April, 1937
THE K I NG ' S BUS I NE S S
127
Basic Principles of Justification By HERBERT LOCKYER Liverpool, England P a r t II
In the March issue of T he K ing ’ s B usiness there the condemned firm, undertaking of His own free will all of its responsibilities, liabilities, and claims. The divine righteousness, then, the apostle exults, is not an attribute of God, nor the changed character of the sinner, but Christ Himself who fully met in our stead and behalf every demand of the broken law. Divine righteous ness is that consistency with His own revealed righteous character, whereby God receives sinful men, on the ground of the worth and work of Christ. And this divine right eousness provided by God in His Son and revealed in the gospel meets all of God’s requirements, satisfies His law and justice, overtakes all of the deep needs of the sinner, and, securing his complete justification and reconciliation, entitles him to the rights and privileges of a child of God. A further thought for our adoring hearts is that Christ by His righteousness and redemption not only becomes our Covenant-Head, and, as such, holds His mighty merits for the new race bound to Himself with indissoluble bonds, but in the sight of God the Father we are as the very Son of God Himself. God now views the justified one in Christ. It is because He is imputed to us that God can be just and still the Justifier of all who believe. Christ was no antagonist of the law and its Giver; hence we are complete in Him, seeing that His merit covers all of our demerit, even as the waters cover the sea. He was “Jesus Christ the righteous” (1 John 2:1), and it is His right eousness and righteous self God imputes to us. Further, this phase of righteousness becomes an infusion. In justification, Christ’s righteousness is imputed unto us; in sanctification, Christ’s righteousness is infused or im parted. Those whom God justifies and reckons righteous, He means to make just and righteousness; hence, the work of sanctification after the initial work or regeneration. Justification, of course, is contemporaneous with regenera tion. The former is the subjective experience by which the believing soul is legally brought into fellowship with God. The latter is the new objective relationship accom panying the new standing. Both justification and regeneration are complete, and are never repeated in the believer. This leads us to state that justification is more than forgiveness, although necessarily a part of it. Both are distinguished by Paul in Acts 13:36, 39. Forgiveness is negative in that it removes condemna tion, and is an act and succession of acts. Justification, howeyer, is positive in that it declares the reinstating of the condemned one, and such an act, once accomplished, can never be repeated. Communion may be broken; union never is. There are three great leading gospel principles to dis tinguish, namely, Justification by Faith for Access (Rom. 5:1). Sanctification by Faith for Walk (Rom. 8:1). Consecration by Faith for Service (Rom. 12:1). B Y B L O O D God’s clearing the guilty was made possible, not only by righteousness, but, in the second place, by blood (Rom. 3:24-26; 5:9). Mr. Lockyer 1 ET us confine ourselves to the foundational aspect of . the initial problem of God’s clearing the guilty. How was it done? In two ways, says Paul: by righteousness, and by blood. B Y R IG H T E O U S N E S S God’s clearing the guilty was made possible by righteous ness (Rom. 3:20-22 ; 5:12-21). What exactly is “the righteousness of God” so vitally associated with our justification, and of which Paul was not ashamed ? Approaching it from the negative aspect, we learn: 1. I t Is Not the Divine Attribute of Justice. Doubtless “his righteousness” has this significance in such passages as Romans 3 :25, 26. God is righteous! The righteousness, however, making possible our justification is distinct from, although in full harmony with, God’s own righteousness. But justice could only condemn the guilty, The New Testament never represents divine righteous ness as something wrought in the sinner by the grace and and Spirit of God. It is not the implantation of any prin ciple or grace in the heart, neither is it the new nature. I t is reckoned to us, set to our account, and not an internal work. Paul says it is “unto . . . and upon” (Rom. 3:22), that is, unto us in the offer of the gospel, and upon us when we believe and accept. It is an imputation and not an impartation. 3. I t Is Christ Himself. Certainly this righteousness is called “the righteousness of God” seeing that it was of His own procuring and providing, but it is not only a gift from God—it is the righteousness which is God. It was wrought out in the person of His Son, the God-Man. We are made the righteousness of God in Him. Christ has been made unto us righteousness (Phil. 3:9; Rom. 10:4; 1 Cor. 1:30; Jer. 23:6). Christ came down and attached Himself to a fallen, sin-stricken humanity in its lowest extremity, and at its severest crisis of moral bankruptcy; and He volun tarily became, incredible as it seems, the chief partner in proclaim wrath, and consign to punishment. 2. I t Is No t an Inherent Righteousness. [Continued on page 132]
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