CONTINUING our consideration of Positional Truth, we pick-up from where we left off with the meaning of justification. Using the same metaphor from the previous comment it would seem we are plowing familiar ground, but if I can stretch the analogy a little further – we need to plow straight and true, and do the work rightly so that the weeds of untruth or unbelief do not choke or starve out our understanding. Here I refer you to the Westminster Larger Catechism Q#70 on Justification and the terra firma as it were that it provides, the sold good ground for our understanding and faith.
WLC Q70. What is justification?
Ans: Justification is an act of God’s free grace unto sinners, in which he pardoneth all their sins, accepteth and accounteth their persons righteous in his sight; not for any thing wrought in them, or done by them, but only for the perfect obedience and full satisfaction of Christ, by God imputed to them, and received by faith alone.
IN a previous comment (7/12/19), I referred to WLC Questions #77 & 75 related to Justification and Sanctification. It’s good to keep those in front of us as we go through this consideration of Positional Truth, our Union with Christ, and its many implications and applications to our walk and growth in Christ.
In the wondrous blessings of Christ,
Joe
Neh. 8:10, Isa. 30:15 & Job 2:10
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Chapter 20—Justification and Assurance – Part 2 Continued….
The meaning of justification
The meaning of justification is to pronounce righteous, not to make righteous; what is imputed is not, in fact, imparted. To be justified means that the believer is viewed in Christ as righteous, and is treated as such by God. The righteousness of our position in the Lord Jesus is increasingly manifested in our condition, as we “grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ” (2 Pet. 3:18). “But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us … righteousness, and … redemption” (I Cor. 1:30).
Until we clearly see the positional perfection of our justification [union with] in Christ, our conception of, and faith in, all the other aspects of our position will be out of focus. In Old Testament type, God explained to Israel that “the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul” (Lev. 17:11). Now, the value of the life sacrificed is the measure of the worth of the blood shed. In that these type-sacrifices were animals, innocent and spotless though they were, still “it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins” (Heb. 10:4). All of this was a cancellation in anticipation of God’s perfect sacrifice of “the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:29).
God the Son became also the perfect Son of Man in order that He might go to the Father’s altar, the cross of Calvary and there willingly shed His precious Blood in full atonement for our sins. Complete payment made, He was free to rise again in resurrected, ascended, and glorified eternal life. “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace” (Eph. 1:7). There are two important factors in this verse: (1) “In whom we have redemption.” Here we have our position of justification. When we received Him as our Savior, He received us and we were born into Him in “newness of life”—His life. (2) Because of the perfection of His atonement, it was all “according to the riches of his grace.” Complete and eternal justification is a gracious gift, utterly impossible to be earned in any way whatsoever. “…To him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness” (Rom. 4:5).
A further fact to be remembered is that all our sins were future at the time they were paid for, since the work of the Cross was accomplished when we were yet unborn. Our Father took everything into consideration before He made a single move on our behalf. Hence, we can be fully assured that all our sins [were dealt with on the cross] and have been forever forgiven. “…Through this Man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: and by him all that believe are justified from all things”… (Acts 13:38, 39, italics mine). …to be continued
