Just as if I had never sinned, Justification
According to God's standard of judgment, how many can be justified?
"And enter not into judgment with thy servant: for in thy sight shall no man living be justified." Ps. 143:2.
NOTE: Justify. "To prove or show to be just, or conformable to law, right, justice, propriety, or duty; to defend or maintain; to vindicate as right; to warrant." "To pronounce free from guilt or blame; to absolve; to clear." -- Webster
How may one become justified?
"By his knowledge shall My righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities." Isa. 53:11.
By whom and by what are men justified?
"For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus." Rom. 3:23, 24.
Why cannot men be justified by the deeds of the law?
"For by the law is the knowledge of sin." Rom. 3:20.
Can the unrighteous be saved?
"Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God?" 1 Cor. 6:9.
Through whose righteousness is remission of sins obtained?
"Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in His blood, to declare His righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God." Rom. 3:24, 25.
For what was Christ made sin?
"For He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him." 2 Cor. 5:21.
Then what may we call the Saviour?
"And this is His name whereby He shall be called, The Lord Our Righteousness." Jer. 23:6.
On what condition may we obtain this righteousness and justification?
"To declare, I say, at this time His righteousness: that He might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus." Rom.3:26.
Who may obtain this imputed righteousness?
"Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference." Rom. 3:22.
Now we understand that sin is the transgression of God's law (1 John 3:4), and by this law is the knowledge of sin. (Rom. 3:20). Can one, while persisting in sin, expect justification?
"But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid." Gal. 2:17.
In order to have one's sins forgiven, and his unrighteousness cleansed away, what is necessary?
"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:9.
Can one be purified without obedience?
"And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith." Acts 15:9. "Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth,... see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently." 1 Pet. 1:22.
Does the fact that we are justified, or made righteous, by faith, release us from obligation to keep God's law?
"Do we then make void the law through faith? God for- bid: yea, we establish the law." Rom. 3:31.
What is faith?
"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." Heb. 11:1.
When one does this, and is in perfect accord with all of God's commandments, what may he then have?
"Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." Rom. 5:1.
In what way may we hold our justification and fellowship with God?
"But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin." 1 John 1:7.
NOTE: Not only is fellowship with our brethren here implied, but, as intimated in previous verses, with God and with Christ.
"There is evidently an allusion to 1 John 1:3, and their fellowship with God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ is expressed, so here it lies in the background, but need not be supplied. De Wette's remark is most true; Christian communion is then only real, when it is communion with God." --Dean Alford.
How great will be the peace of mind enjoyed by those who have this experience?
"And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." Phil. 4:7.
What will be a prominent characteristic of those who wait for the return of their Lord from heaven?
"For yet a little while, and He that shall come will come, and will not tarry. Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, My soul shall have no pleasure in him." Heb. 10:37, 38.
What will accompany the faith of Jesus?
"Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus." Rev. 14:12.
"And enter not into judgment with thy servant: for in thy sight shall no man living be justified." Ps. 143:2.
NOTE: Justify. "To prove or show to be just, or conformable to law, right, justice, propriety, or duty; to defend or maintain; to vindicate as right; to warrant." "To pronounce free from guilt or blame; to absolve; to clear." -- Webster
How may one become justified?
"By his knowledge shall My righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities." Isa. 53:11.
By whom and by what are men justified?
"For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus." Rom. 3:23, 24.
Why cannot men be justified by the deeds of the law?
"For by the law is the knowledge of sin." Rom. 3:20.
Can the unrighteous be saved?
"Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God?" 1 Cor. 6:9.
Through whose righteousness is remission of sins obtained?
"Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in His blood, to declare His righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God." Rom. 3:24, 25.
For what was Christ made sin?
"For He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him." 2 Cor. 5:21.
Then what may we call the Saviour?
"And this is His name whereby He shall be called, The Lord Our Righteousness." Jer. 23:6.
On what condition may we obtain this righteousness and justification?
"To declare, I say, at this time His righteousness: that He might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus." Rom.3:26.
Who may obtain this imputed righteousness?
"Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference." Rom. 3:22.
Now we understand that sin is the transgression of God's law (1 John 3:4), and by this law is the knowledge of sin. (Rom. 3:20). Can one, while persisting in sin, expect justification?
"But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid." Gal. 2:17.
In order to have one's sins forgiven, and his unrighteousness cleansed away, what is necessary?
"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:9.
Can one be purified without obedience?
"And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith." Acts 15:9. "Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth,... see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently." 1 Pet. 1:22.
Does the fact that we are justified, or made righteous, by faith, release us from obligation to keep God's law?
"Do we then make void the law through faith? God for- bid: yea, we establish the law." Rom. 3:31.
What is faith?
"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." Heb. 11:1.
When one does this, and is in perfect accord with all of God's commandments, what may he then have?
"Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." Rom. 5:1.
In what way may we hold our justification and fellowship with God?
"But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin." 1 John 1:7.
NOTE: Not only is fellowship with our brethren here implied, but, as intimated in previous verses, with God and with Christ.
"There is evidently an allusion to 1 John 1:3, and their fellowship with God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ is expressed, so here it lies in the background, but need not be supplied. De Wette's remark is most true; Christian communion is then only real, when it is communion with God." --Dean Alford.
How great will be the peace of mind enjoyed by those who have this experience?
"And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." Phil. 4:7.
What will be a prominent characteristic of those who wait for the return of their Lord from heaven?
"For yet a little while, and He that shall come will come, and will not tarry. Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, My soul shall have no pleasure in him." Heb. 10:37, 38.
What will accompany the faith of Jesus?
"Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus." Rev. 14:12.
posted by Michael A. Redwine at Sunday, September 25, 2005
<< Home