LORD they share the faith of Abraham.

The Abrahamic Covenant with its sign of circumcision, then, pertained to believing Jews who followed the rite because they shared the faith; it did not pertain to unbelievers who simply performed the rite. The rite (of circumcision) without faith is dead ritual; faith without the rite brings salvation, just as faith with the rite does.

Abraham is the spiritual father of those who believe, Gentiles who have not circumcised, and Jews who have. But the deciding factor is faith. Jews cannot assume because they are descended from Abraham, or because they were circumcised, that that is sufficient. Neither can Gentiles who have become members of the Church and who have been baptized consider that sufficient to salvation. There must be genuine faith, or there is no salvation at all.

Today, believing Jews are part of the New Covenant, just as believing Gentiles are. And the name for the present body of believers, Jew and Gentile, is the “Church.” But the apostle still makes a distinction between Jews and Gentiles, for there is still a benefit for the Jews who are the natural and spiritual descendants of Abraham (as we shall see later in the book).

4. The promise comes by faith (4:13-25)

The promises of God are contingent on faith and not dependent on obedience to the Law. Who could attain them by doing the Law? The great promise for Abraham was that he and his descendents would be “heirs of the world” — meaning all the families, the nations of the world. After all, he was the father of nations, and the one through whom blessings would come to all the families of the earth. But for this promise to be valid it must be a promise from God, by grace; it is not an earned estate.

The simple contrast is between the human view of things and God’s view:

• Human view (true): faith (means) + grace (basis) = sure promise

• Human view (false): works (means) + law (basis) = [wrath]

• Divine View: sure promise (based on) grace (alone) + (through) faith

God made the promise to Abraham before the Law was given, the promise that there would be blessing for all the families of the earth. God desired to assure that the promise was on the basis of grace, and the only way that this could work is that the means be by faith and not works. Here is another tremendous support for the doctrine of eternal security if you think it through. The promise precedes the Law; grace precedes faith. Our security begins and ends with God, and is not based upon works.

Abraham believed in the LORD. Or, as verse 18 says, “contrary to hope (in man), in hope (in God) he believed.” All that Abraham did was believe a promise from God — and we know he believed the promise because he went to the land God told him to enter to receive it.5 In the Old Testament faith was in the Word of the LORD, what God had said. But in essence the faith of Abraham is the same as the faith we have today — we just have more content.

Abraham’s faith was a resurrection-type faith — he believed the promises of a God who could infuse life into a dead body, a God who calls things that are not as though they are.6 The promise to Abraham of a seed like the stars of the heavens has in the New Testament been first fulfilled7 in Jesus — the promised Seed, an unexpected birth, life out of death through resurrection. It is essentially the same faith.

And so Paul finishes the chapter by noting how the words of imputed righteousness were written for us too — who like Abraham believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. This is the kind of faith that brings imputed righteousness, a faith that does not stagger over the power of God to bring life out of death, to fulfill the promises. It is a faith that believes that with God all things are possible, especially our eternal salvation, because it is based on the grace of God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Yes, like Abraham, we may struggle at times with understanding it, living up to it, demonstrating it in a consistent life of faith — but we will follow no other way.

The death and the resurrection of Jesus Christ brings us salvation, not works, and not ritual like circumcision, or in our churches, baptism or the Lord’s Supper. These are not to be minimized; but they themselves do not bring salvation. The death of Christ does.

And so on this point verse 25 calls for a closer look. The text says, “He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.” The preposition dia, translated “for” in the above translation, is open to several interpretations.

(l) The first view is that it is used two ways here: he was delivered because of [retrospectively] . . . and raised with a view to [prospectively]. The point in this interpretation would be that the result of his resurrection is our justification (as in the hymn, “rising he justified”). The difficulty is that one would expect the same preposition in parallel clauses to have the same meaning and not to be translated differently.

(2) And so a second view is to take them both prospectively (following Denney): he was delivered over “with a view to” making atonement for sins. This is satisfactory as far as the grammar goes, but misses the theological point that justification is an accomplished fact.

(3) The better view is to take them both retrospectively; they would normally be translated “on account of” or “because of.” The verse would then say that Jesus was delivered over to death because of our sins, and was raised because of our justification. The point then is clear: the fact of our justification made necessary the resurrection.

Justification is accomplished in the death of Jesus Christ; resurrection is the necessary issue of an accomplished atonement. The resurrection is God’s receipt — it is the Father’s, “Amen,” to Jesus’, “It is finished.” It is heaven’s acceptance of the death of Christ. Without the resurrection from the dead, there is no indication that the death was atoning and justifying. But with the resurrection from the dead, everything that Christ claimed to be doing in His death — including justify sinners who believe — has been accomplished.

THINGS TO CONSIDER

1. How would you explain these significant terms: justification, redemption, propitiation, expiation?

2. What do you think Abraham actually believed when the text says he believed in the LORD? Describe the content of his faith. What exactly does someone today have to believe to be saved (now that we have more revelation)?

3. What is imputed righteousness?

4. What is the relationship between the reality of the covenant relationship and the sign of the covenant? How did this work out in history when people received the sign before the reality?

5. How does the Father in heaven confirm that Jesus’ death was indeed efficacious — i.e., that it did redeem people from their sins?

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Footnotes:

1. The present is durative or iterative in force, the actions, complete in themselves, continue.

2. Some folks do not like to talk about “eternal security” because it smacks of easy believism. But the fact of Scripture is that those who truly believe in the Lord are secure eternally because of the work of Christ. Our salvation is not made secure because we are able to hold on to it, but because he is able to hold us by his grace.

3. The translation “mercy seat” goes back at least to Wycliffe. In the Old Testament it is called “a place of propitiation” and refers to the lid on the box, the ark of the covenant. The ark is described in the Old Testament as God’s “footstool” (Ps. 132), so he sits enthroned above it, not on it (according to the imagery of the sanctuary).

4. The sign was, of course, for men; but in those patriarchal days such a sign for men was a sign for the whole tribe because it was at the heart of procreation.

5. Be careful with the modern rhetoric that is often added to the call for faith. Abram did not “yield himself to the LORD 100%”; he believed in the LORD. If we had to yield 100% in order to be saved, none of us would make it.

6. He and Sarah knew that her body was dead as far as having children was concerned, but he brought life out of that womb -- Isaac. And Abraham knew that if he sacrificed Isaac to God (Gen. 22), God was able to fulfill the promises through Isaac anyway.

7. This means it finds its fullest meaning in the birth of the special seed. The basic meaning is that there will be innumerable descendents; but for the blessing to extend to the whole world that seed had to be significant -- and Jesus Christ, the seed of the woman, the seed of Abraham, the Son of God -- he was and is most significant.

The Keswick movement, also called the Higher Life movement, is a theological movement that originated in England in the early 19th century. It was heavily influenced by the teachings of John Wesley, John William Fletcher, and Adam Clarke. Since 1875 promoters have organized the annual Keswick Convention. Various Christian leaders have been involved in the Keswick Convention through the years, including missionaries Hudson Taylor and Amy Carmichael, devotional writer Oswald Chambers, and evangelist Billy Graham.

Essentially, Keswick theology teaches that the Christian life consists of two primary crises (or major turning points): justification and sanctification, both of which happen at different times in the life of the believer. After salvation one must have another encounter with the Spirit; otherwise, he or she will not progress into holiness or the “deeper” things of God. This second encounter with the Spirit, in Keswick terminology, is called “entire sanctification,” “the second blessing,” or “the second touch.” This emphasis on a second, post-salvation experience corresponds with the Pentecostal idea of the “baptism” of the Spirit. Some Keswick teachers would even say that sinless perfection is possible after one receives the “second blessing.”

Although it is true that both justification (i.e., getting saved) and sanctification (i.e., becoming more like Christ) are vital aspects of the Christian life, overemphasizing the distinction between them tends to produce two different “classes” of Christian — those who are not being sanctified and those who are being sanctified. Moreover, according to Keswick theology, we can decide which camp we belong in, and the initiation of sanctification is something that depends on us after we are saved.

The tendency for theological error resulting from over-emphasizing one side of a debate versus another has been demonstrated time and time again throughout church history. For example, the well-known debate between Calvinists and Arminians is frequently seen (somewhat inaccurately) as a “conflict” between God’s sovereignty and man’s autonomous free will. Many on both sides of this debate have a tendency to overemphasize one side of this “conflict” to the exclusion of the other. Those who emphasize God’s sovereignty tend to minimize human volition, while those who emphasize man’s ability to choose end up burdening themselves and others with the charge to behave perfectly before the Lord. In reality, both God’s sovereignty and man’s volition must be held in tension with one another, because both are taught in Scripture.

In the same way, Keswick theologians take a very real and biblical distinction between justification and sanctification and press it too far. Scripture tells us that all those who are saved (justified) are also being sanctified. God promises to finish the work He began in us (Philippians 1:6).

“But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification” (Romans 6:22, NASB). We are freed from sin by Christ’s sacrifice on the cross, but our freedom must lead to holiness (sanctification), not further sin. Rather, Paul tells us earlier in the same chapter that we are “to consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus” (Romans 6:11, NASB). The picture that we see painted in these verses is that it is impossible for the believer to persist in sin, once he or she has truly entered into a relationship with Christ. Keswick theology says that one could be a genuine Christian and still say something like, “I have been justified, but I am not being sanctified, because I don’t see the need to be right now. I’m a Christian, surely; I’m just not as dedicated as others might be.” Of course, Scripture tells us that such an attitude is really evidence that the person speaking is not a believer (1 John 2:3–4). As a result, Keswick theology may give false assurance of salvation to those who refuse to submit to the Word of God but still want to think of themselves as truly saved.

Sanctification is a long, gradual, and sometimes tortuous process, and it something that all believers will experience, not just those who have a “second touch” of the Spirit. The Keswick movement has some commendable points — an emphasis on the lordship of Christ and personal holiness, discipleship, and a promotion of missionary activity. And some historic evangelistic efforts have begun at Keswick Conventions. However, Keswick theology’s insistence on a “second blessing,” its hierarchy of “sanctified” Christians vs. those who are “only justified,” and its bent toward the unbiblical doctrine of entire sanctification are causes of concern.

A meditation on the line between good and evil that runs through each person.

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In any polarized situation, the overriding human tendency is to draw a line with oneself and one’s allies on the good side and the opposing party on the wicked side, with very little attempt made by either side to understand the other. As these positions harden, it becomes almost impossible to achieve the insight necessary for a breakthrough.

For some years now I have kept a file that I call “The Line Runs Through.” This title is from Václav Havel, former president of the Czech Republic and one of those who resisted the Communists and was put in prison for his activities. When he came to power after the “Velvet Revolution,” Havel was conspicuously forgiving toward his former enemies and other collaborators. Some blamed him for this, but he maintained his position. In the central European regimes of the ‘70s and ‘80s, Havel said, “The line [between good and evil] did not run clearly between ‘them’ and ‘us,’ but through each person.”

The line between good and evil runs through each person. These words find an echo in Paul’s letter to the Romans: “I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. ... I can will what is right, but I cannot do it. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I do. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I that do it, but sin which dwells within me. So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand” (7:15–21, RSV throughout). Is there anyone who does not recognize this?

The human being is in the grip of impulses that are more powerful than our wish to do good. Our Lord wants us to know of the power of these forces. In the words of Jesus in the Gospels, in the writings of Paul, we are told over and over in various ways that the powers we face are untiring, malevolent, and extremely clever. These powers seek nothing less than our destruction. But we are not defenseless. The apostle counsels us:

Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we are not contending against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. (Eph. 6:11–12)

The forces that we face are overwhelming, and the suffering that they cause is incalculable. The Christian should not be deceived about this. Jesus wants us to know ahead of time that the Christian life is going to be a long struggle against evil, sin, and death — most of all, the evil, sin, and death that threaten our own being.

It is important that we use the word “we” when we confess our sins during corporate worship. Human solidarity in bondage to the power of sin is one of the most important of all concepts for Christians to grasp. At the same time, though, saying words of confession communally in church does not always cause us to appropriate its truth deep in our being.

All of us need to say also (in the words of Thomas Cranmer’s General Confession), “I have erred and strayed from God’s ways like a lost sheep. I have followed too much the devices and desires of my own heart.” This is not so easy for us. All of us, to one degree or another, participate in that psychological phenomenon famously called denial. Denial, or avoidance, is a way of keeping consciousness of sin at bay. We think we can make sin go away by pretending it is not there; we are like the little girl who says, “I’ve got my eyes closed so nobody can see me.”

The line between good and evil runs through each person. The truly tragic person is the one who causes harm and never repents of it, never admits it even internally. That person is blocked from receiving the promise of the gospel that God’s grace is retroactive. If it weren’t, the promise it holds out to us would be empty. God’s power is able to make right all that has happened in the past. Paul seldom uses the word forgiveness. His stronger word is justification. Justification means that we sinners will not only be forgiven, but also justified, which means that we will be set right by the power of God, and all who have suffered as a result of our faults will have perfect restitution.

How can this be?

The sacrifice of Jesus our Lord is this: He has gone into the day of judgment utterly alone, separated from the Father, taking the sentence of condemnation upon himself, bearing it away from us. This is the gospel. This is the good news of the Christian faith. Neutrality is no longer possible. Satan is slashing and burning, but he is in retreat. His time will come. There is no longer any room for self-deception, excuses, denial, or evasion, for, as C. S. Lewis puts it in Mere Christianity, “Fallen man is not simply an imperfect creature who needs improvement; he is a rebel who must lay down his arms.” It is the Lord Jesus Christ who disarms us.

But listen: We are not disarmed in order to be disempowered. There is “power in the blood of the Lamb.” It is the power of the Word of God that spoke, and it was so. It is the power that overcame Satan in the wilderness. It is the power that lifted the paralyzed man to his feet. It is the power that spoke through the voice of the Son of God when he said, “Peace! Be still!” and the wind and waves obeyed their Creator. It is the power that sustains every Christian in the struggles of this life.

This power is able to do things that we can only dream about. For this is the might of the God in whom Abraham believed, the God whose power “gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist” (Rom. 4:17). The God who reckoned Abraham righteous is the God who justifies sinners. For the righteousness reckoned to Abraham was not for his sake alone but for ours also. The promise of God to sinners today is that “it will be reckoned to us who believe in him that raised from the dead Jesus our Lord” (Rom. 4:24).

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Excerpted from Means of Grace: A Year of Weekly Devotions by Fleming Rutledge, edited by Laura Bardolph Hubers ©2021 (Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.).

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[Original illustration at this number was a duplicate of HolwickID #1552]

From January 1976 Reader’s Digest:

A father and his 12-year-old daughter Sharon and 11-year-old son David hiked up Mount Ranier in Washington on Memorial Day weekend in 1968. It was their first long hike - a five-mile climb. An hour after they started hiking, a blizzard struck high on the flanks of the great mountain, trapping the father and his two young children.

The temperature dripped to 22 degrees, with wind and snow blowing at 50 mph. Snow fell in thin, wet sheets. It was impossible to see or move. A few steps in the wrong direction could mean certain death. So the three of them tramped around in a six-foot circle, making a depression in the snow. Then they spread a tarp over the trench. The father helped David and Sharon into their sleeping bags. Then he placed himself near an opening in case the wind blew the tarp off. In that way his body protected his son and daughter from the howling wind.

Just before six o’clock the next morning, a search party found the trio. The two children were alive; their father was dead. Sharon explained to the search party: “Dad gave his life for us.”

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A similar story from 9/9/08, by way of PreachingNow:

A Romanian hiker who lost his life high on Mount Rainier lay down in the snow and used his body’s warmth to save his wife and a friend from the 70-mph winds of a freak June blizzard, national park officials say. The story was reported on June 13, 2008, by Associated Press.

When it became obvious the trio of friends could not find their way back to base camp in whiteout conditions, they dug a snow trench with their hands. Then 31-year-old Eduard Burceag lay down on the snow and his wife and a friend lay on top of him. Later, when they begged him to switch places, Burceag refused, saying he was OK.

“In doing so, he probably saved their lives,” park spokesman Kevin Bacher said Thursday. Mariana Burceag, also 31, survived the storm, as did the couple’s good friend, Daniel Vlad, 34. All three of the hikers were from Romania.