Justified by Faith
I have known some good people that did not know GOD. In fact they did not believe GOD was "anything" they needed. They had worldy goods, and they treated people nicely, and life was good for them. How sad that was! Fortunately, some have accepted the gift Jesus into their lives and His gift of salvation, and the life changing effects that He brings with HIM.
Not one of us is good enough to deserve eternal life on our own merits. We all have sinned. Theologians us the term of "justification" to relate to this acceptance of God's gift of salvation. Let us understand this clearly so we can relate it to others when God asks us to do so.
1. What solemn charge is made against all men without exception?
“All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23. (See also Romans 3:10-12.)
2. To what penalty, therefore, are all subject through transgression?
“The wages of sin is death.” Romans 6:23.
3. In view of man’s inability to justify himself in the. sight of God’s law, what wonderful provision has God made available?
“Therefore is by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.” Romans 5: 18.
“All the heathen religions teach men to work their way up to God; but the religion of Jesus Christ is God coming down to men to save them, and to lift them up out of the pit of sin.” D. L. Moody.
4. Through whom does this imputed righteousness come?
“You are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.” 1 Corinthians 6:11.
“In the Lord shall all the seed of Israel be justified, and shall glory.” Isaiah 45:25.
5. To what name is Jesus, therefore, entitled?
“In His days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is His name whereby He shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.” Jeremiah 23:6.
6. How did Jesus effect this wonderful transaction on behalf of the sinner?
“By His knowledge shall My righteous Servant justify many; for He shall bear their iniquities.” Isaiah 53:11.
7. By what act in particular is the sinner justified?
“Much more then, being now justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.” Romans 5:9.
8. Through the merits of Christ’s righteousness what is God prepared to impute to the sinner?
“Even as David also described the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputed righteousness without works.” Romans 4:6.
9. How may we avail ourselves of this proffered salvation?
“Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shall be saved.” Acts 16: 3 1.
“But to him that worked not, but believes on Him that justified the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.” Romans 4:5. (See also Romans 1:17.)
10. Why do many who hear the offer of grace fail’ to appropriate its blessings?
“The Word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.”
Hebrews 4: 2.
11. How impossible is our justification apart from faith?
“But without faith it is impossible to Please Him: for he that comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.” Hebrews 11: 6.
12. Through what medium does this faith come?
“So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.” Romans 10:17.
13. Have works, then, any place in the obtaining of salvation?
“Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.” Romans 3: 27, 28.
“If the article of justification be once lost, then is all true Christian doctrine lost.” “He then that strayed from this ‘Christian righteousness,’ must needs fall into the ‘righteousness of the law’; that is to say, when he has lost Christ, he must fall into the confidence of his own works.” – “Martin Luther on Galatians,” Pages 136, 148.
14. Is the law then set aside by faith?
“Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yes, we establish the law.” Romans 3:31.
15. What purpose does the law serve in the plan of salvation by faith?
“By the law is the knowledge of sin.” Romans 3:20. “The law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.” Galatians 3:24.
16. What is the only work we can do?
“Then said they unto Him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus
answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that you believe on Him whom He has sent.” John 6: 28, 29.
“Faith is not our righteousness, it is accounted to us in order to righteousness, but not as
righteousness; for in that case it would be a work like any other doing of man, and as such would be incompatible with the righteousness of the Son of God; the ‘righteousness which is by faith.’ Faith does not justify us as a work, or as a moral act, or a piece of goodness, nor as a gift of the Spirit, but simply because it is the bond between us and the substitute.” - Dr. Horatius Bonar.
17. Who is the chief example of justification by faith?
“For what said the Scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for
righteousness.” Romans 4:3. (See also verses 11, 16.)
18. With whom do believers, therefore, associate themselves?
“Know you therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.”
Galatians 3: 7.
19. From what is man delivered by justification?
“Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is everyone that hanged on a tree.” Galatians 3: 13.
20. How completely is the sinner freed from the condemnation of the law?
“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk ‘not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” Romans 8:1.
21. Need the justified sinner fear condemnation from any source?
“Who shall lay anything to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justified.” Romans 8:33.
22. Into what happy state are we brought through justification?
a. Peace with God. “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Romans 5:1.
b. Son ship. “For you are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.” Galatians 3:26.
c. Right of access to God. “In whom we have boldness and access [to God] with confidence by the faith of Him.” Ephesians 3: 12.
23. What further glorious possibilities does justification open up to us?
a. Eternal life. “Being justified by His grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” Titus 3:7.
b. Eternal glory. “Whom He called, them He also justified: and whom He justified, them He also glorified.” Romans 8:30.
c. Eternal inheritance. “That they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in Me.” Acts 26:18. (See also Hebrews 9:15.)
24. For what, therefore, should we earnestly seek?
“And be found in Him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith.” Philippians 3:9.
Not one of us is good enough to deserve eternal life on our own merits. We all have sinned. Theologians us the term of "justification" to relate to this acceptance of God's gift of salvation. Let us understand this clearly so we can relate it to others when God asks us to do so.
1. What solemn charge is made against all men without exception?
“All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23. (See also Romans 3:10-12.)
2. To what penalty, therefore, are all subject through transgression?
“The wages of sin is death.” Romans 6:23.
3. In view of man’s inability to justify himself in the. sight of God’s law, what wonderful provision has God made available?
“Therefore is by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.” Romans 5: 18.
“All the heathen religions teach men to work their way up to God; but the religion of Jesus Christ is God coming down to men to save them, and to lift them up out of the pit of sin.” D. L. Moody.
4. Through whom does this imputed righteousness come?
“You are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.” 1 Corinthians 6:11.
“In the Lord shall all the seed of Israel be justified, and shall glory.” Isaiah 45:25.
5. To what name is Jesus, therefore, entitled?
“In His days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is His name whereby He shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.” Jeremiah 23:6.
6. How did Jesus effect this wonderful transaction on behalf of the sinner?
“By His knowledge shall My righteous Servant justify many; for He shall bear their iniquities.” Isaiah 53:11.
7. By what act in particular is the sinner justified?
“Much more then, being now justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.” Romans 5:9.
8. Through the merits of Christ’s righteousness what is God prepared to impute to the sinner?
“Even as David also described the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputed righteousness without works.” Romans 4:6.
9. How may we avail ourselves of this proffered salvation?
“Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shall be saved.” Acts 16: 3 1.
“But to him that worked not, but believes on Him that justified the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.” Romans 4:5. (See also Romans 1:17.)
10. Why do many who hear the offer of grace fail’ to appropriate its blessings?
“The Word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.”
Hebrews 4: 2.
11. How impossible is our justification apart from faith?
“But without faith it is impossible to Please Him: for he that comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.” Hebrews 11: 6.
12. Through what medium does this faith come?
“So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.” Romans 10:17.
13. Have works, then, any place in the obtaining of salvation?
“Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.” Romans 3: 27, 28.
“If the article of justification be once lost, then is all true Christian doctrine lost.” “He then that strayed from this ‘Christian righteousness,’ must needs fall into the ‘righteousness of the law’; that is to say, when he has lost Christ, he must fall into the confidence of his own works.” – “Martin Luther on Galatians,” Pages 136, 148.
14. Is the law then set aside by faith?
“Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yes, we establish the law.” Romans 3:31.
15. What purpose does the law serve in the plan of salvation by faith?
“By the law is the knowledge of sin.” Romans 3:20. “The law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.” Galatians 3:24.
16. What is the only work we can do?
“Then said they unto Him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus
answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that you believe on Him whom He has sent.” John 6: 28, 29.
“Faith is not our righteousness, it is accounted to us in order to righteousness, but not as
righteousness; for in that case it would be a work like any other doing of man, and as such would be incompatible with the righteousness of the Son of God; the ‘righteousness which is by faith.’ Faith does not justify us as a work, or as a moral act, or a piece of goodness, nor as a gift of the Spirit, but simply because it is the bond between us and the substitute.” - Dr. Horatius Bonar.
17. Who is the chief example of justification by faith?
“For what said the Scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for
righteousness.” Romans 4:3. (See also verses 11, 16.)
18. With whom do believers, therefore, associate themselves?
“Know you therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.”
Galatians 3: 7.
19. From what is man delivered by justification?
“Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is everyone that hanged on a tree.” Galatians 3: 13.
20. How completely is the sinner freed from the condemnation of the law?
“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk ‘not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” Romans 8:1.
21. Need the justified sinner fear condemnation from any source?
“Who shall lay anything to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justified.” Romans 8:33.
22. Into what happy state are we brought through justification?
a. Peace with God. “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Romans 5:1.
b. Son ship. “For you are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.” Galatians 3:26.
c. Right of access to God. “In whom we have boldness and access [to God] with confidence by the faith of Him.” Ephesians 3: 12.
23. What further glorious possibilities does justification open up to us?
a. Eternal life. “Being justified by His grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” Titus 3:7.
b. Eternal glory. “Whom He called, them He also justified: and whom He justified, them He also glorified.” Romans 8:30.
c. Eternal inheritance. “That they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in Me.” Acts 26:18. (See also Hebrews 9:15.)
24. For what, therefore, should we earnestly seek?
“And be found in Him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith.” Philippians 3:9.
posted by Michael A. Redwine at Wednesday, June 08, 2005
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