Saved by faith alone web

SAVED
BY
FAITH ALONE

Understanding
the doctrine of justification by faith
and how to teach it to children

SAM DOHERTY

A series of devotional manuals for children’s workers
“The Problems of a Children’s Worker - and God’s Solution”
“Obedience to the Heavenly Vision”
“Smooth Sailing in Personal Relationships and Leadership”
“50 Years and Still Learning”
“Salvation by Faith Alone”
“Truths for Teachers”
“God’s Word for God’s Workers Vol 1”
“God’s Word for God’s Workers Vol 2”

Electronic Edition Published
October 2011

All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from
the New King James Version. Copyright © by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Published by
Child Evangelism Fellowship ® Inc.
Specialized Book Ministry
Assisting Children’s Evangelists Worldwide
P O Box 308, Lisburn, Co. Antrim BT28 2YS, Northern Ireland, UK
© October 2001

Table of Contents

Foreword ................................................................................................................ v
General Introduction................................................................................vii
Section 1: Justification of Faith ......................................................................... 1
The Hinge of Child Evangelism

Chapter 1 Guilty before God ................................................................ 8
The Need For Justification

Chapter 2 Good Works Cannot Save .................................................. 1 3
Human Errors About Justification

Chapter 3 Possible or Impossible? ....................................................... 1 7
Two Questions About Justification

Chapter 4 Forgiven and Righteous ..................................................... 2 0
The Meaning Of Justification

Chapter 5 Just and the Justifier ........................................................... 3 2
The Righteousness Of God

Chapter 6 Salvation is of the Lord ...................................................... 4 0
The Source Of Justification

Chapter 7 Saved by Grace Alone ........................................................ 4 5
The Reason For Justification

Chapter 8 Wounded for Me ................................................................. 5 1
The Price Of Justification

Chapter 9 Christ is Risen Indeed! ....................................................... 5 6
The Proof Of Justification

Chapter 10 Forsaking All I Trust Him .................................................... 6 0
The Condition Of Justification

Chapter 11 Faith the Root, Works the Fruit ......................................... 6 6
The Evidence Of Justification

Chapter 12 Showers of Blessing ............................................................ 7 3
The Results Of Justification

Chapter 13 Safe and Secure .................................................................. 79
The Permanence Of Justification

Chapter 14 Don’t Forget the Children ................................................. 8 6
TheTeaching Of Justification By Faith To Children

Section 2: Reaching Children with a Liberal Protestant Background 109

Chapter 1 Begin with the Background ............................................. 1 1 6
What Is Liberal Protestantism?

Chapter 2 Decisions are Needed ..................................................... 124
How Should We React To Liberal Protestantism?

Chapter 3 Consider the Children ...................................................... 1 2 9
How Does Liberal Protestantism Affect The Children?

Chapter 4 Consider the Scriptures .................................................... 1 3 3
What Does The Bible Teach About Children?

Chapter 5 Consider your Ministry .................................................. 143
How Can We Help These Children?

Chapter 6 Consider your Message .................................................. 148
What Should We Teach These Children?

Chapter 7 Salvation by Faith Alone ............................................... 150
What Must They Do To Be Saved?

Chapter 8 Repent and be Baptised .................................................. 156
Are They Saved Through Baptism?

Chapter 9 The Family of God .......................................................... 165
Is God The Father Of Every One?

Chapter 10 The Legacy of Christian Parents ................................... 169
If Their Parents Are Believers,
Are They Automatically Believers?

Chapter 11 The Truth of God ............................................................. 174
Is The Bible Really The Inspired Word Of God?

Chapter 12 The Person of Christ ....................................................... 179
Was Jesus Christ Truly And Completely God?

Chapter 13 The Origin of Man .......................................................... 183
Are We The Product Or Result Of Evolution?

Chapter 14 The Next Step ................................................................... 194
What Is Our Response?

Saved by Faith Alone v

FOREWORD

We live in an age that rightly encourages the youngest child to have an
inquiring mind and to ask questions about everything and anything.
Sometimes, however, it is forgotten that one of the tasks of parents and
teachers, in seeking to fulfil their God-given function, is to encourage the
asking of the right questions.
Of all the questions that can be asked today, concerning life in this
world and the problems we encounter, there is no more important,
fundamental question which any boy or girl can ever ask than this – “How
can a sinful human being, like me, find acceptance and favour with a holy
God?” This is incomparably the greatest and the most important matter
than can ever face any of us, while we are in this world. And the heart of
the Gospel of Christ, is God’s answer to that vital question.

Jesus, Thy blood and righteousness Bold shall I stand in that great day,
My beauty are, my glorious dress: For who aught to my charge shall lay?
’Midst flaming worlds, in these arrayed, While through Thy blood absolved I am
With joy shall I lift up my head. From sin and fear, from guilt and shame.

In the natural course of life in this world, our children are going to
pass through many trials, temptations, pressures and hardships. They are
going to experience guilt, failure, disappointment and loss, along with many
joys and pleasures. To anyone who wants to see children enjoying a rich,
vital relationship to God, and persevering to the end, through all the stresses
and disappointments that life will throw at them, I would say two things.
First, grasp and understand this glorious doctrine of justification by faith
alone, yourself; for when you really do grasp it, the exquisite joy, comfort,
confidence and assurance it gives you, will compel you, secondly, to use
every means at your disposal to explain it to, and share it with, others
around you. This book has been written to help you to do those two things.
It was Thomas Watson who observed, “An error about justification is
dangerous, like a defect in a foundation. Justification by Christ is a spring
of the water of life. To have the poison of corrupt doctrine cast into this
spring is damnable.” If we give ourselves to understanding and applying
this doctrine, then the teaching of our children will have the quality of

vi Foreword

eternity in it—it will be gold, silver and precious stones, not wood, hay and
straw.
The author’s desire in writing this book is to see many children going
through life, ‘strong in the Lord and in the power of His might’, enjoying
the blessed assurance that, ‘Jesus has lived and died for me’. May the
Lord our God, by the mighty working of His Holy Spirit, be pleased to use
it to that end and purpose.

Rev. John Keefe
Minister of Sloan Street Presbyterian Church
Lisburn, Northern Ireland

Saved by Faith Alone vii

GENERAL INTRODUCTION

This book is the latest in my series to help children’s workers worldwide
in their lives and in their ministries. The other books which have been
published are listed at the beginning of this book; and if you have not received
any of them, please let us know which of them would be a help to you and
why, and we will send you whatever you don’t have.
This book has two sections which are, as you will see, closely related.
• The first section has as its theme “Justification By Faith”. This
could well be the most important doctrine of the Christian faith. It is
certainly the key doctrine as far as the Gospel message is concerned.
It is therefore essential that everyone who evangelizes children
should understand this doctrine and its many aspects, and also be
able to teach it to the children. I trust that this first section of the
book will accomplish both of these purposes.
• There are many children who are growing up in, and are influenced
by, Protestant churches which are called liberal or modernist. These
are Protestant churches which have moved away from the historic
doctrines of the Christian faith; and many children are influenced
by their teaching in churches, Sunday Schools and religious
instruction classes in schools. We need to know how to evangelize
these children; and we also need to understand their background
and what they have been taught. One of the main problems in these
churches – indeed it could well be the main one – is that they no
longer believe in, and teach, the biblical doctrine of justification
through grace alone by faith alone in Christ alone. It is therefore
appropriate that these two sections should be published together as
one book.
I trust that both sections of this book will be a help to you in your
personal life, and in your ministry to the boys and girls, especially to those
who do not understand the doctrine of justification by faith.
I would like to express my appreciation to Rev. John Keefe for writing
the foreword to this book. I had the privilege of being one of John’s school
teachers when he was in his teens, and appreciated his Christian witness
in the school where I taught. He was also a help to me in my ministry to
the other pupils. I was greatly encouraged to learn that God had called him

viii Introduction

into full-time Christian ministry, and it has been a joy to see how God has
blessed him and used him in that ministry down through the years.

Saved by Faith Alone 1

Section 1:

Justification by Faith
“The Hinge of Child Evangelism”


Table of Contents
Section 1: Justification by Faith ............................................................ 1
The Hinge Of Child Evangelism
Introduction .............................................................................................. 6

Chapter 1 Guilty before God ............................................................. 8
The Need For Justification
Romans Chapter 1 v1–17 ................................................................................... 8
Romans Chapter 1 v18—3 v20 ......................................................................... 9

Chapter 2 Good Works Cannot Save ..........................................13
Human Errors About Justification
Paul’s Teaching in Romans..................................................................13
Paul’s Teaching in Galatians...............................................................14
Summary..........................................................................................14

Chapter 3 Possible or Impossible................................................17
Two Questions About Justification
How Can a Sinner Be Justified Before God?.........................................17
How Can a Holy God Justify Sinners?..................................................17

Chapter 4 Forgiven and Righteous..............................................20
The Meaning Of Justification
A Definition of Justification................................................................20
Justification Results, First of All, in Forgiveness.....................................21
Justification Results, Secondly, in Righteousness....................................24
Justification is Instantaneous................................................................28

Chapter 5 Just and the Justifier...................................................32
The Righteousness Of God
The Righteousness Of God...................................................................32
The Righteousness of Jesus Christ........................................................33
Paul’s Teaching about the Righteousness of Christ.................................34
The Meaning of Imputation................................................................36
Only Two Kinds of Righteousness........................................................38

Chapter 6 Salvation is of the Lord..............................................40
The Source Of Justification

4 Section 1 — Chapter 1

Justification Does Not Come from Man...............................................40
Justification Comes Only from God.....................................................43

Chapter 7 Saved by Grace Alone................................................45
The Reason For Justification
Justification is by Grace Alone...........................................................45
Answers to Difficult Questions............................................................48

Chapter 8 Wounded for Me ......................................................51
The Price Of Justification
A Look at Romans.............................................................................51
A Look at 2 Corinthians.....................................................................52
A Look at Galatians..........................................................................53
Summary..........................................................................................54

Chapter 9 Christ is Risen Indeed! ..............................................56
The Proof Of Justification
The Resurrection Proves Our Justification...............................................56
The Final Sign for Sceptics.................................................................58

Chapter 10 Forsaking All I Trust Him............................................60
The Condition Of Justification
The Sinner is Justified by Faith............................................................60
The Meaning of Faith.........................................................................60
A Faith which Fails and Falls Short .....................................................61
Justification by Faith was the Key Doctrine of the Reformation .............62
Justification by Faith is a Key Biblical Doctrine....................................62

Chapter 11 Faith, the Root, Works the Fruit.................................66
The Evidence Of Justification
Justification and Regeneration Occur Together......................................66
Justification is Followed by Sanctification............................................67
A Grave Mistake...............................................................................68
The Need for Self-examination...........................................................68
Two Kinds of Righteousness................................................................69
Justification and Works .....................................................................69
Carnality and the Christian ................................................................70
Teach the Children............................................................................71

Chapter 12 Showers of Belssing ...................................................73
The Results Of Justification
No Condemnation.............................................................................73
Peace with God................................................................................74


Access to God..................................................................................75
Eternal Life and Sure Glorification......................................................75
Salvation from God’s Wrath................................................................76
Joy...................................................................................................76
God’s Sons and Heirs..........................................................................77
Dedicated Service............................................................................77

Chapter 13 Safe and Secure..........................................................79
The Permanence Of Justification
Is Everyone Who Claims to Be Justified Truly Justified?...........................79
Can a Person Who Has Truly Been Justified Lose
His Salvation? If So, How?.............................................................81
Can a Justified Person Backslide and Go Back Into the World?...............83
If a Believer Backslides What Happens to Him?..................................84

Chapter 14 Don’t Forget the Children..........................................86
The Teaching Of Justification By Faith To Children
Understand and Explain What the Word Means...................................86
Teach Justification through Bible Lessons.............................................87
Teach Justification through a Flashcard Lesson.....................................89
Teach Justification through the Explanation, Repetition
and Learning of Bible Verses ..........................................................90
Teach Justification through the Use of Illustrations................................92
Teach Justification through the Use of the
Wordless Book ..............................................................................98
Teach Justification through a Simple Visual..........................................99
Teach Justification through Stories from Church History.........................99
Dawn Breaks over Europe..................................................................100

Books for Further Reading on this Subject....................................108


INTRODUCTION

John Calvin wrote:
“Justification (by faith) is the main hinge on which religion turns.”
I believe that it is the hinge on which our evangelism of children
turns.
Martin Luther said:
“Justification (by faith) is the article (or sign) of a standing or a
falling church.”
I believe that the effectiveness of our ministry to children depends
upon our own understanding of the doctrine of justification by faith -
and how we teach and apply this doctrine to the children.
Martin Luther also said:
“Justification is the chief article from which all other doctrines
have flowed; the master and prince, lord, ruler and judge over all
kinds of doctrine. If the article of justification is lost all Christian
doctrine is lost at the same time. It alone begets, builds, preserves
and defends the church of God; and without it the church of God
cannot exist for one hour.”
We as children’s workers should never neglect to teach this great
doctrine to the children to whom we minister. If we neglect to do so we
will cause confusion and even harm to our children.
The doctrine of justification by faith is one of the key doctrines of
the Bible. In the New Testament the word “propitiation” is mentioned
4 times; “redemption” 11 times; “reconciliation” 5 times but
“justification” (and related words) 230 times.
It is therefore necessary for us as children’s workers to have a
thorough biblical understanding of this doctrine, and its practical
consequences, to apply this doctrine consistently to ourselves, and
to give it a vital, and even a central, place in our ministry to children.
We will study this doctrine under a series of headings with a chapter
devoted to each. One of these will be “The meaning of justification”.
However we should, in preparation, and by means of introduction, make
several short, simple but necessary statements about justification by
faith.


The word “justification” is a word taken from the law court. It is a
legal term which declares a person to be righteous and not guilty,
and which acquits him completely from the sentence or punishment
which he deserves.
The word “justification” is the opposite to the word
“condemnation.”
“Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who
justifies. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died,
and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of
God, who also makes intercession for us” (Romans 8 v33, 34).
The person who is justified will not, and cannot, be condemned.
Justification is a statement, a declaration, a proclamation that a
sinner, who is not righteous, is righteous in the sight of God. It
declares him righteous, but does not of itself make him righteous.
Justification is objective, not subjective. It occurs outside the
person justified—and not within him. It changes his position
but not his character.
We will come back to each of these statements from time to time
throughout this section of the book and explain them more thoroughly.
My prayer is that each of us, as children’s workers, will enter into
a new understanding of this great biblical doctrine; and that we will, at
the same time, make a new resolve and determination to teach it
effectively to our children.

“For in it (the Gospel) the righteousness of God is revealed from
faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.”
(Romans 1 v17).


Chapter 1:
Guilty Before God
The Need for Justification

P
seen.”
aul’s letter to the Romans is undoubtedly his masterpiece. Someone
has described it as “the greatest display of logic the world has ever

It was the only letter which Paul wrote to a church which he had
not visited or founded. As a consequence, it covers a wide range of
essential truth and doctrine, and includes, I am sure, most of what Paul
would have preached if he had been there.
The book of Romans contains the most detailed outline and study
of justification to be found in the New Testament. Paul’s letter to the
Galatians is also, as we shall see later, a great additional help in the
understanding of this doctrine.
A study of the first three chapters of Romans shows us clearly why
justification is needed—and that this is a universal need.

Romans Chapter 1 v1–17
This section of the letter introduces the subject of justification and
builds up to the key truths found in verses 14–17. Six simple statements
can be seen in these verses, all of which have obvious applications to
you and me and our ministry to children:
Paul’s debt –
“Both to Greeks and to barbarians” (verse 14).
Paul was a debtor. He was in debt to preach Jesus Christ and His
Gospel to all kinds of people. He “owed” them the Gospel.
Preaching this Gospel was the means by which this debt could
be discharged.
Paul’s desire –
“I am ready to preach the Gospel to you” (verse 15).
Paul’s great desire was to preach. He was ready to preach the
Gospel to everybody, in every place, at every opportunity and
under every circumstance.


Paul’s declaration –
“I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ” (verse 16).
The world did not like the Gospel Paul preached and opposed
Paul continually. But Paul was proud of that message and
appreciated the privilege of having been called to preach it and
never tried to hide or dilute his message.
The dynamic (or power) of the Gospel –
“It is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes”
(verse 16b).
One of the main reasons Paul was not ashamed of the Gospel
and desired to preach it was because it had POWER. God used
the message to save all kinds of sinners and to change lives.
The design (or plan) of the Gospel –
“To the Jew first and also to the Greek” (verse 16c).
God wants all people to hear the wonderful Gospel. God’s plan was
that it should be preached first to the Jews (and it was) but then that
it should be preached to everyone of every race, colour and creed.
The doctrines (or principles) of the Gospel –
“For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from (on the basis
of) faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith”
(verse 17).
The righteousness of God is revealed in the Gospel. The Gospel
does not only reveal that God Himself is righteous, but it also reveals
that He declares us righteous through belief in the Gospel. Because
of the faith we have placed in His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, He
puts His righteousness into our account. The one who believes is
just, or justified, and that is the theme of the following chapters of
Romans.

Romans Chapter 1 v18- 3 v20
This section of the letter outlines clearly why justification and God’s
righteousness are needed by every one of us. Everyone is a sinner. We
are sinful, unclean, dead, blind and enemies of God. Therefore we
need to be justified. We need to have our sin forgiven by a holy God.
The two questions posed in Job 25 v4 are very relevant.
“How then can man (a sinful man) be justified with God?”
“How can he be clean (in God’s sight)?”


Paul proceeds in these verses to deal with man’s need of justification
in a logical and systematic way.
Chapter 1 v18–1 v32 — The Heathen are Guilty
In these verses Paul shows the need of the heathen/Gentile/non-Jewish/
non-religious world. These are the people who know little or nothing
about the Bible, and who make no profession of faith in Christ. These
would include today’s atheists, agnostics, and non-churchgoers. These
would include the careless, the indifferent and those to whom God is
irrelevant. They are all guilty before God
Such people are ungodly and unrighteous. They deserve the
wrath of God (verse 18).
They can see God in creation if they wish to, and are therefore
without excuse (verse 19-20).
They have rejected what they could see or learn (verse 21).
A number of consequences follow and result from these three
facts (verses 22-32):
They became fools (although they thought they were wise)
(v22).
They made their own gods (v23).
God gave them up (v24-28).
– to uncleanness (v24).
– to vile affections (v26).
– to a reprobate mind (v28).
They engage in all kinds of unrighteousness (v29-31).
They know what they are doing and enjoy it (v32).
What a dark picture! But it is also a true picture of the non-religious/
non-Christian world today.
Chapter 2 v1–3 v8 — The Jews are Guilty
These verses describe the Jews, the people of God. They were the
people who had the Word and who were religious. They are also a
picture of today’s religious but unsaved churchgoers, do-gooders and
moralists. These people are proud of what they have and what they
know; they are proud of their background and their religious heritage.
But Paul exposes the unrighteousness of the unbelieving Jew and
religious person, and explains that each of them is also guilty and also


needs to be justified.
He judges others but does the same things himself (chapter 2 verses
1-4).
He himself will be judged (verses 5-10).
He is no different in God’s sight from the unsaved heathen (verses
11-16).
He is proud of his so-called righteousness (verses 17-20).
He is a breaker of his own principles and will therefore receive
greater, not less, judgment (verses 21-2).
He has many privileges (chapter 3 verse 1-2).
But God judges these people also - despite their religion (verses
3-8).
This picture of religious people is perhaps even darker than that
contained in the first chapter. One of the greatest tragedies in the world
today is to see men and women, boys and girls, who think they are
right and who think they are acceptable to God on the basis of their
own “righteousness” and their religion. These are often the most
difficult to reach with the Gospel.

Chapter 3 v9–20 — Everyone is Guilty
Paul brings together what he has outlined in the two previous sections
to conclude that “all the world is guilty before God” (3 v19).
All are under sin (verse 9)
None are righteous—no not one (verse 10)
None seek God (verse 11)
None do good (verse 12)
They have sinful mouths (verse 13 & 14)
They are guilty of sinful actions (verses 15 & 16)
They have sinful attitudes (verses 17 v18)
All the world is guilty before God (verse 19)
There are no exceptions (verse 12)
In this way Paul has clearly outlined man’s need for justification.
Boys and girls and young people are in the same position and have the
same need. The picture is dark but it is necessary for everyone to see it
and understand it. The verses which follow will show how God justifies
the sinner. These verses, and the truths they contain, will shine, like


diamonds, all the more brightly because they are being displayed on the
dark background of the first three chapters.

A Question
Do you, my dear reader, understand and see clearly
your position before God as a sinner who needs God’s
forgiveness and salvation? It does not matter how
religious you are, or how hard you try to be good,
and to make yourself right with God. The first step in
anyone’s salvation is to see his great need of that
salvation.
Have you seen your need?


Chapter 2:
Good Works Cannot Save
Human Errors about Justification

T here are many who realise, understand and are convicted about
their sinfulness as outlined in the first three chapters of Romans.
Some of them also have a desire to be justified. But how?
Man’s main mistake is to think that he can justify himself by his
good works, by his religious activities and ceremonies, by Bible reading,
prayer and church attendance and by trying to keep God’s commands.
This is an answer which is very acceptable to sinful man because it
gives him the satisfaction of being able to “save himself”, and it gives
him therefore a reason for self-congratulation. But it is wrong and
completely unbiblical.

Paul’s Teaching in Romans
Before Paul goes any further in his letter to the Romans he deals
briefly but clearly with this mistake in chapter 3 verse 20 - the verse
which immediately follows his detailed outline of man’s need and guilt.
Paul has concluded in the previous verse (chapter 3v19) that all
the world is guilty before God. All the world is therefore condemned
by God because of their sin; this is the language of the law court; this
is a legal problem which needs, first and foremost, a legal solution.
Paul now states clearly in chapter 3 v20 that:
“Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in
His sight.”
The phrase “deeds of the law” means “good works”. Both phrases
describe attempts to keep God’s commands and to gain His favour by
engaging in religious activities and observances. But Paul emphasizes
that it is a grave mistake to think that deeds of the law, the good works
which we do, and the religious acts we perform can justify or make
right. The primary function of the law is to show the unsaved how
sinful they are—and not to save them.
The New Testament over and over again makes it clear that
salvation is not possible through the keeping of the law and through
good works.


Paul’s Teaching in Galatians
In the book of Galatians Paul deals with the same theme and writes
as follows:
“Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law”
(Galatians 2 v16).
“For if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died
in vain” (Galatians 2 v21).
“For as many as are of the works of the law are under the
curse” (Galatians 3 v10).
“But that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God”
(Galatians 3 v11).
“Therefore the law was our tutor (or school master) to bring us
to Christ” (Galatians 3 v24). The NIV translation says “the law
was put in charge to lead us to Christ.”
Paul outlines four simple truths concerning the law in the third
chapter of his letter to the Galatians:
Those who rely on the law for salvation are under a curse (3
v10).
No one is justified by the law before God (3 v11).
The law does not and cannot impart righteousness or life (3
v21).
The law prepares the sinner, shows him his sin and leads him to
Christ (3 v24).

Summary
The Bible teaches over and over again that a man is not justified
by the works of the law.
What, then, does the Bible teach about the law?
The law is good (Romans 7 v12, 14, 16; 1 Timothy 1 v8).
But the law has no saving effect whatsoever (Romans 3 v20).
The law tells you what you should do but it does not enable you
to do it.
The law has three main functions all of which are positive and
necessary:
It shows us our sin (Romans 7 v7, 8).


It leads us to Christ (Galatians 3 v24).
It gives guidelines for living to the Christian after he is
saved (Romans 8 v4; 13 v10).
BUT THE LAW CANNOT SAVE.
Martin Luther said that the law was like a stick:
“God first used it to beat me but later I used it to walk with.”
In other words God used the law to show up his sin, faults and failings.
God’s revelation of His standards showed him how far short he fell of
them. This was a difficult time for him. But after he had trusted Jesus
Christ that same law gave him the standards by which he should live the
Christian life.
What a tragedy that so many people today all over the world—
both young and old—are depending upon what they can do for their
salvation! This is a terrible mistake which can have awful and eternal
consequences.
Man is by nature sinful (Romans 3 v23), dead (Ephesians 2 v1,5),
blind (2 Corinthians 4 v4), controlled by sin (Colossians 1 v13), and
an enemy of God (Romans 5 v10; 8 v7) ). It is therefore impossible
and hopeless for him to save himself by trying to keep the law. Only
God can save!

In 1937 Mr. J. Irvin Overholtzer founded the Child
Evangelism Fellowship, the Mission with which I work. He
was at that time already a middle aged man, and he had been
a pastor for a number of years. However, the denomination
to which he belonged believed and taught “salvation by
works” and so did he. He and his colleagues believed that
if they lived (and even dressed) in a certain way, and obeyed
all the rules of the denomination they would (or might!)
eventually be saved.
But Mr. Overholtzer felt more and more uneasy about this
teaching. So he decided to make a careful verse by verse,
and word by word, study of the New Testament to see if what
he believed was what the Bible taught. Over a period of time
he came to see and understand the great biblical truth that


salvation is by faith alone in Christ alone through grace
alone. His life was transformed, and for the first time he
truly trusted Christ and had assurance of salvation.
Soon after that God called him into a ministry to children,
and he began the work of CEF which was to spread all over
the world. But he never forgot the great truth that salvation
is by faith and not by works; and this was always to be the
heart of his message, and the heart of the ministry of Child
Evangelism Fellowship.

A Question
Are you, my dear reader, depending upon your own
goodness, acts of mercy, religious observance or good
works of any kind to give you acceptance before God?
If you are, you have not succeeded, and you cannot
succeed. You need salvation and a Saviour—and the
Bible will tell you how you can have both.


Chapter 3:
Possible or Impossible?
Two Questions about Justification

A ll that we have read so far could give rise, in our minds, to two
key questions. These are questions which really seem to be
impossible to answer.

How Can a Sinner Be Justified Before God?
This first question, or series of questions, are questions which sinful
man should be asking; even if he does not yet know the answer to
them.
How can a sinner enter heaven when the Bible makes it clear
that there is no sin in Heaven?
How can a sinner receive and experience complete and absolute
forgiveness of all his sin?
How can an unrighteous person be declared righteous by a holy
God—when he is not?
How can an unrighteous person be seen as righteous?
These questions were verbalized by Job:
“But how can a man be righteous before God?” (Job 9 v2).
“How then can man be righteous before God? Or how can he
be pure who is born of a woman?” (Job 25 v4).

How Can a Holy God Justify Sinners?
This leads on to another yet closely related question. Reverently
speaking, God has a question, which seems from our point of view to
have no answer and to which only He knows the solution.
How can God justify the ungodly, and still be just and righteous?
It is, of course, true that God is a God of love, that He loves the
unrighteous and that He wants to save them. The Bible makes that
very clear (John 3 v16; 1 John 4 v8; Matthew 18 v14; 1 John 4 v10;
Romans 5 v8; 2 Peter 3 v9). Why then does God not do so? Why does
God not save everybody?


He cannot do this, because He is also a God of holiness,
righteousness and justice. He must punish sin and He must punish the
sinner. Otherwise He would not be just and righteous. It is impossible
for God to justify the sinner unless He can provide a way to do so
which would be in full agreement with, and not in conflict with, His
justice.
And so we could restate this question from God’s point of view:
How can God be just and, at the same time, justify the
unrighteous?
How can God declare a guilty person not guilty when he is guilty?
How can God declare an unrighteous person to be righteous
when he is not righteous?
We will understand the answers to all these questions more clearly
as we study the subject of justification together in the chapters which
follow. But just now we can see that Paul refers briefly to these
questions, and gives a brief answer to them, in Romans 3 v25 and 26.
“Whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through
faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His
forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously
committed, to demonstrate at the present time His
righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the
one who has faith in Jesus.”
In other words, Paul writes that Christ became a propitiation for
sin. This means that He became a sacrifice for sin and that He took the
punishment for sin due to the sinner, and shed His blood for sin. It is
now possible for God to justify the sinner who believes in Jesus, without
in any way sacrificing His justice.
The death of Christ has made it possible for God’s justice and the
sinner’s justification to be reconciled.
Sin must be punished by a holy God, but Jesus Christ, the Son of
God, took God’s punishment for sin on the cross so that you and I
would not need to be punished for it. God can now legally and
righteously forgive the sinner because the full penalty for his sin has
been paid by another. God can now justify the sinner and be, at the
same time, just—He is therefore “just and the justifier.”


But as we will see later, and as this verse points out, this is only
true for those who “have faith in Jesus.”

A Question
Aren’t you thankful that God has provided a way for
your salvation—through the death of His Son on the
Cross?
I pray that you have not only understood this great
truth, but that you have also thanked God for His love,
and put your faith in Jesus Christ.
Then you can honestly say, on the basis of God’s Word
and promises “I am saved; I am justified.”


Chapter 4:
Forgiven and Righteous
The Meaning of Justification

I t is now necessary, before going any further, to study in more detail
what is meant by the word, and the theological concept of,
justification.

A Definition of Justification
We will start with two simple but comprehensive definitions of what
justification is and means. These definitions are quite similar.
First Definition
Justification is an act of God’s free grace wherein He pardons
all our sins, and accepts us as righteous in His sight—only for and
because of the righteousness of Christ which has been imputed to
us and received by faith alone.
Second Definition
Justification is a declaration, decree or proclamation by God
that the sinner who trusts Jesus Christ is completely forgiven and
that he is righteous and pure in His sight on the basis of Christ’s
righteousness and atonement.
There are six basic truths concerning justification which can be
deduced from this second definition and which need to be recognized:
Justification is a declaration by God. It is something God says
about the sinner who trusts His Son.
Justification is therefore objective. It takes place outside the
sinner, not inside.
Justification deals with and changes the sinner’s position, not
his character or personality.
Justification is based upon the righteousness of Christ, not the
righteousness of the sinner.
Justification is purchased by the death and precious Blood of
the Lord Jesus Christ.


Justification takes place at one moment in time (when a sinner puts
his trust and faith in Jesus Christ). It is not a process. It is a once-
for-all act of God’s free grace.
It is also essential to understand and remember that justification has
two results for the sinner who trusts Jesus Christ as his Saviour:
Justification results in forgiveness. God forgives all the sin of
the one who trusts Jesus Christ.
Justification results in righteousness. God imputes or reckons
the righteousness of Jesus Christ to the one who trusts Him. He
puts it “to his account.”

Justification Results, First of All, in Forgiveness
At the moment of justification all past sin is forgiven by God. This
includes all sin committed up to the moment when the sinner put his
trust in Jesus Christ. But it is important to emphasize that at the moment
of justification all future sin is also forgiven.
The clear teaching of the Bible is that all sin is forgiven when a
sinner is justified. “All sin” includes past, present and future sin.
This complete and eternal forgiveness is clearly taught in verses
such as the following:
“Who forgives all your iniquities” (Psalm 103 v3).
“As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed
our transgressions from us” (Psalm 103 v12).
“For You have cast all my sins behind Your back” (Isaiah 44
v22).
“I have blotted out, like a thick cloud, your transgressions,
and like a cloud, your sins” (Isaiah 44 v22).
“For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember
no more” (Jeremiah 31 v34).
“You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea” (Micah 7
v19).
“That your sins may be blotted out” (Acts 3 v19).
“Justified from all things” (Acts 13 v39).
“Blessed is the man to whom the LORD shall not impute
sin” (Romans 4 v8).


“Having forgiven you all trespasses” (Colossians 2 v13).
“Your sins are forgiven you for His name’s sake” (1 John 2
v12).
The consequence of this total, complete and eternal forgiveness of
the believer is that he will never be condemned by God for his sin. All
sin is forgiven. That is justification. Therefore, and because of this,
Paul emphasizes in the book of Romans that the believer is absolutely
free of condemnation. He will never be condemned.
“There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are
in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8 v1).
“Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God
who justifies. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died,
and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of
God, who also makes intercession for us” (Romans 8 v33, 34).
“Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with
God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5 v1).
Dr. Ray Gustafson gives a good illustration of justification:

“It seems that there was a man in England who put his Rolls-Royce on
a boat and went across to the continent to go on a holiday. While he was
driving around Europe, something happened to the motor of his car. He
cabled the Rolls-Royce people back in England and asked, “I’m having
trouble with my car; what do you suggest I do?” Well, the Rolls-Royce
people flew a mechanic over! The mechanic repaired the car and flew
back to England and left the man to continue his holiday. As you can
imagine, the fellow was wondering, “How much is this going to cost
me?” So when he got back to England, he wrote the people a letter and
asked how much he owed them. He received a letter from the office that
read: “Dear Sir: There is no record anywhere in our files that anything
ever went wrong with a Rolls-Royce.” Now that’s justification.
The devil accuses you, you accuse yourself, maybe your friends
accuse you; but God checks the file and says, “There is no record
anywhere in this file that My child ever did anything wrong.” That is
justification – the gracious act of God in forgiving and declaring
righteous one who believes in Jesus Christ.”


What a wonderful truth this is for the believers! The hymn writer,
Charles Wesley, expressed it like this:

“No condemnation now I dread
Jesus and all in Him is mine
Alive in Him, my living Head
And clothed with righteousness divine”

Eternal Forgiveness and Temporal Forgiveness
The wonderful truth that justification results in the eternal
forgiveness of sin may raise some questions and may even cause some
apparent problems.
Do Christians still sin? Yes, of course they do.
Do they still need to ask for forgiveness? Yes, of course they
do.
But why should they ask for forgiveness if they are already
forgiven?
At the moment of justification all the believer’s sin - past, present and
future - is forgiven from an eternal point of view by God the Judge, and
will never be remembered or brought up again to condemn him.
But the child of God still sins. However, God is no longer his Judge. He
is now his Father and the Bible teaches that the child of God needs to
come to his Father, confess his sin and ask for forgiveness. The Lord
Jesus teaches the children of God to confess their sins to their Heavenly
Father and to ask for forgiveness.
“Our Father in heaven … forgive us our sins” (Luke 11 v2,
4).
John teaches us:
“If we (as children of God) confess our sins, He is faithful and
just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all
unrighteousness” (1 John 1 v9).
When we as Christians confess our sins to our Heavenly Father,
He forgives us on a family basis and restores our fellowship. If the
Christian does not do so, he will lose his joy, his peace, his fellowship
with his Father, and his Father’s blessing. He may even be chastened by


his Father. In other words, his fellowship with his Father is broken by his
sin, but not his relationship. This relationship is eternal.
In these last paragraphs we are speaking about sin from a “family
point of view”, and the Bible teaches that it must be confessed and
dealt with if we are to enjoy fellowship with God and His blessing. We
are not now speaking about sin from “an eternal point of view.” That
has already been dealt with and forgiven. That issue is finished for
ever as far as the believer is concerned. God the Judge has forgiven all
our sins from an eternal point of view. We are justified and have
therefore received “eternal forgiveness.” But God Who is now our
Father expects us as His children to confess to Him the sins we commit
as Christians and He will grant us “family forgiveness.”
A good illustration of these two types of forgiveness can be found
in John chapter 13 v1–17. In verse 6 the Lord Jesus comes to Peter and
wants to wash his feet. Peter, in verse 8, refuses to let the Lord Jesus
do this. The Lord Jesus says that if He doesn’t wash Peter’s feet he
would have no part (or share) with Him. Peter then, and in typical
fashion, rushes to the other extreme and asks the Lord Jesus to wash
not just his feet but also his hands and his head. The Lord Jesus answered
him in verse 10 that this was not necessary:
“He who is bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely
clean”
In other words, “You are already washed Peter, you are already
clean. But you need to have your feet washed.”

This is an illustration of the fact that we as believers are already
washed, justified and clean in God’s sight. We are eternally forgiven.
But, day by day, we need to have our feet washed because we have
come into contact with the world. We, as His eternally forgiven children,
need constant and daily forgiveness. This forgiveness is an important
part of the process of sanctification. But the question of eternal
forgiveness has been dealt with, once and for all.

Justification Results, Secondly, in Righteousness
At the moment of justification God not only forgives all my sin;
He also declares me to be, and says that I am, completely righteous.
From that moment He sees me as pure and as righteous as Jesus Christ


is, and He looks at me through His perfect goodness.
This aspect of justification is explained in the Bible in two different
ways:
God imputes, reckons or accounts the righteousness of Christ
to the believing sinner.
“Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for
righteousness” (Romans 4 v3).
“But to him who does not work but believes on Him who
justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted (imputed) for
righteousness” (Romans 4 v5).
“The blessedness of the man to whom God imputes
righteousness apart from works” (Romans 4 v6).
“That righteousness might be imputed to them also” (Romans
4 v11).
“It was accounted to him for righteousness” (Romans 4 v22).
“Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for
righteousness” (James 2 v23).
Imputation is a legal, commercial and judicial term. It means
to reckon or count, or to put into another’s account. When God
imputes Christ’s righteousness to us, at the moment of
justification, He sees it as now belonging to us. It is transferred
into our account. It is God’s “free gift of righteousness” (Romans
5 v16 and 17) through Jesus Christ.
If you had an account in a bank, and I had an account in a bank,
I could transfer a certain amount of money from my account to
yours.
That is what imputation means. It is the transfer of Christ’s
righteousness “from His account to ours.”
Actually, there are three imputations or legal transfers taught in
the Bible:
The imputation of Adam’s sin to all humanity (Romans 5
v12–21). His sin was put into everybody’s account.
The imputation of our sins to Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 5
v21). Our sin was put into His account.
The imputation of Christ’s righteousness to believers (Romans


4 v6–25). His righteousness is put into our account.
Without the imputation of Christ’s righteousness to us, God’s work
within us could not save us. Christians who are regenerated, and in
whom the Holy Spirit lives, still sin and fall short of the glory of God.
So we need a righteousness which is greater than the righteousness
we ourselves may possess in order to stand pure and spotless before
God’s throne. That is only possible when we receive, through
imputation, a righteousness from without, from Jesus Christ.
The Good News of the Gospel is that God in His grace counts or
reckons or imputes the righteousness of Christ to me—and sees
me as righteous as Christ is.
Dr. J. Montgomery Boice, a well known pastor and writer in
USA, explained this “transaction” with reference to Romans 4
v3 as follows:
“The words used are book keeping terms. They refer to
accounting . . . When God justified Abraham He did two things,
one negative and one positive.
1. He did what Paul quotes David as saying in verses 7-8 (a
quotation of Psalm 32: 1–2), namely, God did not reckon
his sin against him. How so? It is not merely that God
simply struck Abraham’s transgressions from the ledger
book of his life and then forgot about them, as if they could
simply be discounted. God does not play imaginary games.
True, He did remove the list of Abraham’s sins from his
ledger, but that was only because He had first transferred
it to the ledger book of Jesus Christ. Jesus took the liability
of those transgressions on Himself and paid their price by
dying for them. Abraham’s sin was not reckoned to
Abraham because it was reckoned to Jesus Christ instead.
2. In a parallel action, God then also reckoned the
righteousness of Christ to Abraham, which is what Genesis
15: 6 teaches. God took Christ’s righteousness and wrote
it in Abraham’s ledger.”
God clothes the believer with the righteousness of Christ.
In this biblical illustration and explanation Christ’s righteousness
is seen as a pure, spotless, white garment. At the moment of
justification God clothes the believer with this garment. God now
sees only the pure garment of Christ’s righteousness.


My own righteousness is, in comparison to His, as filthy rags. I
must be adorned, or cloaked, by His righteousness (a cloak which
covers and deals with the uncleanness of my sin) – if I am to
stand in the presence of a holy God.
John Bunyan said that Christ wove a perfect garment of
righteousness for thirty-three years and then gave it away to
those who trust Him alone to save them.
This illustration can be found in several places in the Bible:
“For He has clothed me with the garments of salvation,
He has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a
bridegroom decks himself with ornaments, and as a
bride adorns herself with her jewels” (Isaiah 61 v10).
In Zechariah 3 v3, 4 we read, first of all in verse 3 about
the filthy garments of the high priest which needed to be
removed. Then the angel of the Lord (the Lord Jesus) says
in verse 4,
“I will clothe you with rich robes.”
And He clothed the high priest with these garments in the
next verse (verse 5).
In Matthew 22 v11–14 the Lord Jesus speaks about a man
who was not dressed in a wedding garment and was
therefore not able to come to the marriage feast. Instead he
was cast into outer darkness.
Paul uses the same picture in Colossians 3 v9 when he
writes that the believer has “put off the old man with his
deeds” and has “put on the new man.”
Both of these explanations and illustrations, using the concept of
accounts and clothes, are biblical and clear. They show us that
justification does not change us. Justification changes our position
before God and how He sees us. He now sees us as pure and as righteous
as Jesus Christ is!
This truth is well and clearly illustrated by the white page of the
Wordless Book. The Wordless Book is a little book used by many
children’s workers to explain the Gospel message to children. It has
no words but has five pages each of a different colour. Each colour helps
to explain one part of the Gospel message:


The gold page speaks about God and heaven.
The dark page speaks about sin and its consequences.
The red page speaks about the Death of Jesus Christ on the
Cross for sin.
The white page speaks about salvation – about justification by
faith.
The green page speaks about the spiritual growth which follows
faith in Christ.
The white page is not a picture of what I am as a Christian. I know
that I am not as clean and as pure as this page, because I still sin. But
it is a picture of how God sees me. He sees me as pure as His Son Jesus
Christ is. He sees me “just as if I’d never sinned”. That’s justification.
The “charge sheet” is clean; in fact God has torn it up.
The white page of the Wordless Book is not a picture of me; it is a
picture of the righteousness of Jesus Christ which covers and cloaks
my sin, and which is “in my account”. This righteousness is mine by
faith in Him. Christ becomes my righteousness. He does not just help
me by His grace and power to become righteous (although He also
does that). But He gives me His righteousness before the throne of
God’s judgment. Jehovah God becomes my JEHOVAH – TSIDKENU
(God my righteousness -Jeremiah 23 v5, 6).

Justification Is Instantaneous
It is important to emphasize that justification happens at one
moment of time. It is instantaneous and not a process. It is complete
when the sinner trusts Jesus Christ as His Saviour:
There are, therefore, two consequences:
We cannot grow in our justification.
No believer is more justified than another believer.
Justification is not a process which makes us more and more holy
as is taught by the Roman Catholic Church and also by a number of
Protestant churches.
The moment a sinner trusts Jesus Christ two things happen:
He is justified and has a new position before God.
He is regenerated and has a new nature.


Both of these happen together at that one moment of time.
But at that same moment a process does begin. It is not a process
of justification. That is already complete. It is the process of
sanctification whereby the justified and regenerated sinner becomes
more and more, little by little, like Jesus Christ.
Justification has been compared to a criminal being pardoned at
one moment of time, whereas sanctification is like a patient being healed
gradually. If a man is a criminal in prison, condemned to death and if,
at the same time, he is dangerously ill, he has two problems. A pardon
is not enough because he is soon going to die because of his illness. A
cure for his illness is not enough because he is condemned to death.
He needs to be both pardoned and cured. This is a good illustration.
Pardon is a picture of justification - a legal decision happening
outside the person and at one moment of time. Healing is a picture of
sanctification - a process which starts at the moment of regeneration
and justification and continues within the person - over a period of
time, indeed the rest of his life.
The truth that justification is a once-for-all, instantaneous and
complete act of God is taught in three ways:
By the Bible verses which clearly refer to it as a once-for-all
experience
“Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace
with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
This could be translated “Since we have been justified by
faith we have peace with God” (Romans 5 v1).
“Everyone who believes is justified from all things” (Acts 13
v39).
“A man is justified by faith” (Romans 3 v28).
“Having now been justified (or since we have now been
justified) by His blood” (Romans 5 v9).
“Whom He called, these He also justified” (Romans 8 v30).
“But you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and
by the Spirit of our God” (1 Corinthians 6 v11).
“That having been justified by His grace” (Titus 3 v7).
By the illustration of justification given by the Lord Jesus in
the Bible
In Luke 18 v9-14 He told a story about a Pharisee and a publican.


The publican convicted of his sinfulness asked God to be merciful
unto him. The Lord Jesus then said,
“I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather
than the other” (Luke 18v14).
He was already justified. That is the teaching throughout the
New Testament.
Through the clear understanding of the term justification and
what it means:
God has made a declaration.
God has forgiven all sin.
God has put the righteousness of Christ into our account.
God has clothed us with the righteousness of Christ.
These cannot possibly be processes. All of these represent once-
for-all acts by God.
The traditional teaching of the Roman Catholic Church, and a
number of Protestant churches, is that justification is a process during and
throughout a life-time, by which a sinner is made more and more righteous
and is eventually justified. Justification, in other words, according to this
erroneous teaching, follows and is the result of sanctification. This erroneous
teaching confuses and combines justification and sanctification. It teaches
that justification is granted to the righteous as a result of his sanctification,
rather than granted to the sinner as the initial result of his faith in Christ.
However, the Bible teaches that sanctification follows justification.
Sanctification starts with and depends upon the inner change in a
sinner’s nature (which took place at his regeneration), and it makes him
more and more righteous. But this righteousness is, in a sense “his own”.
It is imparted to him, it is far from perfect and it does, or should, grow and
develop. But the righteousness of Jesus Christ which was imputed to him
when he trusted Christ, is perfect and cannot grow or develop.
The formula followed in this erroneous teaching is
FAITH + WORKS = JUSTIFICATION.
Whereas the Bible teaches
FAITH = JUSTIFICATION + WORKS.
Thomas Watson the English Puritan wrote “God does not justify
us because we are worthy, but justifying makes us worthy.”


My sin – oh the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin – not in part, but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more.
Praise the Lord,
Praise the Lord, O my soul!
H. Spafford

Several Questions
Do you have a full and clear understanding of what
justification is and what it means?
Can you truly say, “I am justified, I have trusted Jesus
Christ as my Saviour”?
Do you have the resulting assurance in your heart that
all your sins are forgiven, and that God sees you today
as pure and as righteous as Jesus Christ is?
I trust that your answer to all these questions is a
resounding “Yes”!


Chapter 5:
Just and the Justifier
The Righteousness of God

T he righteousness of God, which we have already referred to several
times without explanation, is so important that we need to
designate a separate chapter to it so that we can study it in more detail and
better understand what it means.

The Righteousness of God
It is not easy to describe the righteousness of God because sin limits
our knowledge of Him. His righteousness is difficult for us to understand
because it is so completely different from any attempt at human
righteousness. But the Bible teaches that the righteousness of God is that
divine attribute or quality which displays the fact that He is holy, right and
completely pure – and that everything He does is holy, right and completely
pure.
The righteousness of God means that God always acts in accordance
with what is right, and that He Himself is the final standard of what is
right.
“For all His ways are justice, a God of truth and without
injustice; righteous and upright is He” (Deuteronomy 32 v4).
“Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?” (Genesis 18 v25).
“I, the LORD, speak righteousness, I declare things that are
right” (Isaiah 45 v19).
The righteousness of God can best be seen in the law of the Old
Testament (which is an expression of that righteousness); and in the
Person and teachings of Jesus Christ. We see God’s power in nature;
we see God’s principles in the law; but we see God’s personality and
purity in Jesus Christ.
When the Bible speaks about the sinner who trusts Jesus Christ as
His Saviour receiving the righteousness of God (Romans 3 v22) or
becoming the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5 v21) it cannot
mean that we become like God and that we actually receive His divine
attribute of righteousness, and actually become righteous like Him. The


Bible teaches, instead, that His righteousness is reckoned or imputed to us
as believers, and that God sees us as righteous (even though we are not).
The righteousness of God which is put into our account at the moment we
are justified is the perfect righteousness of Jesus Christ the Son of God.

The Righteousness of Jesus Christ
The Bible makes it clear that the righteousness of God which is imputed
to us is the righteousness of Jesus Christ.
“Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God; and
righteousness” (1 Corinthians 1 v30).
“For they . . . have not submitted to the righteousness of God.
For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness” (Romans
10 v3, 4).
“By the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ”
(2 Peter 1 v1).
“Through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all
men, resulting in justification of life” (Romans 5 v18).
The Bible also teaches us a number of truths about Jesus Christ
and His righteousness:
Jesus Christ is God and He is the image of His Father;
As God He is intrinsically righteous. He is completely holy and
without sin;
He demonstrated that righteousness in and through His holy life
and by His complete obedience to the Law of God;
He showed that righteousness in His obedience to the plan and
purposes of God by His atoning death on the cross.
Jesus Christ demonstrates, both in His perfect life and in His atoning
death, complete and absolute submission and perfection. He displayed
His righteousness. He showed that He, unlike us, was perfect in every
way. That is His righteousness. That is the righteousness of God which
is put into our account when we trust Him as our Saviour. From that
moment onwards God sees us as perfect and as sinless as Christ is—
because His righteousness has been imputed or transferred to us and
our account.
Consequently, when the New Testament speaks about the righteousness
of God (which is imputed to the believer) it refers specifically to the


righteousness of God the Son, Jesus Christ, as displayed in and through
His life and death here on earth.

Paul’s Teaching About the Righteousness of Christ
Paul in his letter to the Romans gives us three great truths about
this righteousness of Christ:
The righteousness of Christ is revealed in and through the
Gospel.
“The gospel of Christ . . . for in it the righteousness of God is
revealed” (Romans 1 v16, 17).
“But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is
revealed” (Romans 3 v21).
The Gospel reveals the righteousness of Christ in two ways:-
We see it demonstrated by Jesus Christ in His life and death.
He lived a pure holy and righteous life, and He died as a
perfect sacrifice for our sin.
“For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us,
that we might become the righteousness of God in Him”
(2 Corinthians 5 v21).
We see the possibility and reality of us receiving that
righteousness—by faith in the Saviour Who is presented
through the Gospel.
“Even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus
Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no
difference” (Romans 3 v22).
This righteousness of Christ was prophesied in the Old
Testament. It is not a new doctrine.
“But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is
revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets”
(Romans 3 v21).
In Romans 4 v3, 9 and 22 we read that Abraham believed God
and that the righteousness of God was imputed to him.
Romans 4 v6, 7 and 8 gives us David’s description from Psalm
32 v1, 2 of the man who believes God as having the righteousness
of God imputed to him.
The prophet Habakkuk declared in chapter 2 v4 of his prophecy
“The just (or righteous) shall live by his faith.”


This righteousness of Christ becomes mine when I trust Jesus
Christ as my Lord and Saviour.
This is an overwhelming truth. When I trust Jesus Christ as my
Lord and Saviour His perfect righteousness is imputed or
transferred to me and my account and, from that moment on,
God sees me as righteous as Jesus Christ is. God transfers the
perfect righteousness of Christ to me as a gracious gift and He
views me, from now on, as if I had never sinned and as if I had
fully accomplished all that obedience which Jesus Christ
accomplished.
“For in it (in the Gospel) the righteousness of God is revealed
from (on the basis of) faith to faith; as it is written, the just
shall live by faith” (Romans 1 v17).
“Even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ,
to all and on all who believe” (Romans 3 v22).
“But to him who . . . believes on Him who justifies the ungodly,
his faith is accounted for righteousness” (Romans 4 v5).
“Those who believe . . . that righteousness might be imputed
to them” (Romans 4 v11).
“Righteousness . . . it was imputed to him . . ., to us who
believe” (Romans 4 v22-24).
“Not having my own righteousness, which is from the law,
but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness
which is from God by faith” (Philippians 3 v9).
This is not my own righteousness. It is the divine righteousness. It
is the righteousness of Christ. It is an imputed, positional righteousness
which God sees as now mine when I trust Christ. JEHOVAH–
TSIDKENU—God is my righteousness (Jeremiah 23 v5, 6).
This righteousness is external; it is outside of me. It is not my
righteousness. It is Christ’s righteousness. But God transfers it to my
account and my unrighteousness is covered, in His sight, by Christ’s
righteousness.


“When free grace awoke me, by light from on high
Then legal fears shook me; I trembled to die.
No refuge, no safety in self could I see,
Jehovah–Tsidkenu, my Saviour must be.
My terrors all vanished before the sweet name
My guilty fears banished, with boldness I came
To drink at the fountain, life giving and free
Jehovah-Tsidkenu is all things to me.”
R M MCCheyne

At the same time, as we will see later, the justified sinner is
regenerated, and God begins to make him righteous through the
process of sanctification. This is an infused righteousness—his own
righteousness—which grows throughout his Christian life as he
becomes more and more like Jesus Christ. But justification or positional
righteousness cannot grow.
(It is interesting to know that the words “righteousness” and
“justification” are basically, in Greek, the same word. The translators
made each decision concerning its rendering in English on the basis of
the context.)

The Meaning of Imputation
Before closing this chapter we need to have another more detailed
look at the biblical concept of imputation. It is through this imputation
that the righteousness of Christ becomes mine in God’s sight.
Imputation is a commercial or legal term which means that
something which belongs to one person is legally transferred to, or put
into the account of, another person. It means to reckon or account to
one individual that which rightfully belongs to another.
We have already seen that the Bible records three imputations or
reckonings:
In Romans 5 v12-21 Paul writes that the original sin of Adam is
imputed or transferred to his entire posterity. Adam, as head of
the human race, was our representative. So his fall and his sin
were imputed to all of us, or transferred to our account. We are
all counted guilty because of Adam’s sin.
In 2 Corinthians 5 v21a we see how our sin was imputed to Jesus
Christ.


“For He (God the Father) made Him who knew no sin to be sin
for us” (2 Corinthians 5 v21a).
God the Father thought of, or counted, our sin with its guilt and
punishment as belonging to Jesus Christ. He “transferred our
sin to His account.” So He then paid the penalty for all this sin. We
see this same truth also in Isaiah 53 v6, Isaiah 53 v12; John 1 v29;
Galatians 3 v13 and 1 Peter 2 v24.
The third imputation is God’s imputation or transfer of the
righteousness of Jesus Christ to the believer in Jesus Christ. God
placed the righteousness of Christ and His perfect life of
obedience into our account when we trusted Christ; He counts
Christ’s righteousness as now belonging to us and sees us as
pure and as righteous as Jesus Christ is.

“God imputes to a sinner the righteousness of Jesus
Christ that is, He accounts that sinner righteous though
he is still inwardly unrighteous”
C. L. Berkhof.

“And be found in Him, not having my own righteousness,
which is from the law, but that which is through faith in
Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith”
(Philippians 3 v9).
“That we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2
Corinthians 5 v21b).
In Romans chapter 4, the Greek word which is translated
“impute,” “count” or “reckon” is used eleven times.
Righteousness was imputed to Abraham (v3, 9, 10, 22, 23), to
David and the man he describes (v6) and then to us (v4, 5, 8, 11,
24).
The righteousness of Jesus Christ is an attribute which He as God
possesses and it was demonstrated in the perfect life He lived as a man
here on the earth. But it is more than that. The righteousness of Christ
is also a righteous standing which God grants, counts and transfers to
those unrighteous ones who trust His Son. This imputed righteousness,
and it alone, makes us fit for the divine presence. Without it we could not
be saved, because we, of ourselves, could never be righteous enough to be


in God’s presence.
Martin Luther said:
“This is that mystery which is rich in divine grace to sinners
wherein by a wonderful exchange our sins are no longer ours but
Christ’s; and the righteousness of Christ is not (just) Christ’s but
ours. He (has) emptied Himself of His righteousness that He might
clothe us with it and fill us with it.”

Only Two Kinds of Righteousness
As believers we have therefore two kinds of righteousness—one
of which is considerably higher and purer than the other.
We have already seen that at the moment a sinner trusts Jesus
Christ as his Saviour he is justified. He receives a righteousness
which is not his own and is outside of him. It is the righteousness
of Christ which is pure and perfect. God transfers this perfect
righteousness to the sinner’s account. The justified sinner is
clothed with this righteousness which covers all his sins; and
when God looks at him He sees not the sin which is still there
but the righteousness of Christ which covers and hides all that
sin.
This righteousness is received at one moment. It is complete. It
cannot grow and it cannot be lost. It is a positional righteousness. It
does not change the sinner. It changes his position before God.
Consequently, when the sinner trusts Christ he is justified and
has a new position before God, and a new and perfect
righteousness, which is not his but which God sees as his.
But at the same moment as God justifies the sinner He also
regenerates him. Justification changes his position. Regeneration
changes his person. Justification deals with the penalty for his
sin. Regeneration starts to deal with the pollution of his sin.
Justification is external and objective. Regeneration is internal
and subjective. Both happen at the same time – and it is not
possible to have one without the other.
Regeneration is a new birth and the beginning of a new life. At
that moment the process of sanctification begins. God the Holy Spirit works
in the believer’s heart and, little by little, He makes him more righteous.
This righteousness is the believer’s own righteousness (although it is the


result of the Holy Spirit working in him). But this is a growing righteousness,
far from perfect, and much below the righteousness of Christ.
The righteousness of Christ is imputed to the believer. But this
righteousness is infused into the believer – and unlike the righteousness of
Christ it is far from perfect and needs to grow continually.

Several Questions
Do you understand the great truth that the
righteousness of Christ has been transferred into the
account of the believer and that God sees you, as a
believer, as pure and holy as Jesus Christ is?
Do you also understand that God, the Holy Spirit, is
working within you to make you more and more righteous
and more and more like Jesus Christ?
Do you see the difference between those two kinds of
righteousness—and are you praising God for both of
them?


Chapter 6:
Salvation is of the Lord
The Source of Justification

F rom what we have studied and learned so far we can now come to
certain conclusions concerning justification and its source and
answer several key questions.
What is justification based upon?
Where does justification come from?
Why is it possible for guilty sinners like you and me to be justified?

Justification Does Not Come from Man
We need, first of all, to answer these questions from a negative
point of view.
The Bible makes it very clear that a sinner cannot be justified by
anything he himself can do, or by anything which any other person,
institution or church can do for him, or with him.
No one can justify himself by his good works and his attempts
to keep the law.
We have seen this already in chapter 2.
“Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in
His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin” (Romans 3
v20).
“Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the
law” (Galatians 2 v16).
If you and I truly understand man’s condition, by nature, and the
fact that we are sinful, dead, blind, guilty and enemies of God, we will
realise how impossible it is for the source of justification to lie within
ourselves.
No other human being, church or institution can justify the
sinner.
The Bible makes it clear that the source of justification and the
new birth does not lie in what others do for the sinner.


“But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to
become children of God, to those who believe in His name:
who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor
of the will of man, BUT OF GOD” (John 1 v12 and 13).
The sinner is not justified because of his parents’ faith (“not of
blood”).
The sinner cannot justify himself (“nor of the will of the flesh”).
No one else can justify the sinner (“nor of the will of man”).
No church ordinance can be the source of justification.
This includes baptism, confirmation and church membership.
Abraham, for example, was justified before he received the sign of
circumcision—not because of it, or after it (Romans 4 v16). The Lord
Jesus told the repentant thief that he would be with Him that same day
in Paradise (Luke 23 v43) despite the fact that he had not been baptised,
confirmed, nor was he a regular church attender!
The Roman Catholic church teaches that “The instrumental cause
of the first justification is the sacrament of baptism” and that “The
justified eternal life is both a gift of grace promised by God and a
reward for his own good works and merits.” This teaching, or teaching
quite similar to it, can also be found in many liberal Protestant churches
where justification is seen as having its basic source in man and the
idea has been developed that God justifies the sinner by the moral
improvement of his life. They would certainly reject the view which
we hold, that justification takes place once for all. But their beliefs are
completely wrong and unbiblical.
Salvation is not the result of works.
There are many clear, biblical and logical ways in which we can
know for sure that our salvation can not be achieved by the good works
which we do.
The plain unambiguous statements of Scriptures (both Old
testament and New Testament) make this clear.
“Do not enter into judgment with Your servant, for in Your
sight no one living is righteous” (Psalm 143 v2).
“Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the
law . . . for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified”
(Galatians 2 v16).


“But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed,
being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets” (Romans 3 v20).
If we can be justified by works the death of Christ was in vain.
“I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes
through the law, then Christ died in vain” (Galatians 2 v21).
If salvation came by works it would not be of grace.
“And if by grace, then it is no longer of works; otherwise
grace is no longer grace. But if it is of works, it is no longer
grace; otherwise work is no longer work” (Romans 11 v6).
If salvation came by works it would be possible to boast.
“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that
not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone
should boast” (Ephesians 2 v8, 9).
When Paul taught on this subject he often referred to his own
experience. He does this especially in his letter to the Philippians.
Paul had been an exceedingly moral man:
“Though I also might have confidence in the flesh. If anyone
else thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, I more so:
circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of
Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, a
Pharisee; concerning zeal, persecuting the church; concerning
the righteousness which is in the law, blameless” (Philippians
3 v4-6).
It seems that before he met Christ Paul’s thoughts about religion
involved something like a life long balance sheet showing assets and
liabilities. He had thought that being saved meant having more in the
column of assets than on the column of liabilities. And since he had
considerable assets he felt that he was very well off indeed! (There are
many “religious people” in our world today who believe and feel as
Paul did at that time).
Paul lists his “assets” in Philippians 3 v4-6:
He was born into a Jewish family and circumcised,
He was a member of God’s covenant people,
He was of the tribe of Benjamin,
He was a strict and faithful Pharisee,
He was zealous in his defense and propagation of his faith,


He felt himself to be blameless as far as the law was concerned.
These were great assets from a human point of view. If anyone
could have been saved by good works it was Paul.
But the day came when God revealed His own righteousness to
Paul in the Person of Jesus Christ. When Paul saw Jesus Christ he
began to understand for the first time what real righteousness was; and
he saw that his own “righteousness” was only as filthy rags – and
certainly no asset. Indeed it was a liability because it had been keeping
him from Jesus Christ where true righteousness could alone be found.
Paul now learned to count his good works as nothing in order to
have Christ “and be found in Him, not having a righteousness of
my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith
in Christ—the righteousness which comes from God and is by faith”
(Philippians 3 v9).
In other words, he moved his long list of cherished assets to the
column of liabilities (for that is what they really were) and under assets
he wrote “Jesus Christ alone”.

Justification Comes Only from God
The Bible teaches that the source of justification is completely
and absolutely in God—and God alone.
Paul writes in Romans 3 v30:
“Since there is one God who will justify the circumcised by
faith and the uncircumcised through faith.”
This verse teaches two truths:
It is God, and He alone, who justifies.
God justifies the circumcised and the uncircumcised, the
religious and the irreligious, everyone and anyone without
distinction—if they truly believe.
Paul again underlines the fact that it is God and God alone Who justifies
the sinner in Romans 8 verses 30 and 33.
“Moreover whom He (God the Father) predestined, these He
also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom
He justified, these He also glorified” (verse 30).
“Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who


justifies” (verse 33).
When we truly understand that justification is a declaration and a
legal pronouncement by God the Supreme Judge then the source of
our justification MUST, of necessity, be absolutely and completely in
God.
There can be no other answer. The Bible teaches that the source of
justification and the basis for justification lie in God Himself and in
God alone.

My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.
I dare not trust the sweetest frame
But wholly lean on Jesus’ name.

A Question
Do you really and truly believe that it is God alone
Who justifies, and that “salvation is of the Lord”?
Then praise Him and thank Him for His grace, mercy
and love which He extended to you.


Chapter 7:
Saved by Grace Alone
The Reason for Justification

T he more intensely we study the doctrine of justification, and the
more clearly we see that it is God, and God alone, who justifies,
the more we begin to ask ourselves several important questions.
Why does God justify sinners, rebels and enemies?
Why does God justify some sinners and not others?
Why did God justify me?
These questions are not easy to answer.
We have already seen that no one can do anything by himself to be
justified. We also need to add the fact that no one deserves to be
justified, and that includes each of us. We are by nature rebels against,
and enemies of, God (Romans 5 v10; 8 v7). We deserve eternal
separation from God and punishment for our sins (John 3 v18-20, 36;
Romans 3 v19). Yet He justifies us. Why does He do this?

Justification Is by Grace Alone
Paul answers these questions in a very simple but clear way in
Romans 3 v24:

“Being (or having been) justified freely by His grace through
the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.”

Two words or phrases in this verse are of special interest to us:
We are justified freely.
The word “freely” used here means “as a gift”. In other words, our
justification is without payment on our part and without any human
merit. Measured by the standard of God’s requirement, human merit is
impossible. Man cannot earn the great blessing of justification. He can
only receive it as a gift from God.
We are justified by His grace.
Grace is God’s favour to those who do not deserve it. Grace is


receiving that which we don’t deserve, and that which we cannot earn.
Dr. Martyn Lloyd Jones writes in one of his books on Romans: “Grace
always gives; whereas sin always takes away.” How true this statement
is!

Amazing grace! How sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind but now I see!
(John Newton)

This truth is taught over and over again in the Bible. One of the best
known statements in the New Testament which emphasizes that justification
or salvation is by grace and grace alone is Ephesians 2 v8-9.
“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of
yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should
boast.”
The first three verses of Ephesians chapter 2 describe in four ways
the background of all who are now saved:
We were dead . . . in trespasses and sins (verses 1 and 5).
We were practising evil (verse 3a).
We were enslaved to the world (verse 2a), the flesh (verse 3)
and the devil (verse 2b).
We were objects of God’s wrath (verse 3b).
Then verse 4 starts with the word “But.” This “but” changes
everything, and emphasizes the intervention of God into the situation.
If we had been left to ourselves we would have been hopeless and lost
for ever.
God made us alive with Christ (verse 5)—we have life.
God raised us up with Christ (verse 6)—we have freedom.
God saved us (verse 8)—we have salvation.
But all of this is on the basis of grace:

“For by grace you have been saved” (Ephesians 2 v8).


Oh for a thousand tongues to sing
My great Redeemer’s praise,
The glories of my God and King
The triumphs of His grace.
(Charles Wesley)

We are saved and justified by grace alone. It is true that this grace
and the salvation it brings comes to us through the channel of faith.
We can see this in the verses which surround Romans 3 v24 (verses
22, 25, 26, 27, 28 and 30). And we also see that same truth here in
Ephesians 2 v8.

“We are saved by grace, through faith.”

But the rest of the verse shows us that even our faith is “the gift of
God.” Paul states in these verses with regard to our faith “and that not
of yourselves it is the gift of God” (Ephesians 2 v9). We are saved by
faith, but this faith is the result of God’s gracious working. It is our
faith. We are responsible to believe. God does not believe for us. But
we believe only because God has first enabled us to believe. Without
Him we couldn’t! It is God who takes the first step.
Justification is therefore by grace from start to finish. We do not
deserve it, and we have no reason to boast or to glory in ourselves.
Salvation is “Not of works lest any man should boast.” We can only
boast in Him and what He has done.

“God has chosen the foolish things of the world . . .
(1 Corinthians 1v27a).
God has chosen the weak things of the world . . .
(1 Corinthians 1v27b).
And base things of the world has God chosen . . .
(1 Corinthians 1v28).
. . . THAT NO FLESH SHOULD GLORY IN HIS PRESENCE”
(1 Corinthians 1v29).

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