"Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ."--Rom. v:1.

HE subject of justification is one of infinite importance to all the sons of men; hence all should be anxious to fully understand it. To aid the anxious, many sermons have been preached, and much has been written upon this subject; and still, intense darkness and mystery settle upon this awfully grand and glorious theme.

      To try to shed a ray of light upon the dark path of those who are seeking justification through the blood of the Lamb, is my design in writing and publishing this discourse.

      Greenfield defines the word dikaioo, from which we have justified in the text, thus: "To declare any one to be what he ought to be, and to treat him as such; to declare one to be blameless, or innocent, and to treat him as such; acquit, absolve," etc.

      Then when any one is said in Scripture to be justified, who has been guilty of transgressing God's righteous commands, we understand that the heavenly [282] Father has acquitted or absolved him from all guilt, and now treats him as if he never had sinned against Him; and hence it is said, "being justified, we have peace with God." God receives those who are justified, into favor with Himself: and hence they are said to have "fellowship with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ." I John i:3. How happy, then, must be the state of the justified. There is no reflection so intolerable as the thought that God disapproves our conduct. To know that wherever we are, at our lying down and uprising, our outgoing and incoming--the disapprobation of heaven rests upon us--who can bear the thought!

      But this is no longer the case with those who are justified. They have peace with God, and therefore stand and rejoice in hope of His glory. Yes, they even rejoice in tribulation, because the love of God is shed abroad in their hearts, by the Holy Ghost given unto them.

      Now the apostle teaches that we are justified by faith; that it is by faith we have access into this gracious state. If, then, this glorious work is accomplished by faith, there are three questions that naturally arise in the mind

      1. What is the faith that justifies?

      2. How is that faith obtained?

      3. How is that faith to be employed, or exercised, in order to be justified by it?

      A moment's reflection will show the importance [283] of these questions. If we are to be justified by faith, we want to know what faith is--for if we know not what it is, we do not know whether we have it or not--and thus we might be led to seek for that which we already possess. I have no doubt but this very fact has kept many from enjoying the blessing of justification, long after they possessed the faith necessary to give access into this grace. Instead of using their faith in the way the Scriptures require in order to justification, they have spent their time in seeking, they knew not what. But if we find, upon investigation, that we have not faith, we then wish to know how this faith is to be obtained, that we may seek so as to find. If, however, we find we have the faith, and are not justified, we want to know how this faith is to be employed in order to bring the blessing of justification.

      Our future remarks upon this subject, then, will be directed to these interrogations.

      1. First, what is that faith by which a sinner is justified? Now faith is some of those simple terms that can be made but little plainer by exposition. It is perfectly understood when applied to any proposition in the universe, excepting that of religion. Why is this the case? It is believed among all Christians, that the Bible contains a revelation from God. A revelation is "the act of disclosing to others what was before unknown to them." (See Webster's Dic.)

      Now, suppose I propose to reveal something to [284] you which you did not know before, and in making' that revelation I employ words as the sign of the ideas I wish to communicate, with which you are well acquainted. You fully understand their meaning, as used on all other occasions, but I do not intend these words shall be so understood in this revelation. I have some secret meaning for these words, and yet I do not tell you what the meaning is. I ask, does not this communication fail to be a revelation to you? Nay, it is worse than no communication, for you are misled by the words which I employ. You receive the wrong idea, and having learned that fact, you are left without any definite idea at all.

      Now we have said, the Bible contains a revelation, from God to man. Faith is one of the words employed in that divine communication; and now I ask if this term is not to be understood in the Bible according to its common acceptation, how shall we know what is affirmed? We can not. We will not, therefore, charge the spirit of all grace with thus mocking the miseries and wants of the children of men. In Heb. xi:1 Paul thus defines faith: "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." He then gives this example: "Through faith, we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God." Here faith is the evidence, or conviction, of that which we see not. We did not see God frame the universe by His almighty word, but by faith we understand the fact. That is, faith is the firm conviction or belief of this [285] truth. In the sixth verse of the same chapter, the apostle says:

      "Without faith it is impossible to please him; for he that cometh to God, must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him."

      Here the apostle uses the terms faith and belief, as expressive of the same idea. Belief that God is, and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him diligently, is the faith that is necessary, in order to please God. In a word, the faith necessary to justification, is the cordial and undoubting reception of the whole revelation of God to man, contained in that best of all books, the Bible.

      But through mercy and goodness, the heavenly Father has embodied the essence and soul-stirring influence of this whole revelation, in three great facts, viz.:

      "That Christ Jesus died for our sins according to the Scriptures; that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day, according to the Scriptures." I Cor. xv:3, 4.

      And to make the matter still more simple, and thus adapt it more fully to our weak capacity, He has summed up the truth of these facts in one leading and fundamental proposition, THAT JESUS CHRIST IS THE SON OF THE LIVING GOD. This truth is so interwoven with the whole revelation of God to our world, that when it is believed with all the heart, we embrace with it all the truths, [286] facts, and promises contained in the sacred volume. If we believe that Christ is the Son of God, we believe that he died, was buried, and rose for us. If we believe this, we believe that God is, and that He is a rewarder of all who seek Him aright.

      This view of the subject is an entire refutation of the strongest arguments used by the Roman Catholic clergy, against the doctrine that the Bible is the only rule of faith. They say, if this is so, we must read and understand every sentence, from the beginning of Genesis to the end of Revelation, before we can have faith, or before we know whether we have true faith or not.

      We are willing to admit--nay, we are sure--that the more we know of God and His works, as developed in the different dispensations, the more enjoyment we have in our union with Him. But it can not be proved that universal knowledge of all God's dealings, ancient and modern, with men and angels, was ever required, by an apostle, of any man in order to justification. "If thou believest with all thy heart, thou mayest, " was the language of Philip to the Ethiopian. And when he replied, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God," he baptized him and he went on his way rejoicing.

      The only way in which we can justify this procedure is upon the principle just stated--that is, that this truth is so connected with the whole economy of salvation, that, believing it, we embrace the whole. Now he that believes this truth with all his heart, [287] may have access into the grace of justification, and may there stand and rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.

      He may then go on and add to this faith virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness and charity, until he arrives at the stature of a perfect man in Christ Jesus. And as he grows in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, mercy, grace and peace will be multiplied unto him.

      2. Having seen what that faith is that brings the blessing of justification, we will now proceed to consider our second question: HOW IS THAT FAITH OBTAINED?

      In answer to this question, read the following Scriptures:

      "And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing ye might have life through his name." John xx:30, 31.

      Here the apostle teaches that that faith which gives life in the name of Jesus, which is the faith by which we are justified, is to be obtained through the writings of the witnesses of our Lord and Savior. Notice, the apostle does not merely say that these things were performed that we might believe; but that they were written for that purpose. In perfect accordance with this, is the language of our Savior, recorded in John. xvii:20: "Neither pray I for these [288] alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word," etc. This passage shows as clear as cloudless noonday, that persons are to believe on Christ, through the word of God, communicated to us by His holy apostles.

      The next proof that I will advance is that very familiar Scripture, found in Rom. x:17:

      "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God."

      That is just saying that faith comes by hearing the word of God. The reader will notice that this is a general conclusion to which the apostle comes, after asking many very important questions, and this too in the same general connection in which our text stands. It would seem that, after the apostle had stated the general fact that we are justified by faith, and having removed every objection to the justification of the Gentiles by the same faith, he anticipated the very question which we are now considering, and, as if to hush to silence all caviling on the subject, he says, "Faith comes by hearing the WORD OF GOD."

      We will now present the reader a few examples, in which this doctrine is carried out in a practical illustration. In the second chapter of the Acts of the Apostles, we learn that when the supernatural endowment of the Holy Ghost was received by these apostles, accompanied by a sound as of a mighty, rushing wind, attended by blazing tongues, which sat upon each of them, the wondering multitude [289] cried out, "These men are full of new wine." All will admit that at this time they had not the faith necessary to justification. These stupendous miracles gave no faith in the name of Christ until they were accompanied by the "WORD OF GOD." But when the divine testimony of the heavenly Father, as spoken by Joel, and David, and these newly inspired apostles of the Lamb, was addressed to their understanding, it carried conviction home to their hearts, and they "said unto Peter and the rest o f the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do." Thus you perceive that these persons obtained faith by hearing the "WORD OF GOD."

      Of the Samaritans, it is said, "When they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women." Acts viii:12. The Samaritans, then, obtained faith by hearing Philip announce the "THE WORD OF GOD." Again: "And it came to pass in Iconium, that they (Paul and Barnabas) went both together into the synagogue of the Jews, and so spake that a great multitude, both of Jews and also of the Greeks, believed." Acts xiv:1.

      Thus did all this multitude believe "by hearing the WORD OF GOD" proclaimed by Paul and Barnabas. Once more: "And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three Sabbath days reasoned with them out of the Scriptures, opening and alleging that Christ must needs have suffered, [290] and risen again from the dead, and that this Jesus whom I preach unto you is Christ. And some of them believed, and consorted with Paul and Silas; and of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and of the chief women not a few." Acts xvii:2-4. Now, I ask, by what means did the people obtain faith? Paul, "as his manner was," announced the great facts concerning Christ, that He died for our sins, was buried, and rose again from the dead, but no persons believed these things. The apostle knowing that "faith comes by hearing the WORD OF GOD," proclaimed that divine testimony in their hearing for three Sabbath days in succession, and the result was that they believed.

      When Paul came to Corinth and proclaimed the "WORD OF GOD," it is said "many of the Corinthians, hearing, believed, and were baptized." Acts xviii:8. The Corinthians, then, believed by hearing the "WORD OF GOD." In accordance with this fact, the apostle asks them, "who then is Paul or Apollos but ministers by whom ye believed?" I Cor. iii:5.

      From the testimony now presented, illustrated and enforced by the numerous examples we have submitted, we shall consider that it is fully proved that the faith which is necessary in order to justification, is obtained through the word of God, given by holy prophets and apostles, and recorded in the sacred volume, the BIBLE.

      3. We now come to our third question, viz.: How [291] must faith be employed, in order to be justified by it?

      I would now inquire, first of all, does faith justify? We answer with an emphatic NO; for the apostle says, "it is God that justifieth; who is he that condemneth?" Rom. viii:33, 34. If, then, it is God who justifies, or pardons the sinner--and yet, it is said, we are justified by faith--I ask again, is there anything mysterious in faith? Does the sinner merit pardon by believing? No one will affirm that he does; for this would be to say that there is so much value in faith, that we could even purchase a seat in the world of glory with it! This would make the enjoyment of heaven to be of debt, and not by grace. If, then, it is God that justifies, and we are justified by faith--and yet, faith does not purchase pardon--we ask again, does faith influence God to pardon the believer? Does the powerful influence of faith pass upon the Supreme Being, and move him to be gracious to the sinner? Does faith "MOVE THE HAND THAT MOVES THE WORLD?"

      Before I proceed to investigate the subject farther, I wish to state a few plain propositions:

      1. "It is God that justifies." This we have stated before, but I wish it to be riveted on the mind. We can not pardon our own sins, nor the sins of our neighbor. If we are ever pardoned, God must do it.

      2. If God justifies a sinner at all, he does it on the principle of mercy. We can not purchase pardon [292] of the Lord, for this plain reason: "The earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof." We have nothing which we can call our own, with which to purchase God's favor. We, ourselves, belong to God, with all we have and are. Should the sinner offer his, body as a ransom for his soul, the Lord might respond, "You belong to me, both soul and body." O! when we take this view of the subject of justification, who will not stand, and wonder, and adore the grace of God, who has thus offered pardon to a rebellious world, "Without money and without price"?

      3. God has a right, as the Sovereign of the universe, to stipulate His own terms of pardon, or justification. No person can object to this, seeing that the Lord pardons of entire mercy, without any merit on our part. If we purchased pardon of the Lord, then we might with some propriety desire to have some hand in stipulating the terms. But as we are poor, helpless, blind, sinful, and rebellious creatures, we should be willing for the merciful Father of Spirits to set his own terms of pardon. Though all admit the truth of this proposition, yet many terms of pardon have been offered to the world, which God never proposed, but which are the mere inventions of men!

      4. If God proposes terms of pardon to man, for man's benefit, it is reasonable to suppose that these terms will be so plainly revealed, that all persons interested may understand and comply with them. This, we affirm, is true in reference to the Gospel [293] terms of pardon--so that no person who learns what to do to be saved, from the New Testament, need go seeking pardon for weeks, and months, and even years, as some have done.

      5. The last proposition that I now wish to make is, that if God has stipulated his own terms of pardon, we ought to submit and comply with them if we wish to be pardoned. We ought not to utter the first murmur, nor raise the least objection, but we should go forward and obey God and live.

      But the man without faith has no disposition or will to comply with these terms, and hence, he remains unjustified. But when he believes in Christ with all his heart, he beholds by faith the overwhelming facts of the Gospel, which express the love of God to a ruined world in such strong terms that his heart is affected, and he cries out,

      Thus his faith subdues 'his will, and purifies his heart, and influences him to say, "Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?" The Gospel directs him to heaven's appointed terms of pardon. Moved forward by the mighty power of his faith in all the facts, commands and promises of the gospel, he complies with these terms and is justified, and "stands and rejoices in hope of the glory of God."

      Having seen that when persons were justified by [294] faith, in the days of the apostles, they obeyed from the heart the form of doctrine delivered them, we will now endeavor to show what that form of doctrine is. We would first suggest that doctrine can not be obeyed--doctrine is to be believed, and the commandments are to be obeyed. Again, the form of anything is not the thing itself, but a representation of it. The likeness of George Washington, which the reader may have in his room, is not George Washington, but the form, or representation of him. So, the form of doctrine, in obedience to which persons are justified, is a representation of that doctrine, and as there can be no obedience where there is no command, this form of doctrine must be composed of a class of commands which represents the doctrine.

      Now, if we can ascertain what the doctrine is, we will be better prepared to understand its form. The leading, all-important, and fundamental points in the Gospel of Christ, or Christian doctrine, are summed up by Paul thus: "How that Christ died for our sins, according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day, according to the Scriptures." I Cor. xv:3, 4. In this doctrine, which the apostle calls the Gospel, there, are three points: A. Christ died for sin. B. He was buried. C. He rose again.

      Now, I ask every Bible student to point out three commands that will represent or show forth these facts. Will faith alone do it? When faith in these facts kills the love of sin in the believer's heart, it [295] may show forth the death of Christ; but two facts in the doctrine remain unrepresented. There must then be in the form of doctrine, some command, by obeying which, the believer shows forth the burial and resurrection of our blessed Lord. But let us hear Paul himself upon this subject, in the same chapter where he mentions the form of doctrine.

      "What shall we say, then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?" Rom. vi:1, 2. Here is the first point in the form of doctrine. The first item in the doctrine is, that we die to sin. "Know ye not that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ, were baptized into his death? Therefore we are (or were, to continue the same tense), buried with him, by baptism, into death; that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life." V. 3, 4.

      In this form is represented the death' of Christ, in our death to sin; His burial in our immersion, and His resurrection in our rising from the watery grave, to walk in newness of life. This, then, must be the form of doctrine which persons obeyed when they were made free from sin, under the immediate teaching of the inspired apostles of the Lamb. Hence, Paul goes on to say: "For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection." V. 5.

      With this view agrees the teaching of Christ and [296] His holy apostles. Christ commanded his witnesses to go and preach the Gospel to every creature, assuring them that "he who believeth and is baptized shall be saved." Mark xvi:16. Hence, when Peter announced this form of doctrine to the heart-smitten multitude, who inquired of him what they must do to be justified, he said, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." Acts ii:38. This, too, accounts for the language of Ananias to Saul, who was anxiously seeking this justification: "Why tarriest thou?" said he; "arise and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord." Acts xxii:16.

      To the same effect speaks this same Saul, afterward called Paul, when he says, "According to his mercy, he saved us by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost." Tit. iii:5. That the washing of regeneration here spoken of, is baptism, we have the testimony of Dr. A. Clarke, and Dr. James McKnight, the former a distinguished commentator of the Methodist Episcopal Church--the latter, an unsurpassed translator and commentary writer of the Presbyterian Church. Dr. Clarke says, on this washing: "Undoubtedly, the apostle here means baptism, the rite by which persons were admitted into the church, and the visible sign of the cleansing, purifying influences of the Holy Spirit, which the apostle immediately subjoins. Baptism [297] is only a sign, and therefore should never be separated from the thing signified--but it is a rite commanded by God Himself, and therefore, the thing signified should never be expected without it." That is, if we understand the doctor correctly, the cleansing influence of the Holy Spirit should never be expected, without baptism.

      Dr. McKnight says: "Through the bath of regeneration--through baptism, called the bath of regeneration, not because any change in the nature of the baptized person is produced by baptism--but because it is an emblem of the purification of the soul from sin." Thus does this great scholar and critic teach that this washing, which he renders bath,--this rendering being more in accordance with the original--is baptism. It is strange, however, that he, with so many others, should call baptism "an emblem of the purification of the soul from sin," and a "sign of the purifying influence of the Holy Spirit," when nothing of this kind is found in the whole New Testament.

      Baptism is never called a sign of regeneration, nor an emblem of the Spirit's influence, by any apostle of Christ whose writings have come down to us. But those who thus teach, must account to the great head of the church for it.

      Now, of the things which we have written, this is the sum: God has loved the world, and sent his Son to die for sinners; Christ has manifested that love by all he did and suffered for us; faith in God's [298] love thus manifested, slays the enmity of the heart, so that by faith the sinner dies to the love and practice of sin--his faith in God's promises, influences him to reform and be baptized, in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of sins--and when he thus obeys from the heart this form of doctrine, he is made free from sin, and becomes a servant of righteousness.

      In conclusion, let me say to all who have thus been justified by faith, be faithful in the discharge of all the holy obligations of Christianity, that you may finally enter into that rest that remaineth for the people of God. May the great Lord of all enable us all so to live, that we may enjoy His favor in life, His loving kindness in death, and His holy presence in eternity. [299]

[NTC3 282-299]