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The Fundamentals Once for all let us remember that we may make the falsest use, even under the truest definitions, of both ideas, Justifica tion and Faith. We may think of either of them as the object of our hope, the ultimate cause of our salvation. So thought of, they are phantoms, nay, they are idols. Seen truly, they are but expressions for Jesus Christ our Lord as He is given and taken. Justification is no Saviour, nor is Faith. Justification by Faith—what is it? It is the accept ance of the guilty by reason of a Trusted Christ. “ by ” d e f in e d . So now we may take up the question of that middle and connective word in our title, “by.” Justification by Faith, what does it mean? This divine welcome of the guilty as if they were not guilty, by reliance upon Jesus Christ, what have we to think about this ? We have seen a moment ago that one meaning most cer tainly cannot be borne by the word “by.” It cannot mean “on account of,” as if Faith were a valuable consideration which entitled us to Justification. The surrendering rebel is not amnestied because of the valuable consideration of his sur render, but because of the grace of the sovereign or state which amnesties. On the other hand, his surrender is the necessary means to the amnesty becoming actually his. It is his only proper attitude (in a supposed case of unlawful rebel lion) towards the offended power. That power cannot, in the nature of things, make peace with a subject who is in a wrong attitude towards it. It wishes him well, or it would not provide amnesty. But it cannot make peace with him while he declines the provision. Surrender is accordingly not the price paid for peace, but it is nevertheless the open hand necessary to appropriate the gift of it. In a fair measure this illustrates our word “by” in the matter of Justification by Faith. Faith, reliance, is, from one side, just the sinful man’s “coming in” to accept the sacred
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