The apostle himself, in the following passage, answers, most fully and distinctly, the above question. “Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” (Rom. 5:1, 21Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: 2By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. (Romans 5:1‑2).) This is true “Christian Position”—the full standing of the believer, as such, in the presence of God. Being justified—having peace—standing in divine favor—rejoicing in hope of glory; this is the present condition of all who “believe in him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead.” Full justification is their true state, as a necessary consequence of the death and resurrection of Christ.
It was for us that Jesus died. “Who was delivered for our offenses.” He came down from heaven in perfect love to us, and took our position as sinners, Himself absolutely sinless. “He was numbered with the transgressors,” that He might associate us with Himself, in all the blessed results of His glorious work. For us also He lives again. “And was raised again for our justification.” Having borne our sins, and the judgment they deserved, on the cross, God raised Him from the dead, and gave Him glory above the heavens. A risen Christ is the eternal witness of our complete and everlasting justification before God, we being there in Him.
We may, for a time, lose the sweet sense of this, in communion, but we can never lose our justification. “Whom he justified, them he also glorified.” (Rom. 8:3030Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. (Romans 8:30).) Justification and glorification are inseparably joined together by God Himself. The believer is linked and bound to eternal glory, through his connection by faith with a glorified Christ. Until the Christian has learned to distinguish between communion and justification, he cannot have settled peace. There is no such thing as being justified today, and condemned tomorrow. But I may be in happy communion today, and, practically, out of it tomorrow. There are no degrees in justification, but there are degrees in communion. If I am unwatchful, or indulging in a spirit of unbelief or worldliness, I cannot possibly be enjoying happy communion with my heavenly Father. God is light, and God is holy. He cannot look upon sin. He cannot be associated with evil; He must judge it. If, therefore, I am neglecting self-judgment—neglecting to judge my heart and my ways, communion must be interrupted. But the question of justification is not, in the least, affected by all this. It flows from another source, even the love of God; it rests on another ground, even the work of Christ. “It is God that justifieth, who is he that condemneth?” Then follow four divine reasons for this state of justification and security.
1. It is Christ that died.
2. Yea rather, that is risen again.
3. Who is even at the right hand of God.
4. Who also maketh intercession for us.
On these four pillars the Christian’s position securely rests. They are entirely of God. There is nothing of man’s work here. “GOD FOR US” is inscribed on each of them. They partake of the stability of Himself. He has done all, there is “no condemnation” and “No separation.”
“No condemnation!”—Ο my soul,
‘Tis God that speaks the word,
Perfect in comeliness art thou,
Through Christ, the risen Lord.
“No condemnation!—precious word!
Consider it, my soul;
Thy sins were all on Jesus laid;
His stripes have made thee whole.”
The first effect of this new and blessed position is “peace with God,” into whose presence we have been brought by the risen Jesus. “By whom also we have access by faith.” Our sins having been all blotted out by the shedding of His precious blood, we have perfect peace in His Holy presence. The finished work of Christ is the only ground of peace; there is no other.
By virtue of the same blessed work, we are brought into a new relationship with God, we stand in grace—in the full enjoyment of His favor. There is nothing between us. We are near, even as Christ is near. “But now, in Christ Jesus, ye who sometime were far off, are made nigh by the blood of Christ.” (Eph. 2:1313But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. (Ephesians 2:13).) So that, even now, we can “rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” All that was against us was imputed to Christ, and He made “an end of sins.” “Grace and glory characterize our blessed and wondrous standing before God. The cross, the grave, sin, Satan, and “this present evil world,” are all past. They are all behind the Christian; he is on heaven’s side of the cross, on resurrection-ground, and in possession of resurrection-life, at this present time. Nothing but the bright beams of the glory of God gilds the future. Not a single cloud dims the prospect. All is REST, PEACE, GRACE, AND GLORY.
In the mind of God, the believer was delivered from his original standing as a sinner by the cross of Christ; there, he came to his end, as a member of the fallen and ruined family of Adam. “Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed.” (See Rom. 6:1-111What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? 2God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? 3Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 4Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 5For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: 6Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. 7For he that is dead is freed from sin. 8Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: 9Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. 10For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. 11Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 6:1‑11).) When Christ died, the believer—all believers—died in Him, He being their Representative and Surety, before God, on the cross. They died and rose again in Him. The expression, “body of sin” means our corrupt nature, and all that was connected with it—the entire condition of the “old man.” The whole thing was “destroyed” by the death of Christ, and blotted out forever, from before the face of God.
But while this is true, and a most blessed truth it is, we must also remember, that the standing of the sinner is not actually changed until he believes in Jesus. The great work of expiation was indeed accomplished on the cross; but there is no change, no new life in the soul, until he believes, through the quickening operation of the Spirit, the truth of God about the Person and work of Christ. When he thus believes, his position is changed, he stands before God, vitally connected with Him who died for us and rose again. He gets the same position as Christ Himself. “As he is, so are we in this world.” (1 John 4:1717Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. (1 John 4:17).) His standing is completely and eternally changed. “But ye are not in the flesh,” says the apostle, “but in the Spirit.” That means, their standing was no longer in the flesh, or in nature, but in the Spirit. We can only know, realize, and enter into this wondrous truth, in the power of the Spirit of God. “There is, therefore, now no condemnation to them that are IN CHRIST JESUS.” (Rom. 8:1, 91There 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)
9But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. (Romans 8:9).) To he “in Christ Jesus,” is to be where He is, and as He is, There can be no condemnation to Christ: therefore, there can be no condemnation to the Christian. He is the measure of our nearness to God, the definition of our blessedness in His presence, and of our relationship to Him.
From the time that the sinner believes on Christ, He has this truly blessed place with Him. “But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith He loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved,) and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.” (Eph. 2:4 -64But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, 5Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) 6And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: (Ephesians 2:4‑6).) Such is the fellowship which God Himself hath given to us in His beloved Son! in His “rich mercy” and “great love.” Forever adored be His blessed name! In His estimation, we are sitting together in Him, in the heavenlies. We have fellowship with Christ, as the risen Man in glory. We have fellowship with Him, in His life, in resurrection, in His righteousness before God, in His full acceptance in His sight, in His complete and final victory over every enemy, and in His blessed hope of coming glory.
The effect of the knowledge of this truth is a rich blessing to the soul. It gives holy, happy liberty before God, on many important points. If I know that my divine place is in the immediate presence of God, that my home is there and nowhere else, I must know that my sins are all put away. Nothing is more certain than that I cannot be there with my sins. If I am there, my sins are all gone. And we have already seen, that the believer is there, as the fruit of the work of Christ.
The God of love and power entered the dark domain of death, where Jesus lay for our sins, and quickened His beloved Son, and His beloved people together, and raised them up together, and made them sit together in heavenly places. God has done it all, in the greatness of His love, on the ground of the perfectness of the work of Christ for us; He says He has done it, and that is enough.
We will only add, further, that nothing is more fitted to “deliver us from this present evil world,” than the knowledge of our connection with a heavenly Christ. The occupation of the soul with Him, will surely lead to heavenly-mindedness, and separation in heart from the world. Paul had seen Christ in glory, and, no doubt, was fully occupied in heart with Him when he said, “This one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 3:13, 1413Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 14I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:13‑14).)
May we thus be kept, dear reader, with our hearts dead to the world, and truly alive to the claims of our heavenly Lord Jesus. “Seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.” (Col. 3:1-41If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 2Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. 3For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. 4When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. (Colossians 3:1‑4).)
All that we were—our sins, our guilt,
Our death, was all our own:
All that we are we owe to thee,
Thou God of grace alone.
Thy mercy found us in our sins,
And gave us to believe;
Then, in believing, peace we found;
And in thy Christ we live.
All that we are, as saints, on earth,
All that we hope to be,
When Jesus comes and glory dawns,—
We owe it all to thee.