THERE are but two alternatives in regard to man’s spiritual position before God. Man is either guilty before Gad or justified by God. There was a time when man was under trial by God. He was placed under the law, but man broke the law and came under the condemnation “Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things written in the book of the law to do them,” Many practically ignore the fact that the period of human trial is over, by placing themselves, so far as it is possible to do so, under the law, but “as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse.” (Gal. 3:1010For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. (Galatians 3:10).) For no one under the law has ever done otherwise than transgress its plain direction; and, if but one commandment be broken, the curse of the whole law lies upon the transgressor― “For whosoever shall keep the whole law and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.” (James 2:1010For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. (James 2:10).)
When God describes the condition of man in relation to sin and guilt, as He does in the opening of the Epistle to the Romans, He shows that, whether man be heathen or Jew―whether he be outside the area of the knowledge of God or favored with the divine oracles―still his works evidence his sin; and, because of his sins, man is guilty before God. (Ram. 3:19.)
Guilty Before God
is the solemn sentence of God upon the whole human race, “There is none righteous, no, not one”; “all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” (Rom. 3:10, 2310As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: (Romans 3:10)
23For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; (Romans 3:23)). And what God charges upon all is true of every individual. Where this terrible reality is believed, the believer of it feels he is shut up to God. What is to be done? It is too late for efforts or reformation. When the criminal is proved guilty, it is too late for him to propose living a new life; the judge can but pronounce sentence upon him. Righteousness must take its course.
But with God it is not so. God can be just and the Justifier. And thus it is that, after having proved all men to be guilty before Him, God, in His gospel, advances the salvation He has for guilty sinners. The sentence from the judgment throne is our due, but God announces salvation from the mercy-seat. God, in His wonderful grace, sets forth a mercy-seat through faith in the blood of Christ for guilty man.
Thus it is, that everyone, whether Jew or Gentile, whether professing Christian or heathen, who believes God’s word respecting His Son, escapes the sentence of death, and not only so, but, is on account of the work of Christ,
Justified by God.
All sins are pardoned, all transgressions are forgiven, and God allows no charge to be brought against the believer of His word.
“Christ died for the ungodly” (vs. 6), and God in His absolute justice “justifies the ungodly” (4:5). Were this not so, none could be saved, for all have sinned and have come short of the glory of God. God justifies men because the blood of His Son has glorified Him in His righteousness in relation to our sins. In no sense are we accounted righteous because we have done good; no, we are “justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (3:24).
Such being God’s way of grace to us, what shall we do? One thing is plain, God’s way of grace excludes any boasting on our part; we merit naught save condemnation, but God saves us, ungodly as we are; hence at the very beginning, we bow our souls before the holy and the righteous Judge; “we conclude that a man is justified... without the deeds of the law” (3:28).
We believe God, we believe what He says respecting what His Son has done on behalf of His glory, and for man’s benefit through the shedding of His blood for our sins. We believe, and God justifies us by faith. “Therefore being justified by faith, we have
Peace With God
through our Lord Jesus Christ” (v. 1).
Let us place together some passages of Scripture on this most important subject―
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By the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in His sight.—Rom, 3:20.
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Justified freely by His
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To him that worketh not,
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grace (3:24).
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If by grace, then is it no snore of works (11:6).
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but believeth on Him that
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justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness
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(4:5).
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Everyone is either guilty before God, or is justified by God. May every reader of this page “believe on Him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; who was delivered for our offenses, and was raised again for our justification.” (4:24, 25.)