In Paul’s Epistle to the Galatians, he lets us perceive, as in his own person, that “justification by faith,” which he is there defending, is no mere dogma, or proposition which may exercise the intellect or give a theme to the mind to discuss. He lets us know that he himself had proved it to be a truth full of life and power. There is this difference, among others, between these two epistles. In Romans we get this doctrine propounded in its moral glory with its bearings on the glory of God and on the condition of the believing sinner, as we have seen.
Paul Lives It
In Galatians the Apostle shows himself to us in connection with this doctrine. He lives it, rather than teaches or proves it, though he does that also. He is defending it against gainsayers and not simply propounding it to sinners. In fervency of spirit he is led forth of God to tell us how this doctrine, this principle of faith, illustrated its virtue in his own person, and that, too, in varied relationships, as towards the creatures around him, as towards gainsayers, as in God’s own presence, and as in connection with this present, evil world.
As towards the creature, this doctrine or principle of faith had made him independent. He could go down to Arabia. He could turn his back on Jerusalem and all that was there to countenance and refresh him, and look to the solitudes of the desert (Galatians 1).
As towards gainsayers, it made him as bold as a lion, not intimidated even by the presence of a Peter, who, at that moment, more than any other man, had all respect in the flesh (Galatians 2).
As in God’s presence, it made him free and happy, breathing there the spirit of adoption, and knowing the liberty of one accepted as in the Beloved (Galatians 4).
As in connection with this present, evil world, it gave him victory over it. He was crucified to it, and it to him (Galatians 6).
The Spring of Hope and Love
These are some of the reflections of the doctrine of divine righteousness, or justification by faith, in the soul of this dear apostle. It was no mere intellectual possession of a dogma that could do these things for the soul. This doctrine implies restoration to God —personal, immediate restoration. Adam, through sin, lost Him; the sinner, through faith, recovers Him. It is the spring of hope and of love — as he tells us in this same epistle (Gal. 5:56). Justification by faith is the religion of a sinner in personal, immediate confidence in God.
Upholding the Truth
The Apostle protects this truth against all trespassers, whether they are chief in creation like angels, chief in office, like apostles, or chief in the ways of God, as the law (Gal. 1:8; 2:11-21; 4:19-318But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. (Galatians 1:8)
11But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed. 12For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision. 13And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation. 14But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews? 15We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles, 16Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. 17But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid. 18For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor. 19For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God. 20I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. 21I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain. (Galatians 2:11‑21)
19My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you, 20I desire to be present with you now, and to change my voice; for I stand in doubt of you. 21Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law? 22For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman. 23But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise. 24Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar. 25For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children. 26But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all. 27For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband. 28Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise. 29But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now. 30Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman. 31So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free. (Galatians 4:19‑31)). Angels must stand accursed, if they would gainsay this truth. Peter shall be withstood to the face without sparing him, if he tried to cloud it. The law, which was God’s own voice in its time and place, must be silent when this truth proclaims itself.
Thus we see the wealth of that place to which justification by faith brings the sinner. It brings him into the family of God, making him a child. It brings him into the hope or prospect of glory as his inheritance. There, in these wealthy places, it teaches him to breathe the air of freedom and of love (Gal. 3:26; 5:1,5626For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:26)
1Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. (Galatians 5:1)).
J. G. Bellett, adapted from Short Meditations
Plain Words on Justification
It was a serious question that was put to Job by one of his friends more than three thousand years ago: “How then can man be justified with God? or how can he be clean that is born of a woman?” (Job 25:44How then can man be justified with God? or how can he be clean that is born of a woman? (Job 25:4)). After all these centuries we may still ask, “Is there such a thing as justification with God?” Evidently Bildad the Shuhite (Job 25) would have inclined to a negative answer, for he proceeds, in pathetic language, “Behold even to the moon, and it shineth not; yea, the stars are not pure in his sight. How much less man, that is a worm? and the son of man, which is a worm?” (Job 25:56). If we turn to the words of the psalmist David, we find (Psa. 143:22And enter not into judgment with thy servant: for in thy sight shall no man living be justified. (Psalm 143:2)) that he speaks in a similar strain: “Enter not into judgment with Thy servant: for in Thy sight shall no man living be justified.”
New Testament Light
Happily we live in the bright light of the New Testament, and as we consult its pages we are at no loss to discover the true answer to our question. That wonderful third chapter of Romans, which stops every mouth and proves every man guilty before God, declares that by “the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in His sight” (vs. 20). We are not surprised that Bildad and the psalmist should alike conclude there was no justification before God. For us, on the contrary, how blessed it is to find that when the Apostle summarily describes man’s condition and guilt in the brief words, “All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:2323For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; (Romans 3:23)), it is but a preparatory clearing of the ground for the gracious assertion that follows in the same breath, “Being justified freely by His grace.” We read also in Galatians 3:88And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed. (Galatians 3:8), “The scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen.” And again, in Romans 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), “Whom He called, them He also justified.”
Who Is the Justifier?
Justification involves a justifier. Who then is this justifier? In Romans 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) we read those blessed words, “To declare, at this time His [God’s] righteousness: that He might be just, and the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus.” So also in Romans 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), “Whom He [God] called, them He also justified.” God, then, is the Justifier, and the importance of this can scarcely be overstated, for whom He justifies must be justified indeed! It is no fallible work, marked and marred by human imperfection, but an altogether divine thing of incontestable and immutable value for eternity. The magnitude and grandeur of this piece of divine truth fired the heart of the Apostle when he exclaimed, “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)).
Who Are Justified?
Our next question is, Who are they who are justified? If there is such a thing as justification, and God Himself is the Justifier, it is important for us to understand whom He justifies. Again we turn to Romans 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) and read there the conclusive words that He is “the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.” Nothing could be more plain. It is the believer, and the believer only, whom God justifies. We do not hesitate to say that no person can possibly know what it is to be justified who is not a believer in that blessed One — the Man of sorrows once, and the Man of glory forever! But perhaps it will be answered that in the next chapter we read of God’s justifying “the ungodly.” The word describes his state up to the time when he became a believer. This word “ungodly” then describes man’s state by nature, and that is fully unfolded in the fifth chapter, where three expressions are used descriptive of our natural condition. In the sixth verse we are “without strength,” in the eighth verse “sinners,” and in the tenth “enemies.” The first of these terms is negative—man powerless for good works. The next is positive — he is practically an evil worker, a sinner. The last is the worst of all, for he has a heart whose inmost springs are at enmity with God. This was clearly proved when Christ was here on earth, for God Himself was manifest in the flesh, dwelling among us in perfect love to man, and was hated without a cause. He was the song of the drunkard, and for His love they gave Him hatred. Such is man! Nevertheless, blessed be His name, “by Him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses” (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)). Such is God!
What Is Justification?
But it is time to ask the question, What is justification? We must refer to Romans 4:33For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. (Romans 4:3) for God’s answer to our inquiry: “Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.” Again, in verse 5: “To him that worketh not, but believeth on Him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.” And also in verse 9: “Faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness.” The simple answer then is that justification is judicial righteousness; in other words, God’s accounting or adjudging us to be righteous before Himself — on what ground we shall see by-and-by. At present we must be clear as to the thing itself, and we would emphatically impress upon the reader’s mind this simple, but profoundly important truth, that justification signifies the being accounted by God and before God to be judicially righteous, which is the positive, absolute and changeless standing of the believer now and eternally. This and this only is justification. Thus it is not merely pardon or forgiveness, which is rather of a negative character, but a positive state of accomplished and ever-subsisting righteousness in Christ before God that we are already brought into by God’s own act, as the Justifier of him that believes in Jesus.
Christ’s Practical Righteousness
Here let it be noted that Scripture gives no support to the thought that Christ’s practical righteousness in His holy, blameless life on earth is accredited to our account for justification. That He magnified the law and put honor upon it in His own person is fully admitted, but nothing found in Scripture gives countenance to the mistaken notion that this was imputed to us. The scriptural doctrine of righteousness imputed signifies simply that we are accounted to be righteous apart from law-keeping as to the principle of it (Rom. 3:2121But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; (Romans 3:21)) and apart from works of any kind practically (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)). It is our judicial standing which is signified by this imputation of righteousness, and it is based upon this ground alone that “we believe on Him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead” (Rom. 4:2424But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; (Romans 4:24)). It is not that good works done by Christ are put to our account, which would be to make the life of Christ a vicarious thing, but rather that “as He is” (the glorified Man in the presence of God), “so are we in this world” (1 John 4:1717The woman answered and said, I have no husband. Jesus said unto her, Thou hast well said, I have no husband: (John 4:17)). This is the scriptural doctrine of the imputation of righteousness, and it beautifully exhibits the divine character of our justification.
On the Principle of Faith
Further, let us inquire, What is it by which we are justified? Romans 4:2525Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification. (Romans 4:25) teaches that Jesus our Lord was raised for our justifying; Romans 5:11Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: (Romans 5:1), that we are justified on the principle of faith; verse 9, that we are justified in the power of His blood. Each of these verses helps us to gather up an answer. In its intrinsic character our justification is according to the value of the blood of Christ to God. By that alone we are justified Godward, and according to its priceless worth is the character of our acceptance and standing in His holy presence. But looked at manward, it is by faith; that is, we get it on that principle and not on the principle of works. Practically we are not, and cannot be, justified until faith has been exercised by us. Thus we read in the peculiarly incisive language of Romans 4:55But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. (Romans 4:5), “To him that worketh not, but believeth on Him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.” Accordingly Abraham, undistinguished for works but preeminent for his faith, is presented as the pattern of a justified man. Again, it is in direct connection with resurrection—the resurrection of Christ. He was raised, we read, for our justification, and unless we have part in His resurrection, we are not justified. God is our Justifier, and the risen Christ in His presence is our representative in justification, the expression of that state of ever-subsisting accomplished righteousness in which we are set as God’s justified ones in virtue of His death (2 Cor. 5:21).
The Results
Finally, let us ask, What are the results of it? The verses we were just now looking at supply the final answer. First, our sins (offences) are all gone, for the One who was thus raised had been delivered for them. He was delivered on account of them and for their putting away, and having been raised up, they can no longer have a place before the God who has righteously dealt with them. Second, having been justified, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Peace is eternally established between us and Himself! Third, “being now justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.” The first has to do with the past, for my sins were blotted out by His blood; the next with the present, for it is now that I have peace with God; the last with the future, for the wrath is the wrath to come, and I am assured, on divine testimony, that I am so cleared before God and so accepted and established in love that I am entitled to “have boldness in the day of judgment” (1 John 4:1717The woman answered and said, I have no husband. Jesus said unto her, Thou hast well said, I have no husband: (John 4:17)).
How wonderful in every point of view is our justification before God! The Lord give us a truly scriptural apprehension of it, “to the praise of the glory of His grace, wherein He hath made us accepted in the beloved” (Eph. 1:66To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. (Ephesians 1:6)).
W. Rickards, adapted from
The Christian Friend, 1879