JUSTIFICATION #7 JUSTIFICATION COMES FROM CHRIST BEARING OUR INIQUITIES A key to understanding

"Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: by whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God." (Romans 5:1-2) Try as we may, we cannot undo anything we have done. "All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God" (Rom 3:23). No amount of personal activity--regardless of how ardent and consistent it may be--can atone for a single sin. This situation, however, does not mean that atonement is impossible. It only means WE cannot accomplish it. In Christ, the Father found a way to deal with our sin. Thanks be to God, because of His grace, all is not hopeless. "He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities" (Isa 53:11). Christ travailed in soul when He bore "our sins in His body on the tree" (Pet 2:24). They were "laid on Him" by the Father Himself. When God saw this travail, He was "satisfied." This provided the basis for our justification. Because Christ bore our "iniquities," God is now able to "justify many" through the impartation of the knowledge of His work. As it is written, "by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many" (Isa 53:11). This is the ministry to which John refers in 1 John 5:20; "We know that the Son of God is come, and has given unto us an understanding . . . " It was also referred to by Zecharaias, father of John the Baptist, in his great prophecy. "To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins" (Lk 1:77).

NO CONDEMNATION

It is essential that every believer know he is not condemned! The power of a purged conscience frees the individual to "serve the living God" (Heb 9:14). Isaiah prophesied of this condition in wonderful language. "No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of Me, saith the LORD" (Isa 54:17). Note that wonderful expression: "their righteousness is of [from] Me." Never is this more true than in the Lord Jesus Christ. There, a righteousness is conferred that cannot be gainsaid. Condemnation is not possible where "faith in the blood" is present (Rom 3:25). Our Lord Jesus adds His confirmation, pressing the issue to the ultimate. "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life" (John 5:24). If you keep the faith, you have this commitment from your Lord; you will not come into condemnation! When you pass from death, you pass from condemnation! Paul adds this affirmation; "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit" (Rom 8:1). Those that "walk not after the flesh" are those that have been delivered from its dominion--and know it. Such conduct themselves in a lively awareness of their purification.

SIN TAKEN AWAY, RIGHTEOUSNESS GIVEN

Justification is wonderfully depicted in an account provided by the prophet Zechariah. He sees Joshua the high priest standing before the Lord,. arrayed in "filthy garments," with Satan standing by to resist him. This is a graphic picture of the human condition apart from grace. Joshua could not correct his condition, nor could any of his peers. However, God Himself provides the remedy! "And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment" (Zech 3:4). The removal of the contaminated garments equates to the remission of sins. The clothing with a change of raiment depicts the appropriation of righteousness. Both come from God. Neither one can be accomplished by man. God forgives, and God makes righteous. He does so upon the basis of what Jesus has accomplished. Glory to God for such a "great salvation!"

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