“THERE is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.” (Eccl. 7:20.)
Such are the words uttered by the Spirit of God through Solomon, the wisest man that ever lived, and surely all men do well to take heed to them. Another servant of God, the apostle Paul, some thousand years or so afterward, corroborated this statement in similar language. “There is none righteous, no, not one; there is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are altogether become unprofitable: there is none that doeth, good, no, not one.” (Rom. 3:10-12.)
The all-important question that we find in the book of Job, at once presents itself. If there be not a just man, but “all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God,” “How then can man be justified with God?” It is a blessed point in a sinner’s history when he is brought sincerely and earnestly to ask this question. But thousands, instead of seeking the reply at once in God’s Word, deceived by Satan, and their own thoughts, having discovered that they are unfitted for the presence of a holy God, set to work to improve their condition, and justify themselves. The natural thought is, “If I am not just and good, I must be;” and they work, and do, and strive, and try—vainly seeking to establish their own righteousness, being ignorant of God’s. (Rom. 10:3.) Oh, when will sinners learn that “all their righteousnesses are as filthy rags,” (Isa. 64:6), that whether they trust in their own righteousness, or go on in their wickedness, that both alike will lead them straight to hell?
Beloved reader, should you be one of that large class, who, shunning open wickedness, think that by your morality, honesty, religiousness, and such like, you will obtain the favor of God, pause, I pray you, this moment, and, in answer to the momentous question, “How then can man be justified with God?” listen to His own blessed reply in the 3rd of Romans, “Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in His blood ... . to declare ... . at this time, His righteousness: that He might be just, and the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus.” (Rom. 3:24-26.)
What precious words of comfort for a poor anxious, burdened sinner, vainly striving by his own efforts to extricate himself from sin and its consequences. “Justified freely by His grace;” justified, that is, cleared, freed, delivered, and that freely by God Himself, not on the ground of works of righteousness which we have done, (Titus 3:5), but by His grace, His undeserved favor, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. Cease, then, self-righteous one, from your own vain efforts to save yourself. “It is God that justifieth;” God alone (Rom. 8:33); you cannot justify yourself, —impossible! “Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil.” (Jer. 13:23).
God has made a gracious provision for your deep need; and has given His own dear Son as a propitiation for all. Redemption is found in Him alone, whose precious blood was shed on the cross in atonement for sin. All the claims of God, who is infinitely holy, have been perfectly met in the death of His own Beloved.
He now as a righteous, holy, and just God, is ready, willing, and waiting to justify all who believe. Precious, precious message of grace. “God is just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.” How very simple; “believeth;” reader, dost thou believe? You must, if you would be saved, for, “He that believeth not shall be damned.” (Mark 16:16.) God has raised Him from the dead to His own right hand in glory, and the message of love and peace comes to you now— “Through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins, and by Him all that believe are justified from all things,” &c. (Acts 13:38, 39.)
Cease, sinner, cease from your own works, cast your deadly doings down; it is “God that justifieth,” and “there is no God else,” saith He, “beside me; a just God and a Saviour: there is none beside me. Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth.” (Isa. 45:21, 22). “Being justified by faith, we have peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Rom. 5:1.)
What a wondrous plan! Justice has had its course, and justice has been more than satisfied. Justice, stern justice, which once shut the sinner out from God, now brings him to God. (1 Peter 3:18.) The just stroke of divine judgment for sin fell upon the Holy and the Just One upon the cross of Calvary, and justice now stands arrayed on the sinner’s behalf to justify him from all things the moment he believes. The precious blood of Christ has atoned for sin; justice raised the Sin-bearer to the throne of glory, and all who believe, are justified in Him. Beloved reader, are you a true believer? Can you take your place among those who can say of Him, “Who was delivered for our offenses, and was raised again for our justification,” (Rom. 4:25); and, as we get it also in Peter, “For Christ also once suffered for sins, the Just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God.” (1 Peter 3:18.)
The sinner, justified by faith, becomes a child of God, and is called to walk worthy of Him in that blessed relationship, having no more to say to sin, which brought His Saviour to the cross; and by His works, the fruit of faith, is justified before men. (James 2:14-26).
But should he sin, God has made a gracious provision for this also; the Saviour is his Advocate. “If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ, the righteous.” (1 John 2:1.) And how comforting to find that the justice of God is still arrayed on his behalf; for, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9.)
In contrast with the blessed results flowing to the poor sinner, who, ceasing to justify himself, justifies God against himself, and is therefore justified by Him, let us notice in conclusion what He has said about the unjust, who refuse to be justified. “The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the Day of Judgment to be punished.” (1 Peter 1:9.) The same Lord who justifies the believer, will judge the unbeliever, and punishment, eternal punishment, is his portion. (Matt. 25:46.) “He that believeth not the Son, shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him.” (John 3:36.)
Oh! my reader, to which class do you belong, the just or unjust? The former, justified by God, walking a path which as the shining light, shineth more and more unto the perfect day, await that glorious moment, when the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, when the resurrection of the just (Luke 14:14) shall take place, and those who are alive and remain shall be changed. (1 Thess. 4:15-18.) The latter, the unjust, neglecters and rejecters of the grace of God, pass swiftly on in their blindness and sin, to reap the fruits of their folly in eternal misery and despair.
Many speak of the mercy of God, and precious it is to know that He is merciful; but God is not calling upon sinners to trust in His mercy, but something far better even than that—we are invited to trust in the justice of God. Well may the apostle write, “How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation.” (Heb. 2:3.)
My reader, are you justified in the risen Christ?
E. H. C.