Spoken at SGBC

3-15-98

Romans #18

3:24

Salvation Without Cause

(Romans 3:21-24 NASB) "But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, {22} even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction; {23} for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, {24} being JUSTIFIED AS A GIFT BY HIS GRACE THROUGH THE REDEMPTION WHICH IS IN CHRIST JESUS." I want to speak to you today about Justification.

Martin Luther, known to many as the father of the Reformation, said, "When the article of Justification has fallen everything has fallen. He declared, "Justification is the chief article from which all other doctrines have flowed It alone begets, nourishes, builds, preserves and defends the church of God. Without it the church of God cannot exist for one hour." He also said this, "Justification is the master, prince, lord, ruler and the judge over all kinds of doctrines." ("What Luther Says" vol 2 pp 702-4, 715)

John Calvin, speaking of Justification said, "It is the main hinge on which religion turns." Thomas Watson once said, "Justification is the very hinge and pillar of Christianity. An error about justification is dangerous, like a defect in a foundation. Justification by Christ is a spring of the water of life. To have the poison of corrupt doctrine cast into this spring is damnable." ("A Body of Divinity" pp 226)

These great men of faith were not exaggerating. The whole of our faith rests upon the truth of Justification by faith alone. For in Justification we find the answer to the age old question, "How can sinful men and women find acceptance with an infinitely holy God?"

As I have said many times perfection is God&rsquos standard of acceptance. Men are required by God to be perfect in thought, word and deed, from the cradle to the grave. This is, of course, impossible with men for they have no capacity to preform righteous deeds. All have sinned and come far short of the perfection God requires. This has been proven beyond a reasonable doubt in the first chapters of Paul&rsquos letter to the Romans. With Romans three twenty-four Paul begins to reveal just how God goes about saving those who cannot save themselves. In so doing he continues to develop his theme as set forth in Romans 1:16-17.

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. {17} For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "BUT THE RIGHTEOUS man (The justified man) SHALL LIVE BY FAITH."

In other words, the sinner is saved or justified by God through faith in Christ. But faith doesn&rsquot stop at salvation. We live our entire Christian life by faith in God and His Christ. We move from faith to faith to faith. "The justified man shall live by faith." This is the theme of the letter to the Romans. But what is Justification and how is the sinner justified before God? These are the questions we will seek answers to this morning. Let&rsquos begin by reading a few related scriptures.

(Romans 3:28 NASB) "For we maintain that a man is JUSTIFIED BY FAITH apart from works of the Law." That is, a person is saved without his having to keep the law. A sinner is made right with God in spite of the fact that he is a law breaker and can be nothing else. He is made right or rendered just in the sight of God by faith.

(Romans 4:25 NASB) "He who was delivered up because of our transgressions, and was raised because of our justification." One could phrase this verse like this. "Jesus was put to death to pay the penalty due us for sin. He was raised from the dead because His death made us just, holy, right before God. This is Justification.

(Romans 5:1 NASB) "Therefore having been justified (made right with God) BY FAITH, we have peace with God THROUGH our Lord Jesus Christ,"

(Romans 8:29-34 NASB) "For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the first-born among many brethren; {30} and whom He predestined, these He also called; and whom He called, these He also JUSTIFIED; (All who are called to believe in Jesus as Savior are made right with God. They are justified.) and whom He JUSTIFIED, these He also glorified. {31} What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? {32} He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? {33} Who will bring a charge against God's elect? GOD IS THE ONE WHO JUSTIFIES; (or makes sinners right with Himself through faith in His Son), {34} who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us."

It will help in our understanding of Justification to consider the words of Luke 7:29 as it reads in the King James Version. (Luke 7:29-30 KJV) And all the people that heard him, and the publicans, JUSTIFIED GOD, being baptized with the baptism of John. {30} But the Pharisees and lawyers REJECTED the counsel of God against themselves, being not baptized of him, (John)".

What does it mean to "Justify God?" These people and tax collectors had listened to Jesus describe John as a prophet sent from God. Having been convinced that Christ&rsquos words were true and John&rsquos ministry valid they "Justified God". That is they declared that God was JUSTIFIED in calling them to repentance through the mouth of John the Baptist. They didn&rsquot make God just, they just set forth a declaration that God was right or just in what He had done through John. He was justified in His action.

Look with me at another text, Romans 3:4. "May it never be! Rather, let God be found true, though every man be found a liar, as it is written, "THAT THOU MIGHTEST BE JUSTIFIED IN THY WORDS, AND MIGHTEST PREVAIL WHEN THOU ART JUDGED."

This is a quote from Psalm fifty-one where David declares that the judgement which God had spoken against him was all together true and appropriate. It is not that David is justifying God in any way, he is simply declaring the fact that God was just or right when He judged David for his sin. God is justified in all that He does for He always does what is right, just, and holy. When God justifies a sinner He declares that the sinner is right, just and holy in His sight.

The Shorter Catechism helps us when it defines Justification as, "An act of God&rsquos free grace wherein He pardons all our sins and accepts us as righteous in His sight because of the righteousness of Christ imputed to us and received by faith alone." (Repeat)

That the justified person is a saved person on his way to heaven should be obvious at this point. But there is more to justification than this. We must also understand that when God justifies a man he will never have to pay sin&rsquos penalty. He is forgiven, acquitted, pardoned and free from all condemnation. Consider the words of Acts 13:38-40. "Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that through Him (Jesus) forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, {39} and through Him everyone who believes is freed from all things, (He speaks of being freed from the law and the penalty of death it demands from all sinners.) from which you could not be freed through the Law of Moses. {40} "Take heed therefore, so that the thing spoken of in the Prophets may not come upon you:" When a person has been justified by God he no longer has to face the penalty for sin.

(Romans 4:5-7 NASB) "But to the one who does not work, (The word "Work" as it is used here has to do with keeping the law in hope of gaining Gods approval.) but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is reckoned as righteousness, (By faith in Jesus the ungodly sinner is made holy, right, and acceptable to God. By faith the sinner is justified.) {6} just as David also speaks of the blessing upon the man to whom God reckons righteousness apart from works: {7} "BLESSED ARE THOSE WHOSE LAWLESS DEEDS HAVE BEEN FORGIVEN, AND WHOSE SINS HAVE BEEN COVERED." A justified person has been forgiven all his sins, past, present, and future. He will not have to face the penalty of sin demanded by the law.

Look with me at Romans 5:1. "Therefore having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Before we are saved the Bible says we are the enemies of God. When one has been made right, holy and acceptable to God he is at peace with God. The believing sinner is no longer an enemy but is now called a son. Surely the son is at peace with the Father. Move ahead with me to Romans 5:9.

"Much more then, having now been JUSTIFIED BY HIS BLOOD, WE SHALL BE SAVED FROM THE WRATH OF GOD THROUGH Him." Once again we see that the justified will not experience the wrath of God.

So, to be justified means to be made perfect and acceptable in the eyes of God. But it also means we have been acquitted or pardoned from all crimes against God. Justification includes forgiveness and the removal of punishment for sin.

The glorious fact of the matter is this: When God declares a person to be righteous and just before Him He also begins to treat that sinner as if he were and always had been just, sinless, perfect and acceptable in His presence. From the moment of one&rsquos justification the sinner is reconciled to God, he is at peace with God.

(2 Corinthians 5:19-21 NASB) namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, NOT COUNTING THEIR TRESPASSES AGAINST THEM, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation. {20} Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were entreating through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. {21} He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, THAT WE MIGHT BECOME THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD IN HIM."

"Justification is an act of God&rsquos free grace wherein He pardons all our sins and accepts us as righteous in His sight through faith in Jesus Christ the Lord."

Now we ask this question. What is the basis or foundation of this justification? It is, in short, the righteousness of Jesus Christ which comes to us by faith. He is the foundation and cause of our justification before God. For He becomes to us the righteousness we must have for acceptance with God. Hear the word of the Lord.

(1 Corinthians 1:30-31 NASB) "But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who BECAME TO US wisdom from God, and RIGHTEOUSNESS and sanctification, and redemption, {31} that, just as it is written, "LET HIM WHO BOASTS, BOAST IN THE LORD."

When the Christians is asked why and how he has become acceptable to God he must answer, "I am saved from the wrath of God because Jesus became for me the righteousness that God demands from me." Jesus is the foundation of our Justification. This is why the apostle Paul often spoke in such glowing terms of Jesus. Consider the words of Philippians 3:8-9. "More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish in order that I may gain Christ, {9} and may be found in Him, NOT HAVING A RIGHTEOUSNESS OF MY OWN DERIVED FROM THE LAW, BUT THAT WHICH IS THROUGH FAITH IN CHRIST, THE RIGHTEOUSNESS WHICH COMES FROM GOD ON THE BASIS OF FAITH,"

This righteousness is completely removed and separate from man. It has nothing to do with him at all. But it has everything to do with Christ. It is a divine and perfect righteousness without beginning and without end. This righteousness was worked out by Christ in His perfect life and perfect death on behalf of all God&rsquos elect children. Christ is the foundation of our Justification..

Now another question. "How does Christ&rsquos righteousness become ours so that we can be justified in the eyes of God?" The answer to this question has been touched on already but lets look more closely.

The righteousness of Christ is IMPUTED to us through the instrument of FAITH. The idea of imputation is not at all difficult to understand. To say that the righteousness of Christ is imputed to us means that God takes what is true of Christ and considers it to be true of us. This is imputation. There is a double imputation involved in the saving of a sinner.

Picture, if you will, a sinner clothed in a filthy robe which represents his sin. Secondly picture Christ clothed in a spotless, gleaming robe of white, which represents His righteousness. Now picture God taking the sinners filthy robe and putting it on Christ. Then He takes Christ&rsquos spotless, gleaming robe of righteousness and puts it on the believing sinner. Christ gets our sin we get His righteousness. This is double imputation. This is how the sinner comes to possess the righteousness necessary for justification and acceptance with God.

Since I have stated that the righteousness of Christ is imputed to us through the instrument of FAITH. Let me offer a definition of saving faith. Saving faith is the whole souled act of loving trust and self commitment to Jesus Christ for Salvation. One has saving faith when he rests his hope of forgiveness and heaven in the person and work of Jesus Christ and Him alone. Saving faith does not place its hope of acceptance with God in works of human righteousness but in Jesus alone. It is through this faith kind of that one is justified. One cannot and will not be saved apart from faith in Jesus Christ the Lord. The just shall live by faith in Jesus!

But where does faith come from. Paul has already proven that faith does not come from man. For real faith seeks out God and sinful man will not do that. (Romans 3:11 NASB) THERE IS NONE WHO UNDERSTANDS, THERE IS NONE (not one human being) WHO SEEKS FOR GOD." A man born only once does not have the will or capacity to believe in Christ for salvation. There are none who seek for God. So where does faith come form? Two simple texts will answer that question.

(Ephesians 2:8-9 NASB) "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that NOT OF YOURSELVES, IT IS THE GIFT OF GOD; {9} not as a result of works, that no one should boast." The writer of Ephesians says we have been saved through faith but it did not come from us. It was a gift form God. Another text that says the same thing is found in Philippians 1:29 NASB.

"For to you IT HAS BEEN GRANTED (The word means to "freely give or bestow something upon another) for Christ's sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake." This little verse tells us that the sinner God intends to save is given two gifts. First God gives him the gift of faith by which he believes in Jesus for salvation. Then He adds to that the gift of suffering for Christ&rsquos sake.

Faith is a gift from God to those He intends to save. The faith by which you have trusted Christ for salvation, if indeed you have, did not come from you it has been granted or given to you as a gift. Salvation is all of grace. Even the faith with which we trust Christ for forgiveness comes to us as a gift.

There is just one more thing I wish to discuss this morning. I want to consider for a moment the cause of our justification. Let&rsquos read our text once again.

(Romans 3:23-24 NASB) for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, {24} being justified AS A GIFT by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus;

The King James version reads like this, "Being justified FREELY by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:"

We have been justified freely. The Greek word used in this place means "without cause" and is so translated in John 15:25. "But they have done this in order that the word may be fulfilled that is written in their Law, 'THEY HATED ME WITHOUT A CAUSE.' That is, there was no justification for man&rsquos hatred of Christ. There was nothing in our Lord to hate. Likewise there is nothing in sinful men to warrant their justification. There is nothing in us that would cause God to declare us right, holy and just in His eyes. Brothers and sisters, we have been justified in spite of our sin and not because of anything good God saw in us. Believing sinners have been declared just, right, holy, and as glorious as Christ Himself. But, it is without any cause in them. For there is none that does good no not one.

Justification is God&rsquos gift to believing sinners who deserve His wrath and not His mercy. The cause of our Justification is the perfect righteousness of Jesus Christ imputed to us by faith.

So what do I say in conclusion? I say to the Christian, rejoice in the Lord always and again I say rejoice. Rejoice for He has saved us and not we ourselves. Rejoice for He has provided the ungodly with a righteousness that has led to our justification. Rejoice for He has caused us to believe. To the unbeliever I say repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Turn from all other hopes to trust in Jesus for the salvation of your soul. Turn to trust in Him for He alone has the perfections required by your Creator and God. Rest your soul in Him today and be saved from the wrath to come. When you have come by faith to find peace of mind and heart. When you know that God has accepted you in Christ be thankful for He has done it all. Your God has saved you to the uttermost by His mighty right hand! Oh how glad I am to say that Christ is ready to save all who come to Him by faith. I pray that God will cause you to run to Christ declaring with Augustus Toplady;

"Nothing in my hand I bring,

Simply to Thy cross I cling,

Naked I come to Thee for dress,

Helpless I look to Thee for grace,

Foul, I to the fountain fly,

Wash me Savior or I die,

Rock of Ages, Cleft for me,

Let me hide myself in Thee."

I tell you the man who comes to Christ in this way will go down to his house justified!