Justification by Faith.
By S. B. Whitney
“Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.” Rom. 3:28. Nothing can be clearer than the principle laid down in the context of this scripture, that “by the deeds of the law no flesh shall be justified.” It having “before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin,” verse 9, how evident it is that when the law speaks, every mouth is stopped, and all the world is shown to be guilty. And as the culprit before a civil tribunal, after the verdict “guilty” is brought in, and sentence pronounced, cannot hope to meet the demands of the law by promises of future obedience, so cannot the transgressor of God’s law hope for justification at the bar of God “by the deeds of the law;” hence the conclusion of the apostle in the text. But does Paul wish to be understood as saying that a man is justified by faith while continuing in his transgression? Most certainly not; and the idea is hardly worthy of notice; for to suppose that he can be justified while doing the very thing for which he is condemned is too inconsistent to be believed. But again: Does he mean to say that the law is abolished, and obedience to it is not now required? Still we say not; for the following reasons: 1. He speaks in verse 19 of the law as being in force, and addressing itself in terms of condemnation to the whole world; which it could not do had it been previously done away, or its force destroyed. 2. He positively denies the charge in verse 31. “Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid; yea, we establish the law.” 3. He further states in chap. 8:4, that one object in providing the means of justification is, “that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit.” 4. There is another thought connected with the subject, which those who argue the abolition of the law from Paul’s language, seem to overlook, and to which we would call attention. In the next chapter the subject is illustrated by a reference to Abraham and his seed; and as they could not be justified by works or the deeds of the law, any more than we can, it is shown that there is not that difference in this respect between the two dispensations that the class above referred to contend for. It will also be seen that if at the time when all admit the law was in force, it was necessary to be justified by faith, it does not follow that the law is abolished, simply because that now no flesh can be justified by the deeds of the law. We think it can be easily discerned that the reason why we need to seek for justification, is the fact that the law holds the sword of justice over our heads, ready to cut us down. But God has mercifully provided the way of escape, and “what the law could not do” has been accomplished by the sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ for sin, by which sin has been condemned, and pardon offered to us on condition that we walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit, and thus fulfill the righteousness of the law. S. B. WHITNEY.