p. 9 | Justified by Faith

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · Oct 25, 1910

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 37, No. 42.

Justified by Faith

THE man who never sinned would be justified by his works. The doer of the law would be justified by his deeds. This is true of the angels; their deeds, wrought in faith, will declare them just; for they have never sinned before God. But not so with man. All men have sinned, all men are in a sinful condition by nature. They not only of themselves can not put away the sins of the past, but they are incapable of meeting the perfect righteousness of the law required of the present. In the deeds of the law is only condemnation for all, “for all have sinned.” But through God’s unmerited favor man by faith in Christ is declared just. Man repents of his sin, submits all to God, looks by faith to Christ, and God for Christ’s sake not only forgives the sin but implants within the penitent sinner His own nature. The man is “regenerated,” “born again,” “created unto good works;” and as long as he holds this faith steadfast to the end, his deeds will manifest his faith. They will show his faith to be a living, effectual faith; in other words, his deeds will show him to have the faith which justifies, and he is therefore said to be “justified by works.” James 2:21.