The Holy Ghost has inspired the writers of it that we may read, and hear, and know the love that God has to us, “in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.” We could not have the Son for our Saviour, unless God gave Him. We could not understand the gift of God, unless the Holy Ghost had come to quicken us and teach us; and this He does through the Word.
Mr. M.—How much is there in Christ for us who believe?
Mr. R.—In Him dwelt “all the fullness of the Godhead bodily”—fullness of life, of righteousness, of sanctification, of redemption, title to heaven, and meetness for it; all that God wants from us, and all that we want from God, He gave in the person of Christ.
Mr. M.—How long does it take God to justify a sinner?
Mr. R.—How long? The moment we receive Him we receive authority to enroll ourselves among the children of God, and are then and there justified from all things. The sentence of complete justification does not take long to pronounce. Some persons profess to see a difficulty in the variety of ways in which a sinner is said to be justified before God: (1) Justified by God; (2) Justified by Christ; (3) Justified by His Blood; (4) Justified by grace; (5) Justified by faith; (6) Justified by works.
Justification has reference to a court of justice. Suppose a sinner standing at the bar of God, the bar of conscience, and the bar of his fellow-men, charged with a thousand crimes.
(1) There is the Judge: that is God, who alone can condemn or justify: “It is God that justifieth.” That is justification by God.
(2) There is the Advocate, who appears at court for the sinner; the counselor, the intercessor: that is Christ. “Justified by Christ.”
(3) There is next to be considered the ground and reason on account of which the Advocate pleads before the Judge. That is the merit of His own precious Blood. That is justification by His Blood.
(4) Next we must remember the law which the Judge is dispensing. The law of works? Nay, but the law of grace and faith. That is justification by His grace.