3343.—Justified by Faith
By Editor
Rom. 3: 20 declares that "by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified" in God's sight; and then it tells us why this can not be, "for through the law cometh the knowledge of sin;" and that law shows that every man is a sinner. See verse 19, "All the world may become guilty before God." Then how can man justify himself? Should he live a perfect life all his days from the time he is converted, that can not atone for the past; and then, too, the heart must be changed in harmony with the law in order to live the law. But God met man in his sore need entirely apart from the doing of the law. Christ Jesus kept it for him; and to that man who will accept of righteousness wrought out in Christ Jesus in obedience to God's law, God will impute His righteousness. Man must, however, in accepting that righteousness, renounce forever his life of sin. He turns from that to Christ Jesus, from all his work of selfishness to the unselfish righteousness of Christ, and Christ's righteousness is accepted for him; so that God does not see the sinner, but the life of Christ which covers the sinner. But that righteousness which God imputes to him is the same righteousness which is in the law, because the law witnesses to it. It would be against God's government did Jesus give any other righteousness than that which the law demands. Sinful man can not get the righteousness which is in the law, however, because he is sinful; and therefore, concludes verse 28, "We reckon therefore that a man is justified by faith apart from the works of the law." But what does that justification do for him? Does it make the law of no account? Does it abrogate the law? Does it say to him that he can break the law? Does it lead him to regard the law less? Let the apostle answer again: "Do we then make the law of none effect through faith? God forbid: nay, we establish the law." So that every man who is truly, intelligently justified by Christ, has God's law established in his heart, and then the ordinances and requirements will be fulfilled in him if he walks "not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." Rom. 8: 4. He will, in the language of another apostle, say, "This is the love of God, that we keep His commandments: and His commandments are not grievous."