JUSTIFIED FREELY | AdventAI

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Oct 15, 1902

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 28, No. 42.

“JUSTIFIED FREELY.”

WHAT does “justify” mean?—It means making just, counting righteous, bringing into conformity with a just rule or standard; forgiving sins.

Who justifies?—“It is God that justifieth.” Rom. 8:33. The great Judge of all, the One whose law is transgressed, justifies the transgressor. Nay, more, He freely justifies. Do you need justification?—You may go to Him and obtain it. He holds it for you, and freely gives it, if you will accept it.

Justifies who?—“Justifieth the ungodly.” Rom. 4:5. God justifies only the ungodly. The ungodly are those unlike God. To be just is to be like God. God counts the ungodly to be like Himself.

How many are included among the ungodly, for whom God has justification?—“All have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God.” Rom. 3:23. All, then, are ungodly. If a man does not know that he is ungodly, he is ignorant, blind, deluded, and will fail of the great justification. Rom. 3:23 does not put man’s sinful condition in the past; it is present. “For all have sinned, and fall short,”—present tense. Man in himself always falls short. God may justify, may forgive all man’s sins; but still man of himself is sinful; he falls short. This is easily illustrated. The sinner is well represented by a dark room, having no light in itself. If the door or window is opened heavenward, the light of the sun shines in and floods the whole room. It is filled with light, leaving no part dark. But if the window be closed, the light is not retained. The room is again dark. It has no light in itself. Its continued light must be light through open channels from the sun. So the Christian must keep open heart for the continued power of God’s grace upon his life. God, in His goodness, counts the sinner righteous, but the sinner counts himself saved only by God’s grace.

Justified by what?—“Justified freely by His grace.” By God’s unmerited favor alone are men saved, are sinners justified. It can not be purchased. The coin of dead works is not current in the mart of Heaven. What God gives He does not sell, nor can man buy it. If he obtain it at all, he must accept it as it is given, and all the glory is God’s.

Justified through what?—“Through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” Christ paid the price. God “gave His only-begotten Son.” The Son “gave Himself,” and it was all for undeserving men. The Innocent “gave Himself” for the guilty. The Sinless “gave Himself” that the sinful ones might become sinless. The Living One died that the dying ones might have life. O how great is His grace! how loving His redemption!

How is that justification received?—“Through faith in Jesus Christ.” Verse 22. “Through faith of Jesus Christ.” Margin. By the same simple faith that dwelt in Him. Through the faith in Him that lives in you because He lives in you.

O who would not be justified, now, always now, and hence forever, by such wonderful justification! Cleansed from all sin by His grace! Counted by Him as tho we, the sinful, had never sinned! And who, receiving such salvation, would not give all honor, praise, glory, to God to all eternity, and let God work out in us the same character and goodness that was manifest in Jesus our Lord! Are you justified? Why not? There is no hope elsewhere.