“All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Romans 3: 23,24)
Remember that to justify means to make one a doer of the law, and then read the text again, “Being made a doer of the law freely, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” The redemption that is in Christ is the worthiness, or the purchasing power of Christ. He gives himself to the sinner. His righteousness is given to the one who has sinned, and who believes.
That does not mean that Christ’s righteousness which he did 1900 years ago is laid up for the sinner to be simply credited to his account; it means that His present, active righteousness is given to him. So the one who was a sinner is transformed into a new person, having the very righteousness of God.
It will be seen therefore that there can be no higher state than that of justification [by faith]. It does everything that God can do for one, short of making him immortal, which is done only at the resurrection.
But this does not mean that being justified, there is no more danger of falling into sin. No; “The just shall live by faith.” Faith and submission to God must be exercised continually in order to remain a doer of the law.
This enables us to see clearly the force of these words, “Do we then make void the law through faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the law” (Romans 3:31). Instead of breaking the law and making it of no effect in our lives, we establish it in our hearts by faith. This is so because faith brings Christ into the heart, and the law of God is in the heart of Christ. This One who obeys is the Lord Jesus Christ, and His obedience is done in the heart of everyone who believes.
To Him shall be the glory forever and ever
Waggoner, Signs of the Times, May 1, 1893
“Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom. 5:1)
What does this mean? What is it to be justified?
Many think it is a sort of half-way house to perfect favor with God, a substitute for real righteousness. Their idea is that if one will only belief what the Bible says, he is to be counted as righteous when he is not. This is a great mistake.
Justification has to do with the law. The term means making just. To be just means to be righteous. To justify one, to make him just, is to make him a doer of the law.
Being justified by faith is simply being made a doer of the law by faith. Not only have all sinned, but “the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be” (Rom. 8:7). Since man has sinned, it is impossible that any amount of subsequent obedience could make up for that sin. The fact that one does not steal today does not do away with the fact that he stole something yesterday, nor does it lessen his guilt. The law will condemn a man for a theft committed last year, even though he may have refrained from stealing ever since.
Further, it is impossible for any one by nature to be subject to the law of God. He cannot do what the law requires. “In me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells (Rom. 7:18). The fault is not in the law, but in the man.
But what the law cannot do, the grace of God does. It justifies a man. What kind of men does it justify? - Sinners, of course, for they are the only ones who stand in need of justification. So we read, “ To him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness” (Rom. 4:5). It does not mean that God glosses over one’s fault so that he is counted righteous when he is really wicked; but it means that He makes that person a doer of the law. The moment God declares an ungodly man righteous, that instand that man is a doer of the law.
Waggoner, Signs of the Times, May 1, 1893
“If, in our endeavor to be justified in Christ, we ourselves were found to be sinners, is Christ then an agent of sin? Certainly not! But if I build up again those things which I tore down, then I prove myself a transgressor” (Gal. 2:17, 18 RSV)
Jesus is “the Holy and Righteous One” (Acts 3:14 RSV). “In Him is no sin” (1 Jn. 3:5 KJV). He not only “committed no sin” (1 Pet. 2:22), but also “knew no sin” (2 Cor. 5:21). Therefore it is impossible that any sin can come from Him. He does not impart sin. In the stream of life that flows from the heart of Christ through His wounded side there is no trace of impurity. He is not the minister [the agent] of sin; that is, He does not minister sin to anybody.
If in anyone who has sought and found righteousness through Christ, there is afterward found sin, it is because the person has damned up the stream, allowing the water to become stagnant. The Word has not been given free course. And where there is no activity, there is death. No one is to be blamed for this, but the person himself.
If a Christian tears down or destroys his sins through Christ then later builds those sins back up, he again becomes a lawbreaker in need of Christ.
That which is destroyed is the body of sin, and it is destroyed only by the personal presence of the life of Christ. It is destroyed for everybody, for Christ in His own flesh has abolished the “enmity,” the sinner’s carnal mind. Our sins, our weaknesses, were upon Him. For every soul the victory has been gained, and the enemy has been disarmed. We have only to accept the victory which Christ has won. Our faith makes it real to us. The loss of faith puts us outside the reality, and the old body of sin looms up again. That which is destroyed by faith is built up again by unbelief.
This is a present personal matter with each individual.
Waggoner, The Glad Tidings, pp. 42,43
