(5) And now the judge himself pronounces the result. “Be it known unto you that through this Man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins; and by Him all that believe are justified from all things.” Now, for the first time, the sinner at the bar knows the fact. This is justification by faith.
(6) But now the justified man leaves the criminal’s dock. He does not return to his prison, or to his chains. He walks forth from the court-house a justified man; and all men, friends or foes, are made aware that he is free. That is “justification by works.”
Mr. M.—A man says: “I have not found peace.” How would you deal with him?
Mr. R.—He is really looking for the wrong thing. I do not look for peace. I look for Christ; and I get peace with Him. Some people put peace in the place of Christ. Others put their repentance or prayers in the place of Christ. Anything put in the place of Christ, or between the sinner and Christ, is in the wrong place. When I get Christ, I possess in Him everything that belongs to Him, as my Saviour.
Mr. M.—Some think they cannot be Christians until they are sanctified.
Mr. R.—Christ is my Sanctification, as much as my Justification. I cannot be sanctified but by His blood. There is a wonderful passage in Exodus. The high priest there represented in picture the Lord Jesus Christ. There was to be placed on the forefront of the miter of the high priest, when he stood before God, a plate of pure gold, and graven upon it as with a signet, the words: “Holiness to the Lord.” My faith sees it on the forefront of the miter on the brow of my High Priest in heaven. “And it shall be upon Aaron’s forehead, that Aaron may bear the iniquity of the holy things, which the children of Israel shall hallow in all their holy gifts; and it shall be always upon his forehead, that they may be accepted before the Lord.” That was for Israel of old! That on the brow of Jesus Christ is for me. Yes—for me, “that I may be accepted before the Lord.” As I believe this truth it purifies my heart, it operates on my affections and my desires; and I seek to walk with Him, because He is my Sanctification before God, just as I trust in Him as my Justification—because He shed His blood for me.
Mr. M.—What is it to believe on His name?
Mr. R.—His name is His revealed self. We are informed what it is in Exodus. Moses was in the mount with God, and He had shown him wonderful things of kindness and of love. And Moses said, “O God, show me thy glory!” And He said, “I will make all my goodness pass before thee.” So He put Moses in the cleft of the rock, and proclaimed the name of the Lord: “The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth; keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin”—there it is, root and branch “and that will by no means clear the guilty.” That is His name; and His glory He will not give unto another: and to believe in the name of the Lord is just to shelter under His promises.
Mr. M.—What is it to “receive the Kingdom of God like a little child?”
Mr. R.—Well, I do not believe in a little child being an innocent thing. I think it means that we are to receive it in all our need and helplessness. A little child is the most dependent thing on earth. All its resources are in its parents’ love: all it can do is to cry; and its necessities explain the meaning to the mother’s heart. If we interpret its language, it means: “Mother, wash me; I cannot wash myself. Mother, clothe me; I am naked, and cannot clothe myself. Mother, feed me; I cannot feed myself. Mother, carry me; I cannot walk.” It is written, “A mother may forget her sucking child; yet will not I forget thee.” This it is to receive the Kingdom of God as a little child—to come to Jesus in our helplessness and say: “Lord Jesus, wash me!” “Clothe me!” “Feed me!” “Carry me!” “Save me, Lord, or I perish.”