:r^AÀAAÀAA>^AXAÀAAA7J^AA/L^AAAAAAAAAAAAA/W^AAAAAA66A66666^W^6¿¿A&6A^666A¿A¿A¿¿¿Z>6¿>A¿>¿l6666¿ÿ^û¿<^ Fundamental Studies for Young Christians
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It cannot be challenged, Rom.
THE SPIRITUAL MAN: HIS STANDING Justification: (1) Its Nature a. Definition of the term: Justification, like condemnation, is a legal term. It touches one’s legal status, or standing, not his moral state. It de clares not what he intrinsically is, but what the authorities count him to be. It does not make him good, hut puts him in good standing. It is a verdict of “ not guilty.” The court might dismiss a man,— that would he to forgive him, not necessarily to justify him, which is to pronounce him innocent. A justified man is counted guiltless, though he were the worst of criminals. b. Its Use in Scripture. “ Abraham believed God and it was counted to him for righteousness,” the same word that is elsewhere rendered “ justification” ; “ God imputeth right eousness without works” (i. e. without righteousness; yet only on the ground of the “ righteousness of God” , Rom. 1:16, 17); He "justifleth the ungodly” , Rom. 4:3, 5, 6. “ Count” , “ impute” , “ reckon” , occur ten times in this chapter. c. Its Perfection. The believer’s state is imperfect, hut his standing is perfect. The righteous God imputes is the righteousness God requires. He asks no more; the sinner needs no more. It is (a) A “ righteousness of God” , Rom. 1:17. (b) “ God’s righteousness” , Rom. 10:3. (c) “ The righteousness of God in (Christ) Him,” 2 Cor. 6:21. (d) It is Christ Himself, 1 Cor. 1:30. (e) The justified are “ complete in Him” , Col. 2:10.
8:33. (2) Its Ground.
a. The Problem: “ How should a man be just with God?” Job 9:2. God is infinitely just. The thought less imagine it a light thing for God to forgive. Unbelief denying that God over-ruled physical law and did miracles yet takes it for granted that He should set aside moral law to show mercy. All things are possible with God but that. That God could “ be just and justify (the ungodly, Rom. 4:5) him that believeth in Jesus” (Rom. 3:26), that deep think er Job could not imagine (Job 9 :2). And even the greatest heathen philo sopher, Socrates, said, “ It may be that God can forgive sin, but I do not see how” . It could not be on the ground of— , (a) I n h e r e n t righteousness for “ There is none righteous, no, not one” , Rom. 3:10. (b) Practical righteousness for “ There is none that doeth good, no, not so much as one” , Rom. 3:12, A. R. V. b. The Answer, Rom. 3:21-26. (a) By shed blood. No blood; no re mission (Heb. 9 :22 ); “ It is the blood that maketh atonement” by reason of the life (which it is and represents), Lev. 17:11. “ When I see the blood I will pass over you” , Exod. 12:13. (b) By substitutionary blood. In the nature of the case, the sinner could not pay the penalty in person. Hence: God provided a substitute. This is the teach ing of Scripture in the types, in the prophets, the gospels and epistles, from the beginning. aa. In type: The skins (Gen. 3 :21 ); the ram (Gen. 2 ,: 13); The Passover
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