JUSTIFICATION by M. B. Smith

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jun 10, 1862

JUSTIFICATION.

By M. B. Smith

THE word justified is a word used in scripture to denote the condition man is in before God as a pardoned sinner or child of God, the opposite, of being a condemned sinner under the curse of God; hence Paul says, Rom. v, 1, "Being justified by faith, we (Christians) have peace with God;" but in Ex. xxiii, 7, God says, "I will not justify the wicked," that is, not look upon him as free from condemnation; for condemnation is the opposite of justification.

We might be led to think that Paul contradicts himself in the book of Romans, if we did not investigate the subject of justification closely. He says, Rom. ii, 13, "The doers of the law shall be justified," but in Rom. iii, 20, he adds, "By the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight." Why? Because the law is abolished? No; for "by the law is the knowledge of sin," or because the law shows every one that he is a sinner, and "all the world becomes guilty before God;" because "all have sinned (broken the law) and come short of the glory of God," hence, none can be justified on the ground of obedience to the law, but must be "justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus."

Well what shall we understand where Paul says that "the doers of the law shall be justified." We understand that Paul here is speaking of the same thing that James speaks of in his epistle, chap. ii, 12, that is, that the law will be the rule of the judgment; hence, Christ says, Matt. xii, 37, By thy words thou shalt be justified and by thy words thou shalt be condemned. That is, if a man's words are pure and right, he will be justified; but if they are contrary to the holy law of God, he will be condemned.

Some suppose that a man is justified if he believes in Christ without complying with any external obedience. To truly "believe on the Lord Jesus Christ" is to believe in him with all the heart, and hence to believe the whole gospel plan of salvation, and render obedience to all its requirements. Therefore, if we really believe in him, we shall put him on by being buried with him in baptism. So we see there is no dividing line between believing in Christ and rendering that external, as well as internal obedience required in his word. The text so often quoted to prove that a man is justified by some kind of exercise

of the mind or mere belief, is found in Rom. v, 1. This text undoubtedly has no reference to any conviction or exercise of the mind called "believing on the Lord Jesus Christ," but to the glorious gospel of the Son of God, and means that we are justified by (i. e., through the agency of) the gospel. Again we read in the same chap. verse 9, that we are justified "by his blood," and why? Ans. Because the blood is the life, and he bore our sins in his own body on the tree, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross; and gave his own life to save ours. Hence, it is through the agency of the blood or life of the Son of God that we are justified before God, inasmuch as there is "no other name given under heaven whereby we must be saved." We read in Acts vi, 7, "A great company of priests became obedient to the faith." Again, Jude says, "Contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints." These texts undoubtedly have reference to the gospel; and if the word gospel was placed in these texts instead of the word faith, there would be no difference in the meaning.

Thus we see that none can be justified on the ground of obedience to the law of God, because all have sinned and by this holy law is the knowledge that we have all come short of the glory of God; and as no law will justify a man after he has once broken it, so we poor sinners must be justified by his grace that has been so freely offered to us through the merits of Christ. But on the other hand, those only will be justified who have truly repented of their sins, and turned away from disobedience and have kept the "commandments of God as well as the faith of Jesus;" hence, Paul says, The doers of the law shall be justified. So here in this life we are justified freely by his grace, inasmuch as God has promised to forgive all our sins and remember them no more against us, and to accept of us and look upon us as though we had not sinned, and cause us to be free from all condemnation. But in the judgment grace is not the rule by which men are justified, but they will then be judged "according to their works, whether they be good or bad."

Dear brethren and sisters, I would say, then, in the language of James, "So speak ye and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty." Jas. ii, 12. It is death to sleep now, Satan is marshaling his mighty host for the last conflict. But we can rejoice that if we are faithful, we shall ere long see our absent Lord coming the second time to the eternal salvation of his people. Even so come Lord Jesus.

M. B. SMITH.

Marion, Iowa.