“Being justified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Romans 3.24.)
Introduction. You will confess, brethren, it was not at Olivet, on Sinai, or on Tabor that you found comfort. The bitter herbs of Gethsemene have often taken away the bitters of your life; the scourge of Gabbatha has scourged your cares; the groans of Calvary have put all other groans to flight.
(1) The Redemption that is by Christ Jesus. In Scripture, a captive must be ransomed before he is set free. By the fall of Adam and because of our guiltiness, we were given up to the vengeance of the law. We could find no ransom. Then Christ stepped in to take the place of all believers, and paid the ransom price to deliver us from the curse of the law and the vengeance of God so we could go our way, clean, free, and justified by his blood. He has redeemed a multitude ‘that no man can number,’ and these from every kingdom, nation, tongue, color, and rank. This ransom was all paid at once. This payment obtained a perfect and complete remittal of all the debts of all believers, past, present, and future, to the very end of time. He did this all himself! Two thieves hung beside him, not righteous men. The whole of the punishment of his people was distilled into one cup. He nearly spurned it: ‘Let this cup pass from me.’ But his love was so strong, that ‘At one tremendous draught of love/He drank damnation dry’ for all his people. They must, they shall, go free. The ransom was accepted. There lay Jesus in the grave. Now is the crisis of this world; it hangs trembling in the balance. Will God accept the ransom? The resurrection was a pledge of God’s accepting him. The second proof of his acceptance was the place he was given: at God’s right hand. O, what a spectacle was there that day!
(2) The Effect of the Ransom. ‘Justified freely by his grace through the redemption.’ What is the meaning of justification? Justification is always employed in a legal sense. The only way a prisoner can be justified is to be found not guilty. Now, the wonder of wonders is that we are proved guilty, and yet justified. Can any earthly tribunal do that? No, only the ransom of Christ can. The way God justifies a sinner. I might take a man’s punishment, but not his guilt. Christ takes my guilt to be his guilt. ‘Father, punish me,’ says he, ‘and consider that man to have been me. Let me endure his curse, and let him receive my blessing.’ This is a doctrine of revelation. It never could have been conceived by nature. Some characteristics of justification. Here stands a man all guilty. The moment he believes in Christ, he receives pardon, and his sins are no longer his. They were laid on the shoulders of Christ, and they are gone for good. The man stands guiltless in the sight of God. ‘What!’ say you, ‘do you mean that literally?’ Yes, that is the doctrine of justification by faith. Even more, the man ceases to be guilty in God’s esteem; he becomes righteous and meritorious, for he is looked upon by God with as much love as he ever looked upon the Son. Does this not pass all thought? Well, it is the doctrine of the Holy Spirit. The glorified spirits are no more accepted than the poor man below, who is once justified by grace.
(3) The Manner of Giving the Justification. ‘Will Christ take my black sins, and am I to take his righteousness?’ Yes, poor soul, if God has made you willing, if you confess your sins. ‘Freely by his grace’ because there is no price to be paid for it; it is not of your deservings. If you bring any of your deservings, you shall never have it. The worse you are, the better to come to Christ.
Selection from Conclusion. “If he gives you the grace to make you believe, he will give you the grace to live a holy life afterward. If he gives you faith, he gives you good works afterward.”
