Strange theology this for the convicted sinner. It is as natural, as to breathe the air, for the soul that discovers its nakedness and sin, to seek to cover itself with a righteousness of its own. The demon of self-righteousness is deep down in the poor human heart, and not one is exempt.
I do not disown I'm bad, of course. I must be good to be saved: so run the thoughts of thousands. Ah! poor sinner, you have found your sins a heavy load, an impassable barrier between you and the glory of God, and you think to remove them yourself. “Toil on, toil on," whispers Satan. Liar! Murderer!
Soul destroyer! (John 8:4444Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. (John 8:44)). God says, “It is not of works" (Eph. 2:99Not of works, lest any man should boast. (Ephesians 2:9)). God can no more accept your righteousness than your wickedness. What! a sinner turn Pharisee to be accepted of God. Away with the vain thought. “There is none that doeth good, no not one" (Rom. 3:1212They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. (Romans 3:12)). Are you an exception?
“All our righteousnesses are as filthy rags” (Isa. 64:66But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. (Isaiah 64:6)). Hateful, abominable, horrible in His sight. Cast away, then, the last rag at once. They are worse than worthless. Let self-justification go, and self-judgment take its place. It is God that justifieth; God alone.
And WHOM DOES HE JUSTIFY? The ungodly.
The ungodly? Yes, the ungodly. Justify the ungodly? Yes, justify the ungodly. Are you sure? Certain. You surprise me; I thought He justified the godly: surely you mistake the word. No, dear soul, no mistake. God means what He says, and says what He means. “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)).
But it seems as though He were conniving at sin. Connive at sin? Impossible! God never makes light of sin. God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all. But yet He justifies the ungodly. Not their ungodliness. That is quite another matter. He could not justify ungodliness, but He can and does justify the ungodly.
He justifies them from their ungodliness.
“Well, this is a very new doctrine to me,”
I think I hear some reader say; "I thought we must be good." Perfectly true, but how? That's the question. Not by a patchwork reformation of a guilty sinner. The old Adam nature is incorrigible. “It is not by works of righteousness which we have done." (Titus 3:55Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; (Titus 3:5)).
Then How DOES HE JUSTIFY? “God is just and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.”
(Rom. 3:2626To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. (Romans 3:26)). “To him that worketh not, but believeth on Him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness." (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)). Blessed news, joyful news! Believeth in Jesus. How very simple. It is all summed up in that precious little sentence. Believeth; him which believeth. Do you believe? Believe what? Believe in Jesus. Do you believe in God's dear Son? Jesus; Jesus who died.
Yes, or No. Not, do you believe about Him, but in Him Do you believe in Him? Well how do you reply?
Yes. Then your sins are forgiven (Acts 12:38).
Yes. Then God justifies you atom. 8:33).
All the claims of God have been once and forever perfectly met in the death of His Son; the righteousness of God maintained; the glory of God vindicated. God is just, and the justifier of him which believeth, in Jesus (Rom. 3:2626To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. (Romans 3:26)).
Well, and WHEN DOES HE JUSTIFY? When? Yes, when; at the judgment day? No, it will be too late then, What justification at the great white throne! The day of grace will be past and gone. No mercy then; no mercy there. No salvation then; no salvation there.
But I thought no one could be sure of going to heaven until we die. What you think and what God says are two very different things.
If you wait till then, you will never reach heaven at all. And who can tell? This very night, dear reader, God might require thy soul of thee. " Boast not thyself of to-morrow, for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth "(Prov. 27:11Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth. (Proverbs 27:1))." Oh! that men would consider their latter end" (Deut. 32:2929O that they were wise, that they understood this, that they would consider their latter end! (Deuteronomy 32:29)). Tomorrow may be too late. God's time is now.
There is no to-morrow in the Gospel of God.
Not to-morrow, but now. Oh, sinner, take God at His word now. Will you? Do you believe?
Who is He that justifieth? God.
Whom does He justify? The ungodly.
How does He justify? By faith in Jesus.
When does He justify? Now. And
WHAT DOES HE JUSTIFY FROM? All things.
Not all sins, but all things. Everything you ever did. Sins, iniquities, transgressions, wickedness, failures, shortcomings, self-righteousness, false profession, unbelief, everything. By Him, (not by you) all that believe. Do you believe?
Then you are one, one of the all. And all that believe are justified from all things.
How simple! I never saw it like that before.
All that believe are justified from all things.
I believe I'm justified from all things. I'm one of the all.
Who is He then that justifies? God.
Whom does He justify? The ungodly.
How does He justify? By faith in Jesus.
When does He justify? Now.
What does He justify from? All things.
Well, that is simple indeed. I rest there.
But one question how about works? Works are the fruit of faith. The faith in Christ that justifies, alone can produce them to the glory of God. Without them faith is dead (James 2:2020But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? (James 2:20)). Dead faith leaves you in your sins; a living faith manifests itself by good works.