PEACE with God! What a priceless possession! Many who have sinned away their day of grace, and bartered their souls to the devil for a bit of worldly gain or pleasure, would in their dying moments have given worlds to obtain it.
To have a conscience cleared from all charge, and at perfect rest in God’s presence, is well worth being in earnest about. Those who are in the enjoyment of such a blessing have no dread of the unseen future, and are in peace as to the past.
No one can enter into the reality of what it is to be at peace with God until his conscience has been awakened to a sense of his guilt. To a soul in distress on this account no subject can possibly be of such importance.
With a view of helping souls into the enjoyment of abiding peace we shall seek to make plain—
1. Whom does God justify?
2. On what ground does God justify?
3. What is it to be justified?
4. What is the result of being justified?
5. What is it to be accepted in Christ?
WHOM DOES GOD JUSTIFY?
It is certainly not the innocent nor yet the self-righteous. If we were innocent or righteous we would not need to be justified. Scripture makes it clear that “there is none righteous, NO, NOT ONE” (Rom. 3:1010As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: (Romans 3:10)). This is a very sweeping statement. It cuts very deep at the root of man’s natural pride. Moreover, Isaiah says, “we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags.” Our righteousnesses are the very best we can do in our natural state.
One verse sets forth unmistakably the character of those whom God justifies. “But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the UNGODLY” (Rom. 4:55But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. (Romans 4:5)). An ungodly man is a godless man. He is without God and hence without hope. If he is godless he is unrighteous toward God. That is the state of all by nature — the most self-righteous moralist, the wisest philosopher, or the veriest pagan.
Both the publican and the Pharisee of Luke 18 were alike before God, who seeth not as man sees, but who judges the heart. But the one saw his true state in God’s holy presence, the other did not. One man was so humble that he confessed his true, condition; the other man was so filled with pride that he was blinded to it. The publican was so low down that nothing but grace would do for him; the Pharisee was so high up that he did not see his need of grace.
We spoke to an aged gentleman the other day, and asked him on what ground he hoped to go to heaven. His reply was — “I have never done anything of which I am ashamed. God has nothing to accuse me of and I have nothing to reproach Him for. Besides, I taught for twenty years in the second Sunday-school that was ever opened in this country.” We quoted the above verse to him and told him he was on the wrong track. His indignant reply as he left us was, “Do you mean to tell me that all my twenty years’ teaching in the Sunday-school will go for nothing?” That man had never learned the truth of his sinful and lost condition.
ON WHAT GROUND DOES GOD JUSTIFY?
Not on the ground of our own works. “By the deeds (works) of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight” (Rom. 3:2020Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. (Romans 3:20)). The meritorious ground of the believer’s justification is the blood of Christ. One passage is most decisive on the point: “Much more then being now justified by his blood” (Rom. 5:99Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. (Romans 5:9)). When Scripture speaks of the blood of Christ it means His atoning death on the cross. The blood that flowed from His side was the evidence that His life was given up — that He died. God had said in the Old Testament, “It is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.” Abel’s lamb and every lamb sacrificed on a Jewish altar pointed forward to the One of whom the Baptist spoke when he said, “Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the gin of the world.”
It is most important to understand what is involved in the death of Christ. In the first place, it was the fullest expression of God’s love to us. In the death of Christ we see the love of God active in providing all that His righteous claims against sin and the sinner demanded; not only so, but there He Himself, in all His nature and moral attributes, was perfectly displayed and magnified.
When we speak of the nature and moral attributes of God we mean His love and mercy, His holiness and righteousness. Because of the cross He acts consistently in justifying us. That is, love and mercy are not magnified at the expense of holiness and righteousness. All are perfectly blended and harmonized in the cross. This is what makes the death of Christ of such unspeakable value in God’s sight.
WHAT IS IT TO BE JUSTIFIED?
It is to be cleared from all charge of guilt and to be accounted or reckoned righteous by God Himself — the very One against whom we had sinned. If such be the case, there can be no possibility of bringing any charge against a justified person. Every charge that conscience or the great accuser might bring God would refuse to entertain, simply because “it is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God.”
Christ’s atoning sacrifice has so met God’s righteous demands and vindicated His righteous character that He has now become the Justifier of those that believe in Jesus. “ALL THAT BELIEVE ARE JUSTIFIED from all things” (Acts 13:3939And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses. (Acts 13:39)). He is no longer our Judge, but the One who clears us from judgment.
A guilty man naturally fears to be brought before a judge. But if the judge could be turned into his justifier he would not in the least dread to meet him. Why? Because the judge would be for him, and not against him. Thus the judge would be his friend.
So perfectly has God justified the believer that He Himself challenges the whole universe to bring a charge against those who are the subjects of His electing love. “Who shall lay anything to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth?” (Rom. 8:33,3433Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. 34Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. (Romans 8:33‑34)).
In the very nature of things it is utterly impossible that a justified person could ever come into judgment. Scripture is most definite and conclusive on the point: “He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation (judgment); but is passed from death unto life” (John 5:2424Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. (John 5:24)).
All believers will be manifested before the judgment seat of Christ, but we shall not stand there to be tried as criminals at the bar to see whether we are fit for heaven or not. We shall stand there as saints of God. Before that takes place the Lord will come and change our bodies into the likeness of His glorified body. When we stand before Christ’s judgment seat we shall be like the One who sits upon it. “When he shall appear we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is” (1 John 3:22Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. (1 John 3:2)), Our appearance there will be to receive our reward for service rendered here (see 1 Thess. 4:13-1713But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. 14For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. 15For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 16For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. (1 Thessalonians 4:13‑17); 2 Cor. 5:1010For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. (2 Corinthians 5:10); 1 Corinthians 6:2, 32Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters? 3Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life? (1 Corinthians 6:2‑3)).
WHAT IS THE RESULT OF BEING JUSTIFIED?
When justified by faith the result must be to clear the conscience and calm the troubled mind. Peace with God is the inevitable issue. “Being justified by faith, we have peace with God.” Why? Because there is nothing now to fear or create a disturbing element. No wonder the conscience-stricken but penitent Psalmist exclaimed in such rapturous tones, “Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity.” When self-judgment had been passed through he knew the meaning of such a happy exclamation.
I said the other day to a woman who had been some years in distress, troubled with doubts and fears — “Suppose you owed ₤20 and I paid the debt for you, and brought you the receipt for it, and a month after the gentleman to whom you owed the money sent you a letter asking for an interview. Should you dread to go and meet him?” “Not at all,” she replied. “Why?” “Because I had got the receipt with his own signature attached to it.” “Would he be justified in demanding from you what another had paid for you?” “Certainly not” “Then why should you dread the thought of meeting God when He tells you so plainly in His Word that ‘Jesus our Lord... was delivered for our offenses, and was raised again for our justification.’ ‘And by him all that believe are justified from all things’? “Her face brightened up in a moment, and she said that now all her doubts and fears were gone.
Nothing can be simpler than the way that the Scriptures put the whole matter. The death of Christ has met all the righteous claims of God and glorified Him eternally about the great sin-question. If so, then all the believer’s liabilities are met and fully settled. His resurrection is the proof of this. “If Christ be not raised... ye are yet in your sins.” If Christ is risen, what then? Are not we out of our sins? God having raised Him is the demonstrative evidence that His death has cleared us. All that believe God’s testimony are now justified and brought into peace as the result.
I take God at His word, as Abraham did, without feeling, or seeing any evidence whatever, and now know that I am justified or reckoned righteous. I look up into God’s face without dread. I know that He is my Justifier and not my Judge. I have perfect peace in my conscience with regard to all my guilt.
This is not something we may hope to attain to by living a holy life, but a real substantial blessing to be enjoyed now by all who rest in simplicity upon the sure Word of God, and thus set to their seal that God is true. “Such were some of you: but ye an washed, but ye are sanctified, but YE ARE JUSTIFIED in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the spirit of our God” (1 Cor. 6:1111And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. (1 Corinthians 6:11)).
WHAT IS IT TO BE ACCEPTED IN CHRIST?
To be accepted in Christ is to be in the same favor in which He now appears before God, and is in virtue of the redemption-work He has wrought.
Our acceptance in Christ does not depend on how we walk or how we behave ourselves in this world, though it is of the very greatest importance that we should behave well and seek to please the Lord in all things. The enjoyment of our acceptance depends upon our walk, but not the acceptance itself. Nothing can add to or take from the believer’s acceptance in Christ. I may lose the joy that flows from the knowledge of it, but that is quite another thing.
We must be careful to distinguish things that differ. Therefore we must make a clear and definite distinction between acceptability in our walk as saints and servants of Christ and our acceptance before God in virtue of what Christ is and what He has done. Paul says, “Wherefore we labor (make it our aim) that whether present or absent, we may be accepted of (well-pleasing to) him” (2 Cor. 5:9,9Wherefore we labor, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him. (2 Corinthians 5:9) R.V.).
To make the believer’s acceptance in Christ depend upon his walk would put it on very slippery ground indeed. The most consistent believer has to say, “In many things we offend all.” “In the Beloved” is where divine grace has set us and from whence all the unseen powers of darkness cannot dislodge us. Nothing shall separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus (see Rom. 8:38, 3938For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38‑39)).
My practical walk really results from the knowledge of this great yet simple truth when received in power into my soul. “As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him.” If I am in Christ, Christ is in me, and will be seen in my ways if I walk in the power of His grace. All that is in Him God has given to be enjoyed now as a present reality in my soul. This is what the Spirit of God would lead our souls into, and thus we gain power to walk acceptably to the Lord here.
Otherwise legality would characterize us, besides which nothing perhaps is so weakening to the sincere and earnest soul. It never helps, but always hinders, and leads to morbidness and sometimes even to despair. Legality casts us upon self and not on Christ. It is the complete misrepresentation of God’s grace. Grace enjoyed is the only power for walk, testimony, service, and worship acceptable to God. The enjoyment of grace excludes self and keeps Christ and all that God has given us in Him prominently before the soul. No wonder the apostle said to the Hebrews, who were brought up in a legal system and thus dispelled to it — “It is a good thing that the heart be established with grace.”
P. W.