justified by faith without the deeds of the law. Again he says to another Church, "Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified." : That no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, is evident: for, "the just shall live by faith." "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us. Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith." St. Peter observes, "BY HIM all that believe are justified from all things." The prophet seeing this free, full, complete justification of the sinner through the perfect work of the Saviour, exclaims, "Surely, shall one say, in the Lord have I righteousness and strength: even to him shall men come. In the Lord shall all the seed of Israel be justified, and shall glory." "For the Lord is our judge, (even the same mighty God who took upon himself the nature of man, and died for us) the Lord is our lawgiver, he will save us." Another prophet delighting in the security of God's people, exclaims, "Their Redeemer is strong: the Lord of hosts is his name: he shall throughly plead their cause." And the Apostle tells his Corinthian converts, "Ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God." The meritorious cause of our justification, the perfect righteousness of Christ he describes, as "The righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ, unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: they which receive abundance of grace, and of the gift of righte ousness, shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ. By the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification. By the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. Where sin abounded grace did much more abound: that as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord. The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." God himself invites us to plead this perfect work, and free gift of our Saviour before him, "Put me in remembrance: let us plead together declare thou, that thou mayest be justified." And the Son of God thus encourages us to approach the throne of grace without delay, "I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee. Fear thou not: for I am with thee; be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. And he thus comforts his people in the awful prospect of the day of judgment, "Every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment, thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord." To this justifying righteousness we can add nothing and it is a delusion to suppose we are more entitled to it at the end of our course, than at the beginning. It is the perfect work of the Son of God, imputed to the sinner when he comes to the Saviour for the salvation of his soul. We can never make ourselves more worthy of acceptance, than we were at the first moment when we came to the mercy seat; when falling at the feet of Jesus in all our misery, and in all our guilt, we implored him to have mercy upon us. It is wholly for the sake of Christ that we are freely and fully pardoned,-accepted, -justified, and it is the reception of this glorious truth into the heart which melts the soul into godly contrition for its past black ingratitude, and awakens the most earnest and ever increasing desires, and efforts after holiness. It draws out the affections of the heart towards the Divine Redeemer in a way which no other view of his blessed Gospel can possibly do. Oh! my friend, you would disclaim with horror the thought of being justified by your own works; yet is this feeling secretly at work in your mind, while you wait for stronger evidences of sanctification, before you can venture to hope you are accepted by God. We can never too clearly understand, or too deeply feel, that our acceptance with God is all of grace, solely for the sake of the Son of God, |