JUSTIFICATION Justification is th e act of God where by He declares one righteous who be lieves on Jesus Christ as a personal Saviour. Has man any righteousness of his own in th e sight of God? (Rom. 3:10; 10:3) “A s It is w r itte n , T h e re is n o n e r ig h t- eons» no» n o t o ne.” “F o r th e y being: ig n o r a n t o f God’s rig h te o u sn ess» a n d g o in g a b o u t to e s ta b lis h th e ir ow n rig h te o u sn e ss» h a v e n o t su b m itte d th e m se lv e s u n to th e rig h te o u s n e s s o f God.” W hat, then^ is th e g reat question? (Observe it is not, “How can we be p ar doned?” but, “How can we be justified, or accounted righteous before God?” (Job 25:4) “H o w th e n c a n m a n b e ju stifie d w ith G od? o r h o w c a n h e be c le a n t h a t is born* o f a w om an ?” Is th ere anything about th e law of Moses th a t can ju stify one? (Gal. 2:16 ) “K n o w in g t h a t a m a n is n o t ju stifie d b y th e w o rk s o f th e la w , b u t b y th e f a ith o f J e s u s C h rist, ev en w e h a v e b eliev ed in J e s u s C h rist, th a t w e m ig h t b e ju stifie d b y th e f a ith o f C h rist, a n d n o t b y th e w o rk s o f th e la w : fo r b y th e w o rk s o f th e la w s h a ll n o flesh b e ju stifie d .” Can a man ju stify himself through his own deeds? (Lk. 10:29; .16:15; 16: 9-14; Rom. 9:31-32) “B u t h e, w illin g to ju s tif y h im se lf, said u n to J e s u s , 4 n d w h o is m y n e ig h b o r? ” “A nd h e s a id u n to th em , Y e a r e th e y w h ic h ju s tif y y o u rse lv e s b e fo re m e n ; b u t G od k n o w f th y o u r h e a r ts : fo r th a t w h ich is h ig h ly este em e d am o n g m en is a b o m in a tio n in th e s ig h t o f God.” “ B u t Is ra e l, w h ic h fo llo w e d a f te r th e la w o f rig h te o u s n e s s , h a th n o t a tta in e d to th e la w o f rig h te o u sn e s s. W h e re fo re ? B e cau se th e y s o u g h t i t n o t b y f a ith , b u t a s i t w e re b y th e w o rk s of th e la w . F o r th e y stu m b le d a t t h a t s tu m b lin g s to n e .” W hat, then, is th e only possible basis of our justification? (Rom. 3:28) “T h e re fo re w e co n clu d e t h a t a m a n is ju stifie d b y f a ith w ith o u t th e * d eed s of th e la w .” F a ith in whom? (Gal. 2:16). ' “K n o w in g t h a t a m a n is n o t ju stifie d by the- w o rk s, o f th e la w , b u t b y th e f a ith
o f J e s u s C h rist, e v en w e h a v e b eliev ed in J e s u s C h rist, t h a t w e m ig h t be ju stifie d b y th e f a ith o f C h rist.” W hat is th e first procuring cause of our justification? (Rom. 3:24; Tit. 3:7) “B e in g ju stifie d fre e ly b y h is g ^ ace th ro u g h th e re d e m p tio n t h a t is in C h rist J e s u s .” “T h a t b e in g ju stifie d b y h is g ra c e , w e sh o u ld b e m ad e h e irs a c c o rd in g to th e h o p e o f e te r n a l life .” Whose work alone can ju stify th e un godly? (Rond. 4 :5 ) “B u t to h im th a t w o rk e th n o t, h u t b e- lie v e th on h im t h a t ju stifle th th e u n g o d ly , h is f a ith is c o u n te d fo r rig h te o u s n e s s .’’ How did Christ procure justification for us? (C h rist’s blood is the w itness th a t God’s claims have been met for all who will receive H im .) (Rom. 5 :9 ) “M uch m o re th e n , b e in g n o w Ju stified by h is blood, w e s h a ll b e s a v e d fro m w r a th th r o u g h h im .” ' W hat also enters into Christ’s work of justification? (H is resurrection is th e proof th a t God has accepted His sacrifice.) (Rom. 4:25) “W h o w a s d e liv e re d fo r o u r offences, a n d w a s r a is e d a g a in fo r o u r ju s tific a tio n .” In whose name and by w hat power a re we justified? (1 Cor. 6:11) “B u t y e a r e w a sh e d , b u t y e a r e sa n c tified , b u t y e a r e ju stifie d in th e - n am e o f th e L o rd J e s u s , a n d b y th e S p irit of o u r God.”; :• '' - / . y “ ' W hat is our p a rt in procuring this justification? (Acts 13:39) “A nd b y h im a ll t h a t b e lie v e a r e ju s ti- fled fro m a ll th in g s , fro m w h ic h y e co u ld n o t b e ju stifie d b y th e la w o f M oses.” W hat will be the first effect of having appropriated God’s justification? (Rom. 5:1) “T h e re fo re b e in g ju stifie d b y fa ith , w e h a v e p eace w ith God th r o u g h o u r L o rd J e s u s C h rist.” W hat does Jam es have to say about justification? (Jas. 2 :24) “Y e se e th e n h o w t h a t b y w o rk s a m a n is ju stifie d , a n d n o t b y f a ith o n ly .” (Ju stifica tio n by wqr-ks is the hum an Side o f the question. Ju stifica tio n by fa ith is the divine side. F a ith alone ju s tifies, but the fa ith w hich ''justifies w ill not be found alone. The fr u it o f the Sp irit is sure to issue from the ju stified life .)
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